Sam Sheldon

[Lady Lawrence]

over to you - Warwick

[Jeremias]

Wanted to know how the young kid was going in his first preseason.

Don't think he will play this year because he is VERY small, but how's he going?

Any info would be appreciated. Cheers.

[Warwick]

Questions??

*nervously wipes sweat from brow and looks behind shoulder*

This wasn't in the manual LL!!


Don't despire, the Sam Sheldon thread will be updated shortly. In the mean time, head over to the Richard Hadley thread and voice your great admiration for the man.

[Quigley]

Where's the update Warwick or are we speaking Toddy timeframes on your updates.:eek:

I have not seen Sam play at all but I am predicting a big year from him on the basis that karma will balance us up for Murphy last year much in the same way as the only reason we won the premierships was because Buckley said he was leaving us so as to win premierships. He is the only bandwagon I am on without having seen him play first.

[Warwick]

Put this in your diaries: the kid will be a star.

I know you don't judge a player on one performance, a scratch match at that, but stuff it, he is all class.

Plenty of time for people to clamber aboard the bandwagon.

[TheBrownDog]

Put this in your diaries: the kid will be a star.

I know you don't judge a player on one performance, a scratch match at that, but stuff it, he is all class.

Plenty of time for people to clamber aboard the bandwagon.

Yup, I was sold by the end of the first quarter.

The kid has a football brain and the skills to match.

[The Flying Belgian]

Put this in your diaries: the kid will be a star.

I know you don't judge a player on one performance, a scratch match at that, but stuff it, he is all class.

Plenty of time for people to clamber aboard the bandwagon.

I'm working an arse-groove into one of the seats as we speak...

[BigCat2]

For a fellow 183cm tall, he didn't seem small at all. Going by his performance last night, you wouldn't have picked him as a bottom-aged player. Plenty of positives.

[Quigley]

For a fellow 183cm tall, he didn't seem small at all. Going by his performance last night, you wouldn't have picked him as a bottom-aged player. Plenty of positives.
Nice point BC. It is well worth considering that Sam is bottom aged (together with Schmidt and Hawksley) and there is a lot of development left in him. I am thinking that Carlton is already cursing not taking him this year. I don't think they will make the same mistake with his brother.

[Grimreepah]

Weaver's Phantom Draft (http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=279879&highlight=Phantom)

51. Sam Sheldon (Carlton) – Son of Kenny and eligible under father-son rule but probably not quite worth sacrificing the pick. Is a clever outside wingman. Predominately played school football and missed the tail end of the TAC season with injury – which means he has not had too much exposure. Good athlete with reasonable skills.

Here (http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.aboriginalfootball.com.au/AF1206DanielHayes1.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.aboriginalfootball.com.au/dec06.html&h=266&w=171&sz=30&hl=en&start=88&tbnid=wt5oiS7AVezQeM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=73&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drhan%2Bhooper%26start%3D80%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3De n%26sa%3DN)'s an article from the 1st December

Sam makes it a 'Super 17'
By DARREN MONCRIEFF
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Friday, December 1, 2006

LAST week's AFL National Draft was the largest single intake of Indigenous footballers in the 20-year history of the draft when 16 youngsters from a pool of 80 footballers were picked up by 11 AFL clubs.

Or so we thought.

While we here at AboriginalFootball pride ourselves on bringing accurate and well researched Indigenous football news to whoever can access the Internet, we don't profess to "know it all", so to speak, and are always open to correction and constructive criticism. It is, therefore, a pleasure to announce that the 'Sweet 16' of the 2006 National Draft are in fact the 'Super 17'.

Damian, from Victoria, yesterday emailed us with information about young Sam Sheldon, son of St Kilda and Carlton (triple premiership) player, Ken, and Wendy Sheldon.

Sam's Mum's side of the family has strong links with the Rumbalara Football/Netball Club.

(Rumbalara FC stepped up this year and joined the Murray Football League.)

Last year, Sam represented his family's home town of Echuca at the annual Victorian Aboriginal Football Carnival. This year, he sparked up his Oakleigh Chargers team-mates with 2 goals in the 3rd quarter in the grand final, which they went on to win. And at last week's National Draft, he was snapped up by the Brisbane Lions at pick number 70 (overall).

Destined for Carlton under the father/son rule, Sam, 17, opted instead to nominate for the Draft a year earlier and will now head north to the Queensland capital to begin his AFL dream.

In his player bio, Sam is described as a medium-size midfielder who reads the play well, is good around stoppages and is a good user of the ball by hand or foot.

Here's an article from the 5th December

Son of a gun
4:48:38 PM Tue 5 December, 2006
lions.com.au

Sam Sheldon, the son of former Carlton three-time premiership player Ken, was expected to sit out this year’s draft and allow the Blues to nominate him under the father-son rule next year. Instead, the 17 year old opted to nominate for the 2006 AFL National Draft where the Lions pounced on the medium-sized midfielder with their sixth selection (pick 70 overall).

The Lions had assured Sheldon, his father and his manager that the club would take him if he was still available for their final pick.

“I was well-informed by the Lions that they intended on taking me in the draft,” Sheldon said, “but I guess I was still a little surprised when my name was actually read out.”

“I’m rapt to be playing with the Lions next year,” he said. “The move to Brisbane doesn’t worry me at all because I have been moving around the place most of my life. My family are really supportive.”


Brisbane Lions Football Manager Graeme Allan was thrilled to be able to secure Sheldon with a late draft pick.

“We were very lucky to get him,” said Allan. “He is an extremely smart midfielder, who’s bottom age and we think would’ve been a first round pick next year.”

A standout junior footballer who represented Victorian in the under 16’s, Sheldon juggled his playing commitments between school team Haileybury and the Oakleigh Chargers in 2006.

He played a full season with the Haileybury, leading them to their third consecutive APS football premiership and won the club’s best and fairest award.

“When Haileybury had a bye, I played for the Oakleigh Chargers,” he said. “Once the school competition finished, I then played each week for the Chargers”.

While Sheldon is often applauded for his ability to read the play and extract the ball from stoppages, he prides himself on his tackling and being able to pressure the opposition.

In his first match at TAC Cup level, Sheldon hit the ground running gathering 22 possessions and laying 11 tackles against the Eastern Ranges. Similar impressive displays against the Western Jets (25 disposals and two goals) and the Geelong Falcons (19 disposals and nine tackles) suggested that he was ready for the next step.

An A/C joint injury suffered towards the end of the season threatened to derail Sheldon’s season, however he was recalled to the team for the TAC Cup grand final and kicked two third quarter goals to help steer the Chargers to a premiership.

Sheldon began pre-season training with the Lions yesterday and is now looking forward to the challenges ahead as he embarks on an AFL career.

“Obviously I would really love to have the opportunity to play a senior match next year, but basically I just want to work on getting bigger and stronger,” Sheldon said. “I am probably most looking forward to training alongside Jonathan Brown.”

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/736/sheldongk4.jpg

Link (http://www.blueseum.org/tiki-index.php?page=Ken+Sheldon)

Meanwhile, Ken's son, Sam Sheldon - a promising mid-fielder with the Oakleigh Chargers, was offered a place on the rookie list at Carlton in 2008 as a father/son selection in the National Draft - provided that he delayed his nomination for twelve months. But Sam elected not to wait an extra year, and was snapped up by the Brisbane Lions at selection 70 in 2006.

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

I refuse to rate him untill he plays for us ! LOL

[Warwick]

Yo`DooR;6751148']I refuse to rate him untill he plays for us ! LOL
That Murphy fellow is a bit of a spud isn't he?

[toddy]

Make room for me!!

[TheGeneral]

I am thinking that Carlton is already cursing not taking him this year.
Is Sam a better talent than Mark Austin?

There's only 16 days between the two but Mark has played senior footy in the same team as Gibbs and done well. We had the chance to take Sam again at pick 51 but we still passed and picked Benjamin who has more upside and pace to burn.

I wouldn't give up Joseph Anderson either.
I don't think they will make the same mistake with his brother.
Are you referring to his cousin Tom Sheldon? :confused:

[Warwick]

You don't need to convince us about your insecurities.

Run along now.

[TheGeneral]

You don't need to convince us about your insecurities.

Run along now.
Why would anyone be about insecure about losing Sheldon? :confused:

That type of player isn't very hard to find.

Does he have a brother? :confused:

[Warwick]

Well done. If you are intent on convincing us Carlton have done the right thing, go some place else.

We really don't care. I'll just check the stats to compare Sheldon and Benjamin - won't be a sec.

Yep, found them:

Sheldon: 0 games, 0 goals, average possesions = 0, average marks = 0, average tackles = 0.

Benjamin: 0 games, 0 goals, average possessions = 0, average marks = 0, average tackles = 0.

Pretty close at the moment.

[black_hart]

Burn.

The fact that carlton supporters are here in the sheldon thread being defensive and cloaking their fears in silly flippant comments says it all.

[Quigley]

Is Sam a better talent than Mark Austin?

There's only 16 days between the two but Mark has played senior footy in the same team as Gibbs and done well. We had the chance to take Sam again at pick 51 but we still passed and picked Benjamin who has more upside and pace to burn.

I wouldn't give up Joseph Anderson either.

Are you referring to his cousin Tom Sheldon? :confused:
Firstly I don't have any problems with Flint and I have enjoyed some of his posts on the draft board. On Sam, the kid has had a good first hit out and admittedly it was only a practice match but I am relying on the football gods (any TMQ fans might be more familiar with the football gods and their rules eg the likelihood of a win is inversely proportionate to the size of the team's cheerleaders costumes) squaring us up from last year. The kid looks like he belongs and will be a player. I beg to differ with you though that you can easily find 17 year olds who can step in and make an immediate impression like he has. He has reasonable height for a mid, pretty good athletic ability, good skills, can read the game well and has an eye for goal. Most teams find these sort of players rather more difficult to get hold of than you seem to think.

Of the guys you picked Austin is not expected to show anything for a while and he hasn't. Anderson has looked pretty good from what I understand but in regard to Benjamin I always get a good laugh when people talk about upside in a draftee. It is a euphermism for a good athlete with no skills and no idea how to play the game. :rolleyes: Good luck with that with Benjamin.

How about we agree to compare notes at midseason and see how the respective guys are going.:)

On the brother thing I thought I had read somewhere that he had a brother coming through but I might easily have been mistaken there.:(

[xplo]

Yeah, not sure about Benjamin -- sounds challenging -- but I like Joey Anderson at the National Championships. Wouldn't have been displeased to have picked him up.

Regardless, when we drafted Sammy 3 months ago, I think we had good reason to assume he'd play the year out at Suncoast, and might get a look in sometime next year if his form is there. One match in, most who watched him play seem sure he'll play this year.

That alone is reason for optimism.

[TheGeneral]

Firstly I don't have any problems with Flint and I have enjoyed some of his posts on the draft board. On Sam, the kid has had a good first hit out and admittedly it was only a practice match but I am relying on the football gods (any TMQ fans might be more familiar with the football gods and their rules eg the likelihood of a win is inversely proportionate to the size of the team's cheerleaders costumes) squaring us up from last year. The kid looks like he belongs and will be a player. I beg to differ with you though that you can easily find 17 year olds who can step in and make an immediate impression like he has. He has reasonable height for a mid, pretty good athletic ability, good skills, can read the game well and has an eye for goal. Most teams find these sort of players rather more difficult to get hold of than you seem to think.
Compared to an athletic tall like Austin who was very good as a 16 year old before he broke his leg, they're a lot more common. Houli and Moss are approximately the same size as Sheldon and rated higher because they have the score on the board becasue they played at the championships. We have Blackwell to come into the team and he's a similar size to the aforementioned players.

No major loss or karma there and Sam might want out like Hooper. :cool:

I'm confident Wayne Hughes will pick another Austin with the pick we may have used on Sheldon.
Of the guys you picked Austin is not expected to show anything for a while and he hasn't.
Austin's impressed alot of trackwatchers(and maybe even his teammates) with the way he hasn't shown any fear of the contest and contested the ball backing back into the pack. That's pretty impressive for a skinny kid of just 17 and he looks to be a very likely type after he did the same in the SANFL last year.

We drafted him because we needed a defender and we know he's further away than some of the midfielders, but so is Leuenberger given the nature of the position he play.
Anderson has looked pretty good from what I understand but in regard to Benjamin I always get a good laugh when people talk about upside in a draftee. It is a euphermism for a good athlete with no skills and no idea how to play the game. :rolleyes: Good luck with that with Benjamin.
That doesn't apply to Benjamin though who fell into our laps after clubs drafted for need last year and he has his fans on alot of forums. ;)

[Quigley]

Compared to an athletic tall like Austin who was very good as a 16 year old before he broke his leg, they're a lot more common. Houli and Moss are approximately the same size as Sheldon and rated higher because they have the score on the board becasue they played at the championships. We have Blackwell to come into the team and he's a similar size to the aforementioned players.


I would point out that you need more of those smaller guys. You only need 4 or 5 of those key position guys on the field at once. You need a lot more of those smaller guys and the more quality that you have on the field the more wins you are going to get. And since when is having someone the same size any indication of anything. As I understand it about half your squad is over 190 cm already so you haven't had too much trouble finding taller guys. Finding quality at any position has been a problem for Carlton for a while. I agree others had more runs on the board but Sam looks like being a quality addition to the team. What you did in juniors means nothing once you step up to play with the big boys.

No major loss or karma there and Sam might want out like Hooper. :cool:

and Gibbs might get hit by a bus and Murphy might decide that the sunshine looks pretty good after the madhouse that is Carlton at the moment.

On a serious note though if I was a Carlton supporter I would be hoping Murphy picks another role model. From what I have heard some of his family haven't been that impressed with the amount of time recently that he has been hanging out with Fev. A worse role model I couldn't think of.

Anyway it is going to be a fair while before we can make any definitive judgements on who has done what. On Sam though take it as a given that we have been impressed with his start.

[danielcanberra]

http://lions.com.au/portals/0/images/players/lions/__Sam_Sheldon_001.jpg

[scott522]

maybe he'll be another "Fly"...

[Quigley]

maybe he'll be another "Fly"...
We could hope.

[Grimreepah]

Sheldon ended up missing about 11 weeks with that broken leg (originally diagnosed as a 6 week injury IIRC). Good to hear he played well in his first game back.

http://img239.imageshack.us/img239/5166/sheldonpz9.jpg

[TheBrownDog]

Kicked an absolute gem of a goal vs Southport.

[notting18]

So far it seems that he has shown quite a bit in what most people saw a "transition year", even with the injury - seeing as the club seemed to take him late in 06 instead of higher in 07!

[davey_23]

Sheldon ended up missing about 11 weeks with that broken leg (originally diagnosed as a 6 week injury IIRC). Good to hear he played well in his first game back.

http://i15.tinypic.com/4u4tp9j.jpg
God he looks thin there, lock him in the gym.

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

exactly what I was thinking !

[Dima]

Hey Guys, Just wondering if any of you have an update on Sam for the rest of the year? Was looking over the father sons for this year and remembered he was taken last year, wondering how he is coming along....

[TheBrownDog]

Hey Guys, Just wondering if any of you have an update on Sam for the rest of the year? Was looking over the father sons for this year and remembered he was taken last year, wondering how he is coming along....

Was among the Best on Ground for Suncoast in the early rounds before a leg fracture put him out of action until the last 4-5 rounds or so. Came back strongly and found his earlier form.

While he is still very small, and needs a couple of years in the gym and a growth spurt or two, he has shown himself to be a clever, flashy little player, who plays with alot of confidence.

Very pleased to pick him up so late in the draft. Will be a player IMO.

[LuckyLuke]

Was among the Best on Ground for Suncoast in the early rounds before a leg fracture put him out of action until the last 4-5 rounds or so. Came back strongly and found his earlier form.

While he is still very small, and needs a couple of years in the gym and a growth spurt or two, he has shown himself to be a clever, flashy little player, who plays with alot of confidence.

Very pleased to pick him up so late in the draft. Will be a player IMO.

If not a FS, where do you think he might have been picked up this year BD? First round?

[TheBrownDog]

If not a FS, where do you think he might have been picked up this year BD? First round?

I'd only be guessing. Kind of hard to quantify.

In the 20s I guess?

[Grimreepah]

If not a FS, where do you think he might have been picked up this year BD? First round?

The Lions said at the time they thought he might be a first rounder this year. Not that that means much though.

[LuckyLuke]

The Lions said at the time they thought he might be a first rounder this year. Not that that means much though.
Yeah, i remember that. That's why i asked, see if things have changed much... but i suppose it is too hard to compare seeing as Sam has had a year of training with an AFL club under his belt and not really played with players that are going to be drafted this year. Although he has been performing in the AFLQ so i wonder how many of this years draftees would be doing as well as Sam if they played in the Q this year.

Maybe if i rephrase the question. If Sam was one of the QLD'ers eligible to be drafted this year, would he be one of the top picks from QLD or more middle of the pack?

[danielcanberra]

More pertinently, if Sam had sat this year out, would Carlton have still taken him under the father-son rule?

[Grimreepah]

End of Season Player Review

Sam Sheldon was picked up with the Lions’ last pick (pick 70) in the 2006 national draft. He could have been picked up as a father/son selection by Carlton the following year but chose to go in the draft when the Lions said they would pick him. Baby faced, bottom aged and very skinny he was told that he was unlikely to play senior footy this year, and a broken leg in round 4 which kept him out for about 12 weeks, made sure of that. In his limited opportunities Sheldon showed that he is a very confident player, who has good skills and is capable of producing flashes of brilliance. Over the off season he will be hoping he can add bulk to his slender frame, so that he can get a taste of senior footy, possibly as a small forward.

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/4210/sheldonwv7.jpg

[TheBrownDog]

In a surprise move, Michael Voss’s great number three jumper went to the young 2006 draftee and Victorian Oakleigh Chargers player Sam Sheldon.

Sam Sheldon actively campaigned for the number three Guernsey having long been a huge Voss fan, declaring him the best AFL player that he’s seen, his childhood hero and the player he models himself most on his official player personality profile.

Sam said that he’s seen Vossy around the club a few times and would be pretty rapt if the former skipper gave him a call about taking on the number three legacy.

However Sheldon, nicknamed ‘Chunk’ by the playing group, is no stranger to living up to huge expectations with his father being triple Carlton premiership player and former St Kilda coach and football manager Ken Sheldon.

The clever midfielder looked set to join Carlton under the father-son rule, but opted for the draft last year instead, where the Lions picked him up with their fifth round selection at pick number 70 overall.

Sam played extremely well for the Suncoast Lions reserves team in 2007 before fracturing his ankle right on a third term siren causing him to miss 11 games.

Last year at the AFL Draft Lions Football Manager Graeme Allan said: “Sheldon is an extremely smart midfielder, who’s bottom age and we think would’ve been a first round pick next year. It was common knowledge that Carlton were trying to hold him out for 12 months to take him under the father-son rule next year but he nominated and we were very lucky to get him.”

Not that he needed any reminding, but during a recent photo shoot with the new number three Guernsey, ‘Lethal’ Leigh Matthews remarked to Sam on the way past, “A genuine champion wore that before you. Don’t let the number three reputation down.”
Original Article at Lions.com.au (http://www.lions.com.au/Default.aspx?tabid=5085&newsId=53032)

[Grimreepah]

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/9275/sheldonss3.jpg

during a recent photo shoot with the new number three Guernsey, ‘Lethal’ Leigh Matthews remarked to Sam on the way past, “A genuine champion wore that before you. Don’t let the number three reputation down.”

no pressure there Leigh:rolleyes:

[xplo]

He's fast becoming a huge favorite of mine.

While the average kid is robotically talking everything down, and trying to avoid doing anything that might draw attention, this kid quietly goes about cranking his bar as high as anyone will let him and having a massive crack at it. If he misses, he walks back and goes again and again.

"Nup, I'm an AFL footballer. Bugger waiting a year for you blokes at Carlton."

"Nup, I'm here for business and in it for the long hall. I'd really appreciate wearing the jumper of a club superstar and personal hero to me"

Love him.

[The Flying Belgian]

If any of our younger posters are wondering, the nickname "Chunk" comes from his resemblance to Jeff Cohen's character in 80s cult classic The Goonies.

Here's Jeff doing the famed Truffle Shuffle:
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/0/08/200px-Truffle_Shuffle.jpg

[TheBrownDog]

If any of our younger posters are wondering, the nickname "Chunk" comes from his resemblance to Jeff Cohen's character in 80s cult classic The Goonies.

Here's Jeff doing the famed Truffle Shuffle:
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/0/08/200px-Truffle_Shuffle.jpg

My favorite childhood movie.

Mikey, Chunk, Data, Mouth, Sloth, Andy (had the hots for her something bad)....

Good times.

[BigCat2]

Good on ya Sam. Best of luck mate. :thumbsu:

[notting18]

no pressure there Leigh:rolleyes:

Leigh is/was always one for not shying away from putting the pressure on the player(s) to perform!

[xplo]

Leigh is/was always one for not shying away from putting the pressure on the player(s) to perform!

Yep, and it's not always helpful, but I reckon this kid just laps it up.

[Dylan12]

If any of our younger posters are wondering, the nickname "Chunk" comes from his resemblance to Jeff Cohen's character in 80s cult classic The Goonies.

Here's Jeff doing the famed Truffle Shuffle:
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/0/08/200px-Truffle_Shuffle.jpg

A favourite of mine when i was a kid - "Hey you guys" was the catchcry no? (i actually rented this out about 3-4 months for my 8 year old niece to watch -she loved it) Isn't it amazing that back then (and there was a kid at my school who was of similar size) in 87-88 or whatever, that kids of this size were considered fat - Compare that to some of the kids rolling around today and you would almost call this kid normal size.

Alright, back to Sheldon - one for the Queenslanders here or anyone who has seen this kid play - First off, kid Sammy has balls asking for the jumper - impressive - but, can he play?

I have never seen him run around at all and only know what i have read on this thread and articles last draft, except i have seen kids in under 14's look older, which is besides the point but just want some honest opinions on his ability - could he potentially be half as good as a Voss/Black/Power in years down the track or should we let him be and develop his game and body for at least another 12 months?

[lionbear]

Three's not a crowd for Lions' youngster

November 8, 2007

BRISBANE Lions youngster Sam Sheldon is no stranger to pressure. His choice of guernsey for 2008 would suggest he enjoys it.
The Lions confirmed yesterday that the 2006 draftee had been handed the famous No. 3 jumper worn by Brownlow medallist and triple premiership captain Michael Voss.
But the 18-year-old has grown up being compared to another three-time premiership player — his father Ken Sheldon, winner of three flags with Carlton.
Sam Sheldon was well aware of his new-found responsibility, but Lions coach Leigh Matthews — who also wore No. 3 as a Hawthorn player — still gave him a not-so-subtle reminder at their recent official team photo shoot, quipping: "A genuine champion wore that before you. Don't let the No. 3 reputation down."
Former Melbourne midfielder Travis Johnstone will wear the No. 4 guernsey for Brisbane.
AAP



http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/threes-not-a-crowd-for-lions-youngster/2007/11/07/1194329318884.html

[Grimreepah]

Says also that Sam used to wear number 3 a fair bit in junior footy.

Link
(http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,22727338%255E19746,00.html)
No. 3 for Lion cub
09 November 2007 Herald Sun
Paul Malone

YOU never receive if you don't ask, Brisbane Lions rookie Sam Sheldon figures. Sheldon, 18, has spent his football life living up to the standards set by someone else, so donning Michael Voss's No. 3 Lions jumper will not be daunting.
Sheldon, the son of former Carlton and St Kilda player Ken Sheldon, was this week given the jumper Voss wore -- because he asked for it.
The midfielder said Voss had been his hero and it would be an honour to wear it in his expected AFL debut next season.
"I just asked the club," said Sheldon, who was given No. 37 when he arrived at Brisbane last year. "My old man wore No. 3 at St Kilda and I also wore it for a fair part of my junior career."
Sheldon's first season with Suncoast Lions in the AFL Queensland competition was disrupted by a fractured ankle.



http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/4713/sheldonlx6.jpg

[OldMav]

He wore it in our school footy team, has the brain to be a great player.

Still remember the 2 years of ruck tapping the ball too him, it was just too easy he was always in the right posistion to tap it too.

[Grimreepah]

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3999/sheldonwy5.jpg

[WestCoaster87]

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/3999/sheldonwy5.jpg
He looks like he is 12...tiny as

[Warwick]

Good news. Sammy is no longer the youngest looking player in the league.

Meet Eljay Connors:

http://static.yourguide.com.au/images/viewimages/?image=401820&size=3&prev=http%3A%2F%2Fbendigo%2Eyourguide%2Ecom%2Eau%2Fnews%2Fsp ort%2Fgeneral%2Feljays%2Dkicking%2Don%2Dwith%2Dsaints%2F1157 319%2Ehtml

[POBT]

Good news. Sammy is no longer the youngest looking player in the league.

Meet Eljay Connors:

http://static.yourguide.com.au/images/viewimages/?image=401820&size=3&prev=http%3A%2F%2Fbendigo%2Eyourguide%2Ecom%2Eau%2Fnews%2Fsp ort%2Fgeneral%2Feljays%2Dkicking%2Don%2Dwith%2Dsaints%2F1157 319%2Ehtml

It's just a footy mate, nothing to be scared of.

[TheBrownDog]

Is he a listed player or some 15 year old scholarship player? :eek:

[Saints Premiers 2006]

leave poor eljay alone...its not his fault he looks scared, small, a little strange

ah the list goes on.....

[notting18]

Bloody OP....with our need for a good small forward I think SOKS could've been our man, if he was fit, from what we saw in parts last year. I wonder if his, or Moody's OP, will be bad enough for Kiel to get a go soon if things don't change up forward...

[danielcanberra]

Let's talk about Sam. He's been off my radar for awhile.

I saw him on crutches last year. He must be walking again.

[TheBrownDog]

Let's talk about Sam. He's been off my radar for awhile.

I saw him on crutches last year. He must be walking again.

Not much to say the moment. Being carefully managed through OP.

[DAL07]

Sam Sheldon returning in Suncoast Lions this weekend. Hope he goes well!

[Grimreepah]

Sam Sheldon returning in Suncoast Lions this weekend. Hope he goes well!

Yep. We could really do with a smart small forward, so he's not without a chance of getting a game before season's end.

[TheBrownDog]

Played very limited gametime for Suncoast today, spent most of it on-ball.

Didn't do anything overly impressive, but he'll be better for the run.

[Grimreepah]

AFLQ (http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-4711-0-0-0&sID=56333&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=5756927&sectionID=56333)

the Lions would have been pleased with Sam Sheldon’s efforts in his second game back from long term injury.

[Grimreepah]

Link (http://lions.com.au/tabid/5085/Default.aspx?newsid=62540)

Sheldon shines in Suncoast return
By Simon White
10:06 AM Wed 02 July, 2008

AMIDST the disappointment of Sunday's loss to Melbourne there was at least one bright spot for the Brisbane Lions – the continued successful comeback from injury of young midfielder Sam Sheldon.
The 19-year-old entered 2008 hoping to push for a spot in the Lions’ senior side, after having his 2007 debut season at the Gabba ended by a broken leg.
However, the injury curse struck again – this time in the shape of osteitis pubis – and it wasn’t until a fortnight ago that Sheldon resumed for the Suncoast Lions against Zillmere in the AFLQ.
He played limited minutes on that occasion but spent increased time on the field on Saturday against Broadbeach and was named among the Lions’ best.
"It was great to get back to playing again because being out injured so much was really frustrating," Sheldon told lions.com.au.
"To be honest, it was killing me. I’m not the kind of bloke who likes sitting and doing nothing for too long and I get pretty fidgety.
"Being stuck around the house and not even able to do sit-ups or anything like that was really hard to take."
Sheldon first began to feel the onset of osteitis pubis after a February training session and, despite a modified training regime and intensive physiotherapy, the debilitating condition worsened.
Along with fellow midfielder Matt Moody, Sheldon was booked in for a visit to Adelaide osteitis pubis “guru” Steve Saunders – the result being that both players have been able to get back on the field when their seasons might otherwise have been written off.
The only true cure for osteitis pubis is rest, but with daily pilates sessions (to build core strength), physio and acupuncture, Sheldon has been able to manage the ailment.
"Going through all this has meant I have become pretty good at knowing my own body and what it’s capable of," he said.
"In my case it’s just a matter of my muscles through my core not being strong enough to handle the workload I was taking on.
"There isn’t anything actually wrong with my pelvis. But it was getting overworked and that was putting my hips out of line and affecting the pubic synthesis."
With two games for 2008 now under his belt, Sheldon is cautiously optimistic about working towards the goal with which he started the season – an AFL debut.
"For now, all I’m looking at is staying injury free and playing some good footy (for the Suncoast Lions)," Sheldon said.
"The boys have been going pretty well in the seniors and there are a lot of quality players there, so I think it’s going to be pretty hard to get a game.
"But if it did get to later in the season and I was flying in the twos and got the chance, of course I’d be rapt."
The 19-year-old also remains rapt with the decision to make the Gabba his footballing home, turning down the potential opportunity to be a father-son selection at Carlton, where his father Ken played 132 games.
The younger Sheldon passed up on another year of junior eligibility and the chance to join the Blues, instead entering the 2006 NAB AFL Draft, where he was taken by the Lions with the No.70 pick.
"The old man has never been someone who tried to push or pull me in one direction and that was definitely the case when I got drafted,” he said.
"I always go to him for advice and when I got taken by the Lions he said it was a great opportunity and was like; ‘get going, pack your bags, get up there.’
"Obviously Carlton has been a big part of my life and my family’s life but it’s about taking your chances where they come up.
"That’s what I’m doing and I’m really happy to be doing it here."


http://img158.imageshack.us/img158/3153/sheldon2ag4.jpg

[Grimreepah]

Link (http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/sport/afl/story/0,27046,24251414-5016169,00.html)

Young gun holstered in Lions quest to succeed
Article from:http://www.news.com.au/images/sources/h14_thecouriermail.gif (http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/)
Andrew Hamilton
August 28, 2008 12:00am

BRISBANE has decided that finishing the season with a win takes priority over using the last chance to look at some youngsters in senior company.

The Lions are set to stick with mature-bodied senior campaigners for Saturday's clash with the Swans, which could mean young gun Sam Sheldon's keenly anticipated debut will be on hold until next season.

Brisbane has been desperate to see Sheldon in senior action but the need to placate disappointed fans with a final-round win, combined with the stronger bodies of Sydney's midfield, looks to have cost him his last chance of the season to show his wares on the big stage.

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/7995/sheldonoj7.jpgHammo, you're a twit. We've already got 3 blokes with 6 games or less experience in the team.

[TheBrownDog]

What a terrible article.

Hammo continually manages to plumb new depths of incompetence.

[Cousin Jed]

"the need to placate disappointed fans"

Lucky for him that moron from that Age article on Leigh that Grim posted beat him for the pathetic journalism award for the day

[Old Den]

This fan is looking towards next year - passing interest only in this weekend - the season is like a spoiled cake - great anticipation but its gone all flat

If the club want to see Sam in action and he deserves it - give the kid a game

[chopperduck]

yeah, its not like we aren't playing the young guys. most of our team aren't mature bodies.

i say treat it like any other week. if he has been good in the 2nds, give him a go. would be good for the young man to get a game. has been around a while.

every other play who has had long lay offs with injuries (even tho it was knees) has come back twice the player, why not take a punt