Is Shaun Burgoyne like Hawthorns Enright?

[PhatBoy]

I think the AA judges have a lot to answer for since Enright has about 200 All Australians and Burgoyne has 1, even though I'd take Burgone if I had to pick one of them.

It's not hard to grasp. Enright made 2 AA teams playing as a defensive midfielder, then another 4 playing as a pure half-back flanker. He was clearly the best player in both positions every time he was picked. And may be the best ever in the latter role.

Burgoyne has had one of the most undefined roles in the game since he came to Hawthorn. He's a gun, but being versatile makes it hard to mount an argument that 'he's more deserving of a midfield role than this bloke/more deserving of a defenders role than this bloke' etc etc.

 

[PhatBoy]

I don't understand how people can find the AA thing so hard to grasp.

Will Minson has more AA starts than Brad Ottens ever got as a Geelong player. Yet Ottens was arguably the most important player in each of our 3 flags. It doesn't somehow make Minson undeserving and Ottens desperately unlucky.

 

[Holy Rioli]

It's not hard to grasp. Enright made 2 AA teams playing as a defensive midfielder, then another 4 playing as a pure half-back flanker. He was clearly the best player in both positions every time he was picked. And may be the best ever in the latter role.

Burgoyne has had one of the most undefined roles in the game since he came to Hawthorn. He's a gun, but being versatile makes it hard to mount an argument that 'he's more deserving of a midfield role than this bloke/more deserving of a defenders role than this bloke' etc etc.

I'd love for the AA selectors (media personal) to have a mindset when selecting the team - based on demonstrated form this football season, who would you select if you were selecting a team to play in the grand final. Reckon Burgoyne would have had a few more AA's under his belt if AA selection was modeled on this approach.

 

[PhatBoy]

Wow playing the man? Pretty sure that is against board rules, but what do I know I'm an 'idiot'.

I'd love for the AA selectors (media personal) to have a mindset when selecting the team - based on demonstrated form this football season, who would you select if you were selecting a team to play in the grand final. Reckon Burgoyne would have had a few more AA's under his belt if AA selection was modeled on this approach.

Perhaps you're right, it's not like he wasn't an important player in a great side, and maybe he would have been suited to a few spots on the bench ala the general rule of thumb in rugby league state of origin that one bench spot is allocated to the most versatile eligible player for that particular state, or the guy who is elite in his position at either 1, 6, 7 or 9 (depending on where he usually plays) but behind at least one player in all four spots.

 

[Luv_our_club]

That's a pretty fair call.

In assessing the two sides I would look at Hawthorn and say they were the definition of a champion team 'who also had a handful of champions' while Geelong were a team of champions 'who also played reasonably as a champion team.'

There was a lot more innovation and intricacy to what Hawthorn did. They changed their game according to what was needed and each player knew what was necessary to make that work. There were no players in that side who you could just replace with any old player.

Whereas we, I think, had one of the most simple and uncomplicated game plans - play fast and direct, and rely on the skills of the players involved to get it done. We had players like Byrnes, Blake, early useless tom Hawkins, Josh Hunt, who could be replaced by just about anyone and the results wouldn't have changed because of the level of the guys around them.

Hawks fans often seem to take umbridge at the suggestion that man for man, Geelong had the stronger side. It's not an insult. It's a compliment if anything that your club achieved so much without quite having the same depth of absolute top end talent, and says everything about the culture and strategies in place.

I think the clear supremacy that the Hawks had over the Cat's in the forward line gets largely overlooked when talent is measured.... considering how important and rare champion forwards are.

 

[Gralin]

I don't understand how people can find the AA thing so hard to grasp.

Will Minson has more AA starts than Brad Ottens ever got as a Geelong player. Yet Ottens was arguably the most important player in each of our 3 flags. It doesn't somehow make Minson undeserving and Ottens desperately unlucky.

I think it points to AA being a H&A award for starters
Ottens was Mr September for you guys for a couple of years there, played ok during the year, but come finals just stepped up and dominated.

The other issue with AA (and this has nothing to do with Enright) is it is a fantasy team and a popularity contest, they don't pick a balanced team and they stack it with mids at the expense of specialists and positional players

 

[Leeda]

"Hungerford Files" ... don't know where that came from.. just did..my head woho...

 

[PhatBoy]

I think it points to AA being a H&A award for starters
Ottens was Mr September for you guys for a couple of years there, played ok during the year, but come finals just stepped up and dominated.

The other issue with AA (and this has nothing to do with Enright) is it is a fantasy team and a popularity contest, they don't pick a balanced team and they stack it with mids at the expense of specialists and positional players

All fair points

 

[Benny78]

2 great Champions of our game

 

[The King!]

Playing on, great player to watch, still shits on us

Plus a year older than me so selfishly like still being young enough to play afl


Would like to see him keep going past Harvey

 

[Power Raid]

Little doubt now he will retire in the top 10 most AFL games played

 

[HolyWars]

It's hard to believe he has played so many games given how injury prone he once was. * I love the guy!

 

[Xtreme]

LEGEND

 

[Vyrone Trickery]

If he plays without injury next year will touch 380 games. Must be tempted if that happens to make it to 400.

 

[Back One Out]

Almost 36 years old, misses 4 games with a hamstring injury (for the 2nd time this season) and just slots straight back in without missing a beat to be one of Hawthorn's most effective players in their past 2 matches. The guy is a marvel.

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

Both gun footballers the fact Burgoyne can fit in and play pretty much any position makes me rate him slightly higher but that’s no slight on Enright

 

[Pessimistic]

Burgoyne will be hawthorns tuck games record holder

 

[Power Raid]

LEGEND

just glorious to watch

 

[Falco131415]

Don't like Geelong but can't say a bad word about Enright.
An absolute ornament to the game of Australian Rules Football.
Will be a hall of famer & well deserved.
As for Silk loved him at Port so was wrapped when we got him.
To see him play over 200 games for us has been magic