Sydney Stack | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Sydney Stack

jb03

Tiger Legend
Jan 28, 2004
33,856
12,108
Melbourne
He was leaping a lot but not marking many. Tried his guts out though and I hope he gets a game next week.
 
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checkside

Tiger Legend
Sep 23, 2005
7,188
997
Australia
He was leaping a lot but not marking many. Tried his guts out though and I hope he gets a game next week.
Exactly. Struggled to get the footy but he didn’t exactly give up. Gave away at least one goal to MJ when I thought he’d try take it for himself considering he hadn’t done much. I’d leave him in.
 
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UKTiger

Tiger Legend
Jul 11, 2010
9,220
7,384
Shipston on Stour, UK
Exactly. Struggled to get the footy but he didn’t exactly give up. Gave away at least one goal to MJ when I thought he’d try take it for himself considering he hadn’t done much. I’d leave him in.
I rechecked the game and he gave MRJ two goals and did a mountain of unrewarded hassling the WEagles
 
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yandb

Tiger Champion
Mar 24, 2004
3,599
867
Parker does all that and gets more possessions but he was dropped.
 
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bringbakflemmo

Tiger Superstar
Apr 15, 2009
1,401
502
So we've now got Castagna and Stack as pressure forwards .
One has no skills but can get the ball and the other has skills but couldn't get the ball.
That's playing two short in book.
Drop them both.
 
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Dyer'ere

Licensed to kazoo
Sep 21, 2004
19,101
6,952
There's 15 minutes of exceptional highlights from his first year Jack.
The bigger question is whether he's able to recapture that form or whether 2019 was just a flash in the pan?
Actually think he looks a bit heavier from this first year. His pace is nowhere near what it was when he burst on the scene. Sure there's the odd burst but certainly not with the same consistency.
Elite athletes have got to be athletic to get the most out of their raw talents & that just comes with hard work.
Sydney can't survive by not putting in the work. That's what may see him ultimately waste his career if he doesn't make the most of these increasingly rare senior opportunities.

This is a beautiful summary of the existing narrative, Olds.

We were all beguiled by Sydney's spectacular arrival on the AFL scene. Stack launched into the imaginations of all Tiger fans. Mr Damien Hardwick lamented with a laugh that fans would build a statue of Sydney after one brilliant highlight. Then he hosed down the Sydney champion narrative.

I've been pushing a different narrative for a while now. I'm calling Sydney for lack of ground game.

In posting about Sydney at VFA level I've been building a case that Sydney can make it if he works on the fundamentals. I don't think the whole fitness crock matters much. I think it's about football education.

The club has demonstrated that Sydney has to play mid at VFA level to force him to focus on ground ball. To improve his ball winning. RFC has done that. And the numbers are improving and we're seeing them. Fewer marks. More loose gets. And just before promotion 9 clearances. That's ground ball. RFC wants Sydney to play the ground game. VFA then AFL.

Mostly when we bag this or that, our expectations are out of alignment with results. Our expectations of Sydney Stack have been at best romantic for some years.

In the most recent highlight package at VFA level Sydney is presented with a simple CB clearance. He couldn't find the handle but after four very encouraging bungles and repeat efforts he picked up the football. And used it. Shoulda taken .3 seconds - took a minute.

Yes. It's about confidence. Yes. It's about physical confidence. But mainly it's about inexperience and lack of education. And, amazingly, lack of practice.

9 clearances in he VFA. Then 5 disposals in the AFL/WAFL cusp. It was a big step up.

I hope Sydney gets more practice at AFL level. If he doesn't that's ok. He can win ground ball in the VFA and kick the door down.
 
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Tigers2011

What did I miss dad?
May 6, 2007
5,868
4,161
Mt Waverley, Victoria
Yeah but we have too many small defenders which is a problem. Who would you push out? I just can't see anywhere else to put Stack except as a small forward at the moment, maybe with some midfield time but that depends on fitness. Another aspect is that we also have Ralphsmith who was playing well and Mansell who is a small back. If Stack can play forward we need him there, too many HBFs on our list.

DS
Stack’s position in this team if he is to make it, is midfield/forward. Has elite talent - up to him now in regard to fitness and work ethic.

We’ve got enough half backs & Stack needs to be an offensive, creative weapon. I’d be persevering with him for another 3-4 weeks at least. Edwards needs to be rested/dropped before guys like Stack.
 
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Tortured Tiger

Junior Development - The Tigers key to success !!
Jan 24, 2005
644
920
Stack’s position in this team if he is to make it, is midfield/forward. Has elite talent - up to him now in regard to fitness and work ethic.

We’ve got enough half backs & Stack needs to be an offensive, creative weapon. I’d be persevering with him for another 3-4 weeks at least. Edwards needs to be rested/dropped before guys like Stack.
With Martin, Cotchin, Pickett, Tarrant and possibly Ralphsmith available this week, he will be very lucky to survive the axe even though I agree with your sentiments.
 
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MalenyTiger

Tiger Superstar
Jan 27, 2005
2,280
746
This is a beautiful summary of the existing narrative, Olds.

We were all beguiled by Sydney's spectacular arrival on the AFL scene. Stack launched into the imaginations of all Tiger fans. Mr Damien Hardwick lamented with a laugh that fans would build a statue of Sydney after one brilliant highlight. Then he hosed down the Sydney champion narrative.

I've been pushing a different narrative for a while now. I'm calling Sydney for lack of ground game.

In posting about Sydney at VFA level I've been building a case that Sydney can make it if he works on the fundamentals. I don't think the whole fitness crock matters much. I think it's about football education.

The club has demonstrated that Sydney has to play mid at VFA level to force him to focus on ground ball. To improve his ball winning. RFC has done that. And the numbers are improving and we're seeing them. Fewer marks. More loose gets. And just before promotion 9 clearances. That's ground ball. RFC wants Sydney to play the ground game. VFA then AFL.

Mostly when we bag this or that, our expectations are out of alignment with results. Our expectations of Sydney Stack have been at best romantic for some years.

In the most recent highlight package at VFA level Sydney is presented with a simple CB clearance. He couldn't find the handle but after four very encouraging bungles and repeat efforts he picked up the football. And used it. Shoulda taken .3 seconds - took a minute.

Yes. It's about confidence. Yes. It's about physical confidence. But mainly it's about inexperience and lack of education. And, amazingly, lack of practice.

9 clearances in he VFA. Then 5 disposals in the AFL/WAFL cusp. It was a big step up.

I hope Sydney gets more practice at AFL level. If he doesn't that's ok. He can win ground ball in the VFA and kick the door down.
Spot on. If Stack is dropped it's an opportunity to work on improving in the VFL not the end of his career. His time will come but there are obviously those in front of him ATM i.e. Dusty, Cotch and Marlion. That's not a bad thing.
 
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tha8ball

Tiger Legend
Jan 6, 2005
7,902
4,855
Oh East Melbourne!
It’s a shame he didn’t have a stronger stat line because him and Rioli Jr gave us a totally different dynamic up fwd on Friday night.
 
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yandb

Tiger Champion
Mar 24, 2004
3,599
867
I have never seen a player who only had five possessions have so many posters demand that player not be dropped.

We are in a crucial position where another couple of losses will see our season disappear in smoke.

I am barracking for the RFC not for Sydney Stack, put the best team out there match committee.

It is four seasons since we have seen Sydney's best, I would love it if could reproduce it again but until he puts in a body of work that shows he deserves a spot in the

seniors then leave him in the two's.
 
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TT33

Yellow & Black Member
Feb 17, 2004
6,816
5,805
Melbourne
I thought Syd had an "almost" game, he worked hard but was just a fraction "off". It can happen sometimes, he gave MRJ 2 of his goals. Imo he should get a few more games. As they say in the horse racing game, he'll be better for the run.
 
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RichoMan28

#GoTiges
Mar 21, 2010
470
167
Played like a player not wanting to get dropped, but in all the wrong ways. Seemed timid.

A shadow of the Syd that burst into the scene in his first year.
 
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tigerdell

Hope springs infernal
Mar 29, 2014
4,551
5,157
I have never seen a player who only had five possessions have so many posters demand that player not be dropped.

We are in a crucial position where another couple of losses will see our season disappear in smoke.

I am barracking for the RFC not for Sydney Stack, put the best team out there match committee.

It is four seasons since we have seen Sydney's best, I would love it if could reproduce it again but until he puts in a body of work that shows he deserves a spot in the

seniors then leave him in the two's.
Very valid. We do focus on the win. 2 eyes dead ahead.
And maybe a half sleepy eye on the future....

But one aspect that everyone has appreciated is the balance we had on Friday. Pressure and speed in the front seats.
Now maybe west coast were awful. Significantly hopeless. Bumble Coast.
Easier to put pressure on with sloppy kicks and fumbles. A professional side might turn the 18 pressure acts into STAND.
But at least it was good team balance.

Dusty and Cotch in don't bring the same harassment. Their selection should be based on midfield mix.
Maybe that's how he stays in the team
 
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tigerman

It's Tiger Time
Mar 17, 2003
24,155
19,624
With the Chimp and Dow out i thought Syd would play forward/mid. Can't argue with the coaches though, Short on the defensive side at centre bounces worked very well.
 
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