Voting is as usual: you have 15 votes to award pretty much as you will, with the following provisos:
[1] 15 votes in total, no more, no less.
[2] No more than 10 votes for any one player (even Sam Walsh or Patrick Cripps)
[3] Three players at least must get a mention.
[4] A grade for the game, A+ (what I want to see) to F-.
A+
5. Hewett
4. McGovern
3. McKay
2. Curnow
1. Newman
Special Mentions - Crips, Cerra, Williams
Team - A-
5. TDK
4. Harry
3. Cripps
2. Young
1. Carroll
Team A
5 TDK
4 Cripps
3 George
2 Charlie
1 Harry
Team A-
TDK 2
Harry 2
Hewitt 2
Young 1
Curnow 1
Cripps 1
Williams 1
Saad 1
Cerra 1
McGovern 1
Acres 1
Boyd 1
Team B+ Couldn't give an A after that first quarter and a half of tripe
TDK 3
Hewitt 2
Cripps 1
Harry 1
Curnow 1
Williams 1
Cerra 1
McGovern 1
Acres 1
Boyd 1
Carroll 1
Boyd 1
Team A:
4: C.Curnow
3: Hewitt
2: McKay
2: Cripps
1: Young
1: Kemp
1: Boyd
1: TDK
Team A - Almost B due to the pathetic first quarter and a half but overcoming that adversity was special
McKay 2
TDK 2
Hewitt 2
Acres 2
Cripps 1
Curnow 1
Williams 1
McGovern 1
Boyd 1
Carroll 1
Fogarty 1
Team B (Can't get an A for 1/2 a game)
5 - Hewett (4 Qtrs)
4 - Cripps
3 - Harry
2 - Charlie
1 - Boyd
Lots of players had good 1/2 games, and could have easily won a vote, despite clangers early on the above were my 4-Qtr standouts.
Team A-
Worst q1 for a decade. Best q2, 3, 4 that I can recall
H 2
George 2
TDK 1
Carroll 1
Young 1
Charlie 1
Fogarty 1
Crippa 1
McG 1
Saad 1
Cerra 1
Acres 1
Boyd 1
Team : B (will get an A when I see 4 quarters of A grade stuff)
Cripps 2
Curnow 2
McKay 2
TDK 2
Hewitt 2
Saad 1
Boyd 1
McGovern 1
Acres 1
Cunningham 1
The most pleasing aspect of pondering these votes is how evenly the team spread the load. Everyone had a part to play.
Team B+/A- (couldn't decide)
3 - Hewett
2 - Acres
2 - Cripps
2 - McGovern
2 - McKay
1 - Boyd
1 - Curnow
1 - Fogarty
1 - TDK
HM: Carroll, Cerra, Newman, Williams.
A
5 McKay
4 Hewett
3 Acres
2 Young
1 Carroll
Haven't done this in years.
Team B+
1: Hewitt
1: McGovern
1: Young
1: Kemp
1: Charlie
1: Harry
1: TDK
1: Acres
1: Cunners
1: Fogarty
1: Saad
1: Cripps
1: Cerra
1: Williams
1: Hollands
Solid team effort.
AFL Rd 0: Carlton vs Brisbane in Brisbane
Team: B+
I’m tempted to give us an A, considering that we beat the premiership favourites at home with half a side on the park, but the first quarter was pretty diabolical. So, B+ will do.
Votes:
[1.5] Patrick Cripps
[1.5] Zac Williams
[1.5] Blake Acres
[1.5] Adam Saad
[1] George Hewett
[1] Harry McKay
[1] Charlie Curnow
[1] Adam Cerra
[1] Lewis Young
[1] Brodie Kemp
[1] Mitch McGovern
[0.5] Nic Newman
[0.5] Lachie Fogarty
[0.5] Tom de Koning
[0.5] Jack Carroll
Explanations:
[1.5] Patrick Cripps: Considering that Cripps was quiet in the first quarter, and was stuck on the bench for a significant part of the last, to get the possessions he did, and to have the impact he did was … Cripps-like.
[1.5] Zac Williams: In the first quarter and a bit, when we were at our worst, Williams was at his best. He quietened as the game went on, but was still a major contributor.
[1.5] Blake Acres: Another sterling game on the wing and elsewhere.
[1.5] Adam Saad: An excellent job on a difficult opponent.
[1] George Hewett: Very solid in the midfield.
[1] Harry McKay: Some nice contested marks and 3 clutch goals.
[1] Charlie Curnow: Only on top for a short while, but while he was, he changed the game.
[1] Adam Cerra: Another solid game in the midfield.
[1] Lewis Young: Stepped up when required and did an excellent job.
[1] Brodie Kemp: Like Young, he really stepped up.
[1] Mitch McGovern: Dynamic across half back.
[0.5] Nic Newman: Did a great negative job and still got his share of possessions.
[0.5] Lachie Fogarty: Solid across half forward. His tackling and chasing was excellent.
[0.5] Tom de Koning: Stood up in the ruck and curbed the influence of McInerney.
[0.5] Jack Carroll: Good effort for half a game in the midfield.
Honourable Mentions:
Sam Docherty: Very good.
Matt Cottrell: Solid. Dangerous. Damaging.
Basically, everybody did something, even though some had less influence than others. Like a lot of our wins in recent times, it was a real even team performance.
It's been interesting to see the team ratings. A number of non A (or A+), including me. This game was as tough as they get - VG opponent, us undermanned and an away game at a ground we really struggle at. Any win in these conditions would typically be an A+.
I tend to think it should be an A+ for easily beating a fully manned good side away but then is there the 'they just had an off day' mindset?
Seems one bad 1/4 and just the 1 point win has had an impact on the team rating.
Seems expectations are already much higher.
Team: A+ (forget about the first quarter, beating a full strength Brisbane on their dung heap and breaking an embarrassingly long losing streak has to be worth an A as a minimum?
5 - McKay
4 - Curnow
3 - Hewett
2 - Fogarty
1 - Cripps
HMs to Acres, Cerra, Young, Saad, Kemp, McGovern, et al
I'll leave this open until Saturday. But, with tonight's game, people may have only fresh thoughts.
Please, if you want to vote, do so ASAP. Every voter is much appreciated.