Player Watch #15: Dylan Stephens

[Passmore]

Well we could start by playing top midfield picks like McKercher and Osullivan in the midfield.

Just a thought.

Too go along with our other top midfield picks Simpkin, LDU, Phillips, Powell, Wardlaw and Sheezel.

 

[Passmore]

I'm fast coming to the conclusion that our midfield needs a rebuild...again

Would you be advocating a change in personnel or roles within the existing personnel?

 

[Dinkers]

Too go along with our other top midfield picks Simpkin, LDU, Phillips, Powell, Wardlaw and Sheezel.

JHF & TT would be handy aye

 

[king of the road]

JHF & TT would be handy aye

JHF = Wardlaw. We got some reasonable compensation.

TT = a massive loss. He would be perfect right now were he not a massive dickhead.

 

[Themanbun]

Would you be advocating a change in personnel or roles within the existing personnel?

If we take LDU as a given, then we're lacking a big bodied, more defensively reliable mid that we can bank on for the next five years. Kennedy, Dunkley, Hewett, Long type.

Sheezel is too defensively lax in there, Powell is ineffective, Wardlaw is pure chaos and goes missing. Parker's gone in a few years and who knows where Jy is at.

We're unfortunately playing all of Sheezel, Powell, Wardlaw as meat and potatoes staples in that midfield, whereas a decent side would probably have only one of them as the third or fourth in line, developing under little pressure. Currently, they're not learning and they're not getting better. They can all either gather possessions or offer something defensively. Not one of them does both.

I would also look at giving Colby more of a run in there but he's so small.

I dunno. It's grim. They're all total front runners on transition.

 

[Dinkers]

JHF = Wardlaw. We got some reasonable compensation.

TT = a massive loss. He would be perfect right now were he not a massive dickhead.

JFH has Wardlaw covered and probably always will, and JHF is also a lying dickhead, a different dickhead to TT but a dickhead nonetheless.

Both losses hurt us, set us back a mile.

 

[Passmore]

JHF & TT would be handy aye

Well yes, but one didn't really want to be here so I'm not sure a hostage situation is above board, and the other seemed a little distracted.

So we'll just have to move on with what we have.

 

[Passmore]

If we take LDU as a given, then we're lacking a big bodied, more defensively reliable mid that we can bank on for the next five years. Kennedy, Dunkley, Hewett, Long type.

Sheezel is too defensively lax in there, Powell is ineffective, Wardlaw is pure chaos and goes missing. Parker's gone in a few years and who knows where Jy is at.

We're unfortunately playing all of Sheezel, Powell, Wardlaw as meat and potatoes staples in that midfield, whereas a decent side would probably have only one of them as the third or fourth in line, developing under little pressure. Currently, they're not learning and they're not getting better. They can all either gather possessions or offer something defensively. Not one of them does both.

I would also look at giving Colby more of a run in there but he's so small.

I dunno. It's grim.

"Pure Chaos "...mods, put that as the title to Georgie's thread.

Yes, Jy seems to be reaching a fork in the road moment on his career. And Tommy, well I'd like an experiment done...leave him out and see if anyone actually notices he's not there.

Given we're balls in on LDU, do we just have to build the ****ing thing around him? Try to find players to block and defend for him?

 

[shintemaster]

Tha fact that people have talked up Stephens as evidence we're on track is staggering.
Sure he has improved but gee whiz that was off a low base and really has had little impact on results.

I don't recall anyone linking Stephens being in decent form to our team's strong trendline. Perhaps you'd like to point these out?

"Pure Chaos "...mods, put that as the title to Georgie's thread.

Yes, Jy seems to be reaching a fork in the road moment on his career. And Tommy, well I'd like an experiment done...leave him out and see if anyone actually notices he's not there.

Given we're balls in on LDU, do we just have to build the ****ing thing around him? Try to find players to block and defend for him?

Which will work right until the next time a player takes a cheap shot on him. It's not a coincidence that he was cleaned up twice in two weeks - with zero protection from umpires of the AFL.

 

[Themanbun]

"Pure Chaos "...mods, put that as the title to Georgie's thread.

Yes, Jy seems to be reaching a fork in the road moment on his career. And Tommy, well I'd like an experiment done...leave him out and see if anyone actually notices he's not there.

Given we're balls in on LDU, do we just have to build the ****ing thing around him? Try to find players to block and defend for him?

I don't even think that will work. It's not the stoppages (although when we lose one we lose it horrifically) so much. It's that they're all total front runners on transition, in addition to being small. No stoppage blocker mid will solve that unfortunately. You need probably 3/4 of your best mids, if not all of them, to get back as well as they get forward of the ball.

 

[Passmore]

I don't even think that will work. It's not the stoppages (although when we lose one we lose it horrifically) so much. It's that they're all total front runners on transition. No stoppage blocker mid will solve that unfortunately. You need probably 3/4 of your best mids, if not all of them, to get back as well as they get forward of the ball.

That's true.

Well this isn't going to turn until we sacrifice some bling in there for some dirty dogs who'll play disciplined, team first footy to go with an LDU, Sheezel and McKercher.

It's frustrating reading the Stephens criticism. It's a soft target. He's no A grader, but he's disciplined.

You're the midfield man, so I'll trust your opinion.

 

[Themanbun]

That's true.

Well this isn't going to turn until we sacrifice some bling in there for some dirty dogs who'll play disciplined, team first footy to go with an LDU, Sheezel and McKercher.

It's frustrating reading the Stephens criticism. It's a soft target. He's no A grader, but he's disciplined.

You're the midfield man, so I'll trust your opinion.

He busts his ass to get back to the defence every single time. On that metric alone he's streets ahead of every other wing we have.

 

[TruRoo]

Tha fact that people have talked up Stephens as evidence we're on track is staggering.
Sure he has improved but gee whiz that was off a low base and really has had little impact on results.

There was a sharp spike which had me feeling pretty good, but that’s dipped and now flatlined

 

[disco_cowboy]

If we take LDU as a given, then we're lacking a big bodied, more defensively reliable mid that we can bank on for the next five years. Kennedy, Dunkley, Hewett, Long type.

Sheezel is too defensively lax in there, Powell is ineffective, Wardlaw is pure chaos and goes missing. Parker's gone in a few years and who knows where Jy is at.

We're unfortunately playing all of Sheezel, Powell, Wardlaw as meat and potatoes staples in that midfield, whereas a decent side would probably have only one of them as the third or fourth in line, developing under little pressure. Currently, they're not learning and they're not getting better. They can all either gather possessions or offer something defensively. Not one of them does both.

I would also look at giving Colby more of a run in there but he's so small.

I dunno. It's grim. They're all total front runners on transition.

Is FOS the solution?

 

[disco_cowboy]

Stephens isn't an AA winger, but he is the best we have right now. I would love to see someone take his spot but I don't think that's an issue with him, he's doing the role we are asking.

 

[Merlin007]

He busts his ass to get back to the defence every single time. On that metric alone he's streets ahead of every other wing we have.

Stephens has taken defensive marks or made spoils literally on the edge of the goal square several times in the last few games.

People see what their biases require.

 

[Themanbun]

Is FOS the solution?

Maybe in five years, but I'd like to be competitive before then. He's also another small one.

 

[Dinkers]

Another who's cooked.

 

[amaz199]

We must be the dumbest football team in history.

This bloke busts his arse to get separation and space as the extra number. What do we do? Bomb it long and ignore him.

 

[TruRoo]

Goodwill. Fading.

 

[Waynesworld]

No wonder Sydney gave him away for nothing.

 

[jay317]

Not his best. But at least he goes when it's his turn now.

 

[ferball]

Not his best. But at least he goes when it's his turn now.

I don't think he's played a good game against the Swans yet.

 

[scottywiper]

Tries but clogger of the list.

 

[Devil Fish]

Stephens isn't an AA winger, but he is the best we have right now. I would love to see someone take his spot but I don't think that's an issue with him, he's doing the role we are asking.

What are we actually asking him to do? Not impact a game???