Melbourne’s Best and Fairest
By Steve Healy
Twelve days had passed since Fremantle had their best and fairest night. The Melbourne football club had left Australia waiting. On Thursday night, red and blue blood flooded Crown casino, as did a bald, recovering Jim Stynes.
Jim received an almighty applause as he strolled on to the stage and delivered an inspiring speech, and I’m sure that his tumours were the last thing on his mind as he spoke.
The Keith “Bluey” Truscott trophy got underway, with a pack of Demons sitting at tables looking on with beloved ones. At the night’s end, Aaron Davey had picked up a well deserved award with 82 votes, adding to his growing trophy cabinet.
I’m going to analyse the top 10, and say why each of them deserved to be Melbourne’s best players’ this season:
1. Aaron Davey:
This was no fluke. He was Melbourne’s best player in half the games this season. Davey has lifted his game tremendously ever since moving into his new role across half back and in the middle. In 2009, he averaged 23 possessions, 16.2 of them kicks (third best in the AFL) and smashing his career high. He had 30 or more touches seven times, and laid 4.1 tackles a game, also a career high. He put the ball inside 50 for the Dees 3.3 times a game, and had 2.3 running bounces per game. The 26-year old speedster has many more good years left in him, I rate him very highly.
2. Brent Moloney
Moloney forgot last year’s injury-ruined season with a fantastic 2009. He averaged 24.3 disposals, including a career-high 37 in Round 8, 4.7 marks, 3.7 inside 50’s, kicked seven goals, and hit the target 77.3% of the time. He played 21 out of a possible 22 games, and he never put a foot wrong. He’s a true leader; he always lifts the team, whether it’s by kicking a goal on the run or sprinting through the centre and delivering to the likes of Robbo, Jurrah and Bate inside 50. He led the Dees for contested possessions with 157 for the season. Hopefully Moloney can back his work up next year.
3. Cameron Bruce
Bruce, the reigning best and fairest, backed up his awesome 2008 with a strong 2009. He played the first 19 games, and then sustained a wrist injury to end his season. He averaged 25.2 possessions, more than last year, six marks and kicked nine goals. He starred in Round 15 against Port Adelaide with 37 possessions. Bruce has always been one of my favourite players because of his ability to win the ball, and he shares the same Birthday with me.
4. Matthew Bate
This guy is a story in himself, if you said “Matthew Bate” to me this time last year I would’ve answered “Delist”. But I’ve turned around, I’ve seen this fellow in different eyes and now I understand his worth to the team. Bate had an incredible season now I look back on it. In 20 games he kicked an accurate 27.13, and was only behind Russell Robertson as top goal kicker, but still managed to rack up 16.7 possessions and 5.7 marks a game. He had 19 goal assists, the most of any Melbourne player for the season. His best bag was 4 against the Bulldogs in Round 8, and he also played in ripper against the Dockers in Round 20 with 25 possessions and three goals. Late in the season, he was moved more up the ground and he finished the season on a high note averaging 25 disposals in the last four games.
Equal 5th. Nathan Jones
It was in Round 22 when the Dees were playing St.Kilda, when I said aloud “Hasn’t Nathan Jones had a good season?” I was right, and finishing equal 5th in the Dees’ best and fairest is a great finish. The bald-headed magician averaged 22 possessions and 3.5 marks, and played all but two games. (Both where he was a late withdrawal) He also delivered the ball inside 50 on 3.8 occasions each match, and had 13 goal assists. His courage was a key factor in his season, which was displayed in Round 14 when he smashed in to David Wirrpanda’s leg.
Equal 5th. Colin Sylvia
Colin Sylvia was a massive part of Melbourne’s season 2009. He came of age, after starting the season in poor fashion. In his first six games, he averaged only 16 possessions and had no real influence. In his last 11, he averaged 26. His Round 9 performance against Hawthorn was amazing: 37 possessions, nine marks and four goals. It netted him three Brownlow votes as well. He kicked 17 goals for the year, and led the club in inside 50’s for the year. I think there’s still better to come.
Equal 5th. Matthew Warnock
I was quite surprised to see Warnock so high in the count, but seeing that he did such a good job in defence, I’m re-thinking. Two years ago I thought he’d be gone by now. But Bailey has given him a chance and he’s proved his worth. Despite only averaging 11.2 disposals and four marks, he had 97 one-percenters and did good jobs on some of the game’s best big men.
8. James Frawley
Like Warnock, Frawley did well to get in here but he played a strong 2009 as a running centre half back. He averaged 14 possessions and 4.5 marks, and played on players like Lance Franklin and Nick Riewoldt but still managed to contain them to an extent. He kicked his first career goal in Round 10. He hit the target with 80.2% of his possessions. Frawley, along with Warnock, Martin and Garland, are making the Melbourne defence a dangerous one.
Equal 9th. Cale Morton
What a gem this guy is, and he’s only 19 years old and in his second season. The tall midfielder from WA has often been criticised for his kicking, but he put that aside and put in a stellar 2009 season. He averaged 22.7 possessions and seven marks for the year, and he had the second most and most in those two fields respectively. He starred with 36 possessions and 10 marks in Round 22, as well as Round 7 when he had 34 possessions and 16 marks. He’ll only get better (and heavier).
Equal 9th. James McDonald
James McDonald. A true leader. What he does for the club is inspirational. When I met him at the airport this year he didn’t know how many possessions he gets a game. Well I’ll tell him now; he averaged 19.3 possessions, 4.6 marks and five tackles. He only kicked two goals for the year, both in twilight games as it happens. I hope he plays on for longer than Michael Tuck.
Notable mentions to Brad Green, Ricky Petterd, Jack Grimes, Brock McLean and Jared Rivers who I all thought were good enough to be in the top ten, oh yeah and that guy named Liam Jurrah. Although he finished 17th, I promised that I would include him. This is for you Liam:
17. Liam Jurrah
Jurrah had an excellent half-season, so good I’m wondering why he didn’t debut earlier. Where do I start? His debut against Essendon, where he kicked that incredible goal from the ground and he kicked two bombs, which were actually goals but called touched on the line. Then there were his four goals against Port Adelaide, including that screamer, which won him the rising star nomination. Then there were the games against Fremantle and St.Kilda where he kicked a beyond freakish goal in each. I could talk about this legend from Yuendumu for the length of the 2007, 2008 and 2009 Almanacs put together. In nine games, he kicked 20 goals, never held goalless, not that he plays on anyone anyway. Three bags of four goals, he averaged 12 possessions, two tackles and five marks, and two marks inside 50. I really hope he’s back out there next year playing as well, but I know he’ll be playing better.
Go Dees!
Great report Steve
I need to add a bit of humour into mine i think..
Hahaha thanks Josh.
I couldn’t put humor in the Collingwood one unless I was bagging them hahaha
Yeah same with the Freo one im doing now
Yeah, I need to continue my Essendon one but it’s on the other computer lol
Im already up to number 6 of Freo’s
Great review Steve,
Good to see some of the young guns making their mark on the B&F early with players like Warnock, Frawley and Morton achieving a top 10 finish.
I like the stats as well, geez you and Josh are hard to seperate in terms of statistical knowledge!
lovechild hugging or what?
I get them off a website im happy to admit lol!
You loved it Danni, you cant help but like the fella!
I work out the stats by calculating the averages.
JURRAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lmaoo i really wanna see what steve would do if he was stuck in an elevator with Jurrah!! LMAOOOOOOOOO :D
hed probably hug him round the middle and never let go.
Nah he could jump, hang on to the roof of the elevator, then punch the ceiling through and then we’d escape
okay so your fantasy of being stuck in an elevator with a footy player is a tad different to mine.. LMAO!!
why would you want to get out?
Haha or just wait for the repair bloke to come.
Steve did you get my question on FB? If not, would anyone call Paul Hasleby a passionate Docker? And since when has his name been spelt HasLEby? I thought it was Haselby
I’d love to be stuck in an elevator with any footy player, so much questions to ask
So I could kick the footy with him at the MCG- sorry I was away for a sec
I reckon someone should put money on LeCras winning the Coleman, Jurrah winning the Brownlow and Warren taking the goal and mark of the year awards.
I’d back Jurrah for all 3!
Now dont take things too far Steve
Warren reminds me of my cat, so i’ve started calling her Warren now
hahahah. I call my dog so many names, but I don’t really talk to my cat
Hmmm my ranga kitten got desexed a few days ago lol
Good on you lol, you might have a few thousand cats in a few years from what I’ve heard
Yeah another one of our females had kittens yesterday
i love nathan brown.
yeah.. but i wouldnt want to be stuck in one with Fev or Riewoldt cos hed start crying or something.
Really?
Haha lol good call Danni
Only if you banged his shoulder against the wall Danni
Then the elevator would open and Mal Michael would walk in and he would cry more.
Steve, Jurrah has facebook! I just added him
yes really!
lol for some reason i felt like writing what thought came into my head which was
“i love nathna brown”
lol i wouldnt do that steve. hed prob cry as soon as it gets through is dumb peroxide blond brain that were not getting out cos were stuck.
lmaoo Steve just freaked out!
omg imagine me stuck in a elevator with Superman!!!
Lol Superman would be scratching at the doors trying to get away from ya Danni :) lol
lmaoo why? everyone loves my cuddles!!
Superman all to myself in an elevator, now that is a dream come true!!
but because its me Toovey will somehow ened up there as well, just to ruin the moment.
Toovey would be the repair bloke and make things awkward lol. Eww i just found a facebook profile of a teacher of mine and he’s kissing another bloke haha
…okayyyyyyy
Josh looking up teachers on facebook is kinda stalkerish!!
while supposed to be doing my accounting sac i was punching in my fav collingwood players numbers and i figured out that
16+4+7+9= DANE SWAN
And looking up Liam Jurrah isn’t?
Lol nah im just seeing if any of my teachers have facebook and if they do i’ll add them. At my school the teachers are like our mates so we dont treat them like teachers lol so i add them on FB and i’ll send them a message sayin Ayyyy what’s up broo?? lol
LOL, okay.
for some reason all the dude teachers are nicer than the gal teachers.
younger teachers are liked more by students as well.
my parents would freak if i became a teacher! LMAOO
Lol i thought about becoming a teacher but the thought of looking after 20 brats turned me away. Is there any teacher romance at your school?
Nah Danni I didn’t freak out, I just left but im back now
ummmm lmaoo no not that i know of!
Lol I’d rather clean a toilet than be a teacher
We have two married couples at our school that are teachers and two pairs are dating lol
Steve i added Jurrah and he accepted me! I was talking to him in the conversation thing down the bottom, he said hello to me then went offline
…i cleaned our toilet just yesterday.
i clean our bathroom all the time, and i do the mopping and the dishes and the laundry.
i think id make a good english/history/literature teacher.
really? I’m adding him!
lmao Josh are you 100% sure its really Jurrah???
its probably some fake trying to get attention.
Lol got ya Steve…he might accept us though and ya never know
two married couples? lol nawwwwwww!!!
i love marraige!!
i would know that cos im totally married!
lol
Nah you can tell with Facebook if the profile belongs to a player or some person making it up. I tried looking for Riewoldt and found 6 profiles lol none belonging to him
Ohh yeah Danni, where did you get married? How long you been together with your man for? lol
nahhh cant wait to get married!!
ehehehe!!! :)
i jst wanna try on dresses for the sake of it!
seriously..i wanna get married!!
:(
I reckon the wedding dresses for girls is way too big, it’s mass! I dont reckon i could handle my wedding well
lmaooo!! you should see what im planing to wear! mines gonna be so big on the bottom that i have to waddle to walk!! :)
why wouldnt you handle your wedding well?
yeah Josh I realised you were lying when I saw you weren’t on his friends list.
You’ve got a tough decision to make if you do get married Danni.
I’d be a nervous wreck! Do you know how much i sweat and how much i was shaking when i was getting my stiches out the other day? How do you think i could handle a wedding, but i wouldnt ever get cold feet and run at the alter.
lmaooo NAWWWWWWWW JOSHYYYYYY!! :p
thats cute.
id be so bloody excited on my wedding..I CANT WAIT!! I REALLY CANT!!!
What tough decision steve?
I can just imagine the feeling you would get the morning of your wedding. It would be so weird
who to marry?
ohhh lmaooo
yeah true.
its like i can see myself at my wedding, like i can see it all to the highest detail until i get to the alter to face my groom who to this day has a blurred out face..BECAUSE I DONT KNOW WHO HE IS!!!
Well shouldnt you be hoping its Joe? Or Anthony? Or D. Swallow?
OHHHHH THE MORNING OF THE WEDDING!!
ive been to a few of those! when i was realted to the bride it was so nice! i got to throw petals from the balcony, when my cousin was the groom we had all these sports cars and stuff out the front. the wedding morining is A VERT CRAZY AND EXCITING TIME
Lol yeah i can imagine
YEAH, i dont think Joe has any intention of proposing to me anytime soon!
Lets face it, as much as i would LOVE to marry a footy player and unless i do become a sports jurno and one mananges to fall in love with me than my chances are slim.
Stranger things have happened, imagine if you become the next Sam Lane and on Before the Game, Nick Dal Santo’s son is hitting on you lol
lmaooo! :)
yeah and then he brings up how on my 16th bday his dad was there whith J.brown when i got his siganture yet i didnt ask his dad for his! LMAO
….Why does it have to be Dal Santo??
lol
Lol i cant wait for some of the players’ kids to grow up and become AFL stars
Jet Buckley!!
my kids are so gona play Auskick.
Both Andre-Federer-Darcy and Khloe.
I’ve never been to a wedding. Oh hang on I think I’ve been to 1.
I’ve been to one in Queensland when i was younger. I’ve got a picture of little 6 year old me in a suit from that day lol
NAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JOSHYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!
:)
lil kids in suits are soo CUTE!
my 3 month old cousin was wearing a tie to his cousins baptism, HE SOOO CUTE!!!!!!!
I only got the role of flowergirl ONCE.
cant wait to be a bridesmaid!
Cameron Ling is the hot (no pun intended) favourite to be the next skipper of Geelong. Bout time this day delivered some footy news!
My sister is a year and 10 months engaged so her wedding will be my 2nd i’ve been too, really wish she would hurry up and have it!
im determined to go to an open training session next season.
I WILL MEET NATHAN BROWN
I WILL MEET SUPERMAN
I WILL MEET MEDHURST!!!!
OHHH GOD, i hope i wont pass out…….
ohhhhhhhhh josh are you in the bridal party????
I really dunno what a bridal party is lol
I remember going to an Essendon training session and i was having a joke with Andrew Welsh
..you dont??
okay the bridal party is all the bridesmaids, bestmen, flowergirl, pageboy ect. anyone who has a role in the wedding.
im always asked to read at family wedding, the last one was a gospel reading, i was dying up there, full church, cameras, microphone and all!!!!
i also read at BOTH baptisms that i went to in Sydney.
I’d never be able to do that, i’d never be able to do a eulogy either. My mum has done heaps of those.
I dont know what role i will get in my sisters wedding, i just wanna see them get bloody married! lol but i get along really well with her boyfriend so i might get something good
i think i would just have to have the ambulance on hold just incase i need an oxygen mask or something. the day i met cameron cloke was like..i cant describe it. i was speechless, breathless and i couldnt feel my feet.
Cameron Ling should be skipper I reckon.
Lucky guys dont have that problem, unless Steve does that when he meets Jurrah lol
Good point Josh.
My sister does readings at church
lmaooo!!!
lmao i can see it now, steve and i notice Jurrah and Superman sitting like 3 meters away and we both start to freak!!
i start crying and pulling my hair and steve starts squealing and jumping up and down.
LMAOOO
I really do wish i could talk to footy players normally. i mean they are humans!!
even when its not a Collingwood player like Sam Mitchell and C.Brown who were all smiley when i approached them, i couldnt be myself, i was too busy dying on the inside and freaking on the outside.
hahahahahaha Danni.
lmfaoo!! come on steve! how good am i?
i got it right on the dollar i did.
thats exactly what would happen!
:)
I hate trying to get a players attention when i want his autograph lol coz i dont want to call him by his first name and i dont wanna go “OI!” lol
Yeah Danni I get the same feeling when I talk to footy players, well Melbourne players in paticular.
lol i jst said.
“Hi”
its weird calling them by their first name!!! like it really is.
imagine me going up to Lance Franklin, THE LEGEND!! nad saying
“HEY LANCE!!”
The most embarrasing thing i’ve said to a player:
“And what’s your name??”
Who was it Josh?
Hey boys im goona bid you adieu!
cos i wanna look hot for 2mros PARTAYYYY!!
:)
PLUS ill need my energy for dancing and carrying candy to the car! LMAOO
Ill see if i can get on here 2mro while im getting ready with makeup and hair and stuff.
Night fellas!
Danni :)
Danni does it really take that long to get ready for a party?
yes steve, hours of work!
Goodnight! :)
Yeah I’m goin too cya guys
Sorry guys i got sidetracked lol now im a loner! Steve i think the player was Ben Ross, and he made fun of my hair lol
Night guys
Fair dinkum, Steve,
How many of this sorry bunch would get a gallop on a regular basis with Geelong. One, maybe 2. The rest of them strictly VFL material as far as Geelong’s list goes!!
We traded Moloney ages ago.
In Jack Dyer’s immortal words when he used to b’cast on 3KZ — “a good, ordinary footballer.”
On the subject of talKing to AFL players. We were walking down New York’s 5th Avenue the Saturday B4 last and there was Pebbles Rocca with his wife and child. Walked over to them and wished him the best of luck with his NFL punting career.
For those not familiar with the NFL, big Sav Rocca punts for the Philadelphia Eagles while Benny Graham made it to this year’s Super Bowl punting for the Arizona Cardinals. The Cards lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Fair dinkum, Steve,
How many of this sorry bunch would get a gallop on a regular basis with Geelong. One, maybe 2. The rest of them strictly VFL material as far as Geelong’s list goes!!
We traded Moloney ages ago.
In Jack Dyer’s immortal words when he used to b’cast on 3KZ — “a good, ordinary footballer.”
On the subject of talKing to AFL players. We were walking down New York’s 5th Avenue the Saturday B4 last and there was Pebbles Rocca with his wife and child. Walked over to them and wished him the best of luck with his NFL punting career.
For those not familiar with the NFL, big Sav Rocca punts for the Philadelphia Eagles while Benny Graham made it to this year’s Super Bowl punting for the Arizona Cardinals. The Cards lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I think Moloney would be an important part to Geelong’s team if he never got traded.
Davey would get a run at Geelong, Jurrah would as well,
The Round 1 for next years fixture has been leaked, this is what it is:
THURSDAY: Richmond v Carlton (MCG) 7:10
FRIDAY: Geelong v Essendon (MCG) 7:40
SATURDAY: Hawthorn v Melbourne (MCG) 2:10
Sydney v St Kilda (ANZ) 7:10
Brisbane v West Coast (G) 8:10
SUNDAY: Port Adelaide v North Melbourne (AAMI) 12:40
Western Bulldogs v Collingwood (ES) 2:10
Fremantle vs. Adelaide (S) 8:10
Not sure about the times, that’s what i remembered from the website and cbs going back and checking lol
Heres my tips for that Round:
Richmond by 27 points
Geelong by 53 points
Hawthorn by 21 points (sorry Steve)
St Kilda by 3 points
Brisbane by 61 points
North Melbourne by 7 points
Western Bulldogs by 35 points
Adelaide by 32 points
Yeah I read it in the Herald Sun this morning.
Richmond by 27 points!?
hey guys!!
well my hair and makeup is finally looking the way i want it to! :)
argg i had a massive fight with the eyeshadow!
makeup took much longer than normal cos it wasnt working the way i wanted it to!
Status- running around in pjs trying to find stuff for hair.
I haven’t gotten the Sun yet.
Yep, can’t see the Blues kicking a winning score against the Tigers, which probably means i cant see the Blues kicking a winning score against anyone lol
I haven’t gotten the Sun yet.
Yep, can’t see the Blues kicking a winning score against the Tigers, which probably means i cant see the Blues kicking a winning score against anyone lol
Lol you shouldnt be worrying about your hair or anything Danni, go out and enjoy the lovely day like i’ve been doing lol
yeah, im so gonan go with no make up and unstraightened hair!!
i cnat walk past a mirror without stopping, looking at my makeup and swearing!
Lol my hair is the easiest to do, just put wax in it, mix it through and im right to go
Hmmm i have to confront my fears of magpies tomorrow..
mines not cos its LONGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
i love magpies!!
OKAY im dressed, well except for my shoes but ill put them on jst before i leave!
looking good, but still annoyed about makeup!
What time r u leaving?
5:00pm
lmaoo you should see me in this black coat and my heels! i looke like a chick from a detective movie!!
Lol tell Candy to take plenty of pictures and put on facebook, me and Steve will enjoy having a laugh at them
lmaoo gee thanks!
lol wiil do!
i can see you guys going
“OMG danni’s makeup looks so bad!!”
“zzzomg it looks like she just got out of bed, her hair looks shocking!”
:)
lmaoo! i wouldnt put it past you!!
so annoyed, if it wsnt this late id scrub my face and start again!!! ARGGHHH
anyho ive gotta go now.
you guys have fum without me, and dont forget to miss me!!! :)
cya
:)
Lol I usually look like I’ve just gotten out of bed. Maybe I should turn around, since I’ve got a social coming up on Thursday.
Sending in Essendon’s best and fairest now.
I can’t wait to see some pictures Danni!
Cya Danni
Already missing you Danni lol
I’ve finished my Eagles report, gonna send it later
You can’t last 5 minutes with Danni, Josh? lol
That’s good, we’ve only got 7 combined to go
Nope i’m a wreck atm lol
Yeah, only two more left for me! Joy! So i’ve got the Doggies and Tigers to go
I thought it was Doggies and Hawks?
Same.
I thought it was Doggies and Hawks?
Yeah but didnt we agree to me doing the Tigers?
I can’t remember lol, but yeah you do the Tiges and I’ll do the Hawks
I’ve heard some shocking news that on the night of the Brownlow, Fevola pulled Rebecca Twigley’s dress down so she was exposed, and this angered Chris Judd so much that if Fevola couldn’t find a trade out of the Blues, Judd was going to leave.
See this is what happens when Danni goes out to parties etc. there is no conversation! lol oh and Brodie Holland is likely to nominate for the draft, reigniting his career
Sorry Josh lol, I’m back on again now.
Josh, where are you hearing this news?
The greatest paper of all. Damo did you spot the big mistake in the sports section today?
There are always mistakes in the worse paper. Once they said they forgot to mention Jake Spencer in the 2009 Melbourne debutants. And they also thought that Melbourne’s VFL affiliant was still Sandringham. lol
Well today they said that North Melbourne were auctioning the number 11 locker that belonged to Glenn Archer and also the number 17 locker that Wayne Carey used
Righto you lot. Switch over to Steve’s Collingwood piece now. It’s finally up. Josh – Doig Medal on the way soon. BTW, the papers must love the Doig Medal. Why? ‘Cos it’s an anagram of “Media Gold”…
Here’s a real question: Why the hell is Freo’s club champion award called the Doig Medal? Weirdest name ever, never heard of anyone with the last name of it either
Thanks for the direction Gigs. Usually we change at about 500 but we could make an exception now.
Maybe Gigs’ anagram is actually why they named it the Doig Medal
Gigs will my Doig Medal be up before my 2010 season prediction?
Yes. Is that OK?
It’s up now. Don’t complain about your home page intro. After all, you’ve picked on the names of the Doig Medal AND Garrick Ibbotson… :-)
Your asking for it Gigs, haha thanks mate
Yeah, I am asking for it. But I can take it (as well as give it)!
Just wait for my Charles Sutton review, you’ll get your just desserts
Uh-oh…
Get to sleep Gigs, i believe it’s way past your bedtime
Yeah, but I have to stay up to change the “Sunday” to “Monday” on the Home page…
Oh that’s who does it..
Keep it on Sunday, then i wont have to go to school tomorrow :)
Anyway im off, night all
Gee the fight’s on now.
Gigs, well done, my Essendon one was up in 25 hours or less.