Who do you classify as ELITE?

[shawthing09]

The way people look at elite is different and hence people have different ideas on who is and isn't elite.

I personally don't class Didak as an elite of the AFL just yet. I certainly think he has the ability to do so but he needs to find a balance between his 06 and 08 seasons. In 06 he was elite, damaging and creative with a low possie count and in 08 his possie count was inflated but they simply didn't carry the same hurt factor. IMO Didak's at his best when he is allowed to play more offensive and stay closer to the foward line simply because he makes goals happen from there.

I don't think we have a consistant "elite" player. We have a list of guys with that sort of potential. J-Mac, Pendles, Reid, Cloke, Harry, Shaw and Didak just too name a few. However none of the above have being able to consistantly IMPACT games, not just get decent stats but have a real impact.

My list of elites is probably shorter then most. I think a player needs to be able to really impact the shape of a game off their own boot and do it regularly to be elite.

I'd Have

Black,Judd,C Cornes,Goodes, Scarlett,Bartel, G Ablett,Hodge, Mitchell, Buddy, Glass,Cox,Judd,Kerr,Fev, Richo, J Brown, Pav, B Harvey as elites.

Swan is bees dicks away, then again that list of players is a lot longer and includes guys like Corey and Sewell

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

Incidentally, I think this is why we needed to take more of a risk with a Swift over a Sidebottom, because if we are to take a flag in the next few years, we are going to need at least 2 elite players and 2 more who could arguably be there. We won't win with solid players.

I think you are:

1) Really overrating how far ahead of the others Tom Swift could potentially be.

2) Really underrating Steele Sidebottom's star potential - He's got sublime skill and serious footy smarts.

3) Really underestimating the potential danger of Swift proving injury prone ala Beau Muston.

Swift was an unnecessary risk, particularly with a player the calibre of Sidebottom on the board - He tended to get more support as the "risky" pick for us when it was thought Sidebottom wouldn't still be available. Sidebottom HAS star potential, without the injury risk, and that's why he made much more sense for us to draft.

 

[bucksisbest]

Collingwood have no elite players. Buckley was the last and he was elite for close to ten years , which is ****ing rare.
Didak on song is one of the best half forward flankers in the league , maybe the best , but he is not a top 10 player in the league , and probably not top 20.
I do believe we have a stronger overall list than most teams , but the addition of a truly elite player, preferably a midfielder would put us to the next level , and have a flow on effect through the rest of the team.

 

[Dave The Man]

Maybe, but just at the moment Cloke isway better - a B&F and carried our forward line all year. If, God forbid, Cloke wanted to leave, there would be a frenzy among other clubs. Dawes would generate interest and almost certainly get picked up. However, he'd be viewed as a tall forward with potential and not in the same class as Cloke.

Don't get me wrong - I'm a big Dawes fan and he could be anything. Cloke, however, is well on the way to establishing himself as one of the 'elite' key forwards in the comp.

Agreed if you put Cloke on the Market every team accept for the Hawks would be all over him and teams would even trade the number 1 pick for Cloke.

While Dawes would get interest in teams like the Doggies but no one would be going nuts over him.

We don't really know how good Dawes will be yet

 

[CENTERMAN]

Heath Shaw has VANISHED from people's thoughts, judging from this thread.

I'd have him third behind Didak and Swan, but potentially with the most remaining potential for improvement of the three.

Couldn't agree more, infact when firing he is devistating. I have him on top.
1. Shaw (almost elte)
2. Dids & Cloke
3. Swan
gap

The rest

 

[shawthing09]

I'd say Swan is our closest to elite. Mainly due to the conisistancy he gives. His also a high impact player and probably the baromater of our midfield. Over the past two years I'd say he has been our most important player and when he plays poorly more often then not we do. His ability to give us drive and link options as well as give us first use of the ball is priceless. His also got pretty good match turning ability.

 

[Nebula1971]

Heath Shaw has VANISHED from people's thoughts, judging from this thread.

I'd have him third behind Didak and Swan, but potentially with the most remaining potential for improvement of the three.

I listed Shaw as definite potential and he was a toss up for the 5th spot. He was tagged out of games on several occasions this year where he had absolutely NO impact. I guess you could argue that in these cases he took the respective forward out of the game. Conversely Travis, despite being double teamed on many occasions, he was still capable of having some effect and consequently bought a lot of the small forwards into the game.

Looking it at it again, Shaw could be ahead of Pendles, but in my opinion Pendles handled the tag better. Placing Shaw into the midfield on a more consistent basis would allow us to better determine this.

 

[popathon]

I don't think we have any elite players but we do have players with elite skills. Pendles, Jack, Josh, Neon, Dids and even in my opinion Tarks all have elite skills. The only problem is that some of them seem to lack something to get them into that elite status.

 

[OniAu]

As many have said , bucks was our last elite player.

I think though that clement was elite during his prime, he was probably one of the best defenders going round and rarely beaten, you cant do much more than that as a backmen.

Dids as a forward flanker would be elite.

Swan pendles behind dids, swan and pendles still have a bit to work on though to go to the next step. Both can do it though if they work on their weaknesses.

 

[Magnus the Magpie]

I'd say Swan is our closest to elite. Mainly due to the conisistancy he gives. His also a high impact player and probably the baromater of our midfield. Over the past two years I'd say he has been our most important player and when he plays poorly more often then not we do. His ability to give us drive and link options as well as give us first use of the ball is priceless. His also got pretty good match turning ability.

You might be right. Malcom Blight seems to agree with you and, despite his (occasional) very-eccentric view of things, he's one commentator I really listen to - as distinct from most of the other so-called 'experts' we have to put up with.