Beams, Wellingham, Sidebottom

[Elite]

Cant remember the exact order it happened, but in one centre bounce against the blues, I think it was wellingham to beams to sidebottom, and a shot on goal. Thought to myself, wow, that's the future right there, and it looks pretty damn good!

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

From a raw silky skill point of view, Wellingham will be the better player.

But as an all round player: Hardness, Skill, Reading the play/ball, kick for goal etc. it's easily Beames.

Not sure where sidebottom sits.

Doesn't have:

- the speed of Wellingham
- the hardness of Beames
- the goal kicking ability of Beames
- the field kick of Wellingham
- the ball winning ability of either

But one thing he DOES have? He can read where the ball is going better than any young player from any side that I've seen for a long time.

 

[Zahki]

I think it's very easy to underrate Sidebottoms contribution because his game isn't 'pretty'. Here's some stats from the Hawthorn game:

* 17 - score links for the match (most on the ground). Score link: When a player is involved in an unbroken chain which results in a score.

* 4 - goal launches (most on ground). Goal launch: When a player delivers the first possession in a link which results in a goal.

* 8 - possession gains (most on ground) Possession gain: Possession acquired off a turnover.

* 0 - turnovers (only two players on the ground with zero turnovers - Sidebottom and Prestigiacomo)

* 0 - clangers (only eight players in the match with 0)

* 5 - tackles (t-second most on ground, Luke Hodge had six)

* 9 - contested possessions (t-third most on ground, Hodge had 14)

So for all the talk about his lack of speed it's pretty clear that he can impact games just as much as Beams or Wellingham.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

I think it's very easy to underrate Sidebottoms contribution because his game isn't 'pretty'. Here's some stats from the Hawthorn game:

* 17 - score links for the match (most on the ground). Score link: When a player is involved in an unbroken chain which results in a score.

* 4 - goal launches (most on ground). Goal launch: When a player delivers the first possession in a link which results in a goal.

* 8 - possession gains (most on ground) Possession gain: Possession acquired off a turnover.

* 0 - turnovers (only two players on the ground with zero turnovers - Sidebottom and Prestigiacomo)

* 0 - clangers (only eight players in the match with 0)

* 5 - tackles (t-second most on ground, Luke Hodge had six)

* 9 - contested possessions (t-third most on ground, Hodge had 14)

So for all the talk about his lack of speed it's pretty clear that he can impact games just as much as Beams or Wellingham.

Dont' read my post the wrong way. It's in no way a slight on Steele. I'm just saying, that if you broke down the individual aspects of his game, he's bested by either Wellingham or Beames in pretty much all of them.

Doesn't mean he won't be a great player.

 

[smiddaz123]

I'd say Beams has a better field kick than Wellingham. Sidebottom's is probably more accurate but lacks the distance of the other two.

 

[shawthing09]

I'd say Sidebottom has scope to be the best kick out of the lot, and he has looked handy of a half foward flank and reads the play so well that I think he projects to be a real goal kicker.

As for the impact, no doubt he is a good player and isn't going to not affect the match but I think both Sharrord and Beams project as real match changing type players with their ability to win contested ball and feed it out to players effectively. Direct and drive the game from first touch, I don't think Sidebottom has or will have that kind of ability.

 

[4#Didak#4]

And the winner is.......

After tallying all those who actually ranked them in order on a 3,2,1 basis this is the total:

Beams 42
Sidebottom 38
Wellingham 34

So we have Beams ahead at this stage. I think Wellingham being older may have counted against him a little, only 4 had him as the best of the 3. Sidebottom & Beams both had their supporters Sidey with 7 and Beams with 8 as being their best. However, apart from Sidebottom's supporters the rest had some doubts with 7 placing him on the bottom, while 4 placed Beams on the bottom. I think this is due to Sidebottom's future potential being more of an unknown quantity.

All in all very, very even. They all bring different qualities to the midfield, which makes for a very good midfield.