Home and Away club by club review

[Wild Thing]

Here is my take on the heroes and villains for each club for the H&A portion of SC for 2011.

Adelaide

Gun
Scott Thompson â€" A great year for the clearance king at the Crows.  Has been ultra consistent in an ordinary side and should be strongly looked at as a premium for 2012.

Most Improved
Sam Jacobs â€" Stole the #1 Ruck spot from Maric early in the year and hasn’t looked back.  The only problem is, this year has seen the emergence of two other ruckmen who have outshone him, namely McEvoy and Goldstein.  Still a massive output improvement though.

Biggest disappointment
Patrick Dangerfield â€" How long can potential be spoken about before you have to show something?  Again one of the most picked mid pricers at the start of the year, and has been scoring below par pretty much all year.

Spud
Taylor Walker â€" Gets dropped and hits the p1ss with his mates.  Smart lad.  He’s off to GWS, so the Crows won’t have to put up with this oxygen thief much longer.

Brisbane

Gun
Tom Rockliff â€" This kid is a jet and has averaged 109 this year.  He’ll be pricy next year, but if he doesn’t get injured pre season, he should be seriously considered in all SC team next year.

Most Improved
Jack Redden â€" Honorable mention to Matt Leuenberger but Redden’s performances in the midfield this year have been wonderful.  Pity he’s going to be at that awkard $400-450k mark at the start of next year.

Biggest disappointment
Jared Polec â€" Very tough on a first year player, but solely based on injury.  It will be interesting to see how he is used next year in what you would think will be Black and Power’s last year.  Let’s just hoper Voss puts him in the middle and leaves him there.  Fair bit of upside with a midfield of Rich, Rockliff, Redden and him.

Carlton

Gun
Chris Judd â€" Brownlow #3 on the way for this superstar of our game.  Nothing more to say than that really.  Honourable mention to Marc Murphy, who’s had a career best season himself.
Most improved
Mitch Robinson â€" Tassie young gun who has stepped into the Blues midfield this year and blossomed.  Hard as nails and a real pain in the a** for opposition teams, he’s been a real find this year.

Biggest disappointment
Jordan Russell â€" Tough call in a team that has had a very good year, but his output has dropped from his breakout year last year.  Emergence of Yarran off half back has hurt his output.

Spud
Brock McLean â€" The Blues burnt pick 11 in the last uncompromised draft on this clown, and it’s come back to bite them.  Injury prone and slower than a morning class at Yooralla means he’s been nothing but a failure.

Collingwood

Gun
Scott Pendlebury â€" A scoring machine, and rightly second favourite for the Brownlow at the moment.  Great player in a great team.  Norm Smith and Anzac Medallist says he doesn’t mind the big stage either!

Most improved
Leon Davis â€" After a disgusting SC year in 2010, the switch to a running half back has been nothing short of amazing.  He’s a lock for All Australian this year and his ball handling in the back half is great to watch.

Biggest disappointment
Alan Didak â€" Could be the biggest disappointment in the league this year.  Had off season shoulder surgery and never got going.  A lot of people made the mistake of trading him in when he got “too cheap to pass up”, but you only want players who are going to score points, and he hasn’t done that all year!

Spud
Heath Shaw â€" Kenny Rogers would be proud, but Eddie and Mick wouldn’t be so happy with him.  Nothing short of a dead set f***wit for what he did, especially when he was playing very well up to that point.

Essendon

Gun
Jobe Watson â€" Possession and clearance machine, the Bombers skipper has had another stellar year.  If he hadn’t have gotten injured three times, he’d be in the Pendlebury and Judd class this year and a real chance at the Brownlow.

Most improved
Dyson Heppell â€" nothing short of a sensational year for a first year player.  He’s going to go very close to winning the bombers B&F in his first year on the list, which tells you he’s a star in the making.

Biggest disappointment
Brent Prismall â€" Since coming from Geelong, he’s been nothing short of disappointing.  He’s struggled to hold his midfield spot in an improved yet still mediocre side this year, which tells you where he’s at.

Spud
Kyle Reimers â€" Kicked 8 against an under-18 Gold Coast team early in the year and got dropped two weeks later.  Ultimate downhill skier and can’t sement a spot in a team with no recognised forwards.

Fremantle

Gun
Nat Fyfe â€" His impact for a second year player has been phenomenal.  Forget Dustin Martin, this kid is the best second year player going around by a street.  He will probably win the Dockers B&F. 

Most improved
Nick Lower â€" Has been great as D7/8 this year.  Pickep up from Port and not many thought he’d ba able to have the impact he’s had this year.  Freo’s injuries have helped him cement a spot, but he’s well and truly entrenched in that side now.

Biggest disappointment
Aaron Sandilands â€" Again, based solely on injury rather than form.  Picked up a turf toe injury when Daniel Motlop stood on his foot and has never been the same since.  Was on track to score a ton in every game he played until he came back and had a recurrence 4 weeks later.  Has been a real dilemma to keep or trade.

Spud
John Anthony â€" Considering Freo don’t have a true key forward and how many injuries they’ve had this year, it shows you how ordinary this guy has been.  He’s as useful as a bottle of anti freeze in a sauna repair man’s toolbox.

Geelong

Gun
Joel Selwood â€" Has missed five games (one through injury and four through suspension) but his first half of the year was nothing short of sensational.  He could easily be leading the Brownlow at the halfway mark, and he hasn’t dropped off since he’s returned either.

Most improved
Allen Christensen â€" This kid can seriously play.  Took a while and was used as the sub in his first few outings, but he’s got some serious tricks.

Biggest disappointment
Travis Varcoe â€" After an improved year last year, he’s one of the very few at the Cats to have stagnated or even gone backwards a little.  Drifts in and out of games far too much, but a move to the half back line in the Yarran and Davis fashion might re-ignite his form.

Spud
Cant really put anyone in this category for the Cats this year.

Gold Coast

Gun
Gary Ablett â€" For those who thought he’d struggle without the likes of Bartel, Chapman, Ling, Corey, Selwood etc…you owe him an engraved apology.  We are now seeing that he wasn’t just a great player in a great team, he’s just a great player!!

Most improved
Zac Smith â€" He’s come in and shouldered the ruck basically on his own all year and has been wonderful.  He’s running out of steam towards the end of the season, but that was to be expected.  Honourable mention to David Swallow, but we all knew he could play.

Biggest disappointment
Nathan Krakouer â€" I still can’t fathom how Scott Clayton, the best Recruiting Manager in the land, managed to stuff this one up.  No consistency and looks about as interested  in football as a goldfish in a bowl.

Spud
Karmichael Hunt â€" PR exercise at best.  He’s not a footballer and he’ll need to improve drastically over the pre season to show he’s worth anything more than being a marketing tool for the duration of his contract.

Hawthorn

Gun
Sam Mitchell â€" Possession machine in the guts for the Hawks.  Has been brilliant this year but the only slight on him can be his disposal, but it’s a tough taskmaster to mark him down on that.  Honourable mention to Alistair Clarkson, he’s clearly the coach of the year to get the Hawks to where they are with the injuries and suspensions they’ve had this year.

Most improved
Liam Shiels/Matt Suckling â€" Can’t split these two.  Just sensational from two young guys to have the output they’ve had this year.

Biggest disappointment
Cameron Bruce â€" High priced recruit who bailed on Melbourne because they wouldn’t give him more than a one year deal.  The Dees have stuffed some things up this year, but not this decision.

Spud
Rick Ladson â€" From a premiership player to a potato farmer. He’s been disgusting.  Would struggle to get a game at a D3 ammos reserves team at the moment.

Melbourne

Gun
Nobody really, the only one you could even think about might be Brent Moloney, but he’s tailed off far too much in the second half of the year.

Most improved
Stefan Martin â€" His spot on the list was very precarious at the start of the year, but the sub rule has meant he blossomed into a very good second ruckman.  If you got him at the start of the year or before he went up in price, well played.

Biggest disappointment
Brad Green â€" After a much improved season last year, he’s been terrible this year.  If he wasn’t Captain, surely he’d have spent time in the VFL on form.

North Melbourne

Gun/Most improved
Todd Goldstein â€" I did say last year that he was one to watch this year, and he hasn’t let me down.  Leading the league for hitouts and averaging 144ppg, sensational year!

Biggest disappointment
Cameron Richardson â€" Tough on a first year player, but he was touted in the pre season as a must have, but he’s been very ordinary when he’s had his opportunities this year.

Spud
Lindsay Thomas â€" Seriously couldn’t hit a barn door from point blank range.  Has loads of ability but this year has had the influence of a hibernating bear on games!

Port Adelaide

Gun
Don’t even bother.

Most improved
Hamish Hartlett â€" Top 10 draft pick from a couple of years ago but has had injury problems throughout.  Still playing now even though he needs shoulder surgery.  Has had a very good year this year in a s***house side.

Biggest disappointment 
Everyone but Hartlett, Chaplin and Boak!

Spud
See above.

Richmond

Gun
Brett Deledio â€" Has continued his re-invention this year as a running half back, and has become one of the most prolific in the competition.  A release from the constant tags he was getting in the midfield.  Only blight on him is he has little influence on games, but from an SC perspective, I couldn’t give a rat’s!

Most improved
Tyrone Vickery â€" Has made himself a niche as a forward who pinch hits in the ruck.  Scoring output is never going to be great, but he has improved a hell of a lot.

Biggest disappointment
Dustin Martin â€" Most will disagree with me here, but his consistency is a major concern for me.  I know he’s only a second year player, but when you look at what Fyfe has done at Freo, this guy should be able to match or better that.  Has had a couple of blinders, but ehy’re few and far between.

Spud
Angus Graham â€" They’ve had some ruck issues for a long time at Tigerland, but this guy is not the answer.  They just need to play Vickery there permanently then we don’t have to watch this waste of space play AFL football.

St Kilda

Gun
Nick Dal Santo â€" His first half of the year, like his team, was relatively inconsistent, but his second half of the year has been in the top 5 in the league.  Silky user of the ball and is laying more tackles than ever before.

Most improved
Ben McEvoy â€" With Gardiner injured all year and King retired, the void was there to be filled, and Big Ben has done it wonderfully.  Averaging 106ppg this year, which is a great return.

Biggest disappointment
Nick Riewoldt â€" The compression of the game this year has really hurt his output.  There isn’t the same amount of space for him to run his into as there has been in the past, and his numbers have suffered accordingly.

Spud
Stephen Milne -  He’s only here because I just can’t stand him.  Commands about as much respect from opposition clubs and fans as your neighbourhood kiddy porn collector.

Sydney

Gun
Adam Goodes â€" Has had another stellar year.  We all forget he started AFL life as a ruckman and now is one of the premier midfielders in the comp.  Still has his great burst of speed and takes marks and kicks goals, although not as many as he should.

Most improved
Ryan O’Keefe â€" Probably not the category for him, but I’ve put him in based on his improvement from last year to this year.  He was ravaged by injury last year and his output was way down, but he’s come back with a vengeance this year.

Biggest disappointment
Andrejs Everitt â€" Traded in from the Dogs last year and was expected to play more and more consistently than he has.  The issue at the Swans is ths number of similar types of players to him on their list (Shaw, Mattner, Kenelly, Malceski, Smith etc)

Spud
Jesse White â€" So big, so strong, so spuddy!!  Has potential, but so does Communism, and looked where that ended up?!

West Coast

Gun
Dean Cox â€" Isn’t it amazing what a full pre season can do for a player?  He hasn’t had one in the last 3 years but he got one this year and he’s been flying all year.  Clearly the dominant ruckman in the league this year and a lock for All Australian.

Most improved
Throw a blanket over Shuey, Rosa, Nicoski, Darling, Gaff and the team as a whole.  Massive improvement from Wooden Spoon to possibly top four!

Biggest disappointment
Chris Masten â€" Has been spruiked about since he was drafted, but there are plenty of younger and older guys who have rocketed past him this year.  He needs a good pre season and a good year next year or he could find himself on the trade table.

Spud
Can’t justify putting anyone in here with their improvement this year.

Western Bulldogs

Gun
Matthew Boyd â€" Clearance king and runs half a marathon every time he goes out there.  Ultra consistent but his efficiency can hurt.  Very similar season to Sam Mitchell.

Most improved
Ryan Griffen â€" Finally the year the Dog’s supporters have been waiting for.  Has tailed off in the last fortnight, but prior to that, was fantastic.

Biggest disappointment
Shaun Higgins â€" Was serviceable early in the year, but a couple of injuries have curtailed his year.  He has the ability to step up to the Chapman and Didak level, but it remains to be seen whether he can.

Spud
Justin Sherman â€" Anyone who thinks it’s OK to racially abuse anyone in this day and age needs to have their head read.  A dead set potato farmer!!

[charliesheen]

Not bad list! 

You missed Scotland!

Some move villains, Grimes, Bartel, Montagna

[CrowsFan]

Don't really think you can label first year players as most improved cos you don't know how good they were before they came in to the comp.
Also for Freo I would say Pav gun and Fyfe as most improved, but that is just my opinion ;)

[ossie85]

Wild Thing! Have missed your great reads :)

[Ringo]

You have missed a spud for Brisbane - Suggest Amon Buchannan Premiership player not showing any form since moving to Brisbane.

[meow meow]

Pretty sure that Brian Lake has been the most disappointing player in the entire league this year. Higgo did exactly what he was meant to do. Play well, score well, rise in price, get injured. Not disappointing at all. Went to script perfectly.

[ossie85]

Dids might rival Lake....

[Cruiseon]

"He’s as useful as a bottle of anti freeze in a sauna repair man’s toolbo"

A beautiful line to go with a great report, top work.

Just to add:

• Hawkins still holding down the Spud position at Geelong - he has made it his own
• Lake definitely the biggest loser of the year - I really hope he gets it together coz he is great to watch

[coolfugitiv0]

I wish he was averaging 144, but Toddy is only averaging 114 :P
Honourable mention to Cassisi from Port.
I think he's been alright in the latter half of the year when he got back from that knee injury.

[Cookie Monster]

Prismall was playing well this year, Reimers has kicked 9-10 in the last 3 weeks, he is consistant.


but a great write up though.