Injury may have brought Luke Dunstan’s year to a cruel end, but before then the young St Kilda midfielder continued his emergence as a critical component in the Saints’ evolving engine room.
The 21-year-old dislocated his shoulder late in the win over Carlton in Round 20 and required a second shoulder reconstruction in the space of two years, although this time it was on his left shoulder.
Dunstan played 18 games in 2016, forming a lethal centre square combination with the likes of Tom Hickey, David Armitage, Jack Steven and Seb Ross.
The South Australian set the tone with his attack on the ball and work in tight, averaging 17.4 possessions (8.2 contested), 4.8 tackles and 3.5 clearances in a progressive year for Dunstan.
The crowning moment of the inside bulls year came against Collingwood in Round 3 in what was a momentous occasion for the club, with the celebration of the 1966 premiership team. Dunstan was a key contributor in the five goal win over the Magpies, collecting 25 possessions and laying seven tackles.
Given the timing of his latest shoulder injury, Dunstan is expected to make a full recovery by Round 1 next season. While he won’t be involved in full training with the main group during the first part of the pre-season, the Woodville-West Torrens product will be able to build his engine, much like Tim Membrey last pre-season.
Alan Richardson’s Views:
“I think Luke really bounced back. Last year he was solid on the back of a shoulder reconstruction, but this year he worked a lot harder from a running perspective to make sure he was a bit more complete on the outside. But where his improvement has come from was he got back to being his aggressive, physical best. His attack on the ball and attack on the opposition is as good as anyone on our team really. He’s the one that when we’re not getting it done on the inside, if he’s not in there, I want him in there.
“He’s already got the confidence and the trust of the group because he plays the right way; he plays for the team and he plays for the footy club. He needs to be involved with our leadership group, he needs to be part of that group that takes our team forward. He’s been a captain before – he was South Australia’s under-18 captain – he’s been captains of teams all the way through and we see that through the way that he prepares and the way that he communicates with his teammates and we need more of it.
“For Luke to take his game to the next level it’s the outside part of his play that he needs to improve. He uses the ball well but I want him to get more of it; he defends really well but he could go to another level with his defence if and when he improves his running capacity. Not unlike Membrey 12 months ago, who had a big running program whilst he recovered from his shoulder reconstruction, Luke will have the opportunity to train and get better in that area whilst he’s rehabilitates his shoulder. It could be a silver lining of his injury, like it was with Membrey.”
The Numbers:
18 games
17.4 disposals
8.2 contested possessions (No. 4 at St Kilda)
4.8 tackles (No. 3 at St Kilda)
3.5 clearances (No. 5 at St Kilda)
