AFL Player 5: Elijah Tsatas

[Nuggs Bunny]

 

[FootyGuru]

That is the issue isn't it.
Tsatas did use speed from stoppage in the early part of his under 18 season but really has not done it since and certainly has not shown it in any of his AFL games.

I should have quoted vander too but don’t know how.

He has broken away at speed at vfl level though. I feel like at afl level he doesn’t want to make a mistake so looks to dish the handball. His biggest skill errors seem to be when he has to rush a kick from congestion, hits the belly of the ball. I’m not overly concerned with his kicking holding him back though, and already seeing improvement.

Scott mentioned in an after match in a game setterfield and tsatas played together how we would win the stoppage but it would go nowhere due “the midfield” being handball happy and we would over-posses it. It’ll be interesting who we draft and whether they will leapfrog tsatas for the inside mid role.

Tsatas either needs to add defensive engaging and become much more of a tackler to his resume or become an even much more dominant stoppage player so that defensive players come to him. I think his added size and hopefully the confidence in his body allows him to take steps in this area.

I’m not confident he makes it, but there is talent there. His athleticism will not hold him back, and his work ethic seems top notch. I also rate his actual vision in close and in the open field.

I’m glad setterfeild is gone because he is still good enough to block tsatas and potential future draftees path into the inside midfield spot, but setters isn’t good enough or reliable enough to fill that role in a premiership side.

 

[ant555]

I should have quoted vander too but don’t know how.

He has broken away at speed at vfl level though. I feel like at afl level he doesn’t want to make a mistake so looks to dish the handball. His biggest skill errors seem to be when he has to rush a kick from congestion, hits the belly of the ball. I’m not overly concerned with his kicking holding him back though, and already seeing improvement.

Scott mentioned in an after match in a game setterfield and tsatas played together how we would win the stoppage but it would go nowhere due “the midfield” being handball happy and we would over-posses it. It’ll be interesting who we draft and whether they will leapfrog tsatas for the inside mid role.

Tsatas either needs to add defensive engaging and become much more of a tackler to his resume or become an even much more dominant stoppage player so that defensive players come to him. I think his added size and hopefully the confidence in his body allows him to take steps in this area.

I’m not confident he makes it, but there is talent there. His athleticism will not hold him back, and his work ethic seems top notch. I also rate his actual vision in close and in the open field.

I’m glad setterfeild is gone because he is still good enough to block tsatas and potential future draftees path into the inside midfield spot, but setters isn’t good enough or reliable enough to fill that role in a premiership side.

I personally do not agree he has used his speed at VFL level and I have not missed too many of his VFL games. Yes he has done it in small patches but that is it. Small patches.

 

[faible]

I personally do not agree he has used his speed

Yes he has done it

Well now I’m confused.

 

[FlyingV]

Usually pro longed hard work, works out, so i hope that is the case here

He is leaving no stone unturned it seems and that is a credit to his resilience and with the loss of Setters, Hobbs, Shiel, Martin he may get the most exposure next year

I do think if hes working so hard he would be running a very good 2km time trial when he returns in comparison to past years

Kicking the footy alot, as much as it needs work is an easy thing to do, everyone loves kicking the pill but not running

Unfortunately i see alot of his CPs that are coded alot like Naicos CPs expect he doesnt have the speed or skill anywhere near him. Theres alot of loose ball gets, by just sitting outside the contest

There is a spot for CP brutes that handball alot of the time, im just not sure hes that CP brute

Still think with our small midfield there is a spot to nullify big mids at the contest, basically Setterfields role

Id say his speed was over rated but also adding alot of kgs has stalled his speed as much as anything else

Agree with all this. Big 2km time trial coming up. If I’m him, I’m stalling the bulking up in favour of trying to get back the quick first step and outside run.

 

[Keystone agony]

Agree with all this. Big 2km time trial coming up. If I’m him, I’m stalling the bulking up in favour of trying to get back the quick first step and outside run.

Absolutely agree

Sometimes hard work can actually not pay off, stacking on too many kgs too quickly in the wrong areas can be a real negative

I think this happened a bit with Hobbs quads and even with Tsatas

The game has become the opposite quite quickly and these 18 yr olds will naturally put on weight as it is

Id almost suggest no muscle building and alot of running. Be more Jordan Dawson rather than Wines

 

[Vander18]

That is the issue isn't it.
Tsatas did use speed from stoppage in the early part of his under 18 season but really has not done it since and certainly has not shown it in any of his AFL games.

Yep - to be impactful as an inside midfielder you need to be able to do at least one of those two things.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Let’s not get too anti accumulation. Contested possessions are still highly valuable. Tsatsas if you measure contested possesion per minute is among the competitions elite.

thing is you need a 2nd string to your bow. Must be a high work rate tackler or a good user.

Last year all Tsatsas did was CP and that’s not enough at afl level

Not anti accumulation, it’s just it’s not a rare/valuable skill at the elite level. There are 100 guys out there who can step in and do it. It’s pretty much just a given for a mid at AFL level.

If you can’t run in transition and use the ball well, accumulating touches really doesn’t matter. That’s what is separating AFL mids from VFL mids.

 

[King Patty]

Working in the mines at Kalgoorlie

Blakiston almost could have ended up at Geelong. he did a medical there and saints prior to last years national draft.

 

[gillon]

Good on the lad for working so hard.

Something about his ball drop always irked me, does anyone else in the league lift the ball like this to the point it’s horizontal?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Good on the lad for working so hard.

Something about his ball drop always irked me, does anyone else in the league lift the ball like this to the point it’s horizontal?View attachment 2469812

 

[wiltho]

Good on the lad for working so hard.

Something about his ball drop always irked me, does anyone else in the league lift the ball like this to the point it’s horizontal?View attachment 2469812

I'm not saying I love his ball drop...but I've definitely photos of similar ball drops from players who are stationery or on a very slow run up...the ball often starts high.

 

[jdstorm]

Not anti accumulation, it’s just it’s not a rare/valuable skill at the elite level. There are 100 guys out there who can step in and do it. It’s pretty much just a given for a mid at AFL level.

If you can’t run in transition and use the ball well, accumulating touches really doesn’t matter. That’s what is separating AFL mids from VFL mids.

Total possessions I agree is a useless stat. That’s where efficiency and usage matters. Agree mids get a lot of the ball because their natural position should place them in a lot of movement chains/posessions.

I think there’s still room in the game for specialist one way defensive players. Winning contested possessions at an elite rate and tackling while capably moving the ball on to better users is valuable. Think that’s who Tsatas is going to be at afl level

 

[Call Me Cake]

Total possessions I agree is a useless stat.

For players later in their careers yes, but for young players starting out, no. The #1 prerequisite for developing with the footy is actually having it in your hands. There are tons of young players starting out who are similar that can't get their hands on the ball enough or at all. Also consistency when things don't go your way is another differentiator in terms of physical output/mindset.

 

[Keystone agony]

Kick totals still basically the best indicator of outcome

So yes it helps finding the pill

 

[faible]

I'm not saying I love his ball drop...but I've definitely photos of similar ball drops from players who are stationery or on a very slow run up...the ball often starts high.

Tsatas seems to lift it before dropping it, not start high then take it down before dropping it.

I will say, in the video that’s from the slow-mo side on view looked like it was a meant to be a ‘before’ shot, as the drills he was doing there wasn’t as obviously a ‘lift’ prior to the drop.

 

[Duckworth]

Did it take 4 years to identify and then start working on his kicking?

 

[ant555]

Did it take 4 years to identify and then start working on his kicking?

No. They have been working on it for 3 years.

 

[ant555]

Tsatas seems to lift it before dropping it, not start high then take it down before dropping it.

I will say, in the video that’s from the slow-mo side on view looked like it was a meant to be a ‘before’ shot, as the drills he was doing there wasn’t as obviously a ‘lift’ prior to the drop.

As you have said there is a bit of a lift. The other thing that I noticed when watching back a lot of his early highlights is there is also a slight delay when he is trying to put any power in the kick. It is sort of like what happens in some golf swings where they delay too long at the top of the swing before trying to hit the ball with all they have.

 

[Call Me Cake]

4 years

23 + 24 + 25 is 3 and he was injured in the first pre-season all the way to late 23. Do some basic research.

 

[King Patty]

He has broken away at speed at vfl level though. I feel like at afl level he doesn’t want to make a mistake so looks to dish the handball. His biggest skill errors seem to be when he has to rush a kick from congestion, hits the belly of the ball. I’m not overly concerned with his kicking holding him back though, and already seeing improvement.

Agree I have seen it at VFL level, also saw with Alwyn Davey when he had some on ball stints in VFL.

 

[Duckworth]

23 + 24 + 25 is 3 and he was injured in the first pre-season all the way to late 23. Do some basic research.

Yes, 3 years. What's the matter? Do you need a cuddle?

 

[King Patty]

Agree with all this. Big 2km time trial coming up. If I’m him, I’m stalling the bulking up in favour of trying to get back the quick first step and outside run.

nah if your Tsatas - no Setterfield now, bulking up is the key, needs enough size to push Caldwell, Parish, Durham, Merrett, Sharp/Robey off the footy at training and stake his claim for midfield spot.
Scott will only give him 60% game time anyway.

 

[ant555]

nah if your Tsatas - no Setterfield now, bulking up is the key, needs enough size to push Caldwell, Parish, Durham, Merrett, Sharp/Robey off the footy at training and stake his claim for midfield spot.
Scott will only give him 60% game time anyway.

Given he basically played 75/80 percent game time in the VFL is it any shock he got less at AFL level?

 

[MiguelM]

I feel he just needs a run of 5-6 games at senior level to adjust to the pace.

We have a number of players in the same boat.

I feel next season should be a btutal assessment of the list to see who can go to next level with some hefty maybe at seasons end.

 

[King Patty]

Given he basically played 75/80 percent game time in the VFL is it any shock he got less at AFL level?

not sure on actual VFL TOG % but it didn't stop him getting 30+ possessions.

I just think adding size, to go with his height and bullying our mids in preseason will give him more chance of getting a run and competing with opposition midfields, than lowering his 2km time.