Top 5 Biggest Improvers for 2010?

[FAITH]

Whose going to be our biggest improvers for the 2010 season?
I remember last season i heard from the club that Tippet and Vince would be the biggest improvers for 2009, and i think they were proven right.
I didnt believe Vince would turn out to be that good. Great to be proven wrong.

2010 biggest improvers top 5 please:
1- Taylor Walker (The next big thing) expect 60 goals from him, and top 10 finish in b&F. The next Pavlich, our number 2 forward;

2- Shaun McKernan: Expect him to play alot of footy all over the ground. Looks to have certain qualities that are made for AFL. Will be a star, people laughed at me when i said we should take him with pick 10 in the 2008 draft.

3- Rory Sloane: Ready to take over one of the taggin duties and be a true inside/outside courageous on-baller, expect massive things from him this year.

4- J.Jacky: Some will be surprised, but i think this guy is a potential superstar of the game, a better version of Stokes. Is bigger and fitter and looks like he has his head screwed on right. Big season for this guy.

5- J. Petrenko: Dont rate him as highly as Jacky, but think he will be gun. Can play anywhere and expect him to play most of the year for the crows.

Cook very unlucky to miss out.

Thoughts?

 

[spexau]

Top 2 for me would have Dangerfield and Walker.

Dangerfield is fitter and stronger this year and reportedly training very well. I expect he will spend a lot more time in the midfield this year and have a bigger impact on matches.

Walker is also fitter and stronger and has apparently sorted out his defensive issues in the foward 50. I think he will kick at least 40 goals playing second fiddle to Tippett.

Other who will improve with some AFL game time will be McKernan, Sloane, Jacky, Petrenko and Cook but it's hard to pick which will do better out of that lot with out knowing who will play more games.

 

[Drummond]

Whose going to be our biggest improvers for the 2010 season?
I remember last season i heard from the club that Tippet and Vince would be the biggest improvers for 2009, and i think they were proven right.
I didnt believe Vince would turn out to be that good. Great to be proven wrong.

2010 biggest improvers top 5 please:
1- Taylor Walker (The next big thing) expect 60 goals from him, and top 10 finish in b&F. The next Pavlich, our number 2 forward;

2- Shaun McKernan: Expect him to play alot of footy all over the ground. Looks to have certain qualities that are made for AFL. Will be a star, people laughed at me when i said we should take him with pick 10 in the 2008 draft.

3- Rory Sloane: Ready to take over one of the taggin duties and be a true inside/outside courageous on-baller, expect massive things from him this year.

4- J.Jacky: Some will be surprised, but i think this guy is a potential superstar of the game, a better version of Stokes. Is bigger and fitter and looks like he has his head screwed on right. Big season for this guy.

5- J. Petrenko: Dont rate him as highly as Jacky, but think he will be gun. Can play anywhere and expect him to play most of the year for the crows.

Cook very unlucky to miss out.

Thoughts?

Thoughts? Terrible stuff in bold.

Can someone tell me what Jacky has done in 2 years to be rated so highly? He's done nothing at AFL level, virtually nothing at SANFL seniors and looked only passable at reserves level other than the odd standout game. Potential superstar of the game? Wow, aren't we handing down accolades easily now days!

 

[Vader]

Thoughts? Terrible stuff in bold.

Can someone tell me what Jacky has done in 2 years to be rated so highly? He's done nothing at AFL level, virtually nothing at SANFL seniors and looked only passable at reserves level other than the odd standout game. Potential superstar of the game? Wow, aren't we handing down accolades easily now days!

Makes it easy for him to be a "big improver" then, coming off such a low base.

 

[RoosterLad]

Drummond. Good call son.

Seriously, the people on this board rate just about every guy on our list as a SUPERSTAR. Surely if we lose a single match in the next 5 years you would have to be disappointed and start sacking coaches, the board, players etc.

It is quite obvious that people don't actually watch our players play, they see them have a kick or handball in a ressies highlights video on afc.com and suddenly they think they will be "like G Ablett Jnr with a touch of Buddy Franklin".

 

[webbcrow]

SMACK: The games I saw him play for souths just made me sit up and take notice.
Mackay: Just think he's ready to take that next step similar to Vince last year.
Sloane: a real inside footballer, I think he'll rotate with danger as a clearance guy in the centre.
Danger: With a full preseason under his belt and having learnt from last year I think he'll rip it up in the middle this year.
Tex: With the effort he seems to be putting into training and fitness, I think he'll go a long way to removing any deficiency’s in his game.

 

[Drummond]

Drummond. Good call son.

Seriously, the people on this board rate just about every guy on our list as a SUPERSTAR. Surely if we lose a single match in the next 5 years you would have to be disappointed and start sacking coaches, the board, players etc.

It is quite obvious that people don't actually watch our players play, they see them have a kick or handball in a ressies highlights video on afc.com and suddenly they think they will be "like G Ablett Jnr with a touch of Buddy Franklin".

Exactly right, all of it.

 

[noddy]

Rowdy !!!

No doubt about it as long as he remains relatively injury free,

Also expect Petrenko to step up this year.

 

[adelaide_40]

Taylor Walker - Will be fitter for next year and more consistent throughout the year.

Patrick Dangerfield - A full pre-season under his belt will help him.

Jared Petrenko - Will last a bit longer in 2010 and have a bit more of an impact on matches.

Rory Sloane - An inside midfielder, will push for selection and get a few more games.

Trent Hentschell - I know this is a bit different than naming a young player but I think that he will be able to imrpove from his 09 season and hopefully be a force up foward in 2010 assuming his knee doesn't give him trouble.

 

[Punchy Bassett]

Out of all of them I am looking forward to watching SMACK this year for some reason, don't know why just my spider sense believes he could really explode this year!

 

[FAITH]

Thoughts? Terrible stuff in bold.

Can someone tell me what Jacky has done in 2 years to be rated so highly? He's done nothing at AFL level, virtually nothing at SANFL seniors and looked only passable at reserves level other than the odd standout game. Potential superstar of the game? Wow, aren't we handing down accolades easily now days!

He was always going to take longer than most to develop. The club even stated this.
But he was picked at 30 after Danger and Otten and before Cook/Armst/Petr etc.

His body is finally right i think he will become great player.

 

[Ask Sandy]

Whose going to be our biggest improvers for the 2010 season?

4- J.Jacky: Some will be surprised, but i think this guy is a potential superstar of the game, a better version of Stokes. Is bigger and fitter and looks like he has his head screwed on right. Big season for this guy.

Faith, I agree with you! There is something special in Jarrhan, to what extent that talent stretches is anyone's guess. If you believe he will be a better version than Stokes then he is worth the wait. The club have faith in him and so do I, don't listen to the cynics

I feel Petrenko will be a very good solid player for the AFC and will clock up 200+ games. Does he remind anyone of a young T. Edwards in the making?

Tex, Tips and Danger are 100% guaranteed stars (easy picks).

 

[FAITH]

Taylor Walker - Will be fitter for next year and more consistent throughout the year.

Patrick Dangerfield - A full pre-season under his belt will help him.

Jared Petrenko - Will last a bit longer in 2010 and have a bit more of an impact on matches.

Rory Sloane - An inside midfielder, will push for selection and get a few more games.

Trent Hentschell - I know this is a bit different than naming a young player but I think that he will be able to imrpove from his 09 season and hopefully be a force up foward in 2010 assuming his knee doesn't give him trouble.

Think these 2 will improve. Hentsch certainly, not sure how much Danger will though. Look forward to seeing them.

 

[KUNG FU]

I actually don't think Smack will improve that much this year as a player, because he is already that good haha. That's how highly I rate his 2009. Hasn't had a good chance to prove it at AFL level. Get 20 games under his belt and he will explode. So I'm probably predicting a big break out in 2012, but he will be talked about a lot this year.

Dangerfield, hasn't had a full pre-season. I think people overlook the factthat his 2009 was actually pretty average. What isn't in doubt is how ominous his best form was. A consistent output in 2010 and a further development of his outside game and he'll have a huge year.

If Douglas stays injury free, he'll really make a mark on the game as a damaging midfielder. Just needs to have an injury-free run to find his feet at AFL level.

David Mackay - will be in contention for AA

Brad Moran - will play every game he is injury-free, mainly in the ruck, with spots up forward.

 

[macca23]

For me, the 3 big improvers will be Dangerfield, McKernan and Walker in that order.

Dangerfield was a handy footballer last year, but far from dominant, whereas this year, with that extra 12 month's experience under his belt, he could be anything!!

He'll probably rotate between up forward and the mid-field, and as he started to show last year, he's a clearance king at the centre bounces. The natural comparisons with Ricciuto will be even closer after 2010.

McKernan impressed with his cameo appearance last year and the club rates him very highly. Whether it's ruck (most likely), forward or back he'll become a regular in the first 22 and be a very useful contributor by the end of the year.

Walker has already put his talents on display last year - he just has to do that consistently and put a bit more oomph into his game. I think he'll do just that this year and do it well.

 

[FAITH]

Faith, I agree with you! There is something special in Jarrhan, to what extent that talent stretches is anyone's guess. If you believe he will be a better version than Stokes then he is worth the wait. The club have faith in him and so do I, don't listen to the cynics

I feel Petrenko will be a very good solid player for the AFC and will clock up 200+ games. Does he remind anyone of a young T. Edwards in the making?

Tex, Tips and Danger are 100% guaranteed stars (easy picks).

Yes. His movement does alot.
I think that Petr has alot more aggression though and is a greater tackler.
I like him a lot, and is a player we lacked last year in our starting 22.
I want Jacky and Petrenko in our starting 22.

 

[cmndstab]

I find it difficult to talk about McKernan being an improver because it's difficult to know what it means. He would have played more games last year if not for injury. If he now comes out and plays ten games, is that an improvement simply because he's not injured? For that matter, for our undebuted players, is simply playing in 2010 a big improvement? I guess it is but I'll restrict this to players who have played a few (let's say 3) games already. In no particular order...

Walker - some look at his inability to hold his place in 09 as a concern, I prefer to think of it as incredible that he was able to push his way in at 19 as a slower tall forward as much as he did. Should show much more in 2010, and his best is still years ahead of him.

Dangerfield - couldn't make the NAB Cup squad, was unfit when he arrived, suffered multiple injuries, spent two years with stress fractures and was played out of his most natural position for most of the season and still impressed. Other than possibly the stress fractures, all of the above should be gone in 2010, and he's a year older and wiser, how good is he going to be? Scary.

Mackay - he'll step up yet another notch this season and the wider footy community won't even notice. In three years time a respected footy journo will suddenly write an article on how Mackay has "come out of the blue" and everyone will jump on his bandwagon and we can then look forward to a decade of his name appearing on "most underrated footballers" lists

Cook - I see no reason why Cook can't play ten games in 2010 and get a bit more game time than the few games he had last year. He's as solid as a rock and tackles hard, and his kicking, while not great, don't look so, um, hideous at training from what I've seen. I like Cook.

Petrenko - I've gone for Petrenko because he has the most scope to improve out of those that remain, but I'm yet to be fully convinced that he'll make the next step in 2010. There is a lot to like about Petrenko, he's nuggety, fast, has great skills, reads the play, has courage etc but somehow I just have queries over him. I'll feel more confident if I can see him play a couple of good games in the NAB Cup

Honourable mention to Moran who should enjoy having next to no competition for his spot unless Griffin pulls his finger out. You get the feeling with Moran that it's just about playing until he feels comfortable at the level. I didn't mention Tippett because I don't subscribe to the theory that he'll get much better next season. He should kick more goals since he won't spend the first 8 rounds rotating, but I reckon he'll hold his second-half form for most of 2010. Same theory on Vince.


Out of those that haven't played a few games yet, I'm expecting to see a big leap from Sloane, McKernan, Davis and Armstrong. I think the likes of Schmidt, Young, Craig, Jacky, Henderson, Talia, etc are still a year or more away, assuming they do make it at all, and Martin is obviously another year away as well.

 

[RangaInTeal]

1. Pattrick Dangerfield

Believe the hype!

2. Shaun McKernan

Will take the world by storm, Phil Davis will question leaving the club as Shaun McKernan will keep him out of the Back six, Shaun will play the third tall down back and average 10 marks a game.

3. Nathan Van Berlo

Go from a good run with player, to a major ball mover and posession King!

4. Rory Sloan

Go from a good SANFL footballer to good AFL footballer, will compliment the Vince/Van Berlo/McKay partnership well.

5. Kurt Tippet

Will reinvent himself, Stage 3 of his 5 stage growth Process, he will move into the ruck and dominate games of football, Better than Mitch Clarke, As good a season as Dean Cox statistically, Leaving the door adjar for Young (was he the bloke playing reserves at Centrals last year?) or Davis to Partner Hentschell and Burton

 

[Weekend of Bernie]

5 biggest improvers 2009 - 2010

Top 5 in bold

Brad Moran – if injury free will continue to gain confidence and experience
Myke Cook – more confident, stronger, fitter, harder, kicking better
Taylor Walker – stronger, fitter, more determined, more knowledgeable
David Mackay – got better as last year went on, will keep improving
Brett Burton – injury free, full preseason, back to best
Rory Sloane – part of new group of inside mids
Pat Danger – fitter, stronger, more knowledge about AFC
Jarred Petrenko – much stronger, fitter, knowledgeable
Shaun McKernan – will get his chance and take it.
Trent Hentschel – confident now, full preseason base
Nathan Bock – no more “issues”, over injury, wants to lead
Ricky Henderson – stronger, more experienced, ready for SANFL
Chris Schmidt – fitter, knows the drills now, injury free

Could have added Tippett (last year was his first at FF, will be a whole lot better prepared this year); Davis for the experiences he is about to get.

Don't know about JJ but I'll have Faith in your knowledge base.

 

[WALL-e]

Thoughts? Terrible stuff in bold.

Can someone tell me what Jacky has done in 2 years to be rated so highly? He's done nothing at AFL level, virtually nothing at SANFL seniors and looked only passable at reserves level other than the odd standout game. Potential superstar of the game? Wow, aren't we handing down accolades easily now days!

Drummond. Good call son.

Seriously, the people on this board rate just about every guy on our list as a SUPERSTAR. Surely if we lose a single match in the next 5 years you would have to be disappointed and start sacking coaches, the board, players etc.

It is quite obvious that people don't actually watch our players play, they see them have a kick or handball in a ressies highlights video on afc.com and suddenly they think they will be "like G Ablett Jnr with a touch of Buddy Franklin".

I take it you two want some of my Douglas for Brownlow/Norm Smith combo?

 

[craig crowing]

Like Drummond I shake my head when I hear and read that Jacky is going to be a star for us . I cant see how going to get a game from his form etc in 2009 and was only making Eagles 2s due to his Crows connection.
Just had no heart or desire, but hierachy at Crows rate him enough to keep and they are much more qualified than we are .
But even they would not be expecting him to be a star this year.
Agree with fellow posters that Mackay going to have a bust out year and scribes will say " out of the clouds" where we have seen it coming.
McKernan and Sloane will become regulars adding a lot to our team.
Hope like hell that Hentschell probably in defence and Walker have stand out season
although Walker got to get up to pace of AFL and get picked as well to do so.
If Van Berlo did not have injury problems you could have seen him have a Vince 2009
influence in 2010.

 

[macca23]

Yes. His movement does alot.
I think that Petr has alot more aggression though and is a greater tackler.
I like him a lot, and is a player we lacked last year in our starting 22.
I want Jacky and Petrenko in our starting 22.

I'm struggling with so much love for these 2, especially Jacky.

You want them in the 22. Who are you going to drop for them?

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

3. Nathan Van Berlo

Go from a good run with player, to a major ball mover and posession King!

Agree. Fingers crossed he can regain full fitness. Alongside Thompson and Vince I reckon he can be part of our frontline midfield, as was Mark Bickley to our Ricciuto/Goodwin/McLeod.

I'll add Jason Porplyzia too. Some work on his tank + some confidence that his shoulder will withstand impact and tackling and I think he could do some significant damage in the middle. Is brilliant at the clearances, a skill we haven't been able to capitalise on as yet.

Third I'll throw in Brad Symes. 12 months a long time in footy. April 2009 he was sitting on his arse with both wrists in casts and fighting his way back through the SANFL. Now he's in our leadership group, stitched up a permanent 22 position by the end of 2009 and NC is in love with his hardness. Will never attract a tag in his lifetime so he could be the midfielder that gets under the guard this season and racks up some serious numbers. Top 5 B&F perhaps.

 

[Cap]

I think the most improved for 2010 will be Will Young

He will go from No gamer to fringe Crows player and I reckon fairly high in the SANFL best every week. Might even be seen kicking goals at some point (I have no basis for that statement other than an opinion that depending on Norwoods position they may end up grooming a more permanent KPB rather than reling on a Crows listed one)

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Danger, Smack and Tex are the big 3 shakers

followed by Cook and Sloane