I don’t believe so, but I do hear that the Club is very bullish about him.
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AFLW 2024 - Round 10 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
VFL 2023 Sandringham Zebras
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Good to know. I’m expecting maybe a debut then games more next year and onwards. Hopefully some exciting vfl highlights though. Expectations tempered
botts
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He was rated a lot higher than those two in his draft year. But covid did skew things. He’s a gun. Matty Lloyd said he was the cleanest player he has ever coached
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I’m expecting him to be like bytel. Highly rated then injury makes him fall to where we can pick him up on the cheap.
botts
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Unlike bytel he has some genuine pace
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I just mean how his career is (minus the injuries) hopefully a hidden gem type
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Hotton had a really good year last year. Exciting to see him play. Hopefully McLennan not too far
Bytel certainly isn’t a hidden gem. Will be lucky to be on an AFL list next season.
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I mean as a draft haul. He was rated up there with Walsh as an inside mid pre draft. Was in that doco with Ben king max king and Sam Walsh. So to get him at like pick 40 was insanity! I was so excited for him.
Me too and still think Bytel can be a gun mid. Has the most unlucky timing with injuries - just can't seem to get continuity. Very excited to see how Hotton goes in the 2s.
gringo2011
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His forward game gives him a POD over guys like Bytel too. It's easier to feed in a guy who can start in a less exposed position. Bytel types have to develop in reserve and hope for a hole to come up through injury. We could stick Ollie in pocket or flank and let him get up to pace while playing.
SteeleSaints
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Bytel simply never gets the opportunity to rest forward in the VFL. He plays his entire minutes onball but when he does drift forward and gets the opportunity he is a very good shot on goals. The thing holding Bytel back is his lack of spread or an outside game, we have too many like that already playing in the AFL side.
Its obvious Bytel is not going to dislodge Crouch or Clark, so if Batchelor was to do him a solid he should give him forward minutes. He can then possibly polish his forward craft and put pressure on players like Gresham in the side. Gresham seems to get a dream run without producing anywhere near what he should. He cant play enough midfield minutes and his clearance work are scrubber kicks forward. Then he is a below average shot on goal unless he can kick around the corner. Be nice to see his place in the side put under some pressure.
gringo2011
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Gresham has pace off a step and unpredictability. He plays a more frenetic style of footy than Bytel. Last year he was leading a lot of our stats like inside 50s, score involvements etc. He's having shit year but has a proven form line.
Bytel really has to dislodge a true inside mid like you say. I just don't see him having the forward craft to play forward more. A good kick on goal is only a small part of it. Marshall is a good shot on goal but has below acreage froward craft too. He's really got to keep plugging away until a spot opens up and make sure he makes it impossible to put him out of the side. He's been unlucky with injury timing.
I think he will be more of a half forward than he is a midfielder and definitely won’t be taking any of those guys spots this year
His injury issues didn’t really start until after we drafted him. Complete opposite to Bytel. Hotton was actually predicted to be a big bolted in the draft but managed to make it to us
Seems to me each of last year's draftees could be viewed as a slider. I'm very keen to get a look at Ollie, Keeler and VanEs.
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****ing thank you! copy paste this when everyone raves about the opportunity for Steele to go forward!
Steele is also a very good mark and high pressure player. He's a very good option to rest forward, which is what those people mean when they bring it up.
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gringo2011
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I agree with him being okay drifting forward or resting but he's not a pure forward. Not many can play well on both roles. De Goey, Bont and a few others are genuinely good in both roles. Robbie Grey was a great clearance player and forward too.
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As a pressure forward sure he’s fine but I just don’t think he’s effective as a forward threat.
He can rest there sure and it’s marginally better than him taking up a spot on the bench but I don’t think it’s a weapon we can deploy to make the defence shit themselves.
So many midfielders are touted to be threatening forward by the cooked media trying to invent the “next dusty”.
Remember danger getting put forward in many finals and one of their grand finals? Did **** all cause he’s not a forward.
Crippa and Fyfe equally pathetic as forwards. They take good looking marks due to their size then spray it.
Only a few players in the comp can genuinely go forward and be as effective as their other role. Dusty in his prime, Gary Ablett, Petracca, Bont.
I reckon Owens can be that though
SteeleSaints
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Think outside the box Gringo - nobody considered Connolly a midfielder until Batchelor started developing him as such this year! How do we know Bytel doesnt have the required or cant learn the forward craft if he is not given the opportunity? Ive seen him get front and centre and snap a couple of goals at VFL level. I hate that clubs 'pidgeon hole' players and dont give them the opportunities in differing positions to give them the best chance to suceed. If Bytel could add goal kicking change up midfielder to his scope, he all of a sudden looks much more attractive to the team and puts pressure on others.
Look at Geelongs sucess with Ratogulea playing in defence, when previously he had only been used as a tall forward/ruckman.
I agree re Greshams quick first few steps they are quick, but after that he is quite slow and gets run down far too often. It would be interesting to see the % of F50 entries that actually ended up with a team mate? I see him as worst kick in the side when running at full pace. Score involvements are another stat that again doesnt spell out a players effectiveness with the ball.
Score Involvement: Number of scoring chains where a player was involved with either a disposal, hitout-to-advantage, kick-in or knock-on.
There is no doubt he was winning more footy last year but to suggest his 2022 form line was good is misleading given his weaknesses. With his poor ball use Gresham is another we have to move past IMO. We simply cant keep carrying 'ball butchers' regardless of their positive traits.
I think most would agree with that.
We should be well placed in the future with Chito, Pou and Olli if he makes it.
I have so much faith in Leo. Too me he is the key to unlocking Sincs to the next level. Also always thought he had midfield capabilities.
I really hope he gets another year, it was sad to see him as a future delistee when he wasn't going so well.
Unfortunately though he may just be out of contract at the wrong time. Apparently Seb has triggered an extension, Allison another year, JB 2 more, etc.
If Jones and Dmac make a comeback then who apart from Tommy Highmore can be delisted??
Club Focus - St Kilda 2023
Data from footywire. To check the draft order see the thread here. Footywire says: "While we make every effort to keep up to date with player contracts, it is likely that our data may at times be out of date, incomplete or inaccurate. If you find any player contracts that need updating...
www.bigfooty.com
I really hope he gets another year, it was sad to see him as a future delistee when he wasn't going so well.
Unfortunately though he may just be out of contract at the wrong time. Apparently Seb has triggered an extension, Allison another year, JB 2 more, etc.
If Jones and Dmac make a comeback then who apart from Tommy Highmore can be delisted??
Club Focus - St Kilda 2023
Data from footywire. To check the draft order see the thread here. Footywire says: "While we make every effort to keep up to date with player contracts, it is likely that our data may at times be out of date, incomplete or inaccurate. If you find any player contracts that need updating...
This might be a year where one or two are delisted to shift to the rookie list
