AFL Player 5: Elijah Tsatas

[Nuggs Bunny]

 

[jdstorm]

Dude needs to learn how to tackle more then anything else

 

[MattyB3150]

Dude needs to learn how to tackle more then anything else

Dude needs to learn how to tackle more then anything else

Just like most of the team

 

[DERO]

Just bring in the dude that fixed Mosquitoes kicking.

David Rath is our dude

 

[bombersim]

Needs the mother of all pre-seasons.
It’s hard to see him make it though. In fact, the longer things go, the worse this selection looks. Could have had Humphrey, Weddle, or a few others.

One caveat - it seems a weak draft.
We really need to nail these picks though, more than others to move up one day.

 

[FootyGuru]

Tsatas is starting to really fill out.

His kicking has continued to improve. He is working on it.

We know he can win it in close and feed it out and get the ball plenty. With improved confidence in his kicking we might see some break away speed he was drafted with.

We gotta delist setterfield to actually give this kid room to grow and play that role. Cant have two mids who are handball first. Tsatas tackling needs to improve but I’m sure it will with added strength and assigned role.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

His kicking has continued to improve. He is working on it.

We know he can win it in close and feed it out and get the ball plenty.

Disagree, don’t think any of those is a given. Needs a huge turnaround this season. He will never do what Setterfield does defensively

 

[FootyGuru]

Disagree, don’t think any of those is a given. Needs a huge turnaround this season. He will never do what Setterfield does defensively

None of it is a given. But he’s not that far off required levels in the role he will be required to play.

Setterfeild can’t break out of stoppage with speed.

He also can’t cover the ground as quickly as tsatas defensively either.

Tsatas kicking is improving. It had improved a lot during the season and he is continuing to improve it in the off season. It actually looks at its worst when he is trying to snap it from congestion. Bellys it a lot. He’s already a good enough kick to hit targets from marks and running with it(not top speed). He actually has pretty good vision too, just needs to execute better.

The biggest issue is his tackling and physicality, but I think that can improve as he matures.

Setterfeild was the same when he was drafted.

 

[ant555]

Two things he needs to do
1. Find some outside run and improve his endurance.
2. Has to be more physical. Can not play like an outside inside midfielder.

Kicking will be what it will be.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Two things he needs to do
1. Find some outside run and improve his endurance.
2. Has to be more physical. Can not play like an outside inside midfielder.

Kicking will be what it will be.

No. 2 is the part I was most surprised about this year, have a feeling it was all in the head though.
Do we still have a team psychologist? feel like tsatas and perkins would do well with a bit of 1 on 1 time with them as I think they both have to find their self confidence.

 

[FlyingV]

Yeah I’ve been his biggest defender on here, and for me if he’s going to make it his endurance needs to significantly improve this preseason.

Improving his endurance will help him recover to use his burst at stoppage, run defensively and I would imagine if you are gassed it’s harder to nail your kicks.

 

[DERO]

With another pre-season who knows? Can find the footy.

 

[BombersDave]

Yeah I’ve been his biggest defender on here, and for me if he’s going to make it his endurance needs to significantly improve this preseason.

Improving his endurance will help him recover to use his burst at stoppage, run defensively and I would imagine if you are gassed it’s harder to nail your kicks.

I think people are severely underestimating the nervous energy. Can’t remember which player it was a few years back who talked about how exhausted they were from playing the game out mentally the night before that it wasn’t until they got help or learnt to overcome it that it stopped being an issue. Until Brad gives him the latitude that he gives people like Perkins and gives him his 100% backing, he may continue to look like he has no endurance purely because of the mental side of things. His endurance seems pretty good at VFL level so I think it's also the mental part hindering him.

 

[Milanista28]

 

[DapperDon]

Seems to have worked on his ball drop from this small sample. Hopefully it is something that sticks

 

[Milanista28]

Seems to have worked on his ball drop from this small sample. Hopefully it is something that sticks

He's never going to be elite by foot, if he can become serviceable while improving his ability to cover the ground he'll be a decent player still I think. Can't fault his dedication to improve.

 

[Nicholas61]

I remember someone saying a while back a guy in Qld was very good at improving kicking technique and that Tsatas should get his help - probably this guy. Early in the vid there seems a slight over rotation on ball drop that can become pronounced under match pressure and fatigue. Great that he is leaving no stone unturned and also working on the side step.

 

[DapperDon]

He's never going to be elite by foot, if he can become serviceable while improving his ability to cover the ground he'll be a decent player still I think. Can't fault his dedication to improve.

Just needs to know his limits like Jobe did

 

[crackers65]

I can’t understand why he would have to go to Queensland to get better personalised coaching. Elijah plays for a professional AFL club, why isn’t he getting this at the hangar. None of what was in the video is new, it’s good but this guy hasn’t reinvented the wheel here.

 

[FootyGuru]

I can’t understand why he would have to go to Queensland to get better personalised coaching. Elijah plays for a professional AFL club, why isn’t he getting this at the hangar. None of what was in the video is new, it’s good but this guy hasn’t reinvented the wheel here.

Essendon doesn’t have access to players right now. So he’s just doing extras.

I’m sure there are coaches at Essendon working with him and his kicking. I think there has been a lot of improvements in that area.

Needs to get stronger and more physical to make it.

I get the feeling Essendon rates him higher than what the fans do.

 

[Crookshoulder]

Tsatas is starting to really fill out.

His kicking has continued to improve. He is working on it.

We know he can win it in close and feed it out and get the ball plenty. With improved confidence in his kicking we might see some break away speed he was drafted with.

We gotta delist setterfield to actually give this kid room to grow and play that role. Cant have two mids who are handball first. Tsatas tackling needs to improve but I’m sure it will with added strength and assigned role.

I really rate Setterfield and value his role in the team. I was hoping we'd keep him on, but I tend to agree with you here. Tsatas' upside is enormous. His strength is his ability to win the contested ball. Proven to at VFL and now just needs time in AFL. We just gotta throw him out there for 15+ games and see how he fares. Yes his kicking isn't great so the coaches limit that like they do with McKay kicking fruther than 20m LOL

 

[ant555]

No. 2 is the part I was most surprised about this year, have a feeling it was all in the head though.
Do we still have a team psychologist? feel like tsatas and perkins would do well with a bit of 1 on 1 time with them as I think they both have to find their self confidence.

I am not shocked with the physical aspect. That was the main reason I was not a big fan before the draft.

 

[Zach Package]

I can’t understand why he would have to go to Queensland to get better personalised coaching. Elijah plays for a professional AFL club, why isn’t he getting this at the hangar. None of what was in the video is new, it’s good but this guy hasn’t reinvented the wheel here.

They're on holidays.

Good opportunity to get a tropical getaway in and then do a few skill sessions as well.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

I am not shocked with the physical aspect. That was the main reason I was not a big fan before the draft.

I thought the knock on him was aerobic capacity and kicking technique, but I didnt really follow his junior footy write ups that much so was basing my expectations of him being a power/physical mid from his size/frame.

He is clearly a gun at winning the clearance but with his size you would expect him to take on a bit more physical contact once getting the ball, either to break out of congestion or release someone into space by absorbing the tackler(s).
From memory ross lyon copped a bit of heat for throwing young garcia under the bus in a post game presser early in year but he made a valid point re it not being enough to get first hands on the ball at a stoppage, you need to show the fortitude to want to keep the ball.

 

[crackers65]

They're on holidays.

Good opportunity to get a tropical getaway in and then do a few skill sessions as well.

Yeah I understand that, but he is four years at a professional AFL club. Looks really pretty doing drills by himself, with no pressure, but will we see any substance to his game under physical pressure?

 

[boncer34]

Yeah I understand that, but he is four years at a professional AFL club. Looks really pretty doing drills by himself, with no pressure, but will we see any substance to his game under physical pressure?

Seems like you just want to complain tbh.