The change in Deledio

[ize_]

Should be considered a top 15 player in the comp by years end. Make no mistake, he has improved dramatically this year. Has perfected his game and pretty much has no weaknesses now. Freakish gun of the highest order.

 

[Dustin Credible]

Starting to become the player we'd hoped he be. Has been immense so far this year.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Not sure he has changed much at all, apart from obvious natural maturing. The role he is asked to play has changed, as has the team around him.

Laughing at anyone who thinks he relies on others. One of the best contested ball winners in our club, and has been at that level for years, despite often not being asked to do that.

You can laugh all you wish DD , the fact is he doesn't win as many clearances as a Tuck or Cotchin , which given his run , carry and kicking ability , probably shouldn't be asked to .
The use of him this year often off the back of the square, Dusty has also been used in this role, IMO is a great move to utilize their long kicking ability .

 

[TOOs_Finest]

You can laugh all you wish DD , the fact is he doesn't win as many clearances as a Tuck or Cotchin , which given his run , carry and kicking ability , probably shouldn't be asked to .
The use of him this year often off the back of the square, Dusty has also been used in this role, IMO is a great move to utilize their long kicking ability .

That's simply because he is rarely asked to play that role RP. He is by far the best disposer of a football in our team, so disposing of the ball under as little pressure as possible is what he is asked to do. That is why he was told to sit on the HBF for two years, and is rarely given credit for doing what he was asked (without saying Boo), and doing it damn well, despite preferring to be up the ground.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

That's simply because he is rarely asked to play that role RP. He is by far the best disposer of a football in our team, so disposing of the ball under as little pressure as possible is what he is asked to do. That is why he was told to sit on the HBF for two years, and is rarely given credit for doing what he was asked (without saying Boo), and doing it damn well, despite preferring to be up the ground.

He is close if not the best disposer over 40 Metres on his preferred side .
He did also mention in a few article IIRC , words to the effect of, that he wasn't that happy playing off a half back flank , or , would prefer to play midfield but this is where the clubs wants me to play so I'm happy to do so . Which to me is the diplomatic way of saying I ****ing hate playing off a half back flank .

 

[TigerTime88]

I disagree Deledio is a clearance player when he wants to be. He was diving on the pill the other night and because of his height he always gets the hands clear.

Stupid comment saying he relies on others...

 

[Roachy8]

He is close if not the best disposer over 40 Metres on his preferred side .
He did also mention in a few article IIRC , words to the effect of, that he wasn't that happy playing off a half back flank , or , would prefer to play midfield but this is where the clubs wants me to play so I'm happy to do so . Which to me is the diplomatic way of saying I ****ing hate playing off a half back flank .

Or it is a diplomatic way of saying "I would prefer to play in the midfield but as a team player, I am happy to play off half back if I'm needed there".

 

[Roachy8]

I disagree Deledio is a clearance player when he wants to be. He was diving on the pill the other night and because of his height he always gets the hands clear.

Stupid comment saying he relies on others...

Correct... Lids is a fine clearance player when he needs to be... 5 on Sat night only behind Cotchin's 6.

 

[delediofan3]

I looked up some stats.

2012 so far
Average disposals - 28.0 - highest average in his career
Average contested possessions - 8.6
Average uncontested possessions - 19.0
Average clearances - 2.9 - just shy of his best career average of 3.1 in 2009
Average rebounds - 1.8 - obviously his rebounds off 50 from the last couple of years of 3.7 and 4.2 when he was off the half-back and was also in consideration of All Australian but Hodge beat him to it.
Average tackles - 4.8 - another career high average, his 10 tackles on the weekend would've helped

For a midfielder he is in real contention for an AA jumper with the amount of possessions he's getting, even in his quiet games. What also supports his case for All Australian at this point in the season is that his disposal efficiency is very even his whole career at 70 something

 

[TOOs_Finest]

He is close if not the best disposer over 40 Metres on his preferred side .
He did also mention in a few article IIRC , words to the effect of, that he wasn't that happy playing off a half back flank , or , would prefer to play midfield but this is where the clubs wants me to play so I'm happy to do so . Which to me is the diplomatic way of saying I ****ing hate playing off a half back flank .

Mate, you've hit the nail on the head with the last part. Absolutely he'd prefer to have played up the ground the last two years. His performance over that time as close to our best and most consistent performer despite this is a credit to him. A lot of other players from our club and from other clubs would have spat the dummy in that situation.

And you can add top 2-3 disposers under all circumstances on both sides over all distances

 

[Nostradumbass]

Cotchin and Deledio co-captains next year?

One will wear 1 and the other 7 or 10 and 7.

 

[AS211]

He still handballs too much.

He dished off a handball to Nahas who had his back to goal on the weekend when he should have backed himself to kick it.

Probably stands too still at clearances still and struggles to be first to the ball, does alot of tackling of players who read the tap better.

Had 3 tackles in three stoppages on the weekend, it's good that when he cant extract the ball he's halving the contest.

If he got moving more he'd win more clearances.

Which is interesting because outside the stoppage he is constantly on the move which is why he's getting so many handball receives, he's running from contest to contest well.

It's a principle he needs to apply at the stoppage, it's much easier to find space when you are moving.

 

[TOOs_Finest]

He still handballs too much.

He dished off a handball to Nahas who had his back to goal on the weekend when he should have backed himself to kick it.

Probably stands too still at clearances still and struggles to be first to the ball, does alot of tackling of players who read the tap better.

Had 3 tackles in three stoppages on the weekend, it's good that when he cant extract the ball he's halving the contest.

If he got moving more he'd win more clearances.

Which is interesting because outside the stoppage he is constantly on the move which is why he's getting so many handball receives, he's running from contest to contest well.

It's a principle he needs to apply at the stoppage, it's much easier to find space when you are moving.

He is the player we want receiving the ball from stoppages. At the same time, we want him to lay tackles if the opposition clearances specialists beat ours to the ball. When he has to go in and get it, he does. But preference is for him to receive the ball from the Tucks, Foleys, etc.

On his handballing, I agree you'd prefer to see him kick as often as possible, but on the flip side, am absolutely satisfied that he will never be classed as a non-team player. That is how the improvement in the team around him is a big factor. The fact he is able to share the ball with better users now helps to make him look better in turn. In the role Nahas is supposed to play, if handballing to him is a mistake, that's a blight on Nahas, not Deledio.

 

[Reckoner Tiger]

Oh geez I am falling in love with this bloke all over again.

I know it is characteristic of Richmond suppporters to look at the future rather than now...but please just picture this starting midfield, 2013:

Maric, Cotchin, Deledio, Martin, Conca, Tuck/Foley.

Now Cotchin is even better than this year but is still not as fit as he could be/will be after another pre-season. Expect him to lift his average touches from 25 to around 30 next season and be well and truly one of the competitions very best mids and in Brownlow contention.

Deledio's output will be the same as this year - elite. Should be All Australian by year's end if this form continues and that will not change.

Martin will have another year of improvement, education and inconsistent form in his 3rd year, but will obviously be even better next year. I for one will be hoping he becomes the A-grade consistent machine next season (a-la Dangerfield) and that takes our number of absolute elite midfielders to 3.

Conca will be entering his third season and be a great contributor. Should mould his game on Marc Murphy and add depth to our starting mids next season.

Just look at that picture. Could be almost undisputably the best starting midfield of any club in the comp. With this newfound improvement of Deledio the dream is well and truly coming true. I must now change my pants.

 

[Rustof]

One will wear 1 and the other 7 or 10 and 7.

Will they have to run side by side all game?

 

[Raptor]

Its very simple. He is maturing.

 

[tigerfan11]

He is close if not the best disposer over 40 Metres on his preferred side .
He did also mention in a few article IIRC , words to the effect of, that he wasn't that happy playing off a half back flank , or , would prefer to play midfield but this is where the clubs wants me to play so I'm happy to do so . Which to me is the diplomatic way of saying I ****ing hate playing off a half back flank .

he is clearly the best on both sides over all distances.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

he is clearly the best on both sides over all distances.

I disagree .

 

[TOOs_Finest]

he is clearly the best on both sides over all distances.

I disagree .

I'm with RP on this. It's only true for no more than 98% of cases.

 

[brett15]

Smashed Shaw and Lonergan tags in his last two games.

Always said he could handle tags, but outsiders have never wanted to pay attention to his form from 2009.

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Smashed Shaw and Lonergan tags in his last two games.

Always said he could handle tags, but outsiders have never wanted to pay attention to his form from 2009.

Have seen nothing to suggest that Lids was tagged by shaw or lonergan , by no means does that mean it didn't happen . I have always questioned his ability to handle the oppositions best tagger and have seen nothing of late to change that , the real plus for the club is that he isn't getting the opposing sides best tagger and is making them pay . FWIW at this stage of his career I think dusty is much the same .

 

[NZ_Tiger]

Have seen nothing to suggest that Lids was tagged by shaw or lonergan , by no means does that mean it didn't happen . I have always questioned his ability to handle the oppositions best tagger and have seen nothing of late to change that , the real plus for the club is that he isn't getting the opposing sides best tagger and is making them pay . FWIW at this stage of his career I think dusty is much the same .

On the last game i thought Lonergan and Hocking tried to go with him at stages but neither had the pace or engine so they had to keep the hard tag on Cotchin. Stanton might have been an option but they choose to keep him free while we kept Lids free. In the end we lost the shootout.

 

[Madison]

Have seen nothing to suggest that Lids was tagged by shaw or lonergan , by no means does that mean it didn't happen . I have always questioned his ability to handle the oppositions best tagger and have seen nothing of late to change that , the real plus for the club is that he isn't getting the opposing sides best tagger and is making them pay . FWIW at this stage of his career I think dusty is much the same .

You don't go to games? Shaw never left his side. Might not have been obvious on TV but was very obvious at the G.

 

[tigerfan11]

You don't go to games? Shaw never left his side. Might not have been obvious on TV but was very obvious at the G.

it wasn't obvious to me on the tv that this was the case. but i wasn't specifically looking for a tag on lids either. but a number of times at stoppages etc he seemed to have a bit of space. and i doubt that very few taggers would be able to keep up with him in open space during general play these days. he certainly got off the leash alot against essendon if he was taggged the whole game.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

Elite. Another 8 tackles today. Wonder if the "outside receiver" tag will be shed soon.