First we took Gumbleton instead of Selwood - ooops
Now to make matters worse, we had a chance to take a young Rioli, a kid who idolised Essendon. Instead we took Myers!!
Now it looks like Rioli is a likely Rising Star and All Australian. Meanwhile our guys are holed up in a medical award somewhere having contributed almost nothing to the Bomber cause
Rising star Rioli is good enough to earn All-Australian nod
Michael Voss | August 29, 2008
CYRIL Rioli is set to become the first player since the Adelaide trio of Nigel Smart, Ben Hart and Andrew McKay in 1991-92-93 to win All-Australian selection in his first year in the AFL.
If the All-Australian selectors pick a specialist small forward, rather than filling up on midfielders, Rioli is a must after a sensational introduction to League footy.
The 19-year-old Territorian has been a genuine impact player in the No.2 team in the competition.
That's no easy task and is why Rioli is my pick to win the NAB AFL Rising Star Award.
In a hot field for an award to be decided next week on the 5-4-3-2-1 votes of the All-Australian selectors, he gets my vote over Fremantle Rhys Palmer.
I'd go Rioli (5), Palmer (4), Matthew Kreuzer (3), Trent Cotchin (2) and Garrick Ibbotson (1).
Rioli, 19 last month, has not only played every game in his rookie season, he's been a star.
He's proven he can catch it overhead, find it on the ground, hunt up his opposition and kick goals.
He's a contender for mark of the year and goal of the year, and if there was an award for tackle of the year he'd be in that, too.
He's been the No.1 small forward in the AFL to vindicate the Hawks' decision to take him at No.12 in last year's national draft.
Significantly, at 177cm and 78kg, he leads the tackle count and ranks fifth in contested possessions in a side bound for a grand final. Incredible.
