Dea will give you his best every game, but tonight he was exposed for pace, smarts, strength and balance by a couple of really good players in Caddy and Martin. He should be kept on the list for depth as he can generally hold his own against garden variety small forwards and is only 26. Great clubman and apparently very well liked by the player group too.
Why are we wasting a list spot for depth in and area we are over stacked in. Essentially we have two spots to fill in the backline next year. With Gleeson, Redman, Ridley, Francis and McNeice all vying for those spots. Add in goddard too if he plays on.
I like that he commits absolutely to every contest, but he is a very limited player who plays a position that we have plent of depth. I think he could easily be chopped and would possibly fail to find another suitor.
No that is reality. Martin and Caddy got plenty of goals last night on other players as well, where is the criticism of them? It’s like whining when Franklin, Lockett, Fantasia etc. kick a bag, as if anyone can stop them when they’re on.
If you want to talk about complacency and mediocrity at its finest at EFC, please start at the top of the club and work your way down, rather than starting at close to the bottom attacking someone who would have few people to defend him.
Let us all know how far you get from the very top at EFC before you find a lack of complacency and mediocrity.
Surely the paragon for complacency starts with he who said “I am the perfect man for the job”. As for mediocrity, well please let us know what he had done that is league-leading.
Then work down from there. You will find many more examples of “mediocrity and complacency” even if not at its finest.
Yep, still a way to go to reach the top. We are almost good enough to be top 4, but almost isn’t going to get us there. Players have to reach a consistent good level, solid even if not playing well.
I really do not understand te way our backline plays.
Hurley beat Buddy by attacking the ball, vs Saints and also Tigers, Hurley played his man, hence was behind and beaten both weeks, even though newspapers put him in the best players.
Dea was the same, concentrated on the man and both Caddy and Dusty were too good. When he attacks the ball he plays much better.
Conversely, both Saad and Franga play at the ball. Saad is rarely beaten in a contest by his opponents and Francis did well on Caddy when moved into to him by going at the ball.
I think 16 to 17 players are at the right level, but the other 5/6 let the side down with critical errors or poor defensive structures. And those 5/6 are regularly rotating each match.