Dirty Laundry - Dunstan

[older saint]

Just listened to and read the details of Dunstan's interview on SEN yesterday.

I was always a fan of his commitment to the contest and also felt he has good footy brain seeing he can get to contest after contest without great speed. His foot skills let him down and as the game moved forward this happened to become a bigger issue. in another era he may well be a top 10 player in the side . I felt at times in the last 2 years he was the scape goat and injuries didn't help, that said after the Richmond game (first one) leaving I thought he seasons done he shouldn't be picked again as it was reminiscent of the Tom Hickey Essendon game many years before .

He was given a chance again on weight of performance and injury and grabbed it with both hands, well done to him and privately he stuck it up those who didn't think he could. What he also did was move from a maybe pick up as free agent to a certain pick up as free agent. As has happened before to some he could have been left to rot on the vine in the VFL, and from an AFL perspective the result would have been the same - no finals- his career at AFL level would have been done. What occurred was a win/win from where I sit.

You learn a lot about character when things are down and how they re act and I thought he had it in spades on the field but to then come out with this is very disappointing. They are all trained and could have straight batted the questions but he wanted to have a swing on the way out. IMO it lacked class and character

Good luck where ever you end up but set yourself up for a bake when/if you play against Stkilda and dont let the door hit you on the way out.

[bigcarl]

What did he say?

[Mr Magic]

He feels aggrieved and was happy to let the world know about it.
As is his right.
I'm sure that plenty of list management people will have heard it or been made aware of it.
Hopefully it won't cause him problems in finding another Club to play for.

[skeptic]

I think it also shows a bit of insight into his level of maturity

You can absolutely make an argument as to why he is annoyed/frustrated and to be honest… he’s got pretty good cause in some respects when you look at other players that get seemingly limitless opportunity.

But…

The reality is that this is only a conversation because he improved OUT OF SIGHT in the last 10 games of the season into his 7th year at the club.
There’s also a question there about what changed and where was that 3 years ago. The issue was not opportunity

The other part is that he’s done himself no favours making those types of comments… ok to feel them and talk about them in private. Could even mention it to a prospective new club that decisions were made early

By airing the laundry so publicly… well any sensible incoming employer would look at that and go do I want to introduce that into this environment?
Someone that cracks it and goes public without showing/owning his own part in what happened. He’ll get a gig no doubt but if I was opposition coach and did a reference check that confirmed that he was lazy, unreceptive and had an attitude until the club followed through on a threat…
Well I would approach with caution

[The_Dud]

Perfectly acceptable to feel aggrieved when you're basically being discriminated against by your employer. It was clear he wasn't playing under the same selection rules as others. This was a personal conflict between player and coach that negatively affected the team.

Good luck to him where ever he goes, this has the makings of another Hind stuff up.

Also, his poor kicking is almost as big a myth as Riewoldt being a bad kick for goal. His career stats are on par (better than some, worse than others) with the rest of our mids, which is pretty good seeing as a lot of his kicks are out of contests / traffic.

[perfectionist]

Luke played 4 of his best games for the club in Rounds 13, (bye round 14) 15, 16 and 17. Alas, he then went back to his old ways in Rounds 18,19, 20, 21 and 22. in many of these games, he wasn't tall enough in the contest. Not much he can do about that, but something that the club. He also too easily lost contact with opponents who, once they had a break, weren't going to caught by Luke. He gave up chasing in a number of contests. His kicking, which had been OK with few bad turnovers in his good games, deteriorated. His endeavour at the ball was never questioned - but more is required from a quality mid. Is he the future or the past?

[saynta]

Luke played 4 of his best games for the club in Rounds 13, (bye round 14) 15, 16 and 17. Alas, he then went back to his old ways in Rounds 18,19, 20, 21 and 22. in many of these games, he wasn't tall enough in the contest. Not much he can do about that, but something that the club. He also too easily lost contact with opponents who, once they had a break, weren't going to caught by Luke. He gave up chasing in a number of contests. His kicking, which had been OK with few bad turnovers in his good games, deteriorated. His endeavour at the ball was never questioned - but more is required from a quality mid. Is he the future or the past?

He is/was the past.

Bytel is the future.

[perfectionist]

Luke played 4 of his best games for the club in Rounds 13, (bye round 14) 15, 16 and 17. Alas, he then went back to his old ways in Rounds 18,19, 20, 21 and 22. in many of these games, he wasn't tall enough in the contest. Not much he can do about that, but something that the club. He also too easily lost contact with opponents who, once they had a break, weren't going to caught by Luke. He gave up chasing in a number of contests. His kicking, which had been OK with few bad turnovers in his good games, deteriorated. His endeavour at the ball was never questioned - but more is required from a quality mid. Is he the future or the past?

He is/was the past.

Bytel is the future.

I guess the club agrees. He's taller and has shown progress on developing skills on both sides. One of the things that goes unnoticed by some is the ability of players to handball both hands. Jack Steele does this, as did Robert Harvey. The difference is that Robert Harvey was one of the few then, but now all the upper echelon players do it. Taller players also have a better chance of lifting the arms to evade a tackle, therefore leaving the hands free to handball. Once again, something Robert Harvey pioneered.

[B.M]

Lacked class

Came off as a whinging sook.

First 7 years he was a GOP who averaged around 20 as an inside mid, and kicked it like s***!

His lack of running power was evident and easily exposed.

This year, the decision to put him on the opposing teams best mid, put him around the footy, and as he does, he won his fair share of contests.

He played around 6 very good games this season.

But the fact is, he has finished top ten in the B&F once (9th) in 8 years and 120 games of AFL footy, playing as an inside mid!

For some reason he was a fan favourite. Never got the appeal?

Although he would’ve been good in the 80s at Moorabbin

[st.byron]

By airing the laundry so publicly… well any sensible incoming employer would look at that and go do I want to introduce that into this environment?
Someone that cracks it and goes public without showing/owning his own part in what happened. He’ll get a gig no doubt but if I was opposition coach and did a reference check that confirmed that he was lazy, unreceptive and had an attitude until the club followed through on a threat…
Well I would approach with caution

Agree. Poor form to publicly air dirty laundry and as you say, shows an absence of self reflection. Meshes in with what T74 said about not following team rules. Those things point towards immaturity IMO. And as numerous others have pointed out, has been mediocre for a long time. If he can’t STFU and let his performances speak for themselves, then good that he’s going. Whinging sook indeed.

[mad saint guy]

Dunstan has been gifted games since 2015. For years he was the worst performing starting onballer in the league. He had a couple of good patches of form in contract years but other than that he has been below mediocre.

I'm glad we're finally moving on.

[CURLY]

Perfectly acceptable to feel aggrieved when you're basically being discriminated against by your employer. It was clear he wasn't playing under the same selection rules as others. This was a personal conflict between player and coach that negatively affected the team.

Good luck to him where ever he goes, this has the makings of another Hind stuff up.

Also, his poor kicking is almost as big a myth as Riewoldt being a bad kick for goal. His career stats are on par (better than some, worse than others) with the rest of our mids, which is pretty good seeing as a lot of his kicks are out of contests / traffic.

That's a crock and just a piss poor post to be honest. Dunstan has had ongoing off field issues that have worked against him for years and even at his age he still didn't get the hint. Add to that his horrendous disposal and of course he's on the outer.

[asiu]

off field issues
... now it gets interesting

[CarlD]

https://www.sportingnews.com/au/afl/new ... gg9uda9hen

Aaron Hamill pumping up Luke's talents.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Was told to run with a player in one of his final games and failed to do so, citing in his defence that he'd racked up 25 possessions --50% of which were ineffective.

Make of that what you will.

Personally I never really rated him but I'm sad to see him depart in a cloud of acrimony. Other GOPs from the Richo years linger.

[spert]

Professional footy- players get moved on, life goes on.

[CURLY]

https://www.sportingnews.com/au/afl/new ... gg9uda9hen

Aaron Hamill pumping up Luke's talents.

That's why you don't have a gig anymore Hamill.

[Ghost Like]

Goodbye Luke. You have one thing left to do for St Kilda, get us a compensation pick. Sadly, that will also be ineffective, another clanger. That will be the exclamation mark on your career with St Kilda.

[Scollop]

What has he achieved in his football career? What type of leader or role model has he been?

How has the team performed while he’s been a central player on the midfield engine?

Too many average footballers over rate themselves

Did he think he was as good as Lenny Hayes because they handed him the number 7 jumper?

[takeaway]

I don’t blame Dunstan at all for his views. I think he has been undervalued by the Club and not given a game when less deserving players have continued to be selected.

No doubt there have been some issues between him and Ratts or whoever, maybe he is not the type of player Ratts wants in the team, so it is best that he moves on.

Showed the club a thing or two when he got back in the side this year, that’s for sure, and greatly helped the team improve in the second half of the season. Every club needs ball extractors, and he certainly is a bull and can get plenty of the ball. Disposal is not as bad as some make out, just getting it out is all you can do sometimes.

Port have a similar player, albeit better than Dunstan, inside bull, gets (a few) more possessions than Dunstan, but at a lower disposal efficiency, and he just won the Brownlow.

[Moods]

Luke played 4 of his best games for the club in Rounds 13, (bye round 14) 15, 16 and 17. Alas, he then went back to his old ways in Rounds 18,19, 20, 21 and 22. in many of these games, he wasn't tall enough in the contest. Not much he can do about that, but something that the club. He also too easily lost contact with opponents who, once they had a break, weren't going to caught by Luke. He gave up chasing in a number of contests. His kicking, which had been OK with few bad turnovers in his good games, deteriorated. His endeavour at the ball was never questioned - but more is required from a quality mid. Is he the future or the past?

He is/was the past.

Bytel is the future.

Very well summed up. Dunstan is most definitely the past. The bad old past from 2012 to 2019. He is a classic player from that era. To be honest I thought Savage was as well. The club has done very well Not to be seduced by a few reasonable games. A couple of footy journalists have got sucked in by it and quite likely he may find another club but he was never going to assist in taking us to another flag

[Trev from the Bush]

I feel Luke wa thrown to the wolves in his early years when, due to the absence of suitable alternatives, he was used as a midfield battering ram. In a similar manner to Luke Ball he was left banged-up at a young age. Therefore, I cut him plenty of slack in recent seasons for his second-half fadeouts. His courage is unquestionable to the point of being crazy at times. I hope he has earned enough out of footy to get a decent nose job!

When he made the team for the Richmond game at Marvel earlier this year (as bad a thrashing as we have ever copped) I lost my patience and said to my daughter he should never play anothersenior game. I based that comment on his fantastic ability to hit a target by foot. Unfortunately they all wore Tiger's jumpers! He was duly dropped again but something must have clicked. The return match at the MCG was a reverse flogging and Dunstan's career best performance. Everybody and their dog agreed he was clearly the BOG. That form held up for a few weeks but, again, faded to mediocrity.

Good luck Luke, I wish you well. If only every player was as determined to put their head over the ball as you have......

[Wayne42]

This is the bloke that some were touting as a future club Captain in his early days.
Maybe his bad luck was placing his development in the hands of the St Kilda football club.

Whatever Luke's issues with his disposal are i didn't see him shank it or turn it over like his can't be dropped teammate did.

Not only does the coach detest him, so too does a fair chunk of the club's fan base.

[B.M]

Did you just compare Dunstan to Ollie Wines

Wines is a top 5 midfielder in the AFL

Dunstan isn’t even top 3 at his club

I mean, seriously!!!!

[skeptic]

One has to imagine that when his career ends…
Chances are he’ll be one that looks back and wishes he’d given more than he did.

Reckon he does have the ability and talent to have been a top tier player… not elite but could have been good if he was fitter, worked harder on disposal and listened