Jobe Watson v Andrew Swallow

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

Which star midfielder will be better over the journey?

 

[BrownPearHookers]

Watson's best is better than Swallow, and a fantastic captain, but Swallow is a few years younger, so maybe Swallow in 4 years time, just not as good as Watson now.

 

[Powered Up]

Watson pretty easily for mine.

 

[Quinz]

Don't think it can be sorted through stats as Old Skool was arguing in the other thread; just as an example:

Swallow: Disposals- 25.5, Contested Possessions- 13.7, Clearances- 6.7, Tackles- 6.6, 1%ers- 1.5, Disposal Efficiency- 72%
Watson: Disposals- 26.2, Contested Possessions- 13.2, Clearances- 6.6, Tackles- 3.8, 1%ers- 1.9, Disposal Efficiency- 67%
Priddis: Disposals- 26.5, Contested Possessions- 14.5, Clearances- 6.4, Tackles- 7.7, 1%ers- 1.4, Dispoal Efficiency- 67%

I think most people would take Swallow or Watson over Priddis, even though he is statistically superior.

FWIW I think Watson was better this year, his start to the season was sensational, then injured and missed a few games later on. But Swallow I think will go past Watson pretty soon, maybe in a year or so. There isn't a lot in it, but I think Spitta will have a higher peak than Watson.

 

[MaddAdam]

Watson is a fantastic player but I fear his best footy is behind him due to ongoing injuries.

Swallow is still improving and his best - as seen against Adelaide - is as good as anything Jobe has ever produced.

 

[HurleyTheFuture]

On going injuries is a stretch, this is the only season he has had any kind of injury troubles since 2005

 

[TheOldXav]

When I think of star midfielders I automatically think of Scott Pendlebury, Chris Judd, Dane Swan or Gary Ablett Jr.

Both are workhorses, grunt players. They lack the natural talent & certain elite traits to be both called star midfielders.

At Collingwood, I'd take Swallow owing to his age demographic. I'm not sure Jobe has achieved more than Ball at this level so it would be up to Swallow to go beyond this point.

 

[Ambrosia]

I'll repost this from the 2008 draft thread

They are even as forwards imo. Watson is more creative by hand and foot. He is also better at making his team mates better. Swallow has not shown form close to what Watson showed at the start of the year I mean he was widely regarded as the inform player of the comp. I think he was top or second in Aussie Guns top 50 before injury.

And with priddis I again think Watson creativity with his disposal especially by hand put him above priddis.

 

[scottwade]

Both are good players, but I think Swallow is underrated.

On their careers to date Watson is better, but I think by the end of their careers Swallow will shade him.

PS Another Hyperdonk NM related poll.

 

[Old Skool]

Watsons best has been slightly better than Swallows, but there's no way I would choose an upcoming 27 year old Watson (2nd Feb) over a 24 year old Swallow.

 

[HurlsMeister18]

Jobe by the length of the flemington straight.

Jobe has his limitations aerobic wise but more than makes up for it with his work in close and his handball skills are elite and his disposal by foot has improved every year, whereas Swallow imo while he gets a heap of it doesn't really influence a game or change the course of a game and really can butcher the footy.

Fairly laughable poll this one.

 

[Old Skool]

Jobe by the length of the flemington straight.

Jobe has his limitations aerobic wise but more than makes up for it with his work in close and his handball skills are elite and his disposal by foot has improved every year, whereas Swallow imo while he gets a heap of it doesn't really influence a game or change the course of a game and really can butcher the footy.

Fairly laughable poll this one.

2011 disposal efficiency.

Watson - 67%
Swallow - 72%

Go figure.

 

[HurlsMeister18]

2011 disposal efficiency.

Watson - 67%
Swallow - 72%

Go figure.

Watson sets up more play and teammates and hurts opposition more with his disposal(especially by hand) than Swallow does and the disposal efficiency being higher for Swallow imo is reflective of the little half metre hot potato handballs he does when he is in a pack, doesn't really set up much play. Look I think Swallow is a decent player and a good blue collar midfielder but you only have to watch the two play to see that Jobe is clearly better.

 

[scottwade]

Jobe by the length of the flemington straight.

Fairly laughable poll this one.

Why do people feel the need (other than in Bay 13) to write this sort of stuff.

Swallow made the 40 man AA squad this year (as he did in 2010).
In 2011 he won his second B&F.
In the years 2006-10 Swallow's HB efficiency was between 74% & 90%
Watson's HB efficiency over the same period was between 74% & 83%

Overall disp efficiency for both players was @ 75%

To argue Watson is better is one thing
To suggest the poll is laughable or that Watson is ahead "by the length of the Flemington straight" is clearly not supported by the facts.

EDIT; Just noticed Jobe voted for himself.

 

[Slattery_20]

Jobe's more than handy as a mid-sized forward when he gets moved out of midfield.
Has a natural flair & creativity - I've never really understood the "workhorse" (or even "honest", he is not much good following his man back) tag. You don't find *that* much of the footy & damage that much if you're running straight lines at his pace.

He is certainly not quick but that doesn't mean he's a straight-lines, grunt clearance player.
Great sidestep, brilliant vision both to find space & team-mates and quite possibly the best hands in the league.

Swallow gets the hardball and kicks goals from midfield, and tackles about a million times better but I don't think I've ever seen him play forward per se and I think he lacks a little of Watson's craft in finding space and breaking apart the defensive set-ups around clearances.

Swallow's *almost* as effective (and could well be more in a couple of years, who knows) but they do it in quite different ways.

Oddly enough I think Jobe being a bit of a plodder has given him a bag of tricks that Swallow hasn't ever had to have, but clubs are getting very good at shutting down space around clearances.

 

[Old Skool]

Oddly enough I think Jobe being a bit of a plodder has given him a bag of tricks that Swallow hasn't ever had to have, but clubs are getting very good at shutting down space around clearances.

Good point.

Watsons large frame makes him a fairly unique type of modern day inside midfielder. Swallow is giving away 14 kgs on Watson. Opposition midfielders need to nail Watson correctly the first time in any tackle attempt, otherwise his extra strength and quick accurate hands will give Essendon 1st advantage.

It would be interesting to see which players benefit most from Watson's handballs. I think he has a profound influence on Essendons fortunes.

 

[Slattery_20]

He has a huge influence on the quality of our clean, effective clearances. Not so much just the raw numbers (plenty of guys who go through there can get it out), just not direct it anywhere near as well.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

Jobe by the length of the flemington straight.

Jobe has his limitations aerobic wise but more than makes up for it with his work in close and his handball skills are elite and his disposal by foot has improved every year, whereas Swallow imo while he gets a heap of it doesn't really influence a game or change the course of a game and really can butcher the footy.

Fairly laughable poll this one.

I picked Watto, but I'm not sure how on Earth an Essendon supporter can say Swallow doesn't influence a game. I still have nightmares about the game a couple of years ago where Swallow completely carved us up, and was absolutely the difference on the day.

Let's face it, Swallow is a gun. I went with Jobe marginally, because he is so good in heavy traffic & his hands are so quick that a lot of it goes un-noticed; as well as the fact that he is turning himself into an effective forward.

But I'd love having Swallow as well.

 

[Slattery_20]

Watson's had 35 touches twice, 33, 31... this year, anyway.
No stranger to big numbers, had 39, 38, 37 etc the past couple.

Best game this year was prolly St K, kicked 3, 33 touches, 6 marks, 5 inside 50s & a goal assist. Genuinely brilliant everywhere forward of the bounce.

 

[MaddAdam]

Both are good players, but I think Swallow is underrated.

I also wonder how much intangible is associated with the surnames in people's perceptions.

If he was Jobe Smith for example?

 

[Slattery_20]

Are you actually serious about that? I'm worried he is.

Just to re-iterate, captain, best player, and leading the brownlow before he got injured.
Why wouldn't we like him?

 

[MaddAdam]

Are you actually serious about that? I'm worried he is.

Just to re-iterate, captain, best player, and leading the brownlow before he got injured.
Why wouldn't we like him?

I meant among neutrals.

You'll note I have not once ever said he's anything other than a gun.

A gun who is three years older than Spit, slower and who now seems to be entering that unpleasant age of recurrent soft tissue injuries.

That's why I'd have Spitta any day.

 

[Old Skool]

I meant among neutrals.

You'll note I have not once ever said he's anything other than a gun.

A gun who is three years older than Spit, slower and who now seems to be entering that unpleasant age of recurrent soft tissue injuries.

That's why I'd have Spitta any day.

I can't see Jobe aging gracefully. I reckon another 4 seasons will see him out. All going well, Swallow should get another 8 seasons.

 

[Jade]

Jobe.

Swallow is a quality midfielder though.

A two year age difference between them, and 30 games.

Jobe has had six straight seasons averaging above 20 disposals, Swallow 2.

Jobe is the far more damaging player (as evidenced by the fact he was leading the Brownlow at the point of his injury), and also finished a single vote behind Swallow despite playing six less games.

He's bigger, stronger and the better leader.

I appreciate that comments like 'length of the Flemington straight' are not smart, but over the journey there is a clear class difference between these two players.

 

[Donakebab]

I meant among neutrals.

You'll note I have not once ever said he's anything other than a gun.

A gun who is three years older than Spit, slower and who now seems to be entering that unpleasant age of recurrent soft tissue injuries.

That's why I'd have Spitta any day.

He's barely slower than Swallow. And now because he did his hammies twice last year, the second time after being brought back too early, he's now injury riddled and over the hill at the age of 26.

Guessing Wells is over the hill too since he's had a history with injury and is the same age...

I can't see Jobe aging gracefully. I reckon another 4 seasons will see him out. All going well, Swallow should get another 8 seasons.

Why? His father did, good chance Jobe will too.

Just cut the hate trolling you clowns, it's embarrassing how blindly biased you both are.