Retired # 5: Brent Stanton - Essendon VFL Head Coach

[Towno78]

So we're trading one of the most loved and well respected players at the club, who also happens to have been our VC for 5 years until this year.

One thing this year has shown is that we're not as close to a tilt as we thought. I have previously been against the idea of trading stanton. But he probably won't be playing in our next premiership now, so getting a young player in return who may is an idea that certainly has merit.
St kilda moving on dal santo and goddard was a tough call to make, but ultimately I'm sure most st kilda supporters now believe that decision was for their betterment

 

[eth-dog]

One thing this year has shown is that we're not as close to a tilt as we thought. I have previously been against the idea of trading stanton. But he probably won't be playing in our next premiership now, so getting a young player in return who may is an idea that certainly has merit.
St kilda moving on dal santo and goddard was a tough call to make, but ultimately I'm sure most st kilda supporters now believe that decision was for their betterment

The difference there is that they kept players like Riewoldt and Montagna around. You still need quality, experienced players around in a rebuild and that's why keeping Stanton makes more sense than not keeping him.

 

[Shane Hird]

The difference there is that they kept players like Riewoldt and Montagna around. You still need quality, experienced players around in a rebuild and that's why keeping Stanton makes more sense than not keeping him.

Yeah...Stanton is experienced and a good 'servant' of the club..wouldn't say 'much loved by all fans'....but you never hear the words like classy, silky smooth, hard, tough, aggressive, genuine pace, vision, smart etc to describe him.

That's the problem. He's just a good ordinary player.

But Freo have kept Chris Mayne all the years so average players do have long careers in the modern game.

 

[eth-dog]

Yeah...Stanton is experienced and a good 'servant' of the club..wouldn't say 'much loved by all fans'....but you never hear the words like classy, silky smooth, hard, tough, aggressive, genuine pace, vision, smart etc to describe him.

That's the problem. He's just a good ordinary player.

But Freo have kept Chris Mayne all the years so average players do have long careers in the modern game.

Yawn. Your vendetta against him knows no bounds. But hey, for the first time ever you've entered this thread after he's played a good game instead of a poor one so miracles do happen.

 

[Shane Hird]

Yawn. Your vendetta against him knows no bounds. But hey, for the first time ever you've entered this thread after he's played a good game instead of a poor one so miracles do happen.

Vendetta lol...I'm just trying to have a decent discussion about an ageing, slow, soft , ordinary veteran player.
Just because he plays for my club doesn't make it any different from talking about other players in Stanton's 'class'.

As this thread shows, many Essendon supporters feel exactly the same way as I do about B.S

And if you back a few dozen pages, there's been plenty of times I've acknowledge his performance as a good game.

 

[eth-dog]

He's the modern day Shane Heard.

Fittest bloke in the team. Not as 'hard' as Shane, but just as consistent with his workrate.

View attachment 78738

View attachment 78824

Let's just all agree that half of us love the guy and wouldn't dream of trading him and the other half just wish he would #### OFF!!!

View attachment 114503
And never will..

I'm no Stanton fan so I just keep riiiiiight out of it my friend.

This is the problem with our number 5. He's a mediocre league player but too good for the VFL.

Wtf do they do with him?

Yes yes he's played some outstanding games over the years, but the time has come to make a decision on whether he is an asset for our side or mainly a liability.

Can't seeing him being dropped for the next 4 games or so no matter how bad he plays. So it's a wait and see on how he can lift himself up to the required level.

Now that would be a great xmas present.

View attachment 134586

Comparing Stanton with Heppell...View attachment 134613

He's taking a spot every week in our league side of some potential recruit.

How long does Hird wait until it's time to take the magnet off the board? After this season, after next year? In 3 years time?

Stanton's automatic selection every week isn't helping our long term development.

We need to play our young talent and work out who's going to be keepers.

But It's just not going to happen this year and that's frustrating.

It's amazing really how two groups of supporters have such polar opposite views on Stanton's value and worth to the side.

Just makes me shake my head in wonder at some of the posts here that justify his existence in our aging, slow midfield.

That 40 mtr kick around the body Stanton does is one of his long held habits that is just part of his game.

He's never been too confident at attempting to break away from packs with fend offs and arm chopping. So when surrounded and about to be grabbed and stuck defensive side of a pack at halfback, he'll go for the trusty bomb down the line.

Fyfe is good at that too. And sometimes those blind punts Nathan does go straight into the arms of the opposition.

But Fyfe's many hardball gets, contested marks and pressure acts make up for those turnover hack kicks that turn out crap.

Stanton hasn't got the skills to counter the turnover kick he frequently dishes up..the Hail Mary hack punt.
His game- in contested situations - is all about getting that ball out of his hands as quick as possible before contact arrives.

He's not a totally soft, gutless player by any means, but he avoids body hits like the plague.

All his coaches know this obviously and instruct him to play to his strengths..with his endurance running and getting into free space at halfback or wing and carrying the ball with a bounce or two.

He's a good receiver of the ball and can run and link up handball with the best of them. But the game now requires everyone to be hard and win your own ball over and over again. If you don't, you go missing in action.

Add the fact that he has average pace now and struggles at the age he is to keep up with faster players..you wonder just what is his role now? Is he just picked by the match commitee every week for a specific job or is he the floating, wandering, loose man?

It's got me ####ed I tell you..

View attachment 142181

Can't see Hird giving him the chop for next year.

He's the Golden Boy's Golden Boy after all...

This is the thing about Stanton that has drivin me bonkers for 10 years.

He has these really long patches of ordinary, workman like footy where everyone questions his value to the side and then pulls out a 32 plus , stand-out, blinder a few times a year.

Frustrating to say the least.

Yeah...Stanton is experienced and a good 'servant' of the club..wouldn't say 'much loved by all fans'....but you never hear the words like classy, silky smooth, hard, tough, aggressive, genuine pace, vision, smart etc to describe him.

That's the problem. He's just a good ordinary player.

But Freo have kept Chris Mayne all the years so average players do have long careers in the modern game.

Vendetta lol...I'm just trying to have a decent discussion about an ageing, slow, soft , ordinary veteran player.
Just because he plays for my club doesn't make it any different from talking about other players in Stanton's 'class'.

As this thread shows, many Essendon supporters feel exactly the same way as I do about B.S

And if you back a few dozen pages, there's been plenty of times I've acknowledge his performance as a good game.

Which one of these are you acknowledging as a good game? None of them? That can't be, you just said you do acknowledge his good performances!

 

[yaco55]

So we're trading one of the most loved and well respected players at the club, who also happens to have been our VC for 5 years until this year.

Stanton is a Free Agent - He will field offers from other clubs - It's Stanton's decision whether he stays.

 

[Bombers36]

Was BOG against Melbourne for mine

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Yes there is... but how do you ever get any decent picks if all you are working with is Ricky Dyson + third rounder. We should be praying that someone thinks he can add value for 2 years and offers 500k and we get a 2nd round pick for him.

Collingwood got lucky offloading Thomas & Shaw and its allowed them to get some decent picks to start regenerating their list.

The sad thing is he has a few good games and people then look back at his stats and say he's had a good year but when you analyse some of his 20+ games touches they have been ordinary and ineffectual.

Even his good game yesterday he did a crazy kick over the head to get intercepted in the centre. Ridiculous stuff from a 200+ gamer.

I think it's safe to say we won't be matching if he gets offered $500k.

 

[Shane Hird]

Which one of these are you acknowledging as a good game? None of them? That can't be, you just said you do acknowledge his good performances!

Lmao..I had a feeling you'd do that.

You really do have some serous issues going on in that brain of yours.

Seek help now is my advice buddy.

 

[Shane Hird]

Stanton is a Free Agent - He will field offers from other clubs - It's Stanton's decision whether he stays.

Begs the question..if say hypothetically Stanton was available right now to leave and join any top team like Hawforn, Freo or Swans..would any of them take him and slot him straight in their lineup.

Probably not I'd reckon.

 

[monty1104]

Stanton is a Free Agent - He will field offers from other clubs - It's Stanton's decision whether he stays.

This is pretty much where I see it. He's a free agent so could go, and good luck to him if he does. But he should not be put up for trade.

 

[eth-dog]

Lmao..I had a feeling you'd do that.

You really do have some serous issues going on in that brain of yours.

Seek help now is my advice buddy.

Typical. I show you up and you resort to playing the man, not the ball.

Begs the question..if say hypothetically Stanton was available right now to leave and join any top team like Hawforn, Freo or Swans..would any of them take him and slot him straight in their lineup.

Probably not I'd reckon.

Absolutely they would. He'd be in their best 18 by a country mile.

 

[Towno78]

The difference there is that they kept players like Riewoldt and Montagna around. You still need quality, experienced players around in a rebuild and that's why keeping Stanton makes more sense than not keeping him.

Um... What's the difference?
He's not suggesting trading Watson, Goddard, Hooker, Hurley Etc as well as Stanton. There will still be quality experienced players around and what you just said makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[eth-dog]

Um... What's the difference?
He's not suggesting trading Watson, Goddard, Hooker, Hurley Etc as well as Stanton. There will still be quality experienced players around and what you just said makes no sense whatsoever.

Watson is close to retirement, he all but said it himself. The game is clearly starting to go past Goddard. Not every player on your list will be part of your next premiership tilt, but the key is to finding the players that can help the development of the younger players and I'd 100% be more confident in that with Stanton over Goddard.

 

[Towno78]

Watson is close to retirement, he all but said it himself. The game is clearly starting to go past Goddard. Not every player on your list will be part of your next premiership tilt, but the key is to finding the players that can help the development of the younger players and I'd 100% be more confident in that with Stanton over Goddard.

Watson and Goddard have a couple of years left. Whether you think Stanton or Goddard would be better for the development of the kids is another argument altogether, one that I don't have a strong opinion of, but either way is not relevant to the inadequacy of your previous statement re the st kilda comparison.

 

[Coldacre]

Was BOG against Melbourne for mine

I think Jumping Joe & Hurls were better. he wasn't bad though!

 

[calyam]

I'd probably offer Stanton a one-year contract. But also let it known that if he wants to chase a premiership then we'd do everything in our power to get him to a top 4 team.

Begs the question..if say hypothetically Stanton was available right now to leave and join any top team like Hawforn, Freo or Swans..would any of them take him and slot him straight in their lineup.

Probably not I'd reckon.

Stanton would be an excellent sixth or seventh best midfielder in a really good side. Particularly given his ability to kick the odd goal.

He's just not the type of player that you want to be in your top 3 midfielders, which has been true of Essendon throughout most of Stanton's career.

 

[Coldacre]

The difference there is that they kept players like Riewoldt and Montagna around. You still need quality, experienced players around in a rebuild and that's why keeping Stanton makes more sense than not keeping him.

I agree with your sentiment; you do need experience to remain throughout a rebuild. I don't think Stanton is vital to that though, with Jobe, Fletch, Licka, Hocking, Myers & young talent like Heppell floating around. Stants doesn't offer anything that special.

 

[Coldacre]

Stanton would be an excellent sixth or seventh best midfielder in a really good side.

seriously?

 

[monty1104]

seriously?

Using Freo as the example, he'd be behind all of Fyfe, Mundy, Barlow, Neale and Hill.

 

[Shane Hird]

Typical. I show you up and you resort to playing the man, not the ball.

Absolutely they would. He'd be in their best 18 by a country mile.

Play the ball? Lol no matter what I say you'll always jump straight down my throat the minute I say anything about him.

Unless of course I completely get on board your Stanton love train and agree with everything you say.

I can't win! But that's ok. I'll live.

 

[Doss]

You know, the last thing we need is another pissing contest/slanging match.

eth-dog, let it go please.

 

[Shane Hird]

It's alright Doss..just footy talk. Every club has players that divide fans opinion.

And ours goes right back..Kevin Walsh, Greg Anderson, Scotty Lucas etc..

It's only footy

 

[eth-dog]

I agree with your sentiment; you do need experience to remain throughout a rebuild. I don't think Stanton is vital to that though, with Jobe, Fletch, Licka, Hocking, Myers & young talent like Heppell floating around. Stants doesn't offer anything that special.

Two of them are likely to retire at the end of the year, one has all but admitted he's close to retirement, and the last two have played a whole of 60 seconds this season and have never reached the heights of Stanton.