Has Aaron Davey revolutionized another position?

[yulong]

HIs disposal has been flawless this year. Wouldn't call him a revolutionary but he is certainly one of the best going around. His output this year comfortably puts to rest the Alwyn v Aaron debates from Don fans.

 

[Shaymuhz]

seeing as tho everyone else is putting their team's one forward i'll say for the record roger hayden was initially a forward pocket before being thrown on phil matera in a derby and told he was playing for his career. since then he's been one of our best players and only behind pav and sandilands in importance.

 

[snrub]

Gavin Wanganeen went alright too

 

[saj_21]

Has had a great year and skills have been spot on. I have been impressed most with his physicallity and work in close this year. With melbournes skills so poor over the previous two years Davey's role no matter how deep in the back line has been important for us.

And wouldn't you want your best kicked as Hawthorn do with Hodge. St, Kilda with Goddard and Bulldogs with Gilbee have you kicker in the back half of the ground. I know where i want my players to make kicking errors and that is in the forward half at least you have space to fix the mistake, whereas turnovers in your defensive 50 will kill you every time.

 

[Australia]

I don't think he is really a backman.... He starts in the centre square but has no real role other than get the ball.... He drops back, he pushes forward, he breaks the lines through the middle.

Aaron Davey this season has truly become an elite AFL player...
I don't care if Melbourne doesn't win a game he is AA this season at this rate.

I think in every game this season, even though Melbourne lose, he has been in radio, tv and newspaper votes.
Seriously everyone, watch this guy play, 87% disposal efficiency with most by foot is insane!!!

 

[Consumed]

Plays midfield more than half back. Often starts in the centre square and roams pretty much wherever he likes.

I disagree he doesn't hurt the opposition though. I'd like to see him get a bit more forward of centre but this is the first season he's played exclusively in the midfield.

He also never wastes the ball, which is pretty handy, especially in an average team.

Melbourne have a fair bit of work to do before they can call themselves average.

 

[Z_K]

87% disposal efficiency with most by foot is insane!!!

Anyone got a breakdown of short vs long kicks?

 

[Dez!]

Anyone got a breakdown of short vs long kicks?

Would they even do that stat?

Be interesting too see, he does kick a few short ones like every player does these days but he's does go long on most occasions.

 

[roosaints]

Remember when North fans thought Wells was in the league of Davey? lol

Davey is a star. Should change clubs.
​

 

[Z_K]

Would they even do that stat?

Be interesting too see, he does kick a few short ones like every player does these days but he's does go long on most occasions.

Dunno. I think I have seen those stats in the Record, but I could have imagined it.

Sideways and short kicks mean nothing. Shannon Watt would have a better kicking efficiency than Daniel Wells because he plays in the back half and is used as a release option during a switch play. He can't kick, but he can run ok and hit an easy short target. Wells gets posession forward of centre and tries long targets on both sides.

Basically, the naked eye and a bit of thought is a much better tool to judge how well a bloke kicks the footy.

 

[no1bankteller]

Not sure if he has revolutionised another position in fact I doubt that he has revolutionised one let alone two postions.

I dare say that Philip Matera and Gavin Wanganeen was one of the early players to revolutionise the small forward role with his chasing and tackling which is something that Aaron Davy becoming famous for. (I assume that it is this forwardline pressure that you are referring to in so far as suggesting that Davy revolutionised the position)

The other players that have revolutionise the half backline level of play include Bruce Doull (sp), Guy McKenna, Andrew Mcloed and Gaving Wanganeen. I guess you could also consider Peter Matera and Wirra as part of this list.

I would also want to point out that I am by no means devaluing Aarons's contribution to the game and his level of skills and his contribution to Melbourne football club as he is one hell of a player. The only thing I am attempting to point out is that he is not a pioneer that the OP has labelled him as.

 

[chopper41]

Peter Matera was an AA half back twice in his career.

He may have been put at half back in the AA team but he was a true wingman.

 

[RooDog]

No I mean putting defensive pressure forwards in defence.

McLeod is very good, but doesn't have the closing speed of Rioli, Davey, etc.

Wirrpanda is probably the best other example I can think of.

Obviously didnt watch to many crows games before McLeod had his knee problems, wouldve easily rivalled those blokes for speed.

 

[dutchy12]

Dunno. I think I have seen those stats in the Record, but I could have imagined it.

Sideways and short kicks mean nothing. Shannon Watt would have a better kicking efficiency than Daniel Wells because he plays in the back half and is used as a release option during a switch play. He can't kick, but he can run ok and hit an easy short target. Wells gets posession forward of centre and tries long targets on both sides.

Basically, the naked eye and a bit of thought is a much better tool to judge how well a bloke kicks the footy.

You can have Wells, we'll have Davey and we'll also take Jurrah aswell

 

[Falchoon]

McLeod, Wirrpanda?

Winmar, very very underrated tackler, and before him Barker, similarly the best tackler in his team at the time.

 

[no1bankteller]

He may have been put at half back in the AA team but he was a true wingman.

Relevance?

Peter Matera may have played on the wing for the major part of his career BUT when he was asked to play on the half back line, as he did for the last few years of his career, he excelled at that just as he excelled playing on the wing?

That is the point that BJJ has made and is a fair point.

 

[silverscope]

He was a pioneer of sorts with the way he played half-forward, and several other teams have followed suit with their own defensive pressure small forwards.

Is the same thing happening with half-back?

He's a little different than most of his new position, and I think we might see other coaches looking for their own spritely little indigenous player to run off the half-back flank. Players with speed who can get to a lot of contests, tackling skills, fair/average courage, tackling skills, good kicking efficiency, tackling skills.

Thoughts?

Roger Hayden, been doing it for years. If it wasn't for constant injuries throught his career he would be AA. Easy! very under rated espically over east where alot of people don't see him play. Very important for the FFC.

 

[FOOOOTY]

Obviously didnt watch to many crows games before McLeod had his knee problems, wouldve easily rivalled those blokes for speed.

Daveys closing speed in his first few seasons wouldnt be matched by anybody.. hes lost a yard or 2 now as he has bulked up, but in those first few seasons he would regularly sit 20 metres off his opponent and then hunt them as soon as they were about to take possession most players he caught had absoloutly no awareness of him cos he came from so far away and at such speed, he didnt get a superhero's nickname for nothing

 

[scooterb]

Evidently contrary opinions aren't allowed.

Precious much?

Welcome to BigFooty.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

No I mean putting defensive pressure forwards in defence.

So putting defensive minded players back in defense is 'revolutionising' the game?

Why not move an offensive minded player like Fev down back for a year, then revoultionise the game by moving an offensive minded player back to full forward?

 

[dan warna]

did winmar revolutionise the forward backward defensive offensive position of the back half forward offensive defensive position by putting defensive offensive forwards who defend in an a defensive offensive frame of mind for aborigines with the letters w, n and r in their surname in that order?

stupid premise.

aaron davey is a solid talented player, but of the half back line there are better and in the half forward line there are better.