Player Watch #15: Dylan Stephens

[Gasometer]

You could hear the collective groan

 

[koshari]

Do we hang him on that one incident? No. If we hung each of our players on one error, NMFC would resemble the Bangkok gallows.

We can all remember the Benny Jacobs moment vs Syd in the 2014 Prelim. His career was over. But 12months later, he was an A Grade tagger.

He's got 3 years after this year. It's up to him. Does he go the J Stephenson path & tread water for the rest of his contract, or does he make the necessary changes to his game?

Fisher ain't the toughest nut going around either.

We've been told to trust those in charge. They offered Stephens & Fisher 4 year deals. You have to assume they knew what they were getting....

Surely your not suggesting this is his first offence, fwiw the reaction has been a bit over the top.

Time will tell. I for one wouldn't want to be making a habit of doing this stuff with wardlaw and archer around.

 

[Spud11]

I saw the incident live and it wasn’t great.

I mean, it’s a bit ridiculous of me to expect more, sitting as I did on my golden throne eating brisket fries*, at 40 years of age, pointing at a guy achieving more than I ever could in football and saying “you squib!”

Can we just at least lay off fellas like WilPhil while guys like Cat Stevens are walk-up starts every week? Can we?

Can the criticisms start with the dude with experience on the 4 year contract who is scared of the contest…instead of the young chap who puts his head over the ball without question every single time?

Why do we expect more of some players than others?

Clarko, I’m looking at you.

Laidley had K. Green while hating Harro and Sav..
Bard had Liam Anthony

Liam Anthony

Age

37

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

11.3

4star

HB

10.0

5star

M

4.9

5star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

22.8

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

12.0

5star

M

5.0

5star

T

4.0

5star

and Sam Gibson

Sam Gibson

Age

38

Ht

185cm

Wt

82kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.2

5star

K

12.1

4star

HB

10.1

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.7

4star

CL

1.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

16.2

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

6.0

4star

M

6.0

5star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.8

3star

while hating Levi Greenwood

19

Levi Greenwood

Age

35

Ht

181cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.1

4star

K

9.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

4.3

5star

CL

2.2

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

9.2

4star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.8

5star

.

Don’t gift the squibs and plodders, clarko, while making the true shinboners jump through burning hoops.

So far, Alastair, you’ve loved Kayne, Fisher (bit harsh on Zac I know but), Sleevo and Cat.. and left Hugh Greenwood

1

Hugh Greenwood

Age

32

Ht

190cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.9

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

8.1

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

6.8

5star

CL

4.6

5star

D

17.4

4star

K

10.4

4star

HB

7.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

8.9

5star

CL

5.6

5star

D

16.4

4star

K

8.6

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

2.2

3star

T

7.6

5star

CL

4.4

5star

to languish and WilPhil to prove himself to you like he’s an unwanted stepson.

I feel that we are winning despite these decisions, because our top end talent covers it.

Anyway I still don’t understand Cat’s 4 year contract. I’ll back him in as a shinboner but he needs to bloody well start acting like one.

And I still love you Clarko but geez.

*Those brisket fries were good though

 

[franjon]

Do we hang him on that one incident? No. If we hung each of our players on one error, NMFC would resemble the Bangkok gallows.

We can all remember the Benny Jacobs moment vs Syd in the 2014 Prelim. His career was over. But 12months later, he was an A Grade tagger.

He's got 3 years after this year. It's up to him. Does he go the J Stephenson path & tread water for the rest of his contract, or does he make the necessary changes to his game?

Fisher ain't the toughest nut going around either.

We've been told to trust those in charge. They offered Stephens & Fisher 4 year deals. You have to assume they knew what they were getting....

I'm not sure you can make those necessary changes though. You've either got some ticker or you don't. He doesn't and that one instance yesterday was inexcusable. I'm not sure it's something you can actually teach.

 

[koshari]

I saw the incident live and it wasn’t great.

I mean, it’s a bit ridiculous of me to expect more, sitting as I did on my golden throne eating brisket fries*, at 40 years of age, pointing at a guy achieving more than I ever could in football and saying “you squib!”

Can we just at least lay off fellas like WilPhil while guys like Cat Stevens are walk-up starts every week? Can we?

Can the criticisms start with the dude with experience on the 4 year contract who is scared of the contest…instead of the young chap who puts his head over the ball without question every single time?

Why do we expect more of some players than others?

Clarko, I’m looking at you.

Laidley had K. Green while hating Harro and Sav..
Bard had Liam Anthony and Sam Gibson while hating Levi Greenwood.

Don’t gift the squibs and plodders, clarko, while making the true shinboners jump through burning hoops.

So far, Alastair, you’ve loved Kayne, Fisher (bit harsh on Zac I know but), Sleevo and Cat.. and left Hugh Greenwood to languish and WilPhil to prove himself to you like he’s an unwanted stepson.

I feel that we are winning despite these decisions, because our top end talent covers it.

Anyway I still don’t understand Cat’s 4 year contract. I’ll back him in as a shinboner but he needs to bloody well start acting like one.

And I still love you Clarko but geez.

*Those brisket fries were good though

Love the brisket fries call but sam gibson call poor, wasnt a squib, could butcher it but seldom shirked a contest. All the while gut running.

 

[Spud11]

Love the brisket fries call but sam gibson call poor, wasnt a squib, could butcher it but seldom shirked a contest. All the while gut running.

Okay not a squib but not as much of a shinboner as Levi. You will not change my mind.

 

[Caracas]

We should focus more on what Dylan brings to the team rather than dwelling on his shortcomings. His talents can be very useful in a properly balanced team.

 

[Spud11]

We should focus more on what Dylan brings to the team rather than dwelling on his shortcomings. His talents can be very useful in a properly balanced team.

I want to like him. I really, really want to.
I’ll keep backing him in. I have a “no whipping boys” policy that I will adhere to.

 

[Caracas]

I had to leave the game at halftime, so I missed the third quarter and some of the fourth. I caught the climax on television. When did Dylan’s cardinal sin take place? What minute? I can check back over the recording.

 

[koshari]

Okay not a squib but not as much of a shinboner as Levi. You will not change my mind.

Not my intention, btw fwiw levi short stepped once , fortunately in collingwood colours.

 

[Caracas]

I want to like him. I really, really want to.
I’ll keep backing him in. I have a “no whipping boys” policy that I will adhere to.

Not making excuses for him. However, when you play his role, you are always skirting around the contest watching out for the quick release handball. This doesn’t allow you to adopt an aggressive, hard at it posture. It sometimes can be unfair labelling players as squibs and cats. Other players, like Archer, are hunting the ball/man at all times. Hence they are always going to crack in. I don’t think I ever saw Brent Harvey crack in.

 

[Spud11]

Not my intention, btw fwiw levi short stepped once , fortunately in collingwood colours.

Was a bit cooked by then.
His prime was trying to prove to Bard that he belonged

 

[Liam Boy]

I mean, it’s a bit ridiculous of me to expect more, sitting as I did on my golden throne eating brisket fries*, at 40 years of age, pointing at a guy achieving more than I ever could in football and saying “you squib!”

I don't think it is. We're not professional footballers, we do our own jobs many of which have their own unique dangers and we pay a lot of money (especially those of us with the more expensive memberships, but also kayo and foxtel subscriptions, overpriced food and drinks at games, etc) so these guys can get paid to play footy. Putting your body on the line is part of the job of being a professional footballer, it's a fair thing to expect.

I don't want to treat him like a whipping boy especially when he's only been here for less than a season and I've liked a lot of the footy he's produced, but it was a pathetic effort that could've cost us the win in a close game, and it's not the first time he's done it.

 

[koshari]

Was a bit cooked by then.
His prime was trying to prove to Bard that he belonged

Fwiw i loved levi

 

[Spud11]

Not making excuses for him. However, when you play his role, you are always skirting around the contest watching out for the quick release handball. This doesn’t allow you to adopt an aggressive, hard at it posture. It sometimes can be unfair labelling players as squibs and cats. Other players, like Archer, are hunting the ball/man at all times. Hence they are always going to crack in. I don’t think I ever saw Brent Harvey crack in.

Fair call, although Boomer did so much on the offensive that it almost didn’t matter. We’ve had very few that did as much damage as Harvey. That’s not excusing backing out of contests - he just seemed to “wait” on the outer for his chance to take the ball and burn them. Getting caught up in the meat grinder might’ve compromised his ability to do that.

My first live game and yknow, I really respected the way guys like Lmac and Will put their bodies on the line. We sit here and split stats and remember the bad things or “only 12 possessions” etc, but the amount of times I turned to my lads and said “how tough is he?” when referring to Luke or Will… Countless. Many courageous acts don’t count as any stats, so I didn’t really care if Will only got it a dozen times - his courage meant someone else didn’t get it that much. Same with Luke, fully deserving of the #11 on his back after yesterday.

Stephens didn’t seem to make too many errors, but didn’t really damage either. That’s why that one thing probs sticks out, the rest wasn’t that consequential. I’ll refrain from criticising him.

Some of his kicks under pressure, the more I think about it, took a cool head and a certain amount of courage under fire. I’ll keep looking for the positives

 

[Caracas]

Fair call, although Boomer did so much on the offensive that it almost didn’t matter.

My first live game and yknow, I really respected the way guys like Lmac and Will put their bodies on the line. We sit here and split stats and remember the bad things or “only 12 possessions” etc, but the amount of times I turned to my lads and said “how tough is he?” when referring to Luke or Will… Countless. Many courageous acts don’t count as any stats, so I didn’t really care if Will only got it a dozen times - his courage meant someone else didn’t get it that much. Same with Luke, fully deserving of the #11 on his back after yesterday.

Stephens didn’t seem to make too many errors, but didn’t really damage either. That’s why that one thing probs sticks out, the rest wasn’t that consequential. I’ll refrain from criticising him.

Some of his kicks under pressure, the more I think about it, took a cool head and a certain amount of courage under fire. I’ll keep looking for the positives

His kick to Xerri in the first quarter, that led to Tristan’s goal, was a thing of beauty. I would like to see him do that more often.

 

[Spud11]

His kick to Xerri in the first quarter, that led to Tristans goal, was a thing of beauty. I would like to see him do that more often.

The general consensus among the fans in the bay I sat in was that Stephens had to be subbed off for Taylor. I still think he was more effective than Toby Pink but like for like, on what I saw, I understood the decision.

That kick was good, you’re right. I hope he has the confidence to build on stuff like that.

 

[Caracas]

The general consensus among the fans in the bay I sat in was that Stephens had to be subbed off for Taylor. I still think he was more effective than Toby Pink but like for like, on what I saw, I understood the decision.

That kick was good, you’re right. I hope he has the confidence to build on stuff like that.

Stephens did fade right out after the first quarter. I think it was the right call. Taylor didn’t exactly set the world on fire, did he? However, he did hit up Curtis for the sealer. So, you could argue, he did his job too.

 

[DocSholl]

His kick to Xerri in the first quarter, that led to Tristan’s goal, was a thing of beauty. I would like to see him do that more often.

Thing of beauty is a bit of a stretch. It was a loopy kick to a dangerous spot.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

Love the brisket fries call but sam gibson call poor, wasnt a squib, could butcher it but seldom shirked a contest. All the while gut running.

Sam Gibson definitely no squib and neither was Kasey Green. Also, if you're sorting out true Shinboners from non-Shinboners, putting Kayne Turner in the non side of the ledger is nuts. He had his limitations of course, but courage and love of the jumper and the club and loyalty to his team mates was not among them.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

Okay not a squib but not as much of a shinboner as Levi. You will not change my mind.

Levi Greenwood, the highly paid Collingwood player? Yeah nah.

 

[Spud11]

Levi Greenwood, the highly paid Collingwood player? Yeah nah.

Levi was a mistreated gun with us. And good on him for going elsewhere for more cash, proving himself with a big middle finger to Bard with his finish in the Syd Barker on the way out.
Boomer, Petrie, Firrito, Dal and about 6 years of absolute doldrums to follow would further attest to the fact that Brad Scott and his elves didn’t always reward stalwarts of the club or effort.

 

[LB2Snake]

I was bitterly disappointed in the effort being discussed, he fully hit the hand brake……..but there is that old adage that courage also comes in the ability to run and run and bust a gut and I am hoping that’s the courage we get from Stephens going forward.

 

[shintemaster]

Fair call, although Boomer did so much on the offensive that it almost didn’t matter. We’ve had very few that did as much damage as Harvey. That’s not excusing backing out of contests - he just seemed to “wait” on the outer for his chance to take the ball and burn them. Getting caught up in the meat grinder might’ve compromised his ability to do that.

Havey did, difference is that he made a judgement call that more often than not left him in a position to still win the ball or the play - he didn't just stop and concede the play.

 

[Jimmac31]

Had a moment in the first half where he went for a loose ball and won a free kick, thought he might’ve turned the corner.
But not going in that contest in the 3rd, really hurt us.
He doesn't need to be courageous necessary, just go for the ball if it's there to be won.

Be prepared to take a hit, even just shoulder to shoulder. I recall previous games where he's been scared to go for it, and he can't tackle.

That free kick in the 2nd was like he got caught around the head, but he didn't look to fully commit.

I'm not sure with him yet.