AFL Player # 9: Dylan Shiel - Sticking around for 2025, training in the backline - 18/10

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2024 2025
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 35, eth-dog

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Probably reluctant as he thinks he can pinch a flag with us.

 

[Keystone agony]

Probably reluctant as he thinks he can pinch a flag with us.

wahhhh

the club is resetting, were taking a step back in his last year at the club in 2025

 

[chambo00]

Maybe he just doesn't wanna go and we're okay with him being around?

I feel like he could be playing a lot of VFL again next year, we really need to prioritise Tsatas if he has a great preseason.

 

[jdstorm]

I feel like he could be playing a lot of VFL again next year, we really need to prioritise Tsatas if he has a great preseason.

With one year left and about 20 games short of 100 and Father son qualification Sheil will be one of our first mids picked.

If you can only pick one of Sheil/parish you pick Sheil in the best 22 as parish has passed 100 and is locked in for 6 years

 

[dank420_]

That's some 5d chess

 

[Call Me Cake]

 

[eth-dog]

View attachment 2142717
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Hank on suicide watch

 

[chambo00]

With one year left and about 20 games short of 100 and Father son qualification Sheil will be one of our first mids picked.

If you can only pick one of Sheil/parish you pick Sheil in the best 22 as parish has passed 100 and is locked in for 6 years

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Ch 7 News said Shiel is training for backline role!! WTF?

 

[fairbump_playon]

Ch 7 News said Shiel is training for backline role!! WTF?

Famously elite distribution

 

[DERO]

yodellinhank

 

[DERO]

Carn Beerfish put him back in

 

[faible]

Ch 7 News said Shiel is training for backline role!! WTF?

The Heppell role, I like it.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

As soon as I saw the 7 news clip I came here to see the vibe
I like shiel....but this seems bizarre if true

 

[jdstorm]

It sort of makes sense.

If they’ve decided he’s not in the A midfield rotation then it’s either HB competing with Roberts and an open D7 spot or Forward competing with a much larger group.

Famously elite distribution

In a backline with McGrath as a prime user he’d be an improvement

 

[Old Campaigner]

Makes sense, we gotta make some room in the midfield for the likes of Hobbs and Tsatas and with Hind and Heppell gone there’s some gaps in the backline that need filling. I recall this was flagged some months back actually

None of that is to say he’ll be any good there though

 

[Blind Turn]

I was pleasantly surprised by his composure and disposal through traffic in the second half of the season after so long out. He could definitely play a role off HB if he continues in that fashion.

The only real void of any consequence when Heppell missed games over the last couple of years was lacking someone in the defensive area with tactical leadership. The importance of a general back there is perhaps undervalued. Their thinking might be that Shiel is the man to provide that role. I even felt it would worth shifting Merrett back there due to its importance.

 

[Jobe Watson]

Hacks like Matthew Boyd and Jack Ziebell turned into decent kicks when they got shifted to the backline late in their careers. Maybe Shiel will be similar. Not expecting much, though.

 

[Bombers36]

I was pleasantly surprised by his composure and disposal through traffic in the second half of the season after so long out. He could definitely play a role off HB if he continues in that fashion.

The only real void of any consequence when Heppell missed games over the last couple of years was lacking someone in the defensive area with tactical leadership. The importance of a general back there is perhaps undervalued. Their thinking might be that Shiel is the man to provide that role. I even felt it would worth shifting Merrett back there due to its importance.

I like your thinking - and the clubs. Shiel was hot when he came back in late this year - a move to the HBF would be a great idea. I'd like to see both Shiel and Merrett rotate through the HB line. Opposition sides this year were thinking - 'tag Merrett out of the game and you win the game' - and Merrett spending some time off HBF rotating with Shiel could be a clever strategy for us...Both can still rotate through the middle with their dynamic play and then out of the backline their leadership, ability to set up play and break lines would be a win..Shiel is often maligned by people but I reckon he might surprise a few in 2025, and with Merrett getting tagged out of games rotating him through the HB line would free him up a lot...

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Martin who was always a good kick saw his kicking suffer when he went back. Hope the same doesn’t happen to Shiel. Showed late last season he still has something to offer in the mid so assume rotating both roles

 

[faible]

Martin who was always a good kick saw his kicking suffer when he went back. Hope the same doesn’t happen to Shiel. Showed late last season he still has something to offer in the mid so assume rotating both roles

IMO Martin's kicking didn't change. He was always a high risk kick, taking those options in the forward half of the ground won't result in an immediate goal back the other way, in defence they will. The coaching staff obviously decided they were willing to wear those goals and let him take those risks.

 

[crackers65]

Hacks like Matthew Boyd and Jack Ziebell turned into decent kicks when they got shifted to the backline late in their careers. Maybe Shiel will be similar. Not expecting much, though.

We would kill for two hacks like them. Leadership problems would be solved overnight.

 

[IHurley]

Could never understand why he was no good as small forward. My concern on him at back is that his kicks are hardly laser like but I dare say speed from the backline can't hurt and we have a surplus of midfield extractors.

I feel like we are going to be much much quicker now. Weirdly, all the metrics said that Kelly was just about our fastest player - never seemed like it to watch him though.

 

[faible]

Could never understand why he was no good as small forward. My concern on him at back is that his kicks are hardly laser like but I dare say speed from the backline can't hurt and we have a surplus of midfield extractors.

I feel like we are going to be much much quicker now. Weirdly, all the metrics said that Kelly was just about our fastest player - never seemed like it to watch him though.

Kelly was pretty limited as a footballer, but his athleticism made up for it to give him an AFL career. Had a great tank, was a repeat sprint animal and gave you everything each week.

Never understood the hate he copped, way more talented guys gave way less to the team each week.

 

[JT_the_Man]

Struggling to see it with him as a defender, but we need to try something I suppose.