The guy is a superstar. Don't care whether anyone considers him elite or not.
His set shots this season have been magnificent. He almost never misses. And his courage... my god his courage. And football smarts. Premiership player at 19 years old. Consistent performer.
I can't believe we got him with such a low draft pick. It just goes to show that first round draft picks mean stuff-all in the grand scheme of things. He won all of his clubs best and fairests at a junior level from 8 years old up or something ridiculous like that and nobody seemed to notice.
It's only starting to click in the southern states how good this guy is due to all the Friday night matches we've played this season. They have no excuses for not getting this guy (Including their lame cola excuse), so they'd be absolutely spewing.
Just about favourite moment of the game on the weekend was in the last quarter when the commentators had been giving the Man Child a wrap and soon enough there was a loose ball behind the centre of wing, closest to camera, and two Weagles converge on it. Surging in comes the Man Child, he projects himself into the contest in the middle of the two, they go tumbling like ten pins, and away he heads forward with the ball.
Not a blink from the Man Child, flailing around on the ground from the Weagles. Gold!
'Delicious' is a fun word to say
Anyone with an astute eye that hadn't seen him in junior footy, knew pretty much as soon as he had his first few games for the club, just how good he would be. He has come on in leaps and bounds in the last 18 months, but he is really turning into our latest lean mean, man child midfield machine.
He is up there with my favourite players to watch because of the way he goes about his footy - superb courage, hard as nails and gets in and dirty when he needs to. Reminds me so much of Jude, but with an upgrade in terms of his ability in front of goal. Jude Mach II he most certainly is!
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That piece of play sums up just what makes Parker such a good player. He will do that many a time over his career for us, and I have no doubt that when called upon, will do it on the biggest matches as well.
"You get the feeling that like Monty Python's Black Knight, the Swans would regard amputation as merely a flesh wound."
His ability over head and single handed leaves Jude behind as well.
The reality is that he and hanners make perfect foils for each other. hanners is very very good on the outside and reasonable on the inside and courageous as all hell. Parker is very very good on the inside, reasonable on the outside in the air and tackling, although he lacks leg speed - like mitchell and kirky and a few others and courageous as all hell.
It makes me incredibly proud to have a team where i can look at kids less than half my age, and who are in truth closer to my son's age than mine and still be able to cheer them on without embarassment
I used to think Parker was slow as well, but this year he's added a lot of quickness to his first few steps, which is what really counts for an inside player. I wouldn't call him a slow player any more. In fact, in the contest he's become cat-like, a bit like KJ, which is something for such a big guy.
Hanners and Parker are both excellent either inside or outside and both are very good marks, but Parker is a better user of the ball and kick for goal.
Parker is a better kick for goal without doubt but Hanners field kicking just about edges him out...some of his use by foot in the 2012 grand final was precision. It's hard to judge though because Hanners generally has more space on the outside when he gets it...and there's something about left footers, they just look better!
hopefully we look back in 2 seasons and say to ourselves 2014 season was the start of Parker becoming an Elite inside midfielder of the competition !!
Just like 2009/10 was for Pendles
Just like 2012 was for Kennedy
Just like 2013 was for Jack and Hannes
But either way i have not dropped the scent and i am willing and able to continue the hunt
"be tough, only when it gets tough"
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