Underdone and straight into finals

[Stig O'Hara]

Going back a few years, Hawthorn picked David O'Halloran for his first senior game in 12 months in the '85 Grand Final......only to cop a rampaging Paul Salmon, rest is history.

In '81, the Pies picked an obviously injured Peter Moore for the gf after sustaining a 3 week hamstring in the first semi.

So the legend goes, he couldn't bend to pick up the ball on the Thursday night training session beforehand.

 

[citizen-erased]

2001 GF
Hird and Mercuri on one leg between them
Cost us any shot.

 

[Tyler Hodges]

If there's no risk of re-injury, I would bring back Natanui to negate Ryder's tap work alone. Even if he just takes taps in the fwd half and sits in the goal square. Would make the final much more exciting.

 

[HolyRioli]

2008 - Chapman and Stokes I think it was were both underdone and had minimal impact on the result

 

[James Colorado]

Good pick, he played his best footy in finals. I can't remember fully, did he ever come back from injury straight into finals?

Clark Keating wasn't aware that a Home & Away season was even a thing.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Essendon had whittled a 39-point deficit back to 11 points when Reynolds collided with 12th-gamer McDonald (filling in for the suspended Coleman) after the latter seemed certain to mark and goal. McDonald only played one more game.

I love the adherence to OH&S that photo

 

[kickazz]

(2008 article)

In 2004, Michael Wilson battled through the pain and sleep deprivation associated with his two badly injured shoulders and despite being barely able to lift his arms above his head, mustered the strength to hold the premiership cup aloft after the Power's maiden flag.

Coach Mark Williams, who ranks Wilson alongside former star Gavin Wanganeen as the club's bravest player, was so inspired by the former vice-captain's effort, he awarded him a once off coach's award. "Only once in my 10 years of coaching (up to 2008) have I handed out a coach's award. I gave it to Michael at the end of the 2004 season," Williams said. "He played with shocking injuries that both needed surgery at the end of the season, after playing most of the season including the finals and grand final. To see the hurt and hardship he endured for the team was just remarkable."

Big footy needs more posts like this. Refreshing, I've learnt something.

 

[james Dean]

I can't believe eEagles fans think Naitanui is their best player

 

[Sydney Kicker]

Doubt it. Naitanui at 70% = Ryder 100%

So Ryder about to be named AA. Based on that ratio Naitanui must be on a par with Farmer, Cox and Stynes. Try again.

 

[StillAtLarge]

I can't believe Eagles fans think Naitanui is their best player

I doubt many would say he's the best but I'd wager the majority think he's the most important

 

[james Dean]

I doubt many would say he's the best but I'd wager the majority think he's the most important

Well they'd still be wrong

 

[telsor]

Ben Griffiths and Reece Conca being rushed back for the elimination final v NMFC a few years back had a lot of Richmond fans shaking their heads in disbelief... even before it ended terribly.

It did, but I didn't mind it actually.

Sure, it hurt our chances in the EF (maybe even lost it for us), but you don't play just to win EFs, and if we'd won, having then fit and able to play would have been a bonus in later finals.

Obviously winning earlier finals matters, but having an eye on what will give you the best chance in the GF should also be a genuine consideration.

 

[High Flyers]

Well they'd still be wrong

How so? Our midfield struggles to get a clearance, if you watched any of our games this year you'd agree. NN's tapwork allows our mids to get first use. Look at the efficiency once we enter our 50. Now imagine if we can increase that number by even 10-15 entries.

 

[dean33]

Hope we don't do it again...

No chance, only bloke who hasn't played all year that I'd give a half chance to play would be hampson if we felt we needed 2 rucks. He'd be a much better option than soldo however I still doubt he'd come in after no senior footy for 12 months.

 

[Damon_3388]

I can't believe eEagles fans think Naitanui is their best player

I can't believe there's people who think he isn't.

"Most valuable" or "most influential" is probably the more apt description, but if you can't recognise the immense difference Naitanui makes to the Eagles when he plays, you're blind and don't understand the role of a ruckman at all.

 

[james Dean]

I can't believe there's people who think he isn't.

"Most valuable" or "most influential" is probably the more apt description, but if you can't recognise the immense difference Naitanui makes to the Eagles when he plays, you're blind and don't understand the role of a ruckman at all.

West Coast are averaging 0.7 less clearances as compared to last year, hardly a damning stastic especially when you consider their former clearance king in Priddis has completely faded into obscurity.

On the other hand you have a guy who averages nearly 4 goals a game, which is clearly the highest amount in the league, and is still capable of kicking double figures of goals in a single game.

Kennedy is streets ahead of NN in talent and comfortably ahead in importance too.

 

[kranky al]

Well they'd still be wrong

A team with a bog ordinary midfield that loses every metric

Vs a team thats midfield breaks even with naitanui that also forces other teams to restructure for the fact that he will grab a ball out of the ruck and take a bounce and deliver i50 by himself.

That is the crux of it - with a shit ordinary midfield we can still make an opposition line up to contain us - not the other way around.

If you cant see the tactical advantage that embues then theres no explaining anything to you.

For further evidence look at the rapid dropoff of priddis from the moment we lost ruck dominance.

 

[james Dean]

Vs a team thats midfield breaks even with naitanui that also forces other teams to restructure for the fact that he will grab a ball out of the ruck and take a bounce and deliver i50 by himself..

Lol don't act like he does this at every centre bounce, he does it a few times a season.

Like I said earlier the Eagles are averaging less than one fewer clearance compared to last year and less than 3 fewer inside 50s.

Your 'shit' midfield have beaten Adelaide, Port (away), Geelong and Sydney this year.

 

[ThePhantom777]

Collingwood took an injured Ben Reid into the 2011 Grand Final... Tom Hawkins tore him a new one. Game over.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

West Coast are averaging 0.7 less clearances as compared to last year, hardly a damning stastic especially when you consider their former clearance king in Priddis has completely faded into obscurity.

On the other hand you have a guy who averages nearly 4 goals a game, which is clearly the highest amount in the league, and is still capable of kicking double figures of goals in a single game.

Kennedy is streets ahead of NN in talent and comfortably ahead in importance too.

Always fun when opposition supporters tell a teams fans who their most influential/important player is.

Guess all their hours watching every game and following them religiously don't count as much as the opinion of a blow in from Carlton

 

[Happy Mastenator]

Ryder will absolutely murder him.

Ryder will beat an underdone Nic Nat.

Having said that Nic Nat 50% > vardy/Petrie combo at 100%.

Ryder was basically channeling cox/Farmer/Madden earlier in the year when we played them.

 

[Ron The Bear]

Ben Griffiths and Reece Conca being rushed back for the elimination final v NMFC a few years back had a lot of Richmond fans shaking their heads in disbelief... even before it ended terribly.

Circumstances conspired against us, North got to rest half their side and have a good look at us in R23. Had to put the foot down after half time to shake them off. Reckon Hardwick got spooked and felt he needed to change things up for the final, especially with Griffiths.

No such hassles this year. The planets are aligning.

 

[Sttew]

Cockatoo is not Joel Selwood he better be ready if cats put him back. Selwood will play straight out of crutches, we need him.

He'd play with crutches too!

 

[james Dean]

Always fun when opposition supporters tell a teams fans who their most influential/important player is.

Guess all their hours watching every game and following them religiously don't count as much as the opinion of a blow in from Carlton

I live in Perth, I watch the Eagles games most weeks so don't act like because I don't support them I can't have an opinion.

So since 2014 Josh Kennedy has had 5 or more scoring shots 54 times, and the Eagles have won 49 of those games.

Provide a more damming stat to me that proves Naitanui is a more important player than Kennedy.

 

[Happy Mastenator]

I live in Perth, I watch the Eagles games most weeks so don't act like because I don't support them I can't have an opinion.

So since 2014 Josh Kennedy has had 5 or more scoring shots 54 times, and the Eagles have won 49 of those games.

Provide a more damming stat to me that proves Naitanui is a more important player than Kennedy.

Winning % as eagles. 57% Nic Nat. 53% JK.