Chapman - Still no respect......Why is it so?

[Kittenish]

I have a question for all Geelong fans.....listening to 3AW last week the likes of Carey, Healey, Walls and Russell were debating who are the five most important Geelong players......the likes of Jnr, Milburn, Bartell, Mooney and Scarlett were all pretty much on most lists with I think only one vote for Ottens, Stevie Johnson and only one amazingly (I think it was Wallsy) voting for Paul Chapman.

I love this guy. Hard at the ball and man, tackles hard, forward pressure is great, can go into the middle and clear the pil and is great in the air for his size and a genuine goal kicker.

He was probably your best performer last year over the course of 22 rounds. He also was vocal earlier this season and last about the need for some players to harden the fcuk up and play unselfish football.

Also....why is he not in your leadership group? Everything about the way this guy goes about his footy indicates genuine leader?

Can anyone explain to me why this guy is so underappreciated? My favorite Geelong player since the great Buddha Hocking.......please enlighten me. Of all your guys (except for Ottens...purely coz we need a ruck).....Chappy would be the guy I'd most like to see in black and white.

There's no respect for Geelong players full stop.

When you say great footballer (like modern ones) you get names like Hird, Buckley, Farmer etc. But rarely anyone will pipe up and say Gary Ablett Jnr or Mooney.
Some people even discuss whether Gary Ablett Snr is truly a footy god. We get no respect.

 

[Catsace]

Yes but Chappy can't play full-forward, or CHF. Well he can, but playing on a top defender whilst staying in the F50 isn't where he's at his best. Mooney (this year) has become our focal point, or at least the guy we'd go to the most in the F50, and for that reason he is more important, as our smaller forwards feed off him.

You asked this in regard to the importance within the team, and I'm taking this structurally. I reckon Chappy is one of the best players going around, but structurally, he isn't as important.

Structually he will be massive, as who will other sides use to mind all of Gaz Jr, Chappy and S 'Thinks he's Daics' J? Few if any clubs can boast a stronger, more skilled group of small forwards/midfielders, and that's what will be integral to our structure. Chappy can mark, kick from 50 (As he demonstrated against the Dons), and he is mighty hard to tackle. I might be biased as i have him in my Supercoach side, but boy, 15 other clubs would move heaven and earth to get him in their sides pronto. If he was available as a free agent, the #1 pick would be used to get him, that's for sure.

 

[Catsace]

There's no respect for Geelong players full stop.

When you say great footballer (like modern ones) you get names like Hird, Buckley, Farmer etc. But rarely anyone will pipe up and say Gary Ablett Jnr or Mooney.
Some people even discuss whether Gary Ablett Snr is truly a footy god. We get no respect.

Here, here!!

 

[turtlemanistic]

Structually he will be massive, as who will other sides use to mind all of Gaz Jr, Chappy and S 'Thinks he's Daics' J? Few if any clubs can boast a stronger, more skilled group of small forwards/midfielders, and that's what will be integral to our structure. Chappy can mark, kick from 50 (As he demonstrated against the Dons), and he is mighty hard to tackle. I might be biased as i have him in my Supercoach side, but boy, 15 other clubs would move heaven and earth to get him in their sides pronto. If he was available as a free agent, the #1 pick would be used to get him, that's for sure.

Exactly. He's part of a core group of small forwards/midfielders, all of whom are excellent, and none of whom can be afforded a free run. That's part of what's making us so damn good this year.

 

[Catsace]

Are you sure? I know I read he was left out of the leadership group this year in a Mike Sheehan article. I don't fall off my chair often, but I certianly did when I read it!

There's some respect for him right here from a Pie's fan. Maybe we should do a 'Chappy Pol' and see if he's respected by other fans. I am sure he would be.

 

[SJ]

Structually he will be massive, as who will other sides use to mind all of Gaz Jr, Chappy and S 'Thinks he's Daics' J? Few if any clubs can boast a stronger, more skilled group of small forwards/midfielders, and that's what will be integral to our structure. Chappy can mark, kick from 50 (As he demonstrated against the Dons), and he is mighty hard to tackle. I might be biased as i have him in my Supercoach side, but boy, 15 other clubs would move heaven and earth to get him in their sides pronto. If he was available as a free agent, the #1 pick would be used to get him, that's for sure.

Nice touch.

 

[Duskfire]

Chapman is an amazing player, no doubt about that. There has been times he has won us games; I remember in our 1 point win over Bulldogs last year as a match where he played particularly well and we won pretty much because of him. However, I would prefer him to miss a game then the likes of Ablett or Bartel or Mooney. Thats not to say he is a horrible player, but to me he is in our top 10, but probably not top 5. Of importance anyhow.

Wouldnt trade him for anyone in the world though.

 

[SJ]

If I was a selector, Chapman and Scarlett would be my first two picked, no doubts.

 

[Duskfire]

My top 5 would probably be... Scarlett, Ablett Jnr, Cameron Mooney, Brad Otten, james Bartel. Purely for importance factors - Milburn, Chapman, Egan, etc etc would be up there too, no doubt about that.

 

[winty]

There's no respect for Geelong players full stop.

When you say great footballer (like modern ones) you get names like Hird, Buckley, Farmer etc. But rarely anyone will pipe up and say Gary Ablett Jnr or Mooney.
Some people even discuss whether Gary Ablett Snr is truly a footy god. We get no respect.

Spot on Kittenish! Earlier this week we even had some nuff-nuff in here with the audacity to call Gaz Junior a downhill skier! Blasphemy!

Interestingly, Gaz and Chappy are both averaging 16.4 possessions a game, both have scored 153 goals in their career, and both average over 3 tackles a game, yet Gaz gets all the plaudits while Chappy goes under the radar.

 

[ecleftic]

Are you sure? I know I read he was left out of the leadership group this year in a Mike Sheehan article. I don't fall off my chair often, but I certianly did when I read it!

Chappy is definitely in the leadership group. It was Scarlett who was left out of the leadership group.



Go CATS!!

 

[Copernicus]

He gets respect from the fans, that's for sure. Even if the media wingnuts don't notice him, the rest of us do, although I am quite sure he's the kind of bloke who doesn't care whether he gets plaudits or not. He's a real team man and we're lucky to have him putting in every week for us.

 

[Collingwoodrow]

There's no respect for Geelong players full stop.

When you say great footballer (like modern ones) you get names like Hird, Buckley, Farmer etc. But rarely anyone will pipe up and say Gary Ablett Jnr or Mooney.
Some people even discuss whether Gary Ablett Snr is truly a footy god. We get no respect.

I'm not sure with this assessment.

Hird, Buckley, Voss, Carey, Dunstall, Lockett, Ablett Snr are the best footballers of the past 20 years....then you have your second tier (room for debate here I know) stars like Riccuito, McLeod, West, Brad Johnson, Koutafidies, Akermanis, Fletcher, Silvagni, Hocking....etc.

Gary Ablett Jnr one day will be mentioned amongst these players....Judd will be in the top group.

Mooney will be remembered as a good physical footballer with intangibles but a hot head (I know he has been more disciplined lately)....I wouldn't think a great of the game or in the elite of the competition. Very very good...but not great IMO.

Who is Farmer.......Polly? He was a great...please don't tell me you meant Jeff.

I dont think anyone with half a footy brain debates the greatness of Ablett Snr. And I think the Geelong players get their due in media circles. Billy makes sure of that!!!!!

 

[SJ]

I'm not sure with this assessment.

Hird, Buckley, Voss, Carey, Dunstall, Lockett, Ablett Snr are the best footballers of the past 20 years....then you have your second tier (room for debate here I know) stars like Riccuito, McLeod, West, Brad Johnson, Koutafidies, Akermanis, Fletcher, Silvagni, Hocking....etc.

Gary Ablett Jnr one day will be mentioned amongst these players....Judd will be in the top group.

Mooney will be remembered as a good physical footballer with intangibles but a hot head (I know he has been more disciplined lately)....I wouldn't think a great of the game or in the elite of the competition. Very very good...but not great IMO.

Who is Farmer.......Polly? He was a great...please don't tell me you meant Jeff.

I dont think anyone with half a footy brain debates the greatness of Ablett Snr. And I think the Geelong players get their due in media circles. Billy makes sure of that!!!!!

Agreed, don't take too much notice of Kittenish.

 

[sarah.13]

I'm not sure with this assessment.

Hird, Buckley, Voss, Carey, Dunstall, Lockett, Ablett Snr are the best footballers of the past 20 years....then you have your second tier (room for debate here I know) stars like Riccuito, McLeod, West, Brad Johnson, Koutafidies, Akermanis, Fletcher, Silvagni, Hocking....etc.

Gary Ablett Jnr one day will be mentioned amongst these players....Judd will be in the top group.

Mooney will be remembered as a good physical footballer with intangibles but a hot head (I know he has been more disciplined lately)....I wouldn't think a great of the game or in the elite of the competition. Very very good...but not great IMO.

Who is Farmer.......Polly? He was a great...please don't tell me you meant Jeff.

I dont think anyone with half a footy brain debates the greatness of Ablett Snr. And I think the Geelong players get their due in media circles. Billy makes sure of that!!!!!

Good post,fair and balanced. I think you'll find that after this year Jnr will be considered amongst the elite in the comp.
I have a feeling that the Farmer was Jeff but Kittenish was just trying to make a valid point.

 

[Asty]

I'm not sure with this assessment.

Hird, Buckley, Voss, Carey, Dunstall, Lockett, Ablett Snr are the best footballers of the past 20 years....then you have your second tier (room for debate here I know) stars like Riccuito, McLeod, West, Brad Johnson, Koutafidies, Akermanis, Fletcher, Silvagni, Hocking....etc.

Gary Ablett Jnr one day will be mentioned amongst these players....Judd will be in the top group.

Mooney will be remembered as a good physical footballer with intangibles but a hot head (I know he has been more disciplined lately)....I wouldn't think a great of the game or in the elite of the competition. Very very good...but not great IMO.

Who is Farmer.......Polly? He was a great...please don't tell me you meant Jeff.

I dont think anyone with half a footy brain debates the greatness of Ablett Snr. And I think the Geelong players get their due in media circles. Billy makes sure of that!!!!!

I pretty much agree with that although if I throw personal opinion at it I think Riccuito could be considered in that top group of players. There is not much he hasn't done and was a dominant figure in his prime and injury free.

 

[a.f.k.a.y.o.p.]

Spot on Kittenish! Earlier this week we even had some nuff-nuff in here with the audacity to call Gaz Junior a downhill skier! Blasphemy!

Interestingly, Gaz and Chappy are both averaging 16.4 possessions a game, both have scored 153 goals in their career, and both average over 3 tackles a game, yet Gaz gets all the plaudits while Chappy goes under the radar.

Lets hope that opposing coaches think the same - then watch him "carve them up" as the big Ox said about Chappy during the Esseondon game! "never wastes a possession!"
Unstoppable when fully fit, and getting near that now.
Probably my fav Geelong player behind Wojak (He gets pipped because im Polish and have to stick to blood ties - but thats the only reason).

 

[dmc82]

He isn't in the top 5 most important players because we have similar players that can do his job when he's out. Not for a second am I suggesting that he's not in our best 5, but he is replacable (short term). We can win without him playing/performing, whereas guys like Scarlett, Mooney, Ottens etc. cannot be replaced as easily with similar type players who can consistently play well.

For me though, our top 5 most important players are Scarlett, Ottens, Mooney, Ablett and Ling.

Our best 5 would have Chapman in for Ottens and Bartel in for Ling (who would be fringe top 5). Also, Joel Corey is a lot more important than most of us actually give him credit for... and when in form he's brilliant.

 

[griff]

hes a tough little nut and absolutely invaluable..him and mooney are integral to team morale when things aren't going geelongs way