Toast Nic Naitanui #1 Ranked player in AFL

[WCE_phil]

I used every stat that I thought was relevant for a ruckman.

I couldn't pull up hardball gets but as stated Nicnat led those as well. You will also notice that there were 2 areas where Gawn was ahead of Nicnat.

 

[Bender_]

Well he's in the AA squad at least.

 

[Juddy__]

No chance Nic makes the 22 IMO, on AFL 360 they discussed how you only have 1 and Gawn has been the best (apparently) but they did mention they'd like to see Darcy rewarded for some reason

 

[WCErevival]

No chance Nic makes the 22 IMO, on AFL 360 they discussed how you only have 1 and Gawn has been the best (apparently) but they did mention they'd like to see Darcy rewarded for some reason

Both Nic and Gawn made it last year

 

[MaxHunt]

When was the last time the No.1 ranked player didn't make the 22? It's not like he scraped into the No.1 spot either he is head and shoulders above the 2nd ranked player and a league ahead of Gawn. Must be in the 22 and must be the starting ruck.

 

[Ishmael_]

No chance Nic makes the 22 IMO, on AFL 360 they discussed how you only have 1 and Gawn has been the best (apparently) but they did mention they'd like to see Darcy rewarded for some reason

Agree, just don't see the narrative being there this year. It's crazy, Naitanui has done things this year that no other Ruckman has done before with remarkable consistency and no-one's going to remember Gawn's form slump in the middle, but they will remember that mark and goal.

And you've got morons like Langdon with his yearly - 'I don't rate Nic Nat' - screeds, which makes it easier for a primarily Victorian based panel who doesn't watch our games to ignore Naitanui's year - 'if Langdon doesn't rate the Naitanui, he must be no good - he watches the games'.

Both Nic and Gawn made it last year

Nic's just not a player that benefits from the 'chuck him on the bench' lucky inclusion. He should have been in '15 but wasn't.

Very happy to be wrong, but don't see it happening - happily he'll still win our B&F in a canter. His resume is finally catching up to his legend, which is great to see.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Both Gawn and Naitanui are excellent ruckman, yet they are hugely different players outside the rucking. Both bring different strengths to their teams so it depends what the team needs. Given WC's weak midfield Gawn would be useless at WC

 

[kaII]

I mean I fully expected the general ignorant public to rate Gawn ahead of the Naitanui purely because it's a 2021 truism that Gawn is the best ruck in the AFL, but the weird idea that Darcy has had a better season than him is gaslighting me something fierce

 

[THE A5]

Kinda wish we had nic successor in the way we had Coxy's successory. I'd genuinely love to to us throwing a 202cm 111kg bull into the coal face

 

[omgfridge]

No chance Nic makes the 22 IMO, on AFL 360 they discussed how you only have 1 and Gawn has been the best (apparently) but they did mention they'd like to see Darcy rewarded for some reason

I think he's in.

I wouldn't use being picked by the 360 hosts as any form of metric that helps your case to the final team.

 

[omgfridge]

Kinda wish we had nic successor in the way we had Coxy's successory. I'd genuinely love to to us throwing a 202cm 111kg bull into the coal face

Big issue here is we've had 2 generational rucks back to back, both greats for different reasons.

Big shoes for Bailey Williams/Jamieson to fill. Lets hope another year or two of Natters and one of them comes on more (put Vardy in the bin of course).

 

[fidstar]

0% Nic Nat doesn't get picked.

 

[Chris_6678]

Why cant they have 2 ruckman? They have in previous years.

Of his 3 years being in the 40 , this year is clearly his best.

I guess they just want make sure another mid is in over a ruckman.

 

[Karim Abdul Yeo]

No chance Nic makes the 22 IMO, on AFL 360 they discussed how you only have 1 and Gawn has been the best (apparently) but they did mention they'd like to see Darcy rewarded for some reason

I think it is highly likely NN makes 22 squad.

 

[Karim Abdul Yeo]

Kinda wish we had nic successor in the way we had Coxy's successory. I'd genuinely love to to us throwing a 202cm 111kg bull into the coal face

Willie Rioli will do the job.

 

[AndysAngels]

I think Gawn's mark and goal locks him in for the #1 spot; recency bias and all that. And as others have said, the Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

32

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

#1 ruck narrative has been in full motion.

However, Nic has been knocked his entire career for his 'low disposal count', with suggestions that if he could get it to 15+, he'd be absolutely elite. Guess what? he had a career best year in this area by a country mile, and I haven't heard a word about it, because surprise, surprise, disposals have never been the cornerstone of his game.

Side note; 159 clearances for the year as a ruckman is absolutely off the richter.

 

[WCE_phil]

With the whole Vic Bias thing I would almost put money on Gawn being the AA captain with Nic on the bench.

 

[THE A5]

Marc goes bang!!

 

[WCErevival]

I knew there was a reason we voted that guy in

 

[Goldfish]

Good article here:

 

[fidstar]

Vic bias. lol

Stop being one eyed folks.

Gawn has been amazing this year fwiw.

 

[Tugga27]

I mean I fully expected the general ignorant public to rate Gawn ahead of the Naitanui purely because it's a 2021 truism that Gawn is the best ruck in the AFL, but the weird idea that Darcy has had a better season than him is gaslighting me something fierce

I don't think anyone in the media had said Darcy has had a better year than NN TBF.

 

[kaII]

Vic bias. lol

Stop being one eyed folks.

Gawn has been amazing this year fwiw.

Rating Gawn isn't Vicbias, it's the "Gawn's a lock" narrative that's been at play since basically Round 3 that's the Vicbias.

 

[fidstar]

Rating Gawn isn't Vicbias, it's the "Gawn's a lock" narrative that's been at play since basically Round 3 that's the Vicbias.

Gawn is a lock though.

 

[eaglespremiers]

Gawn is a lock though.

Buy why? He falls far behind Naitanui on many critical statistics.