This team consists of players who underperformed in Round 18 of the 2018 AFL season.
Backs: Nick Smith may well be one of the more underrated small defenders in the competition, but he had an underwhelming game against the Suns. Lachlan Keefe may have fought his way back into the Giants line up, but may be omitted in Round 19 following a disappointing game in Round 18.
Despite being a team lifer in Round 17, Jack Crisp didn’t perform adequately in Round 18. Jack Newnes had a game to forget for the Saints last Friday night. Dougal Howard didn’t play to the level he is capable of for the Power, only winning the ball five times last Sunday.
Despite being a leader for the Blues, Ed Curnow put in a disappointing performance for the Blues last weekend.
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Midfielders: Andrew McGrath may be a quality youngster, but only gathered eleven possessions last Saturday, his poorest game statistically for the season. Joel Selwood is widely renowned as one of the best leaders in the competition, but he accumulated less than twenty disposals on the first occasion this year in Round 18, having little effect on the contest.
Isaac Smith is a player with a lot of ability, but he did little to prove that against the hapless Blues last Sunday.
Forwards: In Round 17 Jack Ziebell led from the front with five goals, but Ziebell had his worst game for the season as far as possessions are concerned in Round 18. Lance Franklin failed to kick a goal against the Suns!
Franklin should bounce back against the Bombers and show why is so highly rated. David Armitage fought his way back into the Saints line up in Round 13 and has been one of the Saints better players since then, but Armitage had his worst game from a possession stand point since that point in time in Round 18.
There were no positives to take out of the game for Levi Casboult; Casboult may have the chance to prove that he belongs at AFL level against the Suns this weekend or he could be omitted from the Blues line up and have to gain confidence in the VFL.
One of the best young players at the Dockers is Brennan Cox, but he had a day to forget against the Bombers last Saturday. Despite kicking five goals in Round 17, Ben Ronke didn’t manage to kick a goal last weekend.
Followers: A player that is highly regarded is Sam Jacobs, but he found it tough in his dual against the Lions ruckman Stefan Martin last Saturday night. One of the best leaders at the Dockers is David Mundy, but he put in a largely underwhelming display against the Bombers.
The game that Isaac Heeney played wasn’t of adequate standard in Round 18 compared to his ability.
Interchange: Darcy Cameron had little impact on the game, which could have been due to him being nervous, because he played his first game of the season in Round 18, hopefully he gets the opportunity to redeem himself in Round 19.
Despite being the number four draft pick in 2017 and being someone who will be a good player in the future, Luke Davies-Uniacke didn’t do much to justify that he is ready to play at AFL level against the Magpies.
Jy Simpkin has played every game this season but had under ten possessions for the first time this year last Saturday. One of the few players to not perform to his optimum level for the Tigers was Jason Castagna who amassed the fewest amount of disposals of any player in his team with just eight.
B: Nick Smith (Swans), Lachlan Keefe (Giants), Jack Crisp (Magpies)
HB: Jack Newnes (Saints), Dougal Howard (Power), Ed Curnow (Blues)
C: Andrew Mcgrath (Bombers), Joel Selwood (Cats), Isaac Smith (Hawks)
HF: Jack Ziebell (Kangaroos), Lance Franklin (Swans), David Armitage (Saints)
FF: Levi Casboult (Blues), Brennan Cox (Dockers), Ben Ronke (Swans)
Foll: Sam Jacobs (Crows), David Mundy (Dockers), Isaac Heeney (Swans)
Int: Darcy Cameron (Swans), Luke Davies-Uniacke (Kangaroos), Jy Simpkin (Kangaroos), Jason Castagna (Tigers)
Macca
Guest
Peter - don't start the whole "I'm being mean to the magpies line" - you yourself have stated exactly what I am saying, the magpies have had an easy draw and they will likely not be a force in the finals. After this week and next weeks game we will know a lot more about where Collingwood are at. As for the criticism - it isn't just about Carlton players I object to, I don't like labelling a debutante as an underperformer or the idea of spending days just to write a negative article but I really don't like people who get basic facts wrong (like where Curnow played) or contradict themselves (by saying both Curnow and the player he played on underperformed).
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
I tend to agree with you Macca, with all respect to the author as any article requires a lot of time and effort and they should be encouraged so we get more to read....having said that IMO, there is enough negativity in footy without the premise of this series so choose to not engage in it, if you struggle with the critique of Blues players, why not choose the same approach?
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
I mean in round 18 not on!
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Good point about defenders, I still believe Crisp had little impact on the contest on round 18 in comparison to his output the week before.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
Picking underperforming backmen is always a challenge. I didn't really see that Crisp had such a bad game. The nature of being a backman is that you can play great and still give away goals and conversely have your man so well blanketed that he is invisible and people think that you did nothing.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Good point Col, I don’t know who the best tagger playing at present is with Jacobs out injured.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Young, Weller, Witts and Sexton were superb. There may be something to work with in 2019 for the Suns.
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Doran, the reason his stats were down is because Ed usually tags a starting midfielder and therefore is in at the centre bounces. Smith plays on a wing and doesn't go into the centre bounces. For the record if you go onto the SEN website you will see where Garry Lyon praised Ed for his job on Smith keeping him to his second lowest disposal total for the season.
Davico
Roar Pro
Don't get me wrong was out at the game and the Suns were great but geez the Swans were ordinary
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Aliir has been outstanding of late, you are right about that.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Good point. I know he is a second ruckman, but he had nine hitouts and Witts had 56, so he didn’t do much from a ruck point of view.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
You understand he's a ruckmen and the second ruckmen at that......
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Point taken.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Curnow has tagged and had more of the ball other times this season.
Macca
Guest
So you won't play an extra tall defender in the back pocket because he wasn't a half back flanker but you will play a midfielder? And a bloke that gets towelled up by his opponent didn't under perform because supposedly nobody could have stopped Hawkins but a player that completely outpointed his opponent under performed because he didn't get enough of the ball while tagging someone out of the game? Curnow and Cripps play different roles, Curnow tags players, Cripps gets tagged - neither plays as a back pocket. Get off the grass.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
It was more a case of Hawkins being good than anything else, who would have stopped him in that form? Hawkins is a tall forward so it would have been a Demons tall defender not a half back flanker? Look at what Cripps does for the Blues and what Curnow has done to some extent other times this season.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Keefe, Crisp, Mcgrath, Selwood, Smith, Jacobs, Castagna. Seven of twenty-two players in the team were a part of a winning team.
Macca
Guest
Only twice this year has Curnow had more intercepts, it was the first game he has had for the year with 0 clangers, it was the equal most tackles he has laid since round 11, only 3 times this year has he had less turnovers, it was his equal highest marks inside 50 for the year so not all the statistics back you up, just the possessions. And again, he didn't play as a defender and solidly beat his opponent. Who would I pick, someone who actually played in the back 6 and got beaten by his opponent - maybe the bloke Hawkins kicked 7 goals and had 19 possessions on would be a good place to start.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
Who would you pick instead of Curnow?
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
For example, the Magpies won easily, but Crisp was barely sighted after being their best player in round 17. Also, maybe give some credit to the Suns.