Player Watch #47: Ivan Soldo

That moustache is a thing of beauty.
Maric's Mullet
Soldo's Soup Strainer
Balta's Beauty

The Croatian cult

I reckon Soldo's improvement is moustache based. Has looked an AFL-level ruck from the moment he grew it.
 
Was that his best game? He was very influential IMO. If he had just an extra yard of pace he could become a real force IMO
I don’t get the pace thing really.
What makes him good is his calmness and surety.
Take Balta for example he’s fast but he runs around like a headless Chook, I s**t myself when gets it.
 

theflea

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Think you are forgetting how good Nank was in 2017 Rayzor. He was an extra midfielder for us that year. But I don't think the rule changes this year have favoured him. :( Soldo gives us a better shot in the clearances and up to now I didn't think we could carry both Soldo and Nank as it makes us too slow up forward, but maybe ... :think:
I agree the rule changes have hurt but Nank himself isnt doing it in the midfield like he was in 2017, so imo its an easy choice.
 

clark1980

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the great thing about soldo has been his continuous improvement from being 1st drafted. was pretty hopeless first up but each year has improved. his tap work has been good all year but his disposals have improved staggeringly just in the last 2 months. still only 23, his cousin didn't really hit his straps until he was 25. already a handy ruck and more importantly, more improvement to come.
 
I don’t get the pace thing really.
What makes him good is his calmness and surety.
Take Balta for example he’s fast but he runs around like a headless Chook, I s**t myself when gets it.

players run around him really easily, not bagging him, but I reckon that is what will separate him from the best.
 
He is our #1 ruck now, its simple. His improvement is nothing short of incredible, full credit to him and the club.

I was against the Nankoldo combo but i think im coming around to it and thats because of Soldos improvement around the ground.
 
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Is great when moving in straight lines, and very competitive in the contest. Not so good on the corners but beggars can’t be choosers. Rare to have someone of that size who is dominant in all aspects ala Gawn/Grundy. To have a player come in as a category b rookie and develop to the point he is at now is a hell of a gift.
 
Really improving.

One thing I like is that he uses his size so well in contested ball situations. He'll hold an oppo player and just not let them move. Not quite a tackle, more just holding them in place. He also a few times just put his hand on the ball and his full weight with an extended arm holding the ball down. The oppo couldn't move the ball. Easy way to kill a contest. And he won't get pinged because it's in contest. Very strange things for an AFL player to do, but very effective when you are a man mountain. It allows us to outnumber outside the contest when Soldo can just kill it by using his size. tactic aimed at not allowing easy ball movement from the contest rather than us winning it. I'd love to know whether it's a team plan or just a thing where Ivan is playing to his strengths.
 

Ceehook

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He is very tough to move in a ruck contest

A very big human who likes using his body to advantage

I thought he was terrific yesterday and outpointed his opponents

it was only 4-5 weeks ago he was still getting rag dolled which was shitting me because of his size

but then I looked closer at the VFL , they tend to be developing ruck or couldnt make its
Soldo has had many dominant performances in the VFL but it wasnt translating to AFL

the timing and the placement of pushes and blocks is so crucial
he is bracing himself so much better and not being put out of the contest
his taps arent getting sharked as much
its adding up to a nice package

and with Chol out he decided it was his turn to sell candy and have a run and a bounce
 
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players run around him really easily, not bagging him, but I reckon that is what will separate him from the best.
Soldo & our ruck combos have held their own again. Brisbane's Martin started well but Soldo immediately started to even it out. Balta was competitive & produced some of his long kicks. But what I notice about Soldo is he works well with Dusty. Either in the centre, or around the ground. A rapport has been built drawing on Soldo's pluses; his height & his minuses ~ his lack of pace... Nank is a skilled footballer & look forward to having him in the team.
 
I actually thought watching the game

Soldo is doing very well and actually beating Martin in the ruck , pleasantly surprised

Interested in seeing how Nankervis/Soldo combination works out as i see Big Nank being a handfull up foward for defenders

I reckon if Nank is properly mobile he'll be able to go full on wrecking ball. Taking their 2nd ruck will be one way. And he can hit packs like a bull dozer, intercept mark and go forward at will. I don't know if he has the footy smarts to do this right. But I suspect that he has it because he gets in the right places all the time. That requires footy smarts.
 
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I reckon if Nank is properly mobile he'll be able to go full on wrecking ball. Taking their 2nd ruck will be one way. And he can hit packs like a bull dozer, intercept mark and go forward at will. I don't know if he has the footy smarts to do this right. But I suspect that he has it because he gets in the right places all the time. That requires footy smarts.

Think this is why they’re making sure Nank is as fit as possible... they want him to be the mobile 2nd ruck and have Soldo as the tap man.
 
Nov 24, 2008
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Think this is why they’re making sure Nank is as fit as possible... they want him to be the mobile 2nd ruck and have Soldo as the tap man.
Yep. Chol and Balta while competing okay at the ruck contests are doing bugger all around the ground compared to what Nank can do. Soldo + a fit Nank would become a weapon for us.
 
I suspect big Ivan can look forward to a lot more money going forward.

Not next year really. But if he can repeat his form in 2020 then he's a proven young quality AFL first ruck and so worth a heap.

And with the raps on CCJ it will be interesting to see how we manage our rucks in 2020.

Imagine if we have 3 good AFL rucks! o_O

2016 we were managing on a broken Hammer. Amazing turnaround in a short time.
 
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