Our best player so far this year

[markinUSA]

Hi

It's the middle of the week... and I was looking for something to do, to avoid work. So, I went on to the Age wesite, and I tallied all their votes for the "Player of the Year" for matches involving St. Kilda.

Of course, I'd have my own disagreements with their voting - I'll mention my comments at the end of this post... but I thought it was food for thought and discussion, and I'd like to hear your comments.

Age Footballer of the Year

Round Opponent Result Name Votes

8 Collingwood Loss

L. Ball 8
N. Dal Santo 7

7 Richmond Win

S. Milne 8
N. Dal Santo 7
R. Harvey 7

6 Port Adelaide Loss

L. Hayes 7
J. Gram 7

5 Essendon Win

L. Hayes 7
N. Dal Santo 7
R. Harvey 7

4 Geelong Loss

L. Hayes 6

3. Western Bulldogs Loss

N. Dal Santo 7

2 Carlton Win

L. Montagna 7
L. Hayes 7
X. Clarke 7
L. Ball 6

1 Sydney Win

L. Fisher 7
S. Fisher 6
L. Montagna 6


Totals:

N. Dal Santo 28
L. Hayes 27
L. Ball 14
R. Harvey 14
L. Montagna 13

My thoughts:

* I thought Milne deserved more than 8 votes for his match winning role against Richmond... what more could a small forward do?

* Very interesting that Roo has not even received one vote... shows that the voting is really weighed towards midfielders. For instance, in Round One he had 19 disposals (15 kicks) and 11 marks and he got no votes. Hmmm...

* Harves is doing well, don't you think, considering Dermie said he should have hung the boots up.

* I thought Montagna should have more votes. Eg against Geelong he had 35 disposals, and no votes.

* I thought that Sam Fisher's year has been very good and I thought he would be much higher on the votes.

Ok... so for what it's worth (which is very little after 9 rounds)... who are your top 5 Saints players for this year?

And, as I say... don't take it too seriously... this is just a bit of mid-week fun!

Cheers
Mark

[degruch]

Lenny all the way for me...nice to see he's up there in the votes. Dal's a surprise for me. Stiff call on Harvs from Dermie, considering he was still playing for Collingwood when he was 45.

[mightysainters]

Just shows how overrated Dal is by the general public... it really does... Everyone who isnt an avid watchjer of every week still think he's a superstar...

[degruch]

Erm...top 5...Hayes, Montagna, Ball, Fisher, Riewoldt

[Spinner]

Just shows how overrated Dal is by the general public... it really does... Everyone who isnt an avid watchjer of every week still think he's a superstar...

Pretty hard to 'superstar' when each and every week he plays on an opponent whos sole objective is to nullify. People that use the 'doesn't work hard enough' card really dont understand how much of a struggle physically it is when you are being negated, even without the ball. Every second is work. And then he gets nailed on here when some supporter sees him only jogging.

The blokes not recieving a tag are the ones who should be stepping up.

[spert]

A lot of people look at stats as the only way to work out best players..especially those who don't watch the games closely.

NDS has votes and in at least in three games I've seen, his opponent has not only tagged him, but caused a lot of damage and been one of the best opposition players.

I reckon SFisher, Harvs, Hayes and Roo are our most effective players so far this year, and Ball is finding good form. The rest need to learn a bit about earning the hard ball, winning contests, and playing team football.

[vacuous space]

NDS has votes and in at least in three games I've seen, his opponent has not only tagged him, but caused a lot of damage and been one of the best opposition players.

Dal was given 7 by the age in four games:

Round 3 - Bulldogs
Not tagged, 20 touches. Played loose in defence for a lot of the game. Didn't get much contested ball and didn't use the ball particularly well, but didn't turn it over either.

Round 5 - Essendon
Tagged by Slattery, 26 touches. Played mostly out of the centre and was at his effective best. If not BOG, then very close to it.

Round 7 - Richmond
Played on Johnson, 27 touches. Was limited to only 3 contested possessions and no clearances, but had a ton of uncontested effective possessions. Definitely not BOG, but an effective game no less.

Round 8 - Collingwood
Played on Thomas, 28 touches. Got a ton of ball in both contested and uncontested situations and used it well. Kicked two goals. If not BOG for us, then close to it.

[spert]

Don't want to bag the fella too much, but his Footscray opponent really had a big influence in their win..can't think of the guys name. Plus against Geelong, Ling tagged him and also set up much of the game for Geelong. Thomas was pretty effective for the Woods. Ball was clearly our best-worked hard all day. I think it is fair enough for a tagger to play nullifying footy, but when the tagger starts to become an attacking player as well, then it means his opponent is not chasing, tackling or making a contest..bad signs IMHO

[supersaints]

I give it a draw to Lenny and Dal, Lenny for his harder workrate and gut-running, Dal for his silky skills on setting up for the forward line.....

[AlpineStars]

7

[battye]

I'm surprised Harvey hasn't got more votes, to be honest

[Winmarvellous]

Lenny. This is precisely why all players should be rated for their efforts in each game in the club F&B. Dal should not be anywhere near the top of that list IMO. Most good players get tagged. The better ones rise above it.

[BigMart]

Lenny clearly the most consistent........

Ball and Sam Fisher 2nd and third......

Montagna and Dal have been up and down.....but their good games are more damaging which is why they are so dangerous, and they get votes in that format......the argument is....do they play well when we do (downhill skiiers).....or...... are they thee reason we play well....

Max has been terrific in the games he has played (I have him 4th in our B&F) but media awards are midfield awards...

Harves has been sericeable to good....

King and Gardiner have been serviceable, as has Goddard and Blake...

Milne, Schneider and Gram...had a couple of good ones and a number of average games...

Fraser, Raph, Fiora, the less said the better

C.Gardiner, Armo, L.Fisher, Dempster, Birss are just going OK....just

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

Lenny by the length of Flemington

[mad saint guy]

Lenny in front by an absolute mile.

Chips, Harvs, Max and Milney next in line.

[vacuous space]

Don't want to bag the fella too much, but his Footscray opponent really had a big influence in their win..can't think of the guys name. Plus against Geelong, Ling tagged him and also set up much of the game for Geelong. Thomas was pretty effective for the Woods. Ball was clearly our best-worked hard all day. I think it is fair enough for a tagger to play nullifying footy, but when the tagger starts to become an attacking player as well, then it means his opponent is not chasing, tackling or making a contest..bad signs IMHO

How much did Ball and Hayes limit their opponents? Every week there's a focus here on what Dal's opponent has done. Why aren't our other mids put under the same scrutiny? Somebody allowed Burns, Swan, Pendlebury and Davis a lot of touches the other night. So why are we hearing about Thomas? Thomas managed to match Dal's clanger count for the year in an entire night. 'Effective' isn't the word I'd use to describe him.

[Fraser9]

I think Milney should be included to the list, for a small forward is very underrated.

[degruch]

Milney??? If he kick's 11 again this weekend, I give you that one.