A New Look at our Most Important and Best Players
Posted: Fri Apr 27, 2012 8:02 pm
With the Dons on a well earned rest this weekend, I am thinking about how several players have really emerged over the last year, Given this, I am going to look at our new Top 10 players in terms of their value to the team. Not just best, but also most important.
This is ranked in order from 1-10
1) Jobe Watson - i would be incredibly surprised if Jobe was not a universal choice for our most important player. In terms of sheer talent, there may be better footballers in the squad but I doubt any are as valuable to the team. If he can complete the season uninjured, I am confident he will be rated in the Top 10 players in the league. If clearances & contested possessions at stoppages are amongst the KPI's for premiership success then Watson would be a first pick at most clubs. In these categories he is ranked 9th and 4th in the league - above him in contested possessions are noted warriors G Ablett and M Priddis. He also averages just under 27 disposals per game at a reasonable efficiency of 61% (consider that most of his disposals are under pressure, then this is not too bad). He is now in his prime as a player and provides great leadership around the ground.
2) Brent Stanton - who would have thought 12 months ago that Brent Stanton could be occupying number 2 on anyone's list of the most important players in our squad. Well after a fantastic second half of 2011 and coming second in the Club B&F, Stanton has gone to an entirely new level with his football this year. His well renowned running game has now been coupled with a new found efficiency in disposal. In 2012 he is averaging 26 disposals per game at an efficiency of 71% - that means he is moving the ball to the team's advantage about 19 times a game or nearly 4 times per quarter. And if you think its all outside stuff, only noted inside players Watson, Howlett and Lonergan average more tackles per game. Stanton is also chiming in with more than a goal a game so he is hurting the opposition on the scoreboard as well.
3) Ben Howlett - another player to have emerged. He is providing really serious support to Hocking and Watson in the clinches and so far this season has been magnificent. Howlett is ranked in the Club's Top 5 in Handballs, Tackles, Goal Assists, Clearances, Contested Possesions. Goes about his job every week with the minimum of fuss and injury free.
4) Stuart Crameri - just about the best non-tall Key Forward in the league at the moment and 3 years ago he was an unknown at Bendigo. Almost impossible for opposition coaches to find the best match up. He has the marking power of a 195cm power forward with the below the knee skills of the very best small goal sneaks. Kicking needs to be improved but he provides the ideal foil for the magnificent presence of Hurley and the wily pace of Jetta, Davey and Dell'Olio.
5) Tom Bellchambers - When it was thought that Ruckmen were a dying breed it now appears that they are more important than ever. In Tom Bellchambers we have a beauty. So young to be as good as he is in a position that normally tales 10 years to master. He is starting to really impose himself on the game and is giving our mids first use of the ball more often than not. He currently ranks 4th in the League for HO's. Probably needs to provide a bit more presence around the ground but looks like he could be come one of the very best rucks in the league before too long
6) Dyson Heppell - still a baby really and is already being targeted by opposition coaches as the player to shut down. He plays a sweeper type role with such composure for a player with just over a season under his belt. He is currently ranked third for total dispoals at Essendon with an efficiency of 75%. He also averages the second highest number of marks per game which indicates his ability to read the play so well and get into position to intercept opposition forward thrusts. Could be a real champion of the game and is already one of our best and most important players
7) Courtney Dempsey - fast, graceful and effective. If only we could keep this guy on the field consistently - he would no doubt blossom into one of the best running defenders in the game. Has improved his defensive skills considerably over the last few years and seems to have recovered very well from his ACL reco. Provides so much rebound and is a true 80M player in the sense that he can run 30 and kick 50.
8 ) Michael Hurley - Hasn't had the best start to 2012 but provides so much presence in the forward 50 that despite being off form, is still a vital player. He competes so hard that it draws defenders away from other players. He is destined to become a great footballer and has so much X Factor. Tall marking forwards are worth their weight in Gold in today's game - Franklin, Cloke, Reiwoldt, Brown, Kennedy. Hurley is not quite in this league of players yet but I would imagine before the end of 2012, he will be one of the game's elite players.
9) Patrick Ryder - has become the best utility ruckmen in the league and has already shown how good he can be when the pressure is on. Probably the best kick at goal in the team and therefore provides equal value as a key forward as he does as a sublime tap ruckmen. He is currently ranked 11th in the league in terms of average HO's per game but this is probably due to him playing more around the ground type roles than the other team's number one rucks. In terms of disposals, Ryder ranks higher than all other key rucks in the comp excepting Sandilands. Compared to the league's key ruckmen , he ranks first for marks and 2 for tackles and 1 percenters.
10) Dustin Fletcher - ranks number 1 in the team for 1 percenters - by a long way - enough said
Apologies to Zaharakis, Hocking and Hibberd who is fast becoming our best mid sized defender since Dean Solomon
DISCUSS..........
This is ranked in order from 1-10
1) Jobe Watson - i would be incredibly surprised if Jobe was not a universal choice for our most important player. In terms of sheer talent, there may be better footballers in the squad but I doubt any are as valuable to the team. If he can complete the season uninjured, I am confident he will be rated in the Top 10 players in the league. If clearances & contested possessions at stoppages are amongst the KPI's for premiership success then Watson would be a first pick at most clubs. In these categories he is ranked 9th and 4th in the league - above him in contested possessions are noted warriors G Ablett and M Priddis. He also averages just under 27 disposals per game at a reasonable efficiency of 61% (consider that most of his disposals are under pressure, then this is not too bad). He is now in his prime as a player and provides great leadership around the ground.
2) Brent Stanton - who would have thought 12 months ago that Brent Stanton could be occupying number 2 on anyone's list of the most important players in our squad. Well after a fantastic second half of 2011 and coming second in the Club B&F, Stanton has gone to an entirely new level with his football this year. His well renowned running game has now been coupled with a new found efficiency in disposal. In 2012 he is averaging 26 disposals per game at an efficiency of 71% - that means he is moving the ball to the team's advantage about 19 times a game or nearly 4 times per quarter. And if you think its all outside stuff, only noted inside players Watson, Howlett and Lonergan average more tackles per game. Stanton is also chiming in with more than a goal a game so he is hurting the opposition on the scoreboard as well.
3) Ben Howlett - another player to have emerged. He is providing really serious support to Hocking and Watson in the clinches and so far this season has been magnificent. Howlett is ranked in the Club's Top 5 in Handballs, Tackles, Goal Assists, Clearances, Contested Possesions. Goes about his job every week with the minimum of fuss and injury free.
4) Stuart Crameri - just about the best non-tall Key Forward in the league at the moment and 3 years ago he was an unknown at Bendigo. Almost impossible for opposition coaches to find the best match up. He has the marking power of a 195cm power forward with the below the knee skills of the very best small goal sneaks. Kicking needs to be improved but he provides the ideal foil for the magnificent presence of Hurley and the wily pace of Jetta, Davey and Dell'Olio.
5) Tom Bellchambers - When it was thought that Ruckmen were a dying breed it now appears that they are more important than ever. In Tom Bellchambers we have a beauty. So young to be as good as he is in a position that normally tales 10 years to master. He is starting to really impose himself on the game and is giving our mids first use of the ball more often than not. He currently ranks 4th in the League for HO's. Probably needs to provide a bit more presence around the ground but looks like he could be come one of the very best rucks in the league before too long
6) Dyson Heppell - still a baby really and is already being targeted by opposition coaches as the player to shut down. He plays a sweeper type role with such composure for a player with just over a season under his belt. He is currently ranked third for total dispoals at Essendon with an efficiency of 75%. He also averages the second highest number of marks per game which indicates his ability to read the play so well and get into position to intercept opposition forward thrusts. Could be a real champion of the game and is already one of our best and most important players
7) Courtney Dempsey - fast, graceful and effective. If only we could keep this guy on the field consistently - he would no doubt blossom into one of the best running defenders in the game. Has improved his defensive skills considerably over the last few years and seems to have recovered very well from his ACL reco. Provides so much rebound and is a true 80M player in the sense that he can run 30 and kick 50.
8 ) Michael Hurley - Hasn't had the best start to 2012 but provides so much presence in the forward 50 that despite being off form, is still a vital player. He competes so hard that it draws defenders away from other players. He is destined to become a great footballer and has so much X Factor. Tall marking forwards are worth their weight in Gold in today's game - Franklin, Cloke, Reiwoldt, Brown, Kennedy. Hurley is not quite in this league of players yet but I would imagine before the end of 2012, he will be one of the game's elite players.
9) Patrick Ryder - has become the best utility ruckmen in the league and has already shown how good he can be when the pressure is on. Probably the best kick at goal in the team and therefore provides equal value as a key forward as he does as a sublime tap ruckmen. He is currently ranked 11th in the league in terms of average HO's per game but this is probably due to him playing more around the ground type roles than the other team's number one rucks. In terms of disposals, Ryder ranks higher than all other key rucks in the comp excepting Sandilands. Compared to the league's key ruckmen , he ranks first for marks and 2 for tackles and 1 percenters.
10) Dustin Fletcher - ranks number 1 in the team for 1 percenters - by a long way - enough said
Apologies to Zaharakis, Hocking and Hibberd who is fast becoming our best mid sized defender since Dean Solomon
DISCUSS..........