Dunstan

[Proph3t of egan]

This may just be me, but about halfway through this year I had lost hope of Dunstan improving any further. He had been twice dropped for the first time in his career, and was barely making an impact in the games he came back for.

This may just be me being impatient with a young player, but I wasn't too hopeful with him.

Then after returning from being dropped the third time he seems to have flicked a switch, and in my opinion, has been our best player for the past five weeks.

He is Starting to run our games rather than run out of puff in a quarter meaning more disposals (averaging a smidge over 27 in those 5weeks), is kicking goals (averaging a goal a game), connecting play throughout the ground and being so creative when he gets it. This follows what I consider his best game over his short career

I for one see him possibly being one our best players over the next couple of years

[Junction Oval]

It's good that he has grasped the nettle with both hands.

We can see lots of improvement. Let's hope for all, that it continues into 2018, because we will need all guns firing next year.

[Linton Lodger]

He's going to be a very good player for us.

[saintsRrising]

Yes he hit a but of a pothole at the 50-ish game mark, but is going along very nicely again now at his 68 game mark.

[Sainternist]

Yes, it has been very encouraging seeing him run into some form lately.

[desertsaint]

Had no doubt - the guy is outstanding, just too much thrown on him too early. luckily the coach realised he was merely mortal and needed time to develop and regain confidence. couldnot beieve how quickly some on here were rubbishing him when he hit a poor patch of form. Been our best player since his return. Could go on to captain the club.

[bigcarl]

It goes to show you need to give them a good run at it before writing them off.

Some of the garbage spewed out about players who have played fewer than 50 games is lamentable. However, I admit to having doubts about Dunstan and couldn't be happier with his recent form.

[fugazi]

He is on the Lenny Hayes arc....hopefully will be somewhere near ad good.

[fugazi]

He is on the Lenny Hayes arc....hopefully will be somewhere near as good.

[skeptic]

I've banged on about this a bit lately but Dunstan is a good example of a player going back to Sandy to work on his weaknesses.

The knock on Luke was always his aerobic capacity. He simply tired after good first halves (where he'd get 15 odd disposals) and be unable to impact the contest in the second.

At VFL level, Dunstan was able to play as a mid for longer without that part of his game being so badly exposed... hence he got better.

It's why letting players flounder at AFL is such a shocking and surprisingly widespread practice.

Mav Weller is an example of a player that we've inexplicably persevered with all year and what has it got us? We've completely destroyed his reputation amongst the fans at least... and it's probably cost us games of football too.
And Mav hasn't improved, and it's cost us the opportunity to develop someone else.


For all the grief I've copped over the years for suggesting players like Gwilt, Jones, Schneider, McQualter, Gilbert etc be dropped when they WEREN'T playing well (with most of those guys having patches were they were and weren't playing well).
Ppl used to say that you shouldn't gift players games if they don't command spots but being given opportunity, learning from it, and going back to further improve your game is a key part of development.

It's why I'm very bullish on a guy like Lonie who is a superstar at VFL but his skills inexplicably don't translate to the seniors... for him it's more psychological and that's ok. Keep playing and dropping him.

[MickThomas]

Maybe the club's staff have hit the right formula with developing Dunstan.
I hope they learn from this...
and apply to other players

[Proph3t of egan]

I've banged on about this a bit lately but Dunstan is a good example of a player going back to Sandy to work on his weaknesses.

The knock on Luke was always his aerobic capacity. He simply tired after good first halves (where he'd get 15 odd disposals) and be unable to impact the contest in the second.

At VFL level, Dunstan was able to play as a mid for longer without that part of his game being so badly exposed... hence he got better.

It's why letting players flounder at AFL is such a shocking and surprisingly widespread practice.

Mav Weller is an example of a player that we've inexplicably persevered with all year and what has it got us? We've completely destroyed his reputation amongst the fans at least... and it's probably cost us games of football too.
And Mav hasn't improved, and it's cost us the opportunity to develop someone else.


For all the grief I've copped over the years for suggesting players like Gwilt, Jones, Schneider, McQualter, Gilbert etc be dropped when they WEREN'T playing well (with most of those guys having patches were they were and weren't playing well).
Ppl used to say that you shouldn't gift players games if they don't command spots but being given opportunity, learning from it, and going back to further improve your game is a key part of development.

It's why I'm very bullish on a guy like Lonie who is a superstar at VFL but his skills inexplicably don't translate to the seniors... for him it's more psychological and that's ok. Keep playing and dropping him.

This system also helped savage regain some major form in the second half of this season, it also helped Sinclair last year to develop into who he is now.

Dropping players to improve is the bread and butter of development I reckon

[Goose is king]

I think between Dunstan and Steele we have our own reliable versions on Mat Crouch and Josh Kennedy (Sydney)

[Jacks Back]

Maybe the club's staff have hit the right formula with developing Dunstan.
I hope they learn from this...
and apply to other players

I agree with Wellard I mean MickThomas

[AeonFlux]

Maybe the club's staff have hit the right formula with developing Dunstan.
I hope they learn from this...
and apply to other players

I agree with Wellard I mean MickThomas

Wellard and Mick Thomas??? Maybe only for a short time? One did step in, the other step out. But which is our Monday's expert? Which one tilts at windmills?

Anyway, I hope to find out more intel over the next few days. Tomorrow over a decent cup of coffee when I contact a lonely goth in a country town (Walkerville). And then a weekend meeting with the woman of Ireland at a party in Fitzroy. Then, all will become more rosy than grey.

[AeonFlux]

As for Dunstan. The reports are his fitness has improved out of sight following a gruelling top secret training camp in central Australia. Our very own desertsaint personally had him running laps of Uluru - pushing the DS kombi. And Luke's improved kicking? After drop punts over Uluru, a 40m ping at the goals is now nothing for Luke.

[desertsaint]

don't let the cat out of the bag aeon - secret mens business. shhh.

[MickThomas]

Maybe the club's staff have hit the right formula with developing Dunstan.
I hope they learn from this...
and apply to other players

I agree with Wellard I mean MickThomas

Wellard and Mick Thomas??? Maybe only for a short time? One did step in, the other step out. But which is our Monday's expert? Which one tilts at windmills?

Anyway, I hope to find out more intel over the next few days. Tomorrow over a decent cup of coffee when I contact a lonely goth in a country town (Walkerville). And then a weekend meeting with the woman of Ireland at a party in Fitzroy. Then, all will become more rosy than grey.

Geez we better not discuss trade gossip on this forum, because media might see it! Damian Barrett's Private Ears would be tuned in

[SMS]

People are too quick to judge. Look at what people were saying about Sam Mitchell and Cameron Ling in their early years hell even 5/6 years in. Dunstan will be a gun. He kicks goals ffs. And good ones. We are so harsh on the kid. He bleeds for the saints wants to win more than anyone, kicks goals, tackles hard its only because he has a wobble people judge him. Ahhh swan and mitchell both wobblers hat took 6 years to get going. Dunstan is just finishing his 4th. Give him another 2/3 and lets see. Im betting gun.

[saynta]

Maybe the club's staff have hit the right formula with developing Dunstan.
I hope they learn from this...
and apply to other players

I agree with Wellard I mean MickThomas

[supersaints]

As well as he's arobic capacity improving , I've said on many previous " Dunstan " posts that because he was a mature big bodied young player , he was given the " grunt roll" in the midfield. He was used primarily as a blocking player or battering ram to release Stuv and create a path out of the middle, he was played as a defensive mid ( I had many disagreements with those who said he had no talent, or such a midfielder role existed)
This role was the reason he was never dropped , though almost everyone insisted he should be.
He was dropped ( rightly) when we got Steel and Koby to share the role and Dunstan had little impact when released from his defensive role , that's all he had played since arrival

IMO This role in the first years was holding back his natural development , IMO he always had the talent.
It's no coincidence that since we've got , Steele and Koby to at least share that role it's released him somewhat

So we now have him playing a more Lenny type roll, he will get better because

1: He has talent ( why we write off every young player and put a ceiling on them baffles me )
2: He has a different roll (or most times shared with others)
3: His arobic capacity has improved greatly

[Darth Vader]

He credits his improvement to the club psychologist.

[Bruce G McAbee]

I must admit, seeing him in his first season I saw a future captain.

[GregPackhamsHeadband]

I must admit, seeing him in his first season I saw a future captain.

Me too. I think the club may concur. You don't get Lenny's number without being highly regarded. We forget he's had some fairly significant injury problems. Development in young players is rarely linear. Dunstan is quality.

[GregPackhamsHeadband]

I must admit, seeing him in his first season I saw a future captain.

Me too. I think the club may concur. You don't get Lenny's number without being highly regarded. We forget he's had some fairly significant injury problems. Development in young players is rarely linear. Dunstan is quality.