The ‘stat-padding’ Saint that needs “Dustifying”

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera might have had a statistically sound game against the Bulldogs, but it amounted to very little.

Racking up a stunning 44 disposals, 916 metres gained and a goal, Wanganeen-Milera was near unstoppable at Marvel Stadium on Sunday night.

That said, with only six score involvements for the game, Nasiah’s repeated touch wasn’t conducive to scores, as the Saints went down by 22 points with just eight goals across the match.

Speaking post-game, Dogs coach Luke Beveridge was quite content with Nasiah’s involvement.

“We were monitoring the Wanganeen-Milera situation,” Beveridge said.

“He had a lot of the ball, a lot of metres gained but he only had five score involvements.

“We were content that he could have 65 if he wanted, but we were just going to keep playing in a systematic way.

“Ultimately there was a message or two to make sure that in different circumstances we catered for his counter offence and his overlap run, which we didn’t necessarily do too well all the time.”

With that in mind, Kane Cornes and David King couldn’t help but debate once more where Nasiah is best suited on the ground, suggesting that his role floating into the back half is far from where he needs to be.

“Do we want him winning 31 disposals in the back half?” Cornes told SEN Fireball.

“I agree with Luke. I think the way that they handled it was the right way to go about it.

“Nasiah’s had 44 and kicked one goal and they lose by 22 points and kick eight goals for the game.

“We saw him during the pre-season out of full forward, essentially, and I know it’s a different level in pre-season, but what is his best position?

“I’m just not sure, as good as he is at half back, that it’s taking kickouts and getting 31 disposals in the back half and your team losing by 22 points.”

King suggested that the Saints need to ‘Dustify’ Nasiah.

“Dustin Martin in 2016 was averaging 31 touches a game, 12 of those uncontested defensive half touches,” he said.

“That’s the roll back and fatten the numbers with some junk. He was still All-Australian that year, still a best and fairest winner that year.

“It doesn’t mean you’re not a good player, it just means you’ve got a great ability to get the footy.

“He was averaging six score involvements a game. He was challenged to be a centre forward player by Damien Hardwick in the next offseason.

“2017, he still has 30 touches a week, but only six stat padding down back, which became three in 2020. He developed a forward half game and made his touches mean more.

“I think Nasiah’s at that level right now. Last year, 30 touches, 11 down back, stat padding. 2026, he is averaging 29, 10 down back. Stat padding.

“I don’t want to see him kicking the ball out, unless the game demands it. He took six. I’m not necessarily against it – if the game is close, you want the ball in the best hands.

“You want him to roll back and say, ‘I’ve got this, boys.’ This is not all his fault.

“He can’t be responsible for the whole win-loss profile, but I do think they need to get more out of others around him.”

Nasiah’s shift down back could have been a result of Jack Sinclair’s calf injury, ruling him out for the game and potentially the season in the early stages of the opening term.

However, Cornes believes that his positioning was planned.

“You look at the way they start the game, that was clearly the intention,” he said.

“If he had started on-ball and then rolled back after Sinclair popped his calf, then you’d go yep, no worries, I understand it.

“You have 61 entries, and Ross Lyon kept speaking about, no worries getting it in there, it was our efficiency. You’ve got this guy across half back, taking six kickouts and you’ve got 61 entries.

“He is not where he needs to be.”