I agree, but I do think he has not completely looked at the whole Phillips-Grundy match up in totality.
I believe that Phillips was BoG and here’s why.
A ruckman’s job is not just about stats - yes, Phillips individual stats were good but Grundy’s were better.
A ruckman’s job is about giving your midfield first use of the ball. And, in this, consider the following:
-
A rarity, Essendon torched Collingwood 38-28 in clearances. This was pivotal to our success. Take away the individual clearances by Grundy and Phillips of 10 (best on ground) and 6 (3rd best on ground) respectively the result is even more pronounced Essendon’s way 32-18 which is a hiding.
-
Phillips did this by taking a leaf out of Mumford’s playbook and physically buffeting Grundy at every bounce/stoppage so Grundy’s taps weren’t clean and stayed in close - not into some space where Pendlebury normally dominates. The result was only 2 clearances to Pendlebury, normally their engine room. Our coaching was very good in matching up a speedster like Shiel on Pendlebury as Shiel is much better in very close than Pendlebury and his lightning speed away from a stoppage is such that Pendlebury couldn’t get his hands on the ball as much and couldn’t go with Shiel (7 clearances, 2nd best on ground) once Shiel left the stoppage. Hence, at the start of the second quarter, Buckley started Pendlebury in the forward pocket and (I think) started using an ineffectual Elliot in the middle on Shiel (to no great affect).
-
So, Phillips didn’t just nullify the way Collingwood likes to structure around a stoppage he actually damaged it by forcing their best “inside” mid (Pendlebury) to play in a way that he is not comfortable with and which rendered him highly ineffectual forcing the Pies coach to change his stoppage makeup.
-
Phillips then also did what Mumford does and followed up the buffeting of Grundy at the tap out with a relentless attack on the ball in close through tackles, knock ons and sheer physical presence. And he did this all night. It was fitting that it was his tackle on Adams, immediately after a stoppage throw-up in our goal square, that resulted in a dropped ball (of course not paid) that Shiel pounced on for a clearance goal. Grundy simply looked on, a look of resignation on his face.
-
This also resulted us in kicking the highest number of goals from stoppages this year against Collingwood (7-2 our way I think).
So, this is why I think Phillips was BoG. It’s not just about an individual stat face-off against your direct opponent but what you do for your team and your impact on the game.
Phillips nullified Grundy’s dominant ruck style to the point that it damaged Collingwood’s stoppage style rendering Pendlebury ineffectual and thus gave us a 5 goal advantage from stoppages.
If that’s not a BoG against Collingwood, I don’t know what is.