End Of Season- Top 50

[Lingsface]

Yep, crazy to leave him and Hogan out in particular and I’m very confident that Cal Wilkie will likewise remind everyone how good he is this year.

Last year- after we lost Howard and Battle and replaced them with just a learning-on-the-job Caminiti, for the first half of the year, and then him and a baby Tauru for the second- Wilkie was often trying to cover 2 or 3 opponents, but it looks like we may be going with 4 “talls” back there this year (even on the weekend when Silvagni went down, we replaced him with Keeler), which could free Wilkie up to be an intercepting/rebounding force.

The unofficial stats for the game the other night had him with 30 disposals and 10 marks (in very greasy conditions) and if that’s a sign of things to come, he’ll have his 2nd AA guernsey this year.

Yes, I will admit Wilkie is one that I should of put in the top 50. Deserves it has been very good since day 1.

 

[NeutralFan]

Yep, crazy to leave him and Hogan out in particular and I’m very confident that Cal Wilkie will likewise remind everyone how good he is this year.

Last year- after we lost Howard and Battle and replaced them with just a learning-on-the-job Caminiti, for the first half of the year, and then him and a baby Tauru for the second- Wilkie was often trying to cover 2 or 3 opponents, but it looks like we may be going with 4 “talls” back there this year (even on the weekend when Silvagni went down, we replaced him with Keeler), which could free Wilkie up to be an intercepting/rebounding force.

The unofficial stats for the game the other night had him with 30 disposals and 10 marks (in very greasy conditions) and if that’s a sign of things to come, he’ll have his 2nd AA guernsey this year.

How do you rate his forward generation abilities? My own personal bias has only 2 real key defenders in my Top 50 and think the most important attribute is ball use. Followed by intercepting and negating as personally think defence is more about coaching than personnel. The latter two Wilkie can do (currently have him equal 3rd highest rated key defender in the comp along with Sam Collins) but am interested on your opinion or what you see once he's able to intercept and launch a counterattack, or if he's more of a safe player aka "Where's Sinclair or where's NAS"? Which is fine to do don't get me wrong but if he was able to do that himself he'd absolutely be in my Top 50.

 

[SC_Power]

All of the above clangers by Mr Football Kaneo Cornes but still manages to get 4 Port Boys in there despite them finishing 13th.

Just in it for the clicks kaneo

You know he has been hanging crap on the Power for a while now?

Amazed people still thinking he’s a Portz Fan Boi.

 

[NeutralFan]

All of the above clangers by Mr Football Kaneo Cornes but still manages to get 4 Port Boys in there despite them finishing 13th.

Just in it for the clicks kaneo

It's not even that ridiculous of a call. Butters, Rozee, JHF, Georgiades is a very good Top 4 players to have. Problem why they're 13th and dropping is they have a gigantic cliff to their next best player who is probably Bergman and from then on it's bog average

 

[aussierulesrules]

How do you rate his forward generation abilities? My own personal bias has only 2 real key defenders in my Top 50 and think the most important attribute is ball use. Followed by intercepting and negating as personally think defence is more about coaching than personnel. The latter two Wilkie can do (currently have him equal 3rd highest rated key defender in the comp along with Sam Collins) but am interested on your opinion or what you see once he's able to intercept and launch a counterattack, or if he's more of a safe player aka "Where's Sinclair or where's NAS"? Which is fine to do don't get me wrong but if he was able to do that himself he'd absolutely be in my Top 50.

One of Wilkie’s biggest strengths- and one that I don’t think is often spoken about- is his lethal left foot.

I’ve been following the club closely for 36 years now and he is easily one of the very best and most reliable kicks we’ve had at the club in that time.

He just kicks dart after dart and its so rare to see him miss a target. He gets his kicks away quickly and they get there with real penetration, speed and accuracy.

There are those KPD’s who have very high KE’s because they either kick it long to packs, or chip it sideways to guys you want the ball in the hands of, but Wilkie is one of the guys you legitimately want the ball in the hands of, because he’s as likely to hit a target by foot as anyone in our team.

A guy like Nas might hit more miraculous type kicks, but he also misses his fair share, whereas Wilks takes what I’d say are mostly medium risk kicks, and they rarely miss, and get there at speed.

So he’s fantastic defensively, is an elite intercept mark, and he uses the ball as well by foot as any tall defender we’ve had in my 36 years following the club.

I also noticed that he’s equal-2nd favourite of all defenders to make the AA team this year.

 

[Fadge]

Have an entire spreadsheet rating every player akin to how NBA 2K does ratings and such so it's not completely definitive I think this guy is better than the guy 1 spot below or worse than the guy above. Isn't solely off just 2025 performance so poor form isn't be all end all. Looking at Patrick Cripps and James Sicily, even Danger but age is more likely to make him regress out of my Top 50 eventually.

1 M. Bontempelli
2 N. Daicos
3 I. Heeney
4 J. Cameron
5 N. Anderson
6 Z. Butters
7 M. Rowell
8 M. Holmes
9 S. Darcy
10 R. Thilthorpe
11 H. McCluggage
12 C. Serong
13 W. Day
14 L. Neale
15 E. Gulden
16 N. Wanganeen-Milera
17 J. Dawson
18 F. Callaghan
19 J. Newcombe
20 E. Richards
21 H. Young
22 J. Hogan
23 A. Brayshaw
24 Z. Merrett
25 C. Warner
26 M. Gawn
27 H. Andrews
28 B. Smith
29 J. Horne-Francis
30 P. Cripps
31 K. Pickett
32 C. Petracca
33 T. Greene
34 W. Ashcroft
35 I. Rankine
36 P. Dangerfield
37 H. Sheezel
38 L. Jackson
39 M. Georgiades
40 T. Miller
41 T. Green
42 J. Sicily
43 C. Curnow
44 N. Larkey
45 S. Taylor
46 B. King
47 S. Bolton
48 Z. Bailey
49 J. Elliott
50 D. Zorko

What metrics do you use in your spreadsheet?

 

[Mr Meow]

What metrics do you use in your spreadsheet?

I believe his system is missing the ultra important Podium Finish technology.

 

[Partridge]

Have an entire spreadsheet rating every player akin to how NBA 2K does ratings and such so it's not completely definitive I think this guy is better than the guy 1 spot below or worse than the guy above. Isn't solely off just 2025 performance so poor form isn't be all end all. Looking at Patrick Cripps and James Sicily, even Danger but age is more likely to make him regress out of my Top 50 eventually.

1 M. Bontempelli
2 N. Daicos
3 I. Heeney
4 J. Cameron
5 N. Anderson
6 Z. Butters
7 M. Rowell
8 M. Holmes
9 S. Darcy
10 R. Thilthorpe
11 H. McCluggage
12 C. Serong
13 W. Day
14 L. Neale
15 E. Gulden
16 N. Wanganeen-Milera
17 J. Dawson
18 F. Callaghan
19 J. Newcombe
20 E. Richards
21 H. Young
22 J. Hogan
23 A. Brayshaw
24 Z. Merrett
25 C. Warner
26 M. Gawn
27 H. Andrews
28 B. Smith
29 J. Horne-Francis
30 P. Cripps
31 K. Pickett
32 C. Petracca
33 T. Greene
34 W. Ashcroft
35 I. Rankine
36 P. Dangerfield
37 H. Sheezel
38 L. Jackson
39 M. Georgiades
40 T. Miller
41 T. Green
42 J. Sicily
43 C. Curnow
44 N. Larkey
45 S. Taylor
46 B. King
47 S. Bolton
48 Z. Bailey
49 J. Elliott
50 D. Zorko

Not bad. Can always argue about specific positions but the top 10 is reasonable. Only change I'd make is McLuggage definitely comes in. No way is he outside the top 10 in the comp now. Struggle to put any midfielder ahead of him except for Bont and maybe Daicos.

 

[Mr Meow]

Not bad. Can always argue about specific positions but the top 10 is reasonable. Only change I'd make is McLuggage definitely comes in. No way is he outside the top 10 in the comp now. Struggle to put any midfielder ahead of him except for Bont and maybe Daicos.

McCluggage is somehow still really underrated.

Has been snubbed multiple times for All Australian selection, always goes "unders" on voting systems relative to performance and has been an outstanding finals performer. Should be thought of as one of the very best midfielders in the comp but doesn't really get that recognition.

 

[Partridge]

McCluggage is somehow still really underrated.

Has been snubbed multiple times for All Australian selection, always goes "unders" on voting systems relative to performance and has been an outstanding finals performer. Should be thought of as one of the very best midfielders in the comp but doesn't really get that recognition.

Freely put my hand up. It wasn't until this year that I started noticing him and appreciating how good he is.

 

[Pomsta]

Must have been an oversight but it seems that Kane has accidently left Taranto off his top 50 list

 

[NeutralFan]

What metrics do you use in your spreadsheet?

Mostly my own personal eye test tbh
But everyone has their preferences. My own include ruckmen and defensive minded players aren't favoured. Emphasis on how you contribute offensively rather than defensively as I've said on this thread before, offense is more personnel than system and defense is more system and coaching rather than personnel.

No one will ever persuade me "tap ruckmen" and "second ruck" discourse is a real thing that modern football needs to consider. Gawn for example is so good due to actually being skilled and the most lethal ruckman all around the ground in the air, he's everywhere. He may good in ruckwork or whatever but I couldn't really care that much about that aspect.

 

[NeutralFan]

Not bad. Can always argue about specific positions but the top 10 is reasonable. Only change I'd make is McLuggage definitely comes in. No way is he outside the top 10 in the comp now. Struggle to put any midfielder ahead of him except for Bont and maybe Daicos.

I'll take that if the only criticism is someone is off by 1 spot where they should be

 

[Fadge]

Mostly my own personal eye test tbh

I thought you said you had an 'entire spreadsheet ranking players akin to NBA2K'? Which suggest you had data to help determine your rankings.

But instead it's a list based on your eye test?

 

[danster168]

Highest ranked Carlton player is Walsh at 49

No Cripps

Cripps aint anywhere near the top 50, what are u on about? The guy is an absolute plodder. Don't let the fact that he's a household name and is in the media a lot fool you. He's a defensive liability.

 

[Fadge]

Cripps aint anywhere near the top 50, what are u on about? The guy is an absolute plodder. Don't let the fact that he's a household name and is in the media a lot fool you. He's a defensive liability.

Rubbish.

This time last year, Cripps was comfortably in the top 5 in every top X player list, and was number 1 on one of them (think it was FoxFooty).

Noone questioned his position at the time.

Granted, he didnt have a great 2025, but that doesn't mean he drops out of the top 50. Reckon anywhere between 10th and 25th is where he belongs, but no lower than that.

 

[Corn Cobbers]

Rubbish.

This time last year, Cripps was comfortably in the top 5 in every top X player list, and was number 1 on one of them (think it was FoxFooty).

Noone questioned his position at the time.

Granted, he didnt have a great 2025, but that doesn't mean he drops out of the top 50. Reckon anywhere between 10th and 25th is where he belongs, but no lower than that.

I prefer Danster's analysis

He IS at good odds for the Brownlow though looked alright in the SOO

 

[Fadge]

He IS at good odds for the Brownlow though

Must be because of all those other star midfielders in his team who will steal votes off him...

 

[NeutralFan]

I thought you said you had an 'entire spreadsheet ranking players akin to NBA2K'? Which suggest you had data to help determine your rankings.

But instead it's a list based on your eye test?

The whole rating numbers they give next to players yes, I don't have a whole formula like champion data or statisticians. It's just a fun exercise

 

[Lingsface]

Must be because of all those other star midfielders in his team who will steal votes off him...

Sam Walsh actually has a higher percentage of games polled in his career than any player other than Daicos on your list.

Neale 54, Bont 52 and Cripps 40 3 vote games career.

Both chasing Dangerfield on 56 for all time record, crazy to think Bont will more than likely be the record holder and may never win the award!

Pendelbury the all time 2 vote game leader with Dangerfield the closest followed by Cripps for that title.

 

[Fadge]

Sam Walsh actually has a higher percentage of games polled in his career than any player other than Daicos on your list.

Let's see if he can maintain that after 300 to 400 games like Pendlebury and Sidebottom have played...

 

[Headless]

He's not a match winner.

What exactly do you need to do to be a match winner?

 

[Fadge]

What exactly do you need to do to be a match winner?

Now this is an interesting discussion...

 

[Headless]

Now this is an interesting discussion...

All this and more, right here on the anonymous online text-based football discussion forum bigfooty.com!

 

[RonnieRaven]

Going into next year and with this season done where do your ratings sit?

Here is mine, I am sure I will miss someone but I'll have a crack.

1- Daicos
2- Bont
3- Heeney
4- Cameron
5- Serong
6- Rowell
7- Darcy
8- Anderson
9- NWM
10- Andrews
11- W Ashcroft
12- Rankine
13- Pickett
14- Newcombe
15- Holmes
16- Green
17- Gawn
18- Callaghan
19- Dawson
20- Smith
21- Mcluggage
22- Thilthorpe
23- Butters
24- Neale
25- Weitering
26- Taylor
27- Elliot
28- Dunkley
29- Jackson
30- JHF
31-Gulden
32- Richards
33- Bailey
34- King
35- Brayshaw
36- Stewart
37- Greene
38- Cripps
39- Rozee
40- Sheezel
41- Clark
42- Merrett
43- Hogan
44- Moore
45- Long
46- Warner
47- Day
48- Petracca
49- Worrell
50- Miers

Serong where he should be
Only player ever to be AA BnF and poll 24+brownlow votes in 3 consecutive years turned 25 this month.

Conesy can’t even find a spot in his top 15