The "X" Factor

[GVGjr]

I often hear the media talking about players with that X factor.

Who on our list possesses the X factor and could change a few games for us in 2014?

[Bulldog Joe]

It is an area we probably lacked in that 2008-10 period. The absolute game changer.

I think Cooney did have it but was shot by the 2008 finals. Hopefully he gets it back with his burst.

Griff definitely can do some of those match turning things with his line breaking, but often he tries too much because there has not been enough support.

I see potential for it with Lachie Hunter and also believe Stringer can be a game changer.

We do need some real A graders emerge.

[westdog54]

I often hear the media talking about players with that X factor.

Who on our list possesses the X factor and could change a few games for us in 2014?

For me Jake Stringer screams X Factor. He's already got the poise, skill and swagger of a top 5 draft pick. If he gets the fitness he'll give Buddy Franklin a run for marketability.

[LostDoggy]

Higgins is one - if fit.

[ledge]

Grant, Stringer, Hunter and Macrae

[always right]

Grant, Dahl, Crameri, Hunter, Griff and Murphy.

[bornadog]

We do need some real A graders emerge.

Agree but X factor players aren't necessarily A graders


Higgins is one - if fit.

Don't agree with this - Higgins hasn't got it.


Grant, Stringer, Hunter and Macrae

Grant I agree with, probably along with Dahl have got that X Factor.

[Go_Dogs]

Stringer, Hunter and JJ are the ones for mine moving forwards.

Stringer can do the amazing and impact the scoreboard.

Hunter is very smart, skillful and has a big leap on him which we've seen glimpses of.

JJ is best poised to be our line breaking, goal kicking defender who can change a game with 20 disposals.

[Twodogs]

Amongst the younger players I would have Jake Stringer at the head of the list when it comes to X factor. We've already seen little flashes of his game changing ability in the game against Geelong when he took the game on and kicked those 3 goals.

As he gets bigger and stronger, his ability to hurt the opposition on the scoreboard will be invaluable to us.

[Greystache]

Echoing the thoughts of others, I see it in Stringer and Hunter. Hopefully they'll both prove to be big game players, something we've badly lacked over a very very long period.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Stringer,
Macrae with his cleverness, efficiency and high possessions;
Grant no doubt;
Murphy if used not just off the back flank;
Higgins has got it, especially within snapping distance of goal;
Gia has it at times;
Bompetelli promises it with his incredible spread of skills;
Mr X has it, the tall we are yet to get.

[BulldogBelle]

If just around goals: Grant and Dahl. Higgins certainly had X-factor written all over him after the 08 prelim against Geelong. That was a long time ago. Grant and Dahl can score from ridiculous situations.

Dickson has an ability to turn a game quickly in my opinion, but that's mainly due to his finishing ability. I don't see how names like Macrae and Gia can be brought into this category at this stage.

[bulldogtragic]

Just watched a replay of the Carlton game. Jarrad Grant oozes 'X' factor, if he gets consistent kids will be putting no 1 on their jumpers.

[Happy Days]

Stringer. I can't wait for him going full Nathan Brown on an opposition cheer squad.

[Dry Rot]

I'm going out on a limb. If Fuller can adjust to AFL, then that booming left foot of his will be invaluable and amazing to watch.

[Maddog37]

Griff, Grant, Stringer and Cooney top shelf x factor.


Next rung down Dal, Hunter and Jones.

[Scorlibo]

Griff definitely can do some of those match turning things with his line breaking, but often he tries too much because there has not been enough support.


That's interesting, for a long time now I've thought that he doesn't take the game on enough. Probably the best tackle-breaker in the league and he operates more or less like a regular midfielder. Griff needs a bit more arrogance about his play for mine!

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[LostDoggy]

With a nickname like Spindleshanks we need look no further than J. Grant.

[bornadog]

That's interesting, for a long time now I've thought that he doesn't take the game on enough. Probably the best tackle-breaker in the league and he operates more or less like a regular midfielder. Griff needs a bit more arrogance about his play for mine!

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Monty was the X-Factor that day.

You have to understand what an X factor is before you nominate a player.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Monty was the X-Factor that day.

You have to understand what an X factor is before you nominate a player.

To me X factor is someone who does more than play his role, he does more than what is instructed, does more than the spectators expect and can turn a game doing the exceptional. Hence X factor is not a tireless performer, not a Scotty West or a Boyd. However it's more thann someone who can snap a goal like Gia did soccer style. It's someone who does those sort of things to significantly influence a game. It's not just about random freakish acts, rather it's also about the context of the game, influencing the tone of the game, inspiring the team, giving them belief that they can do the incredible.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

I often hear the media talking about players with that X factor.

Who on our list possesses the X factor and could change a few games for us in 2014?

When we talk about having an X factor, I immediately think of players like Daicos, Jesalenko,Blight and Gary Ablett, Snr. The closest we have at the moment, would be a Ryan Griffen. Cooney did have it before his troublesome knee injury. The other WB players being mentioned on this thread IMO ,are a long way off before being seriously considered as an X factor.

[stefoid]

My def of X-factor is the ability to 'create something out of nothing', usually by being hard to tackle, very clever, or freakishly skilled.

[ledge]

My def of X-factor is the ability to 'create something out of nothing', usually by being hard to tackle, very clever, or freakishly skilled.

Well if that wasn't Grant when he did the 360 spin goal or Gias and his kick from the Campbell palm down I don't know what is

[stefoid]

When we talk about having an X factor, I immediately think of players like Daicos, Jesalenko,Blight and Gary Ablett, Snr. The closest we have at the moment, would be a Ryan Griffen. Cooney did have it before his troublesome knee injury. The other WB players being mentioned on this thread IMO ,are a long way off before being seriously considered as an X factor.

I don't see Grif as having loads of x-factor. He wins a ton of ball, and when he manages to find space he uses it pretty well, but in those situations where you would expect his disposal to suffer in hurt factor due to pressure or whatever, it usually does.

Whereas Grant and Dal do have x-factor - grant due to skills and cleverness and dal due to an insane ability to scrabble a ground ball and bounce up and get away a useful disposal.

Thats doesn't mean that they are better players by any means.

Murph, Grant, Dal, maybe Stringer, maybe Hunter. We don't have too many.

[Scorlibo]

Monty was the X-Factor that day.

You have to understand what an X factor is before you nominate a player.

Are you saying that I don't? It's not a difficult thing to understand, BAD. The footage I showed of Griff was simply evidence of him not thinking twice about taking a risk and doing something very special as a result. He showed X factor in that play.

[bornadog]

Are you saying that I don't? It's not a difficult thing to understand, BAD. The footage I showed of Griff was simply evidence of him not thinking twice about taking a risk and doing something very special as a result. He showed X factor in that play.

Not at all, sorry was just making a general statement.

[LostDoggy]

Grant for sure, followed by Dahl, Murph & Cooney.

[Dazza]

Grant is the biggest x factor player on our list.

Can do the amazing around goal and is very creative with the ball in his hands.

That being said I dont think hes the type of guy to drag the team over the line.

[always right]

If you classify X-factor as being able to do something that normal players simply can't or don't do...then I reckon Murphy is our man. No-one else in our team has the ability to turn his player inside out, extricate himself from impossible situations, create space when there is none, burst away from a contest and finish his work with a penetrating pass to advantage or a sublime goal. And he does this regularly.

Grant does some magical things occasionally. Griffen is an elite player. Cooney does some amazing things but less often nowadays. Dahlhaus is a livewire.....however in our team and probably in the AFL, Murphy is unique.

[w3design]

If you classify X-factor as being able to do something that normal players simply can't or don't do...then I reckon Murphy is our man. No-one else in our team has the ability to turn his player inside out, extricate himself from impossible situations, create space when there is none, burst away from a contest and finish his work with a penetrating pass to advantage or a sublime goal. And he does this regularly.

Grant does some magical things occasionally. Griffen is an elite player. Cooney does some amazing things but less often nowadays. Dahlhaus is a livewire.....however in our team and probably in the AFL, Murphy is unique.

AR, you are probably closer than most, in my opinion. For mine, most of our guys mentioned have more of the 'W' factor, rather than 'X' factor. That is fine players, but just short of that 'X' ranking.

To me the players who really have 'it', are the ones who can just amble their way through most of the game, then turn the match on it's head in the space of a 10-15 minute burst of irresistible brilliance. These guys usually, but not always, are classified as champions of the game.
In the modern game I think of players like Stevie J. and Buddy, more than any of our players. It requires the ability to do the near impossible, and that not once in a season, IE Gia's ally-oop, but almost every week or second week at least.

The game has numerous champions at any given stage, but they don't of necessity have what I see as 'X' factor.

Looking back over my time watching the Dogs, the guys I would have said had 'it', would be EJ, Hawk, Templeton, and probably Chris Grant. We have had many other champions over the years, but did they have the 'X', I am not so certain.

Do we have anyone with it now ? Not for mine at present, but we just might have a few with the potential to achieve that, all be it in an embryonic form at present. Lets hope if they do, BMac can nurture it.

[LostDoggy]

Is it too soon to get a full back tatt of Stringer in full flight? :)

[jazzadogs]

Is it too soon to get a full back tatt of Stringer in full flight? :)
You haven't already??

[Twodogs]

To me the players who really have 'it', are the ones who can just amble their way through most of the game, then turn the match on it's head in the space of a 10-15 minute burst of irresistible brilliance. These guys usually, but not always, are classified as champions of the game.


I think what you hare describing is what Jack Dyer would call a god honest player. A real champion wouldn't amble.

Nick Rievoldt might be a shit bloke but he spends almost
the whole game running flat out. That's what makes him a champion.

[LostDoggy]

I think what you hare describing is what Jack Dyer would call a god honest player. A real champion wouldn't amble.

Nick Rievoldt might be a shit bloke but he spends almost
the whole game running flat out. That's what makes him a champion.

Yeah, you don't always see on TV that he has run 100 metres at a full sprint to receive. Of course, the umpires have never been able to see a dive and they're 20 metres away, so go figure…

[josie]

AR, you are probably closer than most, in my opinion. For mine, most of our guys mentioned have more of the 'W' factor, rather than 'X' factor. That is fine players, but just short of that 'X' ranking.

To me the players who really have 'it', are the ones who can just amble their way through most of the game, then turn the match on it's head in the space of a 10-15 minute burst of irresistible brilliance. These guys usually, but not always, are classified as champions of the game.
In the modern game I think of players like Stevie J. and Buddy, more than any of our players. It requires the ability to do the near impossible, and that not once in a season, IE Gia's ally-oop, but almost every week or second week at least.

The game has numerous champions at any given stage, but they don't of necessity have what I see as 'X' factor.

Looking back over my time watching the Dogs, the guys I would have said had 'it', would be EJ, Hawk, Templeton, and probably Chris Grant. We have had many other champions over the years, but did they have the 'X', I am not so certain.

Do we have anyone with it now ? Not for mine at present, but we just might have a few with the potential to achieve that, all be it in an embryonic form at present. Lets hope if they do, BMac can nurture it.

Agree with you paulv.

"X factor" means that dogs fan's get really, really excited about every time they get close to the ball. "X factors" usually do something special almost every week and can turn a game almost single handedly.

Last players like that for Dogs I think were possibly Cooney in his prime, definitely C.Grant and maybe Johnno sometimes.

Murphy and Griffen are closest we have to X factors at present (and Cooney was prior to injuries). Grant shows a bit of "X factor" but not enough yet.

If I was to take a punt on whom from our pups might become "X factors" it would be Hunter and Stringer. Would be lovely to add Bontempelli if he gets a few senior's games and shows something special in 2014.

[w3design]

Agree with you paulv.

"X factor" means that dogs fan's get really, really excited about every time they get close to the ball. "X factors" usually do something special almost every week and can turn a game almost single handedly.

Last players like that for Dogs I think were possibly Cooney in his prime, definitely C.Grant and maybe Johnno sometimes.

Murphy and Griffen are closest we have to X factors at present (and Cooney was prior to injuries). Grant shows a bit of "X factor" but not enough yet.

If I was to take a punt on whom from our pups might become "X factors" it would be Hunter and Stringer. Would be lovely to add Bontempelli if he gets a few senior's games and shows something special in 2014.

If I were to pick anyone from the present Dog's line up who hints at 'X' in an embryonic form, I agree with you Josie, it would be Hunter then Stringer. I suspect both have some of the innate self belief that is an absolute essential for a player with the 'X'. they both would still have a long journey before they get there though.
Griffen and Murph are both club champions and champion players, but do they have IT ? Hmmmm, hints of, but not quite for mine. Not that that makes them in any way lesser players.
Had Coons not suffered that knee damage, he gave hints there was some 'X' there waiting it's chance to emerge. Had he progressed unrestricted from his Browlow season, I think the personality characteristics that seem to be a prerequisite for fully developed 'X' were there.

I think those few guys who have true 'X' factor believe they could walk on water given half a chance. You need that self confidence to not just believe you can do the impossible, but the pizazz to have a crack whenever the opportunity presents itself.

[Ghost Dog]

Murph is an X factor player for me. He hasn't had the chance to prove it, playing down back so much. Paul Roos said once he felt totally at ease when we played him down back. The only time he got nervous was when we moved him forward.