The 2017 Rolling All-Australian Thread

[raskolnikov]

Am I in some alternate universe where Hurley hasn't been bog ordinary this year?

He started off the year a bit slow which was to be expected but has been great the last couple of weeks. He's not in the side at the moment but will be a contender by the end of the year if he keeps current form up.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

He's only been solid at best. Nothing like his 2015 season.

Hence I wrote - but he is below his best

 

[Royce Hafey]

So how many are in contention for the 5 spots available in defence? Alex Rance has played half a dozen games so could retire tomorrow and he'd make it.

McGovern, Talia, Hurley, Shaw, Roberton, Laird, Howe, Yeo...

Rance has been slow to work into this season, but was one of our bests against the Bulldogs. If he keeps up that form, he will make it four in a row. Just for that I'm going to annoy you further and suggest Astbury be included. Actually, having had the thought of that (which to be honest would be just a troll) I did some comparisons on Footywire and found that, while most of the other key position defenders you mention are obviously better that Astbury statistically (as you'd expect), Talia isn't and by a long way, which surprised me. Perhaps it's just a case of Talia being a pure stopper, but that pretty much what Astbury is as well. This isn't a troll, just a query. For those who follow him more closely, how has Talia's year been?

 

[Demonated]

Maybe people give too much credence to media or maybe their expectations are dictated by the past. Either way, everybody needs Ablett in their team now. Has played 1 bad game, a few good games and a few great games.

Bloke isn't cooked, he is still the king.

 

[AG]

Seems like the first time in ages no Swans players are on track for AA.

I wouldn't have anyone close either. Franklin has shot up the goal tally with his bag of 8 but he needs a strong few weeks of football to enter the discussion.

 

[deflated]

Thanks to coaching mismatchups. Name me any great positional career player that Goodes played on and beat on several occasions?

He shifted to a key forward role half way through 2009 when Hall left the team. Played forward for the remainder of 2009, for 2010 and 2011. Led the Swans in goals all 3 years with Ben McGlynn and zombie Daniel Bradshaw as his primary supporting cast. Made AA in 2 of those years. If he wasn't getting the best KPD every game in that stretch what on earth were the opposition coaches thinking?

 

[Snake_Baker]

He shifted to a key forward role half way through 2009 when Hall left the team. Played forward for the remainder of 2009, for 2010 and 2011. Led the Swans in goals all 3 years with Ben McGlynn and zombie Daniel Bradshaw as his primary supporting cast. Made AA in 2 of those years. If he wasn't getting the best KPD every game in that stretch what on earth were the opposition coaches thinking?

38, 41 & 44 goals.

Did not kick a bag of 5 goals once.

Made AA on the bench and in the forward pocket.

Kicked 4 goals on 5 occasions over the 70 games he played in the years spanning 2009 to 2011 at an average of 1.75 goals per game.

His 5 bags of 4 goals were against 5 different clubs.

Again, please name me any great positional career player that Goodes played on and beat on several occasions?

For crissakes, he only averaged 12.5 hit outs a game when he was made AA ruckman in 2003!!!!!

This placed him in 29th spot for that season!!!!

 

[Schauermann]

There has been far less of that of late - with players far more likely to be picked in position - with the bench loaded with midfielders.

The most interesting spot in the AA side this year IMO will be the ruck position.

With Gawn and NN out, you would think Goldy would romp it in - but has been below his best.

Jacobs and Mumford would be in the mix I'd say.

Brisbane will probably finish to low for Martin to be any chance (but nearly 21 disposals/game is impressive and most selectors tend to like disposal numbers).

Ps Sandi is not that bad, but apart from dominating hitout I haven't been overly impressed by him.

 

[Suma Magic]

Yeo is second in the coaches votes. He would be one of the two back flanks right now.

 

[GordonBlue]

B: Laird - Talia - Roberton
HB: Lloyd - Hurley - Docherty
C: Bontempelli - Selwood - Martin
HF: Gray - Kennedy - Wingard
F: Greene - J Riewoldt - Lynch GC
R: Grundy - Sloane - Dangerfield
INT: Murphy - Merrett - Betts - Kelly

Now I haven't watched him play every game, but Kruezer destroyed Grundy on the weekend and is yet to lose a battle.

Not saying Kruezer should be name in your squad, but would deserve a call ahead of Grundy just on the last game alone.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Now I haven't watched him play every game, but Kruezer destroyed Grundy on the weekend and is yet to lose a battle.

Not saying Kruezer should be name in your squad, but would deserve a call ahead of Grundy just on the last game alone.

Not saying that either of them should/shouldn't be in, but that's not how the AA team works. It's based on the entire season, not one game alone

 

[Forward Press]

Now I haven't watched him play every game, but Kruezer destroyed Grundy on the weekend and is yet to lose a battle.

Not saying Kruezer should be name in your squad, but would deserve a call ahead of Grundy just on the last game alone.

By that logic if Billy Longer destroys Kreuzer this weekend he should be in the AA mix.

 

[Snake_Baker]

At the moment the AA ruckman has to be Sandilands (based on hitouts/clearances $ 1%ers)

 

[GordonBlue]

Not saying that either of them should/shouldn't be in, but that's not how the AA team works. It's based on the entire season, not one game alone

But Kreuzer is yet to lose any battles... Grundy got destroyed last week. So by that logic, Kreuzer must be ahead.

 

[GordonBlue]

By that logic if Billy Longer destroys Kreuzer this weekend he should be in the AA mix.

Refer to above post

 

[GordonBlue]

The thing about Kreuzer that is not recorded is the bulliking (not sure how to spell it) work he does. It's the follow-up taps and forcing ball forward... basically adding another midfielder that is not recognised in stats.

He will never get the most hitouts, he will never get the most disposal... but he will has as equal impact on games as any other ruckman.

He's got coaches votes in 4 out of the 6 games he's played.

 

[Forward Press]

Refer to above post

So if Kreuzer loses the battle this weekend, you will now believe Billy Longer is the leading AA candidate?

 

[GordonBlue]

So if Kreuzer loses the battle this weekend, you will now believe Billy Longer is the leading AA candidate?

If Longer is yet to lose a battle, once again score coaches votes and defeats another player who previously is yet to be defeated, then by all means, Billy Longer should be a candidate for AA.

Plus, I never mentioned Kreuzer be leading AA candidacy. I said he should be ahead of Grundy. Not sure how all the other ruckmans are performing, so Kreuzer might be 10th in line, but should still be ahead of Grundy.

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

By that logic if Billy Longer destroys Kreuzer this weekend he should be in the AA mix.

marge simpson and myself: i don't know where to begin telling you what's wrong with that

 

[Forward Press]

If Longer is yet to lose a battle, once again score coaches votes and defeats another player who previously is yet to be defeated, then by all means, Billy Longer should be a candidate for AA.

Plus, I never mentioned Kreuzer be leading AA candidacy. I said he should be ahead of Grundy. Not sure how all the other ruckmans are performing, so Kreuzer might be 10th in line, but should still be ahead of Grundy.

Longer has yet to be thrashed and the Saints are doing relatively okay, but I don't see many Saints fans throwing his name into the mix.

marge simpson and myself: i don't know where to begin telling you what's wrong with that

Ask your colleague, apparently beating Grundy puts another ruckman ahead of him in the AA mix.

 

[GordonBlue]

Longer has yet to be thrashed and the Saints are doing relatively okay, but I don't see many Saints fans throwing his name into the mix.

Yet to be thrashed? Has we been the better ruckman in every game he has played? Kreuzer definitely has.
Has he received Coaches votes in 66% of games he's played... even when the team has been beaten 66% of times? Krezuer definitely has.

And once again, I have not thrown his name in the AA discussions... all I said is he should be ahead of Grundy. This is the third time I have repeated myself. Are you a little broken?

Ask your colleague, apparently beating Grundy puts another ruckman ahead of him in the AA mix.

If you win 6 out of 6 battles. You are having a better season than someone who has lost a battle, against said player.

 

[Cleanupsoup]

Surely jack steven has earned a spot on the bench at least If he keeps this form up

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

Longer has yet to be thrashed and the Saints are doing relatively okay, but I don't see many Saints fans throwing his name into the mix.



Ask your colleague, apparently beating Grundy puts another ruckman ahead of him in the AA mix.

it's not a one off. kreuzer fought a draw with max gawn, who annihilated hickey, who longer started the season as a back up for.

the thing that hurts kruezer is he doesn't win as much of the ball as the grundys and martins of the world, but he's been among the top handful of ruckmen this year there is no doubt.

 

[Coaster2012]

Hurley has been enormous the last two weeks. I have no problem with people not thinking he's in right now as he started poorly and rusty, but I'm supremely confident he'll be there when it's decided, on the basis of a full season

I wouldn't be confident. Means he needs to have a better season than Laird , Talia, Roberton, Yeo, Mgovern, Doherty. Those others would be well ahead of him atm. Would require a break down of one of those players.

 

[Deep Blue]

Rance has been slow to work into this season, but was one of our bests against the Bulldogs. If he keeps up that form, he will make it four in a row. Just for that I'm going to annoy you further and suggest Astbury be included. Actually, having had the thought of that (which to be honest would be just a troll) I did some comparisons on Footywire and found that, while most of the other key position defenders you mention are obviously better that Astbury statistically (as you'd expect), Talia isn't and by a long way, which surprised me. Perhaps it's just a case of Talia being a pure stopper, but that pretty much what Astbury is as well. This isn't a troll, just a query. For those who follow him more closely, how has Talia's year been?

Talia = 8/10 and Astbury = 7/10 on the "Prestigiacomo Scale".