Nathan Foley [merged]

[one-eyed]

According to Champion Data, Foley averaged 93 points during the preseason.

http://twitter.com/FantasyFreako

[one-eyed]

The AFL's unsung heroes
Paul Roos
Herald Sun
April 09, 2011

EVERY AFL club has its star names, but often it's the lesser lights who are the real matchwinners.

If I asked you for the names of three players without whom Sydney couldn't have won the 2005 premiership, you'd probably nominate co-captains Barry Hall, Brett Kirk and Leo Barry.

Maybe you'd toss in a matchwinner such as Adam Goodes or Mick O'Loughlin.

And you'd be right.

But every champion team has its lesser lights, and they are sometimes the guys who determine the outcome of Grand Finals.

So here are three other names I'll throw in from that premiership season: Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Amon Buchanan and Nic Fosdike.

Throughout 2005, Roberts-Thomson was our cornerstone at centre half-back, usually taking the opposition's best power forward. Buchanan filled the role of pressure half-forward and occasional pinch-hitting midfielder. Fosdike could rotate between being a lock-down midfielder and one who could gather 30-plus possessions.

The importance of all three was underlined in the big game and each would not have been out of place winning the Norm Smith Medal. Yet their contributions in that game, and that season, remain largely underrated.

An AFL coach needs to keep an eye on all 22 opposition players during a game, particularly those who are either vital to the opposition team strategy or who have the potential to strangle your team's strategy.

There are so many differing views in our industry about a footballer's worth, but there is no doubt some good ones do sneak under the radar.

Here are five cases where I reckon people are really underestimating AFL players:

1. ALAN TOOVEY

2. NATHAN FOLEY

THE Tigers dasher was the first player we would discuss at Sydney when devising match-ups against Richmond. It is a shame he has had such a shocking run with injuries because otherwise, he could have established himself as a genuine star.

Foley has everything you are looking for in an elite AFL midfielder: tough, quick, clean, smart, good workrate and he can use the ball. An indication of how we rated opposition players was obvious. If Kirk lined up on him, you knew he was the guy we most felt could win the game for the opposition.

Kirky would put a lot of thought into playing against Foley as there was a clear difference in pace. The cat-and-mouse game would always begin with Foley moved from the midfield to half-forward.

Who would blink first? They felt we needed Kirky in the stoppages and that Foley would exploit him in space. We were happy to have Foley out of stoppages and felt that we could cope better without Kirky than the Tigers could without Foley in the midfield.
 
3. JAMES GWILT
4. CATS' CRUMBERS
5. MARK McVEIGH

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afls-unsung-heroes/story-fn7si1vl-1226036337986

[Ox]

sympathy article.
its over foley.

[mightytiges]

The article says more about what was going on in the coaches' boxes than about Foley himself. Roos saying he outsmarted us without making a match-up change.

For mine Foley may need another 12 months to see if he gets back to that late 2007-2008 form before he got injured and then was played injured in that round 1, 2009 disaster .

[Infamy]

sympathy article.
its over foley.

Don't be ridiculous, the guy is an A grade mid.
No one should expect him to dominate from the moment he starts back up after so little football in the last 24 months

[WilliamPowell]

sympathy article.
its over foley.

Don't be ridiculous, the guy is an A grade mid.
No one should expect him to dominate from the moment he starts back up after so little football in the last 24 months

true but the last couple of weeks have shown that being out of the game for such an extended period he is struggling with the pace of the game. 

Hopefully with more game time he'll get it back

[Judge Roughneck]

sympathy article.
its over foley.

Paul roos > you

would love roos at Richmond as director of football or assitant coach.

Reckon foley could play another ten years at punt road. Good fodder for the high draft picks.

[Dubstep Dookie]

I will say Foley was our BOG in the praccy match against Adelaide.

And I mean absolutely BLITZED.

Is only a game away from hitting that again. Tonights wet is calling...

[tony_montana]

 got better as the game went on and never stopped running, will be flying in 6 weeks when his conditioning is tip top

[magpiemania]

DUD delete him

[tony_montana]

DUD delete him

ridiculous

[one-eyed]

Foley on the up
By Paul Daffey
Sun 10 Apr, 2011


Amid the wreckage of a 63-point loss, Richmond fans would have come away from the match against Hawthorn with at least one positive - Nathan Foley is getting back to his best.

Foley missed most of last season with calf, ankle and achilles problems but now says he is looking forward to gaining much-needed match fitness after a slow return to full health.

"The body's good, the body's really good," Foley said. "I've had a really good summer, and got in some consistent training. Now it's a matter of getting some game time behind me."

Foley rated his performance against Hawthorn as average, as just another step along the long road to recovery.

It was a modest assessment from Foley who collected 12 kicks and 12 handballs. His tally of 24 possessions was only one behind Richmond's highest possession-winner, Dustin Martin, and equal with Trent Cotchin.

Rounding out his match, Foley had seven clearances by half-time, almost double any other player.

He ran out of puff in the second half, and had only one more clearance, but his tally of eight clearances was still the most of any player.

Foley looked as compact and organised as ever on Saturday night, moving freely along the wing while his renowned foot skills came to the fore.

A few times he showed his trademark acceleration away from a pack; other times he was at the bottom of a pack in signs he's improving with each game.

Maybe his opinion of his game against Hawthorn would have been less harsh if the Tigers had won.

"We won our fair share of the ball around the packs," he said. "But their ball movement and the way they worked their way out of stoppages was far better."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/111280/default.aspx

[Owl]

why are the gentetically / tooth challenged trolling our forum?  No tongue room left to groom maxwells arse?

[Coach]

why are the gentetically / tooth challenged trolling our forum?  No tongue room left to groom maxwells behind?

man i love u

[JVT]

Has improved with every game, hopefully he can keep it going. Was impressive at the bottom of the packs on Saturday