Autopsy Player Report Card

[bananatigz]

Always an interesting way to assess peoples thoughts on the player's year, thought i'd give it a crack.

Senior List:

#1 Chris Newman- Had a so-so year I thought, had a few good games along with a lot of meh games, had a shocker in the final. Interesting call to play on, don't think he should be best 22. C

#2 Dylan Grimes- Struggled early but slowly found his way back into some form and had some promising games towards the end of the season. Hopefully has a big pre-season and re-establishes himself as a key best 22 player. C+

#3 Brett Deledio- Struggled with Injury in the first half of the year, but after he came back in the second half of the year he was stellar, almost career best form and big part in the 9 game streak. A

#4 Dustin Martin- Outstanding year, was easily our best player all season and took the next step and headed into the elite players of the competition. Should win the BnF by a canter. A+

#5 Brandon Ellis- Another who had a fabulous year, started slowly but after the first 5-6 games was consistent and damaging averaging almost 30 possessions and being key to our outside run, rewarded with AA squad selection. A

#6 Shaun Grigg- Continued with his inconsistent 2013 form, and can't be considered part of plans going forward unless he rediscovers his 2012 form where he was a damaging wingman, could be lucky he is still contracted and make or break for him next season. C

#7 Matt Dea- Struggled to make an impact when given the change and failed to establish himself in the seniors. Had a decent VFL season and it will be interesting to see if he is retained. One thinks he might be given one more chance. C-

#8 Jack Reiwoldt- Another good consistent year from Jack, led the attack again, at times without much support. Puts in 100% every week and bleeds yellow and black and you have to love him for that. B+

#9 Trent Cotchin- Good year from the skipper, first half of the year like so many wasn't fantastic, but good signs from the young captain that he was able to drag us out of the hole we were in at 3-10 and was in fantastic form in the 9 game winning streak. Will be dissapointed with his game against port. B+

#10 Shane Edwards- Another who played some incredible footy towards the back end of the year, but his start probably prevents him from having an elite year. Bit of a favourite of mine Titch and if he can continue with his current form next season will get lots of plaudits. B+

#11 Jake Batchelor- Had a solid year, probably better then any of us envisioned. Managed to break into the seniors and hold his place, the challenge for him will be to continue to improve and hold onto that spot. C+

#12 David Astbury- Was the shining light in a disastrous start to the season, got injured again unfortunately which ended his extremely promising season where he established himself as our long-term FB. B+

#13 Ricky Petterd- Good year from Ricky, deservedly held onto his spot for most of the season with a string of tough, courageous and spirited performances. Has his doubters and is not the most skilful player, but puts his head on the line every time he goes out to play for the Tiges. B

#14 Bachar Houli- Solid year from our key half back flanker. Provided run and carry out of our back half and although another who has his detractors had a solid enough year and was probably one of our better players in the final. B

#15 Chris Knights- Tough year for Chris, string of injuries completely ruined his year, needs to establish himself next season or he probably won't be renewed, which would be a shame, definitely has the talent to be an important player. D

#16 Shaun Hampson- Had a bad first year at Tigerland. Hopefully we can de-Carltonize him over the pre-season but the signs so far haven't been great. D

#18 Alex Rance- Struggled with injury early but after coming back was a colossus, deservedly made the AA squad and singlehandedly kept us in games multiple times. A+

#20 Ivan Maric- Only got back halfway through the season but he along with Lids, Tross and Miles were the key players in our revival. Heart and soul of the team and we are endlessly stronger when he plays. A

#23 Dan Jackson- Had a tough year restricted by injury and was never really able to get into the season. Decided to retire and it was a disappointing end to a great servant of the club and a great bloke. Thanks for everything Jacko. C

#24 Ben Griffiths- Showed some really good signs throughout the year, and although he has someway to go started to show he may become the player we all know he can be. Managed to hold his spot and keep Ty out of the side towards the end of the season. B

#25 Troy Chaplin- Interesting year from Troy, struggled somewhat when forced to lead the defence in the absence of Rance, but after his return managed to turn his form around and play some really good footy towards the end of the season. Needs to continue to play well to hold onto his spot next year. B-

#27 Aaron Edwards- Clearly fell out of favour this year and although he had a good year in the VFL and would have been important to the development to our developing talls, couldn't have an impact at AFL level and his papers are probably stamped. D

#28 Jake King- Much the same as Jacko, a dissapointing end for the beloved push-up king. Managed just 2 games as he succumbed to injury and retired. Another great servant and and underrated person outside of the club. D

#29 Ty Vickery- Hard to know what to make of Ty, had periods where he played some really good footy and others where he was decidedly average. Needs to take the next step, get his spot in the team back and start playing to his potential. B-

#30 Reece Conca- Not a great year for Conca as he didn't kick on as hoped. Big year for him next year as he completes his first pre-season which hopefully can help him to start realising his potential. Still think there is much to work with with Reece, thought he did some nice things v Port. C+

#31 Nick Vlastuin- Solid year from Vlastuin, wasn't prolific as most second year players are, but was solid and tough and hopefully should be set up for a third year breakout season and to stamp himself as a future leader. B

#32 Brad Helbig- Disappointing year for Brad, couldn't establish himself in the senior side and struggled for form. Probably unlikely to be retained and will be last chance if he is. D

#33 Kamdyn McIntosh- Development year for Kamdyn, hopefully should start to push towards AFL selection next season where we can see what he is made of. C-

#34 Liam McBean- Good year from the Bean, almost coming away with the most goals in the VFL for the season. Still needs to work on areas of his game and hopefully he can have a huge pre-season and we can finally see the hype-machine released. C

#35 Ben Lennon- Had a decent year where he managed to play a few games while developing nicely in the VFL. Worked hard on a lot of areas and should hopefully push on and look to be considered best 22 for next season. C+

#36 Matt McDonough- Another like Lennon who had a decent year and was probably unlucky to not play more games than he did. Showed a lot of good signs and hopefully establishes himself as best 22 for next season. C+

#38 Steve Morris- Didn't have the year he would have hoped for. Clearly struggled with a shoulder and lacked form and confidence. Needs to go back to what he showed in his first year as calls quickly call for him to be upgraded by someone else. C

#39 Nathan Gordon- Gordon did well, played a few games throughout the season before breaking back in and holding his spot as a forward towards the end of the year. Showed he has the potential to play at this level and hopefully continues to improve with another AFL preseason under his belt. B-

#41 Nathan Foley- Managed to break back into the side and hold onto his spot. Wasn't prolific but did his job and was a solid contributor throughout the year. Probably needs to go back up a level to be part of plans post next year. B-

#42 Sam Lloyd- Showed some good signs in his first season by showing he knows where the goals are as a small forward. Played some really promising games and if he can improve his fitness and consistency could become a decent small forward. C+

#43 Todd Elton- Didn't have a great season and didn't push for AFL selection. Seemingly started to play some decent footy down back in the VFL towards the end of the season and you'd think he would be given another year. C-

#44 Matthew Arnot- Will be disappointed he couldn't establish himself after promising signs the year before, and appeared to stagnate in his development. Up in the air whether he will be given another chance but will need a big year if given one. C-

#45 Brett O'Hanlon- Hard to know what to make of O'Hanlon's year as it was disrupted by injury and inconsistency, although at times he played some good football and managed to play a game of AFL. Probably gets one more year although a chance to be delisted. C-

Rookies

#19 Matt Thomas- Did what he was recruited for, to provide inside grunt. Started the first few games strongly but ultimately was exposed as probably too slow for AFL level. Could be kept on as depth or let go. C-

#22 Todd Banfield- Struggled to find form and consistency at VFL level and probably unlikely to be retained for another season. D

#26 Anthony Miles- Boy oh boy, was probably our best player after given a chance mid-way through the year and we appear to have secured a gem. Surpassed even the wildest expectations. A+

#37 Orren Stephenson- Had another prolific year in the VFL and it is a shame he is not 5 years younger. Probably to old to be considered part of our future but if he wants to play on more then happy for him to go around again. C

#40 Cadeyn Williams- Had a developmental year in the VFL and had a few games where he showed a bit. Could be given another year to prove himself. C-

#48 Ben Darrou- Had another fantastic year in the VFL at full-back where he did everything that was asked of him. End of his 3 years as a rookie and unfortunately likely to delisted as its unlikely there is a spot for him in our side. If so I hope he gets another chance with someone else. C

Based on that my ratings would go as follows:

Dustin Martin
Alex Rance
Anthony Miles
Brandon Ellis
Brett Deledio
Ivan Maric
Trent Cotchin
Jack Reiwoldt
Shane Edwards
David Astbury
Ricky Petterd
Bachar Houli
Nick Vlastuin
Ben Griffiths
Nathan Gordon
Ty Vickery
Troy Chaplin
Nathan Foley
Reece Conca
Jake Batchelor
Dylan Grimes
Sam Lloyd
Matt McDonough
Ben Lennon
Dan Jackson
Chris Newman
Steve Morris
Shaun Grigg
Orren Stephenson
Liam McBean
Ben Darrou
Matt Dea
Matt Thomas
Matt Arnot
Brett O'Hanlon
Todd Elton
Kamdyn McIntosh
Cadeyn Williams
Brett Helbig
Aaron Edwards
Shaun Hampson
Jake King
Chris Knights
Todd Banfield

There's my thoughts, would love to know all of yours!

 

[Craze]

Some good work there and I agree on most. Possibly I'd have given Vickery a 'C' because he really had to get to more contests and play in front more often. I reckon with more output from our mid-range players (which is where I see Ty) we'd have won 3 more games - v.s GCS, Melbourne and Bulldogs - and we end up with a home final. Big pre-season for this list. Rocket up arse.

 

[TigermanM2]

Good effort but I think you are a bit generous with some but that's ok. Its all a matter of opinion.

I'm a bit old school. Isn't "D" a pass and "E" a fail?

 

[Bird Man]

Miles A ++

 

[Squibbs]

Shaun Hampson deserves a Z.

 

[Joker91]

A bit generous on a few

 

[Apple iCup]

Obviously it would depend on the club doctors assessment, but I would love to keep Knights if possible

 

[Crow_Sting]

I'll get to mine tomorrow. About to board the plane back to Melbourne

 

[bananatigz]

Yeh I tried to look for positives for most guys so probably bumped a few up.

Only went down to D as well so that probably impacted on it as well.

 

[Squibbs]

I've literally never seen Grigg go for a tackle, it's almost like he's too scared to tackle.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

A+: Miles, Martin, Rance
A: Deledio
A-: Maric, Ellis
B+: Cotchin, Riewoldt, S.Edwards, Astbury
B: Petterd, Houli, Griffiths
B-: Grimes, Conca, Vickery, Vlastuin, Gordon
C+: McDonough, Batchelor, Jackson, McBean, Lloyd, Chaplin
C: Dea, Thomas, Lennon, Foley
C-: Newman, Grigg, Arnot
D+: King, Morris
D: Knights, Helbig, A.Edwards, Stephenson
D-: McIntosh, O'Hanlon, Elton, Banfield
E: Hampson

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

I'd probably mark the two big forwards Vickery and Griffiths down a bit to say both a c but pretty fair ratings.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

I'd probably mark the two big forwards Vickery and Griffiths down a bit to say both a c but pretty fair ratings.

No AAA for Ricky RD?

 

[Rodney Dangerfield]

No AAA for Ricky RD?

Hahaha no.
B to B- is fair.

 

[Blinger]

#1 Chris Newman- Starting to show that the game is passing him by, seems to have slowed as the year has gone by. Maybe should have retired, hopefully is only required to cover for injury next season. D

#2 Dylan Grimes- As the year progressed, started to find his feet again, hopefully with a full pre-season will get back to his best. C

#3 Brett Deledio- Once he recovered from lack of fitness due to injury, started to show his speed & spread which makes us a more dangerous team when he plays this way. B+

#4 Dustin Martin- Very good year from Dusty, started to fall off towards the end of the season. Certainly something to look forward to next year, if he can continue to build on this season. Jack Dyer medal coming his way. A

#5 Brandon Ellis- Started the season slow, as with most of the team. As the year progressed kept improving. B

#6 Shaun Grigg- Good when the team is up & running. Yet he continues to refuse to put his body on the line, when it is his turn to go. Would be surprised if he get's a go next season.
D-

#7 Matt Dea- Needs to take it up a notch if he is to be retained, as he is currently treading water. D

#8 Jack Reiwoldt- Like Richo, he just loves the jumper. Which at times can to be to his detriment. Also needs to stop arguing with the umpires, once the umpire pays the decision, he won't change his mind. Does all the 1%er's & at times can be too unselfish, yet he is one of the best at reading the ball in the AFL. Good year & hopefully more to come next season. B+

#9 Trent Cotchin- Not his best season, yet when he is the number 1 tag in the team it does make it difficult, needs some protection from teammates. Bigger & better seasons ahead. B

#10 Shane Edwards- Probably his most consistent season to date. Need more of this next season & keep building on endurance. B-

#11 Jake Batchelor- Season got better as it progressed. There is definitely a spot there if he wants it, just needs to be more agressive in the contest. C-

#12 David Astbury- Finally showed he has the confidence to play at this level, outstanding up until he got injured. A+

#13 Ricky Petterd- Solid year, showed that he is willing to put his body on the line. Probably needs to stick with the basic's. Would prefer to see him playing from HFF & use his defensive skills from there. Also limit's damage from turnover's. C

#14 Bachar Houli- Had a reasonable year, just needs to continue to improve his disposal under pressure. C+

#15 Chris Knights- Cant really rate Chris as he didn't really hit the park. --

#16 Shaun Hampson- Good in the ruck for hitout's, after that he was deplorable. If he cant execute basic skills, there should be no place for him in the seniors. D-

#18 Alex Rance- Best player for the season for me, after he came back from injury, had an outstanding season. A+

#20 Ivan Maric- Certainly the barometer of the team, Just never gives up. B+

#23 Dan Jackson- Tough year with injuries, will be missed for his competiveness. Well done Jacko on a good career. C

#24 Ben Griffiths- As the year went on, started to show he will be competitive. Still needs to work on being more consistent throughout the games. Hopefully builds on this for next season. C

#25 Troy Chaplin- Troy was ordinary at the start of the season & got better as the season went on. Still not sure how he will be used when Astbury is available next season. C-

#27 Aaron Edwards- Played a fill in role when required. --

#28 Jake King- Well done on making the most of his ability, left nothing on the field. --

#29 Ty Vickery- Not sure on Ty, seemed to be the main focal point at the start of the season & played ok, then seemed to struggle with that pressure. Has gone backwards over the past 18 months. C-

#30 Reece Conca- Struggled to get up & going this season, maybe because of lack of pre-season. Needs to take it up another level next season, so the team can improve as well as make him a main mid-fielder. C-

#31 Nick Vlastuin- Ok year from Nick, showed at times he has what it takes & other times struggled to get into games. C

#32 Brad Helbig- Probably won't be on the list next year, as he just can't break into the seniors --

#33 Kamdyn McIntosh- Will wait & see next season --

#34 Liam McBean- Needs to be more agressive, seems to have the tools to work with just needs to continue to develop his body. D+

#35 Ben Lennon- Good 1st year, still needs time to develop. D+

#36 Matt McDonough- Certainly showed in patches he could be a handy addition in the forward line, like Lennon needs to keep developing. D+

#38 Steve Morris- Not his best season, maybe contributed to because of his bad shoulder. D

#39 Nathan Gordon- Gordon impressed with being able to find the ball with relative ease, only to turn it over with poor execution at times. Certainly something to work with next season. C-

#41 Nathan Foley- Showed in patches that he was still a capable contributor. Needs to continue to get his fitness back to previous years, to able to continue to contribute & keep a spot in the 22. C

#42 Sam Lloyd- If he can show more consistency, should be able to get chances next season. D

#43 Todd Elton- Not sure on Todd, doesn't seem to progressing as much as some of the others. D-

#44 Matthew Arnot- Shows he is willing to put his body on the line, just needs to work on his disposal & defensive side of his game. D

#45 Brett O'Hanlon- Not sure on Brett, as when he seems to play, he looks like he can play at the level, only to be dropped back to VFL. So whether he is not following team instuctions, I'm not sure. C-

Rookies

#19 Matt Thomas- For me he is a list clogger, get's the ball easy enough. Then his disposal is average & his pace is poor. D

#22 Todd Banfield- If you can't find your way at VFL level, then there's no hope. E

#26 Anthony Miles- Behind Rance & Dusty was our best performed player. A

#37 Orren Stephenson- Not really worried as he is at the end of his career. Would be great to be retained at RFC VFL. --

#40 Cadeyn Williams- Not sure. --

#48 Ben Darrou- Unfortunately not big enough to play key posistion & not agile enough to play on smaller forwards. --

 

[SplintWhisky]

#1 Chris Newman- The definition of average. The club thought he could play forward, but he couldn't then was thrown back to his old position. TBH not a fan of him going around again but until we can find someone with his heart and foot skills off Half back he will be there C

#2 Dylan Grimes- Was getting back. What is needed from him is a good preseason. For me he looked like a player that lacked confidence in his body C+

#3 Brett Deledio- An Enigma who needs to learn to stop being blanketed out of the game. Played well as a forward. I would look at the possibility of macking him the loose man in defense as he can mark well B+

#4 Dustin Martin- Great Year but still needs to find a way to assert himself more over 4 quarters. If he can get the same endurance boost he got over the last preseason again he could come close to being classes as a superstar A

#5 Brandon Ellis- Brilliant year in a no nonsense way the very same as he plays his football. Need to learn how to break close tags on the outside however A+

#6 Shaun Grigg- Needs to get back to 2012 form D+

#7 Matt Dea- Never understood the amount of posters jerking off about this guy. Played 3 good games in a row then dropped the ball. Will need to be better otherwise the door will need to be shown D+

#8 Jack Reiwoldt- Good season by Jack. Needs to have a quiet preseason and focus on his footy B+

#9 Trent Cotchin- Ok year from someone of his talent. He has shown he can be better before but has not replicated it since. Needs to get kicking right B

#10 Shane Edwards- A player that I think plays well when the team plays well. Does sometimes pull something out of the arse dimension and play well when the side is down but not much more can be asked of him B+

#11 Jake Batchelor- I think he was challenged by the coaching staff. I think 1 more year to get his craft right in the seniors could do him well. I would like to see him get more of the ball because he has shown he does have a good left foot. I like his attitude to tackling however B-

#12 David Astbury- Was fantastic in the absence of Rance and I would not be supprised to hear that he was leading the BnF before he went down. Hopefully not another Coughlan type player A-

#13 Ricky Petterd- Like the way he goes about it. Does make the odd decision sometimes but will always go as hard as he can. Played well in the back half of the year and justifies his place as a good honest foot soldier for the club B

#14 Bachar Houli- A solid year but has shown that he can fumble when put under pressure. Needs another runner out of half back to help ease the load it think B

#15 Chris Knights- Tough year for Chris, string of injuries completely ruined his year, needs to establish himself next season or he probably won't be renewed, which would be a shame, definitely has the talent to be an important player. D

#16 Shaun Hampson- A lamp post could have done better F

#18 Alex Rance- An amazing year and should be named as AA FB. Proved that he can monster opponents and is having less brain fades. Needs to give up on the bike riding though A+

#20 Ivan Maric- Was a big reason we started a nine game winning streak. He is a spiritual leader who has shown that he can still dominate around the contest. A

#24 Ben Griffiths- Shown that he is worth a spot on the list. Very overrated by posters here. Has had good games but he still needs to have a bag against any club to full cement his place B

#25 Troy Chaplin- Do not know what happened to him. Was great last year. He has been serviceable throughout the year without ever dominating or making the difference B

#29 Ty Vickery- Had an ok year. Needs to bridge the gap B-

#30 Reece Conca- Ok year. Better than others but not as good as last year. C

#31 Nick Vlastuin- Solid year from Vlastuin, wasn't prolific as most second year players are, but was solid and tough and hopefully should be set up for a third year breakout season and to stamp himself as a future leader. B

#33 Kamdyn McIntosh- Didn't read much about him so no score

#34 Liam McBean- Starting to do things that Jack did in the VFL and that is kick bags of Goals. Another year in the gym and another preseason should look to break into the side next season. B

#35 Ben Lennon- For the type of player he is he had a good year. Needs time to develop his body at VFL first before coming up to the AFL. Should look to play better next season B-

#36 Matt McDonough- See Matt Dea D+

#38 Steve Morris- Should have been put to surgery. Could see he was nursing an injury and that has affected his decision making C

#39 Nathan Gordon- Looks good enough to have kept his spot but I think will be quickly replaced when someone better comes around. Runs all day however B

#41 Nathan Foley- Managed to break back into the side and hold onto his spot. Age is starting to become a big factor with him B-

#42 Sam Lloyd- Showed some good signs in his first season by showing he knows where the goals are as a small forward. Played some really promising games and if he can improve his fitness and consistency could become a decent small forward. C+

#43 Todd Elton- Didn't follow no score

#44 Matthew Arnot- Should be disappointed about the year given plenty of opportunity but did not turn it on. Will need a miracle to be offered a contract post 2015 D+

Rookies

#19 Matt Thomas- Did what he was recruited for C-

#26 Anthony Miles- mmgmfmfmfmmfmfggh A+

 

[prodigy1311]

Excellent work buddy...! Agree on most of it..

 

[Del65166]

A+: Rance
A: Deledio, Ellis
A-: Martin Miles
B+:Maric, Cotchin, S.Edwards,
B: Petterd, Houli, Vlastuin Foley Riewoldt
,
C+Griffiths
C: , Astbury Grimes, Conca Morris
C-: Newman, Grigg, Gordon Vickery Chaplin Thomas
D+: Lloyd,McDonough, Batchelor, Jackson
D: Dea, , Lennon Knights,
D-: McIntosh, O'Hanlon, Arnot Hampson
E:

 

[Rubber Hips]

A+: Miles, Martin, Rance
A: Deledio
A-: Maric, Ellis
B+: Cotchin, Riewoldt, Astbury Houli
B-: Grimes, Conca, Vickery, Vlastuin, Gordon Griffiths Sheds
C+: , Batchelor, Jackson, , Lloyd, Chaplin Axle
C: , McDonough McBean Newman, Grigg,Morris
C-:Dea, Thomas, Lennon
D+: King,Arnot Stephenson
D: Knights, Helbig, A.Edwards,
D-: McIntosh, O'Hanlon, Elton, Banfield
E: Hampson

I've gone with this...changes bolded Though Houlis season was better than you rated ( so too Newie Grigg Morro and Axle and Orren) others drop a peg)

 

[_RT_]

1. Newman - IMO was carried to the 250 milestone, but that was only because those below him weren't doing enough to warrant replacing him. Now that he has got there and he was exposed along the way he must become nothing more than depth rather than an automatic selection.

2. Grimes - slow start to the season but as the season went on he started to show why he is so valued at the club. Has the ability to play tall or small and rarely if ever gets beaten. When we are is possession of the ball he can also provide some rebound from D50.

3. Deledio - our season was hurt by injury to him early in the year and after taking a little bit of time to find touch when he did get back he showed his class in the second half of the season when he played forward. From round 15 on he was arguably our best midfielder along side Ellis as he racked up 25+ disposals in 9 of 10 games, while also hitting the scoreboard.

4. Martin - will be right in the mix for his first Jack Dyer medal given his form in the early to mid part of the season. An injury against the Eagles late in the season seemed to put the brakes on his year, but he still ended the season averaged 25.5 disposals a game and 27 goals to his name including a number of match winning goals late in games, including the one to secure finals.

5. Ellis - another one who had a slow start to the season, but once he got up and running he just kept on going. From round 13 he averaged 29 disposals & 5 marks to earn himself selection in the AA squad of 40 and a spot in the 22under22 side at the AFLPA MVP awards. People talk about the development of Heppell in his 4th season, well I think that Ellis has been just as impressive in his 3rd season and if he continues next year we could be in possession of an elite winger in the AFL.

6. Grigg - not sure what was the problem with Grigg this year but he just never got up and running the way he was in 2012. Entering the final year of his deal he'll need to really find something if he wants to extend his stay with us. Like Newman he no longer should be seen as an automatic selection, he needs to earn his spot in the side through performances rather than weight of numbers.

7. Dea - If he manages to stay on the list after trade period he is another who will need to have a massive 2015 to extend his time with us. The club reportedly values him highly but injury has stopped him from really getting to show why, IMO will be coming from a long way back for 2015.

8. Riewoldt - one of those seasons from Jack, take out the 11 & 6 goal hauls and he kicked 44 goals from 21 games, not exactly a stellar return from our number 1 forward, but relying solely on that stat doesn't tell the full story. Jack was consistent without being spectacular and that isn't a bad thing IMO. For us to move forward we need Jack to be consistent and the support staff to step up.

9. Cotchin - tough year for the skipper. Early on had to carry the load when Deledio was missing and despite trying as hard as he could just couldn't do it all. Once the support was there to take some of the load off of him Cotchin thrived and started to grow into the leadership. After a heart to heart chat with the playing group and coaches the heat was put on him to be more demanding and he certainly was. Still only 24 so has plenty of time to establish himself as the next great Richmond captain.

10. Edwards - probably he best season to date, which after so long is a relief. Started to step up as a midfielder where is hands in close and ability in traffic often saw him open up space for others to exploit. Needs to back it up again in 2015.

11. Batchelor - really strange season from Batch as he seemed to lose his ability to provide rebound from defence, but at the same time became part of a back 6 that was important during the run to the finals. The problem is I'm not sure we can carry 3 defenders who are only getting 9 touches a game which is what happens with Morris Batchelor and Grimes in the side. That becomes 4 if Astbury comes back in. Could provide some value on the trade table.

12. Astbury - come JDM night I wouldn't be shocked to see Astbury leading the count leading up to the injury that ended his season. Astbury would have been handy once Rance got back up and running and we may have been able to finish a little higher on the ladder than we did with him in the side such was his form. Still it is a concern that Astburys knees have both blown out, hopefully it's the last time it happens.

13. Petterd - despite being widely criticised by frustrated fans early in the season as we struggled, Petterd showed that he could be a handy player if able to settle into a role. Petterd is one of the few in our side who shows little regard for their own safety and will leave little out on the park when he plays. The problem is that his disposal can at times let him down badly especially when he is down back. However put him up around the ball or forward and he could be a handy addition.

14. Houli - unlike Petterd above Houli hasn't been known as someone willing to pay the price when it comes to putting his head over the ball, however after the mid year soul searching session among the group, it became more apparent that Houli was able to do just that. Sure there was still some times where he wouldn't go and hopefully that can be worked on over summer. At his best his run and carry from the back line is very important to us but he needs support so the opposition can't sit on him.

16. Hampson - was supposed to be the answer to our back up ruck problem and while he showed that his ruck work could be more than effective, his around the ground work left a lot to be desired. Unfortunately for him he wasn't able to gel with Maric in the side and was sent back to the VFL where he worked hard on his game. Will need to work very hard over the summer if he wants to be part of the side in 2015 or he could spend a long season in the VFL again.

18. Rance - injured after round 1 when he fell off his scooter mid week, Rance missed 5 weeks when we could least afford to have him out. Once he came back in he made an instant difference to how our back 6 performed as he allowed Chaplin to go back to his preferred role. Despite missing 5 games his form was good enough to see him be selected in the AA squad of 40 and if you believe the internet chatter a spot in the AA side for 2014. How different things could have been if Rance had of stayed fit the whole season.

19. Thomas - at the start of the season plenty were salivating over his inclusion in the side as he won possessions and clearances, while setting the standard for tackling. That opinion quickly changed after a couple of poorish games before injury saw him out of the side. After that Thomas was placed in the whipping boy category and was widely criticised every time he played. With Jackson retired it's possible Thomas could get another year as he has survived the cull so far. IMO Thomas is handy to hang on to as a depth midfielder rather than a best 22 option.

20. Maric - another one whose early season injury hurt more than most realise. Was no shock that as soon as he came back in we looked better and the midfielders walked a little taller. Towards the end of the season he put the heat squarely on the group saying that they didn't train to the standards that they should have coming off a finals appearance. Very much the spiritual leader of the side.

23. Jackson - the reigning Jack Dyer medalist struggled from go to woah this year managing only 10 games in what would prove to be his final season. His intensity and willingness to push himself to the limit was sadly missed early as the season wore on and like Rance & Maric one has to wonder how the season would have been had he been able to play the whole season fully fit.

24. Griffiths - the big tease who could be the difference in 2015 and beyond between us being middle of the road and a genuine threat. At 200cm & 104kg 23 year old Griffiths has all the tools to become a dominant CHF. Clunks marks, can kick goals from 60 and has shown a willingness to work hard when the ball is at ground level. Finally signed an extension after putting us fans through a heap of concern with chat other sides were sniffing around and his form late in the season was enough to keep Vickery out. Needs to deliver on the potential in 2015 to validate the hype.

25. Chaplin - with Rance out injured the pressure fell to Chaplin to lead the back 6 and he wasn't up to it sadly. At one stage the calls from us fans to boot him were deafening, however with the return of Rance, Chaplin was able to go back to his preferred role and he his form swung around. As one of the leaders at the club it was a shame that he couldn't step up when it was needed. Still earned a spot in everyone hearts with his celebrations after kicking 2 goals to get us over the line against Port, which happened to draw the ire of his former teammates.

26. Miles - the seasons biggest surprise, well to everyone in the coaches box as fans were all over him from the NAB games. Took until mid season to get elevated and when he did boy did he make a massive difference. With his ability to get first hands on the ball he allowed the rest of the midfield to shuffle around and become much more dangerous as a group. Could easily finish top 10 in the B&F such was his impact. Hopefully a big summer will see him elevate his game again.

27. A.Edwards - after being an important cog in our finals appearance last year this year he was pretty much just a depth player. Got his chance with 3 games and was serviceable in them, but with younger options coming through was relegated to the VFL where he played an important role in helping to develop the likes of McBean and Griffiths. Delisted at seasons end finishing just short of the 100 career game milestone.

28. King - came into the season with injury concerns after a number of operations over the summer. After 2 games he suffered another injury to his toe which would eventually end his career. Spent most of the season in an assistant coaching role in the VFL and from what I saw of him working with the kids he has plenty to offer as a coach. Hopefully he sticks around at the VFL level to work with our kids as Kingy is the epitome of a player who got to the top despite not being the most skilled player.

29. Vickery - like Griffiths Vickery teased a lot but would often have fans tearing their hair out at the same time. Despite this Vickery in his 12 games kicked 23 goals and showed that he can be a goal kicking option up forward. As we enter silly season there are plenty suggesting that Vickery might be best served moving on to another club, while there is chatter from within the club that they will look at returning him to being a ruckman first and forward second to support Maric and allow Griffiths to make CHF his own. This move will have a big say in our how 2015 season pans out. Another who found a place in the hearts after he clocked cheap shot Cox in his retirement game.

30. Conca - drafted a spot ahead of Heppell, plenty of Richmond fans watched on as Heppell exploded this year to become one of the up and coming elite midfielders. Meanwhile, Conca struggled to have much of an impact on the season, well except for the back of Devon Smiths head. After all the excuses the heat must really go on Conca this summer to have a massive preseason and show why Francis Jackson picked him ahead of Heppell.

31. Vlastuin - after a promising first season, Tigga seemed to stagnate a little in 2014 IMO. Sure there were some glimpses of what he can become when he was given a taste of life in the midfield, but for the most part Tigga seemed to coast along getting his 15 disposals a week. Like Conca he needs a massive summer, perhaps attending to school of Chocco will help Tigga step up to that next level.

35. Lennon - unlike previous first round picks, Lennon wasn't awarded 15-20 games to fast track his development. In part this was because of an injury prior to round 1 which delayed his start and in part because his form at VFL didn't exactly demand he got picked. In the games that he did play he spent plenty of time in the subs vest and he too would need a big summer to set himself up for a spot in the 22 and there are some spots that will be available as some of the older guys are no longer automatic selections.

36. McDonough - was tried across HB to start the season and seemed somewhat lost in that position. After an up and down start to the season he was sent back to the VFL for the remainder of the season where he rotated through the midfield and forward where he looked much more comfortable. Coming into his 3rd season he one would hope that Plugga puts his hand up for a spot on the HFF/midfield as he clearly has the ability to be part of the side moving forward.

37. Stephenson - after wanting to retire last year Big O was talked into going around again. Was given one game at AFL level when Hampson was injured and performed as expected. Back in the VFL he was the dominant big man in the side for the year and I wouldn't be surprised to see him win our VFL B&F. Was let go at seasons end from the rookie list and I wouldn't be shocked to see him finally retire.

38. Morris - fair effort from a player who needed a shoulder reco from NAB 3 to play the entire season. Not sure if you'd call it courage or stupidity, but he gets praise from me for putting his hand up when it would have been easy to say nope I'm done. Still there are plenty of fans ripping into Morris for having a poor season, but given the shoulder injury would have hindered his ability to perform the way he wanted the fact that he was rarely beaten for the year says plenty about his ability to step up.

39. Gordon - got a chance early on in the season but wasn't able to secure himself a spot and found himself back in the VFL after 5 games. To his credit he worked hard on his game and through weight of numbers finally forced his way back into the side in round 18 where he stayed for the remainder of the year. GPS tacking shows that he covers plenty of ground, but unfortunately he doesn't get a heap of the ball. To become a better player Gordon needs to get his disposal count up to match the amount of ground he covers.

41. Foley - after struggling last year it was good to see Foley get back to some of his best footy at times this year. Still there were also times where Foley looked a step slow and unable to keep up with younger quicker opponents. Much like Newman & Grigg Foley no longer becomes an automatic selection next year. Still he is handy depth to have on the list and it's still possible with another solid summer that Foley could provide some solid support.

42. Lloyd - burst on to the scene with his debut game yielding 22 disposals and 3 goals in front of a massive crowd against the Pies. Unfortunately rumours suggest that he got ahead of himself and he quickly found himself back out of the side despite many thinking he was performing well. Came back late in the year to show that he could be the answer to our small forward dilemma as he had 11 disposals and kicked 3.3 against Port, however after that his next 2 games produced 0 goals and he was back out of the side. Hopefully some maturity and a solid summer could see Lloyd back in the side as a dangerous small forward option.

44. Arnot - after a less than perfect summer as he recovered from stress fractures Arnot struggled to get himself established in the side. In his 4 games he had 2 disposals for every tackle he laid and that is fine if you're getting 20 disposals a game, but when you're only getting 10 disposals it's not that great. Still there is something there to work with, if he survives a secondary cull after trade period. Like many others a solid summer will do wonders.

45. O'Hanlon - got 1 chance when our injury list forced our hand. Unfortunately he was the sub in that game and despite showing he knew how to get his hands on the ball it wasn't enough to keep him in the side. Back at the VFL, he kept on showing that he could get hands on the ball, but he just never really dominated games like you'd hope for a kid desperate for a chance. Delisted at years end.

Unrated:
Knights - injured
Banfield - rookie list/delisted
Helbig - DNP/delisted
McIntosh - DNP
McBean - DNP
Williams - rookie list/delisted
Elton - DNP
Darrou - rookie list/delisted

 

[Tigerforlife78]

Shaun Hampson deserves a Z.

I think Its his hot missus thats making him crap, poor dude doesnt have any energy left for the game.

 

[sante]

Hampson shouldn't even be rated, he's that bad