Rating our list 2021: Tim English 44

[Hotdog60]

Hi All,

During the off season I thought I would start our list rating again. I won't included the new recruits as there is nothing to go on and I'll leave out desisted and retired players as there is no point.

Like last time I'll count down from the highest number to the lowest but I thought the poll rating this time will go on a different tack and get Woofers thoughts on how they rank from Elite to Below Average.

[Hotdog60]

https://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL%20Tenant/AFL/Players/ChampIDImages/XLarge2022/1004592.png?i10c=img.resize(scale_height:0.504)

Has shown glimpses of the potential that has many saying he could be the next big ruck star in the competition, and will be searching to put the puzzle together in 2021. Enters the season with 47 games to his name, including 18 in 2020, and his performances varied greatly, though he finished eighth in the best and fairest. At his best, his ruck work was deft and his impact as an intercept marker was felt. Contracted until the end of 2022.

LINK (https://www.afl.com.au/stats/stats-pro#/Discover/CD_I1004592/English-Tim)

[Hotdog60]

Gary can you merge this poll I stuffed up and took too long to add the poll in

[Hotdog60]

I going to vote Average at this point in his career. As a ruck man he would be below average but he did show good signs at stages through out the year.
I wonder how much Naughton putting a knee in his ear upset his year.

[bornadog]

After being knocked out by his flat mate, English lost confidence. Before that he had a pretty good spell as an interceptor in the backline taking many marks and kicked a few goals in the first half of the season.

2022 will be a big year for him and needs to take the next step as a ruckman

[boydogs]

Below average but still young for a ruck

[jeemak]

I've put above average due to age and versatility. However, this next season is one he should start showing a lot more.

A grittier and more defencively minded midfield wouldn't expose him as much as he is sometimes, but honestly, his lack of dominance in the ruck in my view is used by our midfield to find a way (i.e. we have to set up to account for being dominated in the ruck) to get the game on their terms without actually being defencive anyway. We all saw in the GF that our midfield has a problem that needs to be rectified here, and I think that's independent of English or anyone else rucking.

I'm expecting a breakout year. Thanks for starting this thread again HD60!

[Bulldog Joe]

English is quite versatile for a player of his size, but he is easily bullied.

Unless he finds some aggression, I fear that his career is going to be an almost rather than what his athletic traits should provide as an elite.

[GVGjr]

A very important player for us, he was average this season but I hold high hopes that he will be above average for us in 2022.

I still haven't given up hope that he can become a good ruckman but the clock is now ticking and by the end of 2022 we should know if he can make it as a primary ruckman.

[Bulldog Joe]

A very important player for us, he was average this season but I hold high hopes that he will be above average for us in 2022.

I still haven't given up hope that he can become a good ruckman but the clock is now ticking and by the end of 2022 we should know if he can make it as a primary ruckman.

If he does bring the aggression that is required to be the primary ruck, we will be an exceptional team.

[Mantis]

If he does bring the aggression that is required to be the primary ruck, we will be an exceptional team.

How confident are you that he can bring the intensity needed to be super competitive and aggressive? For me I think it's unlikely as I feel it's something you either have or you don't.

[GVGjr]

How confident are you that he can bring the intensity needed to be super competitive and aggressive? For me I think it's unlikely as I feel it's something you either have or you don't.

Intensity can be taught to players where it may not come naturally. It's up to Tim to accept that challenge and to work out a way that make sure it doesn't slide.

[Bulldog Joe]

How confident are you that he can bring the intensity needed to be super competitive and aggressive? For me I think it's unlikely as I feel it's something you either have or you don't.

Unfortunately, I agree that it seems to be lacking in his make-up.

However, like everything in life, you can change a characteristic if you really want to do so.

[Go_Dogs]

He did his best work pre head knock, had shown good capability around the ground and most pleasingly a good knack for leading at the ball and marking inside F50.

I have him flagged as above average heading into 22 and he'll be a critical part of whether we climb the mountain again.

[Bullies]

He has only played 48 games.

He is ahead of both Gawn and Grundy at the same time in their careers in regards to stats. Needs to be given time which is the reason Martin has gone on again.

Lets judge him at the end of 2022 and see if there is any improvement. At his age when there is improvement it will come quite quickly. Another pre season on the weights.

Also don't underestimate the hit he copped last year was quite severe missing 6+ weeks.

[Mofra]

He's an average ruck or an above average forward/ruck
Given there's nobody else he's likely going to play mostly ruck next year

[Vred]

Never want to see him as number one ruck again, doesn't have the attitude / drive for it and frankly I doubt that's going to develop any time soon.

As a 3rd tall / 2nd ruck? Above average. I'd also say his intercept game is above average as well.

But, yeah, never want to see him doing number one ruck duties, I just don't think he has it in him.

[GVGjr]

Never want to see him as number one ruck again, doesn't have the attitude / drive for it and frankly I doubt that's going to develop any time soon.

As a 3rd tall / 2nd ruck? Above average. I'd also say his intercept game is above average as well.

But, yeah, never want to see him doing number one ruck duties, I just don't think he has it in him.

I get the sentiment Vred but surely he gets another season to prove his worth?
We need to find him some support out of Martin and Sweet but I don't think we can put a line through him as a number one ruck man.

[azabob]

He has only played 48 games.

He is ahead of both Gawn and Grundy at the same time in their careers in regards to stats. Needs to be given time which is the reason Martin has gone on again.

Lets judge him at the end of 2022 and see if there is any improvement. At his age when there is improvement it will come quite quickly. Another pre season on the weights.

Also don't underestimate the hit he copped last year was quite severe missing 6+ weeks.

He has actually played 69 games and is coming into his 6th season.

My concern is English is more Grundy than Gawn and the game seems to have passed Grundy by and is now suited to the more aggressive and competitive beasts.

[Vred]

I get the sentiment Vred but surely he gets another season to prove his worth?
We need to find him some support out of Martin and Sweet but I don't think we can put a line through him as a number one ruck man.

As Azabob said, we need a more Gawn type than Grundy, we really really need Sweet to come on this year, his number one job should be to win or half our center clearance work with the rest of the midfield and to completely nullify the opponents ruck.

Feels like we keep giving English ''one more year'' to prove himself, I'm pretty much done with it to be honest, if I could swap English for any of the half-decent rucks in the league I wouldn't think twice about it.

[GVGjr]

As Azabob said, we need a more Gawn type than Grundy, we really really need Sweet to come on this year, his number one job should be to win or half our center clearance work with the rest of the midfield and to completely nullify the opponents ruck.

Feels like we keep giving English ''one more year'' to prove himself, I'm pretty much done with it to be honest, if I could swap English for any of the half-decent rucks in the league I wouldn't think twice about it.

How many Gawn types in the league are there?

English was a late starter to football so was always going to take more time than most. Physically he also needed time to develop.
Given our ruck stocks I don't think we have any other option but to give him the balance of the season to prove his worth. He's out of contract this year, lets see if other clubs, especially the ones in the West, have any genuine interest.

[Bulldog4life]

How many Gawn types in the league are there?

English was a late starter to football so was always going to take more time than most. Physically he also needed time to develop.
Given our ruck stocks I don't think we have any other option but to give him the balance of the season to prove his worth. He's out of contract this year, lets see if other clubs, especially the ones in the West, have any genuine interest.

Tim was also a later starter to the ruck role too it kind of happened when he had that huge growth spurt. He is an important player for us whether around the ground or up forward. He is a keeper for mine.

[GVGjr]

Tim was also a later starter to the ruck role too it kind of happened when he had that huge growth spurt. He is an important player for us whether around the ground or up forward. He is a keeper for mine.
We also haven't done him a lot of favors by not having the right support around him but if you look at Marshall at the Saints they didn't hesitate to bring in Ryder to support him and now in case of a breaking glass Tom Campbell.

[ratsmac]

We also haven't done him a lot of favors by not having the right support around him but if you look at Marshall at the Saints they didn't hesitate to bring in Ryder to support him and now in case of a breaking glass Tom Campbell.

Spot on. We seem to run the gauntlet in the ruck every year. We saw dividends straight away when Martin was fit at the start of 2021 releasing English to play are more freed up role.

I voted average just because of his ruck work. He just lost too many ruck contests. He work around the ground is great and will definitely improve considering he isn't yet in his prime.

I think with Tim he's not an aggressive person by nature so for him to become an aggressive player is asking for something that is not natural for him. You would like to think the coaching department are trying everything they can to bring out his inner competitiveness. You can be competitive without being aggressive. If Tim can improve his ruck work in 2022 and at least break even in the contest could be the final piece of the midfield puzzle we need to go one better in 2022.