Nick Suban - When?

[salim malik]

For me he is one of those players who is more than handy on the list, and could be best 22 for some other clubs. As you say he is now under pressure by a small flotilla of young players, not that Suban is old. If he keeps ahead of those guys good on him, but at the moment he is on the cusp.

If someone came knocking and asking about his availability for trade I think we should be open to offers. I think there is such a thing as too much depth, and it is important to re-balance your list when the opportunity is there. I have him in a basket alongside de Boer and C Pearce as players who sit just outside best 22 who could have value for other clubs when trade time comes around.

I've been a Suban backer but have come to the same conclusion. He is no longer a 15 to 22 player .He is now a 23 to 30 type.He had a real chance to nail a spot against Brissie but fell short again.

 

[clogged]

For me he is one of those players who is more than handy on the list, and could be best 22 for some other clubs. As you say he is now under pressure by a small flotilla of young players, not that Suban is old. If he keeps ahead of those guys good on him, but at the moment he is on the cusp.

If someone came knocking and asking about his availability for trade I think we should be open to offers. I think there is such a thing as too much depth, and it is important to re-balance your list when the opportunity is there. I have him in a basket alongside de Boer and C Pearce as players who sit just outside best 22 who could have value for other clubs when trade time comes around.

I agree.

I think Clancee is gone. De Boer a chance to be traded also.

Suban will be retained, but I think being dropped against Hawthorn said a lot and was a massive step backwards for him.

 

[theGav56]

I've been a Suban backer but have come to the same conclusion. He is no longer a 15 to 22 player .He is now a 23 to 30 type.He had a real chance to nail a spot against Brissie but fell short again.

We have a pretty decent group around the 18-30 mark on our list.

Push will really come to shove next season if Morabito and Sylvia bring some pressure. I am hoping Sheridan has another gear, and players like Grey, Duffy and Ballard will be asking some questions to the coaching group too.

The other thing is that it is plausible that we may look at a forward line with three talls if Apeness and Taberner continue on their upward path. That shuffles the opportunities for smaller players a bit.

 

[FreoRicci]

Shame as he is really capable and has a massively underrated left foot that can kick goals from 50+ . Not sure what his position is. Tried as half back, half forward. He is well suited to the midfield sure, but does some good things then just goes quiet for way too long. Him and De Boer have that grunt and work ethic but lacking the skills or polish.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

I think any questions over Subes immediate future have been answered in the last couple weeks. He can cover a range of spots and has the ability to make an impact off the bench. He won't be traded for at least a couple years IMO

 

[Cobbler]

I agree.

I think Clancee is gone. De Boer a chance to be traded also.

Suban will be retained, but I think being dropped against Hawthorn said a lot and was a massive step backwards for him.

Not sure on this one. Had a really interrupted season with injuries. Is a WA boy so is a must keep for depth. We can't just be trading off all these blokes who aren't in the best 22 right now. They have all played major parts in getting us to where we are.

You have deBoer, Morabito, Sheridan, Suban, Clancee, Silvagni who can all play a role and could still get a part in September. All are reasonably young.

We have Duffy, Apeness as youngsters who have shown a bit in limited time.

deBoer is a great clubman and the choice will be his I believe.

I wouldn't want to see any of those blokes go, but Suban for me is the one who frustrates but would have some value if trading.

 

[Righteo]

The knock on Suban is always going to be the fact he doesn't get enough of the footy and therefore can't contribute consistently over 4 quarters.

 

[Cobbler]

The knock on Suban is always going to be the fact he doesn't get enough of the footy and therefore can't contribute consistently over 4 quarters.

He's probably best used as an outside player, but we have Hill and Pearce who are quicker. When Hill was injured he filled that role very well.

He unfortunately sits in the depth player category for this reason.

Would we straight swap for Casboult? Something about this guy I rate, although he was deplorable against us and kicks worse then Pearce.

 

[Righteo]

He's probably best used as an outside player, but we have Hill and Pearce who are quicker. When Hill was injured he filled that role very well.

He unfortunately sits in the depth player category for this reason.

Would we straight swap for Casboult? Something about this guy I rate, although he was deplorable against us and kicks worse then Pearce.

Not quite good enough inside and not quite good enough outside, and as you mention we have coverage for both areas. I wonder if we could package Suban/MDB for a player and a second rounder from Carlton/Melbourne. Never know we could actually steal a first rounder although that's a little tougher now than Schwabolly is no longer a factor at the Dees.

Have always been a fan of his but I have never been quite sure what his roles were or what is even expected of him other than the usual great effort.

 

[Cobbler]

Not quite good enough inside and not quite good enough outside, and as you mention we have coverage for both areas. I wonder if we could package Suban/MDB for a player and a second rounder from Carlton/Melbourne. Never know we could actually steal a first rounder although that's a little tougher now than Schwabolly is no longer a factor at the Dees.

Have always been a fan of his but I have never been quite sure what his roles were or what is even expected of him other than the usual great effort.

Jack Watts? Casboult?

Really don't think deBoer will go anywhere, but could understand Suban leaving.

I won't be disappointed having Suban as depth, selfishly. But if he can net us another tall forward then could be ok.

I also wouldn't mind Watts at Freo playing as a loose tall type, but only if it meant losing Suban etc. Think the number 1 tag only holds value for so long and that time has well and truly passed.

 

[pokerspiv]

I think any questions over Subes immediate future have been answered in the last couple weeks. He can cover a range of spots and has the ability to make an impact off the bench. He won't be traded for at least a couple years IMO

He was subbed off yesterday after a poor 3 quarters and is a raging favourite to be dropped for the finals, so I don't see how you can say that.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

He was subbed off yesterday after a poor 3 quarters and is a raging favourite to be dropped for the finals, so I don't see how you can say that.

Because he will be dropped for the best player in the comp. Any of the outside boys go down he's got their left foot covered without having to tweak structures. He's a bloody good safety net.

 

[Nickos66]

While he didn't star yesterday, I wouldn't say he was a liability in any sense. He did some good things, but obviously he'll make way for Fyfe. Like de Boer - Handy depth.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

The knock on Suban is always going to be the fact he doesn't get enough of the footy and therefore can't contribute consistently over 4 quarters.

Makes a bloody good sub though.
We have to maintain quality depth.

 

[Outshined]

I think the problem with Suban lies in the fact that he occasionally shows for a quarter or two how good he could be, but it appears intermittently at best, and he inevitably ends up hovering around a stock standard 15 possession game.

No right foot hurts too, very predictable. As everyone is saying though, he's good depth and could be an excellent sub in the short term.

 

[Righteo]

Makes a bloody good sub though.
We have to maintain quality depth.

Easier said than done, there aren't many players content with just being "depth".

 

[Fred Ziffel]

The sub is now a strategic role.
There was a time when Fremantle would share it around. We even had Dylan Roberton as a sub on at least one occasion.
Those days are gone and we now ensure we have an impact player as the sub.
Suban is as good a sub as we have as well as being a valuable depth midfielder forward.
More value in holding onto him I reckon. Always a good idea to retain nice kicks.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

Easier said than done, there aren't many players content with just being "depth".

That's the paradox.
Premiership teams are built from having great depth. We need to ask how has Geelong kept their depth and for that matter Hawthorn who have been top shelf for several years.
It is fair to say injuries kill clubs' seasons. We have just finished top 4 on the back of our depth.
We need to find the formula for retaining it and trading Suban is not the way. if we can keep him we should.
We need 30 in our best 22.

 

[Lost_Deputy]

Easier said than done, there aren't many players content with just being "depth".

At a club in their window? He is clearly "just" fringe. Silvagni has stuck it out for bit waiting on one role. Subes can fill a bunch.

 

[Bicco]

That's the paradox.
Premiership teams are built from having great depth. We need to ask how has Geelong kept their depth and for that matter Hawthorn who have been top shelf for several years.
It is fair to say injuries kill clubs' seasons. We have just finished top 4 on the back of our depth.
We need to find the formula for retaining it and trading Suban is not the way. if we can keep him we should.
We need 30 in our best 22.

With regards to the Hawks and Geelong, one thing in common is that they've both lost their best player at some point. The sky hasn't fallen in on either of them. This is why when the Mundy talk was about I wrote that losing him as a FA may not have been a bad thing. We would have gotten a pick after our first pick as compo and someone would be forced to fill the void.

 

[Latro]

Geelong did lose fringe players but they always had other fringe players to cover them. They lost Mumford before he played for them and quite a few midfielders.

 

[yakka man]

Suban is one of the more trade-able players on our list now imo, I'm 50/50 on him. On one hand I would like to keep him because he is a very good kick of the Footy and we need more of them. On the other hand he has gone nowhere in six years, doesn't do the one percenters etc.

 

[pokerspiv]

The sub is now a strategic role.
There was a time when Fremantle would share it around. We even had Dylan Roberton as a sub on at least one occasion.
Those days are gone and we now ensure we have an impact player as the sub.

Do we?

Ibbo, Clancee and De Boer have all been the sub a couple of times this year. I wouldn't classify any of them as impact players. No more than anyone else in the team anyway.

 

[TheMcManusNose]

Do we?

Ibbo, Clancee and De Boer have all been the sub a couple of times this year. I wouldn't classify any of them as impact players. No more than anyone else in the team anyway.

Yeah I actually agree with you given I think Ibbo and Clancee have been sub a few times. De Boer I think plays it well, he comes out hard - I think it was the Saints game he had immediate impact coming off the bench, although no one else really helped.

 

[Unique Name]

The sub is now a strategic role.
There was a time when Fremantle would share it around. We even had Dylan Roberton as a sub on at least one occasion.
Those days are gone and we now ensure we have an impact player as the sub.
Suban is as good a sub as we have as well as being a valuable depth midfielder forward.
More value in holding onto him I reckon. Always a good idea to retain nice kicks.

Fred, what do you think that strategy should be?

Personally I've always thought a teams sub should be a hard hitting midfielder and his main role should be to come on in the third quarter and 'legally' rough up the tiring opposition players as much as he can. Throw him in the middle at every clearance and tell him to make sure that one of the opposition players gets up slow. That's impact.

To say anything about the sub coming on and bagging a handle full of goals is stupid because that can't be guaranteed and if you thought he could kick goals at will then he would be best 21. To have your sub as a running player with a strategy of just run, run and run again is silly. You can't be guaranteed that's what the team needs. But I can tell you with certainty that an opposition team will have tired players that will tire even quicker when a sub comes on and runs straight through them. Suban could be this guy. Imagine if it became a thing of fear for the opposition teams knowing that he's on the ground completely fresh and looking to inflict some hurt.