All Australian U23

[valkorum]

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2013-08-14/allaustralian-under-23-team

I wonder who WC fans are feeling after their AA Ruckman isnt in the side and Zac Clarke has taken his place.  I feel great about it.

[Ricochet]

I feel pretty good about it too  :)
Although NicNat has had an interrupted season

[valkorum]

I feel pretty good about it too  :)
Although NicNat has had an interrupted season

Pfft

[Toga]

Cotchy (C)!

How do you like that one tbag?? :P

[Holz]

Im a big Clarke fan, but NN uninjured is on another level to clarke (for now ;) )

[valkorum]

I have to disagree with this ---- IN A BIG WAY

Stats per game (career)

NicNat
Games - 88
Kicks - 4.6
Handballs - 7.6
Disposals - 12.1
Marks - 2.1
Goals - 0.7
Tackles - 3.6
Hitouts - 20.4
Frees For - 1.4
Frees Against - 1.2


Zac Clarke
Games - 48
Kicks - 5.0
Handballs - 7.1
Disposals - 12.1
Marks - 3.5
Goals - 0.5
Tackles - 3.7
Hitouts - 12.8
Frees For - 1.2
Frees Against - 0.9

All the stats are very even except for hitouts but that is because Zac has been played mostly as a forward until this season. This season he is averaging 21.6 hitouts per game

[Holz]

they do look pretty close there, its hard to explain with stats and I dont like to use this term but NN has the X factor that Clarke is missing. NN shows instances of brillance and game changing plays, something that Clarke just doesnt have.

[valkorum]

I might be able to give you the x-factor but I believe that's because NN is inconsistent.  Zac is consistent across all 4 quarters.

[Ziplock]

let's be fair, clarke was given way more time to develop at WAFL level than nicnat who pretty much went straight into afl level. When they were drated for 09, clarke only played  8 games over 2 years when they were 19/20, unlike nic nat who played 32, naitanui playing when they were younger/ less developed will warp the results- look at clarkes stats for his first 2 years compared to nic nats.

this year, I dunno, clarke may pip nic nat. That being said, for large chunks of this year clarke was the number 1 ruck with sandi/ griff out, while nic nat had a pre season injury and has been rotating with cox. What each player actually does with the ball and how/ when they contribute is a big factor- the xfactor doesn't necessarily mean nic nat is inconsistent, it just means that when there's an opportunity he can do things that almost any other player couldn't. Their supercoach averages over the last  couple of years reflect this.

[valkorum]

the xfactor doesn't necessarily mean nic nat is inconsistent

I agree with this statement - look at Stevie J.  Has massive x-factor but is very consistent.  I am saying that Nic Not A Cluey does have x-factor but he is also very inconsistent and goes missing for large portions of every game.

[Rusty00]

As I was watching I thought they were going to leave out Chad Wingard  :o but they saved him for last   8)

[Mailman the 2nd]

the xfactor doesn't necessarily mean nic nat is inconsistent

I agree with this statement - look at Stevie J.  Has massive x-factor but is very consistent.  I am saying that Nic Not A Cluey does have x-factor but he is also very inconsistent and goes missing for large portions of every game.

I'm confused over how you think you can convince others that Clarke is better when you obviously have a huge biased vendetta against Natinui.

That's like tbag levels of bad

[valkorum]

If you actually read what I wrote I never said Clarke was better than NicNat.  I said that they were on par.  I also said that NicNat has more x-factor than Zac but Zac is more consistent than NicNat.

Either way, I am glad we have Afro Man and not the palm tree playing for Freo.

[ossie85]

Sidebottom is continually underrated because he is the #5 midfielder at Collingwood (Swan, Pendles, Ball, Beams). He'd be #1 in some teams, and is crazy unlucky to miss this team (of course he also avoids the tag mostly, but still).

[Vinny]

Sidebottom is continually underrated because he is the #5 midfielder at Collingwood (Swan, Pendles, Ball, Beams). He'd be #1 in some teams, and is crazy unlucky to miss this team (of course he also avoids the tag mostly, but still).

Yes exactly Oss. I say this so much, Sidey is a gun but yeah he goes under the radar due to the Pies crazy midfield.