Scape Goat Whipping Boy #2 Dale Thomas

[Jimmae]

The stats aren't great, but they're compared to the AFL average from a side that is generating limited opportinities for its outside players.

At least Thomas is making position and trying to apply pressure. Wright and Pickett are well below his current standard.

 

[GapInIkonPark]

unfortunately most of those disposals are behind the ball short kicks with little or no influence !!

The statistics are really damning. Below average or poor except for uncontested possessions.

 

[Iamcarlton]

The statistics are really damning. Below average or poor except for uncontested possessions.

To have a disposal efficiency that low whilst having uncontested that high in proportion to his total possessions is the biggest knock imo .

 

[Jimmae]

To have a disposal efficiency that low whilst having uncontested that high in proportion to his total possessions is the biggest knock imo .

It's important to not nail someone to the wall with one or two statistics, so while yes it doesn't look great, the other thing to consider is how efficiency is tallied (and I seem to explain this every 6 months).

An effective short kick has to result in possession to the intended target, while an effective handball has to hit the target directly *and* be to advantage. An effective long kick (40+ m), only has to hit a 50/50 contest to register. At least that was the definition when CD last made a major update.

So you can handball along the ground perfectly, and it's not an effective handball. Likewise you can kick a scrubber up the line to a team mate in space, and it's an effective long kick if it ticks over 40 metres.

The bar is thus inherently set much higher for short kicks, and for handballs around a stoppage. This is why Cripps' DE can regularly look awful, but it doesn't actually matter, and it's probably a massive shortcoming of how CD collect and categorise their data.

 

[thylacine60]

you said inherently

 

[Iamcarlton]

It's important to not nail someone to the wall with one or two statistics, so while yes it doesn't look great, the other thing to consider is how efficiency is tallied (and I seem to explain this every 6 months).

An effective short kick has to result in possession to the intended target, while an effective handball has to hit the target directly *and* be to advantage. An effective long kick (40+ m), only has to hit a 50/50 contest to register. At least that was the definition when CD last made a major update.

So you can handball along the ground perfectly, and it's not an effective handball. Likewise you can kick a scrubber up the line to a team mate in space, and it's an effective long kick if it ticks over 40 metres.

The bar is thus inherently set much higher for short kicks, and for handballs around a stoppage. This is why Cripps' DE can regularly look awful, but it doesn't actually matter, and it's probably a massive shortcoming of how CD collect and categorise their data.

Thanks for the clarification

 

[Jimmae]

I say a lot of things, don't pay attention to any of it

 

[ralphmalph]

Have a guess ...

I don't know - White? Levi? Gibbs?

I preferred our old whipping boys like Whitnall and Houlihan.

 

[thylacine60]

russell was numero uno - even the carlton shop had RUSSELL IS s**t Ts

 

[GapInIkonPark]

I don't know - White? Levi? Gibbs?

I preferred our old whipping boys like Whitnall and Houlihan.

Rowe.

 

[ralphmalph]

Rowe.

Really? Surely dale has him covered on the cash factor?

Anyway, don't mind me, carry on.

 

[mediumsizered]

russell was numero uno - even the carlton shop had RUSSELL IS s**t Ts

Are you still wearing yours?

 

[Jabba73]

Are you still wearing yours?

Still receiving royalty payments

 

[GapInIkonPark]

I can't believe he's whipping boy #2. Who is the number 1 whipping boy?

Have a guess ...

I don't know - White? Levi? Gibbs?

I preferred our old whipping boys like Whitnall and Houlihan.

(I posted: ) Rowe

Really? Surely dale has him covered on the cash factor?

Anyway, don't mind me, carry on.

Really enjoyed this exchange RM.

After Round 1, I think there was a lot of discussion about Thomas, White, Rowe, Armfield and Casboult.

Armfield was dropped since and was an emergency for the Port Adelaide game. He is not coming back into the Seniors anytime soon from what I saw of the Williamstown VFL game yesterday.

Thomas was too sore to play the Port Adelaide game and there was some media this weekend where Trigg is quoted supporting the value he brings to the team and that the trigg-er clause will not affect Thomas' selection in the Senior team. FWIW, I just don't agree with posters who say the 15 goal loss to Port Adelaide would be a 10 goal loss if Thomas, Kerridge and so on had played instead.

White had his best game in the Essendon match. His other 4 games were average but the last 2, like others, were after two 6-day breaks.

Rowe and Casboult have been good really, and certainly better after Round 1.

Gibbs I think he has been reasonably good this year, was in pain with the thumb against Port Adelaide.

And quite telling that Kerridge and Palmer played the 1 match against Essendon and were dropped back into the VFL afterwards.

Enjoyed the old whipping boys you mentioned ... been quite a while since Whitnall looked like he did in my avatar ... but how good were Houlihan and a Whitnall when they got going ?