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Welcome to Demonland: Luke Dunstan

Whispering_Jack
Whispering_Jack
in Melbourne Demons

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With the way everything currently turns to gold for this club, Dunstan is going to come in, work relentlessly on his kicking and play an important role in next year’s flag. He will be widely touted as the recruit of the year, St Kilda supporters will be apoplectic and we got him for nothing. 

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    42 minutes ago, FarNorthernD said:

    With the way everything currently turns to gold for this club, Dunstan is going to come in, work relentlessly on his kicking and play an important role in next year’s flag. He will be widely touted as the recruit of the year, St Kilda supporters will be apoplectic and we got him for nothing. 

    I think you will be posting this again in 2022 with 'I tipped this ' caption.

    If a player with suspect disposal is to improve it will be at the Dees. Think anb fritsch even Brayshaw.

    Dunstan will be seen as inspired possibly with saints then including him in the mccartin/Trac conversation as another list mgt. debacle.. 

     

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    The way I look at the Dunstan pick up is, who would be the next mid into the side, after the 23 in the GF.

    I can't think of anyone of note and Dunstan is arguably better atm than Sparrow and JJ, who we all rate and who were in the 23.

    Additionally he came as a FA, costing us no picks.

    That is great recruiting.

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    Agree with most of that but would question your use of the word “better” in connection with players like Sparrow and JJ. As with much of the discussion surrounding players at this time of year there’s a lot of subjectivity when assessing their worth. Those younger guys are only just starting and have a much higher ceiling of potential worth. If they’re not “better” than Dunstan today, they most likely will be in 12 month’s or two year’s time, all of which is great from the club’s point of view looking into the future in terms of midfield depth.

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    I don’t care if he’s not better. Dunstan’s mere presence will push others to be better.

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    13 hours ago, Demon17 said:

    If a player with suspect disposal is to improve it will be at the Dees. Think anb fritsch even Brayshaw.

    Langdon.

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    5 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

    Agree with most of that but would question your use of the word “better” in connection with players like Sparrow and JJ. As with much of the discussion surrounding players at this time of year there’s a lot of subjectivity when assessing their worth. Those younger guys are only just starting and have a much higher ceiling of potential worth. If they’re not “better” than Dunstan today, they most likely will be in 12 month’s or two year’s time, all of which is great from the club’s point of view looking into the future in terms of midfield depth.

    You obviously missed the words after "better" which were "atm."

    I have no doubt Sparrow and JJ will be "better" than Dunstan at some point in the future.

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    On 10/10/2021 at 8:51 AM, picket fence said:

    His highlights reel suggest the opposite to the tag Ball Butcher!  His disposal looks pretty good to me!😛

    Langdon had the same tag 

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    13 hours ago, Redleg said:

    The way I look at the Dunstan pick up is, who would be the next mid into the side, after the 23 in the GF.

    I can't think of anyone of note and Dunstan is arguably better atm than Sparrow and JJ, who we all rate and who were in the 23.

    Additionally he came as a FA, costing us no picks.

    That is great recruiting.

    I wouldn’t call it great recruiting, depth players shouldn’t cost any picks. And in an ideal world wouldn’t be on a 2 year deal.

    Dunstan is a safe and sensible option to give us midfield cover. They like his experience and character. But it’s a trade off because he can’t play any other position and has limited upside. The club clearly think his upside is more than I do I’d imagine, with room for his kicking and fitness both to improve.

    The question is whether there was any other cheap available option that provided similar midfield cover whilst also having more scope for improvement and positional versatility. Could a state league or other delisted player have been better? With pace and pressure to play half forward and wing not just on ball? I think the answer is yes, but I can understand why the club went for the bird in hand.

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    8 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

    I wouldn’t call it great recruiting, depth players shouldn’t cost any picks. And in an ideal world wouldn’t be on a 2 year deal.

    Dunstan is a safe and sensible option to give us midfield cover. They like his experience and character. But it’s a trade off because he can’t play any other position and has limited upside. The club clearly think his upside is more than I do I’d imagine, with room for his kicking and fitness both to improve.

    The question is whether there was any other cheap available option that provided similar midfield cover whilst also having more scope for improvement and positional versatility. Could a state league or other delisted player have been better? With pace and pressure to play half forward and wing not just on ball? I think the answer is yes, but I can understand why the club went for the bird in hand.

    Who would you have suggested we get instead and how would we have got that player, remembering that Dunstan is a FA? 

    I will stick with my view that it is "great recruiting", to get an experienced midfielder, who is better than all of the mids we have outside of the GF 23, for nothing. 

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    1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

    I wouldn’t call it great recruiting, depth players shouldn’t cost any picks. And in an ideal world wouldn’t be on a 2 year deal.

    Dunstan is a safe and sensible option to give us midfield cover. They like his experience and character. But it’s a trade off because he can’t play any other position and has limited upside. The club clearly think his upside is more than I do I’d imagine, with room for his kicking and fitness both to improve.

    The question is whether there was any other cheap available option that provided similar midfield cover whilst also having more scope for improvement and positional versatility. Could a state league or other delisted player have been better? With pace and pressure to play half forward and wing not just on ball? I think the answer is yes, but I can understand why the club went for the bird in hand.

    I think, fundamentally, you don't respect Dunstan as a player.

    You can do that, but I think you're wrong and I am happy he is there to back up our flag defence.

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    Dunstan, Tomlinson, Hunt, Jordan and Smith provide a boost of skills and talent to our Premiership 22, and most importantly they're all mature, hardened and hungry.

    Welcome Luke, make a spot yours and we'll be an even better team in 2022.

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    2 hours ago, Redleg said:

    Who would you have suggested we get instead and how would we have got that player, remembering that Dunstan is a FA? 

    I will stick with my view that it is "great recruiting", to get an experienced midfielder, who is better than all of the mids we have outside of the GF 23, for nothing. 

    It's certainly not a great market for delisted players and fringe midfielders. Mitch Wallis with the ability to play forward and mid and some doggies IP appealed a bit. Micky Gibbons never got a go in the Carlton midfield but could hold down a role across half forward, he's small but was a dominant VFL mid. Charlie Constable and Brayden Sier are two young mids with upside, not convinced by either of them but might've been worth exploring. There's a number of players without a contract who could take up the option of a deal and a spot at a successful club. Darcy Tucker at Freo - had some injuries and isn't a great user but he's a really strong athlete who can play defensive mid or forward.

    A 3rd round pick and a moderate amount of cash probably gets you a decent player in the suppressed trade market this year too. There's no one that's caught the eye so far, we weren't getting Lipinski, Hill's too expensive and can't play midfield, SPS probably wanted to be in Perth, but I would've spent a little if it got a promising depth piece.

    I don't know if Jason Taylor has another Vanders hiding in one of the state leagues. There's a chance we still use one of our list spots on that type of player too, so it's not exactly one or the other, but Dunstan makes it less likely.

    I understand why they've gone with Dunstan because they know what he can provide. Purely because we're looking at him as our 6th or 7th midfielder I would've preferred versatility and upside, that's all.

    Edited by DeeSpencer

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    15 minutes ago, Demonland said:

     

    Sounds like he's hungry which is good sign. Get him using Chocco's magic lined footys and he'll be a valuable contributor next year I reckon

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    I just ran in to Williams, Dunstan & Dan Butler doing some kicking drills while walking my dogs. My car is still decorated with a demons flag and red & blue ribbons so they recognised me as a demon tragic before I saw them. Thanked Williams. Welcomed Dunstan. Mistook Butler for a WCE player 😳

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    On 10/13/2021 at 12:14 PM, Redleg said:

    I have no doubt Sparrow and JJ will be "better" than Dunstan at some point in the future.

    Already are - both premiership players.

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    1 hour ago, Elwood 3184 said:

    Already are - both premiership players.

    and matt spangher was levels above nick riewoldt 

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    I have the feeling that Dunstan is going to be an important get.

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    9 hours ago, Elwood 3184 said:

    Already are - both premiership players.

    Well JJ never got on the park so is he really a premiership player? No disrespect meant, I just find it ridiculous you get credited with a game when you don’t play in it

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    On 10/10/2021 at 7:55 AM, buck_nekkid said:

    Very smart pick up.  Cost us nothing, experienced and tough to replace retirement Jones and want away AVB, 2 years contract, wants to prove something.  At least adds a rotation, at best, covers Clarry if injured.  Great get.

    No one covers Clarry!!!
    But he us a good attempt to with hardness and experience  as improvement in our system us the bonus as well as no cost for a pick.

    Welcome Luke.
     

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    15 hours ago, DubDee said:

    Well JJ never got on the park so is he really a premiership player? No disrespect meant, I just find it ridiculous you get credited with a game when you don’t play in it

    JJ might not be the first Premiership player who didn't get on the ground. I expect there are other Premiership players from the old 19th and 20th men days (ie, pre-interchange) who sat on the bench all day and never had a run.

    I suspect there might also be instances the other way around with players injured in the first minute of a Grand Final and having to be replaced. They, too, wouldn't have played a part in those games. Also, didn't Bluey Adams run onto the ground in a Grand Final having been activated as the 19th (or 20th) man only to collide immediately with Des Healy and play no further part in the game? (Mind you, he was involved in another 5 Premierships, so of course no-one is going to question whether he's a "Premiership player"). 

    I understand the point you are making. However, I'm comfortable with him being a Premiership player. But I also wonder what JJ thinks?  

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    I’ve been watching some of the replays of matches on the Fox Footy Channel including the mini matches. So far, Dunstan’s kicking hasn’t been as problematic as I anticipated. In fact one of his kicks to Max King was a great pass. There were lots of other examples. It wouldn’t surprise if it gets even better when he’s done a preseason with the team.

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