Player Watch #18: Shaun Atley -

roos_fanatic08

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Is he a one trick pony that the opposition knows all about?

If so, Scotts needs to reinvent.

We stuffed around with Lachie for years...lets not Ats do the same way.

Try him off a Half Fwd flank or sthing creative.
or play him in the centre square.
 

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Mr Reliable

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Agree vehemently with our first sentence.

Natural flair has been removed at all costs.
You and Black2Blue may be right, TPA. I just don't know.

However, I do know that we're not getting any youngsters to progress from promising to elite, we have nobody in the VFL starring from week to week and as a side we're predictably unpredictable.
 

archereleven

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I like Ats and i love his potential, but he needs to spend a couple of months in the 2's as a mid fielder.

**** this back flanker shite. We NEED him to take the next step in his career.

Doesnt come back in until he tears a game apart in the guts
 
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B4Bear

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I like Ats and i love his potential, but he needs to spend a couple of months in the 2's as a mid fielder.

**** this back flanker shite. We NEED him to take the next step in his career.

Doesnt come back in until he tears a game apart in the guts
Since when has being a good rebounding defender not been an asset in this game?

He needs time and space to get his run on. That is available at hbf, not in the middle.

Look at where his best work to date has been. It sure as shot is not in the middle.
 

kangaspurs

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Agree vehemently with our first sentence.

Natural flair has been removed at all costs.
I completely disagree. Every time Brad speaks and the players speak about Brad they always talk about the coach encouraging players to take the game on and forgiving mistakes made through taking the game to the opposition. They always talk about being tough on mistakes through indecisiveness. In fact, it was this mentality that cost us over the 2012-13 period; we scored heavily but couldn't defend which led to 100 plus scores against us on a regular basis and many fans and media calling for Brad to develop a more defensive coaching style and gameplan. In fact, I would say that flair being discouraged is categorically wrong, particularly in relation to Atley who has always been encouraged to take the game on. Atley's problems come through inconsistency and a lack of mental capacity to impose himself on games; it seems that hes comfortable and content with having a 20 possession game with a few running bounces at his best. I know Atley's a favorite of yours, so it can be easy to blame his significant personal failings on the coach, but Atley and Atley alone needs to be held accountable..
 

DarwinRoo

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I certainly agree that he has still time to improve but when you compare his output to some of the players been taken in the same draft he's been very disappointing. Smith, Wallis, Guthrie, Cripps, Darling, Howe, Horlin-Smith, Parker, Libba, Fasolo, McDonald, Litherland, Johnson, Puopolo, Seedman, Hibberd, Dahlhaus, Johannisen, McGovern and Langford are players taken after him that are all either significantly outperforming him at the moment or have produced better football in the past than he has or at least the same level despite being taken well after him. That's not to mention the players taken before him that are producing incredibly more.
Which of those players finished 5th in their respective clubs Best and Fairest in their 2nd year?
 

kangaspurs

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Which of those players finished 5th in their respective clubs Best and Fairest in their 2nd year?
No idea and I don't see why it matters. Every one is either outperforming him now, has put together better footy in the past than he ever has, or has performed on a similar level to Atley despite being a higher pick or only having half the amount of physical and natural talent that Shaun has.
 

TennisPlayerAndy

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I completely disagree. Every time Brad speaks and the players speak about Brad they always talk about the coach encouraging players to take the game on and forgiving mistakes made through taking the game to the opposition. They always talk about being tough on mistakes through indecisiveness. In fact, it was this mentality that cost us over the 2012-13 period; we scored heavily but couldn't defend which led to 100 plus scores against us on a regular basis and many fans and media calling for Brad to develop a more defensive coaching style and gameplan. In fact, I would say that flair being discouraged is categorically wrong, particularly in relation to Atley who has always been encouraged to take the game on. Atley's problems come through inconsistency and a lack of mental capacity to impose himself on games; it seems that hes comfortable and content with having a 20 possession game with a few running bounces at his best. I know Atley's a favorite of yours, so it can be easy to blame his significant personal failings on the coach, but Atley and Atley alone needs to be held accountable..
He looks as though he has been overloaded with information and is now no longer free of mind.

His stint as a quasi winger was ******* stupid.

He was one of our best against Adelaide in Round 1 playing off HB.

Keep him there. Play him to his strengths.
 
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DarwinRoo

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No idea and I don't see why it matters. Every one is either outperforming him now, has put together better footy in the past than he ever has, or has performed on a similar level to Atley despite being a higher pick or only having half the amount of physical and natural talent that Shaun has.
You've plucked half of those names out your arse. Litherland? Johannisen? Horlin-Smith?

You talk about better footy in the past but ignore his Syd Barker result.
 

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kangaspurs

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You've plucked half of those names out your arse. Litherland? Johannisen? Horlin-Smith?

You talk about better footy in the past but ignore his Syd Barker result.
Well, actually I haven't, I did a quick search of players picked after him who match that criteria. Johanisen and Horlin-Smith are playing better footy than he is at the moment and in Horlin-Smith's case he's matched Atley's output in the past. You're right on Litherland however, I've over rated him.
 

DarwinRoo

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Well, actually I haven't, I did a quick search of players picked after him who match that criteria. Johanisen and Horlin-Smith are playing better footy than he is at the moment and in Horlin-Smith's case he's matched Atley's output in the past. You're right on Litherland however, I've over rated him.
Atley is averaging 5 more disposals than Horlin-Smith this year and Atley has been better than H-S every previous year.
 

archereleven

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Since when has being a good rebounding defender not been an asset in this game?

He needs time and space to get his run on. That is available at hbf, not in the middle.

Look at where his best work to date has been. It sure as shot is not in the middle.
Good rebounding defender? lol

Its ******* impossible to be a 'good' rebounding defender when you only touch the bag of wind 12 times and shank 5 of them disposals when you do get it.

His best work to date is off HB, but for us to transition post Wells, Boomer, NDS etc he needs to bring the sauce to the mid field. He has the ability imo but can he actually put it all together. He is at rock bottom confidence wise imo so several week in the VFL will do him wonders.
 

Bigming

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Agree vehemently with our first sentence.

Natural flair has been removed at all costs.
So true, and that leads to too much thinking - which is the worst possible thing when the opposition are pressuring. Atley seems to be doing a lot of soul-searching and not so much running and bouncing. Also I remember he used to be fearless - was it 2010 or 2011 at Etihad we were playing Richmond and he took that massive hit and was taken off express ambulance. Amazing courage. Definitely due for some time in the twos and get the confidence back.
 

Wild Bill

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He looks as though he has been overloaded with information and is now no longer free of mind.

His stint as a quasi winger was ******* stupid.

He was one of our best against Adelaide in Round 1 playing off HB.

Keep him there. Play him this strengths.
Lol - overloaded with information!!!

No longer free of mind!!!

Please tell us more about his information overload and how un free his mind is. Cheers
 

thumping

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I believe that He has been overloaded with instructions rather than just letting Shaun play his natural game. To me he is our See ball, get ball run with ball type and not the small shut down rebound defender Brad wants him to be. Why has he not atleast being tried on the hff or in the guts?
 

TennisPlayerAndy

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Lol - overloaded with information!!!

No longer free of mind!!!

Please tell us more about his information overload and how un free his mind is. Cheers
You can tell by the way he is playing.

Looks completely lost.

Also, instead of just rubbishing people's theories, maybe you can put forth your ideas Mr MENSA.
 
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Wild Bill

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You can tell by the way he is playing.

Looks completely lost.

Also, instead of just rubbishing people's theories, maybe you can put forth your ideas Mr MENSA.
Hey your the mind reader. Maybe give us an update on what's in each players mind. Overloaded? Under loaded? Fully loaded?
 
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Ats being dropped means nothing imo. unless it is for multiple weeks, which he then spends in the guts learning a new trade.
 

TennisPlayerAndy

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Hey your the mind reader. Maybe give us an update on what's in each players mind. Overloaded? Under loaded? Fully loaded?
'Looks as though' does not imply I'm a mind reader. It is my opinion of what I think is going on. I don't profess to know what is going on inside a players head.

Once again, any chance of some analysis?
 

Aberration

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Interested as to what position he will play in the VFL. Considering he was playing Wing/Mid, and got dropped rather than moved back to HB, I am guessing he will play midfield.

Looks like the club really wants to develop him in the midfield, but I am not sure he is cut out for it. Lacking the confidence we saw when he was streaming of Half Back in 2012/13.
 
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