Player Watch #9: Jack Steele – traded from St Kilda

[Toump Ass]

The public narrative around why we traded Oliver was clearly bullshit though.

For sure, doesn't mean there wasn't some truth in it though.

 

[Bluelegs]

For sure, doesn't mean there wasn't some truth in it though.

We're rebuilding anyway so I don't really think it matters if we don't have the exact right mix next year for the gameplan we're building towards.

If we weren't paying through our noses for Oliver and he wasn't a massive off-field distraction for the club I have no doubt we would have kept him. He played good enough footy to warrant his selection last year especially towards the end of the year but it didn't warrant the other shit we've put up with and he added no value to the club when it wasn't game day.

Think the story about the meeting where we asked him to play a different role or explore his options was just a narrative we fed to the media. He was able to fly to Sydney and have a little boat ride with the Giants the following day. Reckon this was in the works for a while.

 

[mrmonkey]

I sometimes felt that Oliver and Viney were a bit too similar and got in the way of each other, so replacing one with a similar version is a bit strange, especially as the messaging was that Oliver had to learn other skills to keep his spot in the team.

But yeah, wait and see I guess.

I'm looking at it as Steele is coming in for his experience as we've lost 400 games with Trac and Oliver. I suspect we'll see less Viney and Steele in the middle and we'll be seeing more of a new mix with those two coming in to help out.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Watched Steele's club interview yesterday, as much as I do and want to hate this move he just seems like too good of a bloke to root against. Stupid sexy Steele.

 

[mrmonkey]

Watched Steele's club interview yesterday, as much as I do and want to hate this move he just seems like too good of a bloke to root against. Stupid sexy Steele.

You hate the move because you're an Oliver fan.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

You hate the move because you're an Oliver fan.

Its actually really nice to have a grown up take his place.

 

[schmuttt]

I have come around to this one now after thinking about it. Our leadership is non existent and with trying to develop kids we need a few legit professionals to lead the way. He is hardly a spud either, I think he's a bit better than Cross when he came to us so hopefully can contribute on field as well as off field.

 

[Topkent]

Lol yeah I had a weird moment of cope where I was like I guess if Mihocek and Steele raise the floor of the side so we stay a bit competitive it might keep Koz from trying to bail and now I hate the move less.

I also had this weird moment where I wanted us to win next year too

 

[schmuttt]

Lol yeah I had a weird moment of cope where I was like I guess if Mihocek and Steele raise the floor of the side so we stay a bit competitive it might keep Koz from trying to bail and now I hate the move less.

I also had this weird moment where I wanted us to win next year too

Mihocek almost certainly improves us IMO. He is no star but he is better than anything we've got currently and will take pressure off JVR and Fritsch.

 

[Bluelegs]

Lol yeah I had a weird moment of cope where I was like I guess if Mihocek and Steele raise the floor of the side so we stay a bit competitive it might keep Koz from trying to bail and now I hate the move less.

I also had this weird moment where I wanted us to win next year too

You nuffy.

 

[Proper Gander]

You nuffy.

REAL fan

 

[Demon Attack]

Where have all the Dees haters gone

 

[stEdy]

We pick up a couple of Saints rejects and all the TRUE FANS around here turn into complete nuffys

Pathetic

 

[mrmonkey]

Lol yeah I had a weird moment of cope where I was like I guess if Mihocek and Steele raise the floor of the side so we stay a bit competitive it might keep Koz from trying to bail and now I hate the move less.

I also had this weird moment where I wanted us to win next year too

 

[schmuttt]

Lol yeah I had a weird moment of cope where I was like I guess if Mihocek and Steele raise the floor of the side so we stay a bit competitive it might keep Koz from trying to bail and now I hate the move less.

I also had this weird moment where I wanted us to win next year too

 

[Topkent]

View attachment 2476618

I've been relentlessly hanging shit on Goody and Oliver for years, clubs bloody called me bluff so I gotta nuff it up now

 

[The Dr]

Number of goals in the final quarter of THAT game.
Steele - 1
Oliver - 0 (missed two?)

Thanks?

 

[RJK Tiger]

How has Jack been looking for your first 2 praccy's? I think he was a great signing- cost you no meaningful trade value & just a salary dump. Your club is likely better moving on May & Oliver, their off-field stuff was lowering the standards of the club. I was hoping Richmond would take him for the same reasons

 

[Bluelegs]

How has Jack been looking for your first 2 praccy's? I think he was a great signing- cost you no meaningful trade value & just a salary dump. Your club is likely better moving on May & Oliver, their off-field stuff was lowering the standards of the club. I was hoping Richmond would take him for the same reasons

Looked slow but covered the ground well enough and looks like a solid workhorse. He and Mihocek were clearly recruited as much for their presence off-field as on.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

**** it, he's the second Dee in my starting SC team along with Windsor now

 

[Topkent]

That was a horrible game and everything why I didnt want him. Stack of midfield minutes and probably not one good disposal for the game. If our midfield is being led by a guy who st kilda didnt want it really shows where we are

 

[RJK Tiger]

That was a horrible game and everything why I didnt want him. Stack of midfield minutes and probably not one good disposal for the game. If our midfield is being led by a guy who st kilda didnt want it really shows where we are

harsh. Yeah he butchered it - but 31 touches. 9 Tackles. 9 clearances. 610Meters gained. All team highs. And only played 72% TOG. Without him, you would have lost by 12-17 goals.

I think you might just be coming to the reality of where you guys are at. He wasn't brought in to get you enough wins to squeeze into the 8 - he was brought in for games like tonight where you could have lost by 70-100pts - but end up keeping it to under 50. And thats important when you are rebuilding. 10+ goal losses can really start to headfk a group of kids. I think for a guy who you picked up for nothing, he is ticking the boxes. DE% was crap for sure - but at least you didn't pay him like we (Richmond) did Hopper. You are getting more out of Steele - and paying him less, contract expires in 2 years & cost you no trade capital of value. Hopper on the other hand - providing less, with still 3.5yrs on his contract.

Steele is what you call "a pain sponge". He is there to soak up the pain for the kids to develop through the hard years.

 

[Proper Gander]

harsh. Yeah he butchered it - but 31 touches. 9 Tackles. 9 clearances. 610Meters gained. All team highs. And only played 72% TOG. Without him, you would have lost by 12-17 goals.

I think you might just be coming to the reality of where you guys are at. He wasn't brought in to get you enough wins to squeeze into the 8 - he was brought in for games like tonight where you could have lost by 70-100pts - but end up keeping it to under 50. And thats important when you are rebuilding. 10+ goal losses can really start to headfk a group of kids. I think for a guy who you picked up for nothing, he is ticking the boxes. DE% was crap for sure - but at least you didn't pay him like we (Richmond) did Hopper. You are getting more out of Steele - and paying him less, contract expires in 2 years & cost you no trade capital of value. Hopper on the other hand - providing less, with still 3.5yrs on his contract.

Steele is what you call "a pain sponge". He is there to soak up the pain for the kids to develop through the hard years.

I’ve not heard “a pain sponge” before. Is that one yours?

 

[Lord Nev]

IMO, ideally what we want from Steele is clearances, more handballs than kicks, and not a high metres gained number. The clearance and tackle numbers are great, but I would think we want him using it by hand to get it to Kozzy, Windsor, Rivers etc out of the middle where they can burst away. Same with Viney when he eventually comes back. Steele and Viney should be our extractors not our kick inside 50 mids. Steele's stats for inside 50 use were as bad as it gets last night.

 

[Bluelegs]

Steele was brought in to be a version of Oliver that isn’t a constant off-field issue and will actually help our kids develop.

Richo said as much in that video from trade week when we recruited him.