AFL Player # 5: Elijah Tsatas

[TheGrizz]

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

 

[Maxabillions]

Apparently he was spotted on a barn roof in Pennsylvania over the weekend.

 

[FlyingV]

Apparently he was spotted on a barn roof in Pennsylvania over the weekend.

He did well to make it back to the VFL match in Casey 4 hours later.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Yeah needs a bit more physicality. 3rd qtr he made a poor effort in defence and let the opposition mark it way too easily.
Thought he looked a bit flat

 

[Zach Package]

31 and 14 clearances and kicked it as much as he handballed it. Another victory for common sense.

Unfortunately we can’t have too much common sense and the VFL have another bye this week

 

[FlyingV]

31 and 14 clearances and kicked it as much as he handballed it. Another victory for common sense.

Unfortunately we can’t have too much common sense and the VFL have another bye this week

I reckon his fitness has really improved dramatically this season. From being last in the 2km last season (and then blowing out his knee) to now running out games well at both levels (he ran 15km earlier in the year vs swans)… it’s looking a great improvement.

I know his kicking is sketchy, but the kid has been probably spending as much time building up his fitness base as anything else this season.

 

[Maxabillions]

He did well to make it back to the VFL match in Casey 4 hours later.

Sounds about right. Can’t hit a target but great burst of speed.

 

[Zach Package]

I reckon his fitness has really improved dramatically this season. From being last in the 2km last season (and then blowing out his knee) to now running out games well at both levels (he ran 15km earlier in the year vs swans)… it’s looking a great improvement.

I know his kicking is sketchy, but the kid has been probably spending as much time building up his fitness base as anything else this season.

He’s also seriously bulked up.

I’m probably his biggest advocate but he’ll never not be very clean by hand, a volume accumulator with a powerful first step, if you bolt a rig and a decent tank onto that you’ve got a player. I don’t care what anyone says.

 

[faible]

Lij enters heady, rarefied air this weekend.

Between an injury, the building up of his body, subbing in and out of games and being a travelling emergency the last time he played 4 full games of footy in a row at any level was April 2022.

Let him ball and leave him the **** alone.

Knew he hadn't had much continuity but didn't realise how little he's had.

 

[ant555]

He’s also seriously bulked up.

I’m probably his biggest advocate but he’ll never not be very clean by hand, a volume accumulator with a powerful first step, if you bolt a rig and a decent tank onto that you’ve got a player. I don’t care what anyone says.

Was not always keen to use his powerful first step on Sunday.

 

[eth-dog]

Was not always keen to use his powerful first step on Sunday.

He was regularly getting rubdowns on his quads and hammies when on the bench.

 

[Zach Package]

Was not always keen to use his powerful first step on Sunday.

And that’s all part of the process.

I’d be far more concerned if we were having the same discussion about Clark or Ginbey who come in with a man’s body shape.

 

[The_General#1]

Get it done Dodo

I don’t think there would be too many teams lining up for him unfortunately. Twomey said he’s an inside mid. Blind Freddy can see he’s more of an outside non contact type. He would’ve been the perfect player in Richmond’s dynasty with his speed and playing a role in their hack the ball fwd style.

 

[cAsEy_18]

I don’t think there would be too many teams lining up for him unfortunately. Twomey said he’s an inside mid. Blind Freddy can see he’s more of an outside non contact type. He would’ve been the perfect player in Richmond’s dynasty with his speed and playing a role in their hack the ball fwd style.

Hmmm.

 

[eth-dog]

I don’t think there would be too many teams lining up for him unfortunately. Twomey said he’s an inside mid. Blind Freddy can see he’s more of an outside non contact type. He would’ve been the perfect player in Richmond’s dynasty with his speed and playing a role in their hack the ball fwd style.

Sure, only a blind man would say that. Or someone who doesn't know anything about football.

 

[boncer34]

I don’t think there would be too many teams lining up for him unfortunately. Twomey said he’s an inside mid. Blind Freddy can see he’s more of an outside non contact type. He would’ve been the perfect player in Richmond’s dynasty with his speed and playing a role in their hack the ball fwd style.

Remember when Norfies thought Shaun "scared of his shadow" Atley was the answer to all their prayers?

 

[doug85]

Apparently he was spotted on a barn roof in Pennsylvania over the weekend.

You sure it wasn’t Charlie Curnow?

 

[Maxabillions]

You sure it wasn’t Charlie Curnow?

Actually I think it was the Wizard

 

[Vindicater]

Does he deserves another callup to replace Perkins?

 

[ant555]

And that’s all part of the process.

I’d be far more concerned if we were having the same discussion about Clark or Ginbey who come in with a man’s body shape.

The issue for me is it is not natural. So yes he will be a better player in two years when his body develops. Yes he can find the football and play the game.
However watching on Sunday via streaming you can see some of the same issues from his under 18 days which were alarm bells for me .
It is not natural or instinct for him . Confidence in the body is a factor for sure but he does not instinctively attack the contest in the way Hobbs or Wardlaw do . That will be the issue. It is hard for people to do something outside their comfort zone repetitively. Contest after contest.
There is no doubt he will work on it but it will not be the same as the blokes who have the instinct to do it.
He has the scope to be a good player. He is a decent mark . A good clearance player but he has a kicking flaw that will only ever get to average if he can improve it and he is not a natural inside bull who will crash and bash all day every week.
He is a poor man’s Dylan Shiel with worse kicking.
Have been prepared to accept he will take longer and still needs time but he is not going to be the player we where looking for list wise .

 

[BomberManU]

The issue for me is it is not natural. So yes he will be a better player in two years when his body develops. Yes he can find the football and play the game.
However watching on Sunday via streaming you can see some of the same issues from his under 18 days which were alarm bells for me .
It is not natural or instinct for him . Confidence in the body is a factor for sure but he does not instinctively attack the contest in the way Hobbs or Wardlaw do . That will be the issue. It is hard for people to do something outside their comfort zone repetitively. Contest after contest.
There is no doubt he will work on it but it will not be the same as the blokes who have the instinct to do it.
He has the scope to be a good player. He is a decent mark . A good clearance player but he has a kicking flaw that will only ever get to average if he can improve it and he is not a natural inside bull who will crash and bash all day every week.
He is a poor man’s Dylan Shiel with worse kicking.
Have been prepared to accept he will take longer and still needs time but he is not going to be the player we where looking for list wise .

Do you think he'll get more games this season?

 

[ant555]

Do you think he'll get more games this season?

They may play him . I wouldn’t yet .

 

[faible]

Does he deserves another callup to replace Perkins?

No, let him play pure midfield in the VFL and not out of position elsewhere. As another poster said this is the first time he’s played 4 games in a row in two years.

 

[ant555]

Does he deserves another callup to replace Perkins?

Why bother ? Leaving any doubts I have aside he is not physically ready to play an inside role and his kicking has not progressed enough to play an outside role so I think he is better served developing in the VFL then getting another pre season under his belt.

 

[Agronomus]

Has anyone seen young lij kick the ball left footed ever?

 

[Agronomus]

No, let him play pure midfield in the VFL and not out of position elsewhere. As another poster said this is the first time he’s played 4 games in a row in two years.

I don't even know who you're referring to but I agree