Review Winners and losers 2022 draft

Jun 11, 2007
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What's this star quality need you keep going on about?

Wasn't that Stringer and Shiel??

Merrett is a 2 x AA midfielder? Parish is an AA midfielder?

I think if Tsatas has the career Merrett has had, you will be doing extremely well, but if he's not considered a "star" by Bombers fans? What then is your expectation?
The top tier - Dusty, Bont, Cripps etc.
pretty much bang on

if I was confident we'd see 2021 Stringer again, then I'd be hopeful.
Merrett is a good accumulator and user, but not a game winner
Parish is a good accumulator, but not a game winner.
Shiel is an elite runner. but again, does not hit the scoreboard/set-up scoring.

Expectation wise, I'd like to see Tsatas become more like Oliver. Bring a bit of size and hard running, and his damage is his ability to always be where the ball is so he's getting first hands to it.

I don't think we have a Bont/Cripps type unless Perkins can become more of a mid. I think he has the skill and size. But we need to see it as more than a cameo role.
 
May 28, 2013
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pretty much bang on

if I was confident we'd see 2021 Stringer again, then I'd be hopeful.
Merrett is a good accumulator and user, but not a game winner
Parish is a good accumulator, but not a game winner.
Shiel is an elite runner. but again, does not hit the scoreboard/set-up scoring.

Expectation wise, I'd like to see Tsatas become more like Oliver. Bring a bit of size and hard running, and his damage is his ability to always be where the ball is so he's getting first hands to it.

I don't think we have a Bont/Cripps type unless Perkins can become more of a mid. I think he has the skill and size. But we need to see it as more than a cameo role.
Yep - same at North - we need a match winner and someone that can rip a final apart. Long time since we had a top 5 player in the comp.
 
Mar 13, 2008
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Adelaide - I don't mind the selections based on where they picked. Dowling is my pick of the two players.
Brisbane - Well, basically knocked it out of the park without even trying.
Collingwood - Love their first two selections, basically picked the sliders and whoever feel to their picks.
Carlton - I am assuming they picked based on coaches requirements for outside run, not completely my cup of tea but Cowen was a nice selection based on draft pick
Essendon - Solid draft and securing Davey on the cheap was certainly worth while.
Freo - Boring picks other than Knoble who I think will be good long term.
Geelong - Solid with what they have
GCS - Boring
GWS - I feel like they had some great plans that got destroyed by clubs picking their players.
Hawks - Like their first pick, then they went a little weird for my liking.
Melbourne - Not sure I like their picks
Port Adelaide - Throwing darts, not sure how I feel about their picks.
Richmond - I really like the picks they selected, based on their position.
Saints - Boom or bust selections, but I feel like there are plenty of busts.
Sydney - No doubt they know better than me, I was not impressed.
Doggies - They nailed their selections.
 
Jan 7, 2011
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pretty much bang on

if I was confident we'd see 2021 Stringer again, then I'd be hopeful.
Merrett is a good accumulator and user, but not a game winner
Parish is a good accumulator, but not a game winner.
Shiel is an elite runner. but again, does not hit the scoreboard/set-up scoring.

Expectation wise, I'd like to see Tsatas become more like Oliver. Bring a bit of size and hard running, and his damage is his ability to always be where the ball is so he's getting first hands to it.

I don't think we have a Bont/Cripps type unless Perkins can become more of a mid. I think he has the skill and size. But we need to see it as more than a cameo role.
Tsatas is nothing like Oliver though.

Oliver is a contested and clearance-winning beast, who tackles a heap, whereas Tsatas has consistently been likened to Jarad Polec, with a bit more speed, but minus Polec’s tackling, and with worse kicking.

For someone who apparently played the vast majority of the season in the guts, Tsatas’s contested to uncontested ratio was extremely low, while his tackling numbers were abysmally low. Apparently made Polec in his draft year look like a tackling machine.

He’s also been said to only run one way, and that one of the reasons he posted such high disposal numbers was because he consistently padded his stats, with the old GAJ 1-2’s.

So you’ve got a guy who is really fast and can find a lot of the footy, but mostly needs someone else to feed it to him, who can then burst forward, but who then struggles to hit targets when he does.

It sounds like he might have also only really used his speed to run forward, so once he has to use up a much bigger chunk of his energy to run defensively, at AFL level, he may find himself with much less energy to hunt the footy, and run forward.

I find it fascinating that a guy with such big obvious holes in his game was considered a consensus top 5 pick all year and look forward to seeing how his career pans out.

To me he seems like a mix between Polec (who was likewise taken at 5) and Dylan Shiel.

All that said, the ‘stand rule’ should benefit his game immensely, with that speed.
 
Last edited:
May 28, 2013
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Tsatas is nothing like Oliver though.

Oliver is a contested and clearance-winning beast, whereas Tsatas has consistently been likened to Jarad Polec, minus Polec’s tackling, and with worse kicking.

For someone who apparently played the vast majority of the season in the guts, Tsatas’s contested to uncontested ratio was extremely low, while his tackling numbers were abysmally low. Apparently made Polec in his draft year look like a tackling machine.

He’s also been said to only run one way, and that one of the reasons he posted such high disposal numbers was because he consistently padded his stats, with the old GAJ 1-2’s.

So you’ve got a guy who is really fast and can find a lot of the footy, but mostly needs someone else to feed it to him, who can then burst forward, but who then struggles to hit targets when he does.

I find it fascinating that a guy with such big obvious holes in his game was considered a consensus top 5 pick all year and look forward to seeing how his career pans out.

To me he seems like a mix between Polec (who was likewise taken at 5) and Dylan Shiel.

All that said, the ‘stand rule’ should benefit his game immensely, with that speed.
Yeah I was really worried we were going to take him. I think he will be good in a good team with a great defensive midfield already established.
 
Yeah I was really worried we were going to take him. I think he will be good in a good team with a great defensive midfield already established.
Not our team sadly we down hill ski harder then Eddy the Eagle
 
Jan 7, 2011
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Yeah I was really worried we were going to take him. I think he will be good in a good team with a great defensive midfield already established.
Yeah don’t get me wrong, I’m expecting him to have a good career (like Shiel has, and Polec would have, had he not had chronic foot problems- even with them he was good enough to get a $700K PA contract!), but you’d definitely think he’d be best suited a team with a very good midfield from a defensive and clearance-winning perspective.
 
Jul 25, 2019
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What's this star quality
Not our team sadly we down hill ski harder then Eddy the Eagle

The good news for you Essendon fans is Brad Scott will add some much needed honest and accountable performances from your (in your words) down hill skier playing group, even if he is bit of a flog

Hate to lavish praise on Essendon, but I think Brad Scott is a solid/if not inspired appointment as your coach, finals probably a couple of years away still, but I think we will see a lot more honest collective 4 quarter efforts from Essendon in 2023 and beyond.
 

Saab NLAW

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Aug 27, 2022
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And for the first few years of his career he was laughed at for that, but he eventually grew up, and got super-fit and so-on, and eventually it all fell into place, and now he’ll almost certainly achieve his goal.

Laughed at by who? This is the first I've heard of this claim, I call bullshit
 

Lars27

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Jun 6, 2016
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Tsatas is nothing like Oliver though.

Oliver is a contested and clearance-winning beast, who tackles a heap, whereas Tsatas has consistently been likened to Jarad Polec, with a bit more speed, but minus Polec’s tackling, and with worse kicking.

For someone who apparently played the vast majority of the season in the guts, Tsatas’s contested to uncontested ratio was extremely low, while his tackling numbers were abysmally low. Apparently made Polec in his draft year look like a tackling machine.

He’s also been said to only run one way, and that one of the reasons he posted such high disposal numbers was because he consistently padded his stats, with the old GAJ 1-2’s.

So you’ve got a guy who is really fast and can find a lot of the footy, but mostly needs someone else to feed it to him, who can then burst forward, but who then struggles to hit targets when he does.

It sounds like he might have also only really used his speed to run forward, so once he has to use up a much bigger chunk of his energy to run defensively, at AFL level, he may find himself with much less energy to hunt the footy, and run forward.

I find it fascinating that a guy with such big obvious holes in his game was considered a consensus top 5 pick all year and look forward to seeing how his career pans out.

To me he seems like a mix between Polec (who was likewise taken at 5) and Dylan Shiel.

All that said, the ‘stand rule’ should benefit his game immensely, with that speed.

His tackling and lack of defensive running are valid criticisms. But overall this is a poor take on Tsatas.
Every draft profile I have read describes him as a balanced midfielder. He obviously leans more outside than inside at this stage and played plenty of time on a wing. It's true that his contested possession percentage is low, but he still averaged 12 contested possessions and plenty of clearances per game in the NAB league. That would have him top 20 for contested possessions per game in the AFL. Sure he won't be that level of a contested player at AFL level, but I am just putting it into perspective as you make it sound like he is soft.

He doesn't rely on others to feed him the ball (though he and Wardlaw were a great combination at times). He wins clearances and doesn't hesitate to attack a loose ball at speed and cleanly wins ground balls.

As for padding his stats with 1-2's, from what I have seen that is not his game at all. He averaged 19.8 kicks and 14 handballs in the NAB league. Primarily he likes to spread from congestion at speed and kick inside 50 (eight i50s per game).

His kicking can improve but I would definitely not say he 'struggles to hit targets' either. Especially his kicking inside 50 where he often makes the right decisions and kicks to advantage.
 
Collingwood - Love their first two selections, basically picked the sliders and whoever feel to their picks.
Think was same with Richards but we relised no one else was going to pick him before out Late Pick so we Got a Future 2nd Pick for it
 

dinnaz

Club Legend
Dec 26, 2011
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staggered by the lack of leverage Essendon is getting in this thread.

Some quarters rated Alwyn Jnr as a first rounder, some also rated Anthony Munkara as talented as any first rounder this year. Jayden, should the knee not have gone would have gone before Alwyn Jnr whilst the acquisition of Tsatas who some suggested was apart of the 'big 5' (Wardlaw, Cadman, Ashcroft, Sheezel, Tsatas) is as exciting as the Davey's.
Tsatas will be a wild ride to see what he ends up as. At worst a decent winger but at 5 that's a bit of a steep price to pay.
Hayes is a jet and what has saved your draft as a bit of a slider selection.
With the Davey boys and Munkara obliged to be drafted - there wasnt a lot of room for maneuvering. For mine all 3 were late-rookie types anyway so there wasn't a lot of value gained overall.
 

Sphynx

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Jul 10, 2011
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His tackling and lack of defensive running are valid criticisms. But overall this is a poor take on Tsatas.
Every draft profile I have read describes him as a balanced midfielder. He obviously leans more outside than inside at this stage and played plenty of time on a wing. It's true that his contested possession percentage is low, but he still averaged 12 contested possessions and plenty of clearances per game in the NAB league. That would have him top 20 for contested possessions per game in the AFL. Sure he won't be that level of a contested player at AFL level, but I am just putting it into perspective as you make it sound like he is soft.

He doesn't rely on others to feed him the ball (though he and Wardlaw were a great combination at times). He wins clearances and doesn't hesitate to attack a loose ball at speed and cleanly wins ground balls.

As for padding his stats with 1-2's, from what I have seen that is not his game at all. He averaged 19.8 kicks and 14 handballs in the NAB league. Primarily he likes to spread from congestion at speed and kick inside 50 (eight i50s per game).

His kicking can improve but I would definitely not say he 'struggles to hit targets' either. Especially his kicking inside 50 where he often makes the right decisions and kicks to advantage.

Tsatas is nothing like Polec. That comparison is laughable, as Tsatas can still work inside, even if he's not the most physical and certainly not the most defensive.

He's also absolutely nothing like Oliver, that comparison is equally as laughable. Oliver is a physical animal and thrives in the contest. Wardlaw is closer to Oliver, but they aren't the same athletically.

If anything Tsatas is like Mitch Duncan at AFL level imo. Can play multiple rolls, enjoys the wing, is more of a second receiver, excellent on the spread, can win inside when he has to but isn't a physical animal. Also has traditionally low tackle numbers for an AFL mid.
 

Shadow89

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Tsatas is nothing like Polec. That comparison is laughable, as Tsatas can still work inside, even if he's not the most physical and certainly not the most defensive.

He's also absolutely nothing like Oliver, that comparison is equally as laughable. Oliver is a physical animal and thrives in the contest. Wardlaw is closer to Oliver, but they aren't the same athletically.

If anything Tsatas is like Mitch Duncan at AFL level imo. Can play multiple rolls, enjoys the wing, is more of a second receiver, excellent on the spread, can win inside when he has to but isn't a physical animal. Also has traditionally low tackle numbers for an AFL mid.

You call another comparison laughable and then compare Duncan with Tsatas...okey doke...

Duncan is rated as one of the most elite kicks in the AFL, and can play (and has) most positions on the field to aplomb. He's not overly quick, but he's silky in everything he does.

Tsatas couldn't hit the side of a barn door and plays only one position thus far, with a possibility of wing in the future with his attributes...but is very quick and has burst from the contest - something Duncan does not possess.

The two are nothing alike.
 

Sphynx

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You call another comparison laughable and then compare Duncan with Tsatas...okey doke...

Duncan is rated as one of the most elite kicks in the AFL, and can play (and has) most positions on the field to aplomb. He's not overly quick, but he's silky in everything he does.

Tsatas couldn't hit the side of a barn door and plays only one position thus far, with a possibility of wing in the future with his attributes...but is very quick and has burst from the contest - something Duncan does not possess.

The two are nothing alike.

No one is going to be exactly the same.

Andrew Gaff is another, but Gaff very rarely goes inside like Tsatas does and they are obviously differenyt physically.

I was more making the comparison between Tsatas and Duncan as two guys who get a decent amount of the ball are a similar size and aren't great defensively and rely on being brutes to win the ball (Tsatas is probably going to be a much bigger accumulator than Duncan and I agree Duncan is a much better kick) and Tsatas likely plays alot of football from the wing and than other area's initially.

Duncan isn't a big tackler and is a one way runner in what has always been been a strong Geelong side he's played in (expecting emotional Cats responses here, but he is..)


As far as "couldn't hit the side of a barn door" just another gross over exaggeration from people this time of year.

We heard the same rubbish comments regarding Josh Goater last year and he displayed exactly the opposite in most of his VFL football this year. His first kick in an AFL game was arguably one of the best in the AFL all year.

I don't think it's Tsatas' footskills that are the problem, sometimes it's more his decision making.
 

Shadow89

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No one is going to be exactly the same.

Andrew Gaff is another, but Gaff very rarely goes inside like Tsatas does and they are obviously differenyt physically.

I was more making the comparison between Tsatas and Duncan as two guys who get a decent amount of the ball are a similar size and aren't great defensively and rely on being brutes to win the ball (Tsatas is probably going to be a much bigger accumulator than Duncan and I agree Duncan is a much better kick) and Tsatas likely plays alot of football from the wing and than other area's initially.

Duncan isn't a big tackler and is a one way runner in what has always been been a strong Geelong side he's played in (expecting emotional Cats responses here, but he is..)


As far as "couldn't hit the side of a barn door" just another gross over exaggeration from people this time of year.

We heard the same rubbish comments regarding Josh Goater last year and he displayed exactly the opposite in most of his VFL football this year. His first kick in an AFL game was arguably one of the best in the AFL all year.

I don't think it's Tsatas' footskills that are the problem, sometimes it's more his decision making.

Lol you lost me at 'Duncan is a one way runner.' Routinely covers the most ground and plays all three thirds of the ground most games...but okey doke. Duncan has never relied on 'being a brute' either.

I think you need to stop comparing them, as you don't seem to be quite across the players you're comparing. Wouldn't be such an issue, if you hadn't just pilloried someone earlier for doing the exact same thing.
 
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