Stanley

[degruch]

Nine disposals

3 marks, 5 kicks, 4 handballs.

Kicked two goals.

What he did do was nice, but BOG? Please ...

Look, I'm not writing him off in any way. He obviously has the ability. All I'm saying is that he's yet to deliver on his potential.

Gold Coast a few weeks beforehand was his best Dreamteam score...maybe that's the game you're looking for?

Anyways, add 15 hitouts and 5 tackles too. Unlucky not to get more possies that game, seemed to suffer from his team mates lack of awareness.

[ralphsmith]

Rhys stanley will be a top 10 player in the AFL IF his body can cope with it.
His speed is ridiculous.

I'm just worried the injuries will cripple him. He has such a thin frame. Doesn't look like it can cope with the rigours of AFL.

[Moods]

I'm not adverse to him being given a go down back. He's had a few chances up fwd since 2010, and looks very promising without ever grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck. Not sure how he goes in the one on ones, but there have been plenty of defenders who started off as fwds. In fact I recall Paul Roos saying once that rarely, if ever are big blokes drafted as backmen, they just become them. REid for Collingwood is a classic example. Rhyce will need to improve his kicking though. Probably more important than ever that he kicks well, if he plays back. 25 years ago it wouldn't have been an issue, but now all backs really need to be able to kick well, with a couple of exceptions. In fact I can't think of any good key backs who can't kick well - Dawson probably the most unreliable. Hudghton was a dying breed.

I like the idea of Stanley back - he has good closing speed, and I reckon the game is less complicated back there. Not sure he is a natural footballer, so running straight at the ball should suit him. Once he has his confidence up, then definitely swing him fwd if need be.

[matrix]

if he has to....back flank

[bergholt]

Rhys stanley will be a top 10 player in the AFL IF his body can cope with it.
His speed is ridiculous.

David Spriggs was pretty quick too, not sure he was ever close to a top ten player.

[SaintPav]

Rhys stanley will be a top 10 player in the AFL IF his body can cope with it.
His speed is ridiculous.

David Spriggs was pretty quick too, not sure he was ever close to a top ten player.

David McNicol was pretty quick too.

[bigcarl]

I like the idea of Stanley back - he has good closing speed, and I reckon the game is less complicated back there. Not sure he is a natural footballer, so running straight at the ball should suit him.

I reckon they've got Lee in mind for third tall forward and Hickey is being groomed as second ruck. Both of which mean finding a new role for Rhys.

We lack a tall key position defender, so defence was the obvious place for him.

Can he do it?

Who knows. It could be a disaster or it could be the making of him.

I've always thought there's a bit of Dustin Fletcher about him, but we'll see.

[Richter]

Yes, he's Tall, yes he's quick and yes he can take a grab... but I still have some reservations about him up forward...

- body positioning when contesting for marks: improved last year but a way to go
- not sure how good a 'footballer' he actually is

OTOH

- he's continuing to develop and is showing as much as for instance Kosi was at a similar stage in his career
- he actually averages well in terms of inside 50s per game (2.9) - compare with Rooey in 2012 (3.0); Kosi (1.6); Joey (4.3)

[Sobraz]

- he's continuing to develop and is showing as much as for instance Kosi was at a similar stage in his career

Kosi was way ahead at a similar age IMO... Kosi won the rising star and was a standout 18/19 year old in the comp. He was a better player at 18-20 than he's been 25-30... Sure, injuries, changing game etc have held him back, but in those early days he was as good a KPP youngster as we've seen in ages... Just didnt take the next step..

I like Rhys, but he has far from made it... Hopefully this year is his one..

[stevie]

I reckon his injury v the Egirls was a major blow to our season. Before that, Kosi was playing well down forward, without worrying about rucking. Ben and Rhys were going along nicely in the ruck.

Then when Rhys went down with the hammie, it threw our gameplan out a bit. Kosi was needed in the ruck, teams started to get on top of our fwd line.

If he stays fit, he's such a versatile player for us. Play him down back in the NAB, see how he goes. Put him on a wing on the bigger grounds. He's a real. confidence player too

[Richter]

- he's continuing to develop and is showing as much as for instance Kosi was at a similar stage in his career

Kosi was way ahead at a similar age IMO... Kosi won the rising star and was a standout 18/19 year old in the comp. He was a better player at 18-20 than he's been 25-30... Sure, injuries, changing game etc have held him back, but in those early days he was as good a KPP youngster as we've seen in ages... Just didnt take the next step..

I like Rhys, but he has far from made it... Hopefully this year is his one..

I agree that of course Kosi was a standout junior and Kosi's first year was excellent, but stats wise if you compare them at a similar age of where Stanley was last season there is not much in it...

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_p ... fopt2=2003

Stats taken are from each player's 3rd year of playing

Rhys=2012 season (his 4th on the list) when he turned 22 in December
Kosi=2003 season (his 3rd on the list) when he turned 21 in September (ie 9 months younger than where Rhys was last season)

Rhys Stanley/Justin Kosichitzke

200cm Height 197cm
96kg Weight 97kg
2012 Stats for Season 2003
12 Games 17
6.8 Kicks Per Game 6.7
3.2 Handballs Per Game 4.2
10.1 Disposals Per Game 10.9
4.7 Marks Per Game 4.8
0.9 Goals Per Game 0.8
1.2 Behinds Per Game 0.3
1.9 Tackles Per Game 1.5
6.2 Hitouts Per Game 9.0
0.8 Frees For Per Game 1.1
0.6 Frees Against Per Game

------------------------

It was the following 2 years that Kosi improved dramatically, and in particular in 2005 when he looked like becoming a world beater, with 11 Brownlow votes in 4 successive games. Kosi's best two years were 2005, when was 22/23 and 2009, when he was 26/27.

Of course, Kosi looked like not just a quality Tall but a crack footballer in 2005... something that I do not expect from Rhys, but as it turned out Kosi's potential was blighted by his head injuries (IMO)... so overall, if Rhys can keep on top of his body then IMO a realistic target for him is to have the sort of career that Kosi has had... nearly 200 games as a ruck and 2nd forward.

[Ross who?]

I think you will find that Rhys has been getting a bit of training in defense over summer. However....he will only will only PLAY there if we are hit by other injuries. Take my word for it or don't, I don't care.

[james rose]

- he's continuing to develop and is showing as much as for instance Kosi was at a similar stage in his career

Kosi was way ahead at a similar age IMO... Kosi won the rising star and was a standout 18/19 year old in the comp. He was a better player at 18-20 than he's been 25-30... Sure, injuries, changing game etc have held him back, but in those early days he was as good a KPP youngster as we've seen in ages... Just didnt take the next step..

I like Rhys, but he has far from made it... Hopefully this year is his one..

I agree that of course Kosi was a standout junior and Kosi's first year was excellent, but stats wise if you compare them at a similar age of where Stanley was last season there is not much in it...

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_p ... fopt2=2003

Stats taken are from each player's 3rd year of playing

Rhys=2012 season (his 4th on the list) when he turned 22 in December
Kosi=2003 season (his 3rd on the list) when he turned 21 in September (ie 9 months younger than where Rhys was last season)

Rhys Stanley/Justin Kosichitzke

200cm Height 197cm
96kg Weight 97kg
2012 Stats for Season 2003
12 Games 17
6.8 Kicks Per Game 6.7
3.2 Handballs Per Game 4.2
10.1 Disposals Per Game 10.9
4.7 Marks Per Game 4.8
0.9 Goals Per Game 0.8
1.2 Behinds Per Game 0.3
1.9 Tackles Per Game 1.5
6.2 Hitouts Per Game 9.0
0.8 Frees For Per Game 1.1
0.6 Frees Against Per Game

------------------------

It was the following 2 years that Kosi improved dramatically, and in particular in 2005 when he looked like becoming a world beater, with 11 Brownlow votes in 4 successive games. Kosi's best two years were 2005, when was 22/23 and 2009, when he was 26/27.

Of course, Kosi looked like not just a quality Tall but a crack footballer in 2005... something that I do not expect from Rhys, but as it turned out Kosi's potential was blighted by his head injuries (IMO)... so overall, if Rhys can keep on top of his body then IMO a realistic target for him is to have the sort of career that Kosi has had... nearly 200 games as a ruck and 2nd forward.

Kosi was also playing CHB. I love Stanley but I don't care what stats you throw at me Kosi was head and shoulders above him at the equal point of their careers.

[gringo]

I agree james, Kosi was going better at the same point. Rhys looks like he has massive potential but Kosi looked like he would be the better of the two with Rooey early days. Injuries have been cruel to him but he looked like he would be an elite player in his first few years. Rhys has time to become anything but I hope he can get some killer competitiveness to go with his abilities. I can see him becoming a Kurt Tippet type of player if he puts his mind to it and Tippet has more potential than he's already shown. I hope he has a Tom Hawkins moment where he realises he belongs and takes off.

[borderbarry]

No comparison between the two of them. In his first season, Kosi won the Rising tar, whereas Rhys hardlly got a game. Lets hope Rhys can catch up now though.

[Richter]

No comparison between the two of them. In his first season, Kosi won the Rising tar, whereas Rhys hardlly got a game. Lets hope Rhys can catch up now though.

That's precisely my point. Rhys is now in his fourth season (third of playing at senior level). And his output in that season was similar to that of Kosi in his 3rd season. The gap that was clearly evident at the time of their drafting (as reflected by Kosi going no.2 and Rhys in the 40s) has narrowed significantly already.