Retired # 5: Brent Stanton - Essendon VFL Head Coach

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Azarity said:
In finals footy - guys who can break the line with speed, when it is a low scoring contested affair - are super important. Stanton doesn't do this and Merrett is better but still not quick enough.
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In finals footy outside softies who can't win their own pill are shown up for the frauds they are
 
Jack Package said:
In finals footy outside softies who can't win their own pill are shown up for the frauds they are
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Think this is about 4-5 years out of date mate. Since Jetta from Sydney burst onto the scene. Most of the successful teams have at least 1-2 of these outside types, who are super fast, and are damaging.
 
Who has said they don't rate Stanton in the last year?? Posters and supporters alike... ?

I think most have been pretty positive of Stanton from about 2011 onwards..
 

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lamaros said:
That's how it goes, though. Stanton plays great 'oh, he wasn't tagged' - ignoring the guy running 20 meters behind him all game. Stanton plays well (good to very good by AFL standards) 'he's just a depth mid now, Heppell is better' - ignoring the guy hanging off Stanton all game while Heppell runs free floating kicks on the halfback line. Stanton plays average to poor (once or twice each year at most) 'he just can't handle a tag'!
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I wonder how many of his "bad" games are when he's carrying an injury. I recall he had a couple of bad games on the trot a couple of years ago, around the time the press reckoned the entire Essendon crowd boo'd him. After he started playing well again, Hird lets slip that he had been playing through with a cracked shoulder blade when his form dipped. I mean FFS, respect right there.

Just thinking out loud here but the fact the option he presents as a link man is honoured so much, it's almost like his team mates trust him or something. Gee, there could be something in that.

The bloke needs to be very well remembered by the EFC faithful. Gladly I think the longer his career has progressed the more people are starting to see him for what he is. Sadly though, there are those that will never have their opinion of him changed.
 
lamaros said:
Holy hell. He has been our best or second best mid for nearly his whole career and has been tagged the whole way through it. This "the tag effects him" is based off what? Three poor games from 200? Show me a player that doesn't have a down game every now and then, let alone one that has consistently carried a midfield for years while being tagged like Stanton has.

Get a clue.
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I'm one of his bigger fans but even I can say there are more than a handful of games where he has struggled being tagged. Having said that, it isn't exactly an indictment on him as a footballer considering literally every outside midfielder doesn't cope well with attention. Deledio, Sidebottom, Gaff, Wells and NDS are just a few names that have traditionally done poorly with tags but somehow it is never brought up when discussing these players' merits.

As of now, Heppell is still not better than Stanton in my mind. Coaches still elect to tag Stanton and choose to let Heppell run free most of the time. Come Sunday, watch who Crowley plays on.
 
Azarity said:
Think this is about 4-5 years out of date mate. Since Jetta from Sydney burst onto the scene. Most of the successful teams have at least 1-2 of these outside types, who are super fast, and are damaging.
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what, you mean when Jetta had 10 touches and all of the heavy lifting was done by Hannebery, Kennedy and O'Keefe?
 
Actually, it will be very interesting to see who Crowley goes to now. Don't think we have an obvious player to tag. Oviously from what I have been saying I will be very surprised if it is Stanton this time round.
 
Just looking at last year's game, Crowley scored an absolutely massive 10 SC points (6 touches; 5 frees against) whilst Stanton managed 22 disposals, 8 tackles and 5 inside 50s.

That doesn't mean anything though - Stanton obviously can't handle a tag.
 
Azarity said:
What has heavy lifting got to do with it - is that what outside players are supposed to do - the heavy lifting. Stanton isn't he man to do heavy lifting either.
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Ignoring the fact that he often burns taggers off because they can't keep up with him, ignoring the fact that he's played through fairly significant pain before, yes; he never does heavy lifting.
 

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Azarity said:
Winderlink had 10 touches on the w/end. Wasn't a bad 10 touches I don't think.
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call me when Brad Hill plays out of the goal square yeah?
 
I've admired Stanton for a long time. Those that just watch on TV probably don't see how much running he does presenting again and again. Repeat running is a key to winning. This is why he gets uncontested possessions as he runs his opponent(s) ragged.

When I lived around the corner from Windy Hill I'd often see Stants during preseason running around the neighbourhood doing his own endurance training on top of the team programme. He's a fitness freak and works extremely hard at his game - his courage cannot be questioned. Not only has he played with a cracked shoulder blade but he's also carried a crook back and badly bruised ribs in the past. He bleeds red and black and I cringe every time I hear someone bag him. A true club legend.
 
efcboy said:
I've admired Stanton for a long time. Those that just watch on TV probably don't see how much running he does presenting again and again. Repeat running is a key to winning. This is why he gets uncontested possessions as he runs his opponent(s) ragged.

When I lived around the corner from Windy Hill I'd often see Stants during preseason running around the neighbourhood doing his own endurance training on top of the team programme. He's a fitness freak and works extremely hard at his game - his courage cannot be questioned. Not only has he played with a cracked shoulder blade but he's also carried a crook back and badly bruised ribs in the past. He bleeds red and black and I cringe every time I hear someone bag him. A true club legend.
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Yep agree with all of this.

The issue with Brent is he's not a very smart footballer. Often calls for the ball when he shouldn't and has a surprising ability to kick into the man on the mark.

As has been said above, can't question his workrate, and when he's the 4-6th best midfielder he's a very useful cog. He was definitely relied on too much for too long though, mainly due to us being not very good.
 
In the past he probably ran harder than he should have to try and make up for the bludgers over the years like Neagle, Jetta, Crameri, Davey, Reimers etc. Now that the team does not have as many passengers (if any at present) his game should also improve as he was often near exhaustion due to compensating for others. Guys like chapman and Goddard and now J.Merrett presenting more often have made a big difference. It was no surprise the club broke a record in the first quarter vs Carlton. This was due to workrate and Stanton has set a great example for the younger brigade in recent times. When you're at exhaustion you get heavy quads meaning more likely kicking errors. A shared workload from a well drilled team should now avoid this.
 
I also think that Stanton suffered from being one of the few 'bright sparks' in our darkest years.. probably a little bit too much pressure to be a gun off the bat, plus the jumper number etc etc..

We probably had too high expectations early.. and that has carried over to some of the residual knocks on him.

People were wanting/needing a Judd like A+++ superstar.. instead of being happy to unearth a true A grade, blue chip midfielder..

Had he been bursting on the stage now, for example, with the same stats/games.. no doubt there would be the same kind of love given to J Merrett et al...
 
carnthedons said:
Yep agree with all of this.

The issue with Brent is he's not a very smart footballer. Often calls for the ball when he shouldn't and has a surprising ability to kick into the man on the mark.

As has been said above, can't question his workrate, and when he's the 4-6th best midfielder he's a very useful cog. He was definitely relied on too much for too long though, mainly due to us being not very good.
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He's kicked into the man on the mark, what, 5 times a year?

Considering he kicks the footy about 5 times as much as anyone else you're really clutching at straws if you're calling this a legit criticism.

Nevermind this inside crap, both Stanton and other 'outside' guys like NSD and Stephen Hill have done their fair share of contested footy work. They just excel at getting into space and using it so they're often not thrown into those roles.

All this crap is just echoed criticism from those who don't watch the game and don't understand it.
 
Bomberblitzer said:
I honestly cannot understand why he isn't regarded highly as an Essendon great.
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I reckon when he's done - and that could still be another 7 or 8 years away - he will be.

He'll be considered on the same level as the likes of Jason Johnson; an Essendon great, and a name that means a bit to those in the wider football community that follow footy closely enough.
 
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Ben the Gooner said:
I really disagree on Heppell. He's been racking up the cheap stats a little bit this season. I'm not criticising or complaining because it's part of the transition towards him becoming a genuinely elite midfielder, but looking at these three games in isolation, he hasn't been in our best 5-10 I would say.
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I could be wrong here, because I watched the North and Carlton games from home, but hasn't Heppell spent most of his time coming off the half back line?

I sort of get what you're saying, but I wouldn't call his possessions "cheap"; he's doing exactly what we need of him while Dempsey's out.
 
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