Player Watch Jake Soligo - Showdown Medalist!

[Kane McGoodwin]

He was in fact poor in all of the games I mentioned. Where you earn them and what you do with them matters more than simply counting the number of possessions, and he's been rushed and impact free almost all year.

He's still an AFL player, unlike Schoenberg, people just need to start accepting that his ceiling is a rotation player, a 5th man in the midfield, not a league beater.

I heard Soligo is related to the Crouches...

 

[pjcrows]

Looks like another one to set to "ignore".

 

[ABAB]

He was in fact poor in all of the games I mentioned. Where you earn them and what you do with them matters more than simply counting the number of possessions, and he's been rushed and impact free almost all year.

He's still an AFL player, unlike Schoenberg, people just need to start accepting that his ceiling is a rotation player, a 5th man in the midfield, not a league beater.

What? You need to watch him more closely, no doubt he get rushed like all young players but there are countless time when he looks to have more time and very creative with his disposal.

 

[cleanhands]

No point now neither Crouch is playing for us...

Is that why he’s angry

 

[StonesThrow]

I too think he has struggled a bit this year. Don't agree that he's been crap all year though. Had some pretty good games.

Think we should try him more outside for now though as he's struggling in close imo. Let him use his footy iq and foot skills.

 

[The Perfect Stranger]

Given his age he gets a pass mark so far, a 6/10.

 

[beartoo]

Looks like another one to set to "ignore".

Troll. Not you. Him.

On SM-A115F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[jacksoncalllow]

Soligo is a very likeable character, a gun player, and kid. He seems really cheeky and lively, but he is forced to be a serious player, and this would be expected of anyone in the Crows team. I guess what I am worried about is that we have a free spirited kid who is under serious pressure.
Soligo needs to know that he will make stuff ups in and out of footy and that is just his character formation. Yet I think there is a Vic AFL media sitting in the wings waiting to blow him up and make wild claims about the Adelaide Crows culture.
Hang tough Soligo, we love you for what you bring to the footy field and for what you will bring our club in the future. I reckon a few trophies will be in your cabinet one day.

 

[Cleric]

He is an interesting one. He has talent that belies his lack of speed, athleticism, height and look.

 

[ABAB]

He is an interesting one. He has talent that belies his lack of speed, athleticism, height and look.

You've just describe Neale....

 

[BunjiMac]

Soligo is really good in close tight situations. When the game is tighter and more contested, he just has to adjust that a little as he doesn't quite have the same amount of space to execute as he normally does.

He will do this.

It's not like Sholl who relies on more space to be able to execute, Soligo actually seeks the contest and will thrive. I think he's just discovering that there are levels in this game and you need to adjust accordingly.

He will be a main stay of the midfield.

Pairing him with guys with similar reaction times would be what I would be doing.

For example a Soligo with Rankine next to him would be deadly.

 

[AFC979810]

For example a Soligo with Rankine next to him would be deadly.

So you want Soligo in the forward line or Rankine in the midfield?

 

[BunjiMac]

So you want Soligo in the forward line or Rankine in the midfield?

Probably more Rankine in the midfield mix, but I really want to see how that pairing goes.

They are both so quick and good with their decision making in tight.

 

[John Who]

Soligo is a standout without being a standout. Ok, hear me out..

He has clear elite skills with his decision making and his foot disposals under pressure. I really think he has similar traits to a Zak Butters

9

Zak Butters

Age

24

Ht

181cm

Wt

77kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.3

4star

K

7.7

3star

HB

6.7

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.8

3star

D

14.7

4star

K

8.9

4star

HB

5.9

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.1

3star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.0

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

and his potential is thereabouts.

The trick is to compare Soligo in 2023 with a second-year Butters in 2020.



So while Soligo may appear to have stagnated, he is definitely improving and his stats show he is actually doing better than Butters in his second year (better marks and disposals average). The big question now is, will the improve be a linear one and can he be as good as Butters after 4-5 years in the AFL system? I say, for right now, why not?

 

[Soggy2112]

Soligo is a standout without being a standout. Ok, here me out..

He has clear elite skills with his decision making and his foot disposals under pressure. I really think he has similar traits to a Zak Butters and his potential is thereabouts.

The trick is to compare Soligo in 2023 with a second-year Butters in 2020.
View attachment 1710715
View attachment 1710716

So while Soligo may appear to have stagnated, he is definitely improving and his stats show he is actually doing better than Butters in his second year (better marks and disposals average). The big question now is, will the improve be a linear one and can he be as good as Butters after 4-5 years in the AFL system? I say, for right now, why not?

I don’t think Jake’s ceiling is quite as high as Butters.

The toughness, cleanness and strength over the ball is definitely there, as well as the decision making and ball use.

However Butters has an extra yard of pace and greater agility which separates him.

Jake will still be an excellent player, but Butters is on a Brownlow/multiple AA trajectory, and I don’t think Soligo will get to that level.

 

[Geoffa32]

I reckon Sog had "stagnated" while Murphy has been playing well.

Personally don't think Sog has stagnated, just playing a lesser role than the first few games.

Could be part of load management. Murphy playing the stoppage to stoppage mid role with Sog playing forward mid.



No concerns over Sog. He will slot back into Murphy's current role.

And that makes the side stronger. Murphy is ok, but Sog has a much higher ceiling.

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[Greenfinger]

He is an interesting one. He has talent that belies his lack of speed, athleticism, height and look.

What an ordinary negative post, even for you . Looks just fine to me .

 

[Trigger13]

Love Jake, but let’s not get carried away and think he’s ever going to be in the same league as Butters, who is tracking towards Gary Ablett Jnr levels.

 

[The Smith Revolution]

Isn't he like a Jason Porplyzia

Jason Porplyzia

Age

40

Ht

177cm

Wt

85kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.7

4star

K

8.7

3star

HB

5.9

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.7

4star

G

1.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.2

3star

K

7.6

3star

HB

2.6

3star

M

3.4

4star

T

2.2

4star

G

1.6

5star

? Clean, classy and value for possessions.

 

[NSolis]

Soligo's performance as a centre clearance mid is quite good for a 20 year old. He's attending around 25% of our centre bounces this year and averaging a centre clearance 15% of the time. For comparison, Laird is an excellent centre clearance mid and is at 14%, Pedlar is at 24% (!), guys like Sloane, Keays and Rachele at around 8-9% and Dawson at 6%. Neale is probably the best centre clearance mid in the AFL and is also at 15%.

I don't think it's quite fair to do a direct comparison with guys who are in there every time, but there's some signs there. A possible future setup might be to have Soligo be an in-and-under type in the Laird style, while Rachele plays a bit more outside like Dawson. Anyway, just wanted to highlight this as I think Soligo has had a middling year and I wasn't aware of his performance in this area.

 

[Rory Walkerfield]

Continues to do stunningly well for a guy in his second season.

go look at the stats of the best mids going around and you will note that all of them took 3-4 years to build their numbers up.

If Sog isn’t averaging over 20 touches a game in 2025 then I’ll be worried.

 

[Danger in Texas]

Yeah I’m not at all worried about Soli. He’s going to have up-and-down games as a second-year, 20yo mid/wing/forward, but he’s stayed classy and cool-headed in traffic, both at stoppages and at CBAs

My hope would be that he gets up to an average of 40-50% CBAs next year

 

[John Who]

I don’t think Jake’s ceiling is quite as high as Butters.

The toughness, cleanness and strength over the ball is definitely there, as well as the decision making and ball use.

However Butters has an extra yard of pace and greater agility which separates him.

Jake will still be an excellent player, but Butters is on a Brownlow/multiple AA trajectory, and I don’t think Soligo will get to that level.

That’s the whole point of me making such a comparison specific to Butters. I currently rate Butters as the number one player in the comp. So if we’re comparing the trajectories, and not the literal comparison, Soligo is setting himself well for a real push to the A-grade category in 2-3 years.

Personally I don’t think Soligo is stagnating, but because more attention is given to him by the opposition team. Also his fitness and power will come more naturally in the next few years, which will allow him more chance to win more balls against the more elite mids/taggers.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Yeah I’m not at all worried about Soli. He’s going to have up-and-down games as a second-year, 20yo mid/wing/forward, but he’s stayed classy and cool-headed in traffic, both at stoppages and at CBAs

My hope would be that he gets up to an average of 40-50% CBAs next year

There was a much greater sense of urgency from Soligo this week .....a reaction, no doubt, to the hard review he was given after last week

I like seeing players respond ....it shows they've taken the feedback on board

 

[spenze]

Love Jake, but let’s not get carried away and think he’s ever going to be in the same league as Butters, who is tracking towards Gary Ablett Jnr levels.

Oh come on man, you say lets not get carried away ( you are right) and then you do the same thing