Player Rater

11th July 2011 Category: Team of the week

FB: James Gwilt (7.8), Will Schofield (7.9), Dale Morris (7.9)

HB: Brent Stanton (8.1), Harry Taylor (8.1), Jack Redden (8.2)

C: Andrew Embley (8.3), Scott Pendlebury (8.4), Nick Dal Santo (8.6)

HF: Mark Nicoski (8.1), Stewart Crameri (7.8), Ryan O'Keefe (8.2)

FF: David Zaharakis (8.2), Lance Franklin (7.8), Steele Sidebottom (8.2)

R: Ben Hudson (7.8), Luke Hodge (8.3), Matthew Boyd (c) (8.4)

Int: Adam Cooney (8.1), Brendon Goddard (8.2), Jarrad McVeigh (8.3), Dane Swan (8.2)

Coach: Rodney Eade

8th July 2011 Category: Analysis

Image: Slattery Media Group

How quickly things change. Last year Brett Ratten was a marked man. A queue of high profile coaches including Mick Malthouse and Paul Roos were reportedly in line to take his position if and when he fell.

Twelve months on and Carlton have risen further than anyone believed they would under Ratten. The Blues were always expected to compete in 2011, but few thought they would challenge the top four. Carlton’s rise can be attributed to a number of improvements in 2011. For one, the development of Marc Murphy, Michael Jamison and Jeff Garlett. But perhaps more significant has been Chris Yarran’s move to half back and Andrew Walker’s move to the forward line.

But if that’s the case, Carlton’s improvement in 2011 might say more about the playing group than the coaching staff.

Andrew Walker’s agent Tom Petroro told the Herald Sun this week that Carlton had agreed to trade Walker at the end of last season:

We thought long and hard about it… Both parties were happy to entertain a trade… nothing actually came to fruition, but we had comfort that the difficulties of the relationship between player and coach at the time had been ironed out and Andrew had a role that he saw fit to him.

Back in June, Walker told The Daily Telegraph that his desire to play closer to goal almost saw him leave the club:

I went to them at the end of last year and said that, in my own eyes, my best football is played as a midfield forward and I said if they couldn't sort of help me out and play me in those positions, then I felt I had to look elsewhere for my own future.

Walker currently sits fifth on the league goal-kicking table ahead of teammates and seasoned forwards Jeff Garlett, Eddie Betts and Jarrad Waite. It's been a huge break for Ratten; a player he was prepared to part with at the end of last season is now one of the main reasons that talk of possible coaching replacements has quieted down.

8th July 2011 Category: Analysis

BUY: Todd Goldstein

Admittedly it's a little late to be buying into Todd Goldstein. He's had a stellar couple of months, he’s currently ranked 5th amongst ruckmen on Player Rater. There’s been talk this week that Goldstein's development has been so great that the Kangaroos could look to move Hamish McIntosh.

SELL: Andrew Mackie

Before being dropped in the finals last year, Mackie’s spot in Geelong’s first 22 was unquestioned. But since then Mackie’s role in the team has been under question. Mackie now finds himself behind Harry Taylor, Matthew Scarlett and Tom Lonergan as the clubs fourth tall defender. He could be considered a swing man, someone that comes in and out of the team depending on matchups, but the fact that he’s missed selection this week in a team that includes Steven Motlop and Taylor Hunt isn’t a good sign for his future at the club. 

6th July 2011 Category: General

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The Hawks shot themselves in the foot (or more literally hit themselves in the face) on Sunday. Key defenders Josh Gibson and Jordan Lisle both went down to friendly fire. Gibson was punched in the eye by Max Bailey in a marking contest and Jordan Lisle copped the back of Leon Davis’ head in his cheekbone after teammate Brent Guerra lined Davis up with a hip and shoulder. 

Gibson isn't expected to miss any games but Lisle will be added to the Hawks growing injury list. With the addition of Lisle, Hawthorn's injury tally stands at twelve. And critically, four of those twelve are listed as indefinite. 

Season ending injuries:

6th July 2011 Category: Analysis

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Campbell Brown put on his recruiting cap over the weekend, writing an article for The Sunday Age that discussed the issues confronting out of contract players considering the lure of the AFL's new franchises. 

In between details of Callan Ward's reported move to Greater Western Sydney and the details of his personal journey, Brown made a subtle pitch to those players currently contemplating their future.

From Campbell Brown for The Age:

Everyone who has played football wants to be a one-club player, but unfortunately sometimes it is not possible. Whatever decision players do make, they should know they will be part of an unbelievable journey, and right from the very beginning.

The challenge of building a club and setting its culture is something that will hopefully live on long after you retire. There will be highs and lows, but they will learn a hell of a lot about themselves along the way.

5th July 2011 Category: Analysis

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Luke Breust is only eight games into his AFL career, but he’s already laid claim to the title of super-sub. It’s a common tag in sports like Soccer and Basketball; someone that comes off the bench to provide energy, to offer the team a new dimension and someone that can stand alongside starting caliber players. Truth be told though, ‘super-subs’ are more often just talented players that would likely excel regardless of the time they play on the pitch/court/ground. And this seems to hold true with Breust.

Breust's came off the bench as a substitute in all of his first five AFL games. In Round 13, Breust was promoted to the starting 21, he's now played and started in three straight games. Since losing the subs vest Breust has improved statistically in all areas, and not just those impacted by increased minutes.

2011 Games log for Luke Breust: Pro-Stats

5th July 2011 Category: Analysis

• Mid-way through the first quarter on Friday night, Melbourne midfielder Brent Moloney fielded questions from Channel 7 boundary rider Matthew Richardson. It’s one thing to take an interview after the game or between quarters but it’s something totally different to talk to the media in the middle of a game. If Dean Bailey is the disciplinarian he proclaims to be, then he’ll nip this in the bud. Unfortunatley, it's more likely Bailey already knew it was happening. 

• The AFL clearly didn’t want #FreeTrengove MKII. They took the easy way out and let him off, and I’m happy they did, but wow! What a ridiculous call! Don't get me wrong I'm glad he got off, but looking at it objectively, the two tackles are so similar and when you consider that it’s a repeat offence I find it amazing that the AFL didn’t take this further.

• In a wonderful tribute to club great Sean Wight, Melbourne defender Jared Rivers (who wears Wight’s old number 27) lead the Demons out on Friday night and tossed the coin before the match. The story on melbournefc.com.au currently has 27 likes. So look but don’t “like”.

• How the tune has changed for Jack Watts. This time last year Melbourne would have had a tough time dealing Watts for a first round pick. 

• AFL teams typically don’t take an aggressive approach to rebuilding. The rebuilding of a side is seen as a natural occurrence. You get good then you get bad, then you get draft picks then you get good again. Unless something dramatic happens soon, the Bulldogs aren’t winning a premiership with the current generation. They’re in the dreaded middle-ground. Time to offload their overvalued stars? Cooney? Higgins? Giansiracusa?

4th July 2011 Category: Team of the week

FB: Graham Johncock (8.3), Ben Reid (8.2), Dyson Heppell (8.3)

HB: Nick Dal Santo (8.3), Heath Hocking (7.8), Luke Hodge (c) (8.7)

C: Brendon Goddard (8.1), Ryan Griffen, (8.3), Dale Thomas (8.1)

HF: Daniel Giansiracusa (7.8), Matthew Pavlich (8.0), Mitch Robinson (8.2)

FF: Jay Schulz (8.3), Travis Cloke (7.9), Jarrad Waite (8.3)

RUCK: Jonathon Griffin (8.3), Chris Judd (8.6), Gary Ablett (8.3)

INT: Kade Simpson (7.8), Marc Murphy (8.1), Shaun Higgins (7.8), Todd Goldstein (8.0)

COACH: Mick Malthouse

An amazing performance in a losing team. Hodge had a career high 40 disposals and received the highest rating for the round - 8.73.

1st July 2011 Category: Analysis

1st July 2011 Category: Analysis

Whose stock is rising and whose stock is falling?

BUY: Brent Moloney

Last week marked the return of Mark Jamar for Melbourne, it also marked the return of the best clearance duo in the league. Moloney's averaged 27 disposals this season with Jamar in the team. Without Jamar, Moloney averages 22.8 disposals a game. Moloney's average Player Rater rating with Jamar in the side is 7.60 across 7 games. Without Jamar, Moloney's average rating is 6.48. 

BUY: Matt Suckling

Suckling may be the most underrated player in the league at the moment. Suckling's currently ranked in the top 15 for the following categories; kicks per game (7th), marks per game (12th) and rebounds per game (15th). Last week Suckling probably played the best game of his career so far. 32 disposals, 7 marks, 4 tackles and 2 goals. 

SELL: Heath Shaw

Shaw is still the best small defender in the league, but he's output has dropped over the last month. Up to round 8, Shaw averaged 24 disposals a game. Since round 8 he's averaged 17.4. Maybe more importantly, in the same period Shaw's rebounds off defensive 50 have gone from 6.6 a game to 3.2 a game.  

PR rating: 7.19 (Ranked 29)