Reason for Steven Motlop’s form slump revealed in The Drill podcast

STEVEN Motlop’s trade value has taken a hit in recent weeks but the reason behind his slump will make rivals think again.

Steven Motlop is out of contract.

STEVEN Motlop’s trade value has taken a hit in recent weeks, but the reason behind his slump will make rivals think again.

Champion Data analyst Daniel Hoyne said being played out of position could explain Motlop’s dramatic drop in output this season.

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“I actually feel sorry for this bloke,” Hoyne said on a new episode of The Drill podcast.

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“The first eight weeks of the year he was playing 63 per cent of game time up forward and after Round 8 he rated as an elite small forward, averaging more than 20 disposals and a goal a game — they are very impressive numbers.”

Steven Motlop’s output has suffered since he was moved up the ground.

After Round 8 Geelong coach Chris Scott spun the magnets and Motlop was moved to a wing, spending just 37 per cent of game time in the forward line.

Since then his average disposals have dropped from 20.6 to 18.1 a game, he has fewer inside-50s, is kicking fewer goals and, strangely, he is gaining just 266 metres a game compared to 346 when he was playing as a true forward.

Motlop, who is a chance to return to the undermanned Geelong line-up against Richmond on Saturday, is out of contract at the end of the season with Port Adelaide interested in his services.

“I would be going for it,” Hoyne said.

“He’s the cream on the cake ... he would add something to Port Adelaide 100 per cent, he adds something to Geelong. He would add something to most teams in the competition.”

In this week’s episode of The Drill, Hoyne and the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph also drill into whether the Bulldogs are really back, if West Coast made a mistake recruiting Sam Mitchell, the bizarre Max Gawn effect and whether Richmond’s game style will stand up on Grand Final day.

And Hoyne names the most overrated statistic in footy.

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