Player Watch #6: George Wardlaw - two-time RS nominee ('23 &'24) - the Warlord - managed vs Hawthorn

[William Caresser]

Can't believe he didn't get a vote from the coaches.

 

[swaeney]

The ABSOLUTE opposite to Stephenson

Would rather Curtis Taylor in for Sleevo.

 

[Hatchy1992]

I cannot wait until he does to Jason what he did to Darcy.

 

[ansonholt]

My favourite NM player by some margin

It's not even close for me either. Although I do love Charlie, Harry and Jacko. And a few others. But George Wardlaw, wow.

Just might end up being my favourite ever North player. I've seen everybody from Keith Grieg onwards, too. Blighty, Arch, Carey, Boomer, all of them. George is something else.

 

[nicko74]

NORTH Melbourne young gun George Wardlaw is stepping things up in his second AFL season.

Wardlaw, the No.4 pick in the 2022 draft, earned an AFL Rising Star nomination for the second straight year after an impressive performance against Fremantle in round two.

ANALYSIS
Forward's rapid rise blows trade plans wide open
The tenacious midfielder leads all Rising Star-eligible players for average AFL Player Rating Points this season, going at 13.3 per game.

Wardlaw is narrowly ahead of West Coast's No.1 pick Harley Reid (13.2), with the duo clear frontrunners.


The Kangaroos managed Wardlaw through his first season in the AFL, but they are seeing his talent more regularly to begin 2024.

After the ball-winner struggled against Geelong in round five, Wardlaw was rested for the loss to Hawthorn, but has returned in powerful form.

00:38
2 days

Wardlaw's fantastic flash a super start​

George Wardlaw hits the footy at pace and drills it through with precision
He had career-highs for clearances (eight) and contested possessions (15) in the defeat to Adelaide, his 22.3 Rating Points rating him as the third-best player on the ground.

Another strong performance followed against St Kilda with 22 disposals and a goal, and featured a huge bump on fellow young gun Darcy Wilson.

ANALYSIS
Taking flight? How Crows have started to turn form around
Wardlaw going head to head with Gold Coast bull Matt Rowell

18

Matt Rowell

Age

22

Ht

180cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.4

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

0.8

1star

T

5.2

5star

CL

3.8

5star

D

17.4

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

0.8

1star

T

5.2

5star

CL

3.8

5star

D

17.4

5star

K

7.6

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

0.8

1star

T

5.2

5star

CL

3.8

5star

for the first time at TIO Stadium on Saturday night will be a battle worth watching.

Wilson rates equal ninth for average AFL Player Rating Points this season, but his past five games have been his best, including a stellar display in the win over the Kangaroos.

00:37
2 days

Wilson, Wardlaw collide in bone-crunching collision​

Darcy Wilson is met by a big George Wardlaw bump as they both attack the footy at pace
Wardlaw (rounds two and seven), Reid (round six), Wilson (round eight) and Zane Duursma (round seven) are the only Rising Star-eligible players to have recorded a game with 20-plus rating points this season.

Greater Western Sydney small forward Darcy Jones has played just twice but has made his mark early, averaging 11.7 rating points.

NEWS
Don't discount Sam: Why young Dog is a Rising Star smokey
Geelong's Ollie Dempsey (9.2) and Sydney's Matt Roberts (8.9) round out the top five for average points and have played every game this season.

With Wardlaw starting to grow and Wilson improving, and Reid catching the eye on a regular basis, the Rising Star race this season will be intriguing.

Rising Star Ratings
	Club	AFL Player Ratings
George Wardlaw	NM	13.3
Harley Reid	WC	13.2
Darcy Jones	GWS	11.7
Ollie Dempsey	GEEL	9.2
Matt Roberts	SYD	8.9
Caleb Windsor	MELB	8.8
Toby Conway	GEEL	8.8
Sam Darcy	WB	8.5
Darcy Wilson	STK	8.4
Will Graham	GC	8.4

Rising Star - Highest rated games
	Club	Round	Rating
Harley Reid	WC	6	26.1
George Wardlaw	NM	7	22.3
Darcy Wilson	STK	8	21.2
George Wardlaw	NM	2	20.7
Zane Duursma	NM	7	20.0
Jake Rogers	GC	7	19.0
Colby McKercher	NM	8	17.0
George Wardlaw	NM	8	17.0
Matt Roberts	SYD	6	16.8
Sam Darcy	WB	2	15.3

*The AFL Player Ratings is a sophisticated algorithm from Champion Data. It assesses every action of every player in every game and assigns points to paint a complete picture of every player's impact on a game

 

[Disco Dew]

NORTH Melbourne young gun George Wardlaw is stepping things up in his second AFL season.

Wardlaw, the No.4 pick in the 2022 draft, earned an AFL Rising Star nomination for the second straight year after an impressive performance against Fremantle in round two.

ANALYSIS
Forward's rapid rise blows trade plans wide open
The tenacious midfielder leads all Rising Star-eligible players for average AFL Player Rating Points this season, going at 13.3 per game.

Wardlaw is narrowly ahead of West Coast's No.1 pick Harley Reid (13.2), with the duo clear frontrunners.


The Kangaroos managed Wardlaw through his first season in the AFL, but they are seeing his talent more regularly to begin 2024.

After the ball-winner struggled against Geelong in round five, Wardlaw was rested for the loss to Hawthorn, but has returned in powerful form.

00:38
2 days

Wardlaw's fantastic flash a super start​

George Wardlaw hits the footy at pace and drills it through with precision
He had career-highs for clearances (eight) and contested possessions (15) in the defeat to Adelaide, his 22.3 Rating Points rating him as the third-best player on the ground.

Another strong performance followed against St Kilda with 22 disposals and a goal, and featured a huge bump on fellow young gun Darcy Wilson.

ANALYSIS
Taking flight? How Crows have started to turn form around
Wardlaw going head to head with Gold Coast bull Matt Rowell for the first time at TIO Stadium on Saturday night will be a battle worth watching.

Wilson rates equal ninth for average AFL Player Rating Points this season, but his past five games have been his best, including a stellar display in the win over the Kangaroos.

00:37
2 days

Wilson, Wardlaw collide in bone-crunching collision​

Darcy Wilson is met by a big George Wardlaw bump as they both attack the footy at pace
Wardlaw (rounds two and seven), Reid (round six), Wilson (round eight) and Zane Duursma (round seven) are the only Rising Star-eligible players to have recorded a game with 20-plus rating points this season.

Greater Western Sydney small forward Darcy Jones has played just twice but has made his mark early, averaging 11.7 rating points.

NEWS
Don't discount Sam: Why young Dog is a Rising Star smokey
Geelong's Ollie Dempsey (9.2) and Sydney's Matt Roberts (8.9) round out the top five for average points and have played every game this season.

With Wardlaw starting to grow and Wilson improving, and Reid catching the eye on a regular basis, the Rising Star race this season will be intriguing.

Rising Star Ratings
	Club	AFL Player Ratings
George Wardlaw	NM	13.3
Harley Reid	WC	13.2
Darcy Jones	GWS	11.7
Ollie Dempsey	GEEL	9.2
Matt Roberts	SYD	8.9
Caleb Windsor	MELB	8.8
Toby Conway	GEEL	8.8
Sam Darcy	WB	8.5
Darcy Wilson	STK	8.4
Will Graham	GC	8.4

Rising Star - Highest rated games
	Club	Round	Rating
Harley Reid	WC	6	26.1
George Wardlaw	NM	7	22.3
Darcy Wilson	STK	8	21.2
George Wardlaw	NM	2	20.7
Zane Duursma	NM	7	20.0
Jake Rogers	GC	7	19.0
Colby McKercher	NM	8	17.0
George Wardlaw	NM	8	17.0
Matt Roberts	SYD	6	16.8
Sam Darcy	WB	2	15.3

*The AFL Player Ratings is a sophisticated algorithm from Champion Data. It assesses every action of every player in every game and assigns points to paint a complete picture of every player's impact on a game

Holds 3 of the top 10 games. heck he’s good

 

[SpiderBurton22]

He has drifted out to $10 on Sportsbet for the Rising Star if that is your thing, the same price as Colby McKercher.

 

[Disco Dew]

He has drifted out to $10 on Sportsbet for the Rising Star if that is your thing, the same price as Colby McKercher.

Juicy. The Warlord is building nicely, he’s only going to get better this year

 

[speedy]

Holding up incredibly well considering we are making him do all the heavy lifting in this dysfunctional midfield. The coaches should really have no business putting him in that situation.

 

[SheezNuts]

Could really use a Warlord highlights package to get me through the week.

 

[The Dougster]

My favourite NM player by some margin

Nope. You can't have George without Harry. Package deal.

 

[koshari]

Could really use a Warlord highlights package to get me through the week.

To the chumbawampa soundtrack

 

[hellas_johnny]

Love this kid. Can't wait to see him in a couple seasons when he has a full tank to run out games

 

[shinboner magic]

That brute collision with Wilson should be on loop on every screen at the club - with the message this is what’s expected

 

[kirbonavich]

Imagine Wardlaws brute force interbred with Sheezels precision skill - the ultimate.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

He has drifted out to $10 on Sportsbet for the Rising Star if that is your thing, the same price as Colby McKercher.

The Harley Reid hype train will be hard to contend with. Harley would only have to play two more decent games for the year and they’ll hand the RS to him on a platter.

That brute collision with Wilson should be on loop on every screen at the club - with the message this is what’s expected

Good effort from Wilson to hop up and continue to play an awesome game too, from a kid in his 6th game it was impressive.

 

[R00StaR]

He has drifted out to $10 on Sportsbet for the Rising Star if that is your thing, the same price as Colby McKercher.

Insane, couldve netted a small bag of goals last week which wouldve changed people's tune. From here on in he would easily rate 20pts + in 6 to 7 games.

 

[Liam Boy]

Good effort from Wilson to hop up and continue to play an awesome game too, from a kid in his 6th game it was impressive.

his great uncle Mick Nolan would be proud

 

[R00StaR]

Imagine Wardlaws brute force interbred with Sheezels precision skill - the ultimate.

Wardlaw has an awesome 30m laser on him.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

Imagine Wardlaws brute force interbred with Sheezels precision skill - the ultimate.

We've seen that before - that would be peak Wayne Schwass.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

It's not even close for me either. Although I do love Charlie, Harry and Jacko. And a few others. But George Wardlaw, wow.

Just might end up being my favourite ever North player. I've seen everybody from Keith Grieg onwards, too. Blighty, Arch, Carey, Boomer, all of them. George is something else.

Byron, Lindsay and Winnie will always be up there for me. Along with Ben10.

 

[RossHenshaw]

And X

And “Sleevo”

 

[Sillygit]

Drinks shinboner spirit neat.

 

[The Dougster]

Byron, Lindsay and Winnie will always be up there for me. Along with Ben10.

The Duck, Arch & Byron for me.

 

[Roosurgence]

Would love this guy to go up to LDU, grab him by the jumper and give him a spray.

How disheartening to be trying your guts out, while your teammates don’t give a heck.