AFL Player # 5: Elijah Tsatas - Hamstring, won't play v GWS - 16/7

[Nuggs Bunny]

 

[Bipolar Bear]

We have spent all this time trying to turn medium fowards and backmen into what Tsatas is, but we won't play Tsatas in that position.

 

[ant555]

We have spent all this time trying to turn medium fowards and backmen into what Tsatas is, but we won't play Tsatas in that position.

They have in the VFL.
Due to his injuries in his top age year and again last year he is not physically developed enough to play inside midfield at AFL level . Playing him on the wing did not work but they wanted to play him . Hopefully he gets another decent pre season so he is physically stronger and can get a look at the midfield. I am still not sold on his kicking but he can play.

 

[yodellinhank]

Some say he can pull clearances out at will.

 

[fairbump_playon]

ET couldn’t kick when he first came to earth either

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

ET couldn’t kick when he first came to earth either

Yep and he ended up packing his bags and going home.. not a very encouraging example

 

[Vindicater]

Can't wait to see him on the wing next weekend.

 

[straightuplazy]

Hopefully they keep playing him in the VFL, put him in the starting midfield group next year, after another pre season. Will be a gun in his correct position

 

[iDon]

Can we replace one bad kicker off HBF (Martin) with Tastas? We can't get any worse and he can practice his kicking at AFL level.

 

[cAsEy_18]

Can we replace one bad kicker off HBF (Martin) with Tastas? We can't get any worse and he can practice his kicking at AFL level.

There’s not too many changes I’d be opposed to Scott trying this weekend, but this would certainly be one haha

 

[ant555]

Can we replace one bad kicker off HBF (Martin) with Tastas? We can't get any worse and he can practice his kicking at AFL level.

There is sort of a difference between making poor decisions and actually having issues kicking the ball

 

[FlyingV]

About 6 weeks ago, we were calling for Tsatas to be played in his preferred position so that he could develop/get some confidence back/build match fitness at VFL level…

Now the decision is imo:
Either play him in the AFL in his preferred position for a full game (just like he has been training for in the 2s)

OR

Keep him in the twos and play him off half back/alternate position to allow him to further improve his kicking.

Personally, I’d be giving him a couple more weeks in the 2s and then full time on ball to end the season.

 

[faible]

About 6 weeks ago, we were calling for Tsatas to be played in his preferred position so that he could develop/get some confidence back/build match fitness at VFL level…

Now the decision is imo:
Either play him in the AFL in his preferred position for a full game (just like he has been training for in the 2s)

OR

Keep him in the twos and play him off half back/alternate position to allow him to further improve his kicking.

Personally, I’d be giving him a couple more weeks in the 2s and then full time on ball to end the season.

I don't believe those are the only two options.

He's not quite physically ready to do what he's doing at AFL level. Letting him cook in the VFL, getting another preseason of conditioning and weight into him, then see whether he can start to do it against AFL sized midfielders in 2025. For a bloke who hadn't strung 4 games together since 2022 (or was it 2021?) I think continuity at any level in a consistent role is going to be important.

 

[Mercurial89]

They have in the VFL.
Due to his injuries in his top age year and again last year he is not physically developed enough to play inside midfield at AFL level . Playing him on the wing did not work but they wanted to play him . Hopefully he gets another decent pre season so he is physically stronger and can get a look at the midfield. I am still not sold on his kicking but he can play.

Could he play 2 games in the AFL as a mid?
Or he doesn't have the body at all to even play 1?

The reason I ask is could you plan to have him possibly in against Sydney and Brisbane? See the level of two of the best two teams in the league, two solid games prior to end of the year.
Head into the postseason seeing the level, work on the body and then next year you drop him into he seniors from round 1.

 

[Agronomus]

So out of Caldwell, Durham & Merrett who does he replace?

 

[faible]

So out of Caldwell, Durham & Merrett who does he replace?

Merrett, let Merrett come off a flank and not get battered in the middle.

Also clubs roll more than 3 players through the midfield.

 

[Agronomus]

Merrett, let Merrett come off a flank and not get battered in the middle.

Also clubs roll more than 3 players through the midfield.

I see the midfielders as centre, ruckrover and rover so this new fangled modern game is confusing af. Maybe Parish is a good player

 

[faible]

I see the midfielders as centre, ruckrover and rover so this new fangled modern game is confusing af. Maybe Parish is a good player

None of the midfielders play 100% TOG so even without allowing for rolling a half-forward up the ground or some such that happens after CBAs, you have at least 1 player rotating through, usually more.

For example against STK - 29 CBAs total:

Ruck:
Draper 76% (22)
Wright 24% (7)

Not-Ruck:
Merrett 79% (23)
Stringer 72% (21)
Parish 45% (13)
Durham 34% (10)
Shiel 34% (10)
Caldwell 34% (10)

For the remainder of the season I'd use Durham and Caldwell at more CBAs, take Stringer out of there completely (excepting maybe like 1 or 2 if the forward-line is going cold and he needs to get his hands on the ball), let Tsatas and/or Hobbs take a meaningful amount (e.g. Parish's 45% or so). Could also push Merrett on to a flank more often instead of starting at centre-bounces. Merrett's best asset is his kicking, having him bash and crash at centres bounces isn't really necessarily.

 

[jannissary]

None of the midfielders play 100% TOG so even without allowing for rolling a half-forward up the ground or some such that happens after CBAs, you have at least 1 player rotating through, usually more.

For example against STK - 29 CBAs total:

Ruck:
Draper 76% (22)
Wright 24% (7)

Not-Ruck:
Merrett 79% (23)
Stringer 72% (21)
Parish 45% (13)
Durham 34% (10)
Shiel 34% (10)
Caldwell 34% (10)

For the remainder of the season I'd use Durham and Caldwell at more CBAs, take Stringer out of there completely (excepting maybe like 1 or 2 if the forward-line is going cold and he needs to get his hands on the ball), let Tsatas and/or Hobbs take a meaningful amount (e.g. Parish's 45% or so). Could also push Merrett on to a flank more often instead of starting at centre-bounces. Merrett's best asset is his kicking, having him bash and crash at centres bounces isn't really necessarily.

stringer attending so many is ****ed

 

[faible]

stringer attending so many is ****ed

It was a move out of desperation, but IMO if Stringer does go to a centre bounce it should be 1 or 2 a quarter at most.

Running him through the midfield has been tried plenty of times and rarely works long-term. He had 19 disposals, focused mostly in the centre circle with no real scoreboard impact.

Meanwhile he's one of the most dangerous players we've got forward of centre that has a level of power to break tackles that few players do. Starting him in the middle takes away his ability to do that both because he's more fatigued due to running more, and not actually being in the forward-line as the ball gets there.

I'd rather see the CBAs going to pretty much any other midfielder on our list than be using Stringer through there.

 

[Agronomus]

It was a move out of desperation, but IMO if Stringer does go to a centre bounce it should be 1 or 2 a quarter at most.

Running him through the midfield has been tried plenty of times and rarely works long-term. He had 19 disposals, focused mostly in the centre circle with no real scoreboard impact.

Meanwhile he's one of the most dangerous players we've got forward of centre that has a level of power to break tackles that few players do. Starting him in the middle takes away his ability to do that both because he's more fatigued due to running more, and not actually being in the forward-line as the ball gets there.

I'd rather see the CBAs going to pretty much any other midfielder on our list than be using Stringer through there.

The worst thing was he was at the very first CBA

 

[ant555]

Could he play 2 games in the AFL as a mid?
Or he doesn't have the body at all to even play 1?

The reason I ask is could you plan to have him possibly in against Sydney and Brisbane? See the level of two of the best two teams in the league, two solid games prior to end of the year.
Head into the postseason seeing the level, work on the body and then next year you drop him into he seniors from round 1.

You would get away with him playing a few . Even the GC would be a test for him. He is just not ready for a prolonged stint. Playing him on the wing did nothing for him for sure but they just wanted to get him exposure . If they had their time again you would hope they would see it was not the way to go.

 

[ant555]

What I can see as far as his kicking goes is they have worked on him giving first option by hand as he is very good in close . So he is basically kicking it on the outside more and it has been based around him not trying to kick the cover off the ball . As a few have said he still has a high ball drop which is an issue . He still kicks just as many floating punts as he does nice drop punts but the horrible shanks have been minimized. My comparison as far as what he is going to be is a slightly slower Adam Treloar

1

Adam Treloar

Age

32

Ht

185cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

28.2

5star

K

12.9

5star

HB

15.3

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

4.9

5star

CL

4.6

5star

D

30.3

5star

K

16.3

5star

HB

14.0

5star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.3

4star

CL

5.8

5star

D

18.0

5star

K

11.2

4star

HB

6.8

5star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.6

4star

CL

1.6

4star

. He will find the footy but he will kick some ugly floaters a lot of the time.
Credit to him and the coaches. It has been a hard grind for him.

 

[FlyingV]

What I can see as far as his kicking goes is they have worked on him giving first option by hand as he is very good in close . So he is basically kicking it on the outside more and it has been based around him not trying to kick the cover off the ball . As a few have said he still has a high ball drop which is an issue . He still kicks just as many floating punts as he does nice drop punts but the horrible shanks have been minimized. My comparison as far as what he is going to be is a slightly slower Adam Treloar . He will find the footy but he will kick some ugly floaters a lot of the time.
Credit to him and the coaches. It has been a hard grind for him.

Great analysis.

We have to remember, it’s not just his kicking he’s needed to improve dramatically. He came last in our 2km time trial last year, and THEN did his MCL. So you can only imagine how far behind he was with his running.

18 months on and he’s running out games far better then I thought possible.

He’s 19 and has made inroads in his two biggest deficiencies immediately when given a fair run at it. Credit to him.

 

[yodellinhank]

Auskick was at 9am this year with some pretty cold days and all those kids were learning to kick for free.

 

[Agronomus]

What I liked most about him when he did his knee, was how pragmatic he was about it and determined to still improve. He doesn't need someone to motivate him.