AFL Player 5: Elijah Tsatas

[Nuggs Bunny]

 

[windyhill]

Building the engine, he'll be fine this fella. No worries.

 

[Mikevk123]

Kicking still needs improvement but he played a ripping game.

 

[faible]

Thought it looked like he was directing traffic and setup through the middle. He’s got something.

 

[ghostdog]

Confidence restored. He's turned into a big boy, too.

 

[JayJ20]

I'm sold on the preseason hype. Pretty strong and building that competitiveness in contests required from an inside mid. Knows how to position himself for a clearance. At the very least, our centre bounces look to be sorted with Caldwell, Tsatas and Durham.

I know people will say his kicking needs work (and I agree), but as a person who hasn't really watched VFL and preseason training, his kicking (especially his kicking action) is night and day different to last season. Far improved. Last year he was in the running to be one of the worst kicks in the game. Yesterday, his kicking was decent and at least AFL standard. It's not a liability to the side compared to what he brings to our side if that makes sense.

 

[eth-dog]

Best on for me. Putting in a case that's hard to ignore for R1

 

[ant555]

Lived up to the match sim form. Kicking is never going to be pristine but is at a level he can get away with.

 

[ghostdog]

I'm sold on the preseason hype. Pretty strong and building that competitiveness in contests required from an inside mid. Knows how to position himself for a clearance. At the very least, our centre bounces look to be sorted with Caldwell, Tsatas and Durham.

I know people will say his kicking needs work (and I agree), but as a person who hasn't really watched VFL and preseason training, his kicking (especially his kicking action) is night and day different to last season. Far improved. Last year he was in the running to be one of the worst kicks in the game. Yesterday, his kicking was decent and at least AFL standard. It's not a liability to the side compared to what he brings to our side if that makes sense.

Often went to the defensive side of the stoppage which was heartening. Great hands too.

 

[Donakebab]

Wait, so the sky isn't falling after all?

 

[Call Me Cake]

Simply needs to be given a chance to adjust to the highest level which means he should play the first few weeks. So many players who are worse are given a chance early on, that ain't fair to me.

 

[VelvetSledge]

Get him in, leave him in, watch him flourish. Was worth the work.

 

[Mercurial89]

Got the kicking to a point that it's passable.

It was truly awful early, how someone never stepped in and got it corrected probably speaks to how well he does some other things.

Very keen to see how he goes, I just hope he is used to his strengths. I don't want to see him on a wing or outside the contest in space.
Stick him in the position he is built for and let's see what level we can get out of him. He is not a player to try and give flexibility to, at least not at this stage.

 

[Vander18]

I’m going to go against the grain here….

Just watched the game again and watched him very closely and it confirmed my thoughts after watching it first time around. I’m no more sold on Tsatas today than I was last year.

A couple of nice one grab takes below his knees and a couple of nice reads off hands from centre bounces. To me that was about it. Vast majority of what he did was totally non-impactful.

Didn’t see him impact a contest physically, didn’t see him stick a tackle, barely involved in chains/link up at and he did not hit a single target by foot for the game. Missed a few by hand as well. Had one mark for the game, don’t recall seeing him really give a contest in the air.

His only thing is winning footy at stoppage and he’s not special in that area at all. Still doesn’t absorb or go through contact. Feel like he’s constantly neither where the ball is or where the ball is going. In short, I don’t see him as best 22.

Totally appreciate that I seem to be on my Pat Malone here, but I call it as I see it. I don’t really enjoy posting this assessment of a young bloke who seems to work really hard at his game….but it’s what I saw. Would
love him to prove me wrong!

 

[Shueygod]

I’m going to go against the grain here….

Just watched the game again and watched him very closely and it confirmed my thoughts after watching it first time around. I’m no more sold on Tsatas today than I was last year.

A couple of nice one grab takes below his knees and a couple of nice reads off hands from centre bounces. To me that was about it. Vast majority of what he did was totally non-impactful.

Didn’t see him impact a contest physically, didn’t see him stick a tackle, barely involved in chains/link up at and he did not hit a single target by foot for the game. Missed a few by hand as well. Had one mark for the game, don’t recall seeing him really give a contest in the air.

His only thing is winning footy at stoppage and he’s not special in that area at all. Still doesn’t absorb or go through contact. Feel like he’s constantly neither where the ball is or where the ball is going. In short, I don’t see him as best 22.

Totally appreciate that I seem to be on my Pat Malone here, but I call it as I see it. I don’t really enjoy posting this assessment of a young bloke who seems to work really hard at his game….but it’s what I saw. Would
love him to prove me wrong!

The Dons second best player at this point and you hating.

 

[Vander18]

The Dons second best player at this point and you hating.

I’m not hating - just my view of the world.

It’s fine to disagree, that’s what forums are for.

 

[MiguelM]

Thought he was good. Some nice handball dish offs.

TBH, didn't notice much issue with his kicking. Not elite but not many midfielders are these days. Great signs he has worked so hard on it.

 

[katana]

I’m going to go against the grain here….

Just watched the game again and watched him very closely and it confirmed my thoughts after watching it first time around. I’m no more sold on Tsatas today than I was last year.

A couple of nice one grab takes below his knees and a couple of nice reads off hands from centre bounces. To me that was about it. Vast majority of what he did was totally non-impactful.

Didn’t see him impact a contest physically, didn’t see him stick a tackle, barely involved in chains/link up at and he did not hit a single target by foot for the game. Missed a few by hand as well. Had one mark for the game, don’t recall seeing him really give a contest in the air.

His only thing is winning footy at stoppage and he’s not special in that area at all. Still doesn’t absorb or go through contact. Feel like he’s constantly neither where the ball is or where the ball is going. In short, I don’t see him as best 22.

Totally appreciate that I seem to be on my Pat Malone here, but I call it as I see it. I don’t really enjoy posting this assessment of a young bloke who seems to work really hard at his game….but it’s what I saw. Would
love him to prove me wrong!

was thinking similarly. there's nothing i saw in that game that was particularly impressive. he gets the ball and gives it a (under pressure) team mate twenty times a game... we don't need more of that. he's not wearing heat, he's not breaking lines, it's all just very so what for me.

 

[mike ross]

I’m not hating - just my view of the world.

It’s fine to disagree, that’s what forums are for.

I wasn't overly impressed either. Did some nice things sure. I liked the few touches of Unwin and Clarke.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Looked to put together a half-reasonable game.

It’s a start.

 

[Vander18]

I wasn't overly impressed either. Did some nice things sure. I liked the few touches of Unwin and Clarke.

Kako had 2 or 3 touches that really got my attention. Super clean.

 

[Bjchan13]

I’m going to go against the grain here….

Just watched the game again and watched him very closely and it confirmed my thoughts after watching it first time around. I’m no more sold on Tsatas today than I was last year.

A couple of nice one grab takes below his knees and a couple of nice reads off hands from centre bounces. To me that was about it. Vast majority of what he did was totally non-impactful.

Didn’t see him impact a contest physically, didn’t see him stick a tackle, barely involved in chains/link up at and he did not hit a single target by foot for the game. Missed a few by hand as well. Had one mark for the game, don’t recall seeing him really give a contest in the air.

His only thing is winning footy at stoppage and he’s not special in that area at all. Still doesn’t absorb or go through contact. Feel like he’s constantly neither where the ball is or where the ball is going. In short, I don’t see him as best 22.

Totally appreciate that I seem to be on my Pat Malone here, but I call it as I see it. I don’t really enjoy posting this assessment of a young bloke who seems to work really hard at his game….but it’s what I saw. Would
love him to prove me wrong!

 

[Agronomus]

I’m going to go against the grain here….

Just watched the game again and watched him very closely and it confirmed my thoughts after watching it first time around. I’m no more sold on Tsatas today than I was last year.

A couple of nice one grab takes below his knees and a couple of nice reads off hands from centre bounces. To me that was about it. Vast majority of what he did was totally non-impactful.

Didn’t see him impact a contest physically, didn’t see him stick a tackle, barely involved in chains/link up at and he did not hit a single target by foot for the game. Missed a few by hand as well. Had one mark for the game, don’t recall seeing him really give a contest in the air.

His only thing is winning footy at stoppage and he’s not special in that area at all. Still doesn’t absorb or go through contact. Feel like he’s constantly neither where the ball is or where the ball is going. In short, I don’t see him as best 22.

Totally appreciate that I seem to be on my Pat Malone here, but I call it as I see it. I don’t really enjoy posting this assessment of a young bloke who seems to work really hard at his game….but it’s what I saw. Would
love him to prove me wrong!

So what you're saying is that he's far better than Parish?

 

[Vander18]

So what you're saying is that he's far better than Parish?

Christ…..merging the Tsatas and Parish debates…..this could end the forum!

 

[ant555]

I have seen some improvement in his physical game across pre season. I do not think it will ever be a natural thing for him and I think all the break the lines stuff was basically fluff and myth . I never saw it at under 18 level. Sure he has some speed and as he plays more I think you will see it on the outside but I doubt we will ever see him breaking contests apart week in and week out. Not overly concerned with his tackling or lack of. He has shown last year he can step up in that area.
The think is he will always have question marks because he will never be the player some of his profiles projected him to be.
It is what it is. He will be a good player. He will find lots of the footy. I doubt he will ever be a super star.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

I place some value to finding the ball first from a stoppage. Admittedly though Dogs didn't have their A list centre bounce crew ..so interesting to see how he goes against Cats next week