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Player Watch Esava Ratugolea

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Having a great season. Looks much more confident and settled than he did last season. I reckon he's a confidence player and needs to be settled in a position and know exactly what his role is in the team and then he'll do a good job for you.
 
TeeKray said:
Having a great season. Looks much more confident and settled than he did last season. I reckon he's a confidence player and needs to be settled in a position and know exactly what his role is in the team and then he'll do a good job for you.
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I'm surprised he didn't get coaches votes against Hawthorn because he was an absolute pillar defensively. And for the majority of the Sydney game that was the case again.

He needs to play in a structure that doesn't force him to be chasing his opponent into space. It will never end well for him in that scenario. But when the team can get numbers behind the ball to clog up space, he's a huge asset when it comes to utilising his physicality in a marking contest. He's playing a much different role this year down back, as the last line of defence as opposed to last season when he played higher up the field because BZT was last man.

He's still only 26 years old, too. Trent McKenzie didn't have his break out year at Port until he was 28.
 
Will be an interesting watch when BZT comes back into the team. I'd assume that would be through the SANFL but, like others have said, I don't think we can play all 3 tall defenders.
 
The thing about Ratugolea is that he has the strength, the speed and the aerial ability to pretty much go with any big key forwards.

He can take the gorilla forwards pretty well.

From the game last week, I remember a ball coming in and I think it was McCartin trying to move the big fella but he was having none of it. An absolute brick wall.

When he plays full back, it means he doesn't have to make as many decisions.

If Ratugolea can solidify that position, it would be a real godsend for our spine. Early days but promising at the moment.
 

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Powerade 08 said:
Been good but no opposition so far.

We have GWS, Adel, Freo, Dogs coming up soon so that will be a good 4 weeks
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GWS - Hogan
Crows - Thilthorpe
Freo - Treacy
Dogs - Naughton

A chance to see how Rats actually fares as a defender. He needs to stick to his man and not be in no man's land.
 
The tricky part for Rats is the modern game allows for a rolling defence, where you have to make the call to leave your man to impact the play coming towards you. This is where his shortfall is as he seems to have terrible judgement and gets caught in no mans land. One on one he is solid.
 
PortAdelFC1997 said:
GWS - Hogan
Crows - Thilthorpe
Freo - Treacy
Dogs - Naughton

A chance to see how Rats actually fares as a defender. He needs to stick to his man and not be in no man's land.
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Of the 4 potential opponents you have named Esava should do ok against Thilthorpe particularly in the 1 v 1 stuff due to being able to match him for strength, but he could struggle against Hogan and Naughton given their style of forward play where I suspect they would run him around to try and create space for themselves.

From what I have seen of Treacy he is also very good at getting into space and leaving his defender `in no man's land.'

The key of course to all of the above is how the Power midfield performs on any given day, as when it is down our back 6 often struggles to cope and the floodgates open.
 
We saw how BZT, Esava and Aliir worked together last year and it was puss. Aliir and Esava usually just spoiled each other both trying to intercept mark. We have enough aerial capability with Jones and Bergman in the team. We don't need another aerial defender with questionable ground ball defending in the mix.
 
1954 said:
Of the 4 potential opponents you have named Esava should do ok against Thilthorpe particularly in the 1 v 1 stuff due to being able to match him for strength, but he could struggle against Hogan and Naughton given their style of forward play where I suspect they would run him around to try and create space for themselves.

From what I have seen of Treacy he is also very good at getting into space and leaving his defender `in no man's land.'

The key of course to all of the above is how the Power midfield performs on any given day, as when it is down our back 6 often struggles to cope and the floodgates open.
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We play the Bulldogs in Ballarat - it could be snowing which could assist the Rat against Naughton!
 
Skindy said:
We saw how BZT, Esava and Aliir worked together last year and it was puss. Aliir and Esava usually just spoiled each other both trying to intercept mark. We have enough aerial capability with Jones and Bergman in the team. We don't need another aerial defender with questionable ground ball defending in the mix.
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If you look at the stats from last year our defense performed well above average.
 
Skindy said:
We saw how BZT, Esava and Aliir worked together last year and it was puss. Aliir and Esava usually just spoiled each other both trying to intercept mark.
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It didn't work at all last year. But I think they'll try it again, if not late this year, then next year when Bergman may not be there as a third tall.

Esava is still learning as a defender, but he looks far better than he did at times last year, and seems to have a clearer role so he looks less lost.

They'll need to make sure he and Aliir don't get in each other's way so much, but with a new coach and clearer roles for each of them, it's worth another try.
 

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Gryllis said:
It didn't work at all last year. But I think they'll try it again, if not late this year, then next year when Bergman may not be there as a third tall.

Esava is still learning as a defender, but he looks far better than he did at times last year, and seems to have a clearer role so he looks less lost.

They'll need to make sure he and Aliir don't get in each other's way so much, but with a new coach and clearer roles for each of them, it's worth another try.
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I think the 3 together would work fine if they just swap BZT and Rats roles.

Rat is the full back, BZT is the 2ndd tall.

Aliir and Bergman are the interceptors.
 
I agree with the swap the bzt and rat roles keep rat at fb and have alliir intercept. I would also use rat as an extra ruckman when needed so it’s swapped between him and lord when sweet is off. Bzt can then go to fb when rat is in there. And I actually think rat would work really well as the intercept tall behind play that sweet struggles to do
 
I was going to write a it up about how I like our defence at the moment. It is early days but we could be seeing the solidification of the defence.

You've got the quarterback in the captain Rozee who is overqualified but his general talent really suits. Can do it all and has a beautiful boot on him.
You've got the second quarterback in the Castlemaine Rocket, Farrell, who has similar traits with a great leg.
Both of those guys can give some major thrust out of defence.
Jones seems to be doing the tallest medium defender and intercepting well. Early days.
Sinn can play on the dangerous small forward. He's got the speed and has a good boot as well.
Bergman is the third tall and a great intercepting mark and can play on just about anyone. Might be heading home though.
Aliir can play the second tall and intercept as well. His best position.
Ratugolea can play full back. Early days once again but is showing promise.

I like this. It is a really good blend of skill, speed, kicking, intercepting and defending.

I dunno how Zerk fits in but maybe, and I'm dreaming, he plays on the 2nd tall, Aliir to 3rd tall and Bergman into the midfield.

With Rozee coming in to the defence, we get his best attributes and his worst attribute, running backwards is no longer in the midfield.

Lots of water under the bridge for this defence to see how it all goes.
 
What a luxury to be in a position where what key position defender plays where is up for debate. Must have been some good recruiting through trades because it wasn’t done through the lottery that is the draft.
 
Peninsula Boy said:
Sinn can play on the dangerous small forward. He's got the speed and has a good boot as well.
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Perhaps slightly gone under the radar with his defensive work? Always thought he'd be more attacking with his speed and kicking. But tbh I have been waiting for a small forward this year to kick 5 on us. Normally happens but thankfully hasn't yet. Not saying its all because of Sinn but maybe I haven't given him the credit he deserves defensively
 

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1954 said:
Of the 4 potential opponents you have named Esava should do ok against Thilthorpe particularly in the 1 v 1 stuff due to being able to match him for strength, but he could struggle against Hogan and Naughton given their style of forward play where I suspect they would run him around to try and create space for themselves.

From what I have seen of Treacy he is also very good at getting into space and leaving his defender `in no man's land.'

The key of course to all of the above is how the Power midfield performs on any given day, as when it is down our back 6 often struggles to cope and the floodgates open.
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of all the 4 opponents I hope that Rat does well against Thilthorpe (already I am sick of hearing from cow supporters on how Thilthorpe has put on so much strength etc etc ) it would be nice to shut them up with Rat keeping TT quiet
 
Addy23 said:
Perhaps slightly gone under the radar with his defensive work? Always thought he'd be more attacking with his speed and kicking. But tbh I have been waiting for a small forward this year to kick 5 on us. Normally happens but thankfully hasn't yet. Not saying its all because of Sinn but maybe I haven't given him the credit he deserves defensively
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He's quietly having a good year.

Sometimes when you don't notice a defender it means he's blanketed his opponent and you don't actually realise it.

There is a strong possibility that Rozee moving back to the Houston role and Logan Evans being dropped has allowed Sinn to be more of a defensive player. Earlier in the year, he was getting more metres per game but Rozee and Farrell are getting some serious mileage so it means he can play more defensive but can use that weapon when necessary.

Sinn is super quick so I am interested to see him line up on a Charlie Cameron and see if he can do a job.
 
He has improved his defending this year and I applaud him for that.

But both him and Aliir stupidly played a too high press game in the last quarter of the game against both the hawks and swans. when they had momentum, so that when the ball was turned over they were 20-40m away from Gunston and Sicily who kicked 3 goals and 1 goal respectively in the last quarter of Hawks game and Aaron Francis kicked 3 in the last quarter, 2 with our KPD's lost in space, and luckily McLean kicked like shit for goal all day.

Just play boring defence right up your opponents clacker all last quarter.
 
Hands up who would have had Esava as our fastest player on field during a game?

Has topped our list last two games at 33-34 kph max sprint speed.
 
SC_Power said:
Hands up who would have had Esava as our fastest player on field during a game?

Has topped our list last two games at 33-34 kph max sprint speed.
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Over how long a distance? 10m? 20m?

Others have been around that mark, so I'm not surprised a power athlete over a short distance would be leading the list.

Lets see the list of players who carry the ball over 45m with a bounce after 15m and 30m, and kick at around 45m, as to what their speed over that distance is. You could also look at 30m chase down speed.
 
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