Jack Steele ready to be unleashed

[Vazelos]

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/st-kil ... 9e2e99035a

[B.M]

See, that I don’t get?!

[Secret Kiel]

The midfield is where all the subplots play-out in 2020. So does this mean we are dropping the pure tagger role from our game plan or does it mean someone else is taking over that role...Dunstan?

[Joffa Burns]

I would have thought there was a few bigger issues to fix than changing the role of our best defensive mid who still wins plenty of the ball himself.

Are we not going to have a run with mid?
Could Geary be taking that role?
Is someone else in the frame?

Interesting, I rate Steele because he negates and wins the footy as well.
Good player, but would only get a game in a top team as a defensive mid IMO.

[The Barometer]

I would have thought there was a few bigger issues to fix than changing the role of our best defensive mid who still wins plenty of the ball himself.

Are we not going to have a run with mid?
Could Geary be taking that role?
Is someone else in the frame?
interesting
Interesting, I rate Steele because he negates and wins the footy as well.
Good player, but would only get a game in a top team as a defensive mid IMO.

Will be to see how he goes, we certainly have the outside run and skill that could benefit if he can turn into a extracting clearance machine. Good that Ratten is looking to shake things up a bit and to give one of our better performed players an opportunity to add a new focus to his game. If it comes off great, if not, we still have a great defensive mid.
Makes perfect sense to me.

[Linton Lodger]

Steele has been great at shutting down opponents, but also gets a lot of it himself and hurts the opposition going the other way. I understand the reluctance to mess with that.

However, I get the feeling we still haven't seen the best of Steele.

[B.M]

Him negating the best opposition mid, is far more important than him winning a few more possessions.

Exactly who is going to play on

Cripps, Danger, Martin, Fyfe, Sloane, Mitchell etc?...

Not sure why taking a player who has performed well in a position and changing their role is a good idea??
Same deal with trying to turn Marshall into a forward? Stupid!!

Steele is not overly skilled, not great at finding the footy and far from an elite inside mid
What he is, is an elite inside tagger

I thought we’d need as many elite performers as we can?

Steele is (along with Marshall and Ross) the last players who need a new role?!
They actually performed well!

We turned Gresham from an A Grade small forward into a B Grade mid.

This want to change peoples roles, is ridiculous, if they are performing???

You don’t see WC moving Hurn from HB? Why because he good, and predictable to team mates there!

Only players I’d think about moving

Battle - don’t want to, but with Carlisle and Howard/Brown he is not required at CHB (ideally we should have traded Jake, played Battle at CHB and kept Bruce)
Long - under achieves at HF, not sure he has a spot back or forward though
Sinclair - either supporting Mids or in the twos, not at HF

[Secret Kiel]

Assume the tweaks to our game plan are to add a bit more offence and take the game on with the added speed and skill. Doesn't mean we are doing away with defensive mids though, someone else could be helping Steele share that role. Dunstan possibly when we need a genuine negative mid. Sinclair will start at HF and roll through the midfield and it won't surprise if he's trying to hit the scoreboard more. Could even see a Richmond type, circa 2017 forward setup to try and play to the strength of our list which is missing one AFL ready genuine key tall in 2020 while we wait for Roo Mk2 announce himself.

[SaintPav]

Him negating the best opposition mid, is far more important than him winning a few more possessions.

Exactly who is going to play on

Cripps, Danger, Martin, Fyfe, Sloane, Mitchell etc?...

Not sure why taking a player who has performed well in a position and changing their role is a good idea??
Same deal with trying to turn Marshall into a forward? Stupid!!

Steele is not overly skilled, not great at finding the footy and far from an elite inside mid
What he is, is an elite inside tagger

I thought we’d need as many elite performers as we can?

Steele is (along with Marshall and Ross) the last players who need a new role?!
They actually performed well!

We turned Gresham from an A Grade small forward into a B Grade mid.

This want to change peoples roles, is ridiculous, if they are performing???

You don’t see WC moving Hurn from HB? Why because he good, and predictable to team mates there!

Only players I’d think about moving

Battle - don’t want to, but with Carlisle and Howard/Brown he is not required at CHB (ideally we should have traded Jake, played Battle at CHB and kept Bruce)
Long - under achieves at HF, not sure he has a spot back or forward though
Sinclair - either supporting Mids or in the twos, not at HF

Agree.

Didn't they try and shop Jake around?

[B.M]

Jake told them he did not want to be traded

And had triggered the extra year, which is why he was so keen on playing at the back end of the season (even with a s*** back) really, he should have been put on ice.

Dunstan, has not got the engine to run with anybody! He could not spread with Rory Sloane, is not big enough for Cripps and Fyfe and hasn’t got the explosiveness to stop Danger or Martin. Luke has a crack, but is limited! Even after 6 pre seasons he still finishes bottom quarter in time trials, and he’s a mid FFS!

If Anyone else were to tag, it’d have to be Seb. And there goes 25/30 possessions down to 15/20.

The three things that worked in ‘19
Battle to CHB - he was not great as soon as Jake returned (nor was Jake)
Marshall - in the ruck
Steele - best defensive mid in the AFL #1 for tackles and took several scalps

What did not work imo
Gresham into the midfield - we lost 20 goals from a fwd

Next year it seems
Marshall is going forward to cover the loss of Bruce
Battle is not playing CHB, maybe forward, maybe HB
Steele not tagging - Stupid
Gresham still running though the middle (as we now have 6 small forwards)

Already I sense mistakes... and if you think Ratts won’t make any, and is a messiah, hold you judgement to R11

[B.M]

Can we not call anyone Roo Mk 2?!

I still remember BJ who? About Siposs

The next big thing Rhys Stanley

The GOAT Acres

Paddy McKlunken (even compared to plugger ffs)

Max will be a beauty, but is not going to be NR

A better comparison would be J Daniher

[The Barometer]

Him negating the best opposition mid, is far more important than him winning a few more possessions.

Exactly who is going to play on

Cripps, Danger, Martin, Fyfe, Sloane, Mitchell etc?...

Not sure why taking a player who has performed well in a position and changing their role is a good idea??
Same deal with trying to turn Marshall into a forward? Stupid!!

Steele is not overly skilled, not great at finding the footy and far from an elite inside mid
What he is, is an elite inside tagger

I thought we’d need as many elite performers as we can?

Steele is (along with Marshall and Ross) the last players who need a new role?!
They actually performed well!

We turned Gresham from an A Grade small forward into a B Grade mid.

This want to change peoples roles, is ridiculous, if they are performing???

You don’t see WC moving Hurn from HB? Why because he good, and predictable to team mates there!

Only players I’d think about moving

Battle - don’t want to, but with Carlisle and Howard/Brown he is not required at CHB (ideally we should have traded Jake, played Battle at CHB and kept Bruce)
Long - under achieves at HF, not sure he has a spot back or forward though
Sinclair - either supporting Mids or in the twos, not at HF

Well that’s simplistic and one dimensional. You wouldn’t try anything different? Not give players a chance to develop in a different area?
I’d like to give players a go. It’s December, not like we’ve lost anything, and in our position it’s much more important to work out what we can gain.

[Secret Kiel]

when I say Roo Mk2 there is a liberal amount of facetiousness implied, if you see me referring to Bytel as Lenny Mk2 you will pick it next time.

[minneapolis]

I think that Ratten wants to find a way to get the Captain into the side.

Geary has the endurance, confidence, experience, and concentration to replace Steele.

Howard, Carlisle, Roberton, Clark and Wilkie would be inked in for the backline I reckon.

Tough for spots this year.

[Secret Kiel]

I think that Ratten wants to find a way to get the Captain into the side.

Geary has the endurance, confidence, experience, and concentration to replace Steele.

Howard, Carlisle, Roberton, Clark and Wilkie would be inked in for the backline I reckon.

Tough for spots this year.

I don't think Roberton will be inked into the backline on two counts, firstly I get the feeling he is not 100% medically out of the woods, and secondly he has missed a lot of football and will need to get a bit of match fitness and simulation at Sandy before he is AFL ready again. I'm hopeful because when he was good, we were good, but there are players that have gone past him as well as other options recruited in the time he's been out so he's got some work to do.

[B.M]

I’d try something different with players who aren’t performing in there current roles. Or if the need to further develop to break into the seniors.

Ross, Marshall and Steele finished top 3 in the b&f

Not sure they are the players who need to develop. I’ll be happy if they reproduce the same form again.

There are 20 other players who need to go to the next level

[saintsRrising]

What is there to lose?

If Steele thrives we have found a vital missing cog.

If he does not, then we still know he can play his former role exceptionally well.

Ratts is challenging all of our players to be better and that is a good thing.

Some will succeed and some not.

[B.M]

What’s to lose?

Games?!

Players get challenged every year, this year is not special.

He was challenged by AR to go after the oppositions best mid after being underwhelming as an inside mid (was dropped to the vfl) and responded to be one of our best 3 players.
Steel is not underwhelming, other players need to elevate, not him

Do you reckon Adam Simpson is challenging the WC players, but if it ain’t broken, he won’t fix it! Bar a couple of exceptions, they will line up as expected and because they are so good at their roles, they will succeed!

[B.M]

First game

Steele should go after Ben Cunnington

Cunnington goes under the radar and has dominated for a long time, only late last year did opposition coaches put time into him, and it worked. He is their ‘source’ of winning the footy at stoppage
Stop him, stop the Kangas

[cwrcyn]

Will they throw Geary the job of tagger?

[B.M]

Geary has never played as an inside mid. Wouldn’t have a clue at stoppage.

[Hunter2King]

The midfield is where all the subplots play-out in 2020. So does this mean we are dropping the pure tagger role from our game plan or does it mean someone else is taking over that role...Dunstan?

Ed Phillips?
22yo with huge running power.

[B.M]

I dunno about Phillips

Not in the best 32 players and is a pure outside wingman

I would go with the big bodied tackling machine
Jack Steele

[Hunter2King]

I dunno about Phillips

Not in the best 32 players and is a pure outside wingman

I would go with the big bodied tackling machine
Jack Steele

OK but I thought the discussion was along the lines of "if not Steele then who?'

[Linton Lodger]

Jake told them he did not want to be traded

And had triggered the extra year, which is why he was so keen on playing at the back end of the season (even with a s*** back) really, he should have been put on ice.

Dunstan, has not got the engine to run with anybody! He could not spread with Rory Sloane, is not big enough for Cripps and Fyfe and hasn’t got the explosiveness to stop Danger or Martin. Luke has a crack, but is limited! Even after 6 pre seasons he still finishes bottom quarter in time trials, and he’s a mid FFS!

If Anyone else were to tag, it’d have to be Seb. And there goes 25/30 possessions down to 15/20.

The three things that worked in ‘19
Battle to CHB - he was not great as soon as Jake returned (nor was Jake)
Marshall - in the ruck
Steele - best defensive mid in the AFL #1 for tackles and took several scalps

What did not work imo
Gresham into the midfield - we lost 20 goals from a fwd

Next year it seems
Marshall is going forward to cover the loss of Bruce
Battle is not playing CHB, maybe forward, maybe HB
Steele not tagging - Stupid
Gresham still running though the middle (as we now have 6 small forwards)

Already I sense mistakes... and if you think Ratts won’t make any, and is a messiah, hold you judgement to R11

I very much agree with you on Marshall (Ruck v Forward), however I think we'll find he will spend more time in the ruck than Ryder. I think Marshall will do most of the around the ground work and Ryder more of the centre bounces.

In regard to Gresham, we're paying him too much to be a small forward, he needs to deliver consistently in the middle.