Is Sandilands done?

[Bluengold91]

He had 6 touches n 2 marks, yes he wins some taps but once the ruck contest is over he might aswell just disappear. He is cooked

 

[Damon_3388]

The implication of your post is that those midfielders would perform better in stoppages with a less dominant tap ruckman?

Let's also not discount that even clearances/taps that don't lead to a score, may still lead to territory, or prevent the opposition possesion or territory.

Well somewhere in the chain, it's not working, as for all the clearance dominance, the Dockers struggle to score.

Perhaps the Dockers would be better off without such reliance on one/two mids to win the ball, and a ruckman who can win a clearance themselves, and support and protect their midfield with tackles and blocks around the stoppages. Someone like Sean Darcy, for instance...

 

[Freomaniac]

Offers next to nothing outside of contesting the tap.

Surprised he's still playing TBH, given his size and age. Just marking time until Sean Darcy is ready to play week in, week out.

Sandi kicked 2 goals tonight.... Yep offers nothing outside of a tap ruckman role

He's been done since about 2016, but Freo for some reason refuse to let him die and organise a replacement. They'll give the poor bloke a zimmer frame before they give him a week off.

This proves that you know nothing abut Freos ruck situation. Freoo got rid of Zac Clarke who had multiple knee injuries and Griffen Was done. Now lets look at freos current rucks.

Sean Darcy: 202 cm and 110kgs. Played 8-9 games in his debut year last year. Would of played at least 3-5 games already if he didn't have a knee injury.
Michael Apeness is 200 and 100kg ruck/forward. Would of played 25-30 games already if he didn't do his knee in 2015 and 2017.

Luke Strnadica: another 199cm and 90 kg ruck forward: on the rookie list and doing ok at Peel.

Scott Jones: Another 202 cm and 110kg 22 year old mature aged ruck forward from east perth.

Will hand Goldy his arse on a plate next week like he normally does

Goldstein isn't too bad of a player to be honest.. Still remember last year between North and Freo at Docklands: Sean Darcy beat Goldy 34 hit outs to 31.

 

[PurpleEyes]

Here is a stat that doesnt bode well for us!

Richmond are last for hitouts, 17th for clearances, 1st for frees against, 1st for goals kicked and 1st on the ladder.

So you don't think Richmond would be any better off with Fyfe in their team then?
& you don't think Hardwick would play Sandilands if he was given to Richmond?

... trying to make some sort of inference about Sandiland's importance using the success of Richmond is a very poor argument, especially when I can statistically show what difference Sandilands makes to Freo's Win/Loss record in the past few years.

It's like Freo trying to copy Hawthorn who were able to have success with low tackles and high uncontested possessions. The game plan didn't work so well for Freo in 2016 ... especially after Fyfe and Sandilands got injured.

 

[The Joker]

So you don't think Richmond would be any better off with Fyfe in their team then?
& you don't think Hardwick would play Sandilands if he was given to Richmond?

... trying to make some sort of inference about Sandiland's importance using the success of Richmond is a very poor argument, especially when I can statistically show what difference Sandilands makes to Freo's Win/Loss record in the past few years.

It's like Freo trying to copy Hawthorn who were able to have success with low tackles and high uncontested possessions. The game plan didn't work so well for Freo in 2016 ... especially after Fyfe and Sandilands got injured.

I'm outta here...

 

[Bluengold91]

So you don't think Richmond would be any better off with Fyfe in their team then?
& you don't think Hardwick would play Sandilands if he was given to Richmond?

... trying to make some sort of inference about Sandiland's importance using the success of Richmond is a very poor argument, especially when I can statistically show what difference Sandilands makes to Freo's Win/Loss record in the past few years.

It's like Freo trying to copy Hawthorn who were able to have success with low tackles and high uncontested possessions. The game plan didn't work so well for Freo in 2016 ... especially after Fyfe and Sandilands got injured.

I definatly don't think Hardwick would play Sandilands, they have a ruckman that's more then capable winning ruck taps but can actaully help his team once the ball is in general play

 

[Upgrayedd]

still a very good ruckman

 

[PurpleEyes]

I definatly don't think Hardwick would play Sandilands, they have a ruckman that's more then capable winning ruck taps but can actaully help his team once the ball is in general play

Hardwick's comments from a fortnight ago would suggest he has plenty of respect for Sandilands;

Hardwick said Fremantle's game style based around dominant ruckman Aaron Sandilands forced the Tigers to find a way to win with a different approach while losing the clearances 22-44.

"To be fair, we probably expected to lose the clearances. What did he (Sandilands) have, 25 hit-outs to advantage? But it's probably what you do from that, set up the turnover and from there," Hardwick said.


"The game these days is effectively a turnover-based game, so we always knew that was a strength of ours. Funnily, we still scored more from stoppages. It's just so hard to stop, our guys showed great endeavour in there.

 

[Bluengold91]

Hardwick's comments from a fortnight ago would suggest he has plenty of respect for Sandilands;

Hardwick said Fremantle's game style based around dominant ruckman Aaron Sandilands forced the Tigers to find a way to win with a different approach while losing the clearances 22-44.

"To be fair, we probably expected to lose the clearances. What did he (Sandilands) have, 25 hit-outs to advantage? But it's probably what you do from that, set up the turnover and from there," Hardwick said.


"The game these days is effectively a turnover-based game, so we always knew that was a strength of ours. Funnily, we still scored more from stoppages. It's just so hard to stop, our guys showed great endeavour in there.

N out of those 25 hitouts to advantage how many produced clear clearances??

 

[Bestbird]

Sandi still performing but definatley in the twilight of his career. Freo ruck stock are pretty limited though at AFL level with the only real replacement the promising albeit injured Sean Darcy who has only played a handful of games.

 

[Quokka]

Watched Freo last week and thought he was ok, definitely his last year but he still contributes.

Pretty much this for mine, Lyon said weeks ago that had Darcy been fit Sandi never would have travelled to Canberra and that wouldn't have been a one off. This could have been a transition year but there's literally no one left to ruck with him or for him at the moment. As good as Sandilands has been for the club over the years we're not playing him out of love or loyalty there's simply no one else on the list fit enough to try and replace him.

 

[Freomaniac]

He had 6 touches n 2 marks, yes he wins some taps but once the ruck contest is over he might aswell just disappear. He is cooked

and sandi kicked 2 goals but what ever.

 

[Bluengold91]

and sandi kicked 2 goals but what ever.

Really doesn't take Much to impress a dockers fan

 

[fidstar]

He’s in the twilight and it should probably be his last year.

A bit like Dean Cox in his final year - not the player he was but still capable of a good game and still a load of tricks in his playbook...but the limitations are getting obvious and the end is nigh.

Sandilands has had more good games already this season than Cox had in his final season.

I remember when I counted the votes Cox wasn't once named in our Top 5 players in any game of the year. Not one.

 

[Smartest Brain]

The main question seems to be does Sandilands dominant tapwork make up for his lack of everything else. I think not,especially in modern high pace, midfielder friendly game. those Richmond stats of them last in hitouts and clearances shows how unimportant they are.

 

[Smartest Brain]

and sandi kicked 2 goals but what ever.

That's nearly their score until 3 quarter time though.... So....

 

[Rotayjay]

He's been done since about 2016, but Freo for some reason refuse to let him die and organise a replacement. They'll give the poor bloke a zimmer frame before they give him a week off.

Reminds me of us and Sam Jacobs

 

[nurries]

Really doesn't take Much to impress a dockers fan

If Nic Nat kicked 2 goals he would be on the front page of the West.....hang on he is always on the front page

 

[Snake_Baker]

It's a huge effort for a bloke that size to be playing a sport as demanding as AFL football at 36 years of age.

However, the fat lady is warming up. I reckon this year will see him out.

 

[Banyo Bloods]

All comes down to his body. If he stays injury free then he should go on. If he sists out a lengthy part of the second half of the year then he should consider giving it away.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Is sandi cooked? Probably
Well below his best? Definitely

Still giving his midfield first use more often than not? Yup

Still in their best 22 - absolutely

Sandy is no longer elite / but he’s serviceable and aside from NN and Lycett working him over - he’s stood up well enough each week

 

[Unique Name]

Well somewhere in the chain, it's not working, as for all the clearance dominance, the Dockers struggle to score.

Perhaps the Dockers would be better off without such reliance on one/two mids to win the ball, and a ruckman who can win a clearance themselves, and support and protect their midfield with tackles and blocks around the stoppages. Someone like Sean Darcy, for instance...

the '...' implying we should be playing Darcy? You keep getting better and better.

Yep Sean sorry we need you to play this weekend...... what's that?...... you've had a knee injury for the past 5 weeks and still 3-4 weeks away from return..... but Damon says we need you now.


Lay off the sauce mate.

 

[Maylandsman]

So you don't think Richmond would be any better off with Fyfe in their team then?

be careful what you wish for.

 

[Damon_3388]

Sandi kicked 2 goals tonight.... Yep offers nothing outside of a tap ruckman role

Nothing in terms of ruckwork, yes.

Ruckwork is more than just contesting the tap, and goalkicking isn't ruckwork.

the '...' implying we should be playing Darcy? You keep getting better and better.

Yep Sean sorry we need you to play this weekend...... what's that?...... you've had a knee injury for the past 5 weeks and still 3-4 weeks away from return..... but Damon says we need you now.

Lay off the sauce mate.

Well, obviously when Darcy fit and ready to go F**k me, some people get silly on here sometimes.

Doesn't refute the point that Darcy probably offers more as an all-round ruck package than Sandilands at this stage, and would provide more support (both attacking and defensive) around the stoppages than Sandilands.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Sandilands has had more good games already this season than Cox had in his final season.

I remember when I counted the votes Cox wasn't once named in our Top 5 players in any game of the year. Not one.

Well ok, I didn’t say it was a direct comparison.

My point was that as a champion of the game, Sandilands still has something to offer but I doubt even the most loyal Freo fan would argue that in an ideal world, a good run of games in the back end of 2018 will see Sean Darcy be ready to take the reigns from next season.