Parker

[fugazi]

Interested to see where everyone sees Parker in the discussion around our forward set ups and the prospect of bringing in yet another small forward.
I still think this guy has enormous upside.
Faded out by the end of the year, but earlier in the year kept us in a few games.
Huge leap, good Mark, good hands and a long kick and elite speed.
Preseason and a year in AFL and he could be a really good player 2020 onwards.

[PADDLEPOP1001]

I tend to agree with you I liked what I saw
but than he died in the arse,got a lot of publicity early ,hopefully he now understands what needs
to be done to be consistent definitely has the tools ,supporters seem to have gone off him!

[saintsRrising]

Parker at 191cm is not a small forward.

He does apply enormous forward pressure though.

He needs to improve his footy smarts and ability to read the game more.

In 2019 he was more the see ball, get ball (or see player, tackle player type) and often went missing.

Now he has only really had 2 years of playing football at any decent level though and so this is not surprising.

If he can improve his football smarts and field kicking he is capable of playing many role including wing. But he is not a small forward.

[barneyboyz]

Yeah, I like him, will benefit from another season at it.

FWIW I also like Robby Young too, he definitely will benefit from this pre-season training

[IluvHarvey]

I opened this thread hoping it was someone with some news that we were getting Luke Parker for a steal - lol

[Saintmatt]

Parker at 191cm is not a small forward.

He does apply enormous forward pressure though.

He needs to improve his footy smarts and ability to read the game more.

In 2019 he was more the see ball, get ball (or see player, tackle player type) and often went missing.

Now he has only really had 2 years of playing football at any decent level though and so this is not surprising.

If he can improve his football smarts and field kicking he is capable of playing many role including wing. But he is not a small forward.

Parker barely did a pre-season FFS! And not too many of them in WA either. He's just a pure footballer. Brereton said that Parker's got the most upside of all our forwards (excepting Kind who's not yet played).

The trick to Parker will be harnessing his amazing raw football talent into playing within some kind of team structure.

[B.M]

191cm??

[Bernard Shakey]

191cm??

Yep, that's what he's listed as on the club website.

[damienc]

Interested to see where everyone sees Parker in the discussion around our forward set ups and the prospect of bringing in yet another small forward.
I still think this guy has enormous upside.
Faded out by the end of the year, but earlier in the year kept us in a few games.
Huge leap, good Mark, good hands and a long kick and elite speed.
Preseason and a year in AFL and he could be a really good player 2020 onwards.

I agree with most of your observations on Parker.

My concern with him is that he appears one dimensional in terms of what he can do.

He would be of greater value IMO if he could develop a few more skills.

Such as, apply pressure in a contested situation and force the opposition to cough up the pill and use his speed to run with the ball in hand.

[SMS]

could become a gun.

First year of pro footy. Hell he hasnt even been playing decent leagues of footy for long.
IF he does full pre season and is dedicates he should really become a gun. Hes got the skill, agility, size - everything really.

[B.M]

He has now played 27 senior games, kicked 39 goals and at 187cm and 79kg was one of the most explosive forwards in the WAFL this year.

Must have grown at 23yo

Or they put a bit of Mayo (not Jack) on when listing hts and wts?! Which is obviously the case because I’ve seen Matty up close and he’s not 6’3”

[CQ SAINT]

He has now played 27 senior games, kicked 39 goals and at 187cm and 79kg was one of the most explosive forwards in the WAFL this year.

Must have grown at 23yo

Or they put a bit of Mayo (not Jack) on when listing hts and wts?! Which is obviously the case because I’ve seen Matty up close and he’s not 6’3”

At a smidge off 6'2 he is not a small forward.

[Life Long Saint]

190cm & 75kg
https://www.saints.com.au/player-profile/matthew-parker

[skeptic]

Really like him

Much better prospect then Kent

[shanegrambeau]

While Parker and Kent combined for 30 games and about that many goals, which doesn't sound too bad, the amount of hype we built around them didn't do them any favours, unless heaven forbid, they were favoured in selection due partly to it.
I only ask, which potential players did those 30 games keep out and what chances for growth were missed? White? And would we be any better off now?
Parker might be a star...or so we all say. Do you really see it?

[saintsRrising]

Parker at 191cm is not a small forward.

He does apply enormous forward pressure though.

He needs to improve his footy smarts and ability to read the game more.

In 2019 he was more the see ball, get ball (or see player, tackle player type) and often went missing.

Now he has only really had 2 years of playing football at any decent level though and so this is not surprising.

If he can improve his football smarts and field kicking he is capable of playing many role including wing. But he is not a small forward.

Parker barely did a pre-season FFS!

Why the FFS! ??? when you are basically in agreement with me that he is new to the system?

We both see he has raw talent and has upside and so I would have thought you were more in agreement with what I said rather that FFSing it

[Zed]

His early season form was exciting.
If he can increase his output and sustain that for a full year (with another preseason under his belt) then he will be an automatic pick every week with his pace and tackle pressure.
the one thing he lacked imho was composure -but that should come the more games he plays

[Saintmatt]

Parker at 191cm is not a small forward.

He does apply enormous forward pressure though.

He needs to improve his footy smarts and ability to read the game more.

In 2019 he was more the see ball, get ball (or see player, tackle player type) and often went missing.

Now he has only really had 2 years of playing football at any decent level though and so this is not surprising.

If he can improve his football smarts and field kicking he is capable of playing many role including wing. But he is not a small forward.

Parker barely did a pre-season FFS!

Why the FFS! ??? when you are basically in agreement with me that he is new to the system?

We both see he has raw talent and has upside and so I would have thought you were more in agreement with what I said rather that FFSing it

Apologies - FFS directed towards you SR. Just more frustration that a large number of people think a guy who's barely played much State League footy on big wide grounds will come and dominate at AFL level. They seem to think that flashy things are all he's capable of but in reality - his forward pressure alone is very, very good.

[cwrcyn]

If his fitness can improve by 20%, then there's scope to see a better version of him in 2020. Otherwise, I think it'll be more of the same.......good, but not quite there. There's already a lot to like, but he did go missing for large chunks of some games. Was it fitness, or was it game nous? Fitness, i hope.

[Toy Saint]

Think I prefer Long ahead of Parker

[minneapolis]

191cm??

Yep, that's what he's listed as on the club website.

6 foot 3 inches. Taller than Big Nick by a couple of inches.

He doesn't seem that tall.

[Spinner]

191cm??

Yep, that's what he's listed as on the club website.

6 foot 3 inches. Taller than Big Nick by a couple of inches.

He doesn't seem that tall.

Big Nick Riewoldt?

Wasn’t he 193cm?

[axcellence]

Well, Parker might be tall but he tries to play like a selfish small forward. He’ll continue to hold the ball up by dancing around in circles rather than just passing it on.

He really needs to update his decision making around enabling the team to move the ball on.

Let’s see what 2020 brings...

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Would you trade him to Freo if it meant we could keep pick 6 in the Hill deal?

[fugazi]

Would you trade him to Freo if it meant we could keep pick 6 in the Hill deal?

Absolutely