Seb Ross had zero tackles last night

[Scollop]

For someone that is played exclusively in the guts and for someone lining up in the centre after nearly every goal scored, I was surprised to see that Seb had zero tackles. I saw him coralle a few of their mids.

If we are winning all the stoppages I'd understand, but if we are not, is this acceptable?

Discuss

[whiskers3614]

Has the decision making and disposal skills of a headless chook.
No tackles wouldn't be as big a problem if he used it well when he got it.

[Impatient Sainter]

No surprises he plays 'touch' football and he was acting Captain says it all really. If there was a first round offer last year for Ross - due to the midfield strength in the draft I would have traded him.

I have always said he is more of a back flanker or winger than a midfielder, he simply doesnt like the bash & crash in close and never has.

[stkfc1]

Seb was never going to be an elite A grade midfielder due to his iffy disposal. He really should be our 4th or 5th mid, not our first. If he was at the Pies or GWS he'd be on the bench at the start of most games as first rotation.
Its not a knock on Seb. I think he's a good footballer, but thats the problem, thats all he is, he's not a star and never will be. He's being asked to punch way above his pay scale at the moment.

We are lacking star power in the middle.
We put a Pendles or a Fyfe and then a Kelly or a Treloar in there with Steven and Steele, then Ross, we'd be looking a whole different team. With time, Gresh and Billings can continue to improve in the middle, but for now our midfield is barely treading water.
If Hanners gets himself right and Steven returns Ross will be all the better for it.

[prwilkinson]

It’s pretty amazing how many players can’t kick on their opposite side in today’s ‘modern’ footy.

[Saint 58]

Ross gets enough of the footy to be a damaging player
But his ball skills are crap
We can’t afford to drop him but a rocket up his A$$ & 2-3 weeks in the 2nds would give him a clear message

[Saintmatt]

Ross gets enough of the footy to be a damaging player
But his ball skills are crap
We can’t afford to drop him but a rocket up his A$$ & 2-3 weeks in the 2nds would give him a clear message

It wouldn’t help. At all. Ross in the 2nds for a month would be like Dunstan in the 2nds for a month. He’ll dominate with 30+ each week and so he should. That’s his level. A month isn’t going to teach him how NOT to hoist long innacurate bombs to outnumbered forwards nor how to short F50 target @ AFL level.

It’s also not going to teach him how not to waddle from contest to contest nor how to sprint.

Whilst Cho the Dribbler and his match committee value and/or rate Ross (& Dunstan) ... we’re going nowhere fast.

[guitars4]

I like Seb but he just doesn't hurt the opposition enough with his disposal. Gets plenty of ball but too often wastes it, but he knows how to find it just needs to use it more wisely IMO

[To the top]

Agree he is a one way player who does not deliver a result

No extraction or defensive skills and disposal is ordinary

Mostly notable for running forward with the ball including bouncing - then that disposal

There are times his disposal is excellent but nowhere near often enough

Not too sure where he can be played because he has no overhead ability hence neither forwards or back

Why he is preferred to Acres is one of life’s mysteries - as is him being preferred to Dunstan who really cracks in at the contest putting his body on the line

[silverhalo]

And this is just the reason why we shouldn't be looking to bring in Zak Jones from Sydney - gets a heap of the ball, is courageous blah, blah, blah but his disposal is abysmal. We need to continue to target guys that have got some polish - we've got in and unders like Steele, Steven, Dunstan etc but need outside runners that can deliver to our forwards - that's where we are desperately breaking down.

[fugazi]

Tad harsh on Seb but agree Acres should be ahead of him

Acres Steven Gresham Billings Steele and hopefully Hanneberry are a young exciting midfield with some seasoned leadership.
Acres is strong quick and uses the pill.

Newnes and Seb should be in the second tier rotations alobg with Long and Sinclair and possibly Phillips all of whom offer good athleticism.

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Still in our best 5 players and is our best mid at the moment. Would still take anyone in a side that can get it 31 times. He is carrying a big load in the middle at the moment and needs help.

[Ape_Man]

Look at the voting thread. A lot of people have Acres in the votes.

He had 18 disposals.

Amazingly he never started between the arcs in the first half. Only twice on a wing in the second and the token centre bounce at the death.

His disposals are effective. Not by the stat that just requires it to go to a teammate or travel over 45 meters.

They are effective because he is nearly always trying to get the ball to the best attacking option.

When he had the bounces through the middle he could have easily done what the rest of the team does and pump it to the square. But he didn’t and went by hand.

It didn’t work out that time but shows, in my opinion, some pretty level headed decision making.

I just want to see him have the opportunity to have 30 possessions a game.

[mightysainters]

Seb Ross is a C+ Player.. he’s ordinary and I hate that he gets a lot of the pill because he’s one of the most ineffective midfielders in the Comp

[minneapolis]

Still in our best 5 players and is our best mid at the moment. Would still take anyone in a side that can get it 31 times. He is carrying a big load in the middle at the moment and needs help.

See Ted, he is not. That's the problem. Ross and Dunstan play in the middle and get the ball for us. The other team has Coniglio and Kelly, or Dangerfield and Selwood, or Pendleberry and DeGoey.

We get it and either waste it or make it a 50-50 possession.

Our primary focus for recruiting should be getting players that can kick to advantage.

This year we are better because we have found Wilkie, Paton and Parker.

Now we have to replace Ross, Dunstan, and Webster. We will improve again.

Also we should be playing Battle up front. Can mark and kick. And Savage would be a better kick for goal than most of the other forwards.

[nw7]

Still in our best 5 players and is our best mid at the moment. Would still take anyone in a side that can get it 31 times. He is carrying a big load in the middle at the moment and needs help.

See Ted, he is not. That's the problem. Ross and Dunstan play in the middle and get the ball for us. The other team has Coniglio and Kelly, or Dangerfield and Selwood, or Pendleberry and DeGoey.

We get it and either waste it or make it a 50-50 possession.

Our primary focus for recruiting should be getting players that can kick to advantage.

This year we are better because we have found Wilkie, Paton and Parker.

Now we have to replace Ross, Dunstan, and Webster. We will improve again.

Also we should be playing Battle up front. Can mark and kick. And Savage would be a better kick for goal than most of the other forwards.

I agree, add Newnes as well to Ross, Dunstan and Webster. They are good players and sometimes have really good games but they wont improve to the next level so we need to develope players to get us to the next level.

[mightysainters]

Seb Ross is like Mark McGough.. it really doesn’t matter that he gets it.. oppo certainly don’t care either