2009 VFL Best

[bergholt]

It's well documented that we're having a good run with injury. Unless we're ridiculously lucky, this will probably change at some point in the season. The three players who are out with long-term injuries were all on the fringes of senior selection - Dempster, Allen, X Clarke. Players have to push up to replace them in order for our depth to stay decent.

The best way of seeing who's next in line—short of actually going to VFL games and training sessions—is to watch the VFL best. The VFL website has cumulative stats on the top six best each week:

http://www.sportingpulse.com/comp_info. ... =0&a=STATS

I intend to keep this thread up to date with the current leaderboard, so that we have some idea of who's playing well at Sandy and at Sandy reserves.

After AFL round 22 (VFL end of season):

Votes: it's 6 votes for best down to 1 vote for sixth best, each week.

37: Biddlecombe
30: Gallagher
24: Lynch
22: Geary
21: Steven, Summers
20: Armitage, Simpkin
17: Eddy
16: Maguire
15: Sautner
14: Stanley
13: Ball
12: L Fisher
10: Dempster, McEvoy, Miles
8: R Clarke, Paterakis, Smith
7: Begley
6: X Clarke, Gaertner, Johnson
4: Gram, Tregear
3: Crowe, Howard
2: Heyne
1: Waller

Reserves:

40: McGrath
32: Gilchrist
28: Liddell
24: M Johnston
19: McGarry
18: Howard
17: Simpkin
11: Connors, B Eddy, Hardiman, Monaghan, Tungatalum
10: Allan
9: Ferraro, Gileno, Waller
8: Gribbin
6: T Johnston, Stanley, Tregear
5: S Clarke, Gaertner, Garrubba, Muller
4: Cleeve, Dean, Fleming, Gilder, Haretuku, Johnson, Smith
3: Smith-Cameron
2: Hine, C Johnston, Plymin, Williams
1: Cahill, McConnell

Games:

Seniors:

19: Lynch, Stanley
17: Heyne
16: Maguire, Miles (r), Steven
15: Begley, Simpkin (r)
14: Armitage, L Fisher, Smith
13: Howard (r)
11: Gaertner (r)
10: McEvoy
8: Eddy
6: X Clarke, Connors, Geary
5: R Clarke, Hudghton
4: Ball, Dempster, Gwilt, McGrath (r)
2: McGarry
1: Cahill, Gram, Haretuku (r), Tungatalum

Reserves:

17: Haretuku (r)
15: Tungatalum (r)
14: McGarry (r), McGrath (r)
12: Cahill, Connors
6: Gaertner (r), Howard (r)
4: Simpkin (r), Smith
1: Stanley

Games missed through injury:

25: Allen
19: X Clarke
10: Hudghton
9: Cahill, Dempster
6: L Fisher
5: McGarry (r)
4: Gardiner, Maguire
3: R Clarke, Gilbert, Hayes, Howard (r), Steven
2: Armitage, Eddy, King, Miles (r), Milne
1: Baker, Connors, Dal Santo, S Fisher, Goddard, Jones, Koschitzke, Lynch, McQualter, Montagna, Riewoldt, Simpkin (r), Schneider

[bergholt]

VFL Round 6:

Sandy 17.11-113 d Werribee 12.11-83

Goals: Sautner 7, Maguire 5, R Clarke 2, Paterakis, Miles, Lynch
Best: R Eddy, Maguire, Sautner, R Clarke, Miles, Simpkin

Others: Steven, Heyne, Smith, McEvoy, Stanley, Begley, Hudghton, L Fisher

Reserves Round 6:

Sandy 18.12-120 d Werribee 12.6-78

Goals: Cahill 3, Tungatalum 2, B Eddy 2, Lockwood 2, Gileno 2, Dean 2, Johnston, Haretuku, Gribbin, Gilchrist, McGarry
Best: McGarry, Liddell, Garrubba, Gilchrist, McGrath, Howard

Others: Connors, Gaertner

[Thinline]

Is Nick Heyne getting a run? If so how's he going?

May seem a dumb quessie, but VFL news on the Goldie doesn't really get much air....

[bergholt]

Is Nick Heyne getting a run? If so how's he going?

May seem a dumb quessie, but VFL news on the Goldie doesn't really get much air....

vfl news in victoria doesn't get much air!

heyne's played all the sandy games so far, kicked a couple of goals, but not been in the best.

simpkin's the one that interests me, actually. 191cm, 83kg. i don't know anything about him, but he's been in the best a few times in the reserves and now a couple of times in the seniors. seems to be progressing nicely!

[bergsone]

Is Nick Heyne getting a run? If so how's he going?

May seem a dumb quessie, but VFL news on the Goldie doesn't really get much air....

vfl news in victoria doesn't get much air!

heyne's played all the sandy games so far, kicked a couple of goals, but not been in the best.

simpkin's the one that interests me, actually. 191cm, 83kg. i don't know anything about him, but he's been in the best a few times in the reserves and now a couple of times in the seniors. seems to be progressing nicely!

Saw a vid of Simpkin pre season,looked to play h/b,good overhead,skills on both sides also looked good,seems a young guy with real promise.hope he makes it

[bigcarl]

well no-one can say that goose isn't having a fair dinkum crack at ressurecting his afl career.

[Bernard Shakey]

It's well documented that we're having a good run with injury. Unless we're ridiculously lucky, this will probably change at some point in the season. The three players who are out with long-term injuries were all on the fringes of senior selection - Dempster, Allen, X Clarke. Players have to push up to replace them in order for our depth to stay decent.

Dempster was not on the fringes of senior selection, he was firmly implanted in the top 22.

[vacuous space]

well no-one can say that goose isn't having a fair dinkum crack at ressurecting his afl career.

Hardly shocking given the way that man plays footy. I can't wait to see the words 'IN: Maguire' in the newspaper. He's one of those guys who you just know is going to give everything he's got.

[InkerSaint]

Speaking of Dempster, the last I heard was he was tracking nicely and looking good to return in the second half of the season.

The split round is only 4 weeks away... anyone got any news on him?

[Thinline]

well no-one can say that goose isn't having a fair dinkum crack at ressurecting his afl career.

Hardly shocking given the way that man plays footy. I can't wait to see the words 'IN: Maguire' in the newspaper. He's one of those guys who you just know is going to give everything he's got.

Love him and his attitude but I am concerned that when he is giving his absolute best he'll be five metres behind whoever he's playing on.

Does he have the leg speed? What have people seen?

I really REALLY hope he gets back!

[saintsRrising]

Interesting that Miles is well up in the voting.

Perhaps an indication of him doing exactly what the coach has asked??...and perhaps also vindication of his nomaination as an Emergency for the seniors on occassion.

[bigcarl]

Love him and his attitude but I am concerned that when he is giving his absolute best he'll be five metres behind whoever he's playing on.

rightly or wrongly that seems to be the perception, but it is interesting the ross reckons he could play as a mobile second ruck or a key forward.

i've never written him off and i think the way he hasn't chucked it in after all those horrible injuries is inspirational.

he was a key member of that core of kids who started to blossom as players in 2004 and that is why i think it is important that he gets back.

[bergholt]

It's well documented that we're having a good run with injury. Unless we're ridiculously lucky, this will probably change at some point in the season. The three players who are out with long-term injuries were all on the fringes of senior selection - Dempster, Allen, X Clarke. Players have to push up to replace them in order for our depth to stay decent.

Dempster was not on the fringes of senior selection, he was firmly implanted in the top 22.

so was raph, but he ain't at the moment. if dempster came back from injury this week, he'd be on the fringes of senior selection, just like raph is now.

[bigcarl]

It's well documented that we're having a good run with injury. Unless we're ridiculously lucky, this will probably change at some point in the season. The three players who are out with long-term injuries were all on the fringes of senior selection - Dempster, Allen, X Clarke. Players have to push up to replace them in order for our depth to stay decent.

Dempster was not on the fringes of senior selection, he was firmly implanted in the top 22.

so was raph, but he ain't at the moment. if dempster came back from injury this week, he'd be on the fringes of senior selection, just like raph is now.

so was max and who knows when he'll be able to break back in. i think the moral of the story is don't get injured and take your chances while you can.

[bergholt]

VFL Round 7:

Sandy 18.14-122 lost to Geelong 19.11-125

Goals: Sautner 5, Lynch 4, Gallagher 2, Gram, Heyne, McEvoy, Smith, Stanley, Steven, Summers
Best: Lynch, Armitage, Gram, Sautner, Begley, Stanley

Others: Maguire, Eddy, Miles, Simpkin, Hudghton, L Fisher

(Apparently Miles only played the second half after being up with the St Kilda side in their warmup.)

Reserves Round 7:

Sandy bye

[bergholt]

VFL Round 8:

Sandy 20.16-136 beat Bendigo 3.6-24

Goals: Sautner 8, Gallagher 2, Heyne 2, Begley, S Clarke, L Fisher, Lynch, Maguire, Stanley, Steven
Best: Steven, Stanley, Gallagher, L Fisher, Summers, Biddlecombe

Others: Armitage, Dempster, Eddy, Hudghton, McEvoy, Miles, Simpkin, Smith

Reserves Round 8:

Sandy 20.15-135 beat Bendigo 8.4-52

Goals: Tungatalum 4, Lockwood 4, B Eddy 3, Cahill 2, Dean 2, Connors, Gileno, Johnston, McGarry, Williams
Best: McGarry, Monaghan, Gilchrist, McGrath, Johnston, Dean

Others: Gaertner, Haretuku, Howard

[bergholt]

VFL Round 10:

Sandy 15.7-97 beaten by Box Hill 19.10-124

Goals: Lynch 3, Gallagher 2, Sautner 2, Steven 2, R Clarke, Dempster, Gilchrist, Gwilt, Maguire, Summers
Best: Lynch, R Clarke, Steven, L Fisher, Maguire, Stanley

Others: Armitage, Begley, Gaertner, Heyne, Miles, Simpkin, Smith

Reserves Round 10:

Sandy 6.5-41 thumped by Box Hill 22.13-145

Goals: Cahill, Gileno, Johnson, T Johnston, Tungatalum, Waller
Best: Howard, Waller, McGarry, T Johnston, Williams, Dean

Others: Connors, Haretuku, McGrath

[Armoooo]

Great thread mate.

Those stats speak quite highly of Steven, it would seem he has been our best performing reserve... unless ofcourse he only had 2 good matches...

[bigcarl]

17: Biddlecombe
16: Maguire
15: Steven
12: L Fisher, Lynch, Sautner

i keep reading how goose has been less than impressive, but those votes tell a different story.

i'd love to see him break back into the seniors. unfortunately for him, all our key position players are performing and it's hard to see him get a run in anything other than a key position.

leigh fisher obviously hasn't given up on ressurecting his senior career either. a good, solid, versatile and mature player who could slot in without too many concerns.

lynch is going to be good for us as well.

good to see the pressure being kept on for all places.

[clarky449]

I like the look of tungatulum

[bergholt]

i keep reading how goose has been less than impressive, but those votes tell a different story.

i'd love to see him break back into the seniors. unfortunately for him, all our key position players are performing and it's hard to see him get a run in anything other than a key position.

i get the impression that his good games have been very good, but he's been a bit too anonymous in other matches.

leigh fisher obviously hasn't given up on ressurecting his senior career either. a good, solid, versatile and mature player who could slot in without too many concerns.

yeah, really interested to see what happens to him - he's still working hard, obviously.

[BAM! (shhhh)]

17: Biddlecombe
16: Maguire
15: Steven
12: L Fisher, Lynch, Sautner

i keep reading how goose has been less than impressive, but those votes tell a different story.

i'd love to see him break back into the seniors. unfortunately for him, all our key position players are performing and it's hard to see him get a run in anything other than a key position.

I get the impression that with 99 games under his belt, including a mix of underwhelming and 1st class performances, a lot of people are bringing their prejudices to bear when watching him play - and given that he ought to be a cut above in most VFL games, that's probably understandable, and makes him difficult to assess.

So he's got a mix of undeniably good performances as a forward... where the AFL team has 2 guys who won't be knocked off barring injury, and some very mixed reviews as a backman.

Agree with your assessment re: seniors time. Unlikely to get a go up front, the emergence of Dawson has meant we're flush down back. He's unlikely to break in elsewhere.

From those mixed reviews, I would suspect that if a door doesn't open at St Kilda, a trade will elsewhere, though I'm not sure what he'll command in return.

[saint66au]

Heyne..10 games and no votes so far?

Must be close to a spell in the 2nds?

Likwise McGarry must be close to a Sandy seniors spot?

[plugger66]

Heyne..10 games and no votes so far?

Must be close to a spell in the 2nds?

Likwise McGarry must be close to a Sandy seniors spot?

It might help in McGarry had been training with the club. Heyne is going very well. Wouldnt even take notice of the best in the papers.

[bergholt]

VFL Round 11:

Sandy 19.12-126 thumped Coburg 8.11-59

Goals: Sautner 8, Lynch 3, Eddy 2, Heyne 2, Dempster, Miles, Monaghan, Summers
Best: Armitage, Eddy, Dempster, Summers, Sautner, Lynch

Others: Begley, R Clarke, Gaertner, Maguire, Simpkin, Smith, Stanley, Steven

VFL Reserves Round 11:

Sandy 8.15-64 beaten by Coburg 15.12-102

Goals: B Eddy 2, Cahill, Connors, Haretuku, Muller, Tungatalum, Williams
Best: Howard, S Clarke, Johnson, McGrath, Liddell, T Johnston

Others: McGarry