Welcome to Tigers: Jason Castagna

[Streak]

I can live with the poor goal kicking. The number of shots at goal he has, to me, is a sign of a player capable of imposing himself on a game. His accuracy will improve with time as he adjusts to the game at the highest level, just as a number of the other aspects of his game have gone to new levels in recent times.

The thing that really holds George back at the moment is his decision making. I hope in time with experience it improves, but at the moment it can be at cringeworthy levels of competence.

What I really love about George is his tackling. He is a superb tackler. He positions his feet well in tackles with one foot forward and one foot back so he can drive through the tackle, and keeps his arms low and not swinging so when he strikes his arms just seem to stick to opponents rather than bounce off.

He also has a quick release from tackles, meaning that he can lay multiple tackles very quickly. It is a key ingredient of a player who needs to play pressure footy, and what makes him so good at the defensive forward role.

 

[Dont Argue]

What a great read. Konrad has the knack of writing stories that have a happy ending.
Love Georgie’s line .... "No one will remember the guy who kicked 3 goals 1, but everyone remembers the guy who kicked five points and one out on the full!"

Reckon there was a happy ending when Zips read Konrad article today

 

[TigerFlag2017]

He had an excellent season and finals series.

It was an inspired rookie pick by Matt Clark

Konrad is a gem

 

[tigermike]

I can live with the poor goal kicking. The number of shots at goal he has, to me, is a sign of a player capable of imposing himself on a game. His accuracy will improve with time as he adjusts to the game at the highest level, just as a number of the other aspects of his game have gone to new levels in recent times.

The thing that really holds George back at the moment is his decision making. I hope in time with experience it improves, but at the moment it can be at cringeworthy levels of competence.

What I really love about George is his tackling. He is a superb tackler. He positions his feet well in tackles with one foot forward and one foot back so he can drive through the tackle, and keeps his arms low and not swinging so when he strikes his arms just seem to stick to opponents rather than bounce off.

He also has a quick release from tackles, meaning that he can lay multiple tackles very quickly. It is a key ingredient of a player who needs to play pressure footy, and what makes him so good at the defensive forward role.

What I love about George is his incredible PACE. That's his #1 asset which was on display many times in last year's GF. Those GWS boys just could not stop him. As Jack Dyer used to say..."when we've got the ball the other side aint". Jason makes sure he gets it often and forces them to chase him so I can live with his poor set shots...until they cost us a win, which they may have done in the past unfortunately. We rely on many other players getting the ball near goal and kicking straight.
Recall round 1 this year....with no crowd behind the goals? Kicked 3 goals, 0 behinds and his set shots were very good. Perhaps the crowd reaction may be on his mind in previous seasons.

 

[Mac]

Have said it before on this thread, George’s explosiveness and spark ignited us against the cats in the 19 prelim.

A big reason we got into the gf in the first place. Seemed to wake the team up and kicked started us playing the Richmond way.

 

[Jake]

A lot has been said about Marlion's blind turn, but George's mark after that just as good.

 

[artball]

great article, good to hear from him and to know that he draws! art unlocks different areas of the brain, so this might explain George’s progressive thinking on the footy oval... he’s unique, I can’t think of a comparable player outside of the Tiges..

 

[eZyT]

brilliant article.

the most agile bloke in the game hey? wow.

I think Sam Mitchell used to own that title and he would have started off 25m in the Stawell gift.

I still wouldn't mind seeing an agile-off between $hai and George

didn't buddy kick 1.9 once?

next time I'm in the Brunswick area and need something galvanised or welded, im going to Castagne steel for sure.

 

[bigwow]

great article, good to hear from him and to know that he draws! art unlocks different areas of the brain, so this might explain George’s progressive thinking on the footy oval... he’s unique, I can’t think of a comparable player outside of the Tiges..

Further evidencing the embracing of all types, and encouraging the differences at the club in recent times.

 

[CarnTheTiges]

brilliant article.

the most agile bloke in the game hey? wow.

I think Sam Mitchell used to own that title and he would have started off 25m in the Stawell gift.

I still wouldn't mind seeing an agile-off between $hai and George

didn't buddy kick 1.9 once?

next time I'm in the Brunswick area and need something galvanised or welded, im going to Castagne steel for sure.

Not sure about Buddy, but I did see Richo kick 2.7 one night against lolnorf.

 

[TV Josh]

That was against us with Rance pressuring him like crazy all night.

Cyril kicked the best goal I've ever seen live that night as well.

I remember that. Good goal, but not Jack Higgins 2018 around-the-post good.

 

[MD Jazz]

great article, good to hear from him and to know that he draws! art unlocks different areas of the brain, so this might explain George’s progressive thinking on the footy oval... he’s unique, I can’t think of a comparable player outside of the Tiges..

Reckon Clive Waterhouse (albeit in a larger body) was a similar style awesome athlete that could do outrageous things on a football field.

 

[daniel30]

Yep so important to our structure what I love to he is always involved in games doesn't go missing like alot of small forwards do at times.

 

[leon]

I do love him; he's like the Energiser Bunny. So lively, explosive, agile ... and quite unpredictable. But I also admit to being a critic in the past because at the elite level, you often only get a split-second advantage over your opponents. So you have to have the skills and composure to exploit that fully - with just the right kick or handball. Missed goals from poor decisions/missed shots/poor handballs can cost matches. Jason is all energy and attack, which is great, but too often he just doesn't get the results he deserves because his finishing can be erratic.
The GF performance absolutely typified the best and worst of his abilities. I agree a lot of is mental because, even in his draft video, he kicks well and hits targets often (although I realise it's his edited highlights). So there's nothing terribly wrong with his kicking technically, that vid even shows he's good on his left leg.
So a great game in the GF, and through all the finals. I note he was, to quote from Conrad's article - " ... and his 2017 season was actually more immense than many realise: he was the number one player at the club for score involvements that year." However, if 2019 was not an easy flag victory but we went down by 5 pts, many would most likely feel differently about Jason's 5 behinds.
However, I'm optimistic that he is reducing the errors, learning to stay calmer as he matures and not acting too impulsively. You see with that goal against the Blooze, running into goal from about 20m out on the right flank. He is composed enough to realise he has the space to take a few strides, run out a little to reduce the angle, then banana-kick the ball perfectly. His set shots have been really improving, apart from the GF. He is really exciting and therefore also a very excitable type too quite likely - for him it's a matter of just taking that extra millisecond to think clearly and execute more precisely.

With continuing maturity, he can become a regular ~50 goal a season small forward threat.

 

[AngryAnt]

Love Cantstandya, but his disposal is still pretty pretty pretty good poor.

As I generally watch the 2019 prelim once per day week plus the GF 2017 and 19, so many of his kicks/handpasses just miss a team-mate. This is why apart from his run and carry I just can't see him playing midfield too much. Lucky for him our chaos ball approach works so as often as not we still win it from his scrubbed kicks. If you contrast with say Baker (very different player I know) who's kicks and handballs are just sweet - always to the right place in front of a teammate.

If he could clean this up he'd win a brownlow.

 

[eZyT]

If he could clean this up he'd win a brownlow.

which part of chaos dont people understand?

If Picasso's mind was ordered, he would have been a scrivener

 

[AngryAnt]

Picasso

 

[leon]

which part of chaos dont people understand?

If Picasso's mind was ordered, he would have been a scrivener

I don't really care if or how JC's mind is organised, just that he kicks at least 3.2 rather than 0.5. Especially in Grand Finals - or any game for that matter.

 

[theglove3]

Love Captain Chaos.

He's a bit of a poor man's version of our lovable rogue, Richo.
A flawed genius.

ok a very very poor man's version of Richo.

If you did a highlights package of one great bit of play, one blunder it would run for hours.
(and would be funny!)

eg .
The Goal V Freo in WA using the field umpire as a shield, Good.
The 2019 GF shots at goal, Bad.
3rd q Goal 2017 GF, Good.
The stuttering run up, turnovers, posters, etc, etc.

Hail George!

 

[Dont Argue]

Very sad news today.
R.I.P Frank CastagnaMr