Player review 14. Dean Polo

[one-eyed]

Marco Polo is up next.

Dean burst onto the scene in the Dreamtime game this year with one of the best if not the best debut by any young Tiger. He managed to maintain his spot in the seniors for the rest of the year to finish up playing 17 matches straight in his second year at Punt Rd averaging 15 disposals and 6 marks per game. He's just turned 20.

How did we rate Polo's year (yeah the answer is pretty obvious  ) and will he find it tougher in 2007 now the opposition know more about him? Any chance of 2nd year blues or too high expectations?



2006 stats

Round       Date         vs.          K  H  P M HO T FF FA G B
Round 6 06/05/2006 Essendon   11 17 28 6 0 1 0 0 3 0
Round 7 13/05/2006 Sydney        6  2  8 3 0 2 0 0 0 0
Round 8 20/05/2006 Adelaide       8  1  9 6 0 0 0 0 0 0
Round 9 27/05/2006 Geelong       7 10 17 8 0 2 0 2 0 0
Round 10 03/06/2006 Fremantle    6 9 15 3 0 2 0 1 0 1
Round 11 10/06/2006 Kangaroos  7 11 18 4 0 0 0 0 0 1
Round 12 18/06/2006 Hawthorn     6 4 10 6 0 1 0 1 0 0
Round 13 02/07/2006 Collingwood 14 3 17 10 0 6 0 1 1 0
Round 14 08/07/2006 Port Adel    10 7 17 7 0 5 0 1 1 0
Round 15 14/07/2006 Melbourne    7 7 14 7 0 3 1 0 0 1
Round 16 22/07/2006 Sydney        6 4 10 5 0 2 0 2 1 1
Round 17 29/07/2006 St Kilda      12 6 18 6 0 4 1 0 0 0
Round 18 05/08/2006 Bulldogs     10 6 16 10 0 2 0 1 0 0
Round 19 12/08/2006 Brisbane      2 8 10 6 0 4 0 2 0 1
Round 20 20/08/2006 Carlton      11 8 19 6 0 2 2 0 0 1
Round 21 26/08/2006 Essendon    8 6 14 8 0 3 0 1 0 0
Round 22 02/09/2006 W.Coast  10 11 21 8 0 2 0 1 0 0
 

[julzqld]

Great kid.  Will probably find 2007 harder but I think he can rise to the challenge.

[wayne]

This guys a gun and has something special about him I reckon.

Opposition supporters I know rate him highly already and have remarked on his ball using ie. he makes the right decision all the time.

He tackles like a muthaf**ker and has arms like an octopus. Gutsy, courageous and cool under pressure.

[WilliamPowell]

Pass

 

[mightytiges]

From memory Polo had one of the highest kicking efficiencies at Richmond this year. Not bad for a kid who had question marks over his disposal when he first arrived. Like Julz I think he'll find 2007 harder as other clubs pay more attention to him  but he should be okay as he's one tough nut and pushes himself to get better and better.

[F0551L]

said from the start that this kid is the "real deal" great footy brain and prepared to mix it with the best, I think he will improve even more next season, sure clubs will be more aware of him now but he will be able to take that in his stride  Marco when I renew my membership the only change i will be making is to have you down as my favourite player (i hope i haven't dealt the kiss of death)

and yes that was a mark in the match v the dorkers umpire  you where wrong and that decision changed the result of that game and ultimatley our position out of the 8 

[mightytiges]

It could be argued that Polo was the best of the "Fab 5" this year.

and yes that was a mark in the match v the dorkers umpire  you where wrong and that decision changed the result of that game and ultimatley our position out of the 8 

We shouldn't have lost that game .

Wasn't there some stat produced in the media late in the season that showed the WA teams at Subi cop favourable treatment from the umps  .