If we don’t talk about it - it never happened right?
Geez the off-season hype on Tsatas has gone overboard.
I watched pretty much every one of his reserves games and although a clear accumulator, which i agree a pleasing sign, he’s far from the most damaging and creative player going round. Has quick hands, but he’s not overly quick across the ground or strong.
Appreciate he’s only 20 and I expect we’ll see improvement in season 2025, however the jury is well and truly out as to whether he’s remotely worthy of pick 5 considering his kicking inabilities.
Seems like there’s a fair bit of recency bias and the fact we’re 3 months post seeing us getting wiped off the park with how good he’s going at present.
Hope you’re all right but I’m yet to see anything other than his handball ability that puts him close to his first round draft alumni
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I watched the same and I don’t think it’s going far enough.
He’s a kid who rag-dolled the VFL for a few months and managed to improve the only thing that could prevent him from a Norm Smith Medal.
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Well, not quite the only thing given the club he plays for.
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8,144 posts on his kicking and counting…yawn
Cant wait for him to dominate and prove people wrong
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Do you not know how the preseason hype train works?
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While I agree for the most part, you have to remember how scrappy in general the VfL is. Players in general dont look super damaging unless they are more outside inclined which he is not.
The thing that impressed me the most was his ability to read the drop of the ball from the ruckman, it was literally elite how many times he was at the ball first.
That is an invaluable trait in the Afl so if he can replicate that we will all be very happy.
I see him as a Clayton Oliver type.
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A bit rich coming from kickett
Jokes aside no one wants to see him fail. He’s just got a ways to go to prove himself. I don’t think anyone doubts he will become a reasonably good player, it’s whether he can become a weapon. Sure hope he can
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I’d prefer he won the Norm Smith before a Brownlow thats for sure.
I’d love to see anyone in red and black win a norm before I curl my toes up for that matter.
He should be playing in the guts, inside all day from round 1 next season. If it means Merrett plays elsewhere that would be fine.
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Merrett could be maximised as a creative outside runner. Merrett is versatile, can do a range or roles. The only time I don’t like his play is when he’s kicking for goal. It surprises me how a guy so skilled by foot is not a great goal kicker.
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I’ve always been hyped up on Tsatas. I’m all onboard the Tsatas hype and protectionist train. toot toot ■■■■■■■■■■■■■ 
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Why not? Can’t do any worse.
This is an absolutely WILD take given we have basically every second post about Tsatas expressing concern around his kicking and anxiety around his draft selection!
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His quads each have their own postcodes.
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I also do not understand the knock on his kicking.
Opposition AFL defenders have trained their whole life to read the ball off the boot to intercept and there was absolutely no way to do that with Tsatas delivering into the 50.
He was unplayable. A new meta. A paradigm shift is required to truly understand what how anti-strat Tsatas was. Now he is heading towards being an elite kick, BIG-BODIED, clearance machine, we ourselves must look inward to rediscover the Tsatas.
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I love how Tsatas is doing a good apprenticeship in the twos
You do know that the first time he scuffs a kick, yet claims BOG honours, the same old people will be on about his kicking.
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I have zero confidence in his kicking coming out of the backline but he hits a lot of I50 targets in the VFL, seems to put the kick in the right spots even if it comes off the boot a little ugly.