That’s the problem with guys like McGrath. Just because you have green grass ahead of you, you don’t need to keep running.
Guys forward make leads that are just wasted. Hit the lead if he’s a good option.
yeah fair, but no one seem to be coming up from the front of the square to apply pressure. accept i have imperfect information though
I dont think he has it, but if he can burst to 40-50 out and take a shot, hed have such an afl level weapon
and so chris doesn’t ask, hes yet to do it at vfl level.
also esteemed professional shiel doesn’t do it either
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It doesn’t look like a normal full ground setup.
The third midfielder isn’t there. And there isn’t a wingman near side either.
The second midfielder came flying out of nowhere and tried to go for broke on winning the ball.
Tsatas’ defender didn’t really show much resistance in the contest either.
Would like to see how he goes in a more common setup. Too much open space in that contest.
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It looked like a drill they do in the pre-game warm-up.
Mock ruck contest, mock pressure on the mids, get the ball to player charging forward and hit a leading forward.
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Where you getting that from?
He had a lead up player and kicked it over his head….just 
I loved Heath. Such a hard bastard.
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Thank goodness we’ve got Rath !
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Nick Martin says hold my beer.
Theres people on here that will see that and criticise that he was under no pressure, or that it was uncontested without realising that every single player in that ball up is trying to do the same thing that Tsatas did there, but none of them could read the tap as well as him.
It is absolutely a skill to be able to read where the ball will drop in the middle, and from watching the VFL last season its something that Elijah is elite at.
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Whilst I stand by he was the complete wrong selection for us at the time and taking pick 5 was probably even more a waste of an opportunity.
He has a big upside if he can fix the kicking and find a way to use his first 5 steps. Because every other trait is elite, and the running capacity can be improved.
What’s most impressive about the kid is he came in with some big wraps from Dodoro, and a big head. Got brought back to rock bottom and put on a fix your most fundamental skill and play VFL program. And the kid has worked his butt off. It’s the kinda grit the is so uncharacteristic of a modern Essendon footballer.
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Not to mention you can’t fault his VFL preformances they have been top shelf racking up huge numbers
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It really is a massive thing for a kid of that age / generation to be able to take the feedback, put his head down and work his arse off to get better. No sooking, no going to his agent to put stories into the media about playing time, no thinking he’s better than VFL. Just head down, extra reps, harder effort, first to training, last to leave.
You love to see it.
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I’ve been one of the clubs biggest critics for using our pick on Tsatas when he had obvious flaws to his game.
But that said these traits mentioned above must’ve been enough to convince the recruiters that despite his flaws he was worth taking a punt.
Time will tell if it was the correct call but until then I wish the kid nothing but success (for us… ■■■■ him if he leaves).
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Good post from @Nocturnal
keeping this guy back to work on his fundamental floor imo has been astute coaching. To reach his potential he simply had to clean up this area of his game up.
There’s no garauntees , but this investment in one in one development is excellent. I find myself wondering how this could have helped other highly talented kids over the years.
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Martin, Duzza and Caldwell say hello.
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Kind of glad they also sent Perkins back to the twos at the end of the year, he needs to the same and come back in better
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When Perkins and Cox for that matter started in the senior team they played with a level of confidence that really helped their game. To me, outside of injury, this is a development issue, both players should be better than they are right now.
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Maybe, and I’m like most EFC fans in that I find it hard to trust the club on much, but confidence can also be dented, sometimes fatally, by the realisation that you’re not as good as you thought when you mix it with the elite. My Forza Motorsport online career lasted one race, for example.
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