- Jul 15, 2007
- 9,634
- 7,239
- AFL Club
- Fremantle
- Other Teams
- Boston Celtics, Patriots
While we're all fretting about players we don't have during this trade week, let's take a breather and look at who we do have and how we rated them this year. Here is a presentation of the final standings of the Freo Big Footy Player of the Year Award. Below is a quick summary of our top 10 and a few words on each:
1st Place - Nat Fyfe (98 points, 20 games)
BOGs: 9
Top 3: 13
Scored votes in 19 of 20 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 9 vs Adelaide - the now famous Fyfe vs Dangerfield game.
Last Year: 1st
What a year from Nat! He was sensational last year, but there is no doubt he took his game to the absolute upper reaches where only the legendary reside in 2015. His first 13 weeks was some of the best football played by any player; not just in purple, but any player, ever, anywhere. Of course we know his story with injuries etc., but he still did enough to comfortably top our voting once again.
2nd Place - David Mundy (74 points, 23 games)
BOGs: 2
Top 3: 9
Scored votes in 23 of 23 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 17 vs Richmond - that kick basically on the siren to win it is what people remember, but he had a great game all round before icing it.
Last Year: 4th
Mundy is a ripping player. Along with Fyfe gives us a 1-2 punch in the midfield that is truly elite. Although he's not a 'headline grabber', he has proven quite consistent throughout the year and is the only player that played and polled in basically every game. Is physically durable, an elite user especially by foot and has added a physicality in recent years that make him top shelf. Well done to Mundy on arguably his best year in footy.
3rd Place - Stephen Hill (65 points, 23 games)
BOGs: 4
Top 3: 8
Scored votes in 17 of 23 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 20 vs West Coast - we lost the game, but no fault can be given to Hill who's 28 possessions, 6 tackles, 5 inside 50's and a goal where a sign of the sort of performance this gun can deliver even against the odds.
Last Year: 5th
Interesting year for our Hill. He had a bit of lean patch through the middle of the year, but he started and finished the year in ripping form. He particularly stepped up when Fyfe's game suffered with injury. There is no doubting the class of the guy who has steadily polled higher and higher in our BF every year since joining us. Well done Stephen on making our top 3 for the first time.
4th Place - Lachie Neale (62 points, 24 games)
BOGs: 2
Top 3: 5
Scored votes in 22 of 24 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 3 vs West Coast - absolutely everywhere in that game and picked up the RG medal as comfortable BOG on the day.
Last Year: 8th
Neale has been a gem since we first got him and has steadily improved every year. Now being named in the same breath as our more esteemed midfielders in Fyfe, Mundy and Hill. Still has the odd down game, but the consistency is clearly there polling regularly in our voting. Well done Lachie, keep it up.
5th Place - Michael Walters (60 points, 22 games)
BOGs: 2
Top 3: 8
Scored votes in 12 of 22 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Q.Final vs Sydney - Walters usually finds a way to impact in the big games and had a ripping final against Sydney kicking 3 crucial goals but contributing all over with 21 possessions.
Last Year: 20th
Walters bounced back from a very injury interrupted season last year and was back to his best. One of the few players in our list who would hit the scoreboard consistently and can pin-point a player in open play just as well. Very good year for SonSon.
6th Place - Aaron Sandilands (53 points, 23 games)
BOGs: 1
Top 3: 5
Scored votes in 22 of 23 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 21 vs Nth. Melbourne - Goldstein may have made the AA team this year, but there's no doubting who we think is the better ruckman with Sandi having top quality game (albeit in a loss) against the supposed best in the league.
Last Year: 2nd
In light of Sandi picking up his second Doig this year, perhaps fair to say we underestimate how good the big man is. Perhaps we just take him for granted a bit. Nevertheless, we still found ourselves voting for him often and he comfortably made our top 10 again. Despite his age and monumental size, doesn't look like slowing down either.
7th Place - Garrick Ibbotson (45 points, 24 games)
BOGs: 0
Top 3: 4
Scored votes in 20 of 24 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Prelim. Final vs Hawthorn - Despite the loss, our last game of the season was a high quality affair and our back half certainly did it's job lead masterfully by Ibbo whose 15 marks, many of them intercept, were crucial in keeping us in it.
Last Year: 17th
Another player that enjoyed a return to the upper echelon of our voting after an injury impacted 2014. Cleans up better than most in the back half and has improved as an out and out defender as well. With McPharlin missing games late and Johnson and Dawson struggling to get onto the park, Ibbo had to step up and play taller than he is while still providing intercept, run and delivery out of the back half. An excellent year from Ibbo.
8th Place - Michael Barlow (36 points, 24 games)
BOGs: 1
Top 3: 3
Scored votes in 15 of 24 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 23 vs Port - lead our youthful side magnificently in the 'rest game'. We were never going to win it, but Barlow played with pride befitting of the legend he's become at our club.
Last Year: 3rd
Though not pulling votes as much as he has in the past, Barlow still drew our attention often enough. Supplanted somewhat in the midfield by Neale, it's not surprising that Barlow is not collecting as many votes, but he's a heart-and-soul type player good enough to make our top 10 regardless.
9th Place - Lee Spurr (32 points, 22 games)
BOGs: 1
Top 3: 1
Scored votes in 18 of 22 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Prelim. Final vs Hawthorn - Along with Ibbotson, provided much control and drive off our half-back line in a very tough high standard game. Some have described this as his best game ever.
Last Year: 14th
Drawing votes as, generally, a lock down small defender isn't easy to do. It's testament to a solid season from Spurr that he cracked our top ten for the first time. Tough as nails, perhaps not silky but skilled enough and very very dependable in the air and on the ground.
10th Place - Matthew Pavlich (26 points, 22 games)
BOGs: 1
Top 3: 4
Scored votes in 14 of 22 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 1 vs Port - came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders in the first game of the season. We stood up and took notice realising the great champ had some top flight games left in him yet.
Last Year: 9th
Pav has been so good for so long for our club and, despite his genuine veteran status, still lead magnificently for much of the season. Was exceptionally strong early playing as good as he ever has in the first half of the season before the grind of a tough year began to tell late.
There you have it, our top 10 for this year according to BF voters. I'll post the complete table soon.
1st Place - Nat Fyfe (98 points, 20 games)
BOGs: 9
Top 3: 13
Scored votes in 19 of 20 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 9 vs Adelaide - the now famous Fyfe vs Dangerfield game.
Last Year: 1st
What a year from Nat! He was sensational last year, but there is no doubt he took his game to the absolute upper reaches where only the legendary reside in 2015. His first 13 weeks was some of the best football played by any player; not just in purple, but any player, ever, anywhere. Of course we know his story with injuries etc., but he still did enough to comfortably top our voting once again.
2nd Place - David Mundy (74 points, 23 games)
BOGs: 2
Top 3: 9
Scored votes in 23 of 23 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 17 vs Richmond - that kick basically on the siren to win it is what people remember, but he had a great game all round before icing it.
Last Year: 4th
Mundy is a ripping player. Along with Fyfe gives us a 1-2 punch in the midfield that is truly elite. Although he's not a 'headline grabber', he has proven quite consistent throughout the year and is the only player that played and polled in basically every game. Is physically durable, an elite user especially by foot and has added a physicality in recent years that make him top shelf. Well done to Mundy on arguably his best year in footy.
3rd Place - Stephen Hill (65 points, 23 games)
BOGs: 4
Top 3: 8
Scored votes in 17 of 23 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 20 vs West Coast - we lost the game, but no fault can be given to Hill who's 28 possessions, 6 tackles, 5 inside 50's and a goal where a sign of the sort of performance this gun can deliver even against the odds.
Last Year: 5th
Interesting year for our Hill. He had a bit of lean patch through the middle of the year, but he started and finished the year in ripping form. He particularly stepped up when Fyfe's game suffered with injury. There is no doubting the class of the guy who has steadily polled higher and higher in our BF every year since joining us. Well done Stephen on making our top 3 for the first time.
4th Place - Lachie Neale (62 points, 24 games)
BOGs: 2
Top 3: 5
Scored votes in 22 of 24 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 3 vs West Coast - absolutely everywhere in that game and picked up the RG medal as comfortable BOG on the day.
Last Year: 8th
Neale has been a gem since we first got him and has steadily improved every year. Now being named in the same breath as our more esteemed midfielders in Fyfe, Mundy and Hill. Still has the odd down game, but the consistency is clearly there polling regularly in our voting. Well done Lachie, keep it up.
5th Place - Michael Walters (60 points, 22 games)
BOGs: 2
Top 3: 8
Scored votes in 12 of 22 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Q.Final vs Sydney - Walters usually finds a way to impact in the big games and had a ripping final against Sydney kicking 3 crucial goals but contributing all over with 21 possessions.
Last Year: 20th
Walters bounced back from a very injury interrupted season last year and was back to his best. One of the few players in our list who would hit the scoreboard consistently and can pin-point a player in open play just as well. Very good year for SonSon.
6th Place - Aaron Sandilands (53 points, 23 games)
BOGs: 1
Top 3: 5
Scored votes in 22 of 23 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 21 vs Nth. Melbourne - Goldstein may have made the AA team this year, but there's no doubting who we think is the better ruckman with Sandi having top quality game (albeit in a loss) against the supposed best in the league.
Last Year: 2nd
In light of Sandi picking up his second Doig this year, perhaps fair to say we underestimate how good the big man is. Perhaps we just take him for granted a bit. Nevertheless, we still found ourselves voting for him often and he comfortably made our top 10 again. Despite his age and monumental size, doesn't look like slowing down either.
7th Place - Garrick Ibbotson (45 points, 24 games)
BOGs: 0
Top 3: 4
Scored votes in 20 of 24 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Prelim. Final vs Hawthorn - Despite the loss, our last game of the season was a high quality affair and our back half certainly did it's job lead masterfully by Ibbo whose 15 marks, many of them intercept, were crucial in keeping us in it.
Last Year: 17th
Another player that enjoyed a return to the upper echelon of our voting after an injury impacted 2014. Cleans up better than most in the back half and has improved as an out and out defender as well. With McPharlin missing games late and Johnson and Dawson struggling to get onto the park, Ibbo had to step up and play taller than he is while still providing intercept, run and delivery out of the back half. An excellent year from Ibbo.
8th Place - Michael Barlow (36 points, 24 games)
BOGs: 1
Top 3: 3
Scored votes in 15 of 24 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 23 vs Port - lead our youthful side magnificently in the 'rest game'. We were never going to win it, but Barlow played with pride befitting of the legend he's become at our club.
Last Year: 3rd
Though not pulling votes as much as he has in the past, Barlow still drew our attention often enough. Supplanted somewhat in the midfield by Neale, it's not surprising that Barlow is not collecting as many votes, but he's a heart-and-soul type player good enough to make our top 10 regardless.
9th Place - Lee Spurr (32 points, 22 games)
BOGs: 1
Top 3: 1
Scored votes in 18 of 22 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Prelim. Final vs Hawthorn - Along with Ibbotson, provided much control and drive off our half-back line in a very tough high standard game. Some have described this as his best game ever.
Last Year: 14th
Drawing votes as, generally, a lock down small defender isn't easy to do. It's testament to a solid season from Spurr that he cracked our top ten for the first time. Tough as nails, perhaps not silky but skilled enough and very very dependable in the air and on the ground.
10th Place - Matthew Pavlich (26 points, 22 games)
BOGs: 1
Top 3: 4
Scored votes in 14 of 22 games played
Stand-out game (most % votes): Round 1 vs Port - came out of the blocks firing on all cylinders in the first game of the season. We stood up and took notice realising the great champ had some top flight games left in him yet.
Last Year: 9th
Pav has been so good for so long for our club and, despite his genuine veteran status, still lead magnificently for much of the season. Was exceptionally strong early playing as good as he ever has in the first half of the season before the grind of a tough year began to tell late.
There you have it, our top 10 for this year according to BF voters. I'll post the complete table soon.
