Matt Rowell future Brownlow Medallist? Or merely overrated? (Poll added)

[Darcy 2 Fyfe]

I think he will be a future AA for sure, brownlow who knows.

Watching games this year it's pretty clear that there is not as much heat on the ball as a normal season. You look at Richmond and West Coast and it is a bit of a compromised season. He is certainly making the most of it. The way he waltzed past Fyfe was a bit embarrasing for Nat so I'd expect it won't be as easy next time around.

Interesting when Lyon was asked who is the best this year he said Bontompelli. If you didn't listen to media hype and compared both of their years Bont is well ahead of Rowell.

 

[Coops93]

I think he will be a future AA for sure, brownlow who knows.

Watching games this year it's pretty clear that there is not as much heat on the ball as a normal season. You look at Richmond and West Coast and it is a bit of a compromised season. He is certainly making the most of it. The way he waltzed past Fyfe was a bit embarrasing for Nat so I'd expect it won't be as easy next time around.

Interesting when Lyon was asked who is the best this year he said Bontompelli. If you didn't listen to media hype and compared both of their years Bont is well ahead of Rowell.

Rowell can handle the physicality quite easily. On the weekend v Freo he easily broke a tackle from Fyfe, then maybe 5 mins later he not only rode a bump from Fyfe, but took off immediately after receiving it like it was nothing. At a centre bounce later he stood up in a 3 man tackle only going down once the whistle blew.

Not to forget vs the Eagles he took Shuey on 1v1 and won.

It'll take more than some extra heat to slow him down. It might even work in his favor, the longer qtrs resulting in more open games later would only help him.

 

[PhatBoy]

Kind of on the subject but also more Suns than Rowell related - obviously they’ve played great footy so far, no debate there, and Rowell has been sensational.

But it seems (I skipped through most of this thread so maybe it has been mentioned) Overlooked that his three starring performances and the Suns’ three wins have come against three sides who have lost 11 out of 12 matches by an average losing margin of 32 points.

The one game they lost was against a seemingly strong side in Port Adelaide and while he didn’t exactly go missing He had 19 touches, only 6 of them kicks, his tackle and clearance numbers were down, and he didn’t score.

Yes he has started basically as well as any first year player I can think of - Selwood was always the benchmark and he’s surpassed him so far, but a bigger sample size against better performing opponents will give a better guide as to just how good he is at the moment.

 

[SnusCG]

I think he will be a future AA for sure, brownlow who knows.

Watching games this year it's pretty clear that there is not as much heat on the ball as a normal season. You look at Richmond and West Coast and it is a bit of a compromised season. He is certainly making the most of it. The way he waltzed past Fyfe was a bit embarrasing for Nat so I'd expect it won't be as easy next time around.

Interesting when Lyon was asked who is the best this year he said Bontompelli. If you didn't listen to media hype and compared both of their years Bont is well ahead of Rowell.

Ignoring that he plays for the Suns, if you’re comparing both of their years, statistically Rowell is equal to or better than a Bontempelli in most key stats so far, including leading him in disposals, effective disposals, contested possessions, goals, tackles, score involvements etc, in 15% less TOG, while averaging less turnovers and dragging a team that finished dead last by a long way to 2nd currently. He’s also second in coaches votes right now.

Bont is the better player right now for sure due to his body of work, but honestly, to date in this season, Rowell has been better.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

3 BOGs in his first 4 games...don’t think we’ve ever seen that for a 18-19 yo. Some serious talent

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

I think he will be a future AA for sure, brownlow who knows.

Watching games this year it's pretty clear that there is not as much heat on the ball as a normal season. You look at Richmond and West Coast and it is a bit of a compromised season. He is certainly making the most of it. The way he waltzed past Fyfe was a bit embarrasing for Nat so I'd expect it won't be as easy next time around.

Interesting when Lyon was asked who is the best this year he said Bontompelli. If you didn't listen to media hype and compared both of their years Bont is well ahead of Rowell.

He'd be in the AA team at the moment.

 

[yyou]

If this season was normal length, he could have actually scored more Brownlow votes than Rising Star votes at the end of the year going by his current output!!!

On CPH1920 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[GC2015]

If he keeps up his goal kicking form then he should end the shortened 17 game season with 35ish goals. That's as elite as any inside mid in the history of the game.

 

[WillHayward]

.Kid is very bloody good. Very good indeed.
But we all know progression in the AFL isn't a straight upward line.

Will see some downs at some point.

If he has a career similar to Joel selwood he'd be well pleased.

 

[juss]

.Kid is very bloody good. Very good indeed.
But we all know progression in the AFL isn't a straight upward line.

Will see some downs at some point.

If he has a career similar to Joel selwood he'd be well pleased.

Yep this is the only thing. I have a feeling the shortnened quarters and shorter seasons are perfect for a first year player like him.

But improvement isn't a straight positive linear line. Nor is it exponential. And if I was to describe Rowel I dont think his improvement will be as steep as some of his peers from this year or even last year who I think will have greater jumps after their next preseasons.

Fantastic form so far for his first spell of AFL games, perhaps the best I've seen in that period. But it's a sample size of reduced games in a very unique season, and hes been amazing to watch, but I think people jump the gun a little on the back of some outstanding form and assume he's going to have giant leaps each year and become the greatest. I also think people extrapolate form too quickly, I'd be very surprised if he doesnt have a dip in output at some point this year, particularly around goals scored if he keeps playing midfield.

He'll inevitably have a bad game or two at some point, and watch Bigfooty suddenly overreact and cool on him.

 

[AjsGuns]

gnoring that he plays for the Suns, if you’re comparing both of their years, statistically Rowell is equal to or better than a Bontempelli in most key stats so far, including leading him in disposals, effective disposals, contested possessions, goals, tackles, score involvements etc, in 15% less TOG, while averaging less turnovers and dragging a team that finished dead last by a long way to 2nd currently. He’s also second in coaches votes right now.

Bont is the better player right now for sure due to his body of work, but honestly, to date in this season, Rowell has been better.

Yup, Rowell has been better than Bontempelli this season. Even Bailey Smith has been better than Bontempelli this season.. Bont average in rounds 1 & 2, above average in round 3 and BOG in round 4. This is from someone who loves The Bont. Not sure how Lyon could say Bontempelli has been the best player in the 2020 season. Fingers crossed the great man is just warming up, we have Norf this week and he always goes big against Norf.

Like I said previously though, lets see what happens with Rowell. This season is compromised, I'd love to see a kid break history and win the Brownlow in their first season, but I seriously doubt it'll happen: Looks like he is going to make AA though at this stage, unless he massively drops off (which could happen being a 1st year player). Being third favorite with the bookies in the Brownlow is nuts, his at $8-$9 currently, I'd be wanting $15+.

 

[ShadeyP]

Rowell is stronger, faster and more skilled than Selwood.

He is on a Dusty level of talent. I don't see a weakness. Maybe you could say he's too small to play at FF and turn games like Dusty as a deep target. Probably about it.

After watching more of Rowell over the last couple of weeks all of your points are valid but still much closer to a Selwood in the way he plays than Dusty .

 

[2006_Eagles]

What gets me is, how do some people end up so well built at such a young age? Was he really playing against kids last year?

He legit looks like he could outlift most gym-going dudes of any age (and easily outrun the heavier lifters).

Genetics, consistency at the gym and AFL resources at his disposal.

 

[2006_Eagles]

That's a hot take.

I think it's a wrong take though, the hype about him is warranted, he's the best first year player I've seen.

Not better than Judd