I owe an apology blog to Maika Sivo.
I honestly thought he was gone last season before his ACL injury.
My view was that he got "weights happy" through Covid and and lost his pace and cordination.
His comeback was so so after the ACL but I still thought he would not get back to where he had been and really get rid of him now why we can.
The last 18 weeks have completely changed that and I am now saying that he is running faster than he ever has since we have seen him and that he is now reading the defence in a way that is making him a reliable defender. His high ball skills have always been good but now are gettin to an elite level.
When you look at it he was green as grass when we got him and what he is showing is a maturity now I never thought he would obtain.
Congratulations to Michel Ericsson who never stopped defending and supporting him.
Well done Maika !!!
Finally I also believe that the training he undertook in rehabiltating his ACL is probably the reason he is running faster and better because a degree of that high level training had never before been applied ......maybe there are some lessons there for all our players to become a little better at running fast.
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To see him outrun Meaney and Coates was brilliant. He has always had the talent but was lacking speed. He is a keeper and always has been.
Sivo does not have a very high top speed, Coates did catch him at the line, Sivo has power, Sivo has acceleration, his muscle is great for exploding him from standstill, so he gapped Coates initially with his great acceleration and then had to get to the line. That was the best game by Sivo in my memory. His D was awesome, his taking of the high ball awesome.
I believe it was Meaney that chased him to the line. Once he burned Coates he gave up the chase. Will have to watch the replay to confirm that though.
He was brilliant last night. Casting wingers into touch like casting out demons! Loved how the Sivo chant went up for his defence!
I've always loved him because he could finish and his brute strength, but I thought he was slow. I don't think he's slow anymore, the last month or so he has show he has some speed!
Couldn't agree more. I was disappointed when we re-signed him. His performances before his most recent return were a shadow of what he delivered when burst onto the scene.
Dare I say it Sivo 3.0 is the best version yet.
He looks leaner, but as you've noted mate, he's come back a better all round footballer!
Great call out, Pops.
Have loved how Sivo has come back. Maybe he was challenged to keep his spot with Russell looking decent & Waqa great on the wing?
Whatever it was, to be back to his best so soon after that ACL is awesome.
Cracking game from the big fella, definitely has come back fit, fast and strong.
I've been thinking, BA has done such an outstanding job with the players. You look at the talent he brought in & the criticism he received over his choices, Gutho he copped it for bring an injured nobody to the team but he become something special. N Brown, a grubby player that BA turned into a SOO player, again people were quick to judge. RCG playing reserve grade, no confidence yet he now one of our main weapons & about to make the national side again. Lang, this guy is something he just killing it out on the left edge, BA copped it for signing this nobody. Moses, I remember the nasty post about this guy, couldn't tackle, couldn't run the ship well he to became a SOO player. Sivo as Semi both pulled out of reserves & BA turned them into super stars, again heavily criticise for bring these guys to the club but again, BA turned them into stars. Papalli, Mahoney they all turned their careers around under BA. Remember some couldn't tackle, some were to slow, others injury prone but BA didn't listen to outsiders he continued to coach & turn these players into stars. You can say what you like about JA, he might be slow, he might struggle in defence, he might not be reading the play well. But he hasn't given up trying because he surrounded by players that don't give up. Plenty he does is good, give him & the coach a break, this could be a very special year unfolding before your eyes.
Good post Poppa, must admit I was of the same mind. Sivo has come back fit and strong this year and has found a yard in pace.
He is a keeper.
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