Dal Santo HOW GOOD IS HE?

[Shades]

TO GOOD

[Unforgiven]

A bit over rated. A sensational talent, but I personally found it frustrating that while ball was struggling with a really bad groin, it still came across that out of the two players, Ball was giving his 100% and getting everything out of him that he could, while Dal Santo wasn't.

In all fairness when Hayes went down with his ACL, and Ball was stugglin a lot of pressure went to Dal Santo, in so happening Joey Montagna stood up.

I think with our midfield looking pretty fit. Hayes back and firing, Bally apparantly back to a good fitness level, Schneider now in there, there is no reason why Dal Santo shouldn't have his best season yet. I just hope he stays in the game more and doesn't drift in and out.

[fonz_#15]

he is about 200 times better than the op

why do people like you wate my time

[The_Dud]

Dal and Lenny are a couple of steps above the rest of our midfield

[Bernard Shakey]

He could be anything he wants to be.
He just doesn't seem to want to be as good as he could be.

[saintsRrising]

Dal who has only just turned 24 will have a big year this year....mark my words...

I also predict that he will kick more goals this year than his previous best,,,,which is 15.

[jill]

Think Dal showed in NAB Cup games he's prepared to go the extre yard this year - think Roo's best & fairest speech got through here - think Dal will have an awesome season, possibly Brownlow/Premiership medallion!

[vacuous space]

Here's a list of players who have averaged over 8 contested possessions per game over the last three seasons:

Gary Ablett
Simon Black
Jude Bolton
Daniel Cross
Nick Dal Santo
Daniel Harris
Chris Judd
Brett Kirk
Daniel Kerr
Shane Tuck
Scott West

There aren't many more players who have averaged 8 CPs in even one of the last three years. Dal gets plenty of hard ball and he was number one in the comp for looseball gets last season. He finds a ton of his own ball, and he's one of the best in the league at using it. If anything is letting him down, it's his lack of marks and handball recieves. In other words, his teammates have struggled to find him with the ball.

He gets a tight tag every single week for a reason. If he gets the ball, in space or in tight, he will destroy you (and he might do that anyway). Opposing coaches fear him much more than they fear Hayes or Ball, and certainly more than they fear Joey. His presense opens up space for Hayes and Ball much more than the other way around. After 100-plus consecutive games, I think some people have come to take him for granted. He's one of the hardest working players in the league.

[aussierules0k]

[bigcarl]

Think Dal showed in NAB Cup games he's prepared to go the extre yard this year - think Roo's best & fairest speech got through here - think Dal will have an awesome season, possibly Brownlow/Premiership medallion!

definitely a chance for both if we can keep our best team out there

[Unforgiven]

If anything is letting him down, it's his lack of marks and handball recieves. In other words, his teammates have struggled to find him with the ball.

Hopefully Dal improves in his handball recieves and learns to gut run for these and to run himself into submission to receive a mark, I want to see that sort of work ethic.

[Spinner]

TO GOOD

*TOO GOOD.....Sorry, that was so bad, I couldn't help myself.

BTW Dal is a super star.

[Otiman]

possibly Brownlow/Premiership medallion!

We going to trade him?

There goes my pessimistic side again.

[spert]

Great skills -small engine. If we can get him to work a bit harder over four quarters in big games and do a bit better shaking off taggers he will go from very good to elite.

[aussiejones]

Enigmatic .....

Can and does break a game in the 4th Qtr with his majic

them you just wonder where he has been all day

Excellent player silky skills

[bigcarl]

Can and does break a game in the 4th Qtr with his magic. them you just wonder where he has been all day

i'm hoping his inconsistency can simply be attributed to him being young.

only now at 24 is he coming into his prime as a footballer.

people seem to forget that about him and some of our other youngish stars because they've been recognised as being good for a few years now.

let's hope 2008 is the year when it all comes together.

imo dal is ready to smash a few games open this year and will kick a lot more goals as a result of being played closer to goal more often.

i know we can't spare him on the ball, but how good would he be as a permanent half forward flank in terms of goals on the board and also creating opportunities for them

[saintsRrising]

imo dal is ready to smash a few games open this year and will kick a lot more goals as a result of being played closer to goal more often.

i know we can't spare him on the ball, but how good would he be as a permanent half forward flank in terms of goals on the board and also creating opportunities for them

I too think he will kick more goals this year.

But this because I just see him as a lot more settled now and that he now knows that he can kick a good goal on the run.


In the NAB yes he was often on the HFF, but I don't expect to see him spending that much time there in the H&A. I think in the NAB that RL just wanted to get midfield time in the fringe and the underdone X, Armo, Ball, Hayes etc...

Joey and Dal were often kept out of it...but they are locked in now and are both match fit and practiced. I think it the NAB that they were just kept ticking along.

[bigcarl]

In the NAB yes he was often on the HFF, but I don't expect to see him spending that much time there in the H&A.

he kicked a couple of very handy goals that helped us over the line in the essendon match.

i'd like to see him spend more time forward as part of the midfield rotation.

he's the type of player that when he kicks one the whole team goes up a notch. he seems to be the type that kicks them when they are needed, too ... one of the qualities of a champion

[sunsaint]

In the NAB yes he was often on the HFF, but I don't expect to see him spending that much time there in the H&A.

he kicked a couple of very handy goals that helped us over the line in the essendon match.

i'd like to see him spend more time forward as part of the midfield rotation.

he's the type of player that when he kicks one the whole team goes up a notch

The second half of the Ess game the forward line was very thin on paper, all kids. As an out-side receiver DalSanto does need to add goal kicking to his bowstring... we have all the grunt that we need in the center, Ball, Hayes, Baker, Schneider, Armitage, we just need some one who can finish the fast breaks from the center with a goal.

[bigcarl]

an outside receiver

I think he's a bit better than that.

just because he's highly skilled doesn't make him a receiver and i saw some pretty convincing stats on this thread that show he does, indeed, win plenty of contested ball.

i found it telling also that when riewoldt copped a nasty (and quite possibly deliberate) whack over the head from mal michael in a marking contest in that essendon game, it was dal santo who flew the flag.

interestingly, michael came off second best. so i don't know if he is as "outside" as you seem to think

[n1ck]

Well said vacuous space and bigcarl!

If anything, dal santo is UNDERRATED.

Look how hard he is tagged, compared to any of our other midfielders.

Coaches fear him, other supporters fear him.

Like bigcarl said, vc's stats show that just because he's possibly the silkiest skilled player in the league, doesnt automatically qualify him to be only an outside reciever.

If he kicked 20 goals a season, he would be the complete midfielder.

I think we will see a fitter, stronger Nick Dal Santo in 2008.

[saintsRrising]

I think it was Sheedy that compared Dal to Ian Stewart....????


I would play Dal in the Centre...


You want your best players such as Dal where the action is most of the time....and not spending long periods ona flank cooling his heels.

Sure rest him there on occassion...but most of the time you want him in the Centre...and like a true centreman should do, that should include kicking goals.

With his matrix dodging he can break out of traffic.

He can win his own ball, but also needs the like of Ball to feed him as well.

[bigcarl]

I would play Dal in the Centre.

i could live with that. apart from "old father time" harvey, he's the most creative player we have.

... and it is not unheard of for a centreman to impact on the scoreboard quite often.

he should be a centreman with a licence to go forward and kick goals as often as he can manage

[plugger66]

I think it was Sheedy that compared Dal to Ian Stewart....????


I would play Dal in the Centre...


You want your best players such as Dal where the action is most of the time....and not spending long periods ona flank cooling his heels.

Sure rest him there on occassion...but most of the time you want him in the Centre...and like a true centreman should do, that should include kicking goals.

With his matrix dodging he can break out of traffic.

He can win his own ball, but also needs the like of Ball to feed him as well.

Arent all onballers just basically centremen these days.

[saintsRrising]

Arent all onballers just basically centremen these days.

Not quite.....but yes there has been a blurring of roles.....some will have the brief to be more your in and under type.


Some will have more tagging or negating role.


Whereas some you want to free up at all costs as they are so damaging. Think Dal..think Judd.

So Dal is the one you want to block for...rather than Dal do the blocking for others.

They can win their own ball, but normally you want them to keep there feet in pack to let others get it and feed it to them....or by them intercepting the ball in motion (from or ruck contest or otherwise).