In theatrical terms Cricelli has become a triple threat (performers who can act, sing and dance). He can not only kick goals and take contested marks, but he has added the strings of being a mobile ruckman and high-possession winner to his skill set.
Between rounds one and seven this season he averaged just 14 disposals while splitting his time in attack and the ruck.
He has more than doubled his possession count, his marking tallies, almost trebled his clearance average and near doubled his hit outs.
Even before lining up for the Tigers’ 11th game of the season, against ninth-ranked Shepparton Swans this weekend, Cricelli has cemented his place as one of the most improved players in the competition.
That is despite having set a a fairly high pass mark in debut season, that included 44 goals in his 19 games.
He is ranked top-10 for contested marks, which should not surprise too many people, given he was third in the same category last year.
His 238 ranking points, from the round-nine match against Shepparton United, is the highest of any player in the GVL this season and he is a top-20 player in score involvement, contested possession, intercept marking, inside 50 and hit outs to advantage categories.
In the opening seven games of this season Cricelli never once topped 20 disposals, but in the past three weeks he is averaging more than 30 possessions (including a season-high 37 in round 10).
Despite maintaining his inside-50 count for the past three weeks he has been doing a power of work in the defensive end. Between rounds one and seven he took just eight intercept marks, compared to 13 in the past three rounds.
He took a season-high 13 marks in round 10, backing up from an 11-mark game against top-six team Euroa in round nine and has twice now had 40-plus hit outs in a single game.
The only issue for coach Ash Watson is that he does not have two Mitch Cricelli’s, one to play in the ruck and another to play out of the goalsquare.
CRICELLI’S PAST THREE WEEKS
Rounds 1-7: 14 disposal average, 9.85 contested possession average 4.57 marks average, 3.87 clearances, 18.28 hit outs, 100.14 ranking points.
Rounds 8-10: 30 disposal average, 18.66 contested possessions, 10.33 marks, 9.66 clearances, 35 hit outs, 172.66 ranking points.
Last season (19 games): 44 goals, 9.9 disposal average, 4.9 marks, .9 clearances, 8.9 hit outs, 74.3 ranking points, 2.4 inside 50s.
Cricelli has kicked nine goals in his 10 games this season, is averaging 4.2 inside-50 entries a week (a season-high of nine versus United) and
Since becoming a full-time ruckman Cricelli has had a season-high 48 hit outs against Benalla, had 37 possessions and 13 marks against Shepp United and a 28-disposal, seven-clearance game against Euroa.
