Player Watch #15: Dylan Stephens

[Amicalola]

I'm not indifferent to these factors generally, and of course they play a part.

But this bloke is literally jumping out of the way and earns a shitload of money from this club and will earn a shitload more. You'd expect about 2 million over the course of his laughable contract.

My expectation is a minimum standard of effort. Not Keith Greig. Not Wayne Schwass. I want SAM ******* GIBSON effort.
And I cannot believe I wrote that, but we have reached the pining for Sam Gibson era.

*s sake!!!

Yeah, I think all of that's probably fair. I am probably being too kind to Stephens because I'm disgusted and despairing about the rest of the team more broadly.

 

[The Dingrel]

Can see why Clarko is persisting with him and Scott has been sent to half back.

His kicking is so much better and he very rarely turns the ball over. It stands out so much.

He's 100% playing to coaching instructions to maintain width. Got on a few scoring opportunity chains that ended up with a mark inside 50. Should be used up when kicking inside 50 more often.

Call me old school but Stephens and Tucker on wings....both left footed, for sake of balance need 1 left and 1 right, so both naturally turn to the corridor/goal and not the pocket/boundary.

 

[Epictetus]

Yeah, I think all of that's probably fair. I am probably being too kind to Stephens because I'm disgusted and despairing about the rest of the team more broadly.

And I'm probably targeting him unfairly. He's not the problem.

We're in serious, serious trouble. I don't even know if our under 23s are better than Geelongs, honestly.

 

[Gumble Frankieton]

Whiskas are due to sponsor an individual player. Any suggestions?

 

[The Dingrel]

I don't want to just be a hive of negativity and nitpicking but I want to call this out for what it is: gambler's fallacy. There is absolutely no reason our luck has to turn around of it's own accord. We need people actively shaping and changing our odds of turning it around.

And yes, I am disappointed in Stephens like everyone else. Since I'm in his thread. But I do want to note that like all of our players (notably Ben McKay has looked pretty good this year), he looks worse when he plays for us, because we don't kick it to him properly, shepherd him properly, or really do much properly for him in general. I'd want to see what he looks like in a functional team that actually plays like a team before I give up on him entirely - the question is whether we get to that point.

Yeah, I hear what you're saying, Swans more than functional! Time to go find some form in the VFL, that team is undefeated and functioning pretty well.

 

[tazaa]

I know this is a giff but this is exactly how he is on the field.

He actually leans back on his tippy toes when an opposition players comes at him.

It’s embarrassing. Drop him and fire Rawlings as a result.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

I mean, it’s not as if a lot of us called this when we were first linked to him.

Every advanced stat metric had him as one of the worst players in the league for the amount of game time he had at the Swans.

Nothing since has changed my mind, the likes of Hartung and Young offered as much as this chancer.

It stands to reason when you join one of the worst sides of the last 2 decades that formline wont improve.

This reeks of one of Rawlings or Clayton going after someone they rated in the u18s despite all the evidence in the world he was a bust at AFL level.

How in the * could they come to this deal after scouting him for the year when most of us could plainly see it ourselves in September last year?

I’m not even joking when I say this contract may cost Brady his job.

Another in a long line of decisions borne out of desperation.

Pure and simple.

 

[Swallow_Wood]

Brought in to help facilitate a run and gun game style but finds himself restricted by the whole system failing. Can't countenance the weak efforts though. Needs to eat some cement.

 

[King Corey]

<Ducks>

I don't think he's that bad. It's clear he's been told to receive, run like the clappers and use that long left foot like he's Isaac Smith

7

Isaac Smith

Age

35

Ht

188cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.3

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

8.4

5star

M

5.5

5star

T

2.9

4star

CL

1.7

4star

D

19.4

4star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.3

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

2.5

3star

CL

1.3

4star

D

19.2

5star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.6

5star

M

7.6

5star

T

2.0

4star

CL

0.6

3star

.

Now not suggesting his natural game is to play like Jack Ziebell

7

Jack Ziebell

Age

33

Ht

188cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

D/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.1

5star

K

12.8

5star

HB

6.3

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

4.6

5star

MG

369.5

5star

D

8.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

3.0

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.6

3star

MG

125.8

2star

D

16.2

4star

K

11.4

4star

HB

4.8

4star

M

5.2

5star

T

3.0

5star

, but think he's playing to instruction but maybe overdoing the 'receive' bit.

 

[Dirty_11]

Has no change in pace, average skills and genuinely scared around the contest. Sydney don't get rid of good footballers.

 

[archereleven]

I thought he was okay early but went to complete water after that

I thought he'd gotten a rocket during the week. He started out the 1st quarter winning 8 kicks and the spudded up the rest of the game with a measly 5 possessions lol

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[archereleven]

I don't want to just be a hive of negativity and nitpicking but I want to call this out for what it is: gambler's fallacy. There is absolutely no reason our luck has to turn around of it's own accord. We need people actively shaping and changing our odds of turning it around.

And yes, I am disappointed in Stephens like everyone else. Since I'm in his thread. But I do want to note that like all of our players (notably Ben McKay has looked pretty good this year), he looks worse when he plays for us, because we don't kick it to him properly, shepherd him properly, or really do much properly for him in general. I'd want to see what he looks like in a functional team that actually plays like a team before I give up on him entirely - the question is whether we get to that point.

He played in a better than functional team...

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Forever North]

Asked a Swans mate today about this guy. Knows his footy. He reckons Stephens is a good player and was spewing Sydney got rid of him. Has been monitoring his progress at North and said he can’t believe how crap he has been for us. Don’t know what to think but at the moment it looks like a complete bust.

 

[JackHiscoxWasFast]

Asked a Swans mate today about this guy. Knows his footy. He reckons Stephens is a good player and was spewing Sydney got rid of him. Has been monitoring his progress at North and said he can’t believe how crap he has been for us. Don’t know what to think but at the moment it looks like a complete bust.

Sorry to say but not that many spewing he left the swans. Definitely a confidence player and we all wanted him to be pick 5 worthy but what you see is what you get. Hope he finds his groove with you guys, seemed like a nice enough fella.

 

[William Caresser]

Schimmer, Greig and Schwass could play different positions but when they played on the wing, they won or halved the majority of those crucial one-on-one marking and ground ball contests. So did, and do, the other top wingers.

It's not enough to just run and receive and then lose contested ball against opposition outside players. Hoping that Barlow and Lynch can work with Stephens and make a footballer out of him. He needs to spend time in the VFL.

 

[HBFlanker]

Has no change in pace, average skills and genuinely scared around the contest. Sydney don't get rid of good footballers.

Bingo!

Swans laughing behind closed doors when we came in for him.

 

[RossHenshaw]

Asked a Swans mate today about this guy. Knows his footy. He reckons Stephens is a good player and was spewing Sydney got rid of him. Has been monitoring his progress at North and said he can’t believe how crap he has been for us. Don’t know what to think but at the moment it looks like a complete bust.

Jared Polec MK11

 

[Epictetus]

Polec was a mess of a trade and a massive error, but he had 500 touches in his first year and kicked 16 goals.

 

[roomagic1984]

Get Bailey back on the Wing and have Stephens coming off the back flank

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Get Bailey back on the Wing and have Stephens coming off the back flank

Yuck. No.

Stephens isn't a defender and never will be.

 

[Gumble Frankieton]

Playing consecutive weeks on pretty narrow grounds hasn’t exactly highlighted his strengths. Yeah, that’s a polite way of saying the physical side of his game could improve.
I’m not fussed if he’s a bit soft if he can get and use the ball well enough and often enough to balance the ledger.

 

[big_e]

Get Bailey back on the Wing and have Stephens coming off the back flank

Make it Hardeman off the back flank and you've got yourself a deal.

 

[The Dougster]

Stephens isn't a defender and never will be.

Neither are Scott & Fisher. I'd at least give it a try or drop him.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Neither are Scott & Fisher. I'd at least give it a try or drop him.

He deserves to be dropped for a month, purely on him short stepping contests and not putting his body on the line. It should be a non negotiable that if it’s your time to go, you go.

 

[spurs]

Step back 6-7 weeks ago when I was in sunny Melbourne and watching North v Pies. Great day with smashing them by 40 points, talking to Sonja (who is awesome), and noticing McKercher, Stephens and Fisher getting 25 touches and dominating off the HBF. I thought we will be very competitive this year BUT everything has turned to poo. Hopefully it turns against a lesser team in the Hawks and we find that mojo back on that day and the first quarter and a half against Freo.
Go North and everyone else can GAGF.