Biggest waste of talent in the AFL?

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Harsh on Patton, every time he started to find his feet at AFL level he did his ACL and now he just doesn't have the confidence or athleticism anymore.

I think that's fair enough but:

a) the premise is wasted talent and his talent has been wasted

b) given his size - he should be a formidable, scary prospect - he isn't and never has been

c) I think of blokes like Max Bailey who had three knee recos - he was hardly a superstar but through good old-fashioned grunt managed to get an AFL career out of his creaking knees nabbing a premiership in the process.
 
Wingard & Oliver are two that spring to mind. The latter just needs a decent coach to best utilise his talent, not sure the former can use that as an excuse anymore...

Oliver is 23 years old and has already made the All Australian team and won 2 B&F's at Melbourne. You got a screw loose if he springs to mind.
 
Controversial but i think in the last 20 years it would be Justin Koschitzke, a combination of injures and mismanagement really did him in.

An 18 year old Kozi coming into the league today would make any team very happy to pick him up.
 

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I think that's fair enough but:

a) the premise is wasted talent and his talent has been wasted

b) given his size - he should be a formidable, scary prospect - he isn't and never has been

c) I think of blokes like Max Bailey who had three knee recos - he was hardly a superstar but through good old-fashioned grunt managed to get an AFL career out of his creaking knees nabbing a premiership in the process.

a) The premise was excluding players ruined by injury, and seeing as Patton has had 3 knee reco's his career has been ruined by injury.

b) It's hard to be formidable when you've lost so much leg strength, agility and confidence in your body from spending 3 years rehabbing ACL's

c) Max Bailey was a spud, he played as a role player in one of the most dominant teams in history. Jon Patton could easily do the same if he had a good run with injury.
 
Sydney Stack for us easily.
 
a) The premise was excluding players ruined by injury, and seeing as Patton has had 3 knee reco's his career has been ruined by injury.

b) It's hard to be formidable when you've lost so much leg strength, agility and confidence in your body from spending 3 years rehabbing ACL's

c) Max Bailey was a spud, he played as a role player in one of the most dominant teams in history. Jon Patton could easily do the same if he had a good run with injury.

Yep, I did miss the part about injury but even prior to the injury he was never the dominant force he should have been. You could argue he's had two good years and they were both after he had torn his ACL twice.

My point regarding Max Bailey is there are many players who have succeeded and at least contributed post serious injury. I'm not suggesting Max Bailey is on the same level as Patton talent wise. What I am suggesting is that players can work through injury and still make a significant contribution.
 
Yep, I did miss the part about injury but even prior to the injury he was never the dominant force he should have been. You could argue he's had two good years and they were both after he had torn his ACL twice.

My point regarding Max Bailey is there are many players who have succeeded and at least contributed post serious injury. I'm not suggesting Max Bailey is on the same level as Patton talent wise. What I am suggesting is that players can work through injury and still make a significant contribution.

He did his first ACL very early in his career, how can a young KPP come in and dominant from his first year? Ridiculous.

Patton is obviously capable of making a contribution as a role-player if he ever gets a consistent run of games without injury or suspension.
 
He did his first ACL very early in his career, how can a young KPP come in and dominant from his first year? Ridiculous.

Patton is obviously capable of making a contribution as a role-player if he ever gets a consistent run of games without injury or suspension.

Yeah, fair enough. I'm probably just p-offed because we've ended up with, to quote football analyst Ric Flair "Damaged Goods".
 
Nah just able to put things into context unlike yourself.
Are you able to contextualise the fact that he's been a total disaster area for the last 4 years? There's also no guarantee of reclaiming the form you had in your youth. And no, I don't think he was ever a superstar. He was very good on his day, yes, but his accomplishments are exaggerated, as is his future potential.
 
Virtually kicked a big goal in grand final at crucial point of game to seal Dogs second ever premiership and over six decades after their first league premiership.
Even though he gave up on his career way before most would have expected, for many players they would swap places to live that moment of that goal by Tom Boyd.
 

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Weird that a number of players mentioned in this thread either play at Essendon or have played for Essendon?

Why do talented players turn into spuds at Tullamarine? Does it have something to do with the spongy floors?

It would almost suggest the coaching and development is sub par


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Might have already been said but for us a past player in Ashley Sampi could have had one heck of a career if he could of been bothered.
 
Virtually kicked a big goal in grand final at crucial point of game to seal Dogs second ever premiership and over six decades after their first league premiership.
Even though he gave up on his career way before most would have expected, for many players they would swap places to live that moment of that goal by Tom Boyd.
Waste of talent

Unfulfilled potential
 
Every time we play GWS I think Harry Himmelberg could be anything...and he never quite gets there...maybe with J. Cameron joining the geriatrics he will be more of a key focus and improve.
 
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Still waiting for Jack Martin to tear a game apart as touted all his career thus far.
 
Castangna can be a ball butcher of the highest order, cant finish. He has almost ruined my already limited vocal range. Blokes almost always in possession in the scoring zone, good work ...... snaga ####!!! sausage son!
 
2-3 years ago i would've said Josh Daicos, watched him play a VFL game in Wangaratta and i wasn't impressed, luckily i kept my mouth shut :)
 

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