#31,#26 Ben Johnson

[Pied Piper]

For all Dave's talk about versatility, I reckon there is another, much bigger difference in BJ's game - his disposal. He used to be terrible and cost us countless turnovers at one remove (i.e., the player he gave the ball to then turned it over because he was under too much pressure after getting a half-volley or similar).

Not any more. BJ still has the odd clanger, but I think he has learned to really concentrate when he kicks, and the result is plain to see.

BJ's disposal is better than even you think. From 24 games this season, BJ accumulated 487 disposals (8th at the club) with an efficiency rating of 78.03. That is outstanding - of the top 10 ballgetters in the side, only Heath Shaw (489 disposals at 79.14) used it better. Of course, BJ plays almost exclusively "outside" these days, winning far fewer contested possessions than any of the top 10 - but that has undoubtedly helped him to minimise a weakness in his game, and play a far more effective role for the team. He is, as Tannin suggested, basically a more reliable version of Rhyce Shaw, providing pace, breaking the lines - and hitting targets.

[pietillidie]

Nice work, Dave; really enjoyed it. A favourite son now is Benny J.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

On Johnno's disposal, I think he's unfairly maked because of his awkward looking action - people automatically assume he's a poor user of the footy because of it. Heath Shaw sprays plenty but doesn't get as noticed because he looks good while doing it

[Pied Piper]

^ See Heath Shaw's stats above, frankiboy. Misses the occasional target, but generally Heater is both creative and extremely effective.

[jack_spain]

Yeah, hats of to Ben Johnson. What a season! Certainly his best at the club. It's no wonder he's the last of the three amigos to survive. I seriously questioned his place in the side at the start of the year, but boy, did he prove us wrong.

Just watch that drawn grand final and tell me he wasn't one of the main reasons why we got a second chance to put St Kilda away.

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

^ See Heath Shaw's stats above, frankiboy. Misses the occasional target, but generally Heater is both creative and extremely effective.

lol, pays to check. A poor example

[Tannin]

On Johnno's disposal, I think he's unfairly maked because of his awkward looking action - people automatically assume he's a poor user of the footy because of it. Heath Shaw sprays plenty but doesn't get as noticed because he looks good while doing it

^ yes, but there is more to it than that. BJ used to murder the ball. It wasn't so much his turnovers, it was his near-turnovers where he delivered the ball on the bounce, on the half-volley, close to the player but not close enough for an uncontested possession, and so on. BJ did a heap of this, and a bad delivery counts as an effective delivery in the stats. It is THE NEXT possession which tells the story - quality ball, delivered on the chest, delivered such that the player doesn't have to stand and wait for it while his opponent catches up, this gets passed on again successfully to a third player, then a fourth or a score. But poor quality delivery (too high, too wide, too slow) puts the target under immense pressure, and he is very likely (if he wins the ball) to dispose of it under pressure and turn it over. This is where BJ was a menace. It wasn't his actual turnovers that killled you, it was the one where he dd eventually get it to a player, but that player was placed under so much pressure that a turnover resulted.

When BJ reinvented himself and started to take football seriously (what was it? two years ago now?) he cut those dud disposals out of his game - not just the out and out duds that were immediate turnovers, but the half-dud kicks and handballs too. BJ improved everything.

And whatever else you might say about BJ's kicking, there isn't a player in the side you'd rather have taking a shot on the run from outside 50 to turn the match. Fair dinkum, if you drew a couple of rectagles on the forward flanks, left and right, straddling the 50 metre line and then measured the scoring efficiency of all our players on the run (not considering set shots here, nor heavy-traffic snaps, i'm talking running goals), I'd back BJ to have the best percentage of any player in our side. And yes, I include Didak in that - Didak is great from any angle or distance, but on the run from about 45 or 50, BJ might just be even better.

[slydog81]

anyone give him hope of returning this season

[Piethagoras' Theorem]

Probably more hope than the player forums taking off again

[On the March]

Ben has been named in the seconds and joins Krak and Caff.
Great news and good luck!

Apparently there will also be a web stream of the game (thanks Magpie bat)
http://nick.magpies.net/bb/viewtopic.php?t=68070

[Cuthbert Collingwood]

Hooray for BJ or "the missing link" as I like to call him

[doriswilgus]

The best news i've heard all week.We've missed this guy.

[Joel]

This is great news!

[ClokingDevice]

VFL
Sandringham v Collingwood
Sunday 2pm Trevor Barker Oval

Collingwood

FB: Ferraro Hine Young
HB: K. Pendlebury Smith Cribbin
C: Krakouer J Thomas Yagmoor
HF: Johnson Witts Sundberg
FF: McNamara Gault Macaffer

FOLL: Ceglar Ugle Rounds

INT: Farmer Seccull Wallace Doria Cathcart Williams Riddle Corr

[MAGPIEAVENGER]

FANTASTIC!!

It would be great if BJ can make it back into the seniors.
He truly is the missing link to our side.