Player Watch #15: Dylan Stephens

[amaz199]

head down, win the footy.

That is all.

 

[Caracas]

Almost exactly 7 minutes to go in the 3rd quarter.

Well, I’ve watched it at normal speed and in slow motion and I can’t for the life get what all the hullabaloo is about. Granted, he doesn’t whack into the guy. However , I don’t believe it would have altered the outcome. He actually went back with the flight in the first instance. Then he followed up where the ball was going. A GC player went past the ball and aimed to take Dylan out. Stephens was watching the ball, which had bobbled to the right. I’m never going to say he was hard at it. However, I do think the more over the top vitriol is very misplaced in this instance - in my opinion.

As an aside, a few minutes later, Dermott referred to GC as the Giants. Imagine the furore if it was a certain female commentator.

 

[Kanga1996]

It doesn’t look that bad on replay,but in the context of the game it was a bad look for the kid.


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[Blightys Barrel]

He just needs To watch this clip 100X this week. And then he can line up Gulden and show him who is the king of the wing. If ever a game to be motivated by, it’s playing against your old team. Now it’s up to Dylan to prove everyone on this board he ain’t no Squib anymore, and wants to be known as a Shinboner moving forward.

 

[Whippet1]

I was critical of one of his efforts against Melb and while this didn’t look great I’m prepared to give him a pass partially due to risk of free kick/suspension these days when players take on an opponent head on. He does a kind of basketball type brace to take a charge. Does he have a basketball background?
Anyway I noticed when he was on the bench after he was subbed he did a slight head shake as if he knew his effort was less than what it should have been.

 

[The Law]

Hats off to Stephens getting involved with the gatorade ad knowing full well this image will haunt him for a while

 

[Supreme_Chancellor]

Just has to know when it's his turn to crack in at the contest.

 

[Hojuman]

I was critical of one of his efforts against Melb and while this didn’t look great I’m prepared to give him a pass partially due to risk of free kick/suspension these days when players take on an opponent head on. He does a kind of basketball type brace to take a charge. Does he have a basketball background?
Anyway I noticed when he was on the bench after he was subbed he did a slight head shake as if he knew his effort was less than what it should have been.

With you on this, he hadda charged in the head-high whistle would have gone.

 

[William Caresser]

Stephens took his eyes off the ball and ideally should've gone in low and hard, leading with the shoulder. But so should've the Suns' player but he also looked at the player (Stephens), not the ball, stood up and braced. He did that because the Suns had the outnumber so he didn't need to win the ball, just clear a path for his teammates.

Once you watch this a few times you ask why did we end up outnumbered in D-50 from a relatively slow Suns build up? We had McDonald manning up and our winger Stephens getting back to help on the fat side. But then a number of Suns players were far quicker than our players to get to the contest as it played out.

It's great that we've improved our contested ball numbers so much and that Clarko is making that a priority. So the Stephens effort in this contest isn't good enough. But applying pressure and manning up has also become a focus - and rightly so, because we were basically outnumbered witches hats for the first half of the year.

So it's also not good enough when players don't run hard enough to get to contests in the first place or don't man up, or apply token pressure, or don't run to provide an option late in quarters. Squibbing contact obviously isn't good but neither is squibbing on those other efforts - they're just as damaging on the scoreboard but they don't receive the attention.

 

[RossHenshaw]

Stephens took his eyes off the ball and ideally should've gone in low and hard, leading with the shoulder. But so should've the Suns' player but he also looked at the player (Stephens), not the ball, stood up and braced. He did that because the Suns had the outnumber so he didn't need to win the ball, just clear a path for his teammates.

Once you watch this a few times you ask why did we end up outnumbered in D-50 from a relatively slow Suns build up? We had McDonald manning up and our winger Stephens getting back to help on the fat side. But then a number of Suns players were far quicker than our players to get to the contest as it played out.

It's great that we've improved our contested ball numbers so much and that Clarko is making that a priority. So the Stephens effort in this contest isn't good enough. But applying pressure and manning up has also become a focus - and rightly so, because we were basically outnumbered witches hats for the first half of the year.

So it's also not good enough when players don't run hard enough to get to contests in the first place or don't man up, or apply token pressure, or don't run to provide an option late in quarters. Squibbing contact obviously isn't good but neither is squibbing on those other efforts - they're just as damaging on the scoreboard but they don't receive the attention.

Cost us goal directly from the squib act

 

[DocSholl]

lol at folks trying to convince themselves he pulled out due to fear of being suspended

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Watching from side on (members wing), was clear as day how fast he pulled up to avoid any physical contest that may have eventuated.

Absolutely no excuses for it.

 

[William Caresser]

Cost us goal directly from the squib act

As I said, he should've kept his eye on the ball and contested the footy. But it's a pity supporters don't scrutinise the other weak efforts that also cost us goals - like not getting to contests in the first place, not chasing, not pressuring and not manning up.

 

[Psicosis]

Has had some good moments since coming into the team, yet at times has also not gone when he's needed to. This doesn't fit our new model. Can't have 21 going when it's their turn and 1 not. Don't think he will be in the side long if it doesn't change.

 

[Kanga Glory]

Watching from side on (members wing), was clear as day how fast he pulled up to avoid any physical contest that may have eventuated.

Absolutely no excuses for it.

At a minimum he should have at least put body on body to stop them getting a clear ball that resulted in a goal. Not everyone is Glen Archer but there comes a time to at least make contact.

 

[amaz199]

As I said, he should've kept his eye on the ball and contested the footy. But it's a pity supporters don't scrutinise the other weak efforts that also cost us goals - like not getting to contests in the first place, not chasing, not pressuring and not manning up.

These things happen to all teams.

You're absolutely spent and simply can't get to the contest quickly enough. See Sydney against St Kilda.

 

[Tas]

I think a lot of mature aged footballers struggle in their first year when they go to a new club, I am willing to be a bit patient and see how he goes next year after another pre-season.

 

[Only Forwards]

Has had some good moments since coming into the team, yet at times has also not gone when he's needed to. This doesn't fit our new model. Can't have 21 going when it's their turn and 1 not. Don't think he will be in the side long if it doesn't change.

This is the bit I find hard to reconcile as well.

You simply can't have Powell sitting in a hole in front of a ruckman copping a knee in the back or Archer doing Archer things and then have a player opt not to go.

Then I also remember that the Hawks had Suckling.

His good bits need to offset his soft bits. I don't think we are there yet but the only way we get there is to persist. Then he will either make it, or he won't.

 

[Kanga Glory]

Dylan is a link up player and will be a better player when the team improves, I can see that but still needs to commit when needed to attack the footy

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Whether you think he squibbed it or not, you can be almost certain that the Swans will expose and play through him this weekend so if it was my decision, he would be dropped.

 

[William Caresser]

These things happen to all teams.

You're absolutely spent and simply can't get to the contest quickly enough. See Sydney against St Kilda.

We've been in the bottom two for intercepts and pressure for the last two years. Abysmal without the footy due to abysmal fitness and effort - witches hats. Not physically squibbing it though - just unfit and lazy. And that mainly due to our senior players, (not young players like Sheezel and McKercher who run all game). Thankfully these senior players are finally starting to look somewhat match fit and provide effort on game day.

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

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Hats off to Stephens getting involved with the gatorade ad knowing full well this image will haunt him for a while

I hope Nate7 doesn't see this.

 

[Nate7]

I hope Nate7 doesn't see this.

The last post (mine) in the gameday thread mentioned that for everyone!

 

[tazaa]

If he was tracking the footy with any intent and aggression he would have taken possession of the footy well before Graham got there and neutralised the contest.

And they got a goal out of it.

He knows he stuffed up. He walked back to the wing shrugging his shoulders and the whole members wing was awkwardly silent.
Except for one member on level 2 who yelled out “you don’t deserve a drink Dylan”. Funny and kudos to whoever yelled that out.

 

[Horizons_00]

He hasn't got the mongrel we are playing with ATM. Like Steevo. Just doesnt fit

Cat Stephens