Glen AtwellJoel Selwood: AFL Rising Star
September 7th 2007 05:55
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I think the timing of the AFL NAB Rising Star award leaves a lot to be desired.
Every week during the regular AFL home and away season, we celebrate the weekly nominations and marvel at the brilliance shown at such a young age.
Then when it comes to awarding a winner, it is buried in the hysteria of the AFL Finals. Given it's not Grand Final week, but in the hype surrounding the first week of finals, does it really do this award justice?
Let's not get bogged down in negatives, but why not present it as a small aside on Brownlow Medal night? The result is always fundamentally flawed anyway (here we go...), perhaps the reason why it seems buried in the news cycle.
Final voting:
Joel Selwood, Geelong. 44
Scott Pendlebury, Collingwood. 37
Nathan Jones, Melbourne. 17
Justin Westhoff, Port Adelaide. 10
Shannon Hurn, West Coast. 9
Jesse Smith, Kangaroos. 7
Bryce Gibbs, Carlton. 6
Tom Williams, Western Bulldogs. 2
Patrick Ryder, Essendon. 2
Martin Clarke, Collingwood. 1
I am really miffed by this award. Two words: Paddy Ryder. Two votes? You have to be joking! Fair's fair, Joel Selwood deserved to win, that's all good and well, but for Ryder to to collect only two votes?
He was a standout in the Essendon backline for all but five or six games of the season. Ryder was dynamic, could ruck or play half-back and had a tremendous leap and ability to spoil.
To see Jesse Smith collect more votes than Ryder suggests something is seriously amiss with this award.
Maybe the selectors kept voting for Alwyn Davey (who should have won this award) then realised he wasn't eligible?
Congratulations to Selwood and Scott Pendlebury, though Nathan Jones would also be miffed (word of the day), falling 20 votes south of second place.
I thought Jones had much more impact in the Melbourne side than Pendlebury did in the Collingwood team.
I think the timing of the AFL NAB Rising Star award leaves a lot to be desired.
Every week during the regular AFL home and away season, we celebrate the weekly nominations and marvel at the brilliance shown at such a young age.
Then when it comes to awarding a winner, it is buried in the hysteria of the AFL Finals. Given it's not Grand Final week, but in the hype surrounding the first week of finals, does it really do this award justice?
Let's not get bogged down in negatives, but why not present it as a small aside on Brownlow Medal night? The result is always fundamentally flawed anyway (here we go...), perhaps the reason why it seems buried in the news cycle.
Final voting:
Joel Selwood, Geelong. 44
Scott Pendlebury, Collingwood. 37
Nathan Jones, Melbourne. 17
Justin Westhoff, Port Adelaide. 10
Shannon Hurn, West Coast. 9
Jesse Smith, Kangaroos. 7
Bryce Gibbs, Carlton. 6
Tom Williams, Western Bulldogs. 2
Patrick Ryder, Essendon. 2
Martin Clarke, Collingwood. 1
Joel Selwood wrestles with brother Troy. Selwood is the 2007 AFL Rising Star.
I am really miffed by this award. Two words: Paddy Ryder. Two votes? You have to be joking! Fair's fair, Joel Selwood deserved to win, that's all good and well, but for Ryder to to collect only two votes?
He was a standout in the Essendon backline for all but five or six games of the season. Ryder was dynamic, could ruck or play half-back and had a tremendous leap and ability to spoil.
To see Jesse Smith collect more votes than Ryder suggests something is seriously amiss with this award.
Maybe the selectors kept voting for Alwyn Davey (who should have won this award) then realised he wasn't eligible?
Congratulations to Selwood and Scott Pendlebury, though Nathan Jones would also be miffed (word of the day), falling 20 votes south of second place.
I thought Jones had much more impact in the Melbourne side than Pendlebury did in the Collingwood team.
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