Finals X Factor

[sydney-dog]

Just interested in peoples opinion on who is the X Factor player for each club

by this I mean a player that may of had a consistent year or an injury prone season but has the ability to raise it another level for the finals and take his side to another level

Mine is Cowan for the dogs, I think if he starts to play his best footy, then the dogs are a completely different outfit, he straightens the side up and players like slade, o'sullivan and gowans will feed of him all day

[smac]

100% agree SD, I was thinking of Cowan as I was reading your post. He showed in the first game against North at Adelaide Oval that he is capable of tearing a game apart. Hopefully he brings that form with him on Sunday.

[sydney-dog]

smac, I think Cowan has the ability to blow the finals wide open, in form and confident almsot impossible to stop and adds so much to the dogs game and structure, HE IS A BIG GAME PLAYER

[CENTURION]

I think that you will see an even better O'Sullivan. The way that he plays the game every week with no fear, no time to stop & rest. Will kick a bag of 4 or 5 in one of the finals.

[Aerie]

Tim Inkster is the Eagles X-Factor and we need him fit for the finals.

Out of the fringe players, probably Bernie Vince is a player who can definitely raise his game a few levels after an injury interupted season.

[sydney-dog]

different topic, but would o'sullivan be close to the sanfl recruit of the year ?

[CENTURION]

Not far from it.

[BPBRB]

Gill for North capable of the freakish and if fully fit could really light it up on a dry day with his marking. Due for a big one too if he is fit. He hasn't been fully fit since Weatherly landed on him at the end of the Sunday game against the Bays early in the season.

I agree Cowan is a real danger for all sides that run up against the dogs but so is Schell.

[sydney-dog]

the other x factor is the team performances, we have seen all the sides, their best footy and their worst footy, but which side has he most improvement left in tem

living in Syd I have only seen the dogs a few times but evrytime I have walked away thinking they are only playing at 70% and the teams best footy for this year is still in front of them

is this a fair call?,

would the say north and the eagles have the same level of improvement left in them ?

[Aerie]

the other x factor is the team performances, we have seen all the sides, their best footy and their worst footy, but which side has he most improvement left in tem

living in Syd I have only seen the dogs a few times but evrytime I have walked away thinking they are only playing at 70% and the teams best footy for this year is still in front of them

is this a fair call?,

would the say north and the eagles have the same level of improvement left in them ?

If I were to bet on any one of the five teams to play above their minor round form, I would bet on Central, which is why they are talked about in the same breath as North and the Eagles. If you purely looked at this season and ignored recent history, you would say North and the Eagles easily stand out above the rest as Central and Eagles did in 2004 & 2005, but everyone sort of knows Central will be around the mark.

I think Eagles, North, Central and South all have that something about them that can kick 5 goals in 5 minutes to blow open a game. In particular North and South. Eagles, Central and Port have that toughness in defence which can eventually break a team.

Whoever finishes 3rd this year, will probably be the best third placed team in a number of years. It should be a great finals series.

[mal]

SD the recruit of the year would be Benny Haynes.

Luke Cowans had surgery on his groin and was in a lot
of pain leading up to his surgery.
He has just come back the last couple of weeks and is
a vital cog in the forward line.
Hes tough[ask Matt Krieg] takes a big mark and I agree
with SD completely, he is the spark.
Hes getting fitter and also lets the Westoff kid to go back
to the foward pocket[he was not strong enough for CHF]
Cowans is probably one of the most under-rated players in the comp.

[bulldogproud]

While Cowan can be explosive, I actually see Buckets as being our X factor. Very much underrated and has been brilliant up forward. Luke can turn a game in a quarter but Buckets has been more consistent. Yes, have to agree with all comments re Sully. Three BOG's in the past seven games, and is getting better every week.
I see Grocke as the x-factor for the Eagles - has the ability to turn a game in a quarter, just like Luke for us. For consistency, Tim Inkster is their key.
For North I do see Gill as the x-factor - if he does indeed play.
For South, Cupido has to be the x-factor. He either plays a blinder or does nothing.
For Port, well, Jezza is everything to them. He may as well be their x-factor as well!! *grins*
Not sure about Haynes being the recruit of the year - far too selfish a player, does not do the team thing!

[eaglehaslanded]

Vinnie Rugolo - when on song can take a game away from the opposition in the blink of an eye. Timmy Inkster will make a huge impact and then you have our returning stars from the Crows Skipworth, Knights, Vince. Just might be our year for a change.

[spell_check]

I'd say my team is the opposite of the 'X' factor - whatever that is.

[phantompanther]

i dont think it would simply be south bias if i thought that archard was the recruit of the year.

[Booney]

Vinnie Rugolo? Did some one say Vinnie Rugolo?

[locky801]

The men in white, they always have a huge influence

[doggies4eva]

Cowans is an X-factor. I thought that he was the difference in lasy year's GF. So is Schell - he saves his best for the big games - look at the state game.

So is the doggie defence - has been the best in the league for the past 7 seasons. So is the on-ballers.

That makes about 21 X factors.

[Aerie]

Vinnie Rugolo? Did some one say Vinnie Rugolo?

Vinnie definitely fits into this category. He is one of the most important players in the team with his bulk and skills and he knows where the goals are.

[bulldogproud]

Doggies4Eva, not sure that we can say the same thing about our defence this year. Don't forget that it is missing Hay, Hopwood and Aufderheide.