List Mgmt. SDK signs to the end of 2027

[iameviljez]

He had taken 36 contested marks in 2022. Only taken 26 total since then. Huge decline

That is a fair point.

I do think that getting him up around the ball a little bit has been good for him. It reminds me of Cam Mooney - had a breakout in the middle of 2002 as a CHF, then plateaued a little bit, before we threw him into the ruck and off half-back for a while. Then, in 2007, when he was physically and mentally ready, he was locked into CHF and never really looked back.

The same move really helped Hawkins in 2010/11 IMO - just being able to get his hands on the ball a little more.

 

[Mr Meow]

He had taken 36 contested marks in 2022. Only taken 26 total since then. Huge decline

How many key defenders his age or younger were clearly better 2022-2024? He underwhelmed a little, but age matched to his peers and position he was doing fine.

 

[sexyhunk]

He had taken 36 contested marks in 2022. Only taken 26 total since then. Huge decline

he also got injured early in 2023, which was a knee i think? affected him more than they let on i reckon

 

[goyoucatters]

That is a fair point.

I do think that getting him up around the ball a little bit has been good for him. It reminds me of Cam Mooney - had a breakout in the middle of 2002 as a CHF, then plateaued a little bit, before we threw him into the ruck and off half-back for a while. Then, in 2007, when he was physically and mentally ready, he was locked into CHF and never really looked back.

The same move really helped Hawkins in 2010/11 IMO - just being able to get his hands on the ball a little more.

Huge Robert Walls vibes here...

 

[iameviljez]

Huge Robert Walls vibes here...

There was a time in my life when I would have been really offended by that

But the Open Mike interview he did really turned around my opinion on him. Genuinely one of the most interesting and honest footy interviews I've seen.

Walls himself did play a number of different positions throughout his career as the needs of the playing list changed. He is in some reasonable position to speak with authority on it

 

[goyoucatters]

There was a time in my life when I would have been really offended by that

But the Open Mike interview he did really turned around my opinion on him. Genuinely one of the most interesting and honest footy interviews I've seen.

Walls himself did play a number of different positions throughout his career as the needs of the playing list changed. He is in some reasonable position to speak with authority on it

To be fair, I didn't mind him that much. But the 'throw him into the ruck' card did get played a little too often by him, I believe.

#itwillfreehimup
#likeclockwork

 

[thejester]

He had taken 36 contested marks in 2022. Only taken 26 total since then. Huge decline

TBF the only other Geelong defender who has put up numbers like that in a single season is prime Harry Taylor (and one season of Esava, lol). We may be just looking at a regression to good player.

 

[Warhorse]

TBF the only other Geelong defender who has put up numbers like that in a single season is prime Harry Taylor (and one season of Esava, lol). We may be just looking at a regression to good player.

He is taking a 3rd of the amount of contested marks he used to. At u18 he was an excellent intercepting mark. A drop of 36 marks to 12 is to big to ignore. Zero this year.

He looks very timid in the air compared to 2 years ago.

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

 

[STPer18]

You don't lose that level of talent he showed in 2022. It's up to the coaches and he to find it again - he's still only 24 and at 204cms he's got a lot of growing in to that frame still to do. Rapt we've got him locked away already.

 

[you pick one]

I have a feeling the intercepting role down back has been delegated to Zac Guthrie and Jack Henry supporting Stewart more, their numbers would be up to compensate. But with SDK's role being fluid it's hard to make a judgment on marks alone on his progress but sure to the eye I'd be happy to accept he has stalled in his progress over the last 3 years.

 

[you pick one]

You don't lose that level of talent he showed in 2022. It's up to the coaches and he to find it again - he's still only 24 and at 204cms he's got a lot of growing in to that frame still to do. Rapt we've got him locked away already.

I agree.Eddie Betts with Tyson Stengle. I'd approach Joel Selwood to to become more involved with Sam he idolized Joel.

 

[Smurph18]

Such great news! Now we've got 2 years to make sure we get him to resign again. Could be in for a big pay day with Tassie coming into the league soon.

I'm loving SDK around the ball a lot more. I think his ball use is too good to be stuck at FB. I still remember that game against Collingwood when we mounted a big come back in Selwood's recording breaking captaincy game. SDK got swung forward and was instrumental in at least two goals with his slick handballs.