RickJ wrote:
We all know its bullshit, one man's opinion, and designed to create discussion and controversy. But I still find myself a little irritated and annoyed.
Mike's pre-season top 50 is speculative and a prediction of whom he expects will be the dominant players of the season ahead. His post-season top 50 however is his reading of the season just finished, and should be a more objective indicator of who actually performed best.
Judd at number 6 is plainly ridiculous, an insult. He's had a better season this year than in his Brownlow year, by all statistical measures and by virtue of the most important stats of all (which are never quoted) which are impact on games and degree of difficulty in doing so.
Three quarters of the paragraph on Judd in the HUN today was about his late season fade-out and his disappointing game against West Coast when he was unable to rise above the challenge of the Selwood tag. As if he needs to justify why Judd, clearly the best player in the AFL, was demoted to number 6.
I am still pissed off with Sheahan for his incredible disrespect towards Juddy after the 2010 Brownlow, when he led the charge by claiming that Judd was underserving and an umpires pet. There may be a few Brownlow medalists who have been undeserving over the years, (not many but a few), with Hardie, Wanganeen, and Woowodin topping the list. To disrespect one of the greatest players of all time in this manner was disgraceful. No apology from Sheahan was forthcoming, despite him being asked about this repeatedly on talk back radio and on TV (by Gerard Healy in particular). There was no acknowledgement from him that he might have been wrong, or that he had potentially tainted a player that by any measure could hold his own with any Brownlow medalist in history.
What's more, this diatribe and the discussion it generated, clearly made the umpires early in the season wary of giving Judd votes he deserved. The umpires are only human and did not want to be seen to be favouring the umpires pet. The umpires became less conscious of this late in the season when Judd picked up the majority of his votes. In my view his first half season was clearly better than his second half. There was also the clear implication that Swan was dudded, suggesting to the umpires that the tattooed bogan, a very good ordinary player, deserved to be compensated. Sheahan led the charge on this, and it had an impact.
I know I shouldnt even bother being annoyed, but I am.
Go F%$K yourself Sheahan. No class at all.
Good Grief Yes!.Outstanding!
