Is Nicknat about to explode?

[yakka man]

Let's put it this way. There has never been an AFL with as much pure athletic talent as Nick Nat. Could be anything, should be anything. It is interesting to see how loved he is at West Coast. I reckon if he played for other clubs their supporters would have expected a lot more from him thus far. Whether he plays forward or ruck there is no player in the comp who can match up on him. There is going to be a lot of pressure on him and if it all comes together it could be very special to watch. To bad he was drafted to West Coast.

 

[Clems Knee]

I don't often watch Eagles matches, don't like the taste of vomit that builds up in my mouth. I did enjoy watching NicNat play for the Swannies. On the rare occasions I have watched the slime, the crowd would go into raptures when he went near the ball, even if he was totally ineffectual.
Surely he has improved since then? Is there a game that Natanui has been dominant throughout the game, and not just a bit player? I will watch the replay and am prepared to be convinced. Thanks.

 

[pantskyle]

Not sure how this thread got so off topic, but I am of the belief that Naitanui will announce himself as one of the premier rucks in the competition.

For me he'll slot in behind Sandi as the best ruckman in the game going past his teammate in Cox, he was probably doing that in the latter part of the year and moved past his mentor in the finals of 2011.

His ruckwork was top notch and his clearance work is becoming more and more effective.

I understand where your coming from with Sandi he is an absolute monster but Cox is the best ruckmen in the game today. Sandi's injury hit 2011 means he isn't top 5. Although I expect him back in there if he stays on the park.

I don't think Naita is ready to explode but we should see some nice highlights again this season.

 

[yakka man]

I understand where your coming from with Sandi he is an absolute monster but Cox is the best ruckmen in the game today. Sandi's injury hit 2011 means he isn't top 5. Although I expect him back in there if he stays on the park.

I don't think Naita is ready to explode but we should see some nice highlights again this season.

If Gary Ablett Jnr only played 10 games this year would he still not be the best midfielder in the competition?

 

[The Casey Cat]

Surely he has improved since then? Is there a game that Natanui has been dominant throughout the game, and not just a bit player? I will watch the replay and am prepared to be convinced. Thanks.

Last year's prelim. As I referred to earlier in this thread. Was absolutely epic. Very noticeable when you were at the game and this was despite his team being belted pretty much everywhere else.

 

[Scotland]

Yep, we were praised for how well we played against Collingwood (TBH I didn't think we were that good) but it was glossed over just how badly we were outplayed against the Cats. Naitanui kept us in the game, the Cats had no answer for him at all.

 

[Spartan]

Let's put it this way. There has never been an AFL with as much pure athletic talent as Nick Nat. Could be anything, should be anything. It is interesting to see how loved he is at West Coast. I reckon if he played for other clubs their supporters would have expected a lot more from him thus far. Whether he plays forward or ruck there is no player in the comp who can match up on him. There is going to be a lot of pressure on him and if it all comes together it could be very special to watch. To bad he was drafted to West Coast.

/facepalm

Were you expecting a ruckman entering his 4th season to already to be dominant superstar of the competition?

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Surely he has improved since then? Is there a game that Natanui has been dominant throughout the game, and not just a bit player? I will watch the replay and am prepared to be convinced. Thanks.

Richmond, Adelaide at home, Essendon away, Geelong in the Prelim. All telling performances by the big man, he was also pretty decent in some other games.

...And if you watched round eight you against you're own mob you would have noted he was the best ruckmen on the ground.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

I really hope you don't believe that. McKernan was constantly switching between forward and ruck and it didn't stop him dominating.

The reason NicNat doesn't do it more often is because he is very young (for a ruckman) and at the moment he is a flashy, inconsistent player. Some players get over this and become consistent with a bit more maturity, some don't and continue to be inconsistent throughout their careers. It will be interesting to see what happens with NicNat. Part of me wants to see him "explode" as it would be exciting to watch, another part (the part that is one-eyed North and thinks Goldstein will still be a better ruckman in 5 years) hopes he doesn't

Naitanui will never play as a sole ruckmen like Goldstein, Jarman or Sandilands so he's not going to have to ruck for 95% of the game like those blokes week in week out. When Cox isn't playing anymore, Lycett will fill the void and spend large minutes as a forward.

Naitanui was when he arrived at the club a horrible forward, he still isn't crash hot in that position but he's vastly superior to what he was. Im very pleased with the way he's being developed.

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Last year's prelim. As I referred to earlier in this thread. Was absolutely epic. Very noticeable when you were at the game and this was despite his team being belted pretty much everywhere else.

I disagree; he was fantastic for about a quarter.

 

[Lunchlady Doris]

I disagree; he was fantastic for about a quarter.

He did a couple of nice things, don't think he had that much of an impact on the match. Battled hard when most of his teammates weren't up to it.

 

[stuftag]

I really hope you don't believe that. McKernan was constantly switching between forward and ruck and it didn't stop him dominating.

Up until last year he was taken off the ground. Woosha would take him off at he 6 minute mark of the quarter. He has also had shoulder trouble for 2 years which has restricted him. Nic is way ahead of McKernan at the same stage of their careers.

 

[September_Glory]

Is there a game that Natanui has been dominant throughout the game, and not just a bit player? I will watch the replay and am prepared to be convinced. Thanks.

His game against Richmond last year was about as devastating as a ruckman gets. First time his contested marking was a feature of his game.

He also willed us to win vs. Brisbane (he and Nicoski actually). Not sure if that fits into your "dominant throughout the game" criteria but he unquestionably impacts the outcome of games.

In terms of 4-quarter-efforts, I thought it was there most weeks in 2011. Obviously still struggles with endurance later in games but that's okay for a 21 y.o. ruckman. Occasionally you'll see him meandering through the center almost aimlessly looking stuffed.

Except for a couple of shoulder injuries (always a worry), realistically, he's tracking far ahead of the curve.

 

[September_Glory]

It is interesting to see how loved he is at West Coast. I reckon if he played for other clubs their supporters would have expected a lot more from him thus far.

There definitely is a sensitivity amongst WC fans (and the WC team itself) to not heap too many expectations on him. I feel it, I'm sure other WC supporters do too. Think of it as the total opposite of Jack Watts' situation.

Also, those 3 goals he kicked against Hawthorn in the rain bought him like 3 years credit as far as I'm concerned. There was an electricity buzzing through 35,000-odd people that night, and he created it. Then he's all humble and thanking the coach afterwards.... how can you not love that?

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Will The Age do an article in honour of this thread?

Of course we over rate Naitanui, everyone elese over compensates.

I mean can you imagine his profile if he played in Melbourne?....

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

There definitely is a sensitivity amongst WC fans (and the WC team itself) to not heap too many expectations on him. I feel it, I'm sure other WC supporters do too. Think of it as the total opposite of Jack Watts' situation.

Also, those 3 goals he kicked against Hawthorn in the rain bought him like 3 years credit as far as I'm concerned. There was an electricity buzzing through 35,000-odd people that night, and he created it. Then he's all humble and thanking the coach afterwards.... how can you not love that?

Yeah, I get that.

Probably a product of how each club managed the players entrance into league footy.

 

[September_Glory]

Last year's prelim. As I referred to earlier in this thread. Was absolutely epic. Very noticeable when you were at the game and this was despite his team being belted pretty much everywhere else.

Hmm... that's interesting. My assessment of that game was that Jolly won the ruck duel after struggling early. Naitanui got outmuscled from throw-ins quite easily and I thought Jolly basically broke even/got on top after quarter time.

One thing for sure is he tends to struggle against big-bodied rucks when fighting for position in non-centre square bounces (Brogan, for instance, smashed him last year). Teams became very aware of going third man up or blocking his run towards the second half of the year.

He has to get physically stronger and improve this facet of his ruckwork if he is to properly 'explode'.

 

[The Casey Cat]

Um i was referring to Nats PRELIMINARY final v Geelong. Not his Qual v Pies.

 

[Clems Knee]

Richmond, Adelaide at home, Essendon away, Geelong in the Prelim. All telling performances by the big man, he was also pretty decent in some other games.

...And if you watched round eight you against you're own mob you would have noted he was the best ruckmen on the ground.

Round 8. We got smashed by the Eagles press. Sandilands got 45 hitouts to Natanui's 20, and Cox got a Brownlow vote after Priddis and Lynch. So NickNat was probably the 4th best tall that day. I doubt that Sandilands will ever be put in that situation (lone ruck all day) again.

I will watch the Final between Geelong and Eagles. Some posters say it was a breakout game, others that he had one good quarter. One thing is clear so far, he gets praise for everything he does, even when its not much.

 

[garlic munchers]

You're a better poster than this.

Sandilands has had one season in his last nine where he has managed less than 15 games a season, it just happened to be this year where he played 13 and was well on his way to yet another AA jumper.

Going by your logic in this case, Cox should have been written off at the end of 2009?

There is no greater force in the game than Sandilands at full flight, not even Buddy at his best.

Ask the Crows how dominant the man can be.

An absolute wrecking ball at ground level, clearance specialist and a commander in the air.

Simply the most influential player in the game at full fitness.

Give me Buddy Franklin at his full fitness anyday of the week over Sandilands.

No arguement that Sandi dominates Cox in the ruck, but Nic Nat will start against Sandilands this year and Sandi is no guarantee to win these.

No one in the league can get higher from a running jump than NN.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Cox>Sandi when fully fit easily

Prior to 2005 maybe.

 

[kane249]

Prior to 2005 maybe.

5 All-Australian Jumper to 3 since 2005....

 

[bodazoka]

I swear we got this thread last year...And maybe the year before.

We have had threads about his awesomeness and every year as opposition fans get to see more of him they start to jump on the bandwagon.

Once he sticks his marks and learns to play forward a bit better he will dominate.

Im completely happy with his current posession tally. Everyone would love to see him touch it 30 times a game of course though.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

5 All-Australian Jumper to 3 since 2005....

That's not totally accurate. Cox has never been named on the bench.

 

[WCErevival]

That's not totally accurate. Cox has never been named on the bench.

2006. Lade was first ruck.