Player Watch #12: David Astbury - Has decided to retire

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Nearly every player on our list in 2017 improved or peaked from 2016, but we need to be careful in assuming they will all improve or play at that elite level again. The 2018 season was a reality check that players can easily fall off the radar , drop form due to injury or just not being able to maintain the standard consistently. You can go through any premiership side over history and say whatever happened to him he played amazingly in Year X. This is the difference between role players, consistent contributors and true champions. The Richmond 1980 premiership team there were at least half a dozen blokes who just disappeared after their stellar season.
Hawthorn is the most successful club in the modern era and I believe it’s bc they’re smarter than the rest bc they continually move these types on and upgrade them faster than others.
Back to Dave I think he’s one of those players that is a role player and can be easily replaced by a Garthwaite or a Balta with very little interruption to the team as it was seen last year when he was out. No player should be picked on their 2017 form as that’s history now and as much as we’re all grateful for their collective achievements in that year we need to still progress and be ahead of the pack.
Just for the record here are the players who had an inferior season last year:
Butler injured
Grigg was found out
Houli injured and looked slow
Townsend went backwards big time
Astbury played about four good games and carried lots of niggles
Broad was average for most of the year and had some niggles
Rioli injured from 2017 GF and lacked the fitness and touch for most of the year, but he will be better in 19
Castagna was hot and cold bc his two partners in crime were out injured and the trio were rarely together
Prestia missed games , but being an A grader he got back to the required level by finals.

So based on the above we need to still look at growth from our bottom tier players as well as replacements for blokes that are not performing at the top level. This pressure needs to always be present otherwise clubs just fall off the radar and there’s no better example than Richmond 1980 and beyond.
 
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TigerImposter said:
Nearly every player on our list in 2017 improved or peaked from 2017, but we need to be careful in assuming they will all improve or play at that elite level again. The 2018 season was a reality check that players can easily fall off the radar , drop form due to injury or just not being able to maintain the standard consistently. You can go through any premiership side over history and say whatever happened to him he played amazingly in Year X. This is the difference between role players, consistent contributors and true champions. The Richmond 1980 premiership team there were at least half a dozen blokes who just disappeared after their stellar season.
Hawthorn is the most successful club in the modern era and I believe it’s bc they’re smarter than the rest bc they continually move these types on and upgrade them faster than others.
Back to Dave I think he’s one of those players that is a role player and can be easily replaced by a Garthwaite or a Balta with very little interruption to the team as it was seen last year when he was out. No player should be picked on their 2017 form as that’s history now and as much as we’re all grateful for their collective achievements in that year we need to still progress and be ahead of the pack.
Just for the record here are the players who had an inferior season last year:
Butler injured
Grigg was found out
Houli injured and looked slow
Townsend went backwards big time
Astbury played about four good games and carried lots of niggles
Broad was average for most of the year and had some niggles
Rioli injured from 2017 GF and lacked the fitness and touch for most of the year, but he will be better in 19
Castagna was hot and cold bc his two partners in crime were out injured and the trio were rarely together
Prestia missed games , but being an A grader he got back to the required level by finals.

So based on the above we need to still look at growth from our bottom tier players as well as replacements for blokes that are not performing at the top level. This pressure needs to always be present otherwise clubs just fall off the radar and there’s no better example than Richmond 1980 and beyond.
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Garth and Balta may end up very good players, but they aint fit to even tie Daves bootlaces at the moment, Dave is probably only having his 2nd maybe 3rd uninterrupted pre season to date and the Club would expect him to be primed more than ever to keep being in that top couple of premium big defenders in the comp.
 

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tropicaltiger said:
Garth and Balta may end up very good players, but they aint fit to even tie Daves bootlaces at the moment, Dave is probably only having his 2nd maybe 3rd uninterrupted pre season to date and the Club would expect him to be primed more than ever to keep being in that top couple of premium big defenders in the comp.
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All you’re giving me is your opinion whether those two names are unfit to tie up Dave’s laces. Garthwaite easily showed he could fill his spot considering
he’s so much younger and inexperienced.
A bloke like Dave has been on the list for almost a decade and he’s only given us one decent season bc he’s often injured. Then it’s safe to say he’s replaceable bc of his physical unreliability. Watching Dave in the games we lost last year he was often the bloke who put in the shocker and hence one of the poorest on the day.
The preseason excuse for a ten year player is detrimental to the player in terms of his body and if he has managed only three uninterrupted seasons in this time then it justifies my argument in needing to look for a replacement. Also the reports on Dave are that he struggles each week in the recovery to get up for next game , so it’s crucial that we look for a replacement.
 
TigerImposter said:
All you’re giving me is your opinion whether those two names are unfit to tie up Dave’s laces. Garthwaite easily showed he could fill his spot considering
he’s so much younger and inexperienced.
A bloke like Dave has been on the list for almost a decade and he’s only given us one decent season bc he’s often injured. Then it’s safe to say he’s replaceable bc of his physical unreliability. Watching Dave in the games we lost last year he was often the bloke who put in the shocker and hence one of the poorest on the day.
The preseason excuse for a ten year player is detrimental to the player in terms of his body and if he has managed only three uninterrupted seasons in this time then it justifies my argument in needing to look for a replacement. Also the reports on Dave are that he struggles each week in the recovery to get up for next game , so it’s crucial that we look for a replacement.
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Reckon Balta and Garthwaite are not snapping at his heels and Miller is not far behind. Very impressive debut at VFL. Rarely remember him being beaten and has very good pace and athleticism. Think you're selling short his 2018 season though.
 
Grrr said:
Reckon Balta and Garthwaite are not snapping at his heels and Miller is not far behind. Very impressive debut at VFL. Rarely remember him being beaten and has very good pace and athleticism. Think you're selling short his 2018 season though.
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Maybe, but I look at Dave being injury prone and plays a lot of games under duress. He’s very slow which makes him vulnerable and could easily be replaced by a more athletic Garthwaite. Balta is still a season away bc he still doesn’t have the motor.
Miller is an exciting prospect, but please not in defence as his value would be best utilised in the ruck to resting forward positions.
 
Astbury is one of the main reasons why Rance is one of the premier backmen of the competition. I rate him highly.

It's nice to have Balta & Garthwaite in the wings but their time will come and those 2 boys must know that, that would be the key message coming from the club they could be 10 year players at Richmond and who better to learn off than Rance & Astbury.
 
Coach_Required said:
Astbury is one of the main reasons why Rance is one of the premier backmen of the competition. I rate him highly.

It's nice to have Balta & Garthwaite in the wings but their time will come and those 2 boys must know that, that would be the key message coming from the club they could be 10 year players at Richmond and who better to learn off than Rance & Astbury.
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As long as he watches where he is stepping when he is at the beach...
 
Astbury is criminally underrated. Could count on one hand how many times he was convincingly beaten last season. He isn’t flashy but he’s a solid pillar that has allowed Rance to do his thing over the years.

I’m of the opinion that Garth and Astbury take the two talls, while Rance plays the Gibson/Lever role. Rance was badly exposed in one-on-one contests last season. I think he will benefit from a role change. Sides put that much effort into nullifying his influence so we need to stay one step ahead.
 
Zoom said:
Astbury is criminally underrated. Could count on one hand how many times he was convincingly beaten last season. He isn’t flashy but he’s a solid pillar that has allowed Rance to do his thing over the years.

I’m of the opinion that Garth and Astbury take the two talls, while Rance plays the Gibson/Lever role. Rance was badly exposed in one-on-one contests last season. I think he will benefit from a role change. Sides put that much effort into nullifying his influence so we need to stay one step ahead.
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Id be happy to see that, I think Rance is quick and agile enough to negate the medium sized forward, in fact could be a real weapon for us. My question is who comes out for Garthwaite?

Rance
Astbury
Grimes
Vlastuin
Short
Broad

I like the balance those 6 bring
 
Infamy said:
Pretty sure he was clearly the best player in the comp at one on ones last year
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Unleashed from the shackles of Full Back I think he might match his 2017 season. To me he is best when he is involved in the play, leading up the ground and dragging forwards after him. They hate that. He would be tagged if he played without the responsibility of tagging the oppositions best forward, but too strong to be tagged out of the game. That is why the Buddy/Rance duels are so epic. All over the forward line, just how Rance likes it.

Grimes Astbury Rance
Houli Garthwaite Vlaustin

Short rotating. Best backline in the league easily.
 

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Grrr said:
Unleashed from the shackles of Full Back I think he might match his 2017 season. To me he is best when he is involved in the play, leading up the ground and dragging forwards after him. They hate that. He would be tagged if he played without the responsibility of tagging the oppositions best forward, but too strong to be tagged out of the game. That is why the Buddy/Rance duels are so epic. All over the forward line, just how Rance likes it.

Grimes Astbury Rance
Houli Garthwaite Vlaustin

Short rotating. Best backline in the league easily.
Click to expand...

or Broad to add more hardness and size
 
Grrr said:
Unleashed from the shackles of Full Back I think he might match his 2017 season. To me he is best when he is involved in the play, leading up the ground and dragging forwards after him. They hate that. He would be tagged if he played without the responsibility of tagging the oppositions best forward, but too strong to be tagged out of the game. That is why the Buddy/Rance duels are so epic. All over the forward line, just how Rance likes it.

Grimes Astbury Rance
Houli Garthwaite Vlaustin

Short rotating. Best backline in the league easily.
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This.
 
Infamy said:
Pretty sure he was clearly the best player in the comp at one on ones last year
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Maybe the one on ones he lost were a lot more costly and it was when he was isolated deep, because to the naked eye, he was often bullied by defenders last season. The number of goals he had kicked on him was pretty damning.

I also think there are grey areas and inconsistencies when recording “one on ones” statistics with CD. Are they referring to aerial one on ones, ground level one on ones or both? What constitutes as a win in a one on one contest? If Rance peeled off his man to spoil a another opponent from marking the ball, would that be considered winning a one on one contest? Just seems like a meaningless stat that doesn’t truly reflect the quality of his defending.
 
Zoom said:
Maybe the one on ones he lost were a lot more costly and it was when he was isolated deep, because to the naked eye, he was often bullied by defenders last season. The number of goals he had kicked on him was pretty damning.
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Given his position, any one on one he loses is going to be costly

I also think there are grey areas and inconsistencies when recording “one on ones” statistics with CD. Are they referring to aerial one on ones, ground level one on ones or both? What constitutes as a win in a one on one contest? If Rance peeled off his man to spoil a another opponent from marking the ball, would that be considered winning a one on one contest? Just seems like a meaningless stat that doesn’t truly reflect the quality of his defending.
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As long as all players are measured the same way, does it really matter?
 
Monjike said:
Any one one one loss by any defender would be costly. In a TEAM you help each other out.
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I like that Asbury is still trying to be imposing but its a lot harder without his mate Rance.

And a Ellis type next to him instead

Grrr said:
Yes, Garthwaite has to push Broad out. Broad needs to up his game like Grimes did last season. Not beyond him, although I have my doubts.
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Not any more he doesnt.
 

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Player Watch #12: David Astbury - Has decided to retire

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