Ezra Bray

[Cats2001!]

With the draft coming up soon, I noticed that we will be playing a large part in it with so many picks in the top 41 (last year we only had 3!!)

I looked to last time we were in this position (1999) and noticed we did very well with our picks - Cameron Ling and Spriggs especially. Joel Corey, our first pick, will develop ionto another good player. But whats happened to our second pick - the young Indiginous player Ezra Bray? Will he get a senior game next year do you think?

[JUBJUB]

I think Ezra will struggle to hold his spot on the list.He has a lot of problems with his shoulders.

[Red Rover]

The players we picked up in the '99 draft do look the goods.

Apart from Ling, Spriggs and Corey, the other players we picked up look like they could go on and be good players. Corey Enright stepped up this year and showed polish, Paul Chapman is a hard-nosed utillity who could be a weapon up forward and Daniel Foster is a good sized centre-half back who I hope gets more of a run in 2002 with the phasing-out of Tim McGrath.

But Ezra Bray is the only one who hasn't played at senior level and hasn't really shown signs he can make the grade. In 2000 he looked exciting before hamstring troubles and then a shoulder injury ended his season. I didn't see much of the VFL side this year, but he was rarely mentioned in our best players and I don't think he kicked many goals.

When he was recruited by Geelong, Bray was touted as player out of the same mould as Ronnie Burns. He was viewed as a long term 'project' who would take a few years to develop into a league footballer. Ronnie Burns didn't play senior footy until he was 23, Ezra Bray is still only 19.

Hopefully Ezra won't take as long as Ronnie did, but he has to be given time to develop at VFL level. While his first two seasons haven't been much to write home about, the next two will be the ones to decide his future.

In 2002 he needs a full season relatively injury-free and needs to be a consistent performer at VFL level, pushing for AFL selection. Whether or not he plays at senior level next year, it is important that he shows the club signs that he is developing into a good footballer. He has to give the club a reason to keep him on the list.

Some players need time, hopefully he can repay the club in the coming years.

[Catman]

How are long are we going to leave it until he does something? We held onto Joel McKay with all his injuries and he can't crack it for a senior berth. Can we afford to hold onto Bray for another couple of seasons in the two's?

[nolsey77]

im sure that Garry Jr is going to be 41st pick, 41 is in the third round I think, dont quote me though.

He is not going to wear number 5 until he earns it, wonder who what he is going to set his benchmark on. I wonder if he is going to wear no 32.
from the age on 11-10-01
Ablett junior has told the club he does not want to immediately inherit his father's No. 5 guernsey, and has asked the Cats to allow him to prove himself on his own terms. The only remaining stumbling block will focus on the money Geelong is prepared to offer the youngster in the third year of his deal.
;) this kid seems pretty level headed.

[Red Rover]

Originally posted by Catman
How are long are we going to leave it until he does something? We held onto Joel McKay with all his injuries and he can't crack it for a senior berth. Can we afford to hold onto Bray for another couple of seasons in the two's?

I see what you're saying, but it's a year to year propostition. Surely we can't delist him now at the age of 19, because another club will pick him up and turn him into a superstar. But he will need to show something next year, even if it is only in the VFL side.

There's no comittment to keep him on the list for another two years. He'll need to earn his spot like everyone else, but when you pick up a kid at 17 with a reasonably high draft pick, you have to be prepared to give him every chance of developing into a good player before you send him packing.

[gocatsgo4eva]

we have to give him another year. he would be lucky if he has played 20 vfl games. also , in the couple of games i have seen ezra play , he has the ability to kick well on both feet and that would make him most unique in our team.