AFL Season 2014

Yeah fuck that. What a champion. Should be made captain; only bloke at the club who seemingly doesn't have a pea heart

 

Haha shit only like 10% through it

'Matthew Leuenberger - Not hot - rated 17th for hitouts'

Well mate he just happened to miss one of the 5 games in that sample and in another one he only played half. 17th with 70% of the football that the other rucks have played isn't terrible.

Also worth considering that West is now in the side. Instead of having sole ruck duties he was being forced to ruck far less than normal; a big reason his numbers are down

i mean ffs why don't you pick on someone like Jed Adcock who was pretty bad in the first three games

 

Robert Warnock hot

are they serious

he's a fucking good tap ruckman. We all know that. Fremantle couldn't be fucked with him knowing that. Kreuzer was preferred to him most of career knowing that. Hampson as 2nd ruck was preferred knowing that.

That's not really something we didn't know. When Kreuzer went down it'd be expected he'd dominate the hitouts

He's not even any different a player.

What is different is that he's still the same absolute crab around the ground. Literally offers nothing with ball in hand, not even a marking option. Literally cannot keep track of an opponent; if Warnock's the opposing ruck you can expect a ruckman to get 16 touches and 8 marks easily. He cannot tackle. He cannot pressure. He does nothing.

He's a one trick pony. He's fucking good at it but it's one trick nonetheless. Give me Jake Spencer who isn't very good but at least tackles and pressures and defends over Warnock any day.

 

does raise a good point re: carlisle v hurley though

only one can play fwd and one play back IMO. can't fit them both back with Hooker being fucking ridiculous this season and Fletch being a capable third tall

Carlisle's looked a bit out of his depth fwd while Hurley looks, as expected, excellent back (considering he was drafted as a full back i don't think it's surprising really. only converted to a fwd in his second year really)

Almost think you've got to move Carlisle back. Right now I'd probably prefer Hurley as a defender to Carlisle (Carlisle better defending packs but one on one Hurley lets his man have far less space to lead/has better closing speed and also doesn't get beaten in 1 v 1 contests as often which IMO are more important than being a gun in pack situations. But yeah, preferring Hurley back is all good but down forward Hurley's just better than Carlisle. He's not excellent but he's serviceable; kind of a 30-35 goal fwd who does a bit up the ground too. Carlisle I can't expect that from. In short

Hurley > Carlisle both back and fwd right now
Hurley > Carlisle fwd by more than Hurley > Carlisle back
therefore hurley probs should go back forward

Hurley's been a bit of a whipping boy over his career and I certainly joined in at times and Carlisle has been praised so much over the last year, but when I actually look at it Hurley just seems to be the better footballer right now. Carlisle probably has a little more upside from here on but yeah, Hurley's better. Will probably get smashed for that but there's more to footy than having a great pack spoil/contested grab and in those areas i'd prefer hurley.

 

Frawley. Down back in the first two games he dominated and when thrown forward the last three he's been in your best 3 each week.

Jones is significantly better now than last year too. Mightn't last mind.

 

Curnow went back after breaking his fucking leg. Every other Carlton bloke doesn't give a shit and plays with the heart of a pea. Curnow showed his desire and spirit in that one act. Only bloke from Carlton whose done something Lionhearted.

 

Nor do I but at least someone showed some spirit.

Can't see any leaders that aren't C. Judd at the Blues right now. Cripps isn't one either for the future.