Wangers where are you?

AB is not overrated. I think everyone agrees he needs to keep working on one or two areas but with his fantastic work ethic there's every chance he'll be with us for another 10 years or so.

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There's so much I could say...

PJ the modern game does not allow for players to be one dimensional anymore. Sure 1 or 2 at most, might survive but rest assured the majority will not and the only reason these 1 or 2 would, is because they are exceptional ie. Scott West.

Here I am, Rod. Yes, Mr Bentick - many a discussion have been had at the footy about this player, by me in particular.

Speed - has little
Agility - see speed
Toughness - very good in the packs, exceptional, in fact
Disposal - poor, lacks penetration in kicking and his ball drop is too high, handball is OK
Strength - see toughness
Decision making - average, by hand is OK, by foot, poor
Marking - average
Tackling - brilliant


Is he over-rated? In my opinion, yes. For the position he plays, he doesn't hurt the opposition enough. I know he ain't an Asafa Powell and never will be - and I'm willing to concede on speed, BUT if his disposal, agility & decision making improve, so that he hurts the opposition, I believe we've got a 200 game player on our hands.

Let's wait and see. 2007 is a big year for AB.

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For some silly reason, you people want to assassinate him, and it's just rubbish. You people. All of you, ALL of you!

The fact to look at is that he is 21. If he was 26 and playing the same type of football as he is now then you would call him a battler.

He is playing good football for a 21 year old and IF he continues to improve he could become quite a good footballer

Toughness - exceptional. Now that's a big call. He is strong but by definition toughness encompasses many things. He may get there.

Speaking of speed, I was surprised to see Blackwell running down one of the Bomber midfielders (Monfries?) on Saturday. Maybe not as slow as we thought.

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"The ability to speak doesn't make you intelligent." Qui-Gon Jinn 15-05-2005

"there’s more chance of me becoming the full forward for the [Western Bulldogs] than there is of any change in the Labor Party." Julia Gillard 18-05-2010

Bentick just turned 21, has played less than 50 games and you think he cannot improve?

He earned his spot in the team, plays every week in the middle against bigger bodied players and on top of that continues to train harder than any one else.

He has leadership qualities from his Calder days and grew up a Carlton supporter.

In my short assessment I think his future is bright, and has the potential to be in the next premiership squad.

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"Dont count the games, make the games count"

Am a huge Andy Bentick fan solely based on his character.Its bulletproof.Like the larikans myself,but am full of admiration for those good wholesome characters...............His footballing ability ? agree with most.Bit slow,not a super kick etc,etc.But i reckon,unlike others,this guy will improve and go on to play 100 games minimum.

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All my dangerous friends

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"You are being watched. The government has a secret system. A machine that spies on you every hour of every day. I know because I built it." - Finch

Have a closer look at his games this year and the scalps he has to his name. You won't see this in the papers because most of the journos have little idea.

He has been used as a close tagger this year. Has been given the opposition in form midfielder most weeks even though some are not suited to his game. Doesn't complain. Just goes out and does his job.

Example:

Against the Eagles in Perth - Braun has 10 possessions in the first 15 minutes against Simpson. They switch AB on to Braun - from that point on to 3/4 time, Braun has only 6 possessions. Then like most Blues that day, he runs out of legs a bit but still beats Braun easily on the day.

From memory, the next week he is designated Harris. Harris is in top form at the time - 4th in possessions in the league in fact. Once again, AB keeps him relatively quiet whilst picking up a few possessions himself.

Week after that, he gets the call to monitor Power. Power had a tonne of possessions leading up to that game. Played on him in the first quarter and then in the mix of rotations, is playing on a variety of Lions but overall, probably conceded that day. But, we are talking Luke Power - a top line midfielder on his own turf.

A few weeks back, he gets the call to tag West. Prior to that game, West is raking up 30 plus possessions a game. I thought AB broke even with him in the first quarter, beat West in the second, easily beat him in the third and probably conceded the last quarter just marginally to West. How many other guys this season can say they have had the better of West this year?

On Saturday he tagged J Johnson all day. Johnson had 41 possessions the previous game. Was Johnson influential on Saturday? No.

I think you need to give credit where credit is due. Also, it helps if one pays attention to the game before one begins to shoot from the hip with gross generalisations. Not everyone is a Judd, Del Santo or a Cousins. How well would AB be rated if he played in the West Coast midfield instead?

The coaching staff think highly enough of him to give him the key opposition play maker week after week, so they obviously see something in him.

With midfields and the way they set up you can have 1 Bentick type in your team. He is slow and must improve his kicking but you know he will be trying to do that because this guy is a quality bloke.Bentick is also pound for pound the strongest guy at the club ( bench presses 150) He is hard to move over the ball.That is vital these days in relation to stoppages.And as mentioned before Blackwell is quicker than some people myself included thought he was so having these 2 on the field at the same time is no problems.


In short not overrated.Take out 3 or 4 games where he played poorly (crook shoulder courtesy of Richo) Bentick has been good for a guy who has played 30 games.

adding to preachers's comments (AB has in most cases played on the opposition's gun midfielder) - he has still been picking up possies of between 15 - 22 a game

I like him as our blue collar in-and-under man whilst also manning the oppositions top mid-fielder.

We need more blokes who are willing to put their head over the pill!!

Everyone is correct, he needs to improve his foot/hand skills (so does the whole team........Murph excepted) and does lack pace.

He will be a solid worker for us and play 150+ games of consistent, if somewhat unspectacular service. Every team has these players.

As he matures, he could end up like Bret Kirk. Kirk was shitful when he first played with the Swans but he put his body on the line and led by example and now everyone loves him. He still can't kick, is slow as a sack of shit but gee people respect him! Lets hope AB goes down the same path.

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Confucius say "Virginity like bubble, one prick all gone"

Wondered when you were going to bob up, preacher

His stopping jobs haven't been getting much credit this year.

Been very pleased with his development this year and agree he has had a number of good scalps
Definitely beat Johnson last week and agree nullified West who we always have trouble quelling
I agree he needs to improve his disposal by foot both left and right but is a real worker and will get better - he has improved his speed this year I think - best extractor in the team - best tackler by a country mile in the team - as Elwood said shepherds blocks and thinks team
He reminds me of a young Fraser Brown rather than Ratten - coincidentally I used to think Brown wouldnt make it either - I reckon he at 21 is better than what Fraser whether he goes on with it and is like Fraser brown in the end who knows but CAN WE BE PATIENT with a guy that is playing pivot and on -ball in the worst side in the AFL and steadly improving in his third season

dont really rate him that highly. atm he is fine but when we are next ready to challenge he wont be there.

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"In fairness it did seem in the early days of the draft teams would just pick a name totally at random out of a hat. I'm pretty sure we picked James Cook at #2 one year. The mediocre forward, not the explorer" - Me, 12/9/2011

Carlton 2012: Lets remind them why they once feared the Dark.

Bentick is coming on nicely, gives 110% and you can never doubt his determination to make it. Due to his attributes I think Smith will not be listed next year. Similar players, Bentick however has better skills. I doubt you can play Blackwell, Bentick and Smith in the same side.

You sure this isn't Jesse D Smith or his friend writing this, to get his spot,lol

The question has to be asked.Why was Bentick off in the third quarter against the.Because in the last he got 16 possessions and was the catalyst in getting us going.Give him more game time DP shockers