Everybody keeps telling me Bryce Gibbs is soft, has a terrible haircut and is incapable of playing football.
While I’m not doubting his current hair-do is absurd, I think people tend to criticise Gibbs for no good reason. They do it because it’s fun.
One player who no one criticises is Travis Boak. He’s tough, respected, a leader and highly rated. Boak, like Gibbs, was selected ahead of Joel Selwood in the 2006 National Draft.
Not many people say Port Adelaide could have picked Selwood. They say Boak is a very good player. People say Carlton made a big mistake.
But are Gibbs and Boak that different? Is Boak really that much better?
Statistically he isn’t. Since 2009 Boak has averaged about 12 kicks, 11 handballs, 3.5 marks, 4.5 tackles and half a goal each game.
Gibbs has averaged 15 kicks, 8 handballs, 5 marks, 4 tackles and half a goal in the same period. There is hardly anything between the pair.
Boak handballs more and Gibbs kicks more. The tackle count is similar. Statistically, Gibbs, who everyone hates, is the equal of Boak, who everyone loves.
In fact, there aren’t many AFL players who have better statistics than Gibbs, including tackling, which is one way of measuring hardness. Those that do are the genuine elite, such as Joel Selwood, Gary Ablett and Scott Pendlebury.
Gibbs will probably never be in the top few players in the AFL. It’s time we pay him a bit of respect though. He is an excellent player and would be in the top five or six players at any club in the competition.
He’s not as crazily aggressive as Selwood, but neither is anyone else.
Maybe because he cares about his hair, was a number one draft pick, and isn’t overtly aggressive, people like to deride him. If you look at his game rationally though, you will find he is no worse than many of the competition’s finest.
kev
Guest
You'll find that all those players you mentioned are the best players in their side (arguably). None of those guys were drafted into a team where their team already had (or acquired) genuine superstars. Gibbs came into a side where they had Murphy and then got Judd. Selwood is Geelong's best midfielder. Boak was their best player and is now part of a good midfield, Selwood and Ablett basically fed off each other until Ablett left. Gibbs is in a team where their midfield is overflowing and has to play off half back because of Judd, Murphy, Simpson and Carrazzo. He has a role in his team and plays it pretty well. No one would say boo about him if Murphy and co. weren't there
Jimmy g
Guest
I would suggest it's Carlton's development process that should be called into question along with dreadful recruitment. Gibbs and Kreuzer in particular we're dominant at junior level - they can play the game but it appears to be a sub standard development program that see's them falling short and never reaching their full potential. Look at Walker, a number 2 pick who has only started to show his real potential over the past 2 years. Should've been a star 5 years ago.
Nash Mitchell
Roar Rookie
Can't compare him to Boak, Boak as had to do it tough until abit of help the past 2 years from the likes of Wingard, Hartlett and Ebert! Not to mention Cornes !
Jorji Costava
Guest
Have you ever heard talkback radio in Melbourne? Kruezer is also a major dud. It was all over the backpage of the Herald Sun last week after major backer Sir Bruce Matheison came out and said as much about the Blues picks. Looks like he is in for even more surgery now. Wow, we picked a real lemon there.
Darren
Guest
It's the compensation Gene not the trade. Carlton would likely get a first round draft pick as compensation. It depends where they finish how valuable that is. Also, he is a restricted free agent so if Carlton match the offer he has to stay.
Jorji Costava
Guest
Yep, gotta agree. Reminds me of the Nathan Buckley mould of player. Just bludge off the ball winners and get plenty of possesions in the backline, hardly ever get a dirty jersey and cash the large cheque week in week out. Personally, I would be seriously thinking of letting him go back to SA in exchange for a high 1st round draft pick we would get in exchange.
Cat
Roar Guru
He'll be a free agent end of this season ... nothing to trade.
Axle an the guru
Guest
As long as Carlton are happy with him, thats all that matters, otherwise he is good trade bait. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Colin
Guest
I would let Gibbs go and take a first round pick for him probably top 5 pick in a very strong draft. Ps I would also let Kreuzer go next year for again a top 5 compensation pick. Yarran in 2016 ? well he better start showing rapid improvement.
Bert
Guest
Yea and shezza was a hard man of the AFL in his dreams.
Baz
Guest
He is even the second choice front rower at the Cronulla Sharks.
Brett
Guest
The biggest problem Gibbs has faced is the fact he has never had a defined role in the team. With all the other players mentioned you know exactly the role they playy and the position they play. Gibbs has played in just about every position and never really been allowed to develop in any of them.
Hanes
Guest
Why doesn't kruezer cop as much flak look at his draft year -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Cat
Roar Guru
Also one other thing to consider, of those Gibbs was compared to in this article all are Captains of their teams (amongst the best in the game, with Pendles yet to prove either way but most expect him to excel in the role), Gibbs meanwhile has only just been added back to the leadership group after being dropped for 12 months.
Cat
Roar Guru
Sure those numbers were better then the year before, but the year before was the 3rd year in a row of decline. 2013 clearances were still well below what he did in 2009. Contested possession was well better then 2012 but only modestly better then any other year. Inside 50's again, major improvement over 2012 but only 5 better than 2011 but 21 worse then his best year 2009. Between 2010 and 2012, a period of 3 years, Gibbs clearly trended downwards in nearly every stat from his best year in 2009. 2012 was clearly a swing back in the right direction but not up to his previous best in 2009.
Dylan Toune
Roar Guru
I'd say they're both very good players. Gibbs could rightly have been criticised in the past for his lack of physicality, but most who watched football would have seen vast improvement in that area last season. He's a very good kick, a clever player and he's versatile. I feel like Boak has definitely had a more rapid rise into being a very good player, but Gibbs has quietly become very important to the Blues. Needs to impact games more consistently still, but hopefully his time is coming in that regard. Gene - I think it depends what you're looking at re: regression. Gibbs doubled his clearances and inside 50s last year and upped his contested possession rate. He just plays different roles and perhaps would be best suited if he was allowed to settle into one.
Cat
Roar Guru
I'll admit that I do not watch every Blues game, but I have never seen, heard, nor read about Gibbs ever taking the team on his shoulders and winning the game from them. Judd has done it, as had Boak, Selwood, Ablett and Pendles. The other thing is if you graphed the statistics Boak is clearly spiking upwards while Gibbs graph would show flat to slight regression the last few years. Gibbs is a handy player for sure, but the question is does he live up to the hype he has received since day one and #1 draft pick billing? For mine, no, he could still develop but after 156 games and on his 8th full year in the league you'd have expected someone drafted so high to have done so already. PS: don't worry about the hair he still doesn't look 1/10th the tool Dustin Martin does.
shezza
Guest
He is soft as butter and is a sheep dog sitting out the back getting cheap kicks.