Saddington

[Young Blood]

I was really impressed with his game, especially considering it was it was his first game in a year.

My memories were dominated by him being outmarked by Tarrant or numerous other KP players. I'd forgotten what an effective link player he is. Even his haircut was reasonable. He's definitely in our best 18 - but he must never ever play FB again.

I hope with Jolly coming back in he can settle back onto a HBF, releasing Dempster and Tadgh to the wings.

[BonBon]

Yeah I was impressed too. At the start I thought, "Why the hell is he back in our team," But he got better and was doing some good deliveries. Well done Saddo.

[NMWBloods]

I thought he was very good at finding the ball and playing as the link man. Pity his disposal isn't better - too many floating helicopter punts. Still, I think he is a better link man than Mathews.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I thought he was very good at finding the ball and playing as the link man. Pity his disposal isn't better - too many floating helicopter punts. Still, I think he is a better link man than Mathews.

First game after a year off with a knee... if anything is going to be rusty, it'll be his kicking.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Charlie
First game after a year off with a knee... if anything is going to be rusty, it'll be his kicking.

Definitely, but his kicking as always been a bit floaty.

[redunderthebed]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I thought he was very good at finding the ball and playing as the link man. Pity his disposal isn't better - too many floating helicopter punts. Still, I think he is a better link man than Mathews.

Sometimes i wonder what game you and your mate Nico watch.Mathews was excellent last night and was critical to the victory .But, maybe you were still in the bar. Maybe you didn't bother to see the hard game he played on the 4 or 5 different opponents he was moved onto to shut them down.Maybe you didn't see the 18 constrtuctive possessions he had, maybe you reckon they were 'soft'.Maybe you think the match committee are total clowns to put him in the assistant capt. team and maybe you think he's high value to his team mates is because he hands out timtams at training.You wait all year to pick on him having an ordinary game (last week when he was probably underdone) and you continue your dopey assault all year.You have ten million postings a year so i suppose you can be excused for being occasionally off-track.

[Sean]

I was pretty impressed with Saddington. He's got pretty good skills but, as has been pointed out, his disposal was a bit erratic. Some kicks were excellent but there were a couple of shockers. Did more good things that bad though I thought.

On Mathews, I thought he went alright. I think much of the criticism of him over the last few years has been a bit unfair. He seems to read the ball well and gets his fair share, makes a few tackles, puts his head over the ball and so on. The main criticism I have is that he seems to get a bit of a nose bleed when he finds himself too far forward which is a problem for a midfielder.

He generally does his job. He's a good ordinary player and it would be nice to have someone better in his role but until we find that person he's OK.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by redunderthebed
.But, maybe you were still in the bar.

No bar in my house!

Maybe you didn't bother to see the hard game he played on the 4 or 5 different opponents he was moved onto to shut them down.

Nothing to do with being a link man.

Maybe you didn't see the 18 constrtuctive possessions he had, maybe you reckon they were 'soft'.

I noticed a lot of handballs to players standing still next to Bombers.

You wait all year to pick on him having an ordinary game (last week when he was probably underdone)

Now you're just being stupid. I don't particular favourites - I call the game as I see it.

and you continue your dopey assault all year.You have ten million postings a year so i suppose you can be excused for being occasionally off-track.

Ah yes - the refuge of someone without argument - ad hominem.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by Sean
On Mathews, I thought he went alright.

I never said he didn't - I simply said Saddo makes a better link man. He finds players in better position than Mathews does.

[redunderthebed]

Maybe if you actually WENT to the game you might be more aware.Seems that the 'link man' line has you miffed and , i'll agree, that Benny may not be the best at this role (not that I think Saddo is better).Maybe you might tell us where Benny should be playing (and, please, don't say Wangaratta reserves)
I tend to agree with Sean that Benny is 'a good ordinary player' but he fits in pretty well with the bulk of AFL players as there ain't too many stars.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by redunderthebed
Maybe if you actually WENT to the game you might be more aware.

It's a long trip, particularly on Mother's Day weekend!! I've been to plenty of games before.

Seems that the 'link man' line has you miffed and , i'll agree, that Benny may not be the best at this role (not that I think Saddo is better).

I don't think either of them are particularly good at it. Mathews is very good at finding the ball and so was Saddo last night. Saddo was better at getting the ball and finding an open man in space last night than Mathews normally is. Neither of their disposal is flash though.

Maybe you might tell us where Benny should be playing (and, please, don't say Wangaratta reserves)
I tend to agree with Sean that Benny is 'a good ordinary player' but he fits in pretty well with the bulk of AFL players as there ain't too many stars.

I've not said anything too different to that on Mathews for a long, long time, so perhaps you should take note of that and what I said rather than jumping all over my comments like you did.

As he finds the ball well I was hoping he would develop into a centreman, but his disposal is poor and is unlikely to get better. I think his best position is a back pocket or similar defensive position.

I think he'd struggle to make the 22 of better sides though.

[Schneiderman]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I think he'd struggle to make the 22 of better sides though.

Every side has a Benny Mathews. Hard-working, gets a lot of the ball, but uses it in less-than-an-ideal manner. Troy Cook, Andrew Thompson, Simon Godfrey, Ferrito, even Braun until this year.

If these players have a really good year (usually when the team is playing well anyway) they seem to contribute more, but they never really have a bad year. They are average but consistently so, so the coach is usually loathe to drop them for someone who is more of a risk.

[stellation]

I think Mathews has a place in the team and I agree with Bloods that I think it should be the back pocket.
I see both Crouch and Mathews as back pockets, I think they should be above Paul Bevan for the small back pocket role and Mathews should be above Crouch.

[redunderthebed]

what is this about Crouch lately?He has been excellent for years, has a couple of ordinary games (injury) and you wanna crucify him.He had a great game last night and usually does...ok, 'great' is too strong but...Funny, I remember the same crap about Cresswell .Gets a lot of possies, stuffs a few and the wackers want him out.Cressa never had a great kick, couldn't mark a watermellon and was slower than a One Nation brain but WAS HE GOOD!!

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by redunderthebed
what is this about Crouch lately?He has been excellent for years, has a couple of ordinary games (injury) and you wanna crucify him.He had a great game last night and usually does...ok, 'great' is too strong but...Funny, I remember the same crap about Cresswell .Gets a lot of possies, stuffs a few and the wackers want him out.Cressa never had a great kick, couldn't mark a watermellon and was slower than a One Nation brain but WAS HE GOOD!!

I think they are all fantastic. In fact I would not be surprised if the AA team was made up of all Swans this year. I am dumbfounded as to why we have actually lost a game.