Toast Brent Stanton

[Lord Nicholson]

Think that Watson is still in front.

Really?

He's missed a massive chunk of games.

 

[Call Me Cake]

Definitely for the cheat days.

 

[Kong]

I hear that.

 

[daffo]

Heppell may lead the B/F at some stage but it appears as though Stanton will get the nod.

 

[Kong]

I don't think Heppell's as close as those in the media like to make out.

 

[The House]

Loved his game on Saturday and his recent form overall, but is it only me that thinks his best game for the year was against Collingwood 3 weeks ago??

This one comes pretty close, and both are amongst the very best of his career, but he recieved a hell of a lot more attention v's Collingwood, yet still used the ball equally well, and laid a whopping 14 tackles with 8 clearances.

From the outside it looks like Hirdy and co have really challenged him to take the next step from B grader to A grader this year, with the greatest areas of improvement being consistency of skill level and defensive efforts.

As someone who's criticized Stanton for his flaws before, i seem to qualify for what some on here simplistically label a hater (even though i support him and hope for him to go well as much as any Essendon fan), and after 4 rounds this year i was extreemely pleased to see he'd addressed the two areas i percieved to be his weekness, and had produced some bloody good games.

Unfortunately from there he got slaughtered on ANZAC day by Shaw, then produced what i consider to be his worst performance of the year against the Suns (even though he somehow was listed in the best iirc?). A period of what i feel was very patchy footy followed, including the infamouse and disgracefull booing by a small section of tools.

I must admit when he fell back into the old habits/mistakes i came to the conclusion that his first 4 weeks had been a bit of an anomaly, however we have since learnt that injury may have played a fairly significant part, and he's worked his way through it....

The turnaround he's shown in recent weeks to not only get back to the early season form, but to go beyond, has been outstanding imo. Massive respect and kudos to the man, and if he can keep his game at the level we've seen in the last 3 weeks for an extended period of time, i'll have no dramas conceding that he's made the step from B grader to A grader.



.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Nah, Pendlebury was BOG in my view that day.

 

[yaco55]

I don't think Heppell's as close as those in the media like to make out.

Agree

First year players traditionally dont poll in B and F Awards.

Rioli in 2008 finished 6th
Sellwood finished 8th.

Think Heppell is currently 4th or 5th.

 

[Kong]

IMO, right now it'd be something like:

Watson
Stanton
Zaharakis
Hurley
Ryder
Heppell

 

[yaco55]

House

Agree with your sentiments about Stantons game on Anzac Day - disappointing performance by a senior player.

Thought he was ordinary in the return game against Collingwood - Although Stats read well he struggled with the pace of the game.

Think he will be in for a tough struggle against the WC - expect S.Sellwood to apply a hard tag - But he is in a rich vein of form - And Subiaco should suit his style of play.

Expect Watson to play a blinder this week.

 

[Lord Nicholson]

Agree

First year players traditionally dont poll in B and F Awards.

Rioli in 2008 finished 6th
Sellwood finished 8th.

Think Heppell is currently 4th or 5th.

If we were a premiership side, I'd agree, since that would mean that everyone had been firing most of the time.

But Heppell has had, I think, the fewest "ordinary" games of the lot, without being BOG very often. I think the consistency, put up against the fact that a lot of our guns have missed large portions of the season, gives him a good chance.

 

[The House]

Nah, Pendlebury was BOG in my view that day.

I agree, but i still think Stanton played his best game for the year that day - not his fault that we lost by plenty and Pendles was brilliant.

House

Agree with your sentiments about Stantons game on Anzac Day - disappointing performance by a senior player.

Thought he was ordinary in the return game against Collingwood - Although Stats read well he struggled with the pace of the game.

Think he will be in for a tough struggle against the WC - expect S.Sellwood to apply a hard tag - But he is in a rich vein of form - And Subiaco should suit his style of play.

Expect Watson to play a blinder this week.

I beg to differ re Collingwood part 2 - i don't think he did much wrong when he had the footy at all, and he was bloody great when he didn't have it.

And from memory he was fairly closely checked for most of the day, whereas against the dogs i didn't think they were very accountable towards him at all.

This week is a big test for him and yeah, i too think Sellwood will give him a hard tag - however we are seeing what seems to be a much more confident and mentally tough version of Mr. Stanton, and unlike in the past i have reasonable faith he'll work his way through it.....fingers crossed.

 

[yaco55]

IMO, right now it'd be something like:

Watson
Stanton
Zaharakis
Hurley
Ryder
Heppell

That lists appears fairly accurate - Only quibble is doubt that Ryder would be 5th - may just squeeze into the top 10.

Guy that could be in Ryder's spot is Crameri.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I agree, but i still think Stanton played his best game for the year that day - not his fault that we lost by plenty and Pendles was brilliant.

I must admit that I watched it from level 4, so I just assumed Pendles got away from him. I still had him in the votes, and he was very good, but I thought Saturday was much better.

39 disposals, not a clanger that I remember, 2 goals, and just everywhere. Hirdy would have been proud of that performance.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

bump..

 

[Kong]

Posted this in the votes thread, but why not again:

Did we witness Brent Stanton stepping up when it mattered most?

I think even his harshest critics would have to say he was one of the few shining lights out there on Sunday, which is great considering a knock on him has been supposedly going into his shell on the big stage.

Not that it stopped some bozo behind us whining "Ohh Stanton, Jeeee-thus!" about 10 times in the first quarter, including two occasion when he wasn't even involved at all

 

[vast]

Yes, him and Gus stood up which was great to see especially when both of them had been criticised in the past. I also had a muppet near me bagging stanton. He was very quiet in the 2nd half though.

 

[Deeksy]

I don't actually think he had a quiet second half. He had a quiet first quarter when we were on top, but really stepped it up in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, basically single handed (with Monfries) in trying to generate some sort of offence.

Fantastic game from Stanton, but so few other contributors.

 

[vast]

I don't actually think he had a quiet second half. He had a quiet first quarter when we were on top, but really stepped it up in the 2nd and 3rd quarters, basically single handed (with Monfries) in trying to generate some sort of offence.

Fantastic game from Stanton, but so few other contributors.

Sorry didnt explain, the muppet bagging him was very quiet in the second half. When stants and gus where trying to lift us.

 

[Burzum]

Posted this in the votes thread, but why not again:

Did we witness Brent Stanton stepping up when it mattered most?

I think even his harshest critics would have to say he was one of the few shining lights out there on Sunday, which is great considering a knock on him has been supposedly going into his shell on the big stage.

Not that it stopped some bozo behind us whining "Ohh Stanton, Jeeee-thus!" about 10 times in the first quarter, including two occasion when he wasn't even involved at all

Someone (PP?) here mentioned that Stanton was still copping abuse as if he was the reason we got flogged.

 

[Kong]

That's pathetic.

 

[Kyptastic]

Should win the B&F. Been a great year, really consistent and doing the hard yards he wasn't doing as much previously. It's become more apparent just how hard he has been working as others have faded throughout the course of a long year.

I'm hoping that Angus is another to have a real strong year and silence the doubters next season (not saying that he didn't have a good year this year, but hopefully he steps up like Stanton did this season more consistently).

 

[Lord Nicholson]

I think Stants has been fantastic from the North game onwards, but I'm not sold on him being a monty for the B&F. Missed a few games, and there were some stinkers towards the start of the year - I know he was playing through an injury, but still... he's not getting anything for Anzac Day or the Dreamtime game.

From my experience, the Stanton bashers, while they're still there, they've been overruled entirely. After the Sydney and Footscray games in the latter part of the year, when Stants came towards the crowds, the applause palpably intensified. I think people are beginning to see.

 

[Pocket_Pears]

Seriously considering Stants again for Supercoach next year

2011 has been the only year I haven't had him.

How am I going to fit in all of Zaharakis, Heppell, Hurley and Stants next year?

 

[Jade]

Reliable, runs all day, great disposal and plays for his team mates.

Gun.

As important a player as we have.