Player Watch Jake Soligo - Showdown Medalist!

[Danger in Texas]

 

[CryptoCrow]

I don’t understand the criticism of Rachele, I think he’s been good. He needs opportunities on ball.

Second this, he has a lot of improvement in him, but he's far from our worst

 

[kirky]

I don’t understand the criticism of Rachele, I think he’s been good. He needs opportunities on ball.

Rachele is in his third year and has played majority of his football in the forward area. Comparison with Murphy who reached 100 games (how I don't know) is chalk and cheese - Rachele is streets ahead.

A forward averaging 15 possessions is not bad at all - most of his stats are AFL above average, the criticism is unwarranted.

And Soligo will be a star.

 

[AFC979810]

Is this the same Nicks you're bagging mercilessly in every thread for his awful decisions and comparing to Primus?

Same exact guy! And the Primus comparison is based on win % - just an FYI.

Think he has done an awful lot wrong, but some of the decisions he makes I understand and even agree with! I think listening to one of the best fitness/performance managers in the world of sports is an understandable decision.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Same exact guy! And the Primus comparison is based on win % - just an FYI.

Think he has done an awful lot wrong, but some of the decisions he makes I understand and even agree with! I think listening to one of the best fitness/performance managers in the world of sports is an understandable decision.

Do you think there's any chance that Nicks made a conservative decision?

Any chance that his preference was to go with his experienced midfield crew until the losses made it untenable?

Or was he desperate to get youth into the centre square right from the start but mean ol' Burgo tied his hands?

 

[AFC979810]

Do you think there's any chance that Nicks made a conservative decision?

Possibly.

Any chance that his preference was to go with his experienced midfield crew until the losses made it untenable?

He did that all of last year. And the year before and Soligo was never sub.

Or was he desperate to get youth into the centre square right from the start but mean ol' Burgo tied his hands?

This is about Soligo being the sub.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Possibly.

He did that all of last year. And the year before and Soligo was never sub.

This is about Soligo being the sub.

No, no, no. You've been very clear that Soligo has gradually had his CBAs increased as he fights his way back from a debilitating ankle injury that no player has ever had before.

Nothing to do with our midfield getting pantsed and us losing of course. Just Soligo's fitness.

Soligo only had a handful of CBAs all last year from memory, but that's irrelevant.

I think that Nicks thought we were soooooo good and Crouch was soooooo Back Baby that we could afford to ease Soligo back into the team. Sholl can get it done. How good has he and Bezza's preseasons been?

Now we've realised Uh Oh, we suck and he's our best mid. Whoopsies.

 

[1970crow]

Time On Ground

Dawson 84%
Soligo 83%
Laird 69%
Crouch 67%

Yep, the better players get the minutes. Good pickup.

 

[George Kramer]

No, no, no. You've been very clear that Soligo has gradually had his CBAs increased as he fights his way back from a debilitating ankle injury that no player has ever had before.

Nothing to do with our midfield getting pantsed and us losing of course. Just Soligo's fitness.

Soligo only had a handful of CBAs all last year from memory, but that's irrelevant.

I think that Nicks thought we were soooooo good and Crouch was soooooo Back Baby that we could afford to ease Soligo back into the team. Sholl can get it done. How good has he and Bezza's preseasons been?

Now we've realised Uh Oh, we suck and he's our best mid. Whoopsies.

This is exactly it. If Nicks thought Soligo playing was crucial to us winning, like he would a Laird, Dawson, Tex etc Soligo would have played.

He selected the Rd 1 side with the same attitude the club took since we were ripped off against Sydney, we should have played finals and we will naturally improve and be playing finals. The funny thing is that Sydney game was actually a prelude to how we’ve played this year mostly, suck, fall behind play some ok footy fighting back but be inefficient up forward and lose.

Rd 2 they thought rd 1 was a blip, stick with the same midfield. Push Soligo to the wing. We will win.

Rd 3, our midfield needs a little tweak as we are getting scrutinised, give Soligo some midfield.

Rd 4, our midfield is ****ed, but can’t possibly play Laird or Crouch elsewhere or drop one so reduce their game time, give it to Soligo he’s good.

I wonder what the result would have been rd 1 had we taken the same attitude?

 

[BRL121]

He has really turned into a very special player. Classy, smart and tough. One of those players that make you feel at ease when they get the ball.

Agreed, but he hasn't "turned into" anything that he wasn't from day one. He's just getting more opportunities on the inside.

 

[Soggy2112]

Wasn’t good yesterday though, trying to many big plays instead of simpler smarter options

He bit off more than he could chew at times but I felt he was one of a handful of players who were able to get the ball in congestion and break away. Overall his impact was a net positive.

Sometimes you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette.

 

[NSolis]

Yep, the better players get the minutes. Good pickup.

You say that like its obvious but aren't people spending a lot of time on this board complaining that the club has no idea who the better players are? A drop minutes for Laird/Crouch and increase in minutes for Soligo compared to previous weeks seems notable, given that.

 

[dogs105]

Super impressed with this lad, just the type of player I love.

Keeps his feet, cool under pressure, good disposal, works hard, natural footy brain, doesn't like to be beaten.

Unfortunately traits that most of our players don't have

I can't believe how clean he is with the ball under pressure, and how he seems to know where everyone is around him. I read earlier today that the majority of his possessions were uncontested, for a small back to play on the quality of players he did and get as much of the ball uncontested as he did shows that he knows exactly when to duck off a player and when to stick onto them.

He just does not waste a possession. You can see the other players back there already trust him. He was the player they most often released a handball to knowing he would either lightning-pass it onto a free man, or have an effective kick.

He would have been close to our best yesterday, other than probably Lynch.

small. that is the only possible reason.

has always been tough, is quick, very clean with his possession and composed under pressure.

he's very small though, but that generalisation has definitely worked in our favour. if you're good enough, you're good enough, simple as that.

Pound for pound as good as any player on our list!!!

He is a gun. Hard, reads the game and uses it well.

Genuine footballer, hard as nails and do quick around the contest.

Becoming a favourite

Killing it again today. Get around ma boi.

Gun

Would be my MVP for the team so far this season. Whats his contract status at the moment?

he reminds me of a smaller Ben Hart, reads the play and uses it well

Will be AA next year.

Great news

Having a fantastic season. Has elevated his game to another level. Handling the ball cleanly under pressure and taking some great marks.

Absolute gun, and one of very very few good footballers to come from my former school!

Great highlight reel, how well does he read the play to leave his man and help out another of our defenders.

He has a real footy brain, what a great start to his career, the next 50 games are going to be even better.

There were never too many doubters and even in his first few games, most people noticed he was probably going to turn into a pretty handy player.

Had actually surpassed my expectations though this year. Playing fantastic footy consistently

Very good case for being our most important player. Unbelievable how he mops everything up, gets out of trouble and delivers perfectly.

Kid is an absolute gun

Fantabulous. Most import re-signing of all!

Im not sure there's many better in the game at getting the ball in and under and getting it out to a team mate, via a handball.

Been good all year but really good post bye, has become damaging at stoppage by exiting out of the front half more, and getting a few more shots on goal. A good chance for AA.

Hope he turns out as well as the other young guy we raved about! Very talented player.

 

[Carn The Texan]

Great vid. around the 2.00 mark he "pulls the trigger" with a beautiful kick to crouch into the corridor to open up the ground and at the time i thought "what a kick! now go!" and the first thing crouch does is ... slow dinky kick backwards to the other flank.

 

[Soggy2112]

Great vid. around the 2.00 mark he "pulls the trigger" with a beautiful kick to crouch into the corridor to open up the ground and at the time i thought "what a kick! now go!" and the first thing crouch does is ... slow dinky kick backwards to the other flank.

The follow up video where he released Laird with the opportunity to wheel around and hit inside 50 in a 6/6/6 moment, who instead chose to stop and handball to ROB of all people is equally damning.

 

[Carn The Texan]

The follow up video where he released Laird with the opportunity to wheel around and hit inside 50 in a 6/6/6 moment, who instead chose to stop and handball to ROB of all people is equally damning.

Yep. Neither of those are Soligo's fault, either. He's given two senior midfielders the chance to split the game wide open at a crucial stage of the game.

Nonetheless, this was otherwise very positive viewing. If we'd won that game he'd have the 3 votes easy. Just a superb mover and user of the ball and its such a relief to see it in his hands in the contest.

 

[StonesThrow]

Agreed, but he hasn't "turned into" anything that he wasn't from day one. He's just getting more opportunities on the inside.

He wasn't dodging tackles and showing the power that he is this year.

Year 1 was slick hands, good decisions and nice skills. Mostly outside, but showed he was tough on the inside as well.

Year 2 he was trying to do what he is this year, but seemed to lack strength of a bit of power. Got caught a LOT either holding the ball or an ineffective disposal.

Year 3 it looks like he's improved his strength and power enough to get some separation or get his hands free. He's pairing this with his skills showed in year 1.

Going to be a very nice player. Deserves to be a starting mid.

 

[hugecannon]

He wasn't dodging tackles and showing the power that he is this year.

Year 1 was slick hands, good decisions and nice skills. Mostly outside, but showed he was tough on the inside as well.

Year 2 he was trying to do what he is this year, but seemed to lack strength of a bit of power. Got caught a LOT either holding the ball or an ineffective disposal.

Year 3 it looks like he's improved his strength and power enough to get some separation or get his hands free. He's pairing this with his skills showed in year 1.

Going to be a very nice player. Deserves to be a starting mid.

Good analysis, makes it so frustrating that they haven’t gone a similar path with Rachele over the same period and Rankine since we recruited him.

 

[AFC979810]

No, no, no. You've been very clear that Soligo has gradually had his CBAs increased as he fights his way back from a debilitating ankle injury that no player has ever had before.\

Where did I say that? Love to see it quoted.

A debilitating ankle injury that no player has ever had before? You are being a touch dramatic aren't you. I believe all I have referenced is the timeline of his injury (Jan 30th when it happened - to not being fit enough to play in the Port trial match 24 days later).

Nothing to do with our midfield getting pantsed and us losing of course. Just Soligo's fitness.

Soligo only had a handful of CBAs all last year from memory, but that's irrelevant.

no no no.

My original argument was that Soligo being a sub in round 1 was heavily influenced by Burgo and I understood why Nicks made it.

Then the argument came to light because Scorpus made a comment about how it couldn't have been a fitness issue because he played so well in Round 4 after being a sub in rd 1.

I think that Nicks thought we were soooooo good and Crouch was soooooo Back Baby that we could afford to ease Soligo back into the team. Sholl can get it done. How good has he and Bezza's preseasons been?

Now we've realised Uh Oh, we suck and he's our best mid. Whoopsies.

I think that Soligo has been a favorite of Nicks's from day 1.

Only 3 other players from his draft class have played more games than SOG (#1 JHF, #11 NWM, #26 Connor McDonald).

I think that the fitness staff led by world renowned Burgo was a big part of Nicks selecting Soligo as SUB - especially since the only time Nicks selected Soligo as Sub was in his 2nd game back in 2022.

 

[George Kramer]

Yeah - imagine that! Player who wasn't 100% fit for round 1 plays an absolute blinder in his 4th game of the year.

Its almost like he is working back from a month long ankle injury:

Week 1 - Sub
Week 2 - 15 touches - 79& TOG
Week 3 - 21 touches - 79% TOG
Week 4 - 27 touches - 83% TOG.

#sackburgess

Reckon Drugs Are Bad Mackay? is referring to this.

You’ve implied it was fitness that saw an improvement, nothing about change of role. Interesting his TOG has increased by only 4% since his fitness was questionable in week 2. Unless you miraculously think he got match fit between weeks 1 and 2.

 

[AFC979810]

Reckon Drugs Are Bad Mackay? is referring to this.

You’ve implied it was fitness that saw an improvement, nothing about change of role. Interesting his TOG has increased by only 4% since his fitness was questionable in week 2.

I implied he got better each week from round 1 which is in line with players returning to football from injury. It was a direct response to Scorpus smart ass comment from the round 1 discussion around Soligo.

No doubt he got more midfield time and that also contributed to his form swing.

Unless you miraculously think he got match fit between weeks 1 and 2.

See this is just silly and I have discussed this many times.

This is what makes you so frustrating. Its a Strawman comment and something that you and your little click love to do.

Here it is again. He wasn't 100% fit entering into RD 1. This is an assumption because he missed a chunk of time (you say less than two weeks - I say at least 24 days), the head coach mentioned it prior to round 1 and because we have one of the best Sports Performance guys in the entire world of sports managing our players. Now once more - I think they made him sub - not JUST because he couldn't play round 1, but because it was grueling conditions away and we had a 6 day break so Nicks made an informed decision and it wasn't a bad one.

This is professional sport. There are degrees of match fitness. I don't know how you cannot understand that.

 

[George Kramer]

I implied he got better each week from round 1 which is in line with players returning to football from injury. It was a direct response to Scorpus smart ass comment from the round 1 discussion around Soligo.

No doubt he got more midfield time and that also contributed to his form swing.



See this is just silly and I have discussed this many times.

This is what makes you so frustrating. Its a Strawman comment and something that you and your little click love to do.

Here it is again. He wasn't 100% fit entering into RD 1. This is an assumption because he missed a chunk of time (you say less than two weeks - I say at least 24 days), the head coach mentioned it prior to round 1 and because we have one of the best Sports Performance guys in the entire world of sports managing our players. Now once more - I think they made him sub - not JUST because he couldn't play round 1, but because it was grueling conditions away and we had a 6 day break so Nicks made an informed decision and it wasn't a bad one.

This is professional sport. There are degrees of match fitness. I don't know how you cannot understand that.

So you mentioned his form improved with more midfield minutes, I missed that because it purely sounded like you were claiming increased fitness to try and back your argument.

And I know you explained it, I dont agree with it and I don’t agree with Nicks conservative approach.

You said JHF would have been made sub too. I agree under Nicks but not under any other coach in the AFL.

 

[Harris1991]

A shining light. A little gem. Let's hope we can keep the wolves at bay while we somehow built a list that will contend.

 

[kirky]

I implied he got better each week from round 1 which is in line with players returning to football from injury. It was a direct response to Scorpus smart ass comment from the round 1 discussion around Soligo.

No doubt he got more midfield time and that also contributed to his form swing.



See this is just silly and I have discussed this many times.

This is what makes you so frustrating. Its a Strawman comment and something that you and your little click love to do.

Here it is again. He wasn't 100% fit entering into RD 1. This is an assumption because he missed a chunk of time (you say less than two weeks - I say at least 24 days), the head coach mentioned it prior to round 1 and because we have one of the best Sports Performance guys in the entire world of sports managing our players. Now once more - I think they made him sub - not JUST because he couldn't play round 1, but because it was grueling conditions away and we had a 6 day break so Nicks made an informed decision and it wasn't a bad one.

This is professional sport. There are degrees of match fitness. I don't know how you cannot understand that.

This is non-sensical, if we had someone go down in the first quarter he would have been subbed on.

He should have started and see how he went otherwise he shouldn’t have been selected.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

This is non-sensical, if we had someone go down in the first quarter he would have been subbed on.

He should have started and see how he went otherwise he shouldn’t have been selected.

Players only ever get injured halfway through the 3rd quarter, everyone knows that