Max shines as Saints stutter
Roar Guru By Stoffy, 23 Sep 2008 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
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- AFL, Max Hudghton, Saints, St Kilda, St Kilda Saints
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The All-Australian line up for 2008 wreaks havoc for statisticians all around the nation; they’ve got goals, clearances, hit outs, spoils and everything which labels a footballer as truly great, but they haven’t got Max Hudghton.
The Saints were rolled by the Hawks but Hudghton managed to bypass any efforts of the impeding “Bulldozer Buddy”, restricting the star forward to one goal. The 32-year-old veteran’s closing speed and spoiling ability are two credentials that have proven too strong for the forwards to shake.
If stats go a long way to All-Australian selection, here’s one that should have landed Max a spot. In both games against the Hawks and Blues, Hudghton was given the role of keeping two of the games most influential players in Franklin and Fevola quiet. For the two clashes, Fevola was limited to five goals (2 in round 2, 3 in round 15) and Franklin four (3 in round 16, 1 preliminary final).
The All-Australian back-line only possess two, possibly three defenders that play the role of sticking with one individual forward (Morris and Scarlett). Max Hudghton is the most competent defender to fill that role. Geelong only played the Hawks and Blues once, Franklin scored 4 goals playing on him and Fevola 3. With St.Kilda playing the teams twice, Hudghton’s stats read better.
The All-Australian defensive structure appears to be basing itself on counterattacking football; Harley, Hodge, Fisher and Enright all play zone, loose man type roles, all are excellent footballers, but do we need four rebound type footballers, because it seems the biggest problem for defenders isn’t the pace they rebound at, it’s stopping a forward on a lead.
All-Australian or not, i regard Max Hudghton as one (top three) of the best defenders in the game.
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The Crowd Says (2) | Page 1 of Comments
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- AFL, Max Hudghton, Saints, St Kilda, St Kilda Saints
September 23rd 2008 @ 11:55am
Jarryd said | September 23rd 2008 @ 11:55am | Report comment
close. I think Nathan Bock is a one on one defender aswell as Morris and Scarlett and Tom Harley has a man every week, but he is good enough at reading the play to beat his man and his team-mates.. I agree that Max Hughton is one of the best defensive defenders in the game, but to be the best you have to be able to beat your man and then create for your team. Max is limited in his ability to run and create. It is the same reason why Mal Michael was never All-Australian
September 24th 2008 @ 9:37am
Michael C said | September 24th 2008 @ 9:37am | Report comment
Max Hudghton played a ripper game on Buddy, and I had never overly rated him that highly,seeming him as somewhat fragile and perhaps most remembering his tears after St.Kilda (who were really struggling at the time) had lost another close one.
So – - now I can insert a memory of Max as a fine competitor, not overly blessed with size, or speed or skill, but who found a way to perform his primary role for the team on a night when it meant as much as it can without being a Grand Final itself.
Well done!!!