Changes for round 15 v Gold Coast

[Markwebbos]

Wicks 7.5 tackles / match
Ronke 3.5 tackles / match

What do Menzel’s numbers look like?

[Ralph Dawg]

What do Menzel’s numbers look like?

2 NEAFL matches for 2 tackles but has kicked 8.1! Remembering too, the matches where on managed time as he was coming back from long term injury. I like him in the team as he has that certain X Factor that stats don't show up. However, he's not going to contribute too much in slowing an oppositions rebound out of defence.

[Meg]

Shame that Menzel has lost his spot, has so much skill and adds more of an X Factor.

I too was sorry to see Menzel go out. He is a very intelligent footballer, positions himself really well, so in right places to take opportunities. I would have liked to see his experience and footy ‘smarts’ with Buddy not there.

[Ludwig]

Wicks 7.5 tackles / match
Ronke 3.5 tackles / match

I think Wicks has played more on ball than Ronke has, which could explain some of the difference. That said, Wicks has been a real surprise package; his game really moved to another level this year. I posted somewhere else that I thought sticking more tackles was Ronke's biggest problem. Too many players run by him or break tackles on him in AFL. He should be able to fix the problem, one would think.

[Meg]

Changes for round 15 v Gold Coast

Wicks 7.5 tackles / match
Ronke 3.5 tackles / match

As far as I am aware Wicks is still a Category B rookie and therefore not eligible to play seniors. Possibly, if the Club wanted to promote him they could do so for rest of season by placing Smith on long-term injury list? Just speculation on my part.

[liz]

They have already moved Smith to the LTIL, and that was before he was ruled out for the rest of the season. So they could select Bell or Wicks if they wanted to.

[Blood Fever]

I think Wicks has played more on ball than Ronke has, which could explain some of the difference. That said, Wicks has been a real surprise package; his game really moved to another level this year. I posted somewhere else that I thought sticking more tackles was Ronke's biggest problem. Too many players run by him or break tackles on him in AFL. He should be able to fix the problem, one would think.

Hope he can fix his kicking, other than for goal. Very ordinary for AFL.

[giant]

Menzel is faster than Ronke and is also older.

Presumably you're referring to Grandma Ronke because Ben is fast and I'd give myself half a chance to beat Menzel over 20m.

[rb4x]

Presumably you're referring to Grandma Ronke because Ben is fast and I'd give myself half a chance to beat Menzel over 20m.

No I am referring to a stat I read after a recent game which had Menzel as the second fastest player on the ground. Not sure that I believe it either.

[Beerman]

No I am referring to a stat I read after a recent game which had Menzel as the second fastest player on the ground. Not sure that I believe it either.

I wonder if that is that based on GPS data, because that is notoriously unreliable.

[Markwebbos]

The TelstraTracker™? had Ronke second fastest v GCS at 31.0km per hour.

That wouldn’t have even got him on the leaderboard last week (Blakey was our fastest at 32.3km per hour). Ditto Weagles Blakey again at 34.0.

Against the Cats Menzel was clocked at 33.3km/hr.

On that evidence Menzel would be the second fastest Swan, and Blakey the fastest!

I thought Ronke played as well as he has this year (Admittedly that’s setting the bar very low).

[liz]

The TelstraTracker™? had Ronke second fastest v GCS at 31.0km per hour.

That wouldn’t have even got him on the leaderboard last week (Blakey was our fastest at 32.3km per hour). Ditto Weagles Blakey again at 34.0.

Against the Cats Menzel was clocked at 33.3km/hr.

On that evidence Menzel would be the second fastest Swan, and Blakey the fastest!

Top speeds achieved in a single game doesn't provide compelling evidence of who the quickest players are in the team.

[Markwebbos]

Top speeds achieved in a single game doesn't provide compelling evidence of who the quickest players are in the team.

I think Ronke would be quicker than Menzel over the first 20 metres.

But the top speed recorded for Menzel is quicker than that for Ronke and the second fastest I could find for any player in the side (admittedly I only looked at about half a dozen games)

[Markwebbos]

OK looked at some other games on the tracker to see other, quicker (and slower) speeds recorded:

Buddy 35.2
Blakey 34.0
Melican 33.7
Menzel 33.3
Rampe 33.2
Ronke 33.1
Reid 33.0
Florent 32.3
Aliir 32.4
Paps 32.3
Hayward 32.0
Jones 31.8
Rose 31.8
Fox 31.7
Cunningham 31.2
Lloyd 30.6

There does seem to be a lot of variability from game to game (Aliir got 29.5 in one and 32.2 in another), and you only see the top 5 players (across both sides). It's hard to know how accurate the actual speeds are (whether the measurements are comparable from game to game). In one game Buddy was only clocked at 30.2 in another at 35.2

I'm surprised how far down the list Jones and Cunningham appear ...

We need a stat on how fast they are over the first 20 metres, this one doesn't feel that useful.