Lots of good recent posts here.
Stack's issue is he lost his position in defence back in 2019 to Baker. Baker is back in that role now & doing extremely well.
D Rioli has added to the list of those in front of him in defence. Shorty can play there too. All these guys are multiple Premiership players.
So even if Syd plays back in the VFL & dominates, he's got some work ahead to force others out of the best current defence in the AFL.
The other problem Syd has is I don't think he's fast enough or fit enough to play as a small forward but this is the position (given requirements in the senior team), he's most likely to fill.
If he can't make an impact up front or in the midfield at VFL level then that limits him as a player.
Playing back is easier than playing forward. That's been well established.
Couple that with question marks over his off season preparation, it's not really a farce as to why he's not playing senior footy atm.
It's unfortunate where Syd finds himself but it is what it is. 50/50 to remain on the list methinks. Maybe less than that.
Agree with all that, Oldie. Stack was moved forward post-bye in 2019 to accommodate the return of Short from his elbow injury. The game before the bye he had 22 disposals at half-back. In 11 games he'd been a shining beacon in a struggling, undermanned team. Everyone had him ahead of Short and Baker, he was that good.
The game after the bye he kicked 4 goals as a first time forward. Everyone got even more excited than we already were about what we had on our hands. Some think he was dropped after six games forward (17 disposals, 1.2 goals per game, better than The Prince, George, Higgins or Butler ever managed), but I think he went back as part of our retooling process a la Caddy and KMac. He had 15 disposals in less than a half playing midfield at Windy Hill before he did his ankle. He was going to cap one of the most remarkable debut seasons we've ever seen as a premiership midfielder. That was the plan. The fact they played him in the VFL grand final shows they were still hoping up to the last minute.
Syd lost his position in defence because of his potential everywhere else. He's suffered from our expectation - demand - that he become what we needed rather than be allowed to continue in the role he excelled at in his first half a season of AFL footy.
Bakes got to go back to defence when he didn't quite measure up in other roles (initially - but he grew from the experience and now maybe he can). Shorty played half-back for five straight years until he grew into a mid. Sydney got 11 games in his first year and half a dozen last year. But we demanded he be a forward. Because he could kick goals and we needed that. I was in that camp. But it's hard yards when you're not quick. He is working his arse off in the twos but it's tough. Not helped by his lack of fitness. He catches up somewhat during the season but in reality he is running around with weights on his ankles.
Bakes and Shorty are dedicated. Professionals. Do everything right in their preparation. We know this is where Sydney struggles.
Unprecedented times haven't helped. Whether Syd stays on the list will be decided by whether he and club see a way forward together. No doubt he has to be more professional in his off-season approach. No doubt he'll have offers from other clubs despite everything.
I think most of us are looking at the totality of the last four years, the good and the bad, not just the last game spooker.
Yeah but if you said "special case, long way back, needs time and understanding", but now want to turf him, you didn't mean it, or don't understand what those things meant in Sydney's circumstances - or you have inside info from the club that they see him as incorrigible and irredeemable. Because his football this year, while not at the level we'd hope, is far from delistable. Not unless we plan to cut 10. The club will only cut him if it has given up on him. He might choose to leave for a fresh start, or because someone else promises him a game at half-back.
Sydney's maturity. His relationship with the coaches and the players. Whether we trust he will come back in better shape if we give him another year. Whether he wants a fresh start. We're only speculating. I doubt the club has reached a final decision on him yet. Let's see how he goes over the next three months.