Ultimate player ratings: Jon Ralph and Glenn McFarlane rate every Western Bulldogs player

[Uninformed]

The success of this year will be largely driven by the 50s and 60s rated players — Darcy, Lobb, Sanders, O'Donnell, Harmes, Williams. If two or three can step up in a big way we are a chance for Top 4

I think Darcy and Sanders are definite unicorns and also maybe JOD. It is whether they blossom this year or it takes a bit longer. Harmes and Williams will need it to be this year to stay best 22. I am hoping for a star to emerge from the likes of West, McNeil, VDM, Clarke, Bedendo, Poulter, Cleary and Buss. If one or two could emerge as game changers we would be looking really good. They all show signs of potential yet to be realised.

[Glove38]

Jacko's fall from grace has been swift. Really hoping he can turn it around this year.

[mjp]

I think Darcy and Sanders are definite unicorns and also maybe JOD. It is whether they blossom this year or it takes a bit longer. Harmes and Williams will need it to be this year to stay best 22. I am hoping for a star to emerge from the likes of West, McNeil, VDM, Clarke, Bedendo, Poulter, Cleary and Buss. If one or two could emerge as game changers we would be looking really good. They all show signs of potential yet to be realised.

What makes Sanders a unicorn?

He's a midfielder - normal size...I don't get it.

Feel the same way about JOD - he's a tall(ish) defender.

I guess there is unique stuff about Darcy but again, he's not that much taller than guys like Max King.

I agree they are exciting players but - and I know I'm old - I don't get this unicorn stuff...

[Grantysghost]

What makes Sanders a unicorn?

He's a midfielder - normal size...I don't get it.

Feel the same way about JOD - he's a tall(ish) defender.

I guess there is unique stuff about Darcy but again, he's not that much taller than guys like Max King.

I agree they are exciting players but - and I know I'm old - I don't get this unicorn stuff...

They exist.

[mjp]

That helmet needs a hole in it for the horn to stick through...

[jeemak]

That helmet needs a hole in it for the horn to stick through...

That's definitely the only thing wrong with the picture.

[Rocco Jones]

What makes Sanders a unicorn?

He's a midfielder - normal size...I don't get it.

Feel the same way about JOD - he's a tall(ish) defender.

I guess there is unique stuff about Darcy but again, he's not that much taller than guys like Max King.

I agree they are exciting players but - and I know I'm old - I don't get this unicorn stuff...

I love the NBA and there it's basically a guy who is 7 ft, can post up, hit a three and play d. Porzingis the OG, Wemby new kid on the block.

With AFL, I definitely wouldn't have Sanders as a 'unicorn'. To me he is actually a bit vanilla but being amazing and vanilla will do me. JOD is a versatile player. Darcy is the closest of that trio for me.

Not sure AFL really sits the unicorn term but I'd say Bont is our unicorn. Tall and actually uses that height, obviously can play 'small'. Great at the contested work, explosive and can do the outside stuff. Would be close to/our best in nearly ever position if he had a real crack at it.

[mjp]

That's definitely the only thing wrong with the picture.

I know right?

I don't know art but I know what I like.

[Uninformed]

What makes Sanders a unicorn?

He's a midfielder - normal size...I don't get it.

Feel the same way about JOD - he's a tall(ish) defender.

I guess there is unique stuff about Darcy but again, he's not that much taller than guys like Max King.

I agree they are exciting players but - and I know I'm old - I don't get this unicorn stuff...

I may have the wrong slant on 'unicorn' but I take to mean 'got the magic could be anything..' The tall side of it probably comes from NBA.

I don't see anything vanilla about Sanders. He has got hands like Libba, and there is almost no-one else in the AFL you could say that of. To me, like Libba, he seems to be be a magician in close and, for someone his age, could be anything. Darcy for sure, and JOD seems a special talent too.

[mjp]

I may have the wrong slant on 'unicorn' but I take to mean 'got the magic could be anything..' The tall side of it probably comes from NBA.

I don't see anything vanilla about Sanders. He has got hands like Libba, and there is almost no-one else in the AFL you could say that of. To me, like Libba, he seems to be be a magician in close and, for someone his age, could be anything. Darcy for sure, and JOD seems a special talent too.

I thought a unicorn was a 'unique' talent - a player who can do things others of his type can't do (generally due to physical characteristics).

Wenbanyama seems to have triggered the use of the term...size, agility, inside/outside game...just a player who has stuff we haven't seen before. I just don't get how a player like Sanders - and I think he's a super talent - is like that? He was rated the 6th best player in his draft class and he's an - again, no disrespect intended - an inside mid who has the chance to be a pretty good player. But when you say 'hands like Liber', well, that's cool but lots of mids have great hands and Liber isn't better historically than players like Williams from not long ago. If there was a unicorn in the draft it was probably Jed Walter - I mean, maybe he's more like the second coming of Plugger than the 'first' of anything but he's certainly something we haven't seen in a while...

If you wanted to argue that Bont was a unicorn because he is a KPP size player who is elite below his knees and in the contest, well, sure - I've never seen a player quite like him, that's for sure. But even he is 'part' of a trend of these massive mids (think Cripps etc) who have cropped up in the past decade or so (pretty sure Cripps and Bont both played in the 2013 champs).

JOD seems like he MIGHT turn into a solid player. Again though, I just don't see the 'JOD is a special talent' type comments. I'm always happy to be wrong on stuff like this but having Jones as a KPD gives me confidence...JOD on the other hand? Well, that selection makes me worried (and I think his move to our #2 KPD says more about the decline of Keath and lack of development by Busslinger than anything specific we've seen from JOD in an actual game of footy).

[hujsh]

I thought a unicorn was a 'unique' talent - a player who can do things others of his type can't do (generally due to physical characteristics).

Wenbanyama seems to have triggered the use of the term...size, agility, inside/outside game...just a player who has stuff we haven't seen before. I just don't get how a player like Sanders - and I think he's a super talent - is like that? He was rated the 6th best player in his draft class and he's an - again, no disrespect intended - an inside mid who has the chance to be a pretty good player. But when you say 'hands like Liber', well, that's cool but lots of mids have great hands and Liber isn't better historically than players like Williams from not long ago. If there was a unicorn in the draft it was probably Jed Walter - I mean, maybe he's more like the second coming of Plugger than the 'first' of anything but he's certainly something we haven't seen in a while...

If you wanted to argue that Bont was a unicorn because he is a KPP size player who is elite below his knees and in the contest, well, sure - I've never seen a player quite like him, that's for sure. But even he is 'part' of a trend of these massive mids (think Cripps etc) who have cropped up in the past decade or so (pretty sure Cripps and Bont both played in the 2013 champs).

JOD seems like he MIGHT turn into a solid player. Again though, I just don't see the 'JOD is a special talent' type comments. I'm always happy to be wrong on stuff like this but having Jones as a KPD gives me confidence...JOD on the other hand? Well, that selection makes me worried (and I think his move to our #2 KPD says more about the decline of Keath and lack of development by Busslinger than anything specific we've seen from JOD in an actual game of footy).

Yeah Sanders just could be really really good, not a unicorn. I saw Read being referred to as a unicorn in draft coverage because of his particular skillset. TBH it's hard to imagine the term appying to anyone but a ruck sized player who can 'do it all'

If we're looking outside that maybe Pavlich would be one example? Elite Key Defender, Key Forward and Midfielder

[mjp]

Yeah Sanders just could be really really good, not a unicorn. I saw Read being referred to as a unicorn in draft coverage because of his particular skillset. TBH it's hard to imagine the term appying to anyone but a ruck sized player who can 'do it all'

If we're looking outside that maybe Pavlich would be one example? Elite Key Defender, Key Forward and Midfielder

Maybe Reid might be like Martin? But wouldn't that make him NOT a unicorn??

[hujsh]

Maybe Reid might be like Martin? But wouldn't that make him NOT a unicorn??

GCs Ethan Read the ruckman. Some might call English one but since Cox there have been Gawn and Grundy who could claim to have similar or superior skillsets to him as well so maybe that's also a bit too common.

My feel is a unicorn is someone with a unique set of skills that other players can't replicate. Maybe Adam Goodes was one for his ability to be a brownlow winning ruck and a brownlow winning mid?

[ledge]

I see Darcy can still win the rising star, 7 games and under 21.
Not sure anyone in their 3rd season has actually won it.

[Axe Man]

I see Darcy can still win the rising star, 7 games and under 21.
Not sure anyone in their 3rd season has actually won it.

Daniel Talia won it in his third season in 2012.