#15 - Dyson Sharp thru 2030 ⭐

Perhaps we trade Tsatas to ourselves? He fits the profile of the players we should be targeting - high draft pick, lack of opportunity at current club etc.

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Isn’t that the delist and rookie move?

We have sucked at that in the past too.

He can be too conservative with his ball movement. He needs to trust his instincts and pull the trigger at times.

has one of the highest footy IQs in the team. Knows his limitations and hates making mistakes and losing. The way he comes to the bench after a missed opportunity…so good to see his will to succeed

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You know he is going ok when I thought it was far from his best today but still probably in our best half a dozen or so.
Would’ve learnt a fair bit today and could’ve had multiple goals

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Was he much of a goal kicker in juniors (/SANFL)

I wouldn’t say he was a huge goal kicker but he would take his chances and didn’t miss too often

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Is he not a long kick? Or was just being super team oriented, because I thought he should have had a shot in the first one.

He’s certainly not the longest kick in our team but 40-45 was comfortable enough for him in underage football.

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Yes struggled to kick the ball today might be suffering a bit of Osteitis pubis, still moving ok but can’t kick over a jam tin

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22 touches and 7 tackles and he was just OK. That’s how high the bar is for him as a first year player.

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Damn, wish he kicked that goal after that shrug tackle.

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Sharp has improved and matured during the season. Probably more than Robey. He will be a champion of the club and mabe next year will really move into the star category if not there already!

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I think this is important. We don’t know what these guys are carrying. Last year there’s plenty of footage of him going for goals around the 50.

Had Dyson 6th in my Rising Star award at:

Here’s his write up:

6th: Dyson Sharp

Dyson Sharp entered Essendon’s side with a reputation few first-year players could match. Having already spent two seasons playing senior SANFL football, he arrived as one of the most accomplished junior midfielders in recent memory. While there were questions surrounding his athleticism and ability to spread from contests at AFL level, those concerns quickly proved misplaced as his football intelligence, toughness and stoppage craft translated seamlessly to the game’s highest level.

His season was interrupted by a dislocated shoulder that sidelined him for a portion of the year, but Sharp’s return only reinforced the qualities that had made him such a highly regarded prospect. Rather than easing his way back into senior football, he immediately resumed taking on established AFL midfielders, matching them physically and proving himself to be one of the most effective two-way contested players in the competition’s emerging cohort.

Among eligible players, Sharp ranked fifth for disposals, third for both contested possessions and clearances, second for hard ball gets, first for tackles and second for pressure acts. Those numbers paint the picture of a midfielder who consistently impacted the game at the source, combining elite ball-winning ability with an appetite for defensive work that rarely waned across four quarters.

What stood out most was the influence he had on Essendon’s stoppage profile whenever he attended centre bounces. His manic relentlessness around the contest regularly tilted the odds in the Bombers’ favour, whether through winning first possession, applying immediate pressure or creating opportunities for teammates through smart distribution. Sharp’s understanding of positioning and bodywork often allowed him to arrive first to dangerous areas despite lacking the explosive athletic profile of some of his peers.

Ultimately, Sharp’s debut season reinforced the notion that footballing intelligence remains one of the game’s most valuable traits. His combination of ball winning, clean decision-making and unwavering defensive intent gave Essendon a midfielder capable of influencing both sides of the contest from day one. With a stronger body and a full AFL pre-season still ahead of him, Sharp looks every bit the long-term engine room cornerstone the Bombers hoped they were drafting.

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Mark McVeigh approves this message.

Thanks for sharing Tommy, nice to read about some up and coming dons for a change.

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This bloke has ANZAC medal written all over him. Will have at least 3 by the time he is 30.

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Love your work Tommy. Hearing you on some of the pods, you speak and articulate the game better than the majority of the AFL media.

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Must get this 38yr old to 100 games as fast as possible so we can start drafting his kids as part of the rebuild.

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Would like to thank Sharp’s junior coaches for his ability to play the game of football at such a decent level, and the selectors for putting him in the game before our coaches could have anything to do with ruining that work. Let us pray he isn’t undeveloped over the off season

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