AFL Player # 5: Elijah Tsatas

[TheGrizz]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2026
2024 My Boy Draft: Pick 14, Lore

 

[BrunoV]

I think he could get to a Darcy Parish level.
Very similar attributes and deficiencies.

Win it on the inside, hand it off to better users, or kick at around 60% efficiency.

If Caldwell misses games, perhaps Tsatas could be tried as that run with player.

If we're smart Parish is no longer best 22.

 

[Nicholas61]

We now have 4 top 10 picks n the last 4 years that are still very much full of questions.

We certainly haven't seemed to prioritise elite users looking at most of these picks (happy with Caddy). Even Lual who is a second rounder needs work on his kicking but at least he is genuinely quick. Zach excepted its rare to see our mids put nicely weighted passes in front of leading forwards. The good teams the ball seems to be generally delivered to the forwards advantage when bursting from the centre.

 

[FlyingV]

Guys he’s in his second season, he’s getting 35 touches a game in the VFL, and was a big reason we won on the weeknd.

The kicking is a concern absolutely, but if he can become an ok kick…. Watch out.

Let’s not pin the poor disposal of our entire team on the back on a 20 year old. I remember watching Clayton Oliver

13

Clayton Oliver

Age

26

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

27.8

5star

K

9.5

4star

HB

18.4

5star

M

3.2

3star

T

6.3

5star

CL

6.3

5star

D

25.1

5star

K

11.1

4star

HB

14.0

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

5.6

5star

CL

5.9

5star

D

19.2

5star

K

4.6

2star

HB

14.6

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

4.4

5star

CL

3.8

5star

a few years back and it looked like he could hardly get the ball off the deck. Then BANG… he became a perfectly acceptable mediocre kick and everyone’s happy.

Concerned, yes. But there is still plenty to like.

 

[faible]

Guys he’s in his second season, he’s getting 35 touches a game in the VFL, and was a big reason we won on the weeknd.

The kicking is a concern absolutely, but if he can become an ok kick…. Watch out.

Let’s not pin the poor disposal of our entire team on the back on a 20 year old. I remember watching Clayton Oliver a few years back and it looked like he could hardly get the ball off the deck. Then BANG… he became a perfectly acceptable mediocre kick and everyone’s happy.

Concerned, yes. But there is still plenty to like.

He's not even 20 yet, currently 19 and he's not 20 until after the season is over

 

[NAB777]

Guys he’s in his second season, he’s getting 35 touches a game in the VFL, and was a big reason we won on the weeknd.

The kicking is a concern absolutely, but if he can become an ok kick…. Watch out.

Let’s not pin the poor disposal of our entire team on the back on a 20 year old. I remember watching Clayton Oliver a few years back and it looked like he could hardly get the ball off the deck. Then BANG… he became a perfectly acceptable mediocre kick and everyone’s happy.

Concerned, yes. But there is still plenty to like.

You can improve many things as you mature - but if you get to ~20 and have a significant fundamental flaw in your kicking, it is very, very difficult to fix - particularly when you are under pressure.

 

[mcgrath_truther]

nat fyfe is playing well this season, and he's rarely kicking. he can be taught to just handball - he has decent hands, no?

 

[bombreys]

That’s the clubs job.

This is forum to discuss club and players.

Yeah but you said you think there might be an issue with his kicking, but that you hope he can figure it out and be a good player in the future.

You seem to be implying he’s the worst pick in club history and that you hate his Mum, there’s no need for it.

 

[bombreys]

Guys he’s in his second season, he’s getting 35 touches a game in the VFL, and was a big reason we won on the weeknd.

The kicking is a concern absolutely, but if he can become an ok kick…. Watch out.

Let’s not pin the poor disposal of our entire team on the back on a 20 year old. I remember watching Clayton Oliver a few years back and it looked like he could hardly get the ball off the deck. Then BANG… he became a perfectly acceptable mediocre kick and everyone’s happy.

Concerned, yes. But there is still plenty to like.

I literally don’t think a single poster has said anything even remotely in line with that, have they?

Saying he’s had/has his issues isn’t writing him off. No one’s suggesting cutting him. It’s a player forum! And he’s a top 5 pick. People are interested in him and want to discuss him.

 

[Vander18]

Yeah but you said you think there might be an issue with his kicking, but that you hope he can figure it out and be a good player in the future.

You seem to be implying he’s the worst pick in club history and that you hate his Mum, there’s no need for it.

Love his mum

 

[BrunoV]

nat fyfe is playing well this season, and he's rarely kicking. he can be taught to just handball - he has decent hands, no?

No way. You don't start looking at ways to invent a career for a guy you spent pick 5 on.

If there is club out there that hasn't worked out that possession accumulation is not relevant, Adelaide I am look at you, trade him for a first round pick and run as fast as you can to get the deal signed off. I'd start lobbying the AFL for a special finals bye pre-trade-period trade period just to get it done asap.

Tsatas is fundamentally a running player. He has shown no sign that he can be an inside battering ram, reliant on handball, or who could get away at the elite level with being a designated non-kicker. Dylan Clarke, Trent Mynott, Nick O'Brien are just 3 of the guys I've watched regularly accumulate high possession rates at VFL level. Tsatas is no different to those guys except at this point in time he has an irrelevant reputation based on where he was drafted.

Elite physical traits do not materialise just because of maturity. They are traits which exist at the junior level and which develop to an adult level. Even look at another player we took early who is no good, Hobbs. His natural game is to absorb physical pressure. It has always been a part of his game.

 

[mcgrath_truther]

No way. You don't start looking at ways to invent a career for a guy you spent pick 5 on.

If there is club out there that hasn't worked out that possession accumulation is not relevant, Adelaide I am look at you, trade him for a first round pick and run as fast as you can to get the deal signed off. I'd start lobbying the AFL for a special finals bye pre-trade-period trade period just to get it done asap.

Tsatas is fundamentally a running player. He has shown no sign that he can be an inside battering ram, reliant on handball, or who could get away at the elite level with being a designated non-kicker. Dylan Clarke, Trent Mynott, Nick O'Brien are just 3 of the guys I've watched regularly accumulate high possession rates at VFL level. Tsatas is no different to those guys except at this point in time except that he has an irrelevant reputation based on where he was drafted.

Elite physical traits do not materialise just because of maturity. They are traits which exist at the junior level and which develop to an adult level. Even look at another player we took early who is no good, Hobbs. His natural game is to absorb physical pressure. It has always been a part of his game.

it's not as if i was, it's a suggestion and a comparison between someone who's aware of his limitations and someone who probably will have to think like that in the future

 

[Booplaz]

Cal's draft rankings had him at number 4 in July, then at number 3 thereafter until the draft.

No mention of his kicking, although I note that Cal does tend to focus on positive attributes.

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' July ranking

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey rates the performances so far of 2022's top 25 draft prospects

www.afl.com.au

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' August ranking

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey rates the performances so far of 2022's top 30 draft prospects

www.afl.com.au

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' September ranking

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey rates takes a look at 2022's top 30 draft prospects

www.afl.com.au

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' October ranking

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey rates the performances of 30 of 2022's top draft prospects

www.afl.com.au

Cal Twomey's Phantom Form Guide: Top draft prospects' November ranking

AFL.com.au's draft guru Cal Twomey rates the performances of 30 of 2022's top draft prospects

www.afl.com.au

Rookieme says kicking was a strength, but then goes on to say the following:

"His kicking on the other hand could use some improvement with a lack of penetration at times and he tends to kick out one step after marks which can loop up and put his teammates under pressure, but kicking inside 50 he often kicks to advantage and makes the right decisions so there is certainly no big concern but overall could be better."

View attachment 2036160

Elijah Tsatas Draft Profile

central.rookieme.com

It certainly seems to imply a fairly minor issue, not gross inaccuracy.

Dunno who else there is analysing drafts and what their thoughts were but Cal and Rookieme seem fairly authoritative and they both had him in the top 5. It points to a player who had been highly rated for some time in the lead up to the draft, and not just a bolter the draft watchers realised some club was really interested in and added to their rankings. In fact after the 2021 draft Cal included him in the top 10 prospects for 2022, even being mentioned as a contender for pick 1.

Eye on the future: 10 draft prospects to watch in 2022

Draft guru Callum Twomey looks ahead to the best prospects in 2022

www.afl.com.au

Given the lack of attention drawn to it in his draft year I wonder if it's something he has developed since being drafted. For example he might be struggling to adjust to the speed of the game or feeling under more pressure than he's used to and it's affecting his kicking.

Everything Tsatas is criticised for now was just as obvious as it was a year and a half ago.

Perhaps it just stands out more as the level of competition around him has gone up.

 

[TheGrizz]

I am still on the band wagon. I dont need him to be an elite kick, just for him to be solid within a 35m target area and know when to hand it off to better kicks.

 

[84859300]

38 disposals @ 60.5% disposal efficiency - equals 23 effective disposals.

You'd much rather 23 @ 90% for the day.

 

[Ati Tude]

38 disposals @ 60.5% disposal efficiency - equals 23 effective disposals.

You'd much rather 23 @ 90% for the day.

Do also bear in mind that was in wet conditions. Not sure what he normally goes at.

 

[Happyskeret]

Do also bear in mind that was in wet conditions. Not sure what he normally goes at.

The 1st qtr in particular was a very scrappy affair for both sides.

 

[ant555]

The issue for me is we have enough midfielders that kick at 60% . We need more than Merrett in the midfield that has the ability that go better than 70%.
It is always the same with us . We seem to have plenty of the same. Small midfielders. Midfielders who are average kicks . Slow small forwards.
Rucks who can not mark.
How do you get better when your future midfield hope can maybe improve his kicking to a level that is average to above average.
Most have called Shiel a butcher for going at 50% to 60% yet it is okay for Tsatas to maybe get to 60% ?
On top o that. Yes he is still young but they have been working on his kicking for over 12 months now and it is no better.
Even at training. I went one day last week and he was still producing the same 4 or 5 howlers he was last year.
Maybe it is just me but I would rather my gun midfielder not be having 5 or so poor turnovers a game.
Poor skill level is killing us at the moment.

 

[BomberManU]

The issue for me is we have enough midfielders that kick at 60% . We need more than Merrett in the midfield that has the ability that go better than 70%.
It is always the same with us . We seem to have plenty of the same. Small midfielders. Midfielders who are average kicks . Slow small forwards.
Rucks who can not mark.
How do you get better when your future midfield hope can maybe improve his kicking to a level that is average to above average.
Most have called Shiel a butcher for going at 50% to 60% yet it is okay for Tsatas to maybe get to 60% ?
On top o that. Yes he is still young but they have been working on his kicking for over 12 months now and it is no better.
Even at training. I went one day last week and he was still producing the same 4 or 5 howlers he was last year.
Maybe it is just me but I would rather my gun midfielder not be having 5 or so poor turnovers a game.
Poor skill level is killing us at the moment.

Do you think his kicking issues will prevent him getting more games this season? Are there any other things he needs to address, urgently?

 

[Agronomus]

If we're smart Parish is no longer best 22.

Mate, you should be posting on bigfooty more

 

[Foxx]

At least 50% of Essendon bigfooty posters will be happy we selected Tsatas.

I mean pre draft everyone knew his kicking was rubbish at under 18 level, but they still wanted him.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

I think hes being judged a bit harshly because the guys taken ahead of him were plug and play mids that have had immediate impact (Sheezel, Ashcroft, Wardlaw) but there was a big drop off after those three. Humphrey and Phillipou started of well but are having their own issues at the moment and Clark hasnt shown much at all to date. Ginbey looks a good pick by WC but he was alway going there IMO.
The real miss in that draft was Weddle, he looks top 5 at the moment, seemed like we shifted to looking at running back flanks a year too late.

 

[jdstorm]

Do you think his kicking issues will prevent him getting more games this season? Are there any other things he needs to address, urgently?

He’s needs to put on size. Had some injury issues the past few years that has prevented that.

Essendon already has a pretty light midfield and can’t really afford to add another small player.

 

[ant555]

Do you think his kicking issues will prevent him getting more games this season? Are there any other things he needs to address, urgently?

Probably not as they are committed to his development.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

38 disposals @ 60.5% disposal efficiency - equals 23 effective disposals.

You'd much rather 23 @ 90% for the day.

Most efficient would’ve been his handballs. Give him time no doubt but don’t think influences VFL as much as he should in his second year

 

[DERO]

No way. You don't start looking at ways to invent a career for a guy you spent pick 5 on.

If there is club out there that hasn't worked out that possession accumulation is not relevant, Adelaide I am look at you, trade him for a first round pick and run as fast as you can to get the deal signed off. I'd start lobbying the AFL for a special finals bye pre-trade-period trade period just to get it done asap.

Tsatas is fundamentally a running player. He has shown no sign that he can be an inside battering ram, reliant on handball, or who could get away at the elite level with being a designated non-kicker. Dylan Clarke, Trent Mynott, Nick O'Brien are just 3 of the guys I've watched regularly accumulate high possession rates at VFL level. Tsatas is no different to those guys except at this point in time he has an irrelevant reputation based on where he was drafted.

Elite physical traits do not materialise just because of maturity. They are traits which exist at the junior level and which develop to an adult level. Even look at another player we took early who is no good, Hobbs. His natural game is to absorb physical pressure. It has always been a part of his game.

This is why I laugh when people suggest that we trade players like Parish for picks. The next sentence is to back that up by mentioning who they would have picked instead of who we did pick.

That said, the prevailing view at the time seemed to be that he had an elite ability to power away from stoppage yeah? Maybe he was just a bit bigger a stronger than the kids he was playing against?

Bit harsh on Hobbs though. He has some good traits. Also, I’m holding out hope that we can get something out of Tsatas over the next couple of years. He has put his head down apparently so let’s give him another year or two and see what happens.