Last week The Pep Talk gave the names of the first six players who needed to have a make it or break it season in 2015.
The names given are for players who need to step up for their clubs and make an overall improvement to their club or they will once again be making up the numbers in 2015.
In the second installment we look at the players from the Sydney Swans, Hawthorn, Geelong, Fremantle, Port Adelaide and North Melbourne.
Sydney Swans: Lewis Jetta
With 50 goals and almost All-Australian honours in 2012, Jetta has struggled over the last two years to match those heights. His ‘Where’s Wally’ performance in the 2014 grand final has also increased the pressure on him.
LJ needs to have a solid, injury free pre-season to give him confidence going into 2015 and start the year off with a bang.
Hawthorn: Cyril Rioli
Let’s get one thing straight – Rioli will always a gun. But with constant hamstring injuries limiting his output over the previous two seasons and his development into a more prevalent midfield player shrinking every time they strike him down, Cyril really needs to turn his highlight reel into a Oscar-winning feature film.
And he needs to do it in 2015.
Geelong: Hamish McIntosh
McIntosh looks to have finally gotten over the injuries that have hampered his time at Geelong. Yet, with the amount of time and coin put into him, he still looks slow and needs to kick more goals to take some of the pressure off Tom Hawkins.
Fremantle: Michael Walters
He had a breakout year 2013, yet just like Rioli has been hit hard by injuries. He has to get his body right, play more consistently and kick 40 goals in a team that lacks genuine firepower. Walters is crucial in taking some of the pressure off Matt Pavlich and Hayden Ballantyne.
Port Adelaide: Angus Monfries
I never rated him at Essendon and still don’t rate him at Port. Needs to be kicking 45 to 50 per year and get the diving out of his game. Otherwise, that horrible habit will be what his career legacy will be – rather than establishing himself as a quality small forward.
North Melbourne: Jarrad Waite and Aaron Black
This was a tie as the will both put pressure on the other. One came across on good money after one fully fit consistent year at Carlton.
The other is touted as North’s next genuine forward star who is still yet to fire consistently even after five years in the AFL system. Whoever doesn’t fire could be pushed out.
So what do you think? Did we get it right with your AFL club or did we miss the mark completely? Who would you say needs to lift?
andrew
Guest
id be light on aaron black. was scheduled to go in for shoulder suregey mid-seaon, but majak daw did his knee that same week and robbie tarrant had just come back injury and got injured again. further, injuries to tippet, delaney and grima down back meant north couldnt just swing the talented/versatile lachie hansen forward and allow black his surgery. as such, uknowns to most, black was asked to solider on under durees to enable the 3 tall structure to remain. by atleast presenting as a high half forward he allowed ben brown and petrie to get dangerous in the forward 50 in 1:1 situations.
Craig
Guest
Rioli and son son not A graders??? You must be watching a different game to the ones I'm watching . . .
Craig
Guest
Son son is very consistent - had one injury that kept him out for half a year. Possibly the best small forward in the afl (even ahead of ballas) so as a Freo supporter I hope you are right about another level!
Dan
Guest
I agree about shoenmakers being under the pump but i love his determination to stay and fight it out. That has to inspire his teammates. I don't think Anderson and O'brien are under the make it or break it tag just yet. They are young and developing and have both shown promise. I know this might sound harsh but i wonder about Whitecross. After 2 knees will he ever get back to his performance he was displaying prior. If his knee goes again will the Hawks be brave enough to keep him on the list?
Penster
Guest
No way Suckling, he's solid. Shoey is the most maligned player on the list, he wants to remain a Hawk despite them shopping him around this trade season. I'd love to see him flourish as a forward, his natural position, at another club. Can't see him getting a spot unless injuries run deep. Rioli is a ticking bomb with that hamstring. But 26yo and 3 premierships, his catlike flashes of inspiration are well worth the punt. Good series of articles.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Suckling is a very important part of Hawthorn's gameplan. One of their best movers by foot. He isn't going anywhere.
Antony Pincombe
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't have thought Suckling. As far as I have seen he is a good player who does his job.
Antony Pincombe
Roar Rookie
Yes he was so insignificant I forgot about him. He was insignificant at Melbourne and I don't know what possessed the Freo recruiters to go for him. One of the softest players I have ever seen, lazy, soft at the contest, backs out of hard ball gets. Not a player I would like in my team.
Balthazar
Guest
I can't defend Sylvia for his 2014 efforts. But surely it's unfair to criticise him for not keeping up with Sheridan and Gu in the 3km time trial when he's had off-season ankle surgery!
Macca
Guest
Slane - Why comment? I commented because you claimed you had "no idea" what TomC meant by "crocked" which I found incredulous. You subsequently claimed you knew what it meant but somehow were forced to question your definition by TomC's comments despite him making it perfectly clear when he said " started this by wondering whether McGuane was crocked when he left the Tigers. If he was, then it would hardly be surprising they’d let him go without much fuss." I also found this incredulous. Also TomC has made it perfectly clear on numerous occasions that he does not rate McGuane highly, simply that he could be a stop gap player. This has seemed to have eluded your comprehension. Also TomC was challenging your assertion that the Tigers didn't rate McGuane at all by letting him walk by suggesting that perhaps they knew he was injured when he left (not necessarily for the whole time he was at Richmond) and therefore of little value, again somehting that you have failed to comprehend. I hope this has helped.
Really, Rioli
Guest
Not sure i totally agree with Rioli;s inclusion on this list. Rioli's impact on a game is not influenced by the time he spends on the field. He only needs 5 minutes to wrestle the game in the Hawks favor or to put the final nail in the coffin. Given Frawleys addition, I would have thought someone like Schoenmakers (and to a lesser extent suckling) need to have a breakout year, otherwise they may need to look for opportunities elsewhere
Steele
Guest
Walters is an "A Grade" small forward who can handle himself quite well in the midfield. To single him out is obsurd, and Waite didn't come on big money, he just got an extra year and the fresh start he needed. I also think Monfries is a better player at Port than Essondon.
Josh
Expert
Definitely a few better choices here. Morabito, Mayne, maybe Crozier? Sylvia etc. Walters is a gun, should've been AA in 2013 and will be (is my tip) in 2015.
Josh
Expert
His GF performance is made fun off but after the early whacks he copped he could be considered lucky to play out the game. He's the type that thrives on Sydney's ball-winners feeding him possession, and he didn't have that. Really I thought he was rather decent most this year but just seems to have lost his knack for goal-kicking - whether that's due to playing further up the ground I'm not really sure, but if you flick back at his 2012 best goals, it's one of the best highlight reels in the AFL.
Josh
Expert
North got Waite for free via Free Agency and he is on a pretty low salary - low enough that Carlton did not get any kind of compensation whatsoever for his departure. Even if he never plays a game for the club I don't think it's much of a loss.
Bob Gooch
Guest
Keep um coming Andy - your obviously on a roll
Don Freo
Guest
He is at the back of the pack in runs again this year, too. I hope he is studying at university or learning a trade. The only other hope is to join the leadership team at Carlton.
Don Freo
Guest
Walters had one injury and is already over it. Our make it or break it is Morabito...who could be better than Fyfe.
slane
Guest
Wow. Wow. Wow. Macca, you need help. TomC said he believes McGuane can provide something for the lions if he isn't carrying chronic injuries. I said injuries aren't his problem. He just isn't any good. There is no more. If that isn't the issue you want to talk about, why comment?
Macca
Guest
SLane - If that was you definition why would you question it when in the post that supposedly made you question your definition (which is different from having no idea what it means) had the following; "I started this by wondering whether McGuane was crocked when he left the Tigers. If he was, then it would hardly be surprising they’d let him go without much fuss." Surely that sentence just makes it clearer that crocked means injured? It also explains why TomC wanted you to re-read his posts, you queried the value Richmond put on McGuane, TomC offered the injured theory as a reason he wasn't wanted, pretty straight forward.