Who's the man?

[shawthing09]

We all know finals football is a slightly different ball game. The knowledge that for the loser it's all over means the contets are harder, the stakes are higher and for some the pressure is crippling. For some finals brings out the best and others really struggle.

In such an even finals series all teams are going to be tested and are going to need guys to step up in the big moments. Who are our Stewie Dews and Leo Barry's. Who are the guys you expect to rise to the occasion and get the job done at a big moment. My top 3 would be

Nick Maxwell - It's obvious and he is first for good reason. Like SSB before him he seems to just know how to get the job done in the big moments. His commitment, dedication and his ability to just will himself to do what needs to be done is second to none.

Luke Ball - The physicality in his play is amazing and given he starts in the center square and the way he plays odds are that if we are in dire need of a clearance Luke will be risking life and limb in an effort to get the ball going our way. It is big improvement from the 09 side to the current one.

Dale Thomas - Has been touted as a big game player since drafted and has a knack to rise to the big occasion. In a short career that has seen him labelled inconsistant by most he has managed to step up in the big moments more then many. The mark in the goal square against Adeliade a week ago is another example of that (albeit he didn't finish it off) Has the skills to change a match in quick time and is another like Maxwell who seems to find something extra when the game is on the line. His ability to step up in the pressure situations are really under rated.

 

[Optimax]

Dale Thomas
Dane Swan
Travis Cloke

3 finals each one will light up one each, i have no doubt about it.

 

[HFF]

The big one for me is Cloke.

There would be nothing better than seeing this monster dominate the big stage and drill big goals.

Didak and Davis lighting it up would be nice too.

 

[Coin_Toss]

Darren Jolly/Leigh Brown. Their battles with Hudson/Ottens/Gardiner will go a long way to deciding our destiny.

Travis Cloke. I suspect he will have a big finals series, we need him to.

Scott Pendlebury. Arguably our best distributor when he's got the ball.

 

[Swanny36]

Dane Swan is going to be effing HUGE this September, if he is in form and firing on all cylinders we will win the flag, I have no doubt about it.

But if he doesn't stand up ('sif) it has got to be one of:
Dale Thomas
Alan Didak
Leon Davis
Scott Pendlebury
Darren Jolly

Of course all of them firing would be handy to.

 

[iGNITER]

Im looking forward to Cloke playing against the Doggies this week.

 

[Thommo 42]

Jaryd Blair and Leon Davis.

I don't think these guys are going to dominate, but I fell like they will be involved in absolutely pivotal moments.

Blair just seems completely unfazed by everything and will probably win a crucial contest against a highly credential opponent through sheer will and courage.

Davis will light up a game for a 10 minute period and shut every ******** in the media up for good, hopefully he does it on the big day.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

two options:

Who I WANT it to be:

- Travis Cloke. Let's be honest, this is a no brainer. If Cloke plays well AND kicks straight, we hold the cup aloft on September 25. I doubt anyone could come up with a genuine non-biased argument to counter that.

Who I THINK it might be:

- Steele Sidebottom. Don't ask me why. I believe he hasn't even done enough to hold his spot in the side in the last 2 months, and yet he has. He's a finals player as he showed against both St.Kilda and Adelaide last year, and maybe they've been keeping his role simple, and easing the load in preparation for him to just go BANG and take the finals apart. We all saw what he did against North, and imagine him winning a Norm Smith doing something similar.

 

[Primetime Pricey]

Cloke and Davis are the keys. If both of them perform then we will be hard to beat.

 

[shawthing09]

Blair is a really good one, may not have a huge finals series but is deffinately the sort of guy you can see winning a pivotal contest and being the guy who gets the job done in a really important moment.

I'd like to say Davis but history makes it hard for me to say that with any confidence.

As good as Swan's year has been I think the two most important players overall to our finals campaign are Pendles and Trav.

 

[Forgotten Legend]

You have to choose Luke Ball and Darren Jolly as they are Premiership veterans who know the finals well and will stand up when the times are tough, as they have shown over their careers. Brownlow Swan will also be 'the man' who stands up and in September and will inspire the rest of the team with what he does on the field. Nick Maxwell with his leadership skills, Scott Pendlebury and Alan Didak with their poise and professionalism in the midfield and Cloke in our forward line are the others to watch. And if we have a firing Neon Leon....

I hope every single player becomes 'the man' who stands up in September.

 

[The Dawes]

Cloke, Jolly and Pendlebury are all vital for us.

Cloke can win us the flag if he can take contested marks & kick straight.

Jolly must use his ruck strength and his ability to go forward and score.

Pendles' class & poise in close.

Pendles missed the finals in '09 and will be keen to mark his mark - he's my pick.

 

[Snag Breac]

Our great strength is, that almost anyone in the team could stand up, and most have at some stage or other this year.

How many times have you wanted to kiss the feet of a player who stood up when we needed a break - Didak, Jolly, Leroy, Reid, Thomas, Ball, Sidebottom, McCaffer, Tooves, Maxwell, Wellingham, Pendles, Tarks, Swan, Presti..................everyone has contributed mightily.

We will revisit this thread when the ultimate glory is ours.

 

[gifted1]

it's definitely wellingham in my opinion.
Wins the ball that matters.

 

[Dogs_Playing_Poker]

The D's - Dawes, Didak and Davis!

Think Dawes is going to step up in a big way! Didak and Davis to provide the spark and ignite the team! Lets Hope Anyway!

 

[Pies_10]

Didak, class great kick and can win a game from his own boot.
Swan, just gets it thats it he will get the ball rolling in our favour.
Pendlebury, same as Didak really except Dids kicks goals, pendles set up Cloke, Dawes etc.

 

[Nardz]

- Steele Sidebottom. Don't ask me why. I believe he hasn't even done enough to hold his spot in the side in the last 2 months, and yet he has. He's a finals player as he showed against both St.Kilda and Adelaide last year, and maybe they've been keeping his role simple, and easing the load in preparation for him to just go BANG and take the finals apart. We all saw what he did against North, and imagine him winning a Norm Smith doing something similar.

i was pretty much gonna post the same thing.

i reckon that kid oozes talent, and september might just be the stage for him to explode onto the scene.

 

[Thommo 42]

If Sidebottom can produce the same form he produced in his last Grand Final, look out!

 

[the mighty T]

Travis Cloke - If this man is best on ground, in any game that we play, then we will win. He is the cornerstone to our success this september because if he fires then we wont lose, its as simple as that. He'll have a hard time of it against some of the good CHB's but if he can get on top of his game its premiership time

Leon Davis - Needs a big finals campaign and for too long players have gone missing for us in key finals and a few times its been neon leon. If he turns up with everything switched on he'll terrorize opposition backlines. He has the ability, time to step up to the plate leon

Heath Shaw - Getting shut down by negating forwards is going to have to be overcome because the run off the half backline can win us, and most teams a lot of games. I really liked his game against the Hawks, very offensive and very dangerous to the opposition. If he can generate the run for us then we'll be in a great position

 

[Medders_7]

I would love to see Neon Leon light up the finals stage and take us all the way to the premiership (and to a Norm Smith for him to stick it up the haters)

 

[Nardz]

I would love to see Neon Leon light up the finals stage and take us all the way to the premiership (and to a Norm Smith for him to stick it up the haters)

i think we'd all love that

would have to be some improvement on his H&A form though...

 

[Thommo 42]

He's doing a 2009 reversal. Lighting up the finals and struggling in the H&A.

 

[Zahki]

I'll agree with the guys saying Sidebottom. He's due for another big game.

 

[lozza63]

Everyone here who knows who my nom is as the MAN.

Travis Cloke - this guy is our colossus, watching him in the second quarter - showing some hapless Hawk no quarter - I mean he pounded some guy with real intent (someone forgot to tell him that it was a nothing game).
The way he nailed Young with a lunging tackle - OH YEAH BALLLLLLLL!!!!

Crash, Bash and Smash 'em all Trav!

When he was finally isolated one out with Gibson, brushing him aside like a rag doll, subsequently dobbing the goal - loved it! For some totally mystifying reason - that play was put back in the rack?!

Robertg22 and Thommo know I made a right git of myself nominating him as an AA, well my come back was "clangerish" - but hell should the Ultimate Prize come our way - Trav is bound to be finals MVP.

Oh and Jolly will be a close 2nd and Presti (the guy no one knows) 3rd.

And should this not come to pass......Nah it'll be OK! (Notice new found confidence fellow Pies fans) - A total Pies flog in fact

 

[Lockyer24]

Steele Septemberbottom

Showed signs last week he is ready to fire