If we had NN....

[Coaster2012]

Where do you think we would be right now? Would we have beaten the Hawks and Tigers? Could we be undefeated at the top of the ladder right now? Or are our problems deeper than having a dominate ruck?

Personally, I think we would have still lost to the Hawks, there were problems all over the field that day. but I think we would have beaten the Tigers, which would put us at the top of the ladder right now.

How big a loss has he been this season?

 

[Migzeh]

I actually think it's been great (from a developmental point of view) for him to be out. It means the team has had to learn to fight harder for clearances and general inside *ery with out having great service. It can only put us in a better position in years to come if nic has an off day and they now have the experience of a ruckman not dominating in the middle.

 

[JackOutback]

I imagine we would have beaten the Tigers, but we were beaten all over the ground by Hawthorn, hard to see what NN could have done.

As above, one hopes the experience gained roving to average ruckmen means our midfield will be far better when he returns.

 

[ep2018]

We should have beaten the tigers anyway. Dominated more of the game, more scoring shots. the Port win makes up for it tho.

 

[WCEbrody]

I actually think it's been great (from a developmental point of view) for him to be out

Could not agree more. We win more H&A games and win them by larger margins with Nic in the side but i think the same problems rear their ugly heads when it comes to the crunch in the last couple games of the year aka stop Nic and play defensive side of the stoppage and our midfield tends to fold pretty easily.

Our midfield became waaaay too reliant on a dominant ruckman.

 

[Ishmael_]

I actually think it's been great (from a developmental point of view) for him to be out. It means the team has had to learn to fight harder for clearances and general inside ******y with out having great service. It can only put us in a better position in years to come if nic has an off day and they now have the experience of a ruckman not dominating in the middle.

My thoughts exactly. Of course you'd want your best player out there, but we became so over-reliant on Nic Nat. It can only bode well for our chances when we get him back.

 

[ioppolo]

Swings and roundabouts. Players like Masten wouldn't be playing as well I reckon.

 

[getgaff]

We'd be winning the numbers in clearances more but as has been mentioned it's been a great development phase for the team.

Been able to give Vardy a decent crack at it as well which is good for club and player. Smaller ruck so his limited against the big boys but he competes strongly

 

[fidstar]

Don't know if we would have won any more games. Probably would have won some of the other ones by more though. So add another 5-10%.

 

[Agent93]

I actually think it's been great (from a developmental point of view) for him to be out. It means the team has had to learn to fight harder for clearances and general inside ******y with out having great service. It can only put us in a better position in years to come if nic has an off day and they now have the experience of a ruckman not dominating in the middle.

It's like taking a crutch away. The team's learning how to walk again, but at some stage the crutch is going to come back, and we might lose that shiny titanium screw in the leg (Mitchell).

 

[MWPP]

.....then we would've won the Richmond game and would have a better %
Can't wait until he returns

 

[getgaff]

Would we have won yesterday?

Certainly would have given us a massive leg up in hitouts and brought the contested ball differential closer

 

[Crimson King]

* I miss our black panther

 

[eagles rule]

We' d be unbeaten of course

 

[JackOutback]

Would we have won yesterday?

Certainly would have given us a massive leg up in hitouts and brought the contested ball differential closer

Not sure the ruck was the problem yesterday; the midfield was fecking awful.

 

[bodazoka]

+ 6 clearances.

 

[Ishmael_]

He's the only player on our list that scares opposition players when he's around them, which is a very sad indictment indeeeeeed.

 

[MKMatty]

I actually think it's been great (from a developmental point of view) for him to be out. It means the team has had to learn to fight harder for clearances and general inside ******y with out having great service. It can only put us in a better position in years to come if nic has an off day and they now have the experience of a ruckman not dominating in the middle.

I agree. As a team, the boys need to treat NN like the luxury he is, not as a reliance to keep the team on the right side of the ledger.

 

[Mico89]

Having him out is a massive loss for us!! He would be feeding Sammy all day with ease. Having him in the line up is not only the equivalent to an extra midfielder he has x factor.... something that we currently lack. We will all see a massive change when we have him back.

 

[ziad]

Well we wouldn't have any excuses

 

[Double the Fist]

.... it would be a band aid over gunshot to the head.

 

[kranky al]

Its an indictment on our midfield and our mentality as a club how people go on about naita to mitchell.

Mitchell didnt play in the midfield at hawthorn.

Hes too slow. He was a rotation.

Herp derp west coast.

 

[squashface]

"Mitchell didn't play midfield at Hawthorn"

Yeah okay, sure.

 

[Coaster2012]

Its an indictment on our midfield and our mentality as a club how people go on about naita to mitchell.

Mitchell didnt play in the midfield at hawthorn.

Hes too slow. He was a rotation.

Herp derp west coast.

Where did he play then? He wasn't racking up 40 touches in the back line.

 

[kranky al]

Where did he play then? He wasn't racking up 40 touches in the back line.

Hbf hff with 20% game time in the midfield


They sorta had the idea that its better to put a slow guy in at the end of quarters when guys arent as fast as they are tired.