Deserves and will get a final send off game towards the end of the year.
Has been more than a solid servant of our club. 250+ games, one of the if not the toughest period of our clubs history and along with Jobe has been one of the absolute rocks throughout the whole time.
here’s to hoping Woosha has a headache because we’re actually playing for something come Aug-Sept.
Personally I think you guys are writing off Stants too early. Considering he was one of the fittest guys in the side I doubt it’s age/fitness that will bring an end to things just yet.
Maybe he is a bit too vanilla, and he has a fair bit of competition, but there are 14 games to go and we are kidding ourselves if we think injuries won’t take their toll before too long.
Agree, wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him play some very good football in the second half of the year. His fitness is still top end. He has had a poor start to the year undoubtably, but he is the kind of player that could play well into his 30s. I just think it’s a form thing rather than a ‘falling off a cliff’ thing.
Reckon he’ll still have a big impact in the second half, just needs a ton more match fitness. Reckon he’d be the same level as Jobe if we played him in the middle.
It think the thing that has hurt Stants the most is Worsfolds gameplan.
Worsfold wants everyone to always look towards the middle and to move the ball quickly.
This doesn’t allow Stants to run and spread and pick up 30 as we chip it around until we inevitably turn it over or by bombing it long into the forward line straight to the opposition.
He’s just about done imo which is saddening because he’s been a champion for so long for us. Would be suprised if he played more than a handful of games for the rest of the year
Not sure it’s just Woosha’s gameplan. I think that Stants’ pace just doesn’t leave him a position. We’ve got Jobe, Dys, BJ and Myers as slow inside mids, then Zaka, Zac, Trav, Darce as the quicker outside mids.
The year off has proved really damaging to Stants, Buddha and Ben H because the game has evolved.
If one comes in, I’d plump for Bird because he can play a role.
But you need to try to maintain the balance.
I don’t know. I think Benny was almost pushed out pre-suspension.
I think Buddha has been hurt because the coach does not like playing a hard tag, which was pretty much always Buddha’s role. I guess that could be considered the game evolving, but for mine that is just the individual coaches gameplan.
For Stanton, it is well known that you cannot play the game at the elite level when you lose your pace. Well Stants never had much to start with, but what he did have I reckon has gone.
Great servant of the Essendon Football Club but times are tough and better players to develop, he was a fav of mine, must move on to progress
That’s a fair assessment.
I don’t want my original post to be taken as a snipe at Stants because I do think he is a heck of a player when in form, I just don’t think our gameplan suits him anymore, plain and simple which is a shame.
I think he is exposed at half back where he has been playing as he is/never was an explosive runner who could break lines and create with flair, nor has he been someone who could chisel out 50m bullets to players further down the ground to break the game open either which is really what playing off halfback is all about these days.
Really hoping we can find a role for him throughout the year because he can be damn good when he is in form.
Just can’t get his hands on the pill enough at the moment.
Bear in mind EFC only gave Stants a one year contract at end of 2015. The writing was on the wall then.
Doubt we’ll see him in 2018 or even much more this season.
Been a great trier over a long time and can leave the game head held high.
Has been a great player for this club for a long time but why is he back in the team?
I thought he did ok. Was better than Howlett.
Sad to see him playing at this level. 
Cooked.
In 20 years time if someone asked me what Essington was all about, I’d tell them to look up Stantons career.
The most Essington player of the Essington era
Turn it up
My sentiments exactly.
Has had a good career and as sad as it is to see him finish up his time has come
LOLwut?
He’s played well in two finals, he’s arguably the least essington player we’ve had.