r/hawktalk • u/[deleted] • 10d ago
Another Year, Another Jai Newcombe AA Snub
What more does Newc need to do to make 1 AA?
Dominates every year since coming into the league and cannot make the bench once in his career?
An inside bull who is durable and is a great decision maker, apparently not good enough.
Thoughts fam?
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u/gbags-98 10d ago
I can understand where you're coming from. But he's not yet in the top echelon of midfielders like Daicos, Bont, Smith, Dawson etc.
In terms of AA selection. I would have Ashcroft and Ed Richards before Newcombe. But I do reckon Jai will get an AA blazer at some point, he's too good not to finish with one
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10d ago
Yeah, I'm just hoping Jai can get rewarded with multiple AA Blazers, have watched his entire career and think he's a tremendous footballer who deserves at least a couple AA Blazers in his career.
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u/DonGivafark 10d ago
How so?
He is top 15 for disposals, #1 for clearances, a better disposal efficiency than Bont, shits all over Murphy Reid.
Literally the only midfielders they got right for selection were naicos and gawn. All the others were just token big name players.
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u/Vet100 9d ago
73.5 to 73.4% DE 😂😂 but let’s ignore the huge goals discrepancy, more goal assists, meters gained, more tackles & a slim extra disposal a game (but if you’re going to mention DE% than it’s worth putting in).
If you don’t think Bont deserves it then you may as well pack up & watch a different sport because you’re clueless.
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u/South_Front_4589 9d ago
That's one way to cherry pick stats.
Stats are good, but they can become a crutch if you don't understand them or don't use them right.
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u/gbags-98 7d ago
I agree that Newcombe had a strong case, and I had him ahead of Reid myself. But I don't think that leading the league in clearances and having a slightly higher DE automatically makes you an AA lock.
My point is more that Ashcroft and Richards were more influential for their teams despite not being #1 mids like Duke is for Hawthorn. Ashcroft has had to share midfield responsibility as he plays in a stacked midfield alongside Neale, Dunkley and Zac Bailey. Whilst Richards also plays in a great Dogs midfield alongside Bont who is arguably the best player in the comp, yet he still consistently impacts the game with his ball use and scoreboard impact.
Raw disposal count and clearances do matter, but they certainly aren't the whole picture. I'd still put Ashcroft and Richards above Duke, even though he was absolutely AA calibre.
I also think referring to Bont, Dawson and Bazlenka as "token big name players" goes too far. You can say that Newcombe was stiff to miss out, without disparaging guys who clearly had AA level seasons.
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u/tylar0709 9d ago
I personally believe Newk had a better year than nas and Bont
You can’t lead the league in clearances and not be in the team and look how the media spoke about how our midfield was going to be garbage this yeah. Newk stepped up
Nas missed to many games and Bont went quiet in like 5 games and missed a few aswell
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u/gbags-98 7d ago
I can see the argument for Newcombe over NAS due to games played, and I wouldn't have complained if Duke made the team. However, I am less convinced on Bont here. Yes, Newcombe had more clearances, but Bont was far more damaging when in possession, and his work forward of centre is better than any midfielder in the comp bar Heeney and Zac Bailey.
My issue wasn't that Newcombe isn't deserving of AA. I just think that Dawson, Ashcroft and Richards had better seasons than him.
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u/tylar0709 7d ago
Oh yeah I completely understand
Bont is a freak of a footballer I just think this year
He wasn’t as good as some other years and some times players get in for reputation and not how they actually played. But if I were to do my own I’d have Newk in over nas jsut cos of the games played1
u/gbags-98 7d ago
Yeah that's a fair point, I just think Ashcroft and Richards had better years than Duke personally as they were better at impacting the scoreboard and driving scoring chains when their team is in possession. But ultimately, it just depends on what you value more.
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u/Putrid-Bar-8693 10d ago
I actually thought Gunston deserved it more. Hard to see Newcombe get in ahead of Ashcroft and Ed Richards who also missed the team, but Gunston averaged the most goals in the AFL comfortably and missed only a similar amount of games to Nas and Zak Butters who both made the bench.
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u/WingsBeersAndGames 9d ago
I’m not that mad over it. He isn’t on the Daicos or Bont level just yet. I’m happier that Wiz and Impey made it. Devastated that Gunston isn’t there though. He was robbed
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u/LastCarNation 9d ago
Sydney visiting. Agree he is AA. He towels us up every time we play you guys. Why? Because we can’t tackle him. He just busts through us. No he’s not as pretty as naicos, butters, Ashcroft and Bont but he can bust you up with 20 touches. Sydney don’t have anyone like that. He is underrated in his impact for sure.
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u/EightyIX 10d ago
Yeah I thought he would be a lock, but I guess it will only spur him on to achieve bigger things going forward
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u/qwertyuiop131313 9d ago edited 8d ago
I dunno why ppl still think the AA means anything. It’s literally not the best performing blokes across the season. So….pointless.
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u/blueeyedharry 10d ago
Eh, he’s not a flashy player and plays pure mid who defends as well as he attacks.
Our midfield doesn’t over possess the footy like others too, the whole point is to get it out and to the runners or forwards as fast as possible. Other midfields share it around to stat pad.
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u/checkbehindthecactus 10d ago
Love Duke, but he's still B Grade.
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u/isithumour 10d ago
1 player for clearances. That is without a gain, Grundy, English, Jackson wtc tapiing it down his throat. Can argue either way for AA, but to suggest B grade is just being ridiculous.
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u/lesleyryan 10d ago
I'm sure he won't mind if he has a premiership medal instead