Past #15: Nick Dal Santo - 62 NM/322 AFL games - delisted by NM end '16 - retired from AFL Nov '16

[jclei]

FORMER North Melbourne player Nick Dal Santo says he’s astonished by the low bar Nathan Buckley has set for new recruit Daniel Wells.

The ex-Kangaroo has struggled with his fitness during his first pre-season at Collingwood and is currently looking to shake off a calf injury.

“I recently heard Nathan Buckley say he’d be happy with 15 games (out of Wells),” Dal Santo said on Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight.

“That surprised me, to say that we’re happy for our new recruit, one of the best players in the league when he’s fit, to be happy with 15 games.

“That means he’s sitting out for seven in your regular season — that shocked me.

“I’d like to see him play the majority and if he needs to have a rest (for) one or two games, I can understand that, and cop that. I was surprised with seven off.”

Wells played 19 games in 2016 but had been limited to just 12 games across the previous two seasons.

He joined Collingwood as an unrestricted free agent on a three-year deal at the end of 2016.

Dal Santo said he was surprised to see Collingwood take the long-term punt on the veteran but understood the move from Wells’ perspective.

“I was surprised with it when I first heard it. If I was Daniel Wells, I’d jump at it, absolutely,” he said.

“To be given three years at the age of 32, really good money, support his family — why wouldn’t you? I know he has to change clubs and that is a big transition.

“(I) can understand it from Wells’ position, surprised from Collingwood’s.”

Dal Santo said the long-term deal was risky due to Wells’ recent injury history.

“His recent injury history, hasn’t played a lot of football, I played three years with him and we played a handful of games together,” Dal Santo said.

“When he plays and when he’s fit, unbelievably good.

“When he’s not playing well or he’s slightly injured, difficult to fill in the gaps there.”

Going forward, Dal Santo said Wells needed to become a more consistent trainer to help him get through more games.

“I think there’s no secret that he could train harder and probably more consistently and I think that’ll give him a better opportunity to play more of the games thoughtout the year.”

 

[bungareepremiers06]

FORMER North Melbourne player Nick Dal Santo says he’s astonished by the low bar Nathan Buckley has set for new recruit Daniel Wells.

The ex-Kangaroo has struggled with his fitness during his first pre-season at Collingwood and is currently looking to shake off a calf injury.

“I recently heard Nathan Buckley say he’d be happy with 15 games (out of Wells),” Dal Santo said on Fox Sports News’ AFL Tonight.

“That surprised me, to say that we’re happy for our new recruit, one of the best players in the league when he’s fit, to be happy with 15 games.

“That means he’s sitting out for seven in your regular season — that shocked me.

“I’d like to see him play the majority and if he needs to have a rest (for) one or two games, I can understand that, and cop that. I was surprised with seven off.”

Wells played 19 games in 2016 but had been limited to just 12 games across the previous two seasons.

He joined Collingwood as an unrestricted free agent on a three-year deal at the end of 2016.

Dal Santo said he was surprised to see Collingwood take the long-term punt on the veteran but understood the move from Wells’ perspective.

“I was surprised with it when I first heard it. If I was Daniel Wells, I’d jump at it, absolutely,” he said.

“To be given three years at the age of 32, really good money, support his family — why wouldn’t you? I know he has to change clubs and that is a big transition.

“(I) can understand it from Wells’ position, surprised from Collingwood’s.”

Dal Santo said the long-term deal was risky due to Wells’ recent injury history.

“His recent injury history, hasn’t played a lot of football, I played three years with him and we played a handful of games together,” Dal Santo said.

“When he plays and when he’s fit, unbelievably good.

“When he’s not playing well or he’s slightly injured, difficult to fill in the gaps there.”

Going forward, Dal Santo said Wells needed to become a more consistent trainer to help him get through more games.

“I think there’s no secret that he could train harder and probably more consistently and I think that’ll give him a better opportunity to play more of the games thoughtout the year.”

Don't think there's too much there to disagree with is there? It's hardly a whack, more a summation of what most people would think.

 

[jclei]

I think Dal Santo would have been a better pickup for the Pies than Wells

 

[LuvtheKangas]

Don't think there's too much there to disagree with is there? It's hardly a whack, more a summation of what most people would think.

Last line is absolutely a whack - calls Wellsy out in public for being a slack trainer.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

NDS is good in the media. Tells it like it is, knows what he's talking about (those two traits rarely co-exist in supposed 'footy experts').

We've gotta be able to take the good with the bad though. At some stage he's going to whack NMFC, because that's his opinion at the time. Doesn't mean he hates the club.

 

[Donkey Chop]

NDS is good in the media. Tells it like it is, knows what he's talking about (those two traits rarely do-exist in supposed 'footy experts').

We've gotta be able to take the good with the bad though. At some stage he's going to whack NMFC, because that's his opinion at the time. Doesn't mean he hates the club.

Has he had a crack at the Saints? Genuine question as my radar is mostly tuned to North.

IMO, by the end of the year he'll say a lot of negative s**t about North. I can feel the vibe

 

[Donkey Chop]

Also, Dal Santo is one of the softest players to pull on the blue & white stripes. Who the * is he to question Wells on the way he went about it.

 

[jclei]

I agree he was pretty soft but by all accounts was an exceptional trainer and a very good leader at the club.

Over the last few years at North Wells was known to be quite a poor trainer and pretty unfit and looks as if that has gone with him to the Pies given he supposedly showed up unfit and has hardly trained.

I dont mind NDS so far in the media. He has been pretty open about understanding why we let him go but not completely agreeing with it. I get the feeling he thought Wells was pretty lazy and was relying on his undoubtedly great skills to get himself through games. NDS has spoken highly about Brad Scott too so Im not sure there is much he could say to bad mouth the club. He came and watched our intra club game so he cant be on too bad terms with us.

 

[Donkey Chop]

I agree he was pretty soft but by all accounts was an exceptional trainer and a very good leader at the club.

Over the last few years at North Wells was known to be quite a poor trainer and pretty unfit and looks as if that has gone with him to the Pies given he supposedly showed up unfit and has hardly trained.

I dont mind NDS so far in the media. He has been pretty open about understanding why we let him go but not completely agreeing with it. I get the feeling he thought Wells was pretty lazy and was relying on his undoubtedly great skills to get himself through games. NDS has spoken highly about Brad Scott too so Im not sure there is much he could say to bad mouth the club. He came and watched our intra club game so he cant be on too bad terms with us.

Game day> Training

 

[jclei]

Game day> Training

Yeah completely agree but i guess NDS is saying - how good would he be and how less injured could he be if he was a better and more consistent trainer. Doesnt matter for us anymore of course so not a big deal but i get where he is coming from

 

[Donkey Chop]

Yeah completely agree but i guess NDS is saying - how good would he be and how less injured could he be if he was a better and more consistent trainer. Doesnt matter for us anymore of course so not a big deal but i get where he is coming from

It's not so much these particular comments from Dal that have got up my nose, it seems to me there's a subtle negativity underneath his comments regarding North so far. I'm crystal balling here, but I reckon as the season goes on he's going to have a few digs at North and our players.

And yes, I still see Wells as one of ours. He's just on a 3 year break

 

[shniko11]

Yeah what Dal said is true and everybody knows it's no secret in fact i think even Magpies supporters have worked Wells out already.

 

[Lavy_Panther]

Also, Dal Santo is one of the softest players to pull on the blue & white stripes. Who the **** is he to question Wells on the way he went about it.

This is what I mean.

So Dal Santo shouldn't give his opinion on something he saw first hand because NDS himself was an outside player?

Dal played some great football for NMFC. But that has absolutely nothing to do with his job in the media. If he starts throwing out things that are skewed by prejudice and agendas (like Brereton does, for example) then there's a problem. He hasn't done that at all.

 

[blackshadow]

It's not so much these particular comments from Dal that have got up my nose, it seems to me there's a subtle negativity underneath his comments regarding North so far. I'm crystal balling here, but I reckon as the season goes on he's going to have a few digs at North and our players.

And yes, I still see Wells as one of ours. He's just on a 3 year break

I reckon you're plucking it from your arse.

Have seen Dal at Arden Street during some pre season training as an interested onlooker and having a bit of banter with the boys.

Hardly the actions of someone with an axe to grind.

 

[Devington]

No problem with what Dal said, and if he ever turns the blowtorch on the club it is probably some what deserved. I've never seen Dal as being much of a dick, pun intended, and I think we would all agree that during the time he was at the club we had some serious issues, particularly from a coaching and selection point of view (which probably translated to damaging our culture). I'm not sure I've seen him go overboard or be particularity hyperbolic or vindictive in the past, including the recent past after us not renewing his contract, and I'd be somewhat surprised if he did go down that route. He's a good speaker, fairly personable, and knows his football. In the nepotistic world of post-football life he's already got better chances than most at succeeding in the industry without needing to resort to unpleasantness.

If he does do some rabble rousing that hits closer to home, so be it and we'll deal with it, but I have a feeling he'll be more of a boon than a burden for us.

 

[B4Bear]

Dal Santo's had a bit of a crack at Wells. I can't find the audio clip but basically says he was surprised Collingwood recruited him. Also had a crack about him not training hard enough or coping with injury.

I've noticed Dal has had a few things to say about North. Reckon he's going to annoy a lot of people in his quest to find relevancy in the afl media.

It was an honest response to a quation; better than people giving canned response imo.

 

[Donkey Chop]

We'll see

 

[Donkey Chop]

So I guess Dal would be fine with commentators saying he picked when to put his head over the ball?

It's an honest comment after all

 

[ozzyoslo]

Dal Santo's had a bit of a crack at Wells. I can't find the audio clip but basically says he was surprised Collingwood recruited him. Also had a crack about him not training hard enough or coping with injury.

I've noticed Dal has had a few things to say about North. Reckon he's going to annoy a lot of people in his quest to find relevancy in the afl media.

Nothing out of the ordinary ......we all knew it was crazy to offer him a 3 year deal to get him over the line. Im sure Wells himself knows that he's cooked and all he has to do is tow the company line for 2yr and wait for Collingwood to delist him. Not bad work for 2yrs @ $1.2 M .......like I said before it'll pay for his kids college education etc. And he isn't doing it to the NMFC. win win if you ask me.

Dal on the other hand has every right to offer opinion, from what I've heard about his release from the club he has spoken openly and shared his honest views.....His new direction is media and he should slip right in ( hopefully at the expense of flogs like Shaw and Healy ) but part of the deal is to give his opinion and knowledge. He is paid to give opinion, he offered it regarding Wells.

"play on" I say

 

[Donkey Chop]

I just get the feeling that Dal is going to put his media career first and won't mind throwing people under the bus to get an in.

 

[Kimbo]

I just get the feeling that Dal is going to put his media career first and won't mind throwing people under the bus to get an in.

So, you can feel it in your waters?

 

[Donkey Chop]

So, you can feel it in your waters?

No I can hear it in his interviews.

 

[Firestarter]

Congrats to the Dal Santos for the safe birth of Aston.

 

[Greater Gattsby]

Congrats to the Dal Santos for the safe birth of Aston.

Don't buy into it mate, it's all apart of his media driven agenda

 

[KillaKanga]

Congrats to the Dal Santos for the safe birth of Aston.

Aston
Aston Martin
Dusty Martin

Nicky Dal is going to pick us as finishing 9th.

code cracked, thank me later!!