Delisted 13. Liam Stocker

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I watched him on Saturday. He's an absolute terrier, but he sprayed it all over the place this week and that's not the first time I've thought that. He did look crisp with the footy in that highlights video of the Dogs game, so is it fair to say that he's a bit inconsistent?
3rd year player, which of them isn't inconsistent atm. He's been closing on the top end of his draft class this season.
 
3rd year player, which of them isn't inconsistent atm. He's been closing on the top end of his draft class this season.

Don't get me wrong, I think he's a great prospect, but I see him more in the Treloar mold than the post I commented on suggested. A terrier with genuine dash, whose disposal isn't particularly reliable, although that video of him does make me think he could become a good and reliable user, unlike Treloar, there's nothing wrong with his kicking technique.
 

Coops93

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Not sure what game everyone was watching yesterday. He looked out of his depth to me

Not ready yet for AFL and is certainly not a back pocket.
Well, he actually isn't. He's only playing back pocket to expedite the development of the defensive side of his game. He will not be playing as a defender for long.

Comparisons to legends of the game like Diesel or Lenny Hayes are just mind boggling
I noticed this too. Way to early to compare him to a (should be) 3 time Brownlow medallist
 

Opine

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Well, he actually isn't. He's only playing back pocket to expedite the development of the defensive side of his game. He will not be playing as a defender for long.
Probably only until Simmo and Newman return. Then can see him switched to HFF with short bursts on ball.
 

bigdog43

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I think it was in the last quarter where he just turned onto his left and hit up his target perfectly. He looked like a left footer, didn't panic and immediately went to his opposite foot even though he could've used his preferred foot. It was a tiny moment but kicking on your opposite like that when the game was as hot as it was screams confidence. Loved it.
 

blue_trinity

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Don't get me wrong, I think he's a great prospect, but I see him more in the Treloar mold than the post I commented on suggested. A terrier with genuine dash, whose disposal isn't particularly reliable, although that video of him does make me think he could become a good and reliable user, unlike Treloar, there's nothing wrong with his kicking technique.

Jesus, that’s about as bad a call as you can get
 
Jesus, that’s about as bad a call as you can get

Which part are you disagreeing with? You don't think he's a terrier? You don't think he's got dash? You think his disposal is consistent - which would mean that Saturday's butchery was par for the course? On Saturday he played a lower possession version of the typical Treloar game.
 

blue_trinity

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Which part are you disagreeing with? You don't think he's a terrier? You don't think he's got dash? You think his disposal is consistent - which would mean that Saturday's butchery was par for the course? On Saturday he played a lower possession version of the typical Treloar game.

Mostly all of it.

Terrier - yes

Dash - not particularly for his size

Consistent disposal - I guess it depends on your definition of consistent.
Put it this way, how many players are there on Collingwood’s list where you can genuinely argue that they are as good on their left as they are on their right? And I mean to the point where if you didn’t know what their preferred foot was, you wouldn’t be able to tell. He’s easily in the top 3 users at the club. And he’d be producing that standard in I’d say somewhere between 80-90% of the games he plays.
So for me, Saturday’s “butchery” was not “par for the course” it was an aberration.

Treloar is a great player, but he plays nothing like him. Sidebottom would be a closer comparison if you must compare him with a Collingwood player.
 
Mostly all of it.

Terrier - yes

Dash - not particularly for his size

Consistent disposal - I guess it depends on your definition of consistent.
Put it this way, how many players are there on Collingwood’s list where you can genuinely argue that they are as good on their left as they are on their right? And I mean to the point where if you didn’t know what their preferred foot was, you wouldn’t be able to tell. He’s easily in the top 3 users at the club. And he’d be producing that standard in I’d say somewhere between 80-90% of the games he plays.
So for me, Saturday’s “butchery” was not “par for the course” it was an aberration.

Treloar is a great player, but he plays nothing like him. Sidebottom would be a closer comparison if you must compare him with a Collingwood player.

Fair enough. I do think he's a great prospect.

I do think you're underrating his dash. He creates space around congestion through speed in a very similar way to Treloar and in a way that Sidey just can't. Dual-footedness is great if both of your feet are really good. I'm not convinced on that yet - this wasn't the first time I thought he was a bit wasteful with the footy. Only young so it's expected. I also think that like Treloar and unlike Sidey he makes a fair few disposal decision errors in congestion whilst trying to be aggressive and just keep the ball moving, without paying enough attention to where he's moving it to - basically doesn't always read the situation and plays a bit of russian roullette with blind handballs in bad spots when the better option is to hold it in and draw a stoppage. Hopefully both Treloar and your boy can improve in this regard.
 
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I agree, I have high hopes for this kid. However, I still think it would be fine for him to play half the season or more in the 2's.... We desperately need to win games right now to develop a winning culture and as of now Simpson and Newman both offer far more in a game than Stocker does.

I hope he'll play 10 games or so, but I also think he should truly earn his spot, not just be given games in the name of development.

I agree simpson and Newman come back in, and given Doc will be back next year, I really dont see half back as his immediate future- even if simpson retires.
Given our needs, I expect him to be trialled in the forward line, he is quite capable of playing there with his skill set, and wouldnt it provide some clarity to sos if he stepped up as a forward/mid, willo stayed in the side, DC kept improving.

Letting Stocker play for the rest of the season,and being able to assess his strengths and weaknesses is an invaluable piece of information come years end, and should allow sos to be far more targeted with our recruiting
 

Coops93

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Not sure we should be using such a high draft pick as a back pocket. He should be destined for greater things
You should've quoted the part where he says that once he has the tank he should play midfield.

Nup, we need a back pocket desperately. For as long as form warrants it he stays to learn the game back there until he has the tank to play midfield minutes.
 
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Not sure we should be using such a high draft pick as a back pocket. He should be destined for greater things

Not sure his draft position should enter into it.

Play him in a position that a) suits his skill set, b) benefits the team structure.

The modern game sees some back pocket types getting ridiculous numbers, and being instrumental in setting up play. Fast forward 2-3 years, if Stocker is able to beat a small forward, and get 25+ touches coming out of the backline, that's a massive win for the side. Lloyd, Hurn, Lairy, Crisp, Rich, Langdon, Hodge (late career) - no issue with Stocker, taken with a late first rounder, developing into that sort of player.

Of course, if his talents can be utilised better in the middle, or up forward, that's perfectly fine too. But it's as much about getting the right balance with 22 blokes as it is with playing any one player in their "best" position.
 

blue_trinity

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Fair enough. I do think he's a great prospect.

I do think you're underrating his dash. He creates space around congestion through speed in a very similar way to Treloar and in a way that Sidey just can't. Dual-footedness is great if both of your feet are really good. I'm not convinced on that yet - this wasn't the first time I thought he was a bit wasteful with the footy. Only young so it's expected. I also think that like Treloar and unlike Sidey he makes a fair few disposal decision errors in congestion whilst trying to be aggressive and just keep the ball moving, without paying enough attention to where he's moving it to - basically doesn't always read the situation and plays a bit of russian roullette with blind handballs in bad spots when the better option is to hold it in and draw a stoppage. Hopefully both Treloar and your boy can improve in this regard.

I’m not underrating his dash. He’s just not quick. By any stretch of the imagination. Evasive, yes. Creates space, yes. But I don’t have to tell you being a Collingwood supporter and watching Pendlebury play that speed and evasiveness are not necessarily correlated.

In terms of your comment on his decision making and execution in congestion, again, it’s just so wrong that I sort of don’t know where to begin.
He’d be one of, if not our best users in traffic. Highly creative, fast thinker, never particularly rushed and is able to exectute in ways that no one else on our list can. And now that I’ve been talking about him and thinking about it more, he actually plays like a short version of Pendlebury. Burgoyne is another player he gets constantly compared to and is also very apt.

He didn’t have a great game last weekend. And you’ve clearly watched another game he hasn’t performed to his usual standards. That’s all I can put it down to.
 
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You should've quoted the part where he says that once he has the tank he should play midfield.

Which he wont have this year. My point is that we should not "protect" him in the NB's and waste this year. We have an opportunity to really assess his strengths and weaknesses which will allow us to make decisions about his future role in the team
 

Alphonse_

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Is it too much to ask that we can judge the kid's merits on his strengths and flaws, rather than constantly become the trade of picks with Adelaide, which wasn't his fault (or what he asked)

I sometime half believe critical supporter negativity destroyed Jordan Russell's chances of becoming the player he had the potential he should have been. Please don't give Stocker the same scapegoat treatment friends
 

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