I started asking myself this question last week and after last nights performance I have to ask again - can he???

Much maligned for a few years and a top 10 draft pick who took some time to get going. Despite supporters ridicule he has become pretty rock solid for us in defence over the last 12 months. One of the first players picked each week I'd say. Doesn't get enough applause for his sheer courageousness either. Very often runs back into packs, spoils at every opportunity, runs off his man to help teammates and his kicking efficiency is improving also.

With a guy like Judd in your side, winning a B&F isnt easy. But I reckon that JR will go real close. He is loved at the club (not to mention by Ratts himself) and I'd love to see him win one!!!

Good stuff JR....

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HENDERSONALENKO......YOU BEAUTY!!!!!

I don't know if it was the white jumpers last night, but it looked as if JR was getting a little bit...ummmm...rotund around the middle. Maybe the extra weight behind him is giving him more confidence to really attack opposition players.

Go back and check the votes.........From Rd. 11-22 last year - JR won our B&F!!!

His second half of the year last year was voted the best at our club by the people voting....Judd included!

On that logic then if he keeps up his form and confidence (he might not beat an injury free Juddy) he should finish top 5 at least!!!!

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It's the vibe.........Tell him he's dreamin' Darryl!

Go back and check the votes.........From Rd. 11-22 last year - JR won our B&F!!!

His second half of the year last year was voted the best at our club by the people voting....Judd included!

On that logic then if he keeps up his form and confidence (he might not beat an injury free Juddy) he should finish top 5 at least!!!!

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It's the vibe.........Tell him he's dreamin' Darryl!

Honestly, the form Judd's in..

Well he's going to need a lot more nights like last night

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As it is now he would be winning it but Judd is coming and will probably take it out by seasons end. Carrazzo would be up there now and Ohailpin is a good chance of a top 10 finish if he can continue his form.

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Koperek.

I havent been doing votes so I think you tend to have a short and selective memory about these things when you aren't, but Scotland and Russell would be leading it for mine and Judd just behind them.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Currently the best South Aussie playing in the team


Sure he can win it

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Would have to be one of the most improved players in the AFL. When Hayes attempted to fend him off I fully expected Russell to still collar him and smash him into the turf and wasn't disappointed, he's playing like a man possessed.

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"One of my favorite philosophical tenets is that people will agree with you only if they already agree with you. You do not change people's minds." - Frank Zappa

He can win it but it depends how he copes with taggers.
This will start happening to him real soon.

well that's the thing.. Its not as if he plays loose man in defense, he already takes an opposition forward. His possessions come from contested situations (mopping up) and setting up from the kick ins. You can put a tagger on him but it would be a complete waste, it won't make a difference.

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Koperek.

It'll be a Houlihan type tag. Much harder to dominate when you're the hunted rather than the hunter.

Teams will be watching and tactics devised to stop our run and counter the roles JR and Hoops are playing.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Exactly, a tagger is different than an opponent, that's the next challenge that is coming for Russell. The problem the opposition will eventually have is when Bower, Walker and Russell are playing in the same team ....... you can't stop all of them.

Let's see them tag Russel when Walks is back in! Then throw Gibblet across half back..

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I still don't see how the opposition could tag Russell. Watch the game again and tell me how you would stop him getting the contested ball? They can stand next to him the whole time and the only thing that would do is stop him setting up when we chip it around in the back half. Big deal, anyone can do that. He already has a man on him (his forward opponent). Houlihan tags the loose man from the opposition, Russell is not that type of player he is a much better player than that.

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Koperek.

You know times have really changed for the better when we go from talking about trading JR to talking about JR winning the B&F...

Im waiting for the Bret Thornton tag, his backwards/sideways static play has been identified as our secret weapon

JR could go very high in the B&F, but will not win it. At the moment though, I think only Simmo and Scotland would be the ones definitely ahead of him.

No reason why he can't. He's always been highly rated by teammates and coaches, even back when some of us (myself included) couldn't see the forest for the trees. Now he's not only doing the 'team' things that go unnoticed, he's now at the fore as a dangerous player.

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#GUILTY

I reckon JR's form until recently was a touch down on the second half of last year. He'd been good, not great.

If he can maintain his form from Monday night he'll be All-Australian

paying $21 last week
paying $11 this week
got on last week

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