Traded #42: Adam Saad - Traded to Carlton for pick 8 (with some junk picks)

If you had told me at the start of the year that we beat the Eagles in Perth comprehensively and that Saad polls 10 coaches votes I would have had you committed.

If you told me immediately before the game I would have put money on it.
 
Jul 15, 2008
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McGrath runs out of defence like jazz.

Saad runs out of defence like metal.
Whereas Conor....well....

giphy.gif
 
Oct 12, 2012
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Was thinking about our transition out of defence on my way to work in the car this morning.

At the time we drafted Saad, It was well marketed that Saad is a very fast player. However, what I didn't know is how good Saad's spatial awareness is, and how large that radius of awareness is. Every time he sprints through the middle, I feel really comfortable that he's going to make the right decision, which is incredible given how much ground he covers. Credit to his decision making also.

I don't feel the same level of comfort from McKenna. That said though, when he's on the run and going to pop one from 50m, I feel comfortable.

We've got a few options coming out of defence, be it Saad, McKenna, McGrath or even the likes of Zerrett and Tipungwuti (although prefer Walla up forward).
 

TheFrenchCut

Premiership Player
Apr 22, 2014
4,353
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Was thinking about our transition out of defence on my way to work in the car this morning.

At the time we drafted Saad, It was well marketed that Saad is a very fast player. However, what I didn't know is how good Saad's spatial awareness is, and how large that radius of awareness is. Every time he sprints through the middle, I feel really comfortable that he's going to make the right decision, which is incredible given how much ground he covers. Credit to his decision making also.

I don't feel the same level of comfort from McKenna. That said though, when he's on the run and going to pop one from 50m, I feel comfortable.

We've got a few options coming out of defence, be it Saad, McKenna, McGrath or even the likes of Zerrett and Tipungwuti (although prefer Walla up forward).
I agree with all the Saad stuff, but I reckon Mckenna's a pretty safe bet too. When he's on a flank with the ball he does a spectacular job of essentially waiting, then using the area the opposition players are running at him from to squeeze out of traffic. It's like a slightly more aggressive Bob Murphy-ism.
 

Vander18

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 22, 2011
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As a bloke who has no gears at all...I can’t tell you how jealous I get of blokes like Saad and how they effortlessly shift from second, to third and then to fourth when required.

Andy McLeod was the king of this - could always just go as fast as he needed to in a given situation.
 
Reckons he hits 42 kilometres per hour according to the roaming Brian segment on Thursday night.

Obviously we need context but that could well make him the fastest player in the AFL
 
Reckons he hits 42 kilometres per hour according to the roaming Brian segment on Thursday night.

Obviously we need context but that could well make him the fastest player in the AFL
I call bullshit. Usain Bolt's top speed was apparently 44 km/h. Saad hit only 2 km/h slower despite Bolt having professional athletics training and the muscle definition to explode more, as well as the obvious height difference, and that a track is more conducive to running fast compared to grass? No way.

I really can't see this being true. If this was the case Saad could have been the fastest runner in the world if he had chosen athletics.
 
He’s not in the top 25 game day speed records, but the best speed is 37.5kmh so it could just be he hasn’t demonstrated it.


Funnily enough the records for highest average speed were all set by Melbourne or St Kilda players during their round one match against each other :think:

Edit: The above are two different stats. Overall speed records, and average speed in each game.
 

blitzer

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 27, 2006
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He’s not in the top 25 game day speed records, but the best speed is 37.5kmh so it could just be he hasn’t demonstrated it.


Funnily enough the records for highest average speed were all set by Melbourne or St Kilda players during their round one match against each other :think:

Edit: The above are two different stats. Overall speed records, and average speed in each game.

I do not trust those speed records one iota. I recall one match Cale Hooker had one of the fastest top speeds.
Total distance covered seems reliable but yeah there's something very iffy about the top speed stats.
 
I do not trust those speed records one iota. I recall one match Cale Hooker had one of the fastest top speeds.
Total distance covered seems reliable but yeah there's something very iffy about the top speed stats.
yeah, there was clearly something wrong with the GPS devices they had on the melbourne/saints game in round one. I put more stock in consistency than one off records... averages should be closer to the mark.
 
Mar 10, 2007
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Was thinking about our transition out of defence on my way to work in the car this morning.

At the time we drafted Saad, It was well marketed that Saad is a very fast player. However, what I didn't know is how good Saad's spatial awareness is, and how large that radius of awareness is. Every time he sprints through the middle, I feel really comfortable that he's going to make the right decision, which is incredible given how much ground he covers. Credit to his decision making also.

I don't feel the same level of comfort from McKenna. That said though, when he's on the run and going to pop one from 50m, I feel comfortable.

We've got a few options coming out of defence, be it Saad, McKenna, McGrath or even the likes of Zerrett and Tipungwuti (although prefer Walla up forward).

Saad's awareness is elite, no doubt.
 
As a bloke who has no gears at all...I can’t tell you how jealous I get of blokes like Saad and how they effortlessly shift from second, to third and then to fourth when required.

Andy McLeod was the king of this - could always just go as fast as he needed to in a given situation.
There was a bloke in the match thread who emoji'd me for making a similar comment! Lol. So, so good.
 
Emoji’d you! There is no greater insult.

Hope you told him to GAGF.
I was a little more subtle...

There are few who move through traffic like Saad can and it is fantastic to watch. I immediately though of McLeod as well as he was electric off the back flank in a very similar way.
 
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