04-21-2021, 12:46 AM
There is a bit of discussion on the Jim Parks Medal site about me believing Docherty was our best player. I am not sure that is the site we should be having those discussions. As far as I am concerned on that site it is show your cards then read them and weep.
If you check the stats and look at number of possessions and meters gained, Docherty is up there but that is not how I judge a game. I try and look at how a player plays within the context of the game. As far as I was concerned the ability of Port Adelaide to win the ball from our poor ball use going forward, decision making and lack of teaming, combined with their skills meant that the defence was under constant pressure and considering Jones, Williamson and SPS had shockers down back, the hard work of effective defending to keep us in the game was down to Saad, Docherty, Weitering and Plowman and while Weitering got better as the game went along, I thought Docherty was the one who was always the last line of defence, putting his body on the line and playing a Captain's and team game.
I mark Walsh down because in my view, even though he gets a lot of the ball and he is very clean and his ball use is pretty good, I don't see him bringing others into the game or impacting by changing the direction of the game with the possessions he gets. I believe he has the capacity to do both of those things but he is yet to do it.
This is the last time I will explain myself.
If you check the stats and look at number of possessions and meters gained, Docherty is up there but that is not how I judge a game. I try and look at how a player plays within the context of the game. As far as I was concerned the ability of Port Adelaide to win the ball from our poor ball use going forward, decision making and lack of teaming, combined with their skills meant that the defence was under constant pressure and considering Jones, Williamson and SPS had shockers down back, the hard work of effective defending to keep us in the game was down to Saad, Docherty, Weitering and Plowman and while Weitering got better as the game went along, I thought Docherty was the one who was always the last line of defence, putting his body on the line and playing a Captain's and team game.
I mark Walsh down because in my view, even though he gets a lot of the ball and he is very clean and his ball use is pretty good, I don't see him bringing others into the game or impacting by changing the direction of the game with the possessions he gets. I believe he has the capacity to do both of those things but he is yet to do it.
This is the last time I will explain myself.