Stanton

[andrewb]

f*** me this bloke is treading water.

He still:

- Fails to break even in the majority of contested situations
- Fails to stick tackles in crucial situations
- Runs about 1/2 pace when he's chasing or running to defensive position and full pace when he's running after the ball
- Fails to hurt the opposition when he's got the ball

I've been his staunchest supporter but it's getting to the point of make/break now. Knights needs to send him back to the twos to give him a lesson a la Dal Santo.

If all he's going to do is run to provide an option in the back pocket then I'd rather have Houli in the team. At least Houli chases, tackles and spoils.

[swoodley]

Interesting comments Andrew....I'm usually one of his harshest critics but I thought his effort tonight was one of his better ones. It looked like Picken was following him everywhere in the first half and that has meant trouble in the past as he has struggled to beat the hard tag. Tonight he was all over the ground and although he committed a number of clangers, I thought he played quite well.

It's hard to see any sense though in your comment about sending him back to the 2nds after a 32 possession game.

[Rossoneri]

I thought his first half was ordinary but improved in the second half.
His disposal in the first half was shocking, especially his kick into the forward line to Lake all on his own.

[Windy_Hill]

If we continue to see improvement in the likes of Hocking and Myers, players like Jetta, NLM and Zaka getting time in the middle, and the continued re-emergence of Winderlich and Prismall, then Stanton becomes a delicious luxury - a player who can collect 25 possessions at will but whom we are no longer soley reliant on. Midfield dominance is about depth of players and Stanton, whilst at times frustrating, is a A+ depth player who on his day can do some real damage.

[stryper]

Stanton is such a valuable player and a Gun.
Sure he can make mistakes but everyone does...
Can break games open and had a good game last night....
No hasn't been sensational but fairly consistent over the years.

Gotta love the way he tries his guts out for the Club...

[billyduckworth]

He still turns it over at times (as does Prismall).

But I wouldn't go as far as dropping him.

[keri]

I wouldn't drop him, but he needs to back himself rather than rushing the ball on. Some of that may be a lack of talk? Something I've noticed in the last two weeks is we don't have a bloke running with the player with the ball, and we don't seem to be sheparding terribly often. If there's no one with him telling him he's clear, he might be rushing the ball on rather than getting pinged. That's something Geelong does very well - talk and provide support. It's the only thing I see missing from our game plan.

Something has to change, though. No point having 30 possessions if people are praying when you've got the ball that you won't f*** it up.

[little_ripper]

FFS yes he butchered the ball a little bit, but c'mon he had the pill more than anyone else FROM BOTH SIDES. 32 possies, thats 32 times he had the ball and did something with it instead of a dogs players having it.

works his guts off for the essendon footy club.

[keri]

Yeah, but there's no point getting the ball 32 times and then hitting a bloke from the opposition straight on the chest.

Nor is there anything wrong with noticing when a player buggers it up and looking at how it could be prevented in future.

[rockhole]

Stanton is definitely the Joe Misiti of today. I almost drove off the road on the way home from the game when I heard he had amassed 32 possessions. I guess during the game I was focussing on his stuff ups rather than overall possessions. And I guess if he has it that many times, the opposition don't.

69% efficiency and 5 clangers offsets the sheer number of possessions but 774 gave him best on the ground. You just cannot ignore that number of possessions.

And finally a word on Atkinson. 100% effective disposals is excellent. His foot skills are superb.

[Royza]

Stanton: 32 possies, 16 contested at 69%. 10 marks and 2 contested, 4 clearances, 3 tackles.

Leading poss, 5 ahead of Griffen and Winderlich.
Was 2nd in contested poss, 2 behind Hudson and 3 ahead of the next best in Jobe.
Equal high marks with Jetta, next best was several players on 7.

A few f*** ups early on that stood out, but was good after that. Shrugged off a hard tag.

Jobe had the lowest disposal efficiency for us at 52%. Jetta had 68%, Winderlich with similar stats had 63%.

[Doctor Fish]

Stanton: 32 possies, 16 contested at 69%. 10 marks and 2 contested, 4 clearances, 3 tackles.

Leading poss, 5 ahead of Griffen and Winderlich.
Was 2nd in contested poss, 2 behind Hudson and 3 ahead of the next best in Jobe.
Equal high marks with Jetta, next best was several players on 7.

A few fuckups early on that stood out, but was good after that. Shrugged off a hard tag.

Jobe had the lowest disposal efficiency for us at 52%. Jetta had 68%, Winderlich with similar stats had 63%.

Spot on Royza. The mind boggles the way Essendon fans are hyper critical of this bloke. Sure his form dropped the previous two weeks, but dropping him after a game like that... Pfffft!!! You're joking aren't you?...

[andrewb]

Stats were good I agree and I've always been a big fan of Stanton. But he HAS to stamp out these elements if he's going to be useful in finals. The last two grand finals have been crunching affairs where players have had to earn every possession under intense pressure.. Stanton is too soft for that sort of environment.

Dal Santo used to be a similar player (albeit with better skills), but Lyon sent him to the twos because he had similar issues to Brent and he came out on the other side 200% the player he was. Personally I'd prefer Stants to get 20 hard won possessions and impose himself on the game than get 30+ and have little or no effect on the outcome.

[paddyl90]

Yes skills are very important but to me effort is even moreso. He tries his guts off, yeh he made a lot of silly mistakes but he has a dig. Played a good solid 4 quarters last night.

[F111]

Despite a couple of poor choices, especially the pass to Lake, I thought he was VERY good last night. At one stage he was everywhere...and you know that Stanton is up when he takes a speccie. Overhead has never been his forte!

[Sismis]

Cops a f****** raw deal. Runs his arse off teh whole game and creates opportunities. He is never going to be an Ablett but his contribution is enormous to this team.

[j-mac31]

I've always been a critic of his. I think the problem with his stuff ups are that they are often monumental, that a guy with his experience should not be making - eg. the perfect delivery into the 50 to Lake mentioned above. For someone who gets the ball as much as he does, I'd really like him to use it a bit better. And he often tries to be too clever.

Also, his defensive running could be improved a lot. And that's all about attitude. I know a lot of you love how hard he runs to get a kick, but it really shits me that he will do that and then jog when the other team has the ball.

[BenDoolan]

LOL, that "pass to Lake" is more about our stupid forwards running to the wings and not being where they should be when we are running forward.

I've said it before and I will continue to say it, we look absolutely idiotic when we have a vacant forward line and we have control of the footy.

[j-mac31]

LOL, that "pass to Lake" is more about our stupid forwards running to the wings and not being where they should be when we are running forward.

I've said it before and I will continue to say it, we look absolutely idiotic when we have a vacant forward line and we have control of the footy.

True, but if there's no one there, at least kick it out to the boundary line than straight to the guy who had 41 possessions last week.

[BenDoolan]

LOL, that "pass to Lake" is more about our stupid forwards running to the wings and not being where they should be when we are running forward.

I've said it before and I will continue to say it, we look absolutely idiotic when we have a vacant forward line and we have control of the footy.

True, but if there's no one there, at least kick it out to the boundary line than straight to the guy who had 41 possessions last week.

Nah, I want any player who has the pill to go directly where our blokes should be. If it is swept up by the opposotion then so be it. I am getting tired of this shit, and if the opposition continue to take the ball away with no pressure, the coach will have to change this stupid set up / non set up.