Lingy misses out
Posted: Thu Sep 04, 2008 1:32 pmLeaving out Ling a hanging offence
By Jon Anderson
September 04, 2008 THE All-Australian selectors should hang their heads in shame.
How they can announce a squad of 40 players and ignore Cameron Ling borders on laughable.
This is the same Ling who last year ran third in Geelong's best-and-fairest and, naturally enough, was named All-Australian.
And the same player who has arguably had a better year, increasing his average disposals from 20 to 24 in a team that has won three more games.
Geelong officials declined to comment, but had the Cats been told they had 10 squad members then Ling's inclusion would have been a natural assumption.
As in 2007, Ling has played run-with roles this season, a job All-Australian selectors have recognised by naming Kane Cornes (2005, 2007), James McDonald (2006) and Brett Kirk (2004) in past teams.
Do they no longer consider this position an important part of the game?
On-ball negators have been a consistent feature of the AFL for 25 years - players such as Shane Heard, Dean Kemp and Anthony Stevens have excelled by combining offence and defence.
Ling stands alongside them as the best the game has seen.
He has played 20 of 22 matches this season and the only area in which you could mark him down is goals kicked (14 this year as opposed to 27 in 2007).
So who should he be in ahead of? Given Kirk is the most similar in playing style, let's compare their seasons.
Kirk reinvented his career by becoming an accountable on-baller.
Ling beats him in most areas, the most obvious win for Kirk being clearances.
Kirk has an advantage over Ling in that his first task is to attack the ball.
Ling is offensive enough at clearances to grab the ball should it present but his usual brief is to stop a Brent Harvey, Adam Goodes, Shaun Burgoyne, Luke Power, Nathan Foley, Scott Thompson, Chris Judd or Daniel Kerr from getting it first and cutting lose.
He kept Burgoyne to 12 touches in Round 1 (he collected 22) Goodes to 13 in 108 minutes in Round 5 (he had 18) Power to 15 in Round 7 (23) Thompson to 11 in Round 14 (19) and his coup de grace, Harvey to 22 in 106 minutes in Round 21 (28).
His importance to Geelong can be judged by four top three best-and-fairest placings in the past six years. And while he may lack the sheer brilliance of Gary Ablett and profile of Jimmy Bartel, Ling is equally as valuable from a team perspective
Its a bit harsh. Hopefully Lingy sends a message during the finals.
By Jon Anderson
September 04, 2008 THE All-Australian selectors should hang their heads in shame.
How they can announce a squad of 40 players and ignore Cameron Ling borders on laughable.
This is the same Ling who last year ran third in Geelong's best-and-fairest and, naturally enough, was named All-Australian.
And the same player who has arguably had a better year, increasing his average disposals from 20 to 24 in a team that has won three more games.
Geelong officials declined to comment, but had the Cats been told they had 10 squad members then Ling's inclusion would have been a natural assumption.
As in 2007, Ling has played run-with roles this season, a job All-Australian selectors have recognised by naming Kane Cornes (2005, 2007), James McDonald (2006) and Brett Kirk (2004) in past teams.
Do they no longer consider this position an important part of the game?
On-ball negators have been a consistent feature of the AFL for 25 years - players such as Shane Heard, Dean Kemp and Anthony Stevens have excelled by combining offence and defence.
Ling stands alongside them as the best the game has seen.
He has played 20 of 22 matches this season and the only area in which you could mark him down is goals kicked (14 this year as opposed to 27 in 2007).
So who should he be in ahead of? Given Kirk is the most similar in playing style, let's compare their seasons.
Kirk reinvented his career by becoming an accountable on-baller.
Ling beats him in most areas, the most obvious win for Kirk being clearances.
Kirk has an advantage over Ling in that his first task is to attack the ball.
Ling is offensive enough at clearances to grab the ball should it present but his usual brief is to stop a Brent Harvey, Adam Goodes, Shaun Burgoyne, Luke Power, Nathan Foley, Scott Thompson, Chris Judd or Daniel Kerr from getting it first and cutting lose.
He kept Burgoyne to 12 touches in Round 1 (he collected 22) Goodes to 13 in 108 minutes in Round 5 (he had 18) Power to 15 in Round 7 (23) Thompson to 11 in Round 14 (19) and his coup de grace, Harvey to 22 in 106 minutes in Round 21 (28).
His importance to Geelong can be judged by four top three best-and-fairest placings in the past six years. And while he may lack the sheer brilliance of Gary Ablett and profile of Jimmy Bartel, Ling is equally as valuable from a team perspective
Its a bit harsh. Hopefully Lingy sends a message during the finals.
