Essendon large Matthew Lloyd has lavished praise connected Bombers prima Jake Stringer, saying his caller artifact of signifier is the closest happening he's seen to Dustin Martin.
Stringer has been a revelation successful 2021, kicking 37 goals from his 17 games truthful acold this season, and starred erstwhile again connected the play with a season-high five-goal haul successful a triumph implicit the Gold Coast Suns which enactment Essendon into the apical eight.
Lloyd, who has been hesitant to praise Essendon excessively aboriginal successful the past, paid Stringer the eventual compliment with his examination to the three-time Norm Smith Medallist, Martin.
"There's not galore [players similar this], Dustin Martin is rare," helium told Nine's Footy Classified.
"I deliberation Stringer is playing the closest ten-week play to what Dustin Martin is. Cripps volition ne'er beryllium that, Petracca doesn't adjacent footwear a batch of goals, Jordan De Goey has had an occasional crippled similar this.
"This is the closest ten-week play to thing I reckon I've seen Dustin Martin do, that's however good he's going."
Stringer's caller tally of signifier besides prompted a backtracking from Port Adelaide large Kane Cornes, who admitted he'd "got him wrong".
"He's blown maine distant with what he's been capable to do," Cornes said.
"Do I spot him now? Yeah, I do. Why? Because I deliberation he's a batch smarter, helium is playing the crippled truly smart. He's got a truly bully quality to instrumentality calculated risks. When helium senses [Essendon's midfield] is going to triumph the footy [at the centre bounces], helium is gone.
"If you don't person 1 of these players successful your squad now, they're the astir invaluable commodity. It's not the cardinal guardant anymore, it's a big-bodied midfielder who tin spell forward, get a mismatch similar helium did 5 times connected that weekend, and score.
"To anyone that doesn't person one, tin Carlton crook Cripps into this? I don't know. Can St Kilda bash it with Steele? Can Port Adelaide bash it with Wines? I'm not sure, but if you don't person 1 you're astatine a monolithic disadvantage."
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