Player Watch Welcome to Port Adelaide Esava Ratugolea, Finally

[JimmyBC]

People way too harsh on Rat.

We did not trade in a finished product. He has in fact been a better player for us than he was last year for Geelong.

We recruited him to stand monsters and to intercept mark not to be the distributor out the backline. This week he earns his keep.

I’d rather him on Curnow/McKay than Bergman or Burton.

Next year with Ken hopefully gone I can see our defense setting up better and not pushing so high, so he hangs deeper on the big units with a more simple objective.

 

[HugeJohnson]

I really don't think he's suited to defence. His disposal is too iffy and he doesn't have great decision making, those turnovers kill us time and time again. Play him up forward where it hurts us less and give him an opportunity to gain some confidence in his game. I think he'd offer more than Lord and Marshall at the moment.
We're not exactly light on for defenders either so to me it makes sense to push him forward and if we need an extra tall down back, fit someone like McKenzie or Burton back in the side when they recover from injury and gain some form in the SANFL.

Ken Hinkley reads Bigfooty confirmed

 

[HHHAMMERtime]

Esava needs to be coached hard. That's all.

Are you saying we need to bring Jonas back to bash him?

 

[davo999]

Just imagine if Esava became like the other player we recruited from Geelong as a centre half back .

 

[Ford Fairlane]

The change was made uptown and the big man joined the band
From the coastline to the city all the little pretties raise their hands

 

[Windy Cindy]

Has a shocking ball drop. But can take a grab

 

[JimmyBC]

Could be a long term forward if we ever get a decent goal kicking coach.

 

[Shaucob_Burjan]

Last 2 weeks has certainly shown that we don't need the cute shit Marshall does, just need someone that moves bodies

 

[pstew2dstew]

My man's a beast

 

[1954]

As per others I haven't been keen at all on Ratugolea as a defender but he is looking much better as a forward which was his original position when drafted, and the 2 gorilla set up of him and Dixon is working very well as they can both take strong pack marks and have to be manned up at all times, which frees up Georgiadis to get into space against the 3rd tall defender and score multiple goals.

 

[raptalia]

Esava looks good up forward but he has caught that old Alberton 'cannot kick straight' virus. Definitely looks a forward and he could easily have had 3 goals last night if he had kicked straight.

 

[Peninsula Boy]

In time, if Esava continues to play well up forward and stays there, I think he can improve his goal kicking.

It will take some time though.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Funny thing with his kicking - and this is only from one shot on goal I saw from directly behind him - is he kicked the ball straight as an arrow, just aimed for the wrong spot.

I guess not everything Tom Hawkins

26

Tom Hawkins

Age

36

Ht

197cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

4.4

3star

M

5.5

5star

T

1.9

4star

G

2.1

5star

D

12.7

3star

K

8.6

3star

HB

4.1

3star

M

5.1

5star

T

2.1

3star

G

1.6

5star

D

7.8

2star

K

5.6

3star

HB

2.2

2star

M

4.2

4star

T

1.0

3star

G

2.2

5star

taught him about forward craft was good

 

[Port 2004]

Esava looks good up forward but he has caught that old Alberton 'cannot kick straight' virus. Definitely looks a forward and he could easily have had 3 goals last night if he had kicked straight.

He actually caught the virus in Geelong with around a fifty fifty return from around 70 odd shots on goal. Definitely a better option than Marshall imo. So hard to match up on.

 

[TazD]

 

[RangaInTeal]

The simplest of things, using the seams of the ball on the fingers to guide ball to boot seems to be where he fails, maybe spreads the hands to much or its to pronounced?

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Georgiades is the big beneficially of Esava and a mobile uninjured Dixon as KPFs.

If Dixon is fit enough there is no room for Marshall.

 

[Watto71]

Move Esava forward and then Marshall to CHB

 

[Chewy316]

Move Esava forward and then Marshall to CHB

And who are you taking out of the backline to put Marshall there?

 

[Revan11]

View attachment 2068271

Butcher's set shot was next level bad. Untenable.

 

[Revan11]

And who are you taking out of the backline to put Marshall there?

Puts Marshall's position in jeopardy. Maybe he would suit high HF/wing better?

 

[Chewy316]

Puts Marshall's position in jeopardy. Maybe he would suit high HF/wing better?

I wouldn't play Marshall ahead of any of the small forwards, and I'm certainly not playing him on the wing ahead of Burgoyne or Boak at this point.

He's a square peg in a round hole at this point. Doesn't fit the current make up of the team.

 

[RangaInTeal]

Puts Marshall's position in jeopardy. Maybe he would suit high HF/wing better?

Wing could be a nightmare match up, what we want Miles to be, a marking Wingman able to drop back to be the 7th defender or deliver the footy inside 50 to the forward advantage.

 

[blink185]

Wing could be a nightmare match up, what we want Miles to be, a marking Wingman able to drop back to be the 7th defender or deliver the footy inside 50 to the forward advantage.

Like we already had in Duursma!

 

[RossFC]

There was a number of incidents where Ratugolea would use his size and brute strength to win the ball.

A lot of times Marshall would just be either soft, or wait for the ball to come to him and a defender would kill the contest.

Insane that these 2 guys are only a few months apart in age.