Luke Dunstan

[bigcarl]

Great game. Gave Dusty a touch up. Hands up all who’s been bagging him.

[mad saint guy]

Dunstan was very good tonight, props to him. But we've seen him come back from spending time in the reserves to play out of his skin for 4-6 weeks and then go back to his standard form that he's shown for most of his 109 games before getting dropped again.

I'm happy that he's hit some form but I'm far from convinced that it's going to stay like that.

[Impatient Sainter]

The conditions really suited Dunstan, but he was huge tonight. Great game and is earning himself another contract. If he could just clean up his disposal he would become a really good player.

[skeptic]

If he could just up his disposal, he’d almost be elite. I reckon Dunstan’s ability to run out games has improved out of sight and he’s playing like someone that has everything to lose

[freely]

He actually played like a Number 7 tonight.

[CQ SAINT]

Luke Dunstan wins contested football, always has. He attacks the ball before thinking about where his opponent is, but also holds his ground in a grapple. He can take a grab and isn't a player you'd tag.
If I was Hill, Sinclair or Byrnes, I'd get myself within 15 metres of Luke on the left hand defensive side, as often as I could.

[B.M]

Has strengths, has weaknesses

Is in very good form

Playing like a man who has nothing to lose, and is not holding back.

[bangaulegend]

Great game I give credit where credit is due & he has been very good since breaking back into the team & he has his limitations but playing to his strengths & this game suited them tonight

[Ape_Man]

Ripping game tonight by Dunstan. It was tough, hard and aggressive.

Hope he keeps the mongrel up. To me it looked like the agro brought out the best in him.

We could use a bit of mongrel going forward.

[repta]

I like him as a tagger, shut down, run with player

Suits his skill set well.

[The OtherThommo]

He's hard, smart, and people need to understand it's about the midfield unit, not an individual.

The skipper sacrificed himself for most of the night (still got 25), and that allowed the unit to flourish,

That's not a knock on Dunstan, he was fine. But, sacrifices matter.

I've always rated Luke for his ability to win contested ball and, with the unit around him, particularly with Ro-Ro back working with Patrick, we're very well served.

Going well, Dunstan, and good luck to him - he's no dummy.

[Teflon]

IF he can do the basics with disposal (went at 59% efficiency tonight Steele at 80% by comparison) then he has a role imo
I’ve bagged him but credit where due tonight he was good

[Scollop]

Going well, Dunstan, and good luck to him - he's no dummy.

Dunny. He's No Dummy!!

There's a Newscorp headline right there

[Laurie]

Great game atracks the ball and like the mongrel he brings at the contest

[Vortex]

If he could just up his disposal, he’d almost be elite. I reckon Dunstan’s ability to run out games has improved out of sight and he’s playing like someone that has everything to lose

Yeah it looked like he is running games out. Playing 4 quarter has been one of his issues, that and disposal and decision making. Would you keep him on the list for next year?

[longtimesaint]

Yes

[silverhalo]

You might recall that Dunstan earned the recall to the seniors in our first match against Richmond this year and he put in a shocker - was dropped the next week. It seems he was hellbent on making sure that wouldn't happen again - good work!

You cannot trade him out or delist on recent form - hopefully he can maintain it now

[silverhalo]

You might recall that Dunstan earned the recall to the seniors in our first match against Richmond this year and he put in a shocker - was dropped the next week. It seems he was hellbent on making sure that wouldn't happen again - good work!

You cannot trade him out or delist on recent form - hopefully he can maintain it now

[beebarry]

And continued to serve it up to the bully boy sniper Cotchin all night. Highlight !! Play him against Selwood when we play the cats and watch that dirty mongrel wilt …. Saints desperate for some real hardness ….

[The_Dud]

You might recall that Dunstan earned the recall to the seniors in our first match against Richmond this year and he put in a shocker - was dropped the next week. It seems he was hellbent on making sure that wouldn't happen again - good work!

You cannot trade him out or delist on recent form - hopefully he can maintain it now

Look back at that game, he by no means had a shocker compared to half his team mates, was just the scapegoat as usual.

[The_Dud]

3 BOG’s in his last 6 games, and yet still some can’t bring themselves to say they were wrong.

If only he was given the same chances as others on our list.

[CQ SAINT]

When faced with the treatment Cockchin and Softwood dish out, you need to look past the aggression and focus on the contest and the next contest and the one after that.
The aggression is an elusion, pure theatre designed to distract you and they will keep coming, keep impacting and keep popping up in dangerous spots.
Dunstan has been able to use that type of focus more effectively in recent form.
For much of Dunstan's career his job has been to stop other players, create room for other mids and occasionally he would play a blinder but its understandable in his main role, in a undermanned midfield brigade, that he drops off.
More recently it appears the chains are off and he isn't just chasing someone but he is actually contributing to the breakaway on the periphery.
Having him, Steele and Crouch, isn't over-kill, it creates flexibility and balance.
If we get more games into Byrnes and get Jones and Gresh fully fit, we will have a great balance of power, strength and speed next year, with Bytel and possibly Connelly, who looks as though he likes to get into the play, developing as the understudies.
Its time to look past Billings and Ross and find a young mid who has the best attributes of both of them, cash them in while they have value and use the compo picks to chase a young tall KPD.
I hope we can take our first pick to the draft and take the best attacking mid available and then consider offering Callum Sinclair (he gets hit outs and possesses decent forward craft) a two year deal to back up Paddy and Marshall and play forward/ruck at Sandy supporting and mentoring Heath.

[The Recruit]

Sign him immediately. Important to us moving forward for

On field leadership
Agression

THE ONLY reason we touched the tigers up was because we were aggressive all night. Dunstans brief every week should be

Smash in
Bruise ribs
Be agressive
Get the pill to our runners

Coach to his strengths

[saynta]

Great game. Gave Dusty a touch up. Hands up all who’s been bagging him.

Yep, plenty have but I don't remember who . My brain has a fairly good s*** filter and quickly sifts through, well ,s***. However, one nameless, gormless punter even once in an attempt to insult me, called me a Dunstan lover, a tag I will wear with pride.

[desertsaint]

he is indeed becoming the player we hoped he would be. always played a selfless role, and a brutal one from day one. it looked like he was the luke ball of this team, and it cruelled his development. he's grown fit enough and strong enough to play out games and at the moment he is one of our most important players. well done luke.