How Will Minson has shot to No. 1 with a bullet

[jeemak]

Meh, opinions are like arseholes — everyone has one.

Wasn't qualifying, merely contrasting the two. I think Caro is a flog.

Jeez, that's probably harsh even for me!

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I wouldn't mind seeing Minson as captain starting 2014.

Agree with much of what has already been said. I wonder how much of his progression can be attributed to King? Whilst Minson was always physically strong, he's become a very intelligent ruckman/player. He used to struggle with positioning, but now he absolutely dominates the opposition in getting to the right spots and using his frame to force his opponent out of position.

Either way, well done to Minson and the coaching group.

[jeemak]

Will has been since day dot the one player I really wanted to succeed. Loved his aggression early and never really had an issue with the way he would give up free kicks. What I saw was a big kid trying to impose himself on the game, I don't think he stopped doing that either - but rather just applying some more mature decision making.

I thought Rocket was not a good coach for him. Was really disappointed by the "dumbest smart bloke" comment and the dismissal of his value an A grade ruck man. The way he battled away at Willy while out of favour was a sign of true character and leadership. He did everything that was asked of him, was patient and just went to work without any fuss. He won himself a place in my all time favourites list in that time.

The Cornes & Pearce stuff I had no issues with, in fact it strengthened my views on his leadership and character. While many saw a villain, a bloke prone to "brain farts," I saw a guy prepared to sacrifice everything to play his part and get an advantage. He put his personal reputation below the desire to get a result for our Club. Libba did that and we celebrate it. Minson deserved our full support. I was upset he never got it.

He is the best leader at the Club, has worked hard, been patient and we are now seeing him play terrific footy in a side that needs him to be.

I didn't like Rocket's summation of Will and the fact he didn't play him in his last year as our coach when we were trying to work out how best to manage the sub and our team, but I reckon if you asked the big man who had the biggest influence in making him the player he is he'd nominate Rocket. Will's smart enough to know that words mean less than actions, and team imperatives (rightly or wrongly) equate to a greater sum than personal imperatives. That's probably what makes him the leader he's become.

Often I find it funny how we bemoan Will's input forward in 2008. He kicked 19 goals as a 23 year old second ruck and was lambasted for it. Clearly playing out of position.

A lot of what happened with Will and Port Adelaide said more about Port Adelaide and their small town culture than it did about Will. His words were not important or necessary, but they were pretty much harmless. The fact that somebody like Lucy Cornes found national prominence as a result of her distain for Will's actions demonstrated the severe dumbing down of the media and laziness of some journalists (not to mention the Australian public) just about as well as anything else could have.

He's a leader of our club, but probably not the best one we have. He doesn't have to be though.

[jeemak]

Looking at some raw stats for Will versus 2008, there's some interesting comparisons to be made, and the only clear difference I can find is hit-out advantage between now and then. In some areas he's behind (though not playing forward you could justify that - and some stats aren't recorded).

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/f...2=P&fopt2=2008

The interesting one for me is marks per game. For mine he doesn't take enough of them around the ground. Whether it's an ongoing prejudice I have against the adulation afforded to ruckmen for getting hit-outs or hit-outs to advantage, I think ruckmen by and large gain a bit of a free pass when it comes to responsibility around the ground.

If Will wants to be an improved and dominant ruckman, he needs to impose himself more around the ground and take more marks. We don't move the ball quickly or efficiently as a team, and quite often we kick to contests as a result of that. Whilst I will always defend his input into contested situations where the loose ball is up for grabs, it's the high ball coming out of defence or out of our forward line that he needs to show more presence in controlling.

There is a likelihood that he'll take more marks around the ground as we improve our ball defending and movement/transition system, and his marking might improve from that.

[Remi Moses]

Just wondering how much influence Stephen King is having on Minson?
Not sure if its the coach but whether the number 1 title had a bearing on his improvement
Pretty hard now to have 2 rucks only in your side, and us something Stkilda are finding out with Mcevoy and Hickey. Second banana now has to have a spot in the forward half ( Pyke )

[Remi Moses]

Looking at some raw stats for Will versus 2008, there's some interesting comparisons to be made, and the only clear difference I can find is hit-out advantage between now and then. In some areas he's behind (though not playing forward you could justify that - and some stats aren't recorded).

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/f...2=P&fopt2=2008

The interesting one for me is marks per game. For mine he doesn't take enough of them around the ground. Whether it's an ongoing prejudice I have against the adulation afforded to ruckmen for getting hit-outs or hit-outs to advantage, I think ruckmen by and large gain a bit of a free pass when it comes to responsibility around the ground.

If Will wants to be an improved and dominant ruckman, he needs to impose himself more around the ground and take more marks. We don't move the ball quickly or efficiently as a team, and quite often we kick to contests as a result of that. Whilst I will always defend his input into contested situations where the loose ball is up for grabs, it's the high ball coming out of defence or out of our forward line that he needs to show more presence in controlling.

There is a likelihood that he'll take more marks around the ground as we improve our ball defending and movement/transition system, and his marking might improve from that.

Agree ^^ and its bloody hard to take a mark when you bomb down the line .

[bulldogtragic]

On Footy Classified last night Caro said she thought Mike Pyke was in front of Will as the best ruckman for the season to date.

Ah well, Sunday FS has a rolling AA team, Minno is in ATM.

[bornadog]

Surely he will be announced as the All Australian Ruckman for 2013. He has had a fantastic year.

[Mofra]

Loved that last tackle - thought he might hold him a bit too long afterwards, but it was just enough to let him know all about it.

[Ghost Dog]

Bullet pass to Gia! Great skills Minno. Loved the 'press' on Dangerfield, squealing like a squashed mouse to the ump.

[KT31]

Great stuff from Big Will, thought he showed a bit of promise before we recruited the Bearded One, only to them be put back a peg.
Great he has resurrected his career and become the number one ruckman in the comp.
Even better he has done it with us and didn't move on.

[Hotdog60]

Suck sh#t Gold Coast......