Toast Sam De Koning

[fpm84]

Time to give SDK his own thread before his Rising Star nomination this afternoon

Fantastic start to the season and you can literally see him grow in confidence each week. Already plays like a 50-gamer and seems destined for a very successful career.

Also a bit of media love this morning, with Garry Lyon talking SDK up as one of the stories of the season and questioning why he's not one of the Rising Star favourites:

 

[D BRIDGE]

Looking very nice.... and will improve tons.

 

[dazbroncos]

Very firm with this.

Posted a similar thought to twitter...

But in SDK you can the HT effect. He knows when to, as a defender, be offensive and go for the mark but more importantly, when to spoil.
And the spoils are generally well directed. He's very quick on the first 3 steps to and reads the ball very well in flight - a massive bonus.
He doesn't mind contact either, front or from the side.
His skills ball in hand exceed one of the models of his defending game (IMO) - Domsy.

His hands are really good and his vision to clear the ball in traffic exceed both Domsy and HT for that matter.

Without making him into the next 400 game defender better than Scarlo, Boris, Wojo, HT, Domsy and Dasher combined, he's gonna have more struggles and will have days or weeks when its not going his way.

The games must be fed to him continuously and given the time to learn the game.

but for 8 games - may be the best performed under 10 gamer in this position we've had in a long, long long time.

The ceiling appears to be very very high here.

GO Catters

 

[#cats2021]

Will be a multi AA. I can smell a Carji in his future.

 

[Drunkcat]

Very good with them long arms to get a spoil in, will still have up and downs at his age, will take mark of the year one year

 

[goyoucatters]

Both an athlete and a very natural footballer. The ease of either marking the footy or bringing a really effective spoil is testimony to his adaptability to every situation.

I had high expectations for what he could bring as a senior player. But even they have been smashed with how effortless he has made it look in a stack of high pressure situations down back. And that's before you even factor in the difference he made at the 'wrong' end of the ground late in the Pies game.

Will have plenty of even bigger challenges to come, and won't pass them all with flying colours at this point in his career. But we have an absolute ripper on our hands here, and he seems a really measured young man as well.

IWWT.

 

[PzBlinky]

What I love about his first 10 games is that he's doing it without too much support. Sure, Stewart and Blitz would be good people to learn from - but come gameday, he's the man. There's no Harry or Hendo for a chop out, and you can't put Kolo on a Wright or King type. But so far, I don't think he's been absolutely smashed once. McStay got a hold of him a little bit, but SDK still had his moments in that game.

Can't wait to see what he's capable of with a season or two under his belt.

 

[Partridge]

Highlight of the season so far.

 

[year of the cat]

We look to have the best young CHB in the game.

 

[bulletproof]

The combination of the intercept mark and the big spoil when needed is really what makes him. Harry Taylor had that ability too, though he was not over 200cm.

Great at ground level and good handballer. Makes the odd kicking error.

He may not be quite ready for Max King

12

Max King

Age

23

Ht

202cm

Wt

100kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

3star

G

1.4

5star

D

7.3

2star

K

4.7

2star

HB

2.6

2star

M

2.7

3star

T

0.7

1star

G

1.4

5star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

2.8

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

0.6

3star

G

1.4

5star

yet though. The positional stuff on a high class forward is not there yet.

He will need help on Saturday.

 

[Shadow89]

Already better than his brother 8 games in - and I think TDK has a very high ceiling himself

 

[Warhorse]

Has been beaten a few times with his positioning. Getting better with every game. I think his hands in close are exceptional, can be really attacking with releasing handballs

 

[you pick one]

Still think he's destined for bigger things down the track than just defence.This bloke's a match winner in the making.But for now he's playing the role where he's most needed and doing it well.

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Both an athlete and a very natural footballer. The ease of either marking the footy or bringing a really effective spoil is testimony to his adaptability to every situation.

I had high expectations for what he could bring as a senior player. But even they have been smashed with how effortless he has made it look in a stack of high pressure situations down back. And that's before you even factor in the difference he made at the 'wrong' end of the ground late in the Pies game.

Will have plenty of even bigger challenges to come, and won't pass them all with flying colours at this point in his career. But we have an absolute ripper on our hands here, and he seems a really measured young man as well.

IWWT.

SDK is coming along very nicely indeed and seems to be growing in confidence every week , kudos to the young man.
One aspect that is there but held in check at the moment is his attacking mindset - he seems to want to push forward and run sometimes when he takes possession. I think that will develop further and at 200+cm with his speed could start a lot of positive moves out of defence.

 

[Pollywaffle]

Like what he brings. Plenty of upside, a few extra kegs will help.
Wonder if it’s worth getting him to whisper in his brother’s ear, get him to the cats as well?

 

[Shadow89]

SDK is coming along very nicely indeed and seems to be growing in confidence every week , kudos to the young man.
One aspect that is there but held in check at the moment is his attacking mindset - he seems to want to push forward and run sometimes when he takes possession. I think that will develop further and at 200+cm with his speed could start a lot of positive moves out of defence.

Still think he's destined for bigger things down the track than just defence.This bloke's a match winner in the making.But for now he's playing the role where he's most needed and doing it well.

I honestly think the coaching staff may see him as Blicavs 2.0 in the future. Looks to already be able to play key defender, ruck, and key forward, from his VFL/AFL exposure thus far - AND he has the element of actually being able to kick well, having composure due to playing as an inside mid in under 16's, before he had his 20cm growth spurt.

The word 'ceiling' gets thrown around a lot in BF circles, but I honestly don't think we've even come close to seeing what this guy is truly capable of.

 

[Shadow89]

Like what he brings. Plenty of upside, a few extra kegs will help.
Wonder if it’s worth getting him to whisper in his brother’s ear, get him to the cats as well?

Would you leave Carlton with the way they're going at the moment? No chance he goes anywhere, IMO

 

[Pollywaffle]

Would you leave Carlton with the way they're going at the moment? No chance he goes anywhere, IMO

Yes, but it is Carlton..
All jokes aside, the two brothers are apparently quite close. Maybe they would like to play in the same team, maybe not.
Or
SDK wants to leave us and play over there......

 

[bulletproof]

I think you can be close with your brother and not potentially damage your career prospects by moving jobs.

This would hold true for both brothers btw.

 

[Shadow89]

Yes, but it is Carlton..
All jokes aside, the two brothers are apparently quite close. Maybe they would like to play in the same team, maybe not.
Or
SDK wants to leave us and play over there......

Nah he's a Geelong boy, born and bred. If TDK was at say a club like North, then I would say that allure would easily be enough to bring him home. Alas, Carlton are on the up in a massive way, and he's only an hours drive from his family, so there's no need for him to leave when success beckons

 

[Generalissimo]

I have a faint hope that Sam de Koning can also develop into a defensive 50 ruckman, similar to what Hawkins provides in the forward line. Many ruck contests inside a 50m arc end up as hurried kicks out of defense, often a bit up&under, so if your actual ruckman is waiting in the midfield to contest the mark there, that's a tactical win for you. Particularly if that ruckman is as mobile as Rhys Stanley

1

Rhys Stanley

Age

33

Ht

200cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.6

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

6.4

4star

CL

3.4

5star

HO

27.6

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

4.5

3star

CL

5.0

5star

HO

21.5

5star

D

11.8

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

6.4

4star

CL

3.0

5star

HO

33.0

5star

or Mark Blicavs

46

Mark Blicavs

Age

33

Ht

198cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

M/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.5

4star

K

6.6

3star

HB

7.9

5star

M

4.1

4star

T

4.2

5star

CL

1.7

4star

D

11.1

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.9

3star

CL

0.1

2star

D

8.6

3star

K

2.0

1star

HB

6.6

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.6

4star

CL

2.0

4star

.

 

[STPer18]

One of the most promising up-and-coming young key defenders in the entire comp. He's only going to keep getting better from here on too.

 

[Jumping Jack]

Nah he's a Geelong boy, born and bred. If TDK was at say a club like North, then I would say that allure would easily be enough to bring him home. Alas, Carlton are on the up in a massive way, and he's only an hours drive from his family, so there's no need for him to leave when success beckons

He’s not Geelong born and bred.

Unless holidaying at Torquay caravan park each summer qualifies as being local now? His brother is spotted down the coast a bit with Walsh and Curnow - who are locals.

SDK coming along nicely though. Lots of upside and perhaps a few speed bumps along the way as he develops. They won’t let him go one out against King this week.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Sttew]

He’s not Geelong born and bred.

Unless holidaying at Torquay caravan park each summer qualifies as being local now? His brother is spotted down the coast a bit with Walsh and Curnow - who are locals.

We can make him honorary Geelong born and bred

 

[Shadow89]

He’s not Geelong born and bred.

Unless holidaying at Torquay caravan park each summer qualifies as being local now? His brother is spotted down the coast a bit with Walsh and Curnow - who are locals.

SDK coming along nicely though. Lots of upside and perhaps a few speed bumps along the way as he develops. They won’t let him go one out against King this week.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

Fair enough, honestly thought they were all from down there - given what he said when he was drafted. My mistake