Luke Dunstan to be traded?

[Vazelos]

I wrote this piece in 2016 about Dunstan and in 2020 he wasn’t picked by Ratten and the new football staff...a different coach and regime and they deemed him not up to first 22 status and now he is injured....
Some on here called him a future captain of the club....
I had a read I found interesting who was backing the pro Dunstan crew opinions are fine to make but some comments like
“ you have no idea about football”
“ Some of us actually watch the game”
I see Saynta who went hard on my comments about Seb Ross this week was in the pro Dunstan crew back in 2016....
Funny reading posts 4 years ago questioning a players ability and then you see 4 years later he is running around in the seconds when he is at his prime as a player...
Now he is injured and will probably go into the end of the season having not played a game this year with Bytel and Byrnes coming in and my intel is we have a Free Agent mid lined up next year.
Don’t see any space for Luke I wander what the guys in here that “ have an idea about football” think about that...
Saynta? What are your thoughts mate?

[saynta]

I wrote this piece in 2016 about Dunstan and in 2020 he wasn’t picked by Ratten and the new football staff...a different coach and regime and they deemed him not up to first 22 status and now he is injured....
Some on here called him a future captain of the club....
I had a read I found interesting who was backing the pro Dunstan crew opinions are fine to make but some comments like
“ you have no idea about football”
“ Some of us actually watch the game”
I see Saynta who went hard on my comments about Seb Ross this week was in the pro Dunstan crew back in 2016....
Funny reading posts 4 years ago questioning a players ability and then you see 4 years later he is running around in the seconds when he is at his prime as a player...
Now he is injured and will probably go into the end of the season having not played a game this year with Bytel and Byrnes coming in and my intel is we have a Free Agent mid lined up next year.
Don’t see any space for Luke I wander what the guys in here that “ have an idea about football” think about that...
Saynta? What are your thoughts mate?

see my post re Seb.

[Vazelos]

What about Dunstan?
You concede I may have had a point on Dunstan?

[Shaggy]

What about Dunstan?
You concede I may have had a point on Dunstan?

From our 2016 list Newnes, Acres, Hickey, Steven, Weller, Bruce, Minchington & Goddard have all been moved onto other clubs. Your guess of Dunstan was clearly wrong. He is still with us 4 years later.

[Trev from the Bush]

An early nomination for the award for dragging out the oldest story in vain hope of being eventually proven correct.

In second place, I predict the Saints will be defeated again this season.

[Vazelos]

Dunstan was tagged as the next Captain he has been dropped how many times last 4 years?
I lost count....
Acres was traded not because we wanted to lose him but because we had to give something up and Freo wanted him...Newnes- got offered 2 years took a better deal
Hickey- My friends call him the skirt need I say more
Steven- wanted to leave
Weller- average player never rated
Bruce- cleated to make room for King
Minchington - C grader not even worth talking about
Goddard- wanted more money and an extra year

Dunstan was also shopped around a summer ago and there were no biters but let’s not let facts get in the way....
The reason I brought it up was due to the conversation about Seb Ross early this week it had relevance to people like Saynta ...
Don’t need to come here and prove I know football my friend this is a supporters page let’s not kid ourselves and think the bar is very high here .... we all love the club that’s the important thing

[Devilhead]

My intel is we have a Free Agent mid lined up next year.

If you are not prepared to divulge publicly I would be more than happy to receive a PM

Thanks in advance

[Yallingupsaints]

Sam Powell Pepper but not sure he’s what we need

[Vazelos]

My intel is we have a Free Agent mid lined up next year.

If you are not prepared to divulge publicly I would be more than happy to receive a PM

Thanks in advance

I get some good intel like I knew Hill was coming mid year last year but wasn’t allowed to say anything...
Re this situation I honestly don’t know the exact player but I do know an elite Mid has been identified the club see us as 2 players short of a top side and an elit mid is one area identified.
I have a hunch it’s Zac Williams GWS but that’s an educated guess only....
There are some cheque’s being written by a certain new squillionaire that Bassat has brought on board to finance our momentum they are determined this time we don’t fail due to a lack of funds like so many times in the past when we get close.

[CQ SAINT]

My intel is we have a Free Agent mid lined up next year.

If you are not prepared to divulge publicly I would be more than happy to receive a PM

Thanks in advance

I'd be backing in Kamdym Macintosh from Richmond as a big chance.
UFA, just needs to make the call
26yrs, 90 games, 191cm 91kg
Outside mid, endurance runner, aggressive and well built. Will draw the attention of a good opponent.
Premiership Player, Rising Star nominee, had a few injuries but has proven durable. Consistently held his own in the league's best team in recent years.
Would be a great pick up and would be an improvement on current stock.
Ooops! He may actually be under contract but was apparently looking around last year and his Wiki page has had a bit of work put into it, so who knows?

[saynta]

What about Dunstan?
You concede I may have had a point on Dunstan?

From our 2016 list Newnes, Acres, Hickey, Steven, Weller, Bruce, Minchington & Goddard have all been moved onto other clubs. Your guess of Dunstan was clearly wrong. He is still with us 4 years later.

[st.byron]

Was in the pro-Dunstan camp but he just hasn’t come on as I thought he would. Was hoping he would emerge as a tough inside mid in the mould of Lenny, but alas it appears unlikely. I thought his one paced-ness might’ve compensated for by becoming a real inside grunt bull. In his early years under ‘Mr. We’ll Review That Strongly’ he was a boy doing a man’s work. So I thought once he reached his physical prime he would emerge as an influential player. Like numerous others on our list from Ricoh and Elsaugh’s time, he just hasn’t taken the step up to be a high quality player.

[Yorkeys]

If Luke had not done the pectoral muscle thing he could well be a regular now. Wins the hard ball and good foil (not tin) for Hill. Poor form trash talking him when he is down with long term injury. I have never seen him squib a contest and seen him win some very hard ball for the club. His kicking lets him down but under Coach Ratten who knows what he could be. Smart footballer. Any country market fortune teller could confidently predict, for all 18 sides, that "your team is looking to attract a gun mid fielder"- but would be too embarrassed to try that one on even the rubes for fear of a Doh! moment.

[freely]

An early nomination for the award for dragging out the oldest story in vain hope of being eventually proven correct.

In second place, I predict the Saints will be defeated again this season.

Have you not read the companion piece comparing Paddy and Petracca?

[st.byron]

If Luke had not done the pectoral muscle thing he could well be a regular now. Wins the hard ball and good foil (not tin) for Hill. Poor form trash talking him when he is down with long term injury. I have never seen him squib a contest and seen him win some very hard ball for the club. His kicking lets him down but under Coach Ratten who knows what he could be. Smart footballer. Any country market fortune teller could confidently predict, for all 18 sides, that "your team is looking to attract a gun mid fielder"- but would be too embarrassed to try that one on even the rubes for fear of a Doh! moment.

Yeah I agree he’s won some hard ball and doesn’t squib - he was thrown in too young as a hard ball winner or as a young player he didn’t have quality mids around him to give protection and a chop out. But he’s never really blossomed into a highly influential player. Don’t think it’s poor form to discuss his career and development. No disrespect to the guy, he’s a head over the ball player, but I haven’t seen enough of him really hurting the opposition to meet my expectations of the player I thought he was going to become. Perhaps under Ratten and back to fitness he will step it up.

[skeptic]

Your post St. Byron was certainly not trash talking him.

It’s all well and good to say that he’d be a regular 22 player now if not injured but to date, he’s failed to cement himself in the top 22 as you pointed out.

For whatever reason, as a midfielder he simply hasn’t demonstrated a clear strength.

Yes he’s tough and no squib but he doesn’t win enough inside ball

His lack of speed/finesse prevents the quality of his disposals from being so damaging that one can overlook his lack of them

But his biggest problem of all is that he fails to run out games. How many time’s have we seen him have a dominant quarter or half only to see him completely fall away thereafter
16 possessions to halftime, 22 for the match

It’s been an enduring problem for him.

He’s just doesn’t do enough to be an inside or an outside midfielder so it’s unclear to me that without an major increase in form... where he plays?
Steele, Hannebery, Ross, Jones on the inside
Hill, Billings, Gresh on the outside

He’s behind all of them. Even out of form most would take Hill in a heartbeat

IMO... his only hope is to reinvent himself. If I was him, I’d work on my goal kicking and try to push one of Kent, Lonie or Butler our as a goal kicker that works up the field or can run through the middle against play and contribute more then 10 kicks and a shot on goal

[CQ SAINT]

If Luke had not done the pectoral muscle thing he could well be a regular now. Wins the hard ball and good foil (not tin) for Hill. Poor form trash talking him when he is down with long term injury. I have never seen him squib a contest and seen him win some very hard ball for the club. His kicking lets him down but under Coach Ratten who knows what he could be. Smart footballer. Any country market fortune teller could confidently predict, for all 18 sides, that "your team is looking to attract a gun mid fielder"- but would be too embarrassed to try that one on even the rubes for fear of a Doh! moment.

I saw Aussie Jones squib a number of contests, but geez I wish we had one like him now.
I'm a Dunstan fan. Think he is more worth to the team even as depth than a couple who currently get royal treatment. You know what your gonna get from Dunstan and I can remember a few clutch moments where he put his body on the line and did the job. Geary has made a career out of that, how ever you rate it. I've also seen him do some brilliant stuff but we could never afford to free him up to play other roles.
Essendon could use a player like Luke to great effect.

[Ghost Like]

Well summed up Skeptic but I feel the chances of him pushing Kent (better mark / quicker), Butler (quicker / two way runner / goal sense), Lonie (goal sense) may be bridges too far.

He can certainly tackle but needs a little more in the forward half that pace and endurance can make up for.

[kosifantutti]

An early nomination for the award for dragging out the oldest story in vain hope of being eventually proven correct.

In second place, I predict the Saints will be defeated again this season.

Bookmarked!

PS In the history of people writing "Bookmarked", there has been no recoreded case of anyone actually bookmarking the post and referring back to it at a later stage.

[desertsaint]

An early nomination for the award for dragging out the oldest story in vain hope of being eventually proven correct.

In second place, I predict the Saints will be defeated again this season.

Bookmarked!

PS In the history of people writing "Bookmarked", there has been no recoreded case of anyone actually bookmarking the post and referring back to it at a later stage.

bookmarked.
will get back to you.

[desertsaint]

An early nomination for the award for dragging out the oldest story in vain hope of being eventually proven correct.

In second place, I predict the Saints will be defeated again this season.

Bookmarked!

PS In the history of people writing "Bookmarked", there has been no recoreded case of anyone actually bookmarking the post and referring back to it at a later stage.

just wanted to remind you of something.

[skeptic]

If Luke had not done the pectoral muscle thing he could well be a regular now. Wins the hard ball and good foil (not tin) for Hill. Poor form trash talking him when he is down with long term injury. I have never seen him squib a contest and seen him win some very hard ball for the club. His kicking lets him down but under Coach Ratten who knows what he could be. Smart footballer. Any country market fortune teller could confidently predict, for all 18 sides, that "your team is looking to attract a gun mid fielder"- but would be too embarrassed to try that one on even the rubes for fear of a Doh! moment.

I saw Aussie Jones squib a number of contests, but geez I wish we had one like him now.
I'm a Dunstan fan. Think he is more worth to the team even as depth than a couple who currently get royal treatment. You know what your gonna get from Dunstan and I can remember a few clutch moments where he put his body on the line and did the job. Geary has made a career out of that, how ever you rate it. I've also seen him do some brilliant stuff but we could never afford to free him up to play other roles.
Essendon could use a player like Luke to great effect.

Agreed. I certainly don’t have him in the delist conversation personally and far be it to suggest that he doesn’t do good things or have ability.

The challenge with both players you mentioned in terms of comparison however is the topic of a strength
Jones was fast and had incredible disposal... with the exception of one painful game, even if his opponent hurt us due to lack of accountability... chances are Jones hurt them more.

Geary on the other hand has elite endurance... even his harshest critics don’t question his ability to run all day and shadow an opponent.

Currently, Luke to me is a depth player waiting to try a knock one of Hanners, Steele or Ross out of the side. It’s a tall order for him IMO unless he addresses some deficiencies in his game

[SaintDippa]

Main reason games are lost is turnover. Carry too many with poor foot skills you'll consistently get rolled. Trade? Sure. What in return (player we need or picks we want) decides if good idea or no thanks.

[Vazelos]

It's not a strong rumour or source but I did hear Luke Dunstan may be traded back to SA.
With the emerging Acres, Gresham , Billings and Mc Kenzie and Steele and Stephens coming in as well as hopefully Freeman coming good to compliment Jack Steven, Armitage and Ross is Dunstan under the pump to keep his spot?
He is a reasonable to good player but is he good enough for a top 4 side?
I have some question marks on him not convinced either way yet to rule him in or out I'm on the fence long term.

It's posts like these that make me question being a member of this site.
Sorry matey but you have no idea about football.

It seems like I may have had an idea!!
4 years ago I got smashed for querying Dunstan as a long term player now he is being traded as steak knives. I can handle being told I’m wrong but it looks like I may have seen something that’s others didn’t.
Too slow, limited running capacity, poor kick and average hands. 2 coaches kept dropping him.
Great character work ethic and hardness got him to a 100 games in a poor team he is a long way off a top 4 mid fielder.
I love the direction the club is taking because I love Long and Paton and didn’t think Webster and Savage were the answer. Webster and Dunstan for Crouch and salary cap space and some picks great work Saints.
For the record that was an anomaly by Jaxons he has been for the majority of time a gentlemen and a great provider of nostalgia videos we do agree on our love for Plugger. Saynta you were in the Dunstan cheer squad as you are in the Seb Ross Cheer squad which I am in neither let’s see if Ross can perform now as a B grade tagging role player albeit on Grade A money.

[whiskers3614]

Keep trading out heart and soul players for next to nothing and trading in mercenary cowards for way over the odds will work wonders for the culture of the place!