Jack, Lids and Dusty are in the AFL site's All-Australian equivalent up to round 15......
Greatest Team of AllBy Tim Roman
Wed 06 Jul, 2011IF GREATEST Team of All could piggyback on a single hackneyed cliché, it would certainly be "form is temporary, class is permanent".
Right now, the team is looking a pretty solid unit, replete with players in career-best form and many who will be strong contenders for a Brownlow Medal at the end of 2011 - think Marc Murphy, Chris Judd, Gary Ablett or even Travis Cloke.
However, it also has three Tigers on the field. All three were part of a disgraceful effort against Carlton on Saturday. This was a match that coach Damien Hardwick had consigned to the dustbin by the time of his post-match press conference, declaring that nothing whatsoever could be learned from it by the club.
We're happy to take Hardwick at his word and give Dustin Martin, Brett Deledio and Jack Riewoldt a week's respite from the red-hot glare of the Greatest Team of All's selectors.
It's strange that Riewoldt, the AFL's leading goalkicker, has attracted such stinging criticism of his form in 2011. Last year, there were scribes who decried his selfishness as he racked up 78 goals for the 15th-placed Tigers on his way to the Coleman medal.
This year, Riewoldt still leads the AFL goalkicking (albeit with a lower goals per game average), is ranked equal third in the league for goal assists and is part of a clearly improved team who still have a legitimate chance of playing finals. There's just no pleasing some people.
Martin is playing his second season of AFL football. That's right, his second season. Two weeks ago, he kicked five goals from midfield to bury the Brisbane Lions and it's almost unheard of for second year players to average 23.5 disposals per game the way the third pick in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft is.
Chris Judd wasn't approaching those kinds of numbers until his fourth season with the Eagles.
Deledio is probably closest to fringe of Greatest Team of All. While he's shone on occasion this year, his big games don't generally translate into wins for the Tigers. He put in a super performance against Collingwood in round four as Richmond were put in their place by the reigning premiers to the tune of 71 points and he was at least serviceable in the weekend's debacle.
The truth is, creative half-backs are a little scarce at the moment with Deledio's biggest challengers being a rejuvenated Heath Scotland and perennial All Australian candidate Corey Enright.
We'll give Brett another week to come up with the goods against the Bombers before we look for other options.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/117936/default.aspx
