Leigh Montagna - An Essendon Inspiration

[Windy_Hill]

So according to Champion Data, if the Brownlow count was held today, Leigh Montagna would win the gong - just pipping Gary's son. I really think this is worth looking at closely as it will hopefully make some of the doomsayers in this forum wake up and smell the coffee.

Montagna is in his 8th season now and has played a little over 115 games of senior footy. He is 25 yrs old

since his debut in 2002, he has averaged the following possessions per season

2002 - played only 1 game
2003 - 12 games - 10.4 possessions
2004 - 9 games - 11.2 possessions
2005 - 8 games - 15.1 possessions
2006 - 22 games - 19.1 possessions
2007 - 21 games - 23.9 possessions
2008 - 25 games - 22.6 possessions
2009 - 18 games - 28.3 possessions

This is a guy who in his first few seasons was better known for what he was up to off the field than on the field. At one point in time it looked very much like he was not going to make it at AFL level.

Now unlike a lot of you on this forum, I have actually been around a fair while now and I have seen 3 or 4 generations of Bomber teams come and go. I started watching the Dons a a young boy in the lat 60's. I can assure you that before the days of the drafts, you never had the level of expectation about the young fellahs in the squad. They didnt come into the club with the pressure of being a Top Ten Draft PIck or a player who was selected only because a former club favourite was traded for a number 41 draft selection.

Nope, you never heard about the young kids unless you turned up early to watch the dew kickers before the big game out at Windy Hill

The point I am trying to make is that it takes time to grow into an elite AFL footballer. The problem is that we all seem to want overnight superstars.

If the selection committee had been listening to this forum, probably one of our best and most consistent performers of this season, Ricky Dyson, would be playing at Fremantle. Just out of interest, lets take a look at Dyson's progression

2004 - 11 games - 7.5 possessions
2005 - 10 games - 13.5 possessions
2006 - 17 games - 13.2 possessions
2007 - 11 games - 12.6 possessions
2008 - 15 games - 17.8 possessions
2009 - 18 games - 19.1 possessions

Well, well, well - have a look at that, the longer he plays, the more game time he gets, the better player he becomes. Sure, there may be a class difference between Dyson and other players and sheer volume of possessions does not a great footballer make. But I think you get my point.

So please guys, lets give the Myers, Houlis, Jettas and others a chance. Forget what number in the draft they were selected, stop beating yourself up simply becaus Myers, a Top Ten draft pick is taking longer to develop than say Lonergan who was selected somewhere towards the end of the draft.

Our guys, with the right coaching will come good. If they are committed to success, then success will come. I am super confident that the team that pulled Carlton and Hawthorn to pieces earlier in the season was not a flash in the pan. And yet, we havent seen anything like the best out of most of this young squad.

Trust a guy that has seen it all before, we are well placed to make a very real charge on the Upper Echelon of the AFL and enjoy the success that as a club, we have so proudly achieved over the decades

[andrewb]

Another great post. Second example - Dane Swan. Swan was an absolute mess of a kid when he came to the Pies, he was ALWAYS out on the flippers and the booze.

Year Team Games Ki Ha Dis Ma G B T
2009 Collingwood 18 18.7 14.3 32.9 7.1 0.7 1.1 3.2
2008 Collingwood 24 15.3 9.2 24.6 6.8 0.9 1.0 3.1
2007 Collingwood 25 16.9 6.9 23.8 7.5 0.5 0.6 3.4
2006 Collingwood 21 14.8 8.4 23.2 8.0 0.9 0.6 2.1
2005 Collingwood 14 10.2 6.5 16.7 4.8 0.2 0.1 1.6
2004 Collingwood 13 8.1 5.1 13.2 3.8 0.2 0.4 1.4
2003 Collingwood 3 4.7 4.3 9.0 1.3 0 0 1.0

Sometime in the last few years he switched his focus from partying like an animal to training like one - which also helped to control his behaviour. Now he is one of the fittest players in the comp and despite some concerns that his foot skills are not elite he'd get a guernsey in any midfield because of his work rate.

We are, slowly, developing a formidable team.

[Sismis]

Awesome post WIndy! =D>

I was discussing at work yesterday that noone would have given him a chance a winning the chas last year.

Yet on Saturday night he did what champions do get the ball and win the game.

Well worth considering when looking at our list.

[gringo]

Yeah, nice post.

I was thinking the exact same thing regarding Montagna. When he got investigated for playing hide the sausage with Milne, the focus was very much on Milne being the regular player at St Kilda. Now Montagna would be one of the first picked and has surpassed Milne, although they play different roles. He's really snuck up on the competition.

Let's hope players like Winder, Dyson, Monfries, Ryder and Watson can keep improving and be gun playrers to surround our younger blokes like Pears, Hurley, Zaha, Houli, Hooker when we are challening in 2-3 years time.

[swoodley]

Great post Windy...loved the reference to the old reserves games at Windy Hill...you'd get there and be able to have a look at the kids who might get a game in a few weeks time or watched a few old stagers showing them the ropes.

Gary O'Donnell came through that system and played 60-80 reserves games before his first senior match...he wouldn't have survived in today's AFL system

[MH_Bomber]

I for one am not in favour of any off loading of types like Dyson, Myer, Houli etc.

The time I have been annoyed this season has been over the last fortnight where the players form had seem deteriorated into a bumbling mess at times. I know they are trying but they seemed to have just lacked confidence. This was a pity because we could have sealed our place in the 8

Hopefully that will be rectified this week. I fully anticipate the boys will have a red hot go and make amends for this lapse in form.

[robbie67]

I think it's a small minority who are calling for young blokes to be delisted. MH is right, the people who have followed the club for a long time are not disgusted with the talent level of the youngsters, they are disgusted with the pure lack of urgency showing in the last fortnight when the season was on the line. By the way, we have every ******* right to be. The effort, even on refelction has been nothing short of pox.

[bomberflyer]

I purely made that Delistings post because you have to make 5-6 changes to the list each year. I was interested to know who people thought would get delisted. Also, every Club has players who progressively get better, but they also draft guys and they're discarded at the end of their first or second contract for one reason or another. Not knowing the players or their attitude only allows you to make an opinion based on their output.

I am more for getting as many young guys in the team while we are rebuilding purely for the reason you have started. The more they play the better they get. The other thing is there no point keeping too many of the same type of player on your list. Sometimes you need to move a kid on and allow him to play elsewhere where he can get more opportunity. Sean Denham and Adrian Fletcher were perfect examples of that. They struggled to get a regular game in Geelong's midfield because of Bairstow, Hocking and Couch. Also, a kid called Prismall has come to the Club from Geelong for the same reason (but, on his own doing).

My biggest concern is our older players (with the exception of Fletcher) and the fact they are not playing to their normal high standards - putting more pressure on the younger guys to perform. Anyways - hopefully all the stars align sooner rather than later.

[BenDoolan]

Good post!

Yet we get someone like;

Brent Stanton is in his 6th season, has played 116 games, and is only 23 years old

2004 - 15 games - 10.0 possessions
2005 - 19 games - 18.5 possessions (3rd in Crichton Medal)
2006 - 22 games - 22.0 possessions (4th in Crichton Medal)
2007 - 20 games - 23.4 possessions (6th in Crichton Medal)
2008 - 22 games - 22.0 possessions (3rd in Crichton Medal)
2009 - 18 games - 25.1 possessions

And people bag him constantly and want him traded

[Jazz_84]

i wonder if stants can make it to 300 games? of course he can, he doesn't get injured and he is young with lots of games under his belt already, but it takes a great player to reach 300 and i think he has a few scout badges to obtain before i can feel confident 300 is on the cards. but yeah progressing well

[DC]

houli is all class.

myers has shown nothing so far. still early days though.

dyson is definitely improving...worth another season with solid game time.

players have to be cut though...who goes at years end? scotty, and???

[Windy_Hill]

i wonder if stants can make it to 300 games? of course he can, he doesn't get injured and he is young with lots of games under his belt already, but it takes a great player to reach 300 and i think he has a few scout badges to obtain before i can feel confident 300 is on the cards. but yeah progressing well

Gary Foulds got to 300 being a consistent contributor - never a suprestar. If Stanton can be our new 'Gary Foulds', I will be happy.

However, we do need game winning players - the top clubs have 5 of these generally

At the moment, I believe Lovett, Fletcher, Hille, Watson and Ryder are our game winners. They are, to be brutally honest not in the same league as the top game winners at other clubs - not consistently anyway.

I reckon Monfries could be a game winner, I reckon Zaharakis and Hurley could be as well - still early days

[Jazz_84]

yep fair call about stanton, and honest about our top 5 game winners. Ryder will get there and Hille when on song is simply sensational, ive got very high hopes for Zaharakis!

[Brumaz]

its crazy isn't it how alot of saints players are all of a sudden playing out of their skin. At the start of the season i thought they would be a fading force, after missing their chances a couple of years ago to get a premiership. Now look at them. many other clubs are running quite younger teams, and the extra years they have and some added luck + coaching has meant they are killing everyone else.
Great to see, and gives me alot of hope about our list in the years to come

[visiting saint]

Excellent post IMO.
I can remember watching Montagna and Dal Santo run around in the VFL at Coburg in about 2001 and wondering if they'd ever make anything of themselves. Most of the Saints core that is giving us this amazing ride is 24 - 26 yo. So FFS don't despair. You've got heaps of young blokes who look very promising.
Thought you were unlucky against Brisvegas.

[Rossoneri]

Possessions dont mean much these days, but comparatively, they can speak volumes.

Good post Windy, pretty much spot on. This has been by far Dysons best year, lets hope he keeps moving forward in the coming years.

I know I have been away a while but who on earth wanted Myers, Houli and Jetta traded?