Now that it's season's end who had a breakout year for us?

[Sea fog]

I think that Callum Brown improved a lot but was disappointing in the back end.

You could argue that John Noble emerged and looks a likely type.

I believe that Maynard might have gone up a level.

Stevo looked like he was already further progressing until the gambling saga.

Darcy Moore has probably quietened the doubters and shown that he can play well against the elite. His body wasn't too bad all things considered either.

Jamie Elliott returned to the fold, but sadly may well be out the door.

 

[PIEWITHSAUCE]

I find it hard to say that anyone did and that's a big disappointment - the two guys I expected to really step up either couldn't (Murphy) or didn't (Sier).

I don't hear Murphy mentioned in any discussions around forwards but he was a very capable forward as a junior. He's at about 225cm now too isn't he?


If we can get JDG/Moore/Elliott through the year without big breaks + Sier/Muphy come on and 2 or 3 good recruits and we will be in pretty decent shape. As per usual the season could come down to the injury profile - surely we can manage one better than average season in that department after our current run?

 

[Chameleon75]

I don’t think anyone had a break out season, a number of guys improved, but no one really surprised.

 

[Leviathan Pie]

No-one had a breakout season.

A problem I mentioned in another thread - we really didn't 'discover' anything new worthwhile getting excited about going forward.

 

[JB1975]

The closest to a 'breakout' year was Cal Brown, with a few promising cameos from Noble and IQ. Disappointing, especially given our injury profile.

People seem ambivalent about Brown, and I understand why: there's quite a bit of 'almost' about him, and he does fade away too easily. I still have an optimism about him, though, not least because I think his playing style will benefit more than most from a thorough pre-season.

 

[didaksrightfoot]

Callum Brown did better than expected- but I'm still not convinced that he is any more than a 16-25 player on the list. Good to have as depth, and can play a role - but not sure if he is good enough at any particular area to really cement his place. (Compare him to the criticism that Blair got on this board). But it bodes well that he did have the guts though to try and step up when others weren't on Saturday - and given his pedigree, Im not gonna bet against him proving me wrong.

Noble was great as a mid-season pickup, but I really think we need to focus on small backs/HBs who can actually defend well. Its a shame IQ didnt get more time at senior level.

And good for Moore (who really is turning into a gun CHB) and Elliott to get a run of games in.

Were any youngsters in the VFL squad knocking down the door?

 

[manicpie]

Nah, I got nothing

 

[Sea fog]

So the consensus here is that we stagnated?

 

[Chameleon75]

So the consensus here is that we stagnated?

You need to improve just to stand still, so I don’t think we stagnated, there was improvement, just incremental not dramatic.

 

[ExcitementMachine]

We need some of our kids to stay injury free and show more. For all his opportunities and the glimpses he showed C.Brown was disappointing.
Potentially a number of kids can push for break out years next year. Sier, The Browns, Murphy, Quaynor, Kelly ~ to name a few.

 

[Crazy Tails]

My initial thought was Callum Brown too. Didn't set the world on fire but showed definite improvement on the previous year. He has a lot of good traits; hopefully as he matures he can stay in the game for longer periods of time. Seems to float in and out at the moment.

Not really a break out as such but I thought Rupert Wills was the other one who came out of the year better than he started. When he was playing as a decoy forward earlier in the year (V Swans) and looking way out of this depth I was sure he'd be chopped come seasons end. When he got his chance again late in the year as that big bodied mid who provides tackling and pressure in at the coal face I thought he thrived. His job on Sloane/Crouch in our win v Crows in Rnd 22 and his tackling/grunt work v Cats in the first final were first class. I wonder if he could become our big bodied tagger?

Hopefully a Nathan Murphy, Tyler Brown type can break out in 2020.

 

[Kreme Pie]

One could argue only Callum Brown had a break out year. A disappointing last month of the year, but to play 22 games and hold his spot was very pleasing.

Everyone else either broke even or went back a few pegs.
Nice to get Elliott back, and we’ve found one in Noble.
Looking forward to potential breakouts from...
Murphy, Daicos, Quaynor, Kelly, Appleby, T.Brown, Atu B.

 

[Sea fog]

You need to improve just to stand still, so I don’t think we stagnated, there was improvement, just incremental not dramatic.

That is fair comment about standing still means you go backwards. We had a much harder draw this year, so maybe the team as a collective improved.

 

[spendles]

No one had a breakout season..
Id say the only improvers were Grundy,Mihocek,Maynard and maybe pendles and Treloar just..
Whilst Sidebottom,WHE and most of the others off a notch from the year before.Too many with injuries or suspensions for too long during the year to get that continuity.

 

[sirlothie]

Crisp gets better and better. Grundy ended discussion about who is the best ruck. Treloar became a vital cob of the midfield. Pendles turned back the clock.

They will all probably be top 5 in the Copeland.

 

[Markfs]

jack madgen showed a bit of pace and a willingness to take the game on. well done jack.

 

[joff]

There was improvement in a few players Maynard, Brown and Grundy took his game even higher but I didn't think anyone had a break out season as such

 

[Finnishpie]

No breakouts. A few steps forward and a few promising.

Brown
Noble
Quaynor

Are the ones who are offering something new.

I expect quaynor to have. A breakout next year.

Also have high hopes for Murphy.

We had some step back years too.

Sier leading the charge.

 

[Bramax]

Grundy.
A grade player last season.
AA+ gun player this season.

 

[MarkT2]

A major reason we didn't improve was because noone really had a breakout year and our boom recruit in Beams hardly played. I agree that Brown showed a bit but he is a way of being a B grade player at this point. He is at least on an upward tradjectory. Wills improved markedly. Hardly breakout but he at least covered for Sier going backwards. Daicos' progress is slow but he does have something to work with. Noble is a dime a dozen handyish player. Not as quick as Murry but a better user.

Murphy was hampered by injury. We need he and Quaynor to have breakout years next year because there is nothing else in the shed apart from Sier (if he can get his body and application right) and we don't have a first round pick. Hard to make any judgement on Kelly yet.