Anyone game to predict the top 10 of this year's B&F? It is always a tad tricky as an outsider because the coaches rate on things different to spectators, and knowing how much tougher Goodsey's benchmark will be than every other player each season is always a challenge.
Bearing in mind that the voting system rewards players who have played the majority, if not all, games, here is my attempt.
1 Ted Richards - has barely put a foot wrong
2 Adam Goodes -even his quietish patch mid-season was at a level most players can only dream of
3 Rhyce Shaw - I know many fans wring their hands at his disposal sometimes, but his defensive roles for the first two thirds of the season were great, and his drive and energy was a major factor in the late season surge
4 Josh Kennedy - steady improvement on last seaon and will come home again with a wet sail after his finals performances. Might get marked a little harder than last year because the expectations would have been higher but could force his way into the top 3 again
5 Ryan O'Keefe - a work horse in the midfield and several match winning performances, both early and late in the season. Did have a few quiet games, and when he did, the Swans normally got beaten.
6 Nick Smith - Mr Dependable in the backline. Closed down some top quiality opponents and didn't often get truly beaten
7 Shane Mumford - Fantastic second half of the year. Could finish considerable higher if the coaches take account of his interrupted pre-season and sore knee for his "just OK" first half of the year. A few missed games will hurt.
8 Dan Hannebery - a slowish start to the year but was great once he got going. Definitely built on last year, and played well even when the rest of the midfield didn't.
9Jude Bolton - another more than solid season from the warhorse, with terrific games at the start of the year before slowing down a bit. His contributions in the forward line should be rewarded.
10 Benny McGlynn- some great midfield tagging roles in the last month sit alongside his forward line efforts for the first half of the season. Did have a quiet patch in June / July.
The bottom couple spots are pretty hard to pick. Mattner had a solid year. Macca played several excellent games and the coaches may well rate his quieter ones higher than I have. Reid's efforts to hold down CHF at his age were fantastic. Will the coaches judge him according to his age, or will they mark him so as to "keep a lid on it"?
No place in this year's top 10 for the reigning BS medallist. He missed too many games and, the Dogs game apart, struggling to rekindle his mojo when he did return. Hopefully an injury free pre-season will help him recapture his form for next year. Jack is one reason why the team can improve in 2012. We know he has the ability.
Unlike the AFL award, the Swans don't have to pick an outright "Rising Star" and they have awarded it jointly in some past seasons. I suspect they will do the same again and recognise both Reid and Johnson.
I am finding it hard to nominate anyone as "most improved" having awarded the big gong to Big Ted. If he gets pipped for the BS medal, I can see him getting "most improved" instead.
I can definitely see JPK going back to back for the PR medal for "best finals player". A solid performer in week 1 and a standout in week 2. Shaw is probably his main challenger.
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