Premature Celebration for Our New Rising Star (Hanners re-signs for 3 years)

[liz]

Maybe I over rate him but whenever anyone talks of best midfielders over this time Robert Harvey always gets left out. I loved the way this bloke performed over a long period of time. Maybe he wasn't always as eye catching as some of the others but he was pretty consistent over a long period.

Agree, Harvey belongs on that list, probably closer to the "Voss, Hird, Buckley" trio than to the "Riccuito, Black" pair.

[Jewels]

Just had a little look see on Centrebet at what the bookies thought of Hanners, he's at lower odds to win it then Swann is to win the Brownlow or Pies to win the comp!!!!!

[UglyDuckling]

Agree, Harvey belongs on that list, probably closer to the "Voss, Hird, Buckley" trio than to the "Riccuito, Black" pair.

mcleod would have to fit in there somewhere, he was an absolute jet for a long time, 5 time aa, runner up in brownlow and dual norm smith

[UglyDuckling]

Just had a little look see on Centrebet at what the bookies thought of Hanners, he's at lower odds to win it then Swann is to win the Brownlow or Pies to win the comp!!!!!

wow he is paying 1.22 that is ridiculous

[giant]

Rockliffe certainly has racked up impressively consistent possession counts. For anyone who has watched a bit of Brisbane this year, can you enlighten me about where / how Rockliffe tends to get his disposals and how he uses the ball? I have to confess I tend to discount first year Brisbane midfielders who get huge possession counts because the Lions seem to turn out one every season who rarely goes on to be much. It is almost as if they give one youngster with impressive endurance the green light to go possession hunting without necessarily playing a key role in the team and rarely using the ball with any purpose, nous or skill. That could be grossly unfair on Rockliffe (as I've not watched him much) but I am thinking of the likes of Scott Harding from 4 or 5 years ago (who after his first year never really estalbished himself as more than a fringe player and is no longer there), then Cheynee Stiller the next season (who is still at the Lions but as a fringe player) and most recently Brad Dalziell, who is now struggling to get a game in arguably the worst midfield in the competition. Lions fans have routinely lauded these players as superstars in the making for a year or so, before turning on them as ineffective cloggers.

Has Rockliffe already shown himself to have far more substance than those who have gone before him? I know enough about him to know he was acclaimed as having a great footy brain at U18 level (but slow and with limited endurance) and I do recall him ripping it up one year in the TAC Cup final.

The first three possessions I saw Rockliffe get in an early game he completely butchered so I was a little skeptical. BUt he's been better than that, plays smart effective footy in a side that's really struggled and unlike a Rich probably has plenty of upside (tho he's not likely to get any quicker).

The thing about the RS is that the panel doesn't have to rely on stats or on match by match performances - they can take a holistic view if you like. So I suspect the panel is looking for, first, a kid that has had a really big impact and secondly a kid who is likely in the future to enhance the reputation of the award itself. On that basis, despite a good year, I think Scully and Dan are more likely to win than Rockliffe (and why, rightly or wrongly, Martin probably would have won if eligible). My totally biased vote is for Dan but it wouldn't surprise if there was a validation of the Melbourne renaissance by giving the trophy to Scully (who is a tremendous young footballer).

[alison.z]

wow he is paying 1.22 that is ridiculous

I put $20 on him at $11

[liz]

The thing about the RS is that the panel doesn't have to rely on stats or on match by match performances - they can take a holistic view if you like. So I suspect the panel is looking for, first, a kid that has had a really big impact and secondly a kid who is likely in the future to enhance the reputation of the award itself.

I think that is very pertinent. The panel will want to be confident that the winner will become a very very good player, even if it is at the expense of another who might become a better player but around whom there is more risk.

Either way, each year there will be half a dozen players who would be worthy winners. (Just as in most years there will be a handful of players who would be worthy Brownlow medallists.)

[ScottH]

I put $20 on him at $11

Nice pick, Alison.
Let me know where the free drinks are!!

[hammo]

We did take him a year early to be fair.

This kid is amazing and I cannot believe he fell to pick 30 in the 2008 draft. The weagles took Tom Swift at pick 20. lolololololol

The club should definitely be commended for taking him a year early.

Had he entered last year's draft he'd almost certainly be at Melbourne as he would have been a top 3 pick.

[Primmy]

I am also predicting he will take up something at the Best and Fairest, and that the speech will take approximately 28 minutes to complete.