Player Watch Jake Soligo - Re-Signed to End of 2029

And just like clockwork the Wabbit is up and about this week....are you really surprised?
Some posters do tend to post more after losses.

Makes you question why...
 
He was in fact poor in all of the games I mentioned. Where you earn them and what you do with them matters more than simply counting the number of possessions, and he's been rushed and impact free almost all year.

He's still an AFL player, unlike Schoenberg, people just need to start accepting that his ceiling is a rotation player, a 5th man in the midfield, not a league beater.
I heard Soligo is related to the Crouches...
 

ABAB

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Apr 3, 2018
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He was in fact poor in all of the games I mentioned. Where you earn them and what you do with them matters more than simply counting the number of possessions, and he's been rushed and impact free almost all year.

He's still an AFL player, unlike Schoenberg, people just need to start accepting that his ceiling is a rotation player, a 5th man in the midfield, not a league beater.
What? You need to watch him more closely, no doubt he get rushed like all young players but there are countless time when he looks to have more time and very creative with his disposal.
 
May 14, 2021
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Soligo is a very likeable character, a gun player, and kid. He seems really cheeky and lively, but he is forced to be a serious player, and this would be expected of anyone in the Crows team. I guess what I am worried about is that we have a free spirited kid who is under serious pressure.
Soligo needs to know that he will make stuff ups in and out of footy and that is just his character formation. Yet I think there is a Vic AFL media sitting in the wings waiting to blow him up and make wild claims about the Adelaide Crows culture.
Hang tough Soligo, we love you for what you bring to the footy field and for what you will bring our club in the future. I reckon a few trophies will be in your cabinet one day.
 

BunjiMac

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Sep 20, 2007
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Soligo is really good in close tight situations. When the game is tighter and more contested, he just has to adjust that a little as he doesn't quite have the same amount of space to execute as he normally does.

He will do this.

It's not like Sholl who relies on more space to be able to execute, Soligo actually seeks the contest and will thrive. I think he's just discovering that there are levels in this game and you need to adjust accordingly.

He will be a main stay of the midfield.

Pairing him with guys with similar reaction times would be what I would be doing.

For example a Soligo with Rankine next to him would be deadly.
 

John Who

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Apr 16, 2017
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Soligo is a standout without being a standout. Ok, hear me out..

He has clear elite skills with his decision making and his foot disposals under pressure. I really think he has similar traits to a Zak Butters and his potential is thereabouts.

The trick is to compare Soligo in 2023 with a second-year Butters in 2020.
788BE432-E14A-43E7-B647-D09C897A5CC8.jpeg

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So while Soligo may appear to have stagnated, he is definitely improving and his stats show he is actually doing better than Butters in his second year (better marks and disposals average). The big question now is, will the improve be a linear one and can he be as good as Butters after 4-5 years in the AFL system? I say, for right now, why not?
 
Last edited:
Aug 6, 2021
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Soligo is a standout without being a standout. Ok, here me out..

He has clear elite skills with his decision making and his foot disposals under pressure. I really think he has similar traits to a Zak Butters and his potential is thereabouts.

The trick is to compare Soligo in 2023 with a second-year Butters in 2020.
View attachment 1710715
View attachment 1710716

So while Soligo may appear to have stagnated, he is definitely improving and his stats show he is actually doing better than Butters in his second year (better marks and disposals average). The big question now is, will the improve be a linear one and can he be as good as Butters after 4-5 years in the AFL system? I say, for right now, why not?
I don’t think Jake’s ceiling is quite as high as Butters.

The toughness, cleanness and strength over the ball is definitely there, as well as the decision making and ball use.

However Butters has an extra yard of pace and greater agility which separates him.

Jake will still be an excellent player, but Butters is on a Brownlow/multiple AA trajectory, and I don’t think Soligo will get to that level.
 
Aug 17, 2007
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I reckon Sog had "stagnated" while Murphy has been playing well.

Personally don't think Sog has stagnated, just playing a lesser role than the first few games.

Could be part of load management. Murphy playing the stoppage to stoppage mid role with Sog playing forward mid.



No concerns over Sog. He will slot back into Murphy's current role.

And that makes the side stronger. Murphy is ok, but Sog has a much higher ceiling.

On SM-A325F using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
Oct 1, 2004
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Isn't he like a Jason Porplyzia? Clean, classy and value for possessions.
 

NSolis

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Soligo's performance as a centre clearance mid is quite good for a 20 year old. He's attending around 25% of our centre bounces this year and averaging a centre clearance 15% of the time. For comparison, Laird is an excellent centre clearance mid and is at 14%, Pedlar is at 24% (!), guys like Sloane, Keays and Rachele at around 8-9% and Dawson at 6%. Neale is probably the best centre clearance mid in the AFL and is also at 15%.

I don't think it's quite fair to do a direct comparison with guys who are in there every time, but there's some signs there. A possible future setup might be to have Soligo be an in-and-under type in the Laird style, while Rachele plays a bit more outside like Dawson. Anyway, just wanted to highlight this as I think Soligo has had a middling year and I wasn't aware of his performance in this area.
 
Mar 28, 2011
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Yeah I’m not at all worried about Soli. He’s going to have up-and-down games as a second-year, 20yo mid/wing/forward, but he’s stayed classy and cool-headed in traffic, both at stoppages and at CBAs

My hope would be that he gets up to an average of 40-50% CBAs next year
 

John Who

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Apr 16, 2017
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I don’t think Jake’s ceiling is quite as high as Butters.

The toughness, cleanness and strength over the ball is definitely there, as well as the decision making and ball use.

However Butters has an extra yard of pace and greater agility which separates him.

Jake will still be an excellent player, but Butters is on a Brownlow/multiple AA trajectory, and I don’t think Soligo will get to that level.
That’s the whole point of me making such a comparison specific to Butters. I currently rate Butters as the number one player in the comp. So if we’re comparing the trajectories, and not the literal comparison, Soligo is setting himself well for a real push to the A-grade category in 2-3 years.

Personally I don’t think Soligo is stagnating, but because more attention is given to him by the opposition team. Also his fitness and power will come more naturally in the next few years, which will allow him more chance to win more balls against the more elite mids/taggers.
 
Nov 6, 2003
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Yeah I’m not at all worried about Soli. He’s going to have up-and-down games as a second-year, 20yo mid/wing/forward, but he’s stayed classy and cool-headed in traffic, both at stoppages and at CBAs

My hope would be that he gets up to an average of 40-50% CBAs next year
There was a much greater sense of urgency from Soligo this week .....a reaction, no doubt, to the hard review he was given after last week

I like seeing players respond ....it shows they've taken the feedback on board
 
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