Dal - Mr Consistency

[Enrico_Misso]

In all the accolades from last night Dal has almost been forgotten.

He was superb for us all last year.
Was a bit unlucky not to win the B&F.
Has really stepped up to the elite midfielder he was always earmarked to be.
His skills are beautiful to watch.

But he doesn't shirk the hardballs.
Last night he had a heap of contested possessions.

And he goes and goes and goes.
Last night was his 115th consecutive game.
This puts him within 9 games of the club record.
It is a testament to his durability.

[BigMart]

And now he's an inside mid..... Out of tragedy comes opportunity.

Dal was a star after 2005, is now a champion..

[kosifantutti]

Are you sure about those stats?

According to AFL tables he missed the second Collingwood game in 2010. Sam Gilbert has played 57 in a row.

Agree with everything else. Expectations are so high with Dal that he does something freaky and nobody really notices. That left foot banana goal under a heap of pressure yesterday was such a case.

[Enrico_Misso]

Are you sure about those stats?

According to AFL tables he missed the second Collingwood game in 2010. Sam Gilbert has played 57 in a row.

Agree with everything else. Expectations are so high with Dal that he does something freaky and nobody really notices. That left foot banana goal under a heap of pressure yesterday was such a case.

Sorry
He HAD a run of 114 consecutive games.
But it was broken.

Still puts him in second place behind 66 hero Ian Synman on 123.

But, broken run aside, I feel that he is our most consistent/reliable player.

[Teflon]

Good post. Doesnt get the accolades IMO he deserves and has really stepped up his inside game. True all round mid and elite - its why he's been so heavily tagged each week.

[SainterK]

Agree as well.

About as underated as third in the brownlow, and second in the B&F can make you.

Perhaps the names like Roo and Lenny still get talked about more?

Reckon Lyon will tag either him (with a Crowley type) or Fisher this week (like McFly onto him or something)

[TJMcCarthy]

I don't normally buy those badges with players faces on them but I bought one of his in 2003 and i still wear it like a kid with player crush. Super Silk Dal Santo - our mr brownlow most likely.

[bergholt]

He was superb for us all last year.
Was a bit unlucky not to win the B&F.

yeah, i love sammy fisher but last year really was dal's year.

[dcstkfc]

Great post, another good game- he's getting better at beating the tags

[Junction Oval]

In response to Lenny's absence last year, NDS has turned himself from an outside receiver with great skills, into a an inside mid, using his great skills to do so - a real Club/team effort. He has taken a big leap forward in my view.

Third in the brownlow and 2nd in the B&F have almost gone un-noticed by many.

[Old Mate]

Absolute champion. If we had a shade of luck and won a flag (or two) he would be considered alongside Hodge and Bartel and only behind Judd and Ablett from that super draft.

[vacuous space]

In response to Lenny's absence last year, NDS has turned himself from an outside receiver with great skills, into a an inside mid, using his great skills to do so - a real Club/team effort.

Dal has never been an outside player. Last year was the fourth time he led the club in contested ball. He's also been top-3 at the club in clearances every year since 2005. Most of the elite ball winners get head-to-head matchups that aren't concerned with their opponent. Dal has had to make his living with Liam Picken types scragging him for the best part of a decade now.

I think he's the best midfielder at the club and has been for quite some time. If he continues to do what he's doing he will go down as one of the great midfielders in club history. He doesn't get nearly enough respect for what he has done, IMO.

[kos]

Didn't dal miss a game in 2010 against collingwood about r16????

[kos]

Didn't dal miss a game in 2010 against collingwood about r16????

[Toy Saint]

When did Ross Lyon drop Dal to 'teach him'?

And, did he play in 'that game in Tasmania' a couple of years ago just before the finals, when we went with a 2nd tier squad?

[stevie]

When did Ross Lyon drop Dal to 'teach him'?

And, did he play in 'that game in Tasmania' a couple of years ago just before the finals, when we went with a 2nd tier squad?

2008

No