2 hours ago, BDA said:

It's bizarre. why are St Kilda giving him the flick? Their recruiting has been pretty ordinary so i reckon it's incompetence on their part

We know Viney won;t play a full season. Dunstan is perfect cover and with Chocco's help I'm sure his disposal will improve. It's a no brainer

Backing chocco in here, he's done it before and he'll do it again with implementing his skills training.

6 minutes ago, The Stigga said:

If he improves his disposal can even see him giving HIbberd a run for his money of the back line

No. Way too slow.

7 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

MFC is the “Best contested footy” side in the league.
 

We just bought insurance to make sure this continues. 
 

We fell in love with that mantra for years and it peaked in 2018 before the Eagles blew us apart by opening us up. 

The biggest change this season is we stopped all trying to win the same ball and used speed and spread with our contested work.

The over the top focus on being the best contested footy side should be relegated to history alongside Neeld’s ‘hardest team to play against’ 

5 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

No. Way too slow.

We fell in love with that mantra for years and it peaked in 2018 before the Eagles blew us apart by opening us up. 

The biggest change this season is we stopped all trying to win the same ball and used speed and spread with our contested work.

The over the top focus on being the best contested footy side should be relegated to history alongside Neeld’s ‘hardest team to play against’ 

 

Politely disagree regarding his speed.

In relation to the 'mantra', its sill there, the players still mention it often, no doubt its one of many 'mantras' they would have.

I don't share your concerns about the recruitment (if it occurs) in terms of cost/years etc.

I've got no doubt Luke would know that Harmes, Sparrow and JJ (all premiership players) and Hunt are all ahead of him, he's clearly decided not to tread water at a GC and give it a red hot crack here.

 

 

Edited October 6, 20213 yr by The Stigga

2 minutes ago, The Stigga said:

In relation to the 'mantra', its sill there, the players still mention it often.

 

I want our players running out each week with a desire to be the hardest at the contest. And also the fittest and most skilled if possible too!

And if you can’t win a share of your own ball you’ve got no place in AFL footy.

But I’m also glad we’re a team that recruits Langdon, sticks with Fritsch through quiet games, backs in a tiny young fella in Bowey to play finals after 4 games, sees the value of Spargo’s running to space and kicking even if he’s not winning much of the ball. 

 

I’m all about being the side that has the best depth in the league as this years injury run was pretty much unprecedented and won’t be repeated.

Dunstan addresses this criteria. Happy to have him onboard if it eventuates.

Edited October 6, 20213 yr by Bring-Back-Powell

2 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

I want our players running out each week with a desire to be the hardest at the contest. And also the fittest and most skilled if possible too!

And if you can’t win a share of your own ball you’ve got no place in AFL footy.

But I’m also glad we’re a team that recruits Langdon, sticks with Fritsch through quiet games, backs in a tiny young fella in Bowey to play finals after 4 games, sees the value of Spargo’s running to space and kicking even if he’s not winning much of the ball. 

 

 

Me too! Contested ball is not the panacea. I'm sure, being the fittest, most skilled and best at wining the football at the contest or the spread are just as important.

Agreed, and improvement in all of the players you mentioned gives me confidence that the same can happen to Dunstan, even at the age of 27.

3 minutes ago, The Stigga said:

 

Politely disagree regarding his speed.

In relation to the 'mantra', its sill there, the players still mention it often, no doubt its one of many 'mantras' they would have.

I don't share your concerns about the recruitment (if it occurs) in terms of cost/years etc.

I've got no doubt Luke would know that Harmes, Sparrow and JJ (all premiership players) and Hunt are all ahead of him, he's clearly decided not to tread water at a GC and give it a red hot crack here.

 

 

Agreed. One player I still have questions on is Harmes and its simply from a disposal perspective. If you measure Harmes vs Dunstan (both of which have terrible disposal efficiencies) I would select Dunstan as he gets a lot more of it and some of Dunstan's key stats outweighs Harmes Stats. When Harmes is on, he is great. But there is a big gap between his best and worst. The upside for Harmes is that he is also a great stopper and plays the negating role very well.

No issue here with this pickup. Fingers crossed Choco can fix his kicking and if this happens, we will all be screaming Dunstan from the stands or Lounge Room seats

 

8 minutes ago, Demon Forever said:

Agreed. One player I still have questions on is Harmes and its simply from a disposal perspective. If you measure Harmes vs Dunstan (both of which have terrible disposal efficiencies) I would select Dunstan as he gets a lot more of it and some of Dunstan's key stats outweighs Harmes Stats. When Harmes is on, he is great. But there is a big gap between his best and worst. The upside for Harmes is that he is also a great stopper and plays the negating role very well.

No issue here with this pickup. Fingers crossed Choco can fix his kicking and if this happens, we will all be screaming Dunstan from the stands or Lounge Room seats

 

That's all I need to know! A BIG YES from me! Has it been made "official"yet?

 

3 minutes ago, picket fence said:

That's all I need to know! A BIG YES from me! Has it been made "official"yet?

NOt saying he is going to be "Game changing" but he would add a lot of grunt to an already very strong midfield.

If this goes through he is simply insurance should injuries occur. We have retired VDB and Jones at 29 and 32. Dunstan at 27 would give us 2-5 years as a serviceable player, which is all that the other two could provide in Season 2021. 
If he provides more, then that is a bonus.

3 minutes ago, george_on_the_outer said:

If this goes through he is simply insurance should injuries occur. We have retired VDB and Jones at 29 and 32. Dunstan at 27 would give us 2-5 years as a serviceable player, which is all that the other two could provide in Season 2021. 
If he provides more, then that is a bonus.

The midfield grunt, just got gruntier!!😁

I like Goddard's assessment. If he becomes a Dee, Dunstan would be looking at our culture and development and backing himself in to improve and fight for a spot in our best 22. Its an attitude you want from a new recruit 

Edited October 6, 20213 yr by Stiff Arm

We are supporters and have opinions and we may not agree with someone else's opinion but we should respect that they have one which is different to our own.

At the end of the day you must back the football department and their judgement, I am sure that Yze Williams and Goodwin would have looked at all the pros and cons and if their conclusion is yes we go after him then it is upto Tim Lamb to structure an offer to Luke who either accepts or rejects the offer and we as club and supporters move on to the next one.

Luke 'RACV' Dunstan.

Good on him for backing himself in.

 

18 minutes ago, durango said:

We are supporters and have opinions and we may not agree with someone else's opinion but we should respect that they have one which is different to our own.

Durango… you do know this is demonland ? 

Mentioned earlier, but the main knocks on him from Saints supporters on BF is that he doesn't have a good tank and his disposal (handballing in particular) is poor.

They also said that whilst he doesn't have the physical ability to go both ways all day, he definitely has the mindset/desire to do so. 

So, between the ears (effort..etc) he sounds good. I'm sure our fitness team & Choco could sort out the rest.

2 minutes ago, Wells 11 said:

Durango… you do know this is demonland ? 

Yes but at 75 years of age I have learned the younger generation are the more opinionated than in my early years because they have a new form to express their opinions and blast those whose opinions they don't agree with.

They don't have the experience in both life and football to make sense of others and respect their opinions.

Dunstan is a decent replacement for other Chunk or VDB. It's a yes for me.

3 minutes ago, durango said:

Yes but at 75 years of age I have learned the younger generation are the more opinionated than in my early years because they have a new form to express their opinions and blast those whose opinions they don't agree with.

They don't have the experience in both life and football to make sense of others and respect their opinions.

https://www.betootaadvocate.com/headlines/local-lion-doesnt-concern-himself-with-the-opinions-of-sheep/

Jones played 7 games and AVB played 2, plus Jones had a few as sub as well. I'd suspect Dunstan knows where he is in the peaking order but might think if he can come in and do what he did during he's run with the saints that we'd be prepared to back him in more than they were. He might have also spoken with GCS and Essendon and realised that he's not best 22 anywhere, and thought that if he's going to be back-up anywhere it's better to be where 2 older guys have just left and they just happen to be the premiers as well!

7 minutes ago, JTR said:

Mentioned earlier, but the main knocks on him from Saints supporters on BF is that he doesn't have a good tank and his disposal (handballing in particular) is poor.

They also said that whilst he doesn't have the physical ability to go both ways all day, he definitely has the mindset/desire to do so. 

So, between the ears (effort..etc) he sounds good. I'm sure our fitness team & Choco could sort out the rest.

I also read this somewhere, the perfect respond came through that we were last in disposal efficiency, so as a system we don't care as much about using it as well, as long as we can get it, and then move it forward. Dunstan is very good at getting the ball, so will work well in our system, plus the knock on Landgon before he got to us was how bad a user he was, I doubt anyone is saying that now! 

If you cant get the ball or given the ball then your disposal is irrelivant and the old adage by Jack Dyer 'if you cant get the ball you cant kick it'.

You can improve a persons disposal by practice but getting the ball is a different kettle of fish.

Edited October 6, 20213 yr by durango

Can Choco improve his kicking?

Don't want to tempt fate, but since the start of 2017 Petracca and Oliver have missed a grand total of ONE game between them. Incredible durability. The signing of Dunstan has little to do with them. 

The signing still makes sense though. Viney will probably play 60-70% of H&A seasons for the rest of his career, and we're never ever again having a run with injury as good as 2021. If Choco can do with Dunstan what he did with Ed Langdon, then he might be able to push Harmes or JJ out of the team at certain points. Dunstan will cost nothing, he was on fire during the mid part of the season and 27 year old 100 gamers are exactly the kind of age profile we should be adding to the list. 

Good job Dees.