Nathan Foley Most Improved

[boom crash opera]

Nathan Foley Most Improved player in the A.F.L.
Would have your b/f stitched up already.

 

[J.Mizza]

He is defenitely improved a lot and i would agree that he is the most improved played ATM, but i think Polak would be running him a close 2nd in our B&F

 

[Madtiger2006]

#1 in clearances in the league

 

[Ah Cheung]

#1 in clearances in the league

Something we can hang our hat on..

 

[deliberate!!]

Something we can hang our hat on..

Nathan Foley...
Great Big Ticker and Hungry to play AFL. A little workhorse.
Pity we didn't have more players with his drive and determination.

I'm coming around to this kid...

 

[beaver fever]

#1 in clearances in the league

I thought it was #1 for centre clearances and not clearances.

 

[Deledio2Conca]

I thought it was #1 for centre clearances and not clearances.

Correct. Just imagine how many more he would be getting if Simmonds was available.

 

[Rayzorwire]

Correct. Just imagine how many more he would be getting if Simmonds was available.

Yep, getting heaps of clearances without a ruckman is doing it as hard as it gets.

Even more impressive than that IMO, is the fact his disposals have been getting more effective each passing week. They're rarely pretty, but they are much more effective and constructive than he was managing last year and even early this year.

 

[silence ofthe Robert]

Yep, getting heaps of clearances without a ruckman is doing it as hard as it gets.

Even more impressive than that IMO, is the fact his disposals have been getting more effective each passing week. They're rarely pretty, but they are much more effective and constructive than he was managing last year and even early this year.

Dont you think he is spending to much time on the ground though?

 

[Rayzorwire]

Dont you think he is spending to much time on the ground though?

I take it that's a reference back to what I said last season about why Foley was played on and off the bench instead of spending 100 minutes a game on the field SOTR?

Foley (to his credit) had a huge pre-season and put a lot of work in which has seen him return with a much bigger engine and physique this season. However, he's still (possession-wise at least) dominating 1/2 to 2/3rds of a game, then drifting around following an opponent and picking up tagger-type runoff possessions in the rest (taking into account the obligatory spells on the bench any onballer has).

My argument last season was that he can't play 100+ minutes (as many wanted) because he didn't have the fitness to play an onball role (roving or tagging) for that long and can't be an asset rested in attack of defense - he's too exploitable in the air down back and is (at this stage at least) not a natural forward. He's added the fitness base to put extra time in used in an onball role (roving or tagging), and you'll note that we still don't use him anywhere else but in midfield roles.

Hopefully, next year, with another great pre-season under his belt, he'll require a tagger for most of the game unless sides want to be repeatedly hurt by him. He'll be at full AFL fitness or very close, and the opposition won't be able to gift him 20-25 possessions with no quality tagger (as they often have) because his effectiveness is increasing every outing and his touches are starting to become damaging - instead of 40-50% chance of an eventual turnover.