Opinion Best 50 of 2012

[Old VFL AFL Game]

I think everyone is picking gary ablett junior now seeing his past at the cats

 

[AG]

He was brilliant again last year. He will end up being in the top 3 players I've ever seen. Absolute freak.

 

[the distributer]

If Didak did it, then Varcoe can do it imo.

Varcoe isn't as good as Didak mate, Didaks best is elite, i don't think Varcoe will ever reach those heights, but in saying that i wouldn't be surprised to see Varcoe step up this year, wouldn't surprise me at all to see him in the top 50 come seasons end.

 

[the distributer]

I don't think Waite will make top 50. I do think Yarran will make top 30 (in fact I think Yarran will outperform Varcoe).

Yarran's a HB ATM, dime a dozen.

 

[AG]

Varcoe isn't as good as Didak mate, Didaks best is elite, i don't think Varcoe will ever reach those heights, but in saying that i wouldn't be surprised to see Varcoe step up this year, wouldn't surprise me at all to see him in the top 50 come seasons end.

Obviously but blaze said Varcoe wouldn't become a top class player because he doesn't do any of the dirty work and is surrounded by good players.

I recognise Didak has been a good player but you have to admit he fits the above description.

 

[the distributer]

Obviously but blaze said Varcoe wouldn't become a top class player because he doesn't do any of the dirty work and is surrounded by good players.

I recognise Didak has been a good player but you have to admit he fits the above description.

Point taken.

 

[KeilorUnder9s]

It may just be bias but I seriously can see Dustin Martin finishing quite high on the list this year, he is super fit this year after his weight gain issues last pre season and hungry as hell.

 

[AG]

It may just be bias but I seriously can see Dustin Martin finishing quite high on the list this year, he is super fit this year after his weight gain issues last pre season and hungry as hell.

Weight gain issues will return if he is hungry as hell....


Get it? Har har har.

 

[the distributer]

It may just be bias but I seriously can see Dustin Martin finishing quite high on the list this year, he is super fit this year after his weight gain issues last pre season and hungry as hell.

He's going to be a star IMO, but i just think he'll take another year or 2 to become consistant, top 50 wouldn't surprise me though.

 

[WCEbrody]

Agree with much of your list. My take (with comments) is as follows:

1: S Pendlebury (C'wd) - has so much to prove in 2012, thus edges out Ablett
2: G Ablett (Geelong, I mean GC)
3: L.Franklin (Hawthorn)
4: C.Judd (Carlton)
5: J Selwood (Geelong) - finished 2011 in style and will be out to continue fine form
6: D.Swan (Collingwood)
7: M.Murphy (Carlton)
8: N Fyffe(Freo) - will blossom as Freo's No.1 in 2012
9: B Gibbs (Carlton) - Surely, he must realise his potential in 2012
10: N.Del Santo (St Kilda)


11: T Varcoe (Geelong) - at 23, he is on track to become elite IMO
12: T.Cloke (Collingwood)
13: D.Cox (West Coast)
14: J Bartel (Geelong) - Best utility in AFL
15: D.Thomas (Collingwood)
16: S.Johnson (Geelong)
17: A Goodes (Swans)
18: D Kerr (WCE) - Expect him to return to best form in 2012
19: A.Swallow (North Melbourne)
20: D.Glass (West Coast)


21: H.Shaw (Collingwood)
22: A.Sandilands (Fremantle)
23: M.Priddis (West Coast)
24: L.Shuey (West Coast)
25: P Dangerfield (Adelaide)
26: T.Cotchin (Richmond)
27: B.Goddard (St Kilda)
28: C.Enright (Geelong)
29: J.Watson (Essendon)
30: T.Goldstein (North Melbourne)


31: B.Reid (Collingwood)
32: L.Hodge (Hawthorn)
33: S.Fisher (St Kilda)
34: J.Kennedy (Sydney)
35: B.Deledio (Richmond)
36: N.Bock (Gold Coast)
37: S Higgins (WB) - will prove he is a champion in 2012
38: H.Taylor (Geelong)
39: Tom Hawkins (Geelong) - will prove his form in last quarter 2011 was no fluke
40: D.Martin (Richmond)


41: M. Le Cras (West Coast)
42: L.Ball (Collingwood)
43: S Mumford (Swans)
44: C.Rioli (Hawthorn)
45: J.Riewoldt (Richmond)
46: B.Moloney (Melbourne)
47: K Jack (Swans)
48: J.Waite (Carlton)
49: Zaharakis (Bombers)
50: G.Birchall (Hawthorn)

Tom Scully in Top 50? Kidding. He will struggle as the lone ranger at GWS, and the wight of the huge salary will also hurt.

If Kerr gets back to his best(which i doubt considering how much time he spends on the sidelines) i'd have him a little higher.

 

[blaze036]

Obviously but blaze said Varcoe wouldn't become a top class player because he doesn't do any of the dirty work and is surrounded by good players.

I recognise Didak has been a good player but you have to admit he fits the above description.

My main reason why i think varcoe will never become top class is his very inconsistant, and often has very very quiet games whilst in a dominate team.

Didak is in a similair boat however his more skilled in terms of foot skills and playmaking ability ect

 

[OnceWeWereKings]

Yarran's a HB ATM, dime a dozen.

Only two blokes in your team I would swap him for though

 

[AG]

Those arguments never mean anything. You grow fond of the players you support and end up overrating them.

I think Ablett is better than Goodes but no chance I'd ever swap him for Ablett.

 

[OnceWeWereKings]

Those arguments never mean anything. You grow fond of the players you support and end up overrating them.

I think Ablett is better than Goodes but no chance I'd ever swap him for Ablett.

Was balancing the swap comment on what I believe would make Carlton a better side this year.
Would trade Yarran for Pendlebury or Cloke, perhaps Reid if he continues to improve over the next year or two.
Yarran out and either of those two in would make Carlton a better side this year.
No bias involved.
If Yarran's form curve continues he has the ability to be a top 10 player in the league.
A potential match winner.

And I wouldn't swap Goodes for Ablett either
Wouldn't make the Swans a better side, what you would gain with one you would lose with the other.

Same principle applies to my initial comment

 

[juss]

Only two blokes in your team I would swap him for though

You'd be a poor list manager then.

 

[the distributer]

Was balancing the swap comment on what I believe would make Carlton a better side this year.
Would trade Yarran for Pendlebury or Cloke, perhaps Reid if he continues to improve over the next year or two.
Yarran out and either of those two in would make Carlton a better side this year.
No bias involved.
If Yarran's form curve continues he has the ability to be a top 10 player in the league.
A potential match winner.

And I wouldn't swap Goodes for Ablett either
Wouldn't make the Swans a better side, what you would gain with one you would lose with the other.

Same principle applies to my initial comment

I won't rate Yarran until he shows he can make it as a mid or fwd of centre, currently he plays the easiest role in football, he has good footskills and run and carry and is fairly attacking and has good size, he has the tools required to become a very good footballer, ATM though he's behind Beams/Sidebottom/Wellingham, and TBH i wouldn't swap him for Fasolo either (even though Fasolo is clearly behind with runs on the board), al those boys have form as mids and fwd of centre and those positions are muchhhh harder to play than HB.

Also, i wouldn't swap Daisy for 3 Yarrans, and that's being honest.

 

[OnceWeWereKings]

You'd be a poor list manager then.

One maybe two in yours, the others.....nope.

You could name 'em as well, it's not hard.

In a real trade scenario, who would you trade Yarran in Collingwoods team for?

 

[OnceWeWereKings]

I won't rate Yarran until he shows he can make it as a mid or fwd of centre, currently he plays the easiest role in football, he has good footskills and run and carry and is fairly attacking and has good size, he has the tools required to become a very good footballer, ATM though he's behind Beams/Sidebottom/Wellingham, and TBH i wouldn't swap him for Fasolo either (even though Fasolo is clearly behind with runs on the board), al those boys have form as mids and fwd of centre and those positions are muchhhh harder to play than HB.

Also, i wouldn't swap Daisy for 3 Yarrans, and that's being honest.

As AG mentioned above, we all rate our own above those in other teams.
Your points are valid though.
He ain't the finished article by a long shot, BUT he could be anything.
I rate the three you mention highly, particularly Sidebottom.
You would have to throw in a sweetener if I was to trade him for Thomas.....perhaps Dawes

 

[the distributer]

As AG mentioned above, we all rate our own above those in other teams.
Your points are valid though.
He ain't the finished article by a long shot, BUT he could be anything.
I rate the three you mention highly, particularly Sidebottom.
You would have to throw in a sweetener if I was to trade him for Thomas.....perhaps Dawes

You can have Dawes.

 

[sydney eagle]

For the WCE guys mentioned Priddis is too high and Kerr should of got a mention as he is our best mid.

Maybe when he is fit , but Kerr wasn't fit for most of last season; nor has he been for the last couple of years. Priddis has earned his rating with consistant performances over the year.

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

1. Lance Franklin
2. Gary Ablett
3. Scott Pendlebury
4. Jobe Watson
5. Trent Cotchin
6. Nat Fyfe
7. Nick Riewoldt
8. Luke Hodge
9. Scott Pendlebury
10. Bryce Gibbs
11. Dane Swan
12. Marc Murphy
13. Joel Selwood
14. Chris Judd
15. Sam Mitchell
16. Brett Deledio
17. Nathan Bock
18. Matthew Leuenberger
19. Dean Cox
20. Brian Lake
21. David Mundy
22. Nick Dal Santo
23. Kieran Jack
24. Michael Hurley
25. Adam Goodes
26. Grant Birchall
27. Brendon Goddard
28. Aaron Sandilands
29. Daniel Rich
30. Daniel Kerr
31. Marc LeCras
32. Shane Mumford
33. Paul Chapman
34. Kurt Tippett
35. Dale Thomas
36. Dustin Martin
37. Todd Goldstein
38. Travis Cloke
39. Jimmy Bartel
40. Jack Riewoldt
41. Cyril Rioli
42. Matt Priddis
43. Johnathan Brown
44. Jordie McKenzie
45. Josh Kennedy
46. Jeff Garlett
47. Issac Smith
48. Chris Tarrant
49. Sam Reid
50. Heath Hocking

 

[juss]

One maybe two in yours, the others.....nope.

You could name 'em as well, it's not hard.

In a real trade scenario, who would you trade Yarran in Collingwoods team for?

Not that Collingwood would do it, but if I were Carlton list manager I'd trade Yarran for:

Beams, Cloke, Pendlebury, Reid, Sidebottom, Swan, Thomas without a second thought.

There are numerous other players that I'd have to have a bit of a think about including: Dawes, Didak, O'Brien, Shaw

I assume the two you are talking about from the tigers are Cotchin and Martin?
You'd be crazy to not swap for JR, he's exactly what Carlton need.

 

[OnceWeWereKings]

Not that Collingwood would do it, but if I were Carlton list manager I'd trade Yarran for:

Beams, Cloke, Pendlebury, Reid, Sidebottom, Swan, Thomas without a second thought.

There are numerous other players that I'd have to have a bit of a think about including: Dawes, Didak, O'Brien, Shaw

I assume the two you are talking about from the tigers are Cotchin and Martin?
You'd be crazy to not swap for JR, he's exactly what Carlton need.

You talk about list management then want to swap Yarran for anyone of Beams, Thomas, Swan, Shaw, Didak, O'Brien or Shaw?.

Whilst all of the above are quality players, a couple even elite, Carlton's list does not lack for players whom play similar roles at, or with the potential to be at, the level of the players you mention.

Like I said Pendelbury or Cloke, thats about it.

I would take Cotchin in a heartbeat, I think he will be a special footballer.
Martin could be anything, yet I still have some doubts about him.

JR......nah, we had the prototype in Fev, didn't work out too well for us.

Focal point non power forwards like Jack can struggle when not being the "focal" point.

It's not a knock on Jack, he's a star. Just prefer to mix it up a bit.

 

[raskolnikov]

1. Lance Franklin
2. Gary Ablett
3. Scott Pendlebury
4. Jobe Watson
5. Trent Cotchin
6. Nat Fyfe
7. Nick Riewoldt
8. Luke Hodge
9. Scott Pendlebury
10. Bryce Gibbs
11. Dane Swan
12. Marc Murphy
13. Joel Selwood
14. Chris Judd
15. Sam Mitchell
16. Brett Deledio
17. Nathan Bock
18. Matthew Leuenberger
19. Dean Cox
20. Brian Lake
21. David Mundy
22. Nick Dal Santo
23. Kieran Jack
24. Michael Hurley
25. Adam Goodes
26. Grant Birchall
27. Brendon Goddard
28. Aaron Sandilands
29. Daniel Rich
30. Daniel Kerr
31. Marc LeCras
32. Shane Mumford
33. Paul Chapman
34. Kurt Tippett
35. Dale Thomas
36. Dustin Martin
37. Todd Goldstein
38. Travis Cloke
39. Jimmy Bartel
40. Jack Riewoldt
41. Cyril Rioli
42. Matt Priddis
43. Johnathan Brown
44. Jordie McKenzie
45. Josh Kennedy
46. Jeff Garlett
47. Issac Smith
48. Chris Tarrant
49. Sam Reid
50. Heath Hocking

At last someone who rates Jobe Watson. He was absolutely tearing it up before he got injured last year and if he remains injury free this year will easily be top ten.

 

[juss]

You talk about list management then want to swap Yarran for anyone of Beams, Thomas, Swan, Shaw, Didak, O'Brien or Shaw?.

Whilst all of the above are quality players, a couple even elite, Carlton's list does not lack for players whom play similar roles at, or with the potential to be at, the level of the players you mention.

Like I said Pendelbury or Cloke, thats about it.

I would take Cotchin in a heartbeat, I think he will be a special footballer.
Martin could be anything, yet I still have some doubts about him.

JR......nah, we had the prototype in Fev, didn't work out too well for us.

Focal point non power forwards like Jack can struggle when not being the "focal" point.

It's not a knock on Jack, he's a star. Just prefer to mix it up a bit.

I will pose this question to you. What is more formidable? A carlton side with judd and swan in the middle? Or a Carlton side with yarran on the back flank? What do you think would bring you closer to a flag?