Player Watch Esava Ratugolea

[Ford Fairlane]

McKenzie has a decent record against Hawkins, it's Clurey that regularly got killed by him.

Clurey had that game where held Hawkins to 0 marks and from then on Hawkins took it personally.

 

[jakey]

Sorry I have to come to Tom C’s defence. In June 2019 he kept Hawkins markless and goalless in our defeat of Geelong at the AO. I think it was a low scoring scrap.
Importantly in May of 2021 he copped his broken jaw against the WB’s and has never been the same reliable defender since. Up until that injury he was our best defender.
However I’ve never understood the love for McKenzie as a defender but that’s me.

McKenzie in 2020 and 2021 was elite. Was rarely beaten and then only occasionally by guys a weight and height division above him. Had he been expected to play third tall instead of on the biggest and best of the gorillas, and if the injury gods had smiled, I'm convinced he'd be considered a great of the club.

Clurey has been a good club man, but he's not at that level.

 

[jakey]

Mission accomplished.

I love what Esava has brought but the fact Ken guaranteed first team footy for a fringe player from a bottom 8 team is revolting. Everyone is so ****ing comfortable down there.

 

[TeeKray]

McKenzie in 2020 and 2021 was elite. Was rarely beaten and then only occasionally by guys a weight and height division above him. Had he been expected to play third tall instead of on the biggest and best of the gorillas, and if the injury gods had smiled, I'm convinced he'd be considered a great of the club.

Clurey has been a good club man, but he's not at that level.

 

[TeeKray]

I love what Esava has brought but the fact Ken guaranteed first team footy for a fringe player from a bottom 8 team is revolting. Everyone is so ******* comfortable down there.

I don't see anything wrong with getting a guy to the club and telling him we believe in you and believe you're in our best team. Esava is going ok.

 

[jakey]

I don't see anything wrong with getting a guy to the club and telling him we believe in you and believe you're in our best team. Esava is going ok.

I agree with the statement you made. That's not what Esava said in the vid.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

However I’ve never understood the love for McKenzie as a defender but that’s me.

McKenzie is very strong and doesn't get rag dolled. That's why he got to be the undersized bunny who had to play on the gorillas.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Big Sav took Nick Larkey

20

Nick Larkey

Age

27

Ht

198cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.5

2star

K

4.6

2star

HB

3.9

3star

M

3.3

3star

T

1.5

3star

G

1.4

5star

D

7.0

1star

K

4.0

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

2.0

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

1.0

4star

D

8.8

3star

K

4.2

2star

HB

4.6

4star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

G

0.8

4star

to the cleaners today and he's a good forward.

Provided plenty of drive of his own from defence too.

 

[Finest of Wines]

He is definitely more aerodynamic after shaving the dome

 

[Chewy316]

Big Sav took Nick Larkey to the cleaners today and he's a good forward.

Provided plenty of drive of his own from defence too.

Kept Larkey goalless and snapped Larkey's streak of 29 consecutive games with at least one goal in the process.

He's getting better and better. Not only a reliable interceptor but he's fast becoming a true shutdown fullback.

 

[jakey]

Geelong got more than they deserved in this trade, but it's turning out to be great value for us.

Really growing in confidence.

 

[JohnHinckleyJr]

Fleeced geeeeeloooonnnggggg..

This bastards great

 

[Watto71]

The fact that he is taking marks now makes a difference enjoying his growth

 

[Tibbs]

Benefitting from having continuity in a specific role. Strong, athletic, tall, and now showing some real smarts and skills.

 

[Troopsy]

Fleeced geeeeeloooonnnggggg..

This bastards great

It’s about time someone fleeced them.

 

[JimmyBC]

Yea he's growing into it now I think he'll be really solid 2025 & beyond.

Remember when we used to accept that players need a year or so to gel into a new club? It seems a thing of the past now, it's really a new look backline that's at least a season off really clicking.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Esava had a fantastic game against Larkey, one of the best forwards going around and chipped in with game highs 4 contested marks and 9 intercepts.

He has the pace on the lead to cover just about anyone and it should be interesting to watch how he goes next week against either McKay or Curnow.

His marking seemed much better and he had a bit of a command about him as well.

We essentially got him for a 2nd rounder so it is looking like the Aliir trade all over again.

 

[crafty_bernardo]

Was enjoyable watching a big defender clunking marks all game instead of double fisting over the line, double attempts at chest marks etc;

 

[Peninsula Boy]

If the form of Ratugolea continues to improve, it will be interesting to see Aliir benefits from it.

 

[MrMeaner]

Was enjoyable watching a big defender clunking marks all game instead of double fisting over the line, double attempts at chest marks etc;

Sav went for at least one double fist on Saturday. I assume it was for the sake of nostalgia.

 

[1954]

Was enjoyable watching a big defender clunking marks all game instead of double fisting over the line, double attempts at chest marks etc;

Sean Burgoyne said in a game I watched recently when a player did the Tommy Jonas double fist bit that if someone can get both hands to the ball they should be able to mark it.

Their paths should have definitely crossed during TJ's last few years at Alberton so you would have to wonder if SB attempted to pass those words of wisdom on then.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Sav went for at least one double fist on Saturday. I assume it was for the sake of nostalgia.

Mind you, it cleared the area by 40 metres

 

[The Hobo]

He's getting better and better. Not only a reliable interceptor but he's fast becoming a true shutdown fullback.

Still learning the trade though, does some absolutely braindead things occasionally. Hopefully he's a fast learner.

 

[The Hobo]

Sean Burgoyne said in a game I watched recently when a player did the Tommy Jonas double fist bit that if someone can get both hands to the ball they should be able to mark it.

Their paths should have definitely crossed during TJ's last few years at Alberton so you would have to wonder if SB attempted to pass those words of wisdom on then.

Felt TJ only started doing the double fist towards the end of his career when he didn't trust his hands.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

Sav went for at least one double fist on Saturday. I assume it was for the sake of nostalgia.

IIRC it was late in the last quarter so I wasn't too bothered by it and he taken so many marks during the game anyway.