Picken, AA?

[lemmon]

Could Picken be a smokey for All Australian this year? They normally have a tagger among the mids and he just hasen't been beaten this year. Not to mention he has been able to find a bit of his own ball and kick a few goals. No doubt this is a bit premature but I feel a man crush comin on with young Picken.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I think it is way too early, but if he maintains this form, he would come into consideration.
I too am really developing a a real liking for the fella. He just exemplifies heart, soul and total commitment.

[AndrewP6]

Too early for that... but he is a good one alright... runs hard, tackles, good decision making... like him a lot.

[Jasper]

Could Picken be a smokey for All Australian this year? They normally have a tagger among the mids and he just hasen't been beaten this year. Not to mention he has been able to find a bit of his own ball and kick a few goals. No doubt this is a bit premature but I feel a man crush comin on with young Picken.

Does it really matter ? I'm just happy enough with the fact that he is improving from when he first got into the side. He's gone from almost strictly tagger to a good play maker.
He's capable of kicking a goal as well.

[LostDoggy]

Another great game tonight, gave pearce a bath and then got a lot of his own ball again this week. He's an absolute gem.

[Remi Moses]

The lengths this guy went to get a gig at AFL level is inspirational

[dog town]

He is going along well but not even close to AA. He is doing a job that every team has someone doing and some of them have been doing it at Picken's level for a long, long time.

Players in contention for us would probably be Lake, Hargrave, Morris, Cooney, Boyd and maybe even Cross or Aker depending on whether they have a purple patch for the rest of the season.

Lake- Will be a big chance for a KP back spot. Has done it for a few years in a row which generally makes a difference.

Hargrave- IMO just about the most underrated player in football at the moment. Beats a variety of opponents convincingly and causes havoc the other way. Hard to imagine many defenders having a better season. Probably wont get picked because he has such a low profile but is well and truly worthy.

Morris- Well respected and will be looked at every year for the rest of his career.

Cooney- Slow start due to injuries but if we go well as a team for the rest of the year he will be right up there again.

Boyd- Getting some recognition now as our engine room.

Aker- If he gets 4 or 5 more big games under his belt and we finish top 4 then again I think he will be strongly looked at.

Cross- Maybe hasn't been as good this season but he has a lot of admirers among the panel. If he continues his form of the last 3 weeks and we surge home then he may sneak in.

So much depends on the teams fortunes. Fringe players will get in based on where we finish IMO.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Hargrave- IMO just about the most underrated player in football at the moment. Beats a variety of opponents convincingly and causes havoc the other way. Hard to imagine many defenders having a better season. Probably wont get picked because he has such a low profile but is well and truly worthy.



With all due respect to Morris, I though Shaggy should have got it last year rather than Dale.

[Desipura]

Shaggy has not had as much success playing on the last line of defence that Morris has.

[Mantis]

With all due respect to Morris, I though Shaggy should have got it last year rather than Dale.

I think Morris got the nod as it was seen that he had had a number of very consistent years rather than one excellent season.

[aker39]

I think Morris got the nod as it was seen that he had had a number of very consistent years rather than one excellent season.

Which is the biggest load of crap. (That reasoning, not your post;))

AA is, or at least should be, about the best players of THAT year. Simple as that

[Sockeye Salmon]

Which is the biggest load of crap. (That reasoning, not your post;))

AA is, or at least should be, about the best players of THAT year. Simple as that

Absolutely, it should be, but we all know what Cain said is true.

In 1995 Michael Sexton was clearly the best CHB in the comp and was a major reason why Carlton won the flag.

In 1996 Chris Grant moved to CHB and came within one Steve Kretiuk kick of winning the Brownlow in just about the most dominate year I've ever seen from a CHB. Sexton got the AA nod because he had been playing CHB at a high standard for longer.

Grant was far, far better than Sexton that year and should have been AA.

[Mantis]

Absolutely, it should be, but we all know what Cain said is true.

In 1995 Michael Sexton was clearly the best CHB in the comp and was a major reason why Carlton won the flag.

In 1996 Chris Grant moved to CHB and came within one Steve Kretiuk kick of winning the Brownlow in just about the most dominate year I've ever seen from a CHB. Sexton got the AA nod because he had been playing CHB at a high standard for longer.

Grant was far, far better than Sexton that year and should have been AA.

Going back just a few seasons Lindsay Gilbee was also far better the season before he received his AA selection.

[The Underdog]

While I agree that that's how the reasoning for the AA works (multiple good years rather than just one) I also get the feeling this year's AA team is going to be chock full of Saints.

Picken hasn't had an AA quality year but he has been a revelation for our team filling a gap that was definitely a problem and has added an offensive side recently as his confidence has built.

[aker39]

Picken hasn't had an AA quality year

No he hasn't, but I would say he is the best 1st year playing going around.

[Mantis]

While I agree that that's how the reasoning for the AA works (multiple good years rather than just one) I also get the feeling this year's AA team is going to be chock full of Saints.

Picken hasn't had an AA quality year but he has been a revelation for our team filling a gap that was definitely a problem and has added an offensive side recently as his confidence has built.

Me too.

Dal Santo, Montagna, Riewoldt, Hayes, Goddard & Gilbert are all having bumper years and would all be around the mark at present.

But if you had a look at the middle pages of Saturday's Herald Sun you would have seen an article that had 5 Collingwood players in line for AA selection (Davis, Swan, O'Brien, Presti & Pendlebury)... I guess that article would have meant they sold an extra 10.000 copies, not the Collingwood supporters can read, but there was some nice photo's for them to look at.;)

At present we probably don't have anyone in line for an AA berth which isn't a bad thing. Shows just how even we are.

[The Underdog]

No he hasn't, but I would say he is the best 1st year playing going around.

Completely agree and I think he's going to get better.


Me too.

Dal Santo, Montagna, Riewoldt, Hayes, Goddard & Gilbert are all having bumper years and would all be around the mark at present.

But if you had a look at the middle pages of Saturday's Herald Sun you would have seen an article that had 5 Collingwood players in line for AA selection (Davis, Swan, O'Brien, Presti & Pendlebury)... I guess that article would have meant they sold an extra 10.000 copies, not the Collingwood supporters can read, but there was some nice photo's for them to look at.;)

At present we probably don't have anyone in line for an AA berth which isn't a bad thing. Shows just how even we are.

That article was a hoax from "The Collingwood Newsletter".

You'd think Dal Santo and Riewoldt are pretty much there already and Geelong will have a reasonable number of reps again.
Agree we'll struggle to get more than one or two, Boyd and Aker are probably closest at the moment.

[Mantis]

You'd think Dal Santo and Riewoldt are pretty much there already and Geelong will have a reasonable number of reps again.
Agree we'll struggle to get more than one or two, Boyd and Aker are probably closest at the moment.

I would think Montagna would have to fall well off the pace not to make it as well.

[bornadog]

AA, not sure they will pick him, he isnot fashionable enough.

[Topdog]

He has no chance this year. Even though AA is supposed to be a year by year thing they never pick rookies. Morris was arguably in better form and had less "opponents" in his first good year and he didn't get picked.

[Rocco Jones]

With all due respect to Morris, I though Shaggy should have got it last year rather than Dale.

I am a massive fan of Shaggy, actually think he is the most underrated player in the comp but I wouldn't have had him as AA last year. Shaggy's first half of the season was wasn't fantastic. It really picked up from the game he played on Milne. He had a fantastic 2nd half of the season.

I definitely would have Shaggy in the 2008/2009 Financial Year All-Australian team.

[Rocco Jones]

Oh and no way Picken should be AA this year, even if you take out all the apprenticeship stuff. Most clubs have a Picken type stopper who their fans love and think is the best stopper going around. Taggers don't get much love outside of their clubs.

On AA talk, I lose heaps of respect for the AA team when players get in because they play for a gun side. No disrespect to a guy like Joel Corey, but he has been AA in the last two years. No way would that of happened even if played for anyone but Geelong.

[Happy Days]

To date, I was thinking something like this;

B: Montagna, Scarlett, Gilbert
HB: Goddard, Morris, Drummond
C: Rioli, Swan, J. Selwood
HF: S. Johnson, N. Riewoldt, Porplyzia
F: Chapman, Fevola, J. Brown
Foll: Cox, Judd, Ablett

I/C: Hayes, Mitchell, Dal Santo, Boyd

Of course, some of these players won't front up at the end of the year due to injury, but if the team were to be picked today, it should look like that.

[LostDoggy]

Nice work Happy Days..

Wouldn't have Fev in the AA though. He's only played two good games this year. Aker would be miles ahead, surely. J.Brown in FF, Aker in a pocket.

Porpoise and Swan would also be interchangeable with Leon Davis and Brad Sewell respectively, and Boydy and Hayes would be ahead of Swan as well, in my opinion!

[hujsh]

I didn't think Porps was playing that well this year.

Rioli go forward Montagna to go to the wing and Bolton or someone to go to CHB with Morris in a pocket

[Happy Days]

Nice work Happy Days..

Wouldn't have Fev in the AA though. He's only played two good games this year. Aker would be miles ahead, surely. J.Brown in FF, Aker in a pocket.

Porpoise and Swan would also be interchangeable with Leon Davis and Brad Sewell respectively, and Boydy and Hayes would be ahead of Swan as well, in my opinion!

I thought this originally, but then I looked at the Coleman to see Fev out in front, which is all you can ask from a full forward.

Davis very stiff to miss, but Chapman has been far better. As far as Sewell goes, I just don't think he's deserving this yes. Swan has been very good.

[LostDoggy]

Just watching the Richmond game again, I cannot believe the way Pickers has destroyed his opponent the last 2 games. Pearce and Deledio are fairly accomplished players but he has left them in his wake and kicked goals on top. So funny Terry putting Delidio down back.

[Mantis]

To date, I was thinking something like this;

B: Montagna, Scarlett, Gilbert
HB: Goddard, Morris, Drummond
C: Rioli, Swan, J. Selwood
HF: S. Johnson, N. Riewoldt, Porplyzia
F: Chapman, Fevola, J. Brown
Foll: Cox, Judd, Ablett

I/C: Hayes, Mitchell, Dal Santo, Boyd

Of course, some of these players won't front up at the end of the year due to injury, but if the team were to be picked today, it should look like that.

Montagna - Never, ever plays in a BP. Move him to the wing and level Cyril out. Can't believe you had him (Rioli) in there to start with.

Morris isn't a CHB.

Porplyzia is averaging just 13.5 possessions per games. Leon Davis or Akermanis are well in front of him so far.

Fevola is just travelling and in any case Riewoldt is play out of the square this year so should be starting FF.

Too many mids on the bench, Sam Mitchell is probably the one to drop out.

[Born & Bred]

Think Picken would prefer a premiership medallion. No doubt he has been brillant so far but we are only at the half way mark.

[Happy Days]

Montagna - Never, ever plays in a BP. Move him to the wing and level Cyril out. Can't believe you had him (Rioli) in there to start with.

Morris isn't a CHB.

Porplyzia is averaging just 13.5 possessions per games. Leon Davis or Akermanis are well in front of him so far.

Fevola is just travelling and in any case Riewoldt is play out of the square this year so should be starting FF.

Too many mids on the bench, Sam Mitchell is probably the one to drop out.

Apart from Davis and Aker, any alternates?

I'll cop 75% though :)

[LostDoggy]

I cant remember seeing him miss a shot for goal yet either.

[Mantis]

Apart from Davis and Aker, any alternates?

I'll cop 75% though :)

You did a pretty good job overall.

Quite a few of our small/ medium forwards (Johnson, Aker, Higgins & Gia - the top 4 goal assist players in the comp) would be well in front of Porplyzia in terms of season output. I'm sure there are a few from other teams who are going ok, but at present I think Neon Leon would be in the team. I can't stand him, but he is having a very good year.

[Sockeye Salmon]

My AA is little different to most. This is a 2009 AA and I don't care how good a player was last year.



B: Ryan Hargrave, Matthew Scarlett, Brian Lake.
HB: Josh Drummond, Nathan Bock, Brendon Goddard.
C: Leigh Montagna, Chris Judd, Adam Goodes.
HF: Leon Davis, Nick Riewoldt, Steve Johnson.
F: Mark LeCras, Jonathon Brown, John Anthony.
R: Darren Jolly, Nick Del Santo, Gary Ablett.
I: Pat Ryder, Matthew Boyd, Lenny Hayes, Aaron Davey.

E: Dane Swan, Jarod Brennan, Brad Sewell.

[KT31]

My AA is little different to most. This is a 2009 AA and I don't care how good a player was last year.



B: Ryan Hargrave, Matthew Scarlett, Brian Lake.
HB: Josh Drummond, Nathan Bock, Brendon Goddard.
C: Leigh Montagna, Chris Judd, Adam Goodes.
HF: Leon Davis, Nick Riewoldt, Steve Johnson.
F: Mark LeCras, Jonathon Brown, John Anthony.
R: Darren Jolly, Nick Del Santo, Gary Ablett.
I: Pat Ryder, Matthew Boyd, Lenny Hayes, Aaron Davey.

E: Dane Swan, Jarod Brennan, Brad Sewell.

No Cross ??

[GVGjr]

My AA is little different to most. This is a 2009 AA and I don't care how good a player was last year.



B: Ryan Hargrave, Matthew Scarlett, Brian Lake.
HB: Josh Drummond, Nathan Bock, Brendon Goddard.
C: Leigh Montagna, Chris Judd, Adam Goodes.
HF: Leon Davis, Nick Riewoldt, Steve Johnson.
F: Mark LeCras, Jonathon Brown, John Anthony.
R: Darren Jolly, Nick Del Santo, Gary Ablett.
I: Pat Ryder, Matthew Boyd, Lenny Hayes, Aaron Davey.

E: Dane Swan, Jarod Brennan, Brad Sewell.

I'm not sure that I could come up with a better side mind you but John Anthony seems out of place.

[hujsh]

I'm not sure that I could come up with a better side mind you but John Anthony seems out of place.

I thought the same thing but looking at his goals in each game he's done surprisingly well recently

[Sockeye Salmon]

I thought Mark LeCras would be the one people jumped on. It was him or Eddie Betts.

[Topdog]

Lecras has been very very good this year. I wouldn't have Anthony either. Think he'd get lost with JB and Riewoldt in the same fwd line.

[Go_Dogs]

Lecras has been very very good this year. I wouldn't have Anthony either. Think he'd get lost with JB and Riewoldt in the same fwd line.

I'd have Akermanis ahead of Anthony and LeCras. Perhaps I'm a little biased though.

[Scorlibo]

Locks

Forwards - Riewoldt, Johnson, Chapman, Davis.
Midfielders - Ablett, Dal Santo, Montagna, Judd, Pendlebury.
Defenders - Scarlett, Drummond, Goddard.
Ruckmen - Cox.

Maybes

Forwards - Brown, Fevola, Pavlich, Rioli, Franklin, Roughead, Tredrea, Morton, Le Cras, Akermanis, Higgins.
Midfielders - Murphy, Swan, Selwood, Sewell, Sylvia, Hayes, Goodes, Boyd.
Defenders - Bock, Bower, Tarrant, Duffield, Newman, Gilbert, Fisher, Lake.'
Ruckmen - McIntosh, Sandilands, Jolly, Ryder.

There's my take on the AA chances, for this side:

B - Drummond - Scarlett - Gilbert
HB - Duffield - Lake - Goddard
C - Montagna - Ablett - Dal Santo
HF - Chapman - Riewoldt - Davis
F - S.Johnson - Brown - Goodes
Foll - Cox - Judd - Pendlebury
I - Newman - Selwood - McIntosh - Higgins

[The Underdog]

No Cross ??

Cross is nowhere near AA this year. His start to the year was pretty poor imo.
I don't think he'd get into the AA 2nds.

[The Coon Dog]

Cross is nowhere near AA this year. His start to the year was pretty poor imo.
I don't think he'd get into the AA 2nds.

I think you missed KT's subtle query about Sockeye's lovechild (he even named his son Daniel).;)

[The Underdog]

I think you missed KT's subtle query about Sockeye's lovechild (he even named his son Daniel).;)

Sorry, subtelty's not my forte, nor looks or charm

[Jasper]

Is it just me or according to the so called experts we will have not 1 player in the AA Team this year. I have notice most commentators that have done AA Teams do not have any doggies players

[The Coon Dog]

Is it just me or according to the so called experts we will have not 1 player in the AA Team this year. I have notice most commentators that have done AA Teams do not have any doggies players

I noticed that too, but its hard to disagree with them.

[Scorlibo]

I noticed that too, but its hard to disagree with them.

I think Higgins deserves a spot in the forwardline, last I checked he was number one for average goal/score assists. Gets over 20 touches a game, kicks plenty of goals and is silky. I think he has been better than Rioli or Le Cras and other talked of small forwards.

[Sockeye Salmon]

There hasn't been a better shutdown small defender than Ryan Hargrave.

Goddard and Drummond play the distributor role that Gilbee/Harbrow play but Hargrave, despite getting plenty of it and using it well, very rarely gets burnt by a small forward.

I can't think of one who has been better this year.

I think Lake would be in the mix as a tall defender as well, but I could understand Scarlett, Gilbert and Bock getting the gig.

I'm happy we are too much of a team to get All-Australians.

[LostDoggy]

The only bloke in our team that is in contention based on the year [so far], is Matthew Boyd. And even then, he might only get a bench spot in the AA team, because the midfield will doubtlessly be littered with Geelong and St. Kilda players. I'm not fussed about this in the slightest though. AA accolades whilst being nice, are more often than not about individuals and what they've done - and not the team.