Sportsday How unusual was it for Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera to get stuck on the bench? (16.03.26)
Mar 16, 2026
A deep dive into why Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera spent long periods on the bench and the tactical thinking behind rotation and matchup choices. Conversation about heavy tagging and how players cope while still impacting the scoreboard. Discussion of youngster roles and recruitment wins. Debate over a big-money ruck signing, fitness and list management. Quick rundown of standout performers and a promising debutant.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
License To Roam Versus Hard Tagging
- Ross Lyon gave Naziah Wanganeen‑Milera a license to roam and the team accepted tactical tagging as a counter.
- He spent 13 minutes forward, kicked three goals, then sat six continuous minutes on the bench while Melbourne applied a hard tag (Cramp).
Give Young Stars Freedom And Manage Their Growth
- Let a young playmaker 'drive the car' when he earns trust and occasionally accept the learning curve.
- Ross Lyon said you give latitude to take kick‑ins, go behind the ball or stoppages but you must manage his development with experience.
Bench Minutes Are Not Always Critical
- Ken Hinkley argued six minutes off in a last quarter is not extraordinary and rotation can open forward options.
- He estimated Naziah likely returned with ~8–8.5 minutes left and St Kilda still had time to use him effectively.