Mate Colina - 213cm category B rookie [merged]

[Lozza]

His early mark and handoff to Rioli for the first goal was promising. I think when the first vision of Mason Cox was shown, most didn't expect him to ever make the grade so believe Mate will improve every time he plays as he gets more confident of both his role and his own ability.

[one-eyed]

Mate Colina snaps his first #VFL goal

https://twitter.com/Richmond_FC/status/1540935381788786690

[one-eyed]

Mate Colina, the AFL’s tallest man at 213cm, is averaging 5 touches a game in his first season as a category B rookie. But is the VFL point of the year? The Kevin Bartlett handball to himself, the collect in traffic, the snap. Must be his basketball background

WATCH: https://twitter.com/RalphyHeraldSun/status/1557574653962747904

[crackertiger]

Hopefully he will be AFL ready by mid to late next year. He is improving and finding rhythm each week. Hope he makes it!!

[TFL]

Hopefully he will be AFL ready by mid to late next year. He is improving and finding rhythm each week. Hope he makes it!!

Yeah big preseason for his development.

He moves really well for his size and seems to be improving from what I've seen.

[MintOnLamb]

If we are trading Soldo, does this mean Mate is coming along OK?

Any news??

[1965]

And don't forget Samson Ryan.

[pmac21]

He's 3 years away

[Tiger Khosh]

Anyone who saw soldo early days, how does colina look in comparison?

Both Cat B rookies who come from other sport backgrounds and picked up footy late.

[pmac21]

Anyone who saw soldo early days, how does colina look in comparison?

Both Cat B rookies who come from other sport backgrounds and picked up footy late.

In my opinion Soldo was miles ahead at same stage. 

[taztiger4]

Anyone who saw soldo early days, how does colina look in comparison?

Both Cat B rookies who come from other sport backgrounds and picked up footy late.

In my opinion Soldo was miles ahead at same stage.

disagree, Soldo had never played the game, at least Mate played as a kid.

[georgies31]

If we're relying on him coming good we're in trouble he aren't ready and not sure will even make it.

[Tigeritis™©®]

If we're relying on him coming good we're in trouble he aren't ready and not sure will even make it.

Pfft!  Ruck is an easy position if your wanting a guy who can feed your ball winners, look at all the spuds that have played Ruck ie Sandilands 

A real good ruckman takes crucial marks down the line and can read the play so as to know when to help the defence for crucial game saving grabs ie. Nank 2020 PF or sneak up forward for a couple of snags ie. Dean Cox 2012

And then there’s the USA experiment, if you can teach a bloke how to kick, bounce and handball a footy like you would your own son at age 4 then it isn’t a position that requires a lot of footy IQ.
If Mason Cox can be taught then anyone can. 

Nanks dominant EF finals performance shows how ineffective a ruckman can be even if he completely wins the ruck contest

[camboon]

I saw Sandilands destroy us in day against  Gus as he couldn’t compete so I agree to a point as Cox started the new prototype ,
 blokes like Dempsey and Benny Gale set up were like a wall at CHB in years gone , but now they need to be tall ruck rovers that take clutch marks.

[the claw]

Lol Fremantle should have won a flag in 2013 on the back of Sandilands. They didnt run deep in the midfield but the mids they had were given an armchair ride after he missed the first 15 games of the year.

I reckon if Soldo could actually dominate the ruck contest the way Sandilands did with the mids we have had then he would be being lauded as the greatest thing since sliced bread. As it was we were damn near to being unstoppable but just imagine the impact with such a dominant ruckman.
Think about it we played Soldo only because Toby struggled with the super tall ruckmen and we have never at any time really had the option of being a dominant contest first possesion side relying on second and third possesion.