rickster
Team Captain
Apologies for stealing the idea from the Adelaide boards, but thought this was a timely thread for generating discussion…..unless we need another Matthew Spencer thread….
N/A rating refers to those players I haven’t seen first-hand or read reports about, or haven’t played enough to be marked.
Ablett, Gary – Taken his game to the next level. Improved overhead marking to go with mercurial crumbing. Leading our goalkicking while being heavily tagged each week. The most exciting bit is that he is improving all the time.
Rating: A Verdict: Borderline superstar.
Ablett, Nathan – Learning the game and has been preferred over Lonergan and McCarthy of late. A touch of the ‘second year blues’ but seems to be more promising as the season goes on. Forward line looks more dangerous with him in it and can take a contested mark which seems to put him one up over Lonergan and Kingsley.
Rating: C+ Verdict: Still ‘potential’
Bartel, Jimmy – Faster pace of the game probably hasn’t suited this year but you can’t beat ball-winning ability. Has been a quiet achiever in 2006.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Solid
Batchelor, Nick – Lightly built rookie injured earlier in the year. A fair way back in the queue but may have some pace which could earn him a re-rookie next year (?)
Rating: C Verdict: Dime-a-dozen
Blake, Mark – Logging some seniors game time and his around-the-ground work is improving. Even kicked a goal on the run from 50 on the weekend. Unfortunate that they won’t play him together with King and Ottens. A lot better than people were making out last year.
Rating: B Verdict: Promising
Byrnes, Shannon – On shaky ground. Disposal is suspect and hasn’t kicked a goal this year from numerous opportunities. Speed is the only thing getting him a game.
Rating: B- Verdict: Would have Prismall in the 22 before him.
Callan, Tim – only just getting a sustained run in the seniors. Stiff competition in the back six with DJ, Woj, Hunt and Enright.
Rating: C+ Verdict: Courageous
Chapman, Paul – the only shining light in our slough of despair earlier in the year. Hard-at-it, heart-on-sleeve grunt along with great skills and one of the best kicks for goal in the side. Been quiet last few of weeks as Gary A. and Mooney have taken up the forward-line slack.
Rating: A Verdict: Love his attitude and wish we had more like him
Corey, Joel – On fire earlier in the year and would have been on track for B&F. Less influence recently but super reliable.
Rating: A- Verdict: Barometer of the side
Egan, Matt – super pick-up and we would be struggling without him as it would seem Harley’s injuries are long-term. Contested marks his trademark and fears no CHF.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Future gun
Enright, Corey – at last having a good run injury-free. Disposal has improved to eliminate the Enright helicopter punt and bobs up with the occasional important goal.
Rating: B Verdict: Reliable
Gamble, Ryan
Rating: N/A
Gardiner, Charles – unable to cement a spot in the side after 5 (?) years. Drops marks and goes to ground too easily, doesn’t kick enough goals to warrant a place. If we are serious he would be on his way however he’s contracted for 2007.
Rating: C Verdict: Cult figure, but not in a good way
Grima, Todd – encouraging performances in the backline due to logjam of VFL talls (McCarthy, Playfair of late, Lonergan). Will be re-rookied.
Rating: C+ Verdict: Keep
Harley, Tom – bad run for Tom doing a shoulder just as he was getting a head of steam up. Second half of the year may decide whether he plays on. Not getting younger and body has taken a lot of punishment over the years.
Rating: C Verdict: Honest
Hunt, Josh – horror start to the year: disposal was suspect under pressure and who can forget the smirk, missed goal and subsequent choke at the hands of Melbourne. Has improved in recent weeks but seemed to be a protected species in terms of warranting demotion to the VFL.
Rating: B- Verdict:
Hunt, Sam – top-up player only and will be gone at end of year.
Rating: N/A Verdict: Gawn
Johnson, David – in and out of the side. A grade above VFL but suffers from plethora of defence options already mentioned. Adds something to the 22 IMO.
Rating: C+
Verdict: Needs to establish himself as first-option small defender
Johnson, Steve – mercurial but we have seen the best of him methinks. Line of ‘if only he could stay on the park’ starting to wear a bit thin. If you can only play 15 games a year then is your value to the team limited? Will he be overtaken by Stokes who seems to do the one-percenters better??
Rating: B- Verdict: Borderline
Kelly, James – Another to have his early-season form questioned and fans calling for his head. Does enough without being a game-breaker. Needs a dose of Mooney-style passion.
Rating: B Verdict: Cruise-control
King, Steven – Vital to the team when fit but will he play 15 games this year? Hammy every third week seems to be the pattern. Still wants the captaincy for next year, and who are you going to replace him with?
Rating: B Verdict: Cotton-wool
Kingsley, Kent – Being one-dimensional means that he has suffered now that our forward line is functioning again. Doesn’t chase hard or take contested marks which is fine when things are going your way, but….
Rating: C Verdict: The fall has been steep. May be gone end of ’07.
Koulouriotis, Paul – His chance seems to have come and gone. The definition of a ‘depth’ midfielder.
Rating: C Verdict: Will be lucky to avoid the chop.
Ling, Cameron – Has gone backward with the introduction of new rules. Needs to go back to basics as a lock-down midfielder rather than wide receiver. Fierce workrate though which is a big tick in my opinion.
Rating: B- Verdict: Ridiculously high jumper number.
Lonergan, Tom – Out of favour with Nathan getting game time. Seems to be overawed by the AFL. May have been better to have re-invented himself as a backman.
Rating: C Verdict: Gawn.
Mackie, Andrew – Being persisted with but doesn’t add a lot in my eyes. Classic flanker but not super fast or physical enough (fair enough as still a stick figure).
Rating: B- Verdict: Make-or-break next year
McCarthy, Matthew – Overlooked despite bags of goals in the VFL. That shoulder against Hawks last year (?) was costly.
Rating: C Verdict: Gawn
Milburn, Darren – Done the job as he has his whole career. Not a lot of ups or downs.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Dasher is Dasher.
Mooney, Cameron – Another that has gone to the next level this season. Become a leader and the CHF we always knew was in there somewhere. Vital to our chances in the second half of the season.
Rating: A Verdict: The heart of the club
Ottens, Brad – Starting to fulfil the promise and hit some good form. New forward set-up and King’s presence really suit him. His contested grab is back which is great news.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Getting there
Owen, Stephen – Came to the club with OP and played his first game in the V’s the other week
Rating: N/A
Playfair, Henry – To be honest Mooney has looked twice as good in the CHF role. Would a move to defence help him?
Rating: B- Verdict: Struggling
Prismall, Brent: Worthy inheritor of the #32. Unlucky to break his arm 5 minutes into debut. Hopefully back in the 1’s soon.
Rating: B Verdict: Goalkicker
Riccardi, Peter: Almost unsighted this year – Father Time has caught up. Did he go on one year too long?
Rating: N/A Verdict: Thanks for the memories
Rooke, Jarad – Bad run with injuries, concussion and a foot (?) have limited his games. Used pinch-hitting forward and good as a tagger. A class above our other bench players.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Come back soon
Scarlett, Matthew: 150 games up and getting back to AA form. No silly suspensions please.
Rating: A- Verdict: The rock
Sheringham, Tim – Hasn’t set the world on fire in the VFL and seems undersized for the big league.
Rating: N/A Verdict: Gawn
Slade, Will – Played well the first couple but then the flying elbows made an appearance. Was #1 in the league for frees conceded which is not a stat you want to be leading. I imagine he will be retained for next year. Unless he curbs his aggression he will be a liability to the team.
Rating: C+ Verdict: meh
Spencer, Matthew – Made his debut and will be here for a while yet. No-frills footballer but if he makes the most of his talents should be OK.
Rating: C+
Verdict: Cult figure who takes up most of the bandwidth on the Geelong board
Stokes, Mathew – Offers something different and a revelation this year (early days though). Does all the right things and a goal-kicker. The best late pick since Egan.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Tasty
Tenace, Kane – Steady improvement from my vantage point, not rushing his kicks and playing more of a four-quarter effort. Needs an injury free run after the break.
Rating: B Verdict: Steady
Varcoe, Travis – Not much expected ‘06, just let him log some quality time in the VFL. Will not play seniors this year.
Rating: N/A Verdict: The project
West, Trent – Solid year so far playing backup to Blake in the VFL. Don’t expect to see him in the seniors this year or next.
Rating: N/A Verdict: Man of mystery
Wojcinski, David – back in the 22 after knee reco. Others have mentioned his less-than-pinpoint disposal and I agree that he may be becoming the definition of a fringe player.
Rating: B- Verdict: Need his run out of defence
Cheers
RT
N/A rating refers to those players I haven’t seen first-hand or read reports about, or haven’t played enough to be marked.
Ablett, Gary – Taken his game to the next level. Improved overhead marking to go with mercurial crumbing. Leading our goalkicking while being heavily tagged each week. The most exciting bit is that he is improving all the time.
Rating: A Verdict: Borderline superstar.
Ablett, Nathan – Learning the game and has been preferred over Lonergan and McCarthy of late. A touch of the ‘second year blues’ but seems to be more promising as the season goes on. Forward line looks more dangerous with him in it and can take a contested mark which seems to put him one up over Lonergan and Kingsley.
Rating: C+ Verdict: Still ‘potential’
Bartel, Jimmy – Faster pace of the game probably hasn’t suited this year but you can’t beat ball-winning ability. Has been a quiet achiever in 2006.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Solid
Batchelor, Nick – Lightly built rookie injured earlier in the year. A fair way back in the queue but may have some pace which could earn him a re-rookie next year (?)
Rating: C Verdict: Dime-a-dozen
Blake, Mark – Logging some seniors game time and his around-the-ground work is improving. Even kicked a goal on the run from 50 on the weekend. Unfortunate that they won’t play him together with King and Ottens. A lot better than people were making out last year.
Rating: B Verdict: Promising
Byrnes, Shannon – On shaky ground. Disposal is suspect and hasn’t kicked a goal this year from numerous opportunities. Speed is the only thing getting him a game.
Rating: B- Verdict: Would have Prismall in the 22 before him.
Callan, Tim – only just getting a sustained run in the seniors. Stiff competition in the back six with DJ, Woj, Hunt and Enright.
Rating: C+ Verdict: Courageous
Chapman, Paul – the only shining light in our slough of despair earlier in the year. Hard-at-it, heart-on-sleeve grunt along with great skills and one of the best kicks for goal in the side. Been quiet last few of weeks as Gary A. and Mooney have taken up the forward-line slack.
Rating: A Verdict: Love his attitude and wish we had more like him
Corey, Joel – On fire earlier in the year and would have been on track for B&F. Less influence recently but super reliable.
Rating: A- Verdict: Barometer of the side
Egan, Matt – super pick-up and we would be struggling without him as it would seem Harley’s injuries are long-term. Contested marks his trademark and fears no CHF.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Future gun
Enright, Corey – at last having a good run injury-free. Disposal has improved to eliminate the Enright helicopter punt and bobs up with the occasional important goal.
Rating: B Verdict: Reliable
Gamble, Ryan
Rating: N/A
Gardiner, Charles – unable to cement a spot in the side after 5 (?) years. Drops marks and goes to ground too easily, doesn’t kick enough goals to warrant a place. If we are serious he would be on his way however he’s contracted for 2007.
Rating: C Verdict: Cult figure, but not in a good way
Grima, Todd – encouraging performances in the backline due to logjam of VFL talls (McCarthy, Playfair of late, Lonergan). Will be re-rookied.
Rating: C+ Verdict: Keep
Harley, Tom – bad run for Tom doing a shoulder just as he was getting a head of steam up. Second half of the year may decide whether he plays on. Not getting younger and body has taken a lot of punishment over the years.
Rating: C Verdict: Honest
Hunt, Josh – horror start to the year: disposal was suspect under pressure and who can forget the smirk, missed goal and subsequent choke at the hands of Melbourne. Has improved in recent weeks but seemed to be a protected species in terms of warranting demotion to the VFL.
Rating: B- Verdict:
Hunt, Sam – top-up player only and will be gone at end of year.
Rating: N/A Verdict: Gawn
Johnson, David – in and out of the side. A grade above VFL but suffers from plethora of defence options already mentioned. Adds something to the 22 IMO.
Rating: C+
Verdict: Needs to establish himself as first-option small defender
Johnson, Steve – mercurial but we have seen the best of him methinks. Line of ‘if only he could stay on the park’ starting to wear a bit thin. If you can only play 15 games a year then is your value to the team limited? Will he be overtaken by Stokes who seems to do the one-percenters better??
Rating: B- Verdict: Borderline
Kelly, James – Another to have his early-season form questioned and fans calling for his head. Does enough without being a game-breaker. Needs a dose of Mooney-style passion.
Rating: B Verdict: Cruise-control
King, Steven – Vital to the team when fit but will he play 15 games this year? Hammy every third week seems to be the pattern. Still wants the captaincy for next year, and who are you going to replace him with?
Rating: B Verdict: Cotton-wool
Kingsley, Kent – Being one-dimensional means that he has suffered now that our forward line is functioning again. Doesn’t chase hard or take contested marks which is fine when things are going your way, but….
Rating: C Verdict: The fall has been steep. May be gone end of ’07.
Koulouriotis, Paul – His chance seems to have come and gone. The definition of a ‘depth’ midfielder.
Rating: C Verdict: Will be lucky to avoid the chop.
Ling, Cameron – Has gone backward with the introduction of new rules. Needs to go back to basics as a lock-down midfielder rather than wide receiver. Fierce workrate though which is a big tick in my opinion.
Rating: B- Verdict: Ridiculously high jumper number.
Lonergan, Tom – Out of favour with Nathan getting game time. Seems to be overawed by the AFL. May have been better to have re-invented himself as a backman.
Rating: C Verdict: Gawn.
Mackie, Andrew – Being persisted with but doesn’t add a lot in my eyes. Classic flanker but not super fast or physical enough (fair enough as still a stick figure).
Rating: B- Verdict: Make-or-break next year
McCarthy, Matthew – Overlooked despite bags of goals in the VFL. That shoulder against Hawks last year (?) was costly.
Rating: C Verdict: Gawn
Milburn, Darren – Done the job as he has his whole career. Not a lot of ups or downs.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Dasher is Dasher.
Mooney, Cameron – Another that has gone to the next level this season. Become a leader and the CHF we always knew was in there somewhere. Vital to our chances in the second half of the season.
Rating: A Verdict: The heart of the club
Ottens, Brad – Starting to fulfil the promise and hit some good form. New forward set-up and King’s presence really suit him. His contested grab is back which is great news.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Getting there
Owen, Stephen – Came to the club with OP and played his first game in the V’s the other week
Rating: N/A
Playfair, Henry – To be honest Mooney has looked twice as good in the CHF role. Would a move to defence help him?
Rating: B- Verdict: Struggling
Prismall, Brent: Worthy inheritor of the #32. Unlucky to break his arm 5 minutes into debut. Hopefully back in the 1’s soon.
Rating: B Verdict: Goalkicker
Riccardi, Peter: Almost unsighted this year – Father Time has caught up. Did he go on one year too long?
Rating: N/A Verdict: Thanks for the memories
Rooke, Jarad – Bad run with injuries, concussion and a foot (?) have limited his games. Used pinch-hitting forward and good as a tagger. A class above our other bench players.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Come back soon
Scarlett, Matthew: 150 games up and getting back to AA form. No silly suspensions please.
Rating: A- Verdict: The rock
Sheringham, Tim – Hasn’t set the world on fire in the VFL and seems undersized for the big league.
Rating: N/A Verdict: Gawn
Slade, Will – Played well the first couple but then the flying elbows made an appearance. Was #1 in the league for frees conceded which is not a stat you want to be leading. I imagine he will be retained for next year. Unless he curbs his aggression he will be a liability to the team.
Rating: C+ Verdict: meh
Spencer, Matthew – Made his debut and will be here for a while yet. No-frills footballer but if he makes the most of his talents should be OK.
Rating: C+
Verdict: Cult figure who takes up most of the bandwidth on the Geelong board
Stokes, Mathew – Offers something different and a revelation this year (early days though). Does all the right things and a goal-kicker. The best late pick since Egan.
Rating: B+ Verdict: Tasty
Tenace, Kane – Steady improvement from my vantage point, not rushing his kicks and playing more of a four-quarter effort. Needs an injury free run after the break.
Rating: B Verdict: Steady
Varcoe, Travis – Not much expected ‘06, just let him log some quality time in the VFL. Will not play seniors this year.
Rating: N/A Verdict: The project
West, Trent – Solid year so far playing backup to Blake in the VFL. Don’t expect to see him in the seniors this year or next.
Rating: N/A Verdict: Man of mystery
Wojcinski, David – back in the 22 after knee reco. Others have mentioned his less-than-pinpoint disposal and I agree that he may be becoming the definition of a fringe player.
Rating: B- Verdict: Need his run out of defence
Cheers
RT
