That's a little factually incorrect on a few fronts.
I like West, but he is far from hardened at AFL level and his results in the AFL and VFL have been modest.
West has played 53 senior games. That's way more than any other ruckman on our list bar McIntosh, and it's about the same as Christensen and Taylor Hunt, and more than Caddy (39), Guthrie (37), and Motlop (47). Do you think Christensen or Taylor Hunt aren't hardened?
His AFL results AND VFL results have been modest? Ok....
1. West averages the same number of disposals this season as Vardy.
This season. So if you're arguing Vardy offers more around the ground, sorry but he doesn't. West
does average nearly 11 hitouts a game more though (21.1 to 10.2). Vardy offers more up forward, I think we all agree there.
2. West has had 20 or more hitouts a game this season 6 times, including a high of 42 hitouts against GWS. Vardy has not reached 20 hitouts once. He played the same game against GWS, and had 6 hitouts.
3. In his last 5 matches in the VFL, West has recorded the following number of hitouts - 62, 46, 45, 31, and 47 hitouts. Don't have the stats yet for Friday's massacre in Bendigo, but I'm guessing he had a few there as well.
EDIT: The stats have come through from Friday night. 25 disposals, 4 marks, 1 goal and 51 hitouts.
West has outperformed as a tap ruckman everyone else except Simpson. If the club have decided that they value run around the ground more, and want Vardy and Blicavs, then so be it, but don't try and say West has been below par compared to them, because it's just not true.