AFL Player 5: Elijah Tsatas

[Nuggs Bunny]

 

[Schnitzengruben]

He was decent. Keep playing him though. If we're really going to tank it up, might as well see what he can do or try to bolster his trade value. There's no point in playing meataxe's like Setterfield while keeping this guy in the VFL.

 

[ant555]

30% by foot was not great. Thought he was more 50/50 at the game. He should be playing next week and they should start him at the first bounce.

 

[Seb78]

Think we all got a really good look tonight as to why he struggles getting a game

 

[WABomber]

Think we all got a really good look tonight as to why he struggles getting a game

Even his dump kicks which are bad for anyone were just that extra bad with him. I really wanted him to have a good game after that goal but I can see why he is getting overlooked.

 

[Zach Package]

Even his dump kicks which are bad for anyone were just that extra bad with him. I really wanted him to have a good game after that goal but I can see why he is getting overlooked.

He had our only 2 good inside 50s in the last quarter where he took the ball off the line and kicked the ball to the advantage side of the forward in a 1 on 1, think the first one was May and the second one was Duursma. You’d be happy with those entries if any one else was the one kicking the footy.

Missed a trick by not sitting him with Prestia for the entire game, opportunity to learn just by being out there, this training wheels stuff is dogshit.

 

[quotemokc]

I want to know why his tank is so bad that he spends more time on the bench than Goldstein

 

[FlyingV]

I want to know why his tank is so bad that he spends more time on the bench than Goldstein

Yep, this is it. They must know something we don’t. Ran a 7 minute 2km when drafted, was assumed that was due to his under 18s injury, but starting to think he’s a terrible aerobic athlete, which if the case, is a huge miss by the recruitment team.

 

[DERO]

juts keep playing him I reckon.

 

[Old Campaigner]

juts keep playing him I reckon.

Not much choice at this point with all the injuries

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Yep, this is it. They must know something we don’t. Ran a 7 minute 2km when drafted, was assumed that was due to his under 18s injury, but starting to think he’s a terrible aerobic athlete, which if the case, is a huge miss by the recruitment team.

This is a far bigger issue than his kicking.

He was absolutely gassed last night, cannot keep up.

 

[bombadeer]

Yeah, looked spent for the lot of the game, and someone mentioned he had low TOG.

Recruiting a midfielder with no engine… hard to get your head around it, especially considering lack of running power has been a known issue at the club since forever.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

He’s the rare style of a bad kick, normally it’s decision making, but his decision making actually seems quite good, it’s purely action.

 

[Westlo]

He had our only 2 good inside 50s in the last quarter where he took the ball off the line and kicked the ball to the advantage side of the forward in a 1 on 1, think the first one was May and the second one was Duursma. You’d be happy with those entries if any one else was the one kicking the footy.

Yep nothing wrong with those entries and was a lot better than the crap being kicked at Caddy for most of the game.

 

[ant555]

He’s the rare style of a bad kick, normally it’s decision making, but his decision making actually seems quite good, it’s purely action.

Yep. The idea is generally right. Execution very poor.

 

[Duckworth]

Yep. The idea is generally right. Execution very poor.

Is it purely a mechanical issue with the action, or is it a fatigue-based or running at speed thing as well? I noticed him try to hook the ball to clear out of defence, and he skied it. But then I thought the hook action would be a different action again.

 

[ant555]

Is it purely a mechanical issue with the action, or is it a fatigue-based or running at speed thing as well? I noticed him try to hook the ball to clear out of defence, and he skied it. But then I thought the hook action would be a different action again.

It is the action and not fatigue. His missed the first two kicks he had.

 

[BrunoV]

Yep, this is it. They must know something we don’t. Ran a 7 minute 2km when drafted, was assumed that was due to his under 18s injury, but starting to think he’s a terrible aerobic athlete, which if the case, is a huge miss by the recruitment team.

This is par for the course. We didn't think Francis' endurance was an issue, either.

I've said it before that they wouldn't make so many errors early in drafts, when there really is no excuse for errors, if they had a clear set of principles for what it is they are actually looking for beyond some rubbish like 'best available' or best performed. The principles should be almost entirely exclusionary.

At an extremely simple level, if a player can't kick he doesn't belong in the first round. If a mid-sized player can't run he doesn't belong in the first round. It would likely be very simple to reduce the ratio of tangible qualities such as size, strength and running power for inside mids into a data set to exclude selection of players.

How do you justify taking risks on players who need to develop characteristics which are fundamental to their ability to perform their intended functions at AFL level? The Selwoods, Darlings, Curnows, etc have a few things in common which look very different to mids who can't run and can't kick.

 

[Duckworth]

It is the action and not fatigue. His missed the first two kicks he had.

Yup, thanks. I will put my hand up and say I wanted to see him. I see what you're saying. His kicking is not impressive.

 

[bombersim]

He literally is the inverse of the way the game is going - athletes that can run all day at top speed and are elite kicks - almost the opposite of NWM of St Kilda.

That’s said, there is scope for “improvement” - he had 19 poss with 63% game time. I think if he played most of the game midfield, he’d get much bigger numbers, but, do we want that lol? Dunno…
Currently averages 5 clearances from minimal game time so he is a clearance machine, but I’d demand he tackle more - averages 1.2 per game.
Pretty poor from a mid.

If a team needs a high production mid they can put pieces around, he’d fit hand in glove, but he has too many limitations for us imo. Really poor draft choice (yes, some mitigating circumstances, but still stings though).

 

[dondolla]

He literally is the inverse of the way the game is going - athletes that can run all day at top speed and are elite kicks - almost the opposite of NWM of St Kilda.

That’s said, there is scope for “improvement” - he had 19 poss with 63% game time. I think if he played most of the game midfield, he’d get much bigger numbers, but, do we want that lol? Dunno…
Currently averages 5 clearances from minimal game time so he is a clearance machine, but I’d demand he tackle more - averages 1.2 per game.
Pretty poor from a mid.

If a team needs a high production mid they can put pieces around, he’d fit hand in glove, but he has too many limitations for us imo. Really poor draft choice (yes, some mitigating circumstances, but still stings though).

There’s clearances and there’s clearances though. Tsatas gets them but what do they actually end up in? He loves handballing it a metre and sure it leaves the immediate area but he doesn’t put teammates in good positions and doesn’t clear the area.

Hes most similar to Parish on the list currently. For all his floors, Parish is really good at clearances. He can get the ball and leave the traffic and move the ball into space, so far I haven’t seen Tsatas do that he seems to be able to get hands on the ball but can’t clear it. I don’t get it though he isn’t really slow is he? Maybe he has bad acceleration or a bad first step.

Realistically neither him or Hobbs or even Parish are what the standard should be. One of the most frustrating things about where the club is at the moment is how bad the 2020-2022 draftees are. How can Lual, Johnson, Clarke, Roberts etc all come in and look as good or better than our actual first round pick. Shoutout Dodoro!

All the old players are gone except for Laverde and Shiel and when they play they’re just average. It’ll be funny when at the end of next year Perkins, Cox, Hobbs and Tsatas will be gone and Reid will be the only one left.

 

[ant555]

There’s clearances and there’s clearances though. Tsatas gets them but what do they actually end up in? He loves handballing it a metre and sure it leaves the immediate area but he doesn’t put teammates in good positions and doesn’t clear the area.

Hes most similar to Parish on the list currently. For all his floors, Parish is really good at clearances. He can get the ball and leave the traffic and move the ball into space, so far I haven’t seen Tsatas do that he seems to be able to get hands on the ball but can’t clear it. I don’t get it though he isn’t really slow is he? Maybe he has bad acceleration or a bad first step.

Realistically neither him or Hobbs or even Parish are what the standard should be. One of the most frustrating things about where the club is at the moment is how bad the 2020-2022 draftees are. How can Lual, Johnson, Clarke, Roberts etc all come in and look as good or better than our actual first round pick. Shoutout Dodoro!

All the old players are gone except for Laverde and Shiel and when they play they’re just average. It’ll be funny when at the end of next year Perkins, Cox, Hobbs and Tsatas will be gone and Reid will be the only one left.

You mention the thing that is the biggest down side for me and that is he is not really an upgrade on Parish or Shiel for that matter. He can win the ball in the middle a bit more but he hasn't got the outside game of Parish or Shiel. Sure Tsats can be a guy that finds it 30 times and wins elite level clearance numbers but he is not actually an upgrade. He will end up being a frustration in the same way Parish and Shiel have. Defends at the same level as well so offers nothing in that area either.
Anyway he was okay in some of the stuff he did last night and he will play a few more games so I guess we will see what happens.

 

[silk]

You mention the thing that is the biggest down side for me and that is he is not really an upgrade on Parish or Shiel for that matter. He can win the ball in the middle a bit more but he hasn't got the outside game of Parish or Shiel. Sure Tsats can be a guy that finds it 30 times and wins elite level clearance numbers but he is not actually an upgrade. He will end up being a frustration in the same way Parish and Shiel have. Defends at the same level as well so offers nothing in that area either.
Anyway he was okay in some of the stuff he did last night and he will play a few more games so I guess we will see what happens.

Agreed. I feel that much of his lack of defense comes from he low aerobic capacity and lack of leg speed.

He surfers a lot for being.a high draft imo but I do wonder how many good slow players are out there? I have similar feelings about Perkins. Just not quick enough to make it at afl level to my untrained eye.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

He can find and win the footy. There’s literally thousands of blokes in state leagues and local footy that can do that.

 

[Beerfish]

Just keep playing him. I need to see more.

 

[bennyg12]

Delist and hurry up