The All-Un-Australian Team 2020

[waiting]

Get ready for the dribble on Fridey night.
Someone should have the balls to call out 'Arrr Shut Up' as soon as he mentions any numbers.

Keep saying it.
Hope so Zips.

Just a sad day today.
Wish footy was on tonight.
According to Tom Browne Lynch is having an important training session today to play against the Lions.

AA side would get pantsed by our side.
Dusty = just picked him because of the uproar last year. Think Dusty couldn’t care less and I too wish he wasn’t in either.

I’ve included a few hits & stuff in this reply. See what I did...

 

[TrialByVideo]

The All Australian team should be the team you'd pick to win a Grand Final. Too much emphasis on stats.

The very fact that Champion Data are in the room, or I imagine this year zooming in when they meet, sums it up IMO.

 

[Bernie]

Jeez thats an ordinary side.

The significant point about the AA side is that it never gets to play a match.

I will take the Tigers as winners any day, particularly at the GF.

Then see the calibre of the Tigers begrudgingly acknowledged and the deserved plaudits flow.

Winners are grinners. And winners don’t need a new sports jacket to make their mark on history.

 

[Coburgtiger]

Both the all stars and the big v sides selected at the start of this year were better than the all Australian side.

They were picked by coaches.

 

[zippadeee]

Keep saying it.
Hope so Zips.

Just a sad day today.
Wish footy was on tonight.
According to Tom Browne Lynch is having an important training session today to play against the Lions.

AA side would get pantsed by our side.
Dusty = just picked him because of the uproar last year. Think Dusty couldn’t care less and I too wish he wasn’t in either.

I’ve included a few hits & stuff in this reply. See what I did...

*smile* the AA. Where in the business of Flags.
Fagan will be dizzy on Fridey night...

 

[angle ankle]

dangerfield reaction:
"not in my wildest dreams...."
same breath
"you dream about it...."

 

[tigerman]

Our defence is the 2nd lowest for points against (6 points off being the best), yet we can only get 1 player in the AA team, a deadset ******* joke.

 

[Ian4]

who is Darcy Byrne-Jones? And how does he make the team ahead of Vlastuin? I have never heard of him.

 

[kevbokev]

Bring back the 'Carnival'.

 

[TrialByVideo]

who is Darcy Byrne-Jones? And how does he make the team ahead of Vlastuin? I have never heard of him.

His parents didn't even rate him so they had to take half each!

 

[waiting]

How many games did Hocking & Gill watch?????

Sure they would have more pressing matters than AA .

Good on Cornes for bringing this up and non selection of Richmond players.

Stats smacks

 

[Number8]

I don't think I've ever been so underwhelmed by an AA side as this one.

To be clear: like most of you I don't really care much about the AA side, except for the fact it should give an accurate snapshot of who were the most influential players in each position for the year.

There are so many things to dislike but the main one is picking blokes out of position merely to find a spot for them. Examples are everywhere. Macrae on a wing is a horrible selection. Beveridge played him on the wing for about half a dozen matches when Hunter was out and he was ineffectual. That spot belongs to either Menegola or McCluggage.

Boak in the middle is farcical. Pendlebury is a victim of his own high standards and has had clearly a better season; so has Jack Steele. Plus, it's their rightful spot on match day. Boak to the bench as a depth midfielder. Petracca as ruck rover? Yeah, right. Bontempelli all day every day for that spot, and Petracca to a half forward flank.

The cult of Harris Andrews is really starting to get on my goat. Not much more than a stopper and not a patch on the more creative Weitering in my opinion.

The Byrne-Jones selection is just bizarre. I'd have Maynard, Vlastuin and Daniel ahead of him, easily. Luke Ryan over Grimes? LOLs.

Gawn as second ruck is ridiculous. He finished sixth in Melbourne's B&F. Blicavs is a more versatile option.

N8's 2020 AA team

B: Grimes, Weitering, Ridley
HB: Daniel, Moore, Vlastuin
C: McCluggage, Steele, Menegola
HF: Petracca, Dixon, Martin
F: Papley, Hawkins, Ryan
R: Naitanui, Bontempelli (c), Neale

I: Blicavs, Maynard, Boak, Pendlebury (vc)

Unlucky: Dangerfield (went missing in big games), Butler (not enough goals in the last month), Adams (disposal too messy), Sheppard (part of a fairly ordinary defence), Gaff (slow start to the season)

 

[Rancey18]

I don't think I've ever been so underwhelmed by an AA side as this one.

To be clear: like most of you I don't really care much about the AA side, except for the fact it should give an accurate snapshot of who were the most influential players in each position for the year.

There are so many things to dislike but the main one is picking blokes out of position merely to find a spot for them. Examples are everywhere. Macrae on a wing is a horrible selection. Beveridge played him on the wing for about half a dozen matches when Hunter was out and he was ineffectual. That spot belongs to either Menegola or McCluggage.

Boak in the middle is farcical. Pendlebury is a victim of his own high standards and has had clearly a better season; so has Jack Steele. Plus, it's their rightful spot on match day. Boak to the bench as a depth midfielder. Petracca as ruck rover? Yeah, right. Bontempelli all day every day for that spot, and Petracca to a half forward flank.

The cult of Harris Andrews is really starting to get on my goat. Not much more than a stopper and not a patch on the more creative Weitering in my opinion.

The Byrne-Jones selection is just bizarre. I'd have Maynard, Vlastuin and Daniel ahead of him, easily. Luke Ryan over Grimes? LOLs.

Gawn as second ruck is ridiculous. He finished sixth in Melbourne's B&F. Blicavs is a more versatile option.

N8's 2020 AA team

B: Grimes, Weitering, Ridley
HB: Daniel, Moore, Vlastuin
C: McCluggage, Steele, Menegola
HF: Petracca, Dixon, Martin
F: Papley, Hawkins, Ryan
R: Naitanui, Bontempelli (c), Neale

I: Blicavs, Maynard, Boak, Pendlebury (vc)

Unlucky: Dangerfield (went missing in big games), Butler (not enough goals in the last month), Adams (disposal too messy), Sheppard (part of a fairly ordinary defence), Gaff (slow start to the season)

That is a much better AA team. The only questionable ones in there are Ridley and Blicavs for mine, but on the whole this is infinitely better than the farce of a team that actually got selected.

 

[King Kong]

How many games did Hocking & Gill watch?????

Sure they would have more pressing matters than AA .

Good on Cornes for bringing this up and non selection of Richmond players.

Stats smacks

The only thing they saw Flossy do this year was give Marbs a helping hand. Likewise Grimes capital punishment from SHocking for getting pushed in the back by Stringer tells me everything I need to know about that campaigner. Neither stood a chance with these flogs running the show.

 

[Number8]

That is a much better AA team. The only questionable ones in there are Ridley and Blicavs for mine, but on the whole this is infinitely better than the farce of a team that actually got selected.

Ridley had a fantastic season but I agree that his selection could be questioned on a team balance argument. Is my defence too tall with him in it? I've banked on Grimes playing "small" and have Maynard as my seventh defender for run and carry. I wouldn't be unhappy swapping out Ridley for another small, such as Sheppard.

Blicavs is interesting. I just can't see any standout contender for a second ruck. Grundy was a packhorse this season and Gawn seemed to be much less effective than the past couple of years. I reckon you need a second ruck to kick goals or have another trick (eg Big Boy as a key defender) to make the AA side. You could certainly mount an argument that Blicavs isn't one of the 22 best players in 2020 but part of my beef with AA selections is you're picking a team, not the statistically best 22 players.

 

[Rancey18]

Ridley had a fantastic season but I agree that his selection could be questioned on a team balance argument. Is my defence too tall with him in it? I've banked on Grimes playing "small" and have Maynard as my seventh defender for run and carry. I wouldn't be unhappy swapping out Ridley for another small, such as Sheppard.

Blicavs is interesting. I just can't see any standout contender for a second ruck. Grundy was a packhorse this season and Gawn seemed to be much less effective than the past couple of years. I reckon you need a second ruck to kick goals or have another trick (eg Big Boy as a key defender) to make the AA side. You could certainly mount an argument that Blicavs isn't one of the 22 best players in 2020 but part of my beef with AA selections is you're picking a team, not the statistically best 22 players.

You arguments are very strong - so I can certainly be swayed there.

You have nailed my thoughts re Ridley. Also the fact it was his first full/decent season and so rightly or wrongly, generally they wouldnt be considered for AA selection (how many years did it take for Grimes to finally get his first).

Blicavs - look I definitely prefer him being in there over Gawn. In the event that a second ruck is needed then yes I guess he would be next in line (especially given Nic Nat struggles to play much more than 65% game time). I personally thought Goldstein was the second best ruckman this season so I wouldnt have been opposed to him being on the bench (not even sure if he made the squad though).

On the whole as I said though - I reckon you pretty much nailed it!

 

[Ridley]

How many games did Hocking & Gill watch?????

Sure they would have more pressing matters than AA .

Good on Cornes for bringing this up and non selection of Richmond players.

Stats smacks

Did Cornes actually say the team should have more Richmond players?

 

[MD Jazz]

How did Papley not get in there? Easily the best small forward in the game yet he is overlooked? They put mids in there instead? How many goals has Bont kicked? For those who say it doesn't matter I think you are wrong. This is meant to be the best team of the year. It should carry a certain amount of prestige and be something a player could look back on in his career as an achievement.
If its a body of work then surely the finals of prior years count? Aren't they the most important games of the year?
I feel bad for Vlas, he has been a star for a number of years and to have the likes of Daniel/Byrne-Jones/Ryan picked in front of him is an insult.
Jake Niall has nailed it.

 

[Number8]

Jake Niall has nailed it.

I thought Jake Niall's team was excellent and a touch better than Robbo's in the HS.

But both were infinitely superior to the confusing mishmash of the official team.

 

[waiting]

Did Cornes actually say the team should have more Richmond players?

Sure did Ridley.
Shocked - I know you are. I can hear it ( in your words ).