What does TBR get then for his post about Gale?Agree. Post of the week badge for you spooker.
Should we bring back Guus and Goose of the week?
What does TBR get then for his post about Gale?Agree. Post of the week badge for you 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.
I saw him live twice in 2019 , V swans at Etihad and he was seriously good and V Melb. and the famous Viney bump , in those games he was playing "at level"It's rather intriguing how we get seduced by some players on potential.
Have we seen the best of Stacky already? Not sure, but I do think he gets a spot on the list ahead of Parker, Martyn, and maybe even Cumberland.
Great post Spook. We have focused too much on what Syd can't do rather than what he can.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.
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.
They went in front of him because he was removed from the position. He was removed not because he was failing, but because we thought he could be anything. When he played there, they were behind him. Daniel Rioli, Liam Baker, Jayden Short, all got to fail their way to the half-back flank and move "ahead" of a first-year player lighting up the league because we thought he was better than them.I have more problems with the argument that "oh he's not being played in the right position" because it's clear there are many in front of him for that "ideal position" and modern footy doesn't really work like that anyway. Four years (actually 3 and a half to be fair) is a good sample of a body of work, both excellent (2019) and mediocre - ever since.
Looks like you’re purposely choosing to ignore Harry’s stats on the previous page for his AFL games in 2021 after coming back from his jail stint. Playing predominantly in defence.Don't recall ever saying I want to turf him, I just expressed an opinion that he may not make the cut. Maybe you can find the post where I said anything like that, cos I sure as hell can't. He may make the cut, you could be 100% right, and in any event I trust our coaches and staff to make that call.
I do have a problem with the argument that he's been hard done by by being played out of position, modern footy doesn't work like that any more. He's got premiership players way ahead of him at halfback. Like I keep saying, four years (actually 3.5 to be fairer to him) is a good sample of his work - outstanding in 2019, mediocre ever since.
Looks like you’re purposely choosing to ignore Harry’s stats on the previous page for his AFL games in 2021 after coming back from his jail stint. Playing predominantly in defence.
Far from mediocre.
Hope you take that into consideration moving forward
They went in front of him because he was removed from the position. He was removed not because he was failing, but because we thought he could be anything. When he played there, they were behind him. Daniel Rioli, Liam Baker, Jayden Short, all got to fail their way to the half-back flank and move "ahead" of a first-year player lighting up the league because we thought he was better than them.
Life is not fair. If you're Liam McBean you don't get to be the world's tallest small forward and an AFL player. If you're Sydney Stack you don't get to be a 2019 (and maybe 2020) premiership small defender, even though you were the best small defender this side of Dylan Grimes. We wanted all three of Syd, Shorty and Bakes in the side but there was only room for two of them in defence. Syd got moved because of how well he was playing. The 4 goals first-up sealed his fate. He wasn't going to be allowed to fail back to the HBF.
Of course, personal responsibility for your own preparation comes into it, and it is now his fourth year. I'm not saying the club has dudded Sydney. As I said, I was in the camp that wanted him forward. But maybe our eyes lit up too much and obscured our vision. Maybe in hindsight, given where he's come from, the best thing we could have done for him would have been to leave him at half-back. Give him some much-needed stability and continuity. He probably wouldn't have done his ankle in a cow paddock. He'd probably be a premiership player. And he probably still would have rocked up to pre-season fat. Maybe even fatter.
Fitness/fatness. Attitude. Preparation. Trust. We'll see.
That one ground ball pick up served to remind me of his sublime skill level.At VFL level Sydney is bereft of belief. Now his aerial game is off a bit too.
He did pick up a sublime lawn ball against the Bees. Took an instant and was dispatched.
Sydders is free to pick up the ball in the centre, at HBF, at HFF. Sydders gets a run in the middle with a licence to pick up the ball.
His challenge is simple. Has been all year if not longer. Pick. Up The. Ball. Do it again.
Ground ball. Numbers.
Troof.That one ground ball pick up served to remind me of his sublime skill level.
One handed at pace and with a burst from a standing start and, weaving through bodies, got us going forward.
Only a handful of players in the AFL can do that
What are you seeing that suggests a lack of buy in? I'm seeing a bloke trying but as you say, he can't pick the ball up - I was thinking because tired but then I considered your implication that he's never been able to pick it up (enough). And I recalled Syd of 2019 coming through packs paddling the ball along the ground until he could find the handle. But coming through nonetheless. Do you think he's not hitting the fall hard enough?There's a lack of buy in. And we have a Steve Morris thread.
All in time.
Meanwhile we observe.
There are a dozen things going on. All bad atm.What are you seeing that suggests a lack of buy in? I'm seeing a bloke trying but as you say, he can't pick the ball up - I was thinking because tired but then I considered your implication that he's never been able to pick it up (enough). And I recalled Syd of 2019 coming through packs paddling the ball along the ground until he could find the handle. But coming through nonetheless. Do you think he's not hitting the fall hard enough?
Yes, but buy in?There are a dozen things going on. All bad atm.
Sydders is naturally underdeveloped below the hips. He's won air ball all his life and hasn't learned the way he has to play in elite company. At HBF as an AFL novice he did this at will. Air ball mainly or gather at hip height.
On the AFL HBF above hip height prodigy we never noted that he frequently lost position. Just not running to the right place. (The ball is out the back, Sydney!) He is a classy receiver but didn't win at lawn height and actually not at knee height.
When we moved him forward he had to play more blue collar and work at lawn height. Win loose. Get the ball. By and large he marked or got out the back. But once in a while he would win a lawn ball with glamour. Playing him forward put pressure on that facet of his game. But still no numbers.
I've written often about Sydney at ground level this year. The simple challenge. Pick up the ball.
That's pretty clear, spookest.
I wouldn't delist him this year. But that's where he's at.
I reckon he got injured, missed a game, came back straight back into the AFL team, played so so and was dropped for the last game of the year. He then hurt his ankle in the VFL.Yeah, could be spook. Was it a case of us needing someone more up forward so we gave Stack a go? You might remember better than me. What I do remember is that at some point he was dropped - why? Or was he injured and then came back via the ressies? And then unluckily got injured in the VFL and missed out on the finals.