Toast Sam "Frodo" Gray

[Kingfish73]

It's amazing how much confidence he has obtained in such a short period. Credit to him

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Sam's development has been nothing short of stunning. Despite some of the reinvention of history going on here about him only playing as a small forward, he did play midfield against Melbourne at Trager Park earlier in the year and showed some signs there and collected 16 possessions. Still most called for him to be dropped and his next two games were quiet with 9 and 12 possessions where he was dropped again (after round 11).

That seemed to be the end of his career at Port. But as he continually does, Sam put his head down and bum up and went about winning the ball relentlessly at sanfl level and most importantly using it well. He earned another call up against St Kilda in round 18 to much wailing and gnashing of teeth. He played good, solid games, the best of his career to that stage and followed up against the Bulldogs and GWS. Then like a Roman Candle on slow burn he just lit up with the 3 stunning 30+ disposal games over the last 3 weeks of the season.

He was playing with arrogance against Freo, side stepping, sizing up movements and giving the ball. He also can get the quick give out of congestion to release (Ah Chee is very good at this too). His running power to get into position again and again is almost Kane Cornes like. He just reads the play so well.

He's played 17 games. He was all but written off after 11. It has been an amazing turnaround.

 

[Power Raid]

Looked up a few stats. Sam Gray has had 3 consecutive games with 30 plus disposals. He has now played 17 games and is 23 years old, so games 15,16 and 17 produced 30+ disposals

Here is the record number of games and the players who have had 30 disposals in a career. 4 have cracked the ton and Greg Williams 96.
Robert Harvey 118 games out of 383 ie 30.8% of games, Dane Swan 108/257 42.0%, Sam Mitchell 102/281 36.3%, Gary Ablett 102/274 37.2% and Greg Williams 96/250 38.4%
http://afltables.com/afl/stats/misc.html

So I went thru when the winners of the mid fielders medal achieved their first 3 consecutive 30+ disposal games

Judd debut 2002 did it in 2006 Rds 5-7 Judd's 97-99th games
Cousins debut 1996 did it in 2001 Rds 11-15 Cousins' 111-115th games did it 5 consecutive games
Bartel debut 2002 did it in 2007 Rds 2-4 Bartel's 87-89th games
Ablett debut 2002 did it in 2007 Rds 14-17 Ablett's 114-117th games did it 4 consecutive games
Coney debut 2004 did it in 2013 Rds 17-20 Coney's 196-199th games did it 4 consecutive games but [but did have 4 x back to back 30's in 2009]
Swan debut 2003 did it in 2009 Rds 8-11 Swan's 108-111th games did it 4 consecutive games then had 29, then 8 consecutive 30+ games
Watson debut 2003 did it in 2012 Rds 6-8 Watson's 138-140th games
Priddis debut in 2006 age 21 did it in 2014 Rds 18-20 Priddis' 168-170th games [ but did have back to back 30's every year since 2007]

Harvey debut in 1988 age 16.9 did it in 1991 Rds 3-7 Harvey's 37-40th games did it 4 consecutive games - Harvey missed Rd 5 with injury
Mitchell debut 2002 did it in 2006 Rds 12-14 Mitchell's 76-78th games
Williams debut in 1984 age 20 did it in 1985 Rds 13-17 Williams' 25-29th games did it 5 consecutive games

Fyfe........ debut 2010 did it in 2015 Rds 1-3 Fyfe's 93-95th games
Pendlebury debut 2006 did it in 2009 Rds 4-6 Pendlebury's 59-61st games
Kane Cornes debut 2001 did it in 2006 Rds 14-16 Kane's 107-109th games
Kane has the most 30 disposals games for a Port player, 62 games out of 300 20.67% ie 62 games is the 17th highest in AFL.

Go to bed REH But insane comparisons.

 

[Stromageddon]

I'd drop Lobbe for S. Gray

This is like one of those joke posts in 2013/2014 changes thread. Except instead his is serious and entirely viable. How times have changed.

 

[Hong-Kong Phooey]

I owe S.Gray an apology..so do many people on this forum, but it goes to show if you play someone in their right position they can realise their potential, which was main gripe with Primus and Choco. Also, who goes out when Wines returns?

I also wonder if K.Mitchell can do a Gray?

Problem is that Mitchell is beibg played to position.

 

[Hong-Kong Phooey]

If Sammy keeps this form up, he will go from someone who I thought would never get close to making it, to an A grader. Such a great story.

 

[Andre]

Problem is that Mitchell is beibg played to position.

Mitchell's best position was depth for the sub role. The sub role going spells the end for keeping him around as depth.

 

[TeeKray]

Remember earlier in the year when the Pear Facebook page did the 50 shades meme with 49 of Robbie and just 1 of poor old Sam? I wonder what the split would be now?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Not really but I'm blown away by how much work he put into it; and all while I was sleeping. Just wow!

It didnt take that long. That's the beauty of AFL Tables. Found the 30 disposals over a career page yesterday arvo. Last night whilst watching the midnight replay of Talking Footy and a bit of On the Couch replay, right clicked and opened up a dozen or so individuals pages from that main link, you get the age on debut at the top of the page and all the games info so I just scanned down the page and found the first lot of consecutive 30's. Took longer to type it up than find the data and also was distracted by some of the shit Gary Lyon and Hutchy spoke.

After bagging Sammy so much, especially after the Geelong game, but more so bagging our stupid selection committee for forcing him to pay on Harry Taylor, I thought it was worth finding out when the greats were able to get their career on track with some 3 consecutive 30's like Sammy.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

RussellEbertHandball doesn't sleep, he recharges.

 

[pastmyprimus]

I was calling for his head early on. But to Ken's credit he saw something in Sam and was prepared to cut him some slack. Maybe it was nerves or even initial trouble adjusting to the pace of AFL footy. That's all changed. He's now playing with confidence and feels as if he truly belongs.

Ken's made selection mistakes during the year but the faith he showed in Sam has paid-off big time.

 

[Alyx]

Denied.

http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/2015-09-09/gray-ruled-out-of-finals-by-sanfl

 

[SgtSchulz]

Majority of season in local league...

SANFL = 10/19 = 52.63%
AFL = 10/22 = 45.45%

campaigners

 

[Rising Power]

Shouldn't even have applied. What an embarrassment.

Might as well see if Boak can play too.

 

[Port01]

He came back into the AFL side on 2nd August.
Had the Port V North game that was postponed after Phil Walsh's death been played as scheduled he would have qualified.

I'd say that constitutes exceptional circumstances and was worth a shot.

 

[MagPower83]

did we expect any different?

 

[SgtSchulz]

Does anyone know the height/weight of Tom?

 

[Doctor Feel]

As expected. Whatever.

 

[Power Pete]

No matter how many times the SANFL kick us down, we'll still get up and play footy. Our club isn't made up of one player... We are a club and we play as a team. Go the mighty Magpies and all the best to Sam Gray in 2016.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Denied.

http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/2015-09-09/gray-ruled-out-of-finals-by-sanfl

Bunch of pants wetters. He played 10 of 18 games. The AFL has 22 games. FFS

 

[Arsene Wenger]

Ken says he's signed a new deal

 

[RossFC]

Ken says he's signed a new deal

Will be upgraded too!

 

[El_Scorcho]

Do we have a most improved trophy? Because there has never been a clearer winner in that category

 

[Shane_Mag]

You would think with his late season form he would be best 22 Round 1 next season. Gonna be hard to not include him.

 

[chiwigi]

You would think with his late season form he would be best 22 Round 1 next season. Gonna be hard to not include him.

O'Shea