Player Watch #34 Matthew Roberts

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Callipygian said:
I like the overall tenor of your post so I regret to cavil with the details.

First, haven't we been rejuvenating the backline since the departure of Smooch, Reg and Teddy? Aren't Florent, Blakey and McCartin (all 25 and under) all part of that rejuvenation? But absolutely part of that ongoing regeneration.

Second, he wasn't a diamond in the rough. Although he was taken at pick 34 he wasn't like Vickery, C.Mitchell, Mcinerney - a surprising name at that pick. Rather he was a consensus top 20 rated pick pre-draft and may even have approached being a top 5 rated draft pick early in his draft season. He was more like a Lukey Parker selection - he was too good to pass up.

Lastly, not so much in response to your post, I'm slightly unsure about Robbo as a backman longterm. I worry that he isn't quick enough mostly, and he also isn't tall. He's fierce at the contest but isn't yet a noted overhead mark. The evidence that gives the lie to my fear though is: Callum Mills. Mills isn't that fast or tall but he is a wonderful backman and perhaps Robbo with his composure and hardness can be a backman of that ilk. Plus his cannon boot is an added bonus.

I love that we're still bringing in new players even as we're a young team and primed for a tilt at the flag. That's what does and will keep us contending every year.
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Cavil away Callipygian, that’s the purpose of a forum no?

My choice in using rejuvenation as the operative word is in relation to Rampe, Lloyd, Cunningham and Fox all being very close to retirement, forced or otherwise.

In years past, we might have had to hang onto some oldies to get us over the line but I’m always a big advocate of promoting capable youth to regenerate the list when appropriate. Florent is off contract, Blakey is a Swiss Army knife and Paddy is concussion prone so perhaps I got carried away with hyperbole because I see a player that I think is capable of being a mainstay at half/down back for the foreseeable future and at a bargain price for the short term while we manage a bloating cap littered with out of contract players about to enter their prime.

I think upon further research he is somewhere between your own draft expectations and my own. None of the articles I’ve researched have Roberts as anything higher than a potential end of first rounder and that was rather early in his draft season.

Granted, there was a syndesmosis injury that probably affected his draft stock but apart from an early forecast by Knightmare about his potential, I don’t see anyone other than yourself (Feb, 2022) pumping him up as highly.

For what it’s worth my commentary is more centred around his value as a defender when he was billed and drafted as nothing more than a hybrid mid-forward. I was sitting behind the ball for half of the Melbourne game and despite his raw and unpolished traits, I see a lot of potential for Roberts down back, as per the definition of the phrase diamond in the rough.

You make a fair argument about his long term future down back and it will be interesting to see when Mills comes back as to where he might return and who will lose their place. I really hope Roberts can keep his position in the side as I echo your sentiments about continually blooding young kids to maintain our status as a perennial contender.
 
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Slingshot Footy said:
Cavil away Callipygian, that’s the purpose of a forum no?

My choice in using rejuvenation as the operative word is in relation to Rampe, Lloyd, Cunningham and Fox all being very close to retirement, forced or otherwise.

In years past, we might have had to hang onto some oldies to get us over the line but I’m always a big advocate of promoting capable youth to regenerate the list when appropriate. Florent is off contract, Blakey is a Swiss Army knife and Paddy is concussion prone so perhaps I got carried away with hyperbole because I see a player that I think is capable of being a mainstay at half/down back for the foreseeable future and at a bargain price for the short term while we manage a bloating cap for a bunch of players about to enter their prime.

I think upon further research he is somewhere between your own draft expectations and my own. None of the articles I’ve researched have Roberts as anything higher than a potential end of first rounder and that was rather early in his draft season.

Granted, there was a syndesmosis injury that probably affected his draft stock but apart from an early forecast by Knightmare about his potential, I don’t see anyone other than yourself (Feb, 2022) pumping him up as highly.

For what it’s worth my commentary is more centred around his value as a defender when he was billed and drafted as nothing more than hybrid mid-forward.

I was sitting behind the ball for half of the Melbourne game and despite his raw and unpolished traits, I see a lot of potential for Roberts down back, as per the definition of the phrase diamond in the rough.

You make a fair argument about his long term future down back and it will be interesting to see when Mills comes back as to where we might return and who will lose their place. I really hope Roberts can keep his position in the side as I echo your sentiments about continually blooding young kids to maintain our status as a perennial contender.
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What a very civilised conversation!
As someone who mooted very early that Roberts might be tried as a defender I'm delighted that he seems to have taken to it like a duck to water.
I hope I'm wrong but I can foresee either or both of Cunningham and Lloyd under significant pressure to keep their positions towards the end of the season unless they can be refreshed.
Roberts role in that process is crucial.
With Harry out we are down to the bare number of small/medium defenders. It seems too early for Magor or Vickery and likely that we would have to shuffle Campbell or McInerney back if we lost another, which would be a pity.
I can definitely see him playing there until the end of our season.
 

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Kiama Chris said:
We hear various people talked about as Lloyd replacements. This fella strikes me as a pretty reasonable possibility. Tough, decent boot, tackles well. Might not be the best spot for him. Apparently he played well as a HFF in seniors. Time will tell.
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2 years ago, KC. You are some nostrildamus!
 
I found this from the Draft Night thread from November 2021. kickthething was spot on.

kickthething said:
Roberts has the potential to be the Dawson replacement.
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kickthething said:
Roberts has no problem getting the ball, his ability by foot is solid, it’s his decision making with the ball that will be developed as that lets him down now, not the skills, justtbthe bits between the ears. He looks like he has been trying to improve that from the clips I have seen. With a couple of years elite coaching I think he has the makings of a good distributor. I wouldn’t rule the Dawson potential out too early.
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Good to see Matty performing which is no surprise now that he's had a more consistent run at it and more importantly has been injury free. He showed that at a very early age when he was 16, he stood out to me above most of his peers with his poise and ability to find the footy - just an old fashioned footballer, no nonsense, no fuss. Dominated every level he has been at, and certainly was a leader at his school in the games I saw - captain at St.Peters College is a fair badge, heavily tagged every week.

No surprise that he has put his head down and adjusted to the half back role, he is a student of the game and has a really lovely leg when gets a chance to use it, which shows more off half back then in the middle. But overall, he is a born midfielder which I see him transitioning back into in a few years time. Fear not for those in doubt about him, I said it before and will say it again but you have a beauty in Matty.
 
Thunderstruck said:
Good to see Matty performing which is no surprise now that he's had a more consistent run at it and more importantly has been injury free. He showed that at a very early age when he was 16, he stood out to me above most of his peers with his poise and ability to find the footy - just an old fashioned footballer, no nonsense, no fuss. Dominated every level he has been at, and certainly was a leader at his school in the games I saw - captain at St.Peters College is a fair badge, heavily tagged every week.

No surprise that he has put his head down and adjusted to the half back role, he is a student of the game and has a really lovely leg when gets a chance to use it, which shows more off half back then in the middle. But overall, he is a born midfielder which I see him transitioning back into in a few years time. Fear not for those in doubt about him, I said it before and will say it again but you have a beauty in Matty.
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You should consider changing your handle to Thundershook and making us your second team.

Thanks for the encouraging words about Matty.
 
The King! said:
Lloyds been made redundant down there on early Roberts form
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Yeh it's looking this way. Lloyd has been a wonderful servant and an excellent player for us but his style of play doesn't appear to be suiting how we want to move the ball from defence anymore. Particularly with his lack of pace to break lines or tackles or his relativley shorter, non-penetrating kicking.

He's absolutely still got qualitites that we need though with his experiences, his unflustered nature, his excellent hands (I think this has long been an underrated qualitity of his, his hands in traffic down back) and his endurance running. These will all be useful in big games of consequence up the ground. Long-term this year and into next, I'd be hoping Lloyd is permanently shifted up the ground to take advantage of his excellent running and let him adjust back to life as a wingman.
 
Kiama Chris said:
We hear various people talked about as Lloyd replacements. This fella strikes me as a pretty reasonable possibility. Tough, decent boot, tackles well. Might not be the best spot for him. Apparently he played well as a HFF in seniors. Time will tell.
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New Years Yes GIF by Hunchback Music
 
Blues90 said:
Your best unsung player. Already have such a deep midfield then this Kid bobs up. Huge fan.
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Was doing well last year until injury. Had a scorching preseason. In his draft year was considered a top ten pick until injured. Played SANFL seniors. Hard as a 😺 head.
Media misses an awful lot, especially from non-Vic clubs.
Nice post though - thanks.
 
Will be high up on the Rising Start votes once again. Just very calm under pressure and while that booming left foot is delightful some of his handballs today were stellar.

SA teams are going to come knocking next year, if they aren't already.
 
SA teams may come knocking but he's signed until the end of next season and why would he leave? He's getting a game. We're a good club and a strong team.

I can actually partially answer that question - he is really good mates with former teammates JHF and Arlo Draper and they have both now returned to SA, so that might be a bit of a drawcard. But really I think it will make more sense for him to stay where he is and catch up with his mates when he can. (However I do think he'd be much more likely to join JHF at Port than to go to Adelaide.)

He's really finding his feet in seniors, which is unsurprising and terrific. I noticed today that he was defending quite high and able to get around the ball a bit too. Plus his composure and reliable ball use and kicking are so valuable. If we keep playing him down back he's got plenty of room to improve because I don't think he's spent much time training as a defender.
 

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Player Watch #34 Matthew Roberts

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