Opinion Sidebottom

[Seedsfan]

Hope you don't mind the intrusion guys, I wanted to offer a Geelong supporter's opinion.

From day one, Sidebottom has reminded me of Steve Johnson - they're two of the most skilful and creative players in the league. Johnson debuted in 2002 but didn't start playing consistently good football until 2007 - since then he's been one of the most elite players in the game.

I see Sidebottom's career trajectory as somewhat similar. You may wish he'd already made AA teams and been labelled a superstar at age 23, but he's a very valuable player who is yet to reach his peak. I have tipped him for the ANZAC medal a couple of times as I always expect him to play well in big games.

You have a gem of a player and if he wanted to leave Collingwood there would be 17 other clubs lining up for his services.

Just think if the doctors at the Pies didn't **** up we would have had them both. But what has really impressed my with Sidebottom is his ability to play well in big games. I always think of the 2009 semi v Adelaide, I know Jack Anthony is remembered for kicking the game winner but when we looked down and out in the first half it was Sidebottom who kick started the revival. Not just through his ball winning ability but 10 tackles for a first year player. Ever since that game I have been a massive fan of his.

 

[Pie eyed]

I think people expected him to be in the Pendlebury league

I do not think he will ever be elite just a very good player think players like

Jordan Lewis
David Mundy

A player like Graeme Wright or Mick McGuane thanks very much.
Dunno those other spuds.
Sidey is a long term second tier player, the type clubs and flags are built on.

 

[jmac70]

Defiantly, we could get a good trade for him.

Your not doing your street cred any favours dude.

 

[Mame]

His strengths are he is an outside mid who has endurance. Unfortunately this is the ideal player to tag out of the game, a la Stanton. He works through it sometimes but sometimes he doesn't. The difficultly over the last two years has been that there has been less potent mids playing that warrant a tag (Ball, Beams).

This year, there'll be a trade-off between going for Sidebottom or a far more damaging mid. You can't tag all of Swan, Pendles and Beams. They're all guns. Add to that that Sidebottom could improve again, given his young age, and someone's bound to get off the chain. Any which way Sidey is down list. He hasn't had that luxury for two seasons and he's still improving.

 

[TheFreshBanana]

Pretty sure he said his main focus this preseason was strength.

 

[Gone Critical]

Just think if the doctors at the Pies didn't **** up we would have had them both. But what has really impressed my with Sidebottom is his ability to play well in big games. I always think of the 2009 semi v Adelaide, I know Jack Anthony is remembered for kicking the game winner but when we looked down and out in the first half it was Sidebottom who kick started the revival. Not just through his ball winning ability but 10 tackles for a first year player. Ever since that game I have been a massive fan of his.

Agree big time with this. We had 2 players on our list that stood up in finals big time as young players. Only one now, Steele. I see him as really important for our future.

 

[cleomenes]

The criticism rampant here is dumb. Very good players are hard to come by. Bagging them for what they are not the best at makes no sense when they do what they can do so well. Sidebottom will never be Lewis Jetta. There is nothing he can do to give himself blistering pace. He can go with anyone for endurance though. He knows he can't kick like hawthorn's Suckling. He doesn't try. He passes shorter because that's what he can do. He gets the ball. He gets the ball a lot. Celebrate what we have, which is a really good player.

 

[jackcass]

For mine, if he's ever going to become elite he needs to improve:

• Consistency;
• Disposal; and
• Decision making.

Definitely has a great big game record and still young so not beyond the realms of possibility. Easily among the top players at the club and I think his performances to date tend to create great enthusiam among supporters for him to go to the next level.

 

[jackcass]

He played every game for the year with an average of 24 disposals. If that's not consistent what is?

Stats don't always tell the full story and averages by their very nature mean numbers above and numbers below.

For me, it's about how many of those disposals advantaged the team or put us in a better than 50/50 scenario, how many of those disposals put a team mate under the hammer because of too much hang time or generally poor delivery. That's the frustration and why I consider him to be inconsistent.

 

[jackcass]

3rd in our b&f last year, had 25 touches and 8 tackles in first practice match but had an ordinary second one (albeit with another 7 tackles).

DROP HIM NOW, HE'S GAWN!!!

Yes he had 25 touches but go and watch a replay and judge the quality of them. One of his early ones nearly got Armstrong killed and there were several others where he dished off handballs to blokes standing flat footed and surrounded by a swarm of Geelong players... and that's just his handballs, some of his kicks weren't much better... and that's the frustration... and that's why people question his consistency...

 

[HappyRed]

He got third in the Copeland trophy last season. He's one of the most composed, fittest, consistent and durable young players on our list. I have no idea why people think he is in trouble or that we should trade him. He plays two bad NAB games and people panic.

Last year he played all sorts of different roles so I think this hampered his development a little, I'd hardly say he had a poor year though.

He was in career best form in 2012 at the start of the season because he was playing more midfield minutes due to lack of Luke Ball. He did trail off that form, but he was still in good touch towards the end of the season, just not elite.

He doesn't put his body on the line in terms of diving to the bottom of packs (except for early 2012) or going back with the flight because he isn't the kind of player that plays that way. He is rarely in those positions.

He is a skillful, endurance outside midfielder and one of the top ten players in our team and "on top of that he is only 23."

I hope he is a pie for life.

I agree.. I think the final words sums it up better. He "IS" only 23. There is plenty of time for development. Have faith.

 

[Rusty22]

Will become a champion Collingwood player

 

[millsy29gopies]

I believe at the end of his career Steelo will hold the Collingwood games record. He's only 23, has already amassed 108 matches and his endurance and durability is second to none. A very valuable player who should not even be thought of being traded.

 

[mike123]

I believe at the end of his career Steelo will hold the Collingwood games record. He's only 23, has already amassed 108 matches and his endurance and durability is second to none. A very valuable player who should not even be thought of being traded.

One of Sidebottom's greatest strengths is his tank and hard running ability. They tend to go away once you get old. Can't see Sidebottom playing on till he get the record of games.

 

[mattys123]

I believe at the end of his career Steelo will hold the Collingwood games record. He's only 23, has already amassed 108 matches and his endurance and durability is second to none. A very valuable player who should not even be thought of being traded.

Yep, I reckon those with endurance will also be benefited by the interchange cap, in fact it may go as far as saving Marty Clarke's career (just not with us I reckon).

Good examples of endurance based players who kept going well past their 30th birthday were Robert Harvey and Michael Tuck, they ran all day and just kept going well into their 30's.

What's Steele got to go, 200 games or so, that's 9 seasons basically without injury with a few finals thrown in, should be easy for him.

 

[Smoocher]

The guy looked like he was going to be a superstar.

Dominated the Drawn Grand Final and Replay.

Played very well in 2011.

Started well in 2012 and tailed off. Ok, fine these things happen.

IMO he was poor for most of 2013. Did not put his body on the line (and I know it's not only about that) but he seems to be playing like Bryce Gibbs atm.

I am a little concerned. Overreaction or appropriate reaction?

I made the comment after that Grand Final that he was going to be an absolute superstar. He looked like he had so much time when he got the ball and had great awareness of how each play will unfold. It seems he has stalled a little but he is still young and could reach his full potential.

 

[Boris the Contradiction]

He seems to be one of those players that is pretty good at everything but elite at nothing (ok he has elite endurance).

Pretty much this. He is a pretty good player who could be a very good one with more consistency. He was vastly overrated early in his career and is paying for it now due to the fans' unrealistic expectations.

It is time for him to step up and be a leader. He tends to float through too many games and even when he plays well is never very influential. He needs to improve that if he wants to take the next step. Stokes at Geelong is an example of a player who has been able to. We could be premiership contenders if we were able to fix our one biggest problem which to me is the chasm between our best players and those in the 7-15 bracket. We have five or six players who are genuinely elite and top 8 in their positions but then noone (except maybe Ball depending on fitness) in that 'very good' bracket. Sidey needs to go to that level. I don't subscribe to the 'he was top three in the Copeland' calls either. He wasn't nearly our third best player last year. Someone like Harry for instance had a far superior year.

I agree with the calls for him to play forward. He can be genuinely dangerous around goal. He can actually influence games there.

 

[Baltimore Jack]

For mine, if he's ever going to become elite he needs to improve:

• Consistency;
• Disposal; and
• Decision making.

Definitely has a great big game record and still young so not beyond the realms of possibility. Easily among the top players at the club and I think his performances to date tend to create great enthusiam among supporters for him to go to the next level.

Here are some of his 2013 Stats

* 2nd most number of kicks
* 1st in short kicks
* 4th in marks taken
* 4th in Handballs
* 3rd in Handball receives
* 5th in Hard Ball Gets
* 3rd in Lose Ball gets

* 3rd in the Copeland

I'm not sure what more supporters want him to do

 

[Karate Feel]

You would probably find that Sidey has a role every week.He still has upside and is certainly ahead of alot of players on our list.With the talent we have in our midfield its hard to have 30 touches every week.If he was at another club with more time in the midfield i reckon people would be saying how good he is.Unselfish player who is a natural footballer, big game player and can run all day.Great kid.

 

[Tippy78]

Here are some of his 2013 Stats

* 2nd most number of kicks
* 1st in short kicks
* 4th in marks taken
* 4th in Handballs
* 3rd in Handball receives
* 5th in Hard Ball Gets
* 3rd in Lose Ball gets

* 3rd in the Copeland

I'm not sure what more supporters want him to do

The hard ball stat surprises me. I feel like his only real weakness is he doesn't win many one on one contests. He is more than capable of getting it out from a pack situation and laying a good tackle, but put him one on one on the wing and I feel like he loses far more contests than he wins.

 

[Vicky Park]

Steele, fantastic big occasion player, almost pulled off the Norm Smith in our GF win. But lets not forget his other achievement in 2010:

http://nameoftheyear.blogspot.com.au/2010/06/your-2010-name-of-year.html

and this ode to Steele:

 

[soreplums]

Seems to me to be a natural traditional centre man.

Would like him to be that link up player who could use his kicking ability to set up play through an attacking kick from half back or pin pointing a forward on the chest. Would also like him to continue drifting forward to kick more goals.

 

[jackcass]

Here are some of his 2013 Stats

* 2nd most number of kicks
* 1st in short kicks
* 4th in marks taken
* 4th in Handballs
* 3rd in Handball receives
* 5th in Hard Ball Gets
* 3rd in Lose Ball gets

* 3rd in the Copeland

I'm not sure what more supporters want him to do

As I said, easily among the top players at the club, just said he needs to improve his consistency, disposal, and decision making to go to the next level.

 

[TheWing121]

As I said, easily among the top players at the club, just said he needs to improve his consistency, disposal, and decision making to go to the next level.

I don't understand this consistency part. You don't finish top 5 in most relevant stats at the club and not be consistent.

 

[THATSGOLD]

He steps up in big games. That's what matters like the way Daisy was a big game player.