Lonie to have break out year

[Zed]

Lonie is a whipping boy here, but the OP isn’t as crazy as it may first appear.

Players that do have breakout years tend to be in either their 4th or 5th year.
Lonie will be in his 4th.
If Ben Dixon’s goal kicking magic works he could easily snag 1-2 goals a game .
Lonie has plenty of foty smarts but it’s his tackling that needs improving imho

Dunstan Acres Steele Paddy are all also in the breakout zone I expect JB and Sinclair to take their games up a level.

[ausfatcat]

I hope so but struggling to see it happening.

[SaintPav]

He has to get into the team first.

[Jacks Back]

Yep, I'm calling it now!!!

Jack Lonie will have a break out year in 2018 and silence the Saintsational critics.
30+ goals, 100 plus tacks, countless pressure acts, multiple goals assists.
Not not at Sandy, in the ones playing for the Saints...

Hi Joffa, some clarification please.

30+ goals - or this that 30+ goal scoring opportunities?
100+ tackles - how many will stick though? This is the biggie.
Countless pressure acts - see the above point.


I reckon the bloke is a great footballer! And is clearly a level above VFL. Tough, gutsy-as, and always gives it his all. But at AFL level his lack of size/strength is a real problem. Continually gets a full-on bear hug on opponents, yet they still can brush him off. And despite being a great kick, the fact that he keeps missing very gettable goal opportunities is further hurting his cause.

If he doesn't make it, it's no knock on him. Easily has the talent, attitude and endeavour. If Jack was just a bit bigger, he'd be an absolute star. A real shame I reckon.

Maybe he could try some platform boots?

[ROLS-LEE]

I reckon Bruce will return to form and be a formidable opponent for all other teams this year. Especially if he stays out of the ruck.
I hope Paddy has a good year but i think he is one bad head knock from retirement

[Drake Huggins]

Has Lonie been locked up at Barwon or similar? His best chance for a breakout.

[fugazi]

I don't know how he's on the list.
What is he good at?
Someone tell me!

[Spinner]

Yep, I'm calling it now!!!

Jack Lonie will have a break out year in 2018 and silence the Saintsational critics.
30+ goals, 100 plus tacks, countless pressure acts, multiple goals assists.
Not not at Sandy, in the ones playing for the Saints.

The other break out player will be Jack Steele who will go to a whole new level this season as a goal kicking mid and tackling machine.
Much in the mold of how Seb Ross improved over the past couple of seasons.

Anyone else for a prediction?

Good thread!

The great thing about Lonie is that he goes back to the VFL and kills it. So many decent players go back and don't. He's developing and the fact he is above that standard so early in career is a good sign. I'm not the biggest fan but he def has this in his favour.

Steele is a world above. I havnt been as impressed by a player in their first saints year / third year overall for a long time. What a player.

[saintspremiers]

Well FMD little Lonie has played 39 games and kicked 28 goals since being drafted in 2014 at pick 41.

Compare this to our much touted number 1 pick from the same draft who has played a pissant 22 games for 22 games (as a ful forward!)

Maybe Joffaburns is onto something - Lonie could become a 50 game player this year from pick 41 - amazing!

[mightysainters]

He’s the worst player on an AFL list

[saintspremiers]

He’s the worst player on an AFL list

Read my post.

39 AFL games. Many on our list will never play that many.

A bit of a moronic thing to say buddy sorry.

[bigred]

You lost me at 100+ tackles.

I mean there is delusional and delusional.

[Linton Lodger]

Yep, I'm calling it now!!!

Jack Lonie will have a break out year in 2018 and silence the Saintsational critics.
30+ goals, 100 plus tacks, countless pressure acts, multiple goals assists.
Not not at Sandy, in the ones playing for the Saints.

The other break out player will be Jack Steele who will go to a whole new level this season as a goal kicking mid and tackling machine.
Much in the mold of how Seb Ross improved over the past couple of seasons.

Anyone else for a prediction?

I'm with you brother. I backed Billings from the start, I've backed Paddy from the start and I'm backing wee Jack Lonie.

[CQ SAINT]

Pimples????

[mightysainters]

He’s the worst player on an AFL list

Read my post.

39 AFL games. Many on our list will never play that many.

A bit of a moronic thing to say buddy sorry.

Not really, he wouldn’t get a game at a single club.. he can’t kick over 30m, he can’t tackle and he’s extremely undersized.. he’s putrid

[SaintPav]

I was thinking more like neurotic and insipid, but not about Lonie.

[saintspremiers]

He’s the worst player on an AFL list

Read my post.

39 AFL games. Many on our list will never play that many.

A bit of a moronic thing to say buddy sorry.

Not really, he wouldn’t get a game at a single club.. he can’t kick over 30m, he can’t tackle and he’s extremely undersized.. he’s putrid

Correct. I can’t imagine him being good enough to play for Norf nor Brisbane, considering how talent-laden they are.

Don’t get me wrong - I don’t rate Lonie either, but I’m perhaps a little bit realistic.

[Saintmatt]

Height doesn't seem to be an issue for Caleb Daniels.

That's very true. However - one very big difference. Daniel knows his role and is an excellent decision maker. Sadly, Jack regularly tries to do everything (including the impossible) and has become the master of picking the 3rd of 2 options.

He doesn't have a problem getting it or giving it - it's just normally too late for it to be effective. That said - his tackling ENDEAVOR is terrific; it's just he gets brushed off a lot.

[Saintmatt]

Well FMD little Lonie has played 39 games and kicked 28 goals since being drafted in 2014 at pick 41.

Compare this to our much touted number 1 pick from the same draft who has played a pissant 22 games for 22 games (as a ful forward!)

Maybe Joffaburns is onto something - Lonie could become a 50 game player this year from pick 41 - amazing!

The raw stats are absolutely undeniable however, the fact he's played 39 games probably says more about who we don't have on our list and the major lack of competition for spots. Comparing Lonie to McCartin makes no sense - one has largely been fit and available to play for the entire period and the other keeps getting knocked out. I'm sure if McCartin was fit and available - he'd have played 39 games too.

I will conceded that Lonie's first 15-ish games were pretty good - he and Jack Sinclair were a fair mosquito fleet there for a while.

[Joffa Burns]

Looks like I have a substance abuse issue or I am just outright mentally challenged depending on which post you read
I have seen all Lonie's issues, howlers and missed set shots from 25 on a slight angle and yes he is frustrating, but...

- as Spinner points out Lonie dominates at VFL level
- he does not lack endevour
- he gets a bit of the footy
- he gets plenty of shots at goal (though misses)
- he lays plenty of tackles (but they don't stick)

Those deficiencies can be worked on, if he starts kicking straight and making his tackles stick and gets some confidence he can become a player, no joke!
I'm not a fan and I don't think he'll be in round 1, but I do think he can make it!

[DJ Higgins]

Looks like I have a substance abuse issue or I am just outright mentally challenged depending on which post you read

A little from column A, a little from Column B.

But you have a sense of humour which makes up for any mental deficiencies you are currently experiencing.

[desertsaint]

He does get shrugged in a lot of tackles - but he sticks a lot. Only the following average more tackles a game:
Jack Steele, Koby Stevens, Luke Dunstan, Jack Steven, Sebastian Ross (in order).
He's well ahead of other mids and certainly other small forwards.
And he leads tackles inside 50 by a fair margin.
He's above every other forward and half-forward bar Billings for contested possesions.
Where he falls down terribly is goal kicking - simply needs to hit the target more than half a goal a game.
He also turns it over a bit - but so does Billings. Surprisingly for a backman our best at NOT turning it over is Brown, and surprisingly for a hard inside mid, Dunstan is one of our cleanest. Roberton and Ross are quite the opposite - turnover merchants.
I'd say Lonie beats players like Weller in doing what you'd want from a small foward/half forward - i think he just suffers from the sight of him being shrugged, or running around like a headless chook, or in comparison with Gresham and Billings - much smoother, skillful players.

[skeptic]

He does get shrugged in a lot of tackles - but he sticks a lot. Only the following average more tackles a game:
Jack Steele, Koby Stevens, Luke Dunstan, Jack Steven, Sebastian Ross (in order).
He's well ahead of other mids and certainly other small forwards.
And he leads tackles inside 50 by a fair margin.
He's above every other forward and half-forward bar Billings for contested possesions.
Where he falls down terribly is goal kicking - simply needs to hit the target more than half a goal a game.
He also turns it over a bit - but so does Billings. Surprisingly for a backman our best at NOT turning it over is Brown, and surprisingly for a hard inside mid, Dunstan is one of our cleanest. Roberton and Ross are quite the opposite - turnover merchants.
I'd say Lonie beats players like Weller in doing what you'd want from a small foward/half forward - i think he just suffers from the sight of him being shrugged, or running around like a headless chook, or in comparison with Gresham and Billings - much smoother, skillful players.

Really good post.

[Zed]

He does get shrugged in a lot of tackles - but he sticks a lot. Only the following average more tackles a game:
Jack Steele, Koby Stevens, Luke Dunstan, Jack Steven, Sebastian Ross (in order).
He's well ahead of other mids and certainly other small forwards.
And he leads tackles inside 50 by a fair margin.
He's above every other forward and half-forward bar Billings for contested possesions.
Where he falls down terribly is goal kicking - simply needs to hit the target more than half a goal a game.
He also turns it over a bit - but so does Billings. Surprisingly for a backman our best at NOT turning it over is Brown, and surprisingly for a hard inside mid, Dunstan is one of our cleanest. Roberton and Ross are quite the opposite - turnover merchants.
I'd say Lonie beats players like Weller in doing what you'd want from a small foward/half forward - i think he just suffers from the sight of him being shrugged, or running around like a headless chook, or in comparison with Gresham and Billings - much smoother, skillful players.

I made the same observations last year about Ross and Roberton wrt turnovers. It’s why oppo never tagged Ross - he gets lots of it but doesn’t hurt oppositions with his disposal. Roberton was better , but ultimately it was their disposal efficiency that cost them AA spots imho.

[Drake Huggins]

Robbo most definitely. He was right up there for turnovers. Still love the bloke and think he's an important part of our future. Needs to stop turning it over, al a Gilbo!