rizzo
13 Jun 2007, 12:24
Cats players under the Will be top shelf section.
HAWKINS, Tom (41 GEE) [2] Will be a gun FF/CHF. Already a man mountain but huge scope once chiselled down and conditioned. Style-wise, think of an early Lockett but who is team-orientated and works very hard both ways. Will take plenty of marks and kick plenty of goals but his career will also be noted for what he does to create opportunities for team-mates. Good hurt factors. Right footer (thumping kick) who rarely uses his left although he is actually quite good on it. Is often described as slow. He is no gazelle but his pace is underrated and I have no concerns whatsoever re his pace for AFL. He does nothing half-paced - he goes full bore and gets the most out of whatever his legs can produce. Terrific ethic and intensity, and not just for a huge man. Routinely chases and chases full bore. eg In game 2 of U18 Champs, chased a WA player for 70m, passing a team mate who couldn't be bothered - opponent had 15m start but Hawkins chased desperately and actually almost caught the opponent (who admittedly was running 3/4 pace). Mouth-watering prospect.
DJERRKURA, Nathan (25 GEE) [9] 176cm electrifying, fierce, dynamic, quick, clean, take-them-on, relentless ball-carrying dasher. Byron Picket with some Wirrpanda. Breaks the play open. Exciting combination of speed, motor, attack, physicality and natural footballer ability. Despite his height, I think he is likely to be something special. X-factor. Trademarks are (1) Come from nowhere to run opponent down with excellent closing speed and fierce tackle ("silent assassin" ), (2) Take-them-on dash then kick into forward 50 (if not nailed in the process!). Other main selling points are intensity, balance, contested ball ability, agility, endurance, overhead, consistency, evasion, traffic management, versatility. Gives away an avg 3 frees per game, virtually all through either (over-)ambitiously taking opponents on and getting nailed, or through over-zealous tackles. He's a smart kid and I'm confident he will learn to be more judicious. Regardless, even though 3 FAs a game is not what a coach would normally like to see, I think it is more than balanced by the pressure he puts opponents under (a la Davey, but with brutality) and the number of times he is actually successful in breaking the play open with his daring. i.e. If you want the benefits of his attack on the man and opening up of the play, you should expect to have to wear occasional slip-ups. Benefit greatly outweighs cost in Djerrkura's case. (I'd rather a kid who dares to dare than one who plays introverted). He is as quick as any '06 draftee. He is as good and as reliable in the air as most of the other good smalls/mediums who are good overhead. Usually a good kick and his disposals often hurt. Has the dash, daring and hurt factor you want from an outside player, the hardness and in-close ability you want from an inside player, plays tall, is versatile, is footballer and athlete in equal doses, is a great kid who will be very coachable, and doesn't have a "go home" query. Add endurance, physicality and ethic (both ways) to that and IMHO no other kid in this draft can lay better claim to that package of traits. I'm less hung up on height than many people are. Recent premiership teams, Brownlow high voters and AA teams prove there is always a place for a smaller player if he is special enough in certain areas or as a package. I rated Djerrkura quite a lot earlier than I knew he would go but am very confident he will be very good AFL. Except for (arguably) height, he is made for today's game and could play anywhere down the flanks. Probably best suited to HBF or wing in his early AFL days. Could play BP too but I believe his talents are best utilised where he can afford more risks. In the backline, will be able to supply both Pickett-like pressure as well as plenty of run out of defence and hardball get ability. Down the track I think he could be a good AFL onballer. Has the capacity to potentially be a run-with or even an inside mid. No doubts about his tank or speed or hardness and he is quite clean under pressure (both getting and disposing). And he should be virtually plug 'n play. Bargain.
SELWOOD, Joel (7 GEE) [11] First Dibs midfielder. Elite play-reader with great ability to win the ball and to pressure opponents from winning it cleanly. Very balanced genuine footballer. Excellent vision, smarts, very good by hand, strong overhead. Gets to a helluva lot of contests and very competitive in any type of contest, ground level or overhead, regardless of pressure, and against different types of opponents. If I had to describe him in "one" word it would probably be either "relentless" or "highly-competitive". Has most of the typical Selwood traits (courage, ethic, endurance, competitiveness, overhead, lack of pace) but has much better decision-making than the twins. His kicking is also better, albeit not one of his strengths.
Will be at least good
BEDFORD, Liam (R23 GEE) [38] Skinny, outside, slippery, quick, clean. Needs to do more. Punt on upside vs wt
Interesting to see no mention on Simon Hogan at all.
HAWKINS, Tom (41 GEE) [2] Will be a gun FF/CHF. Already a man mountain but huge scope once chiselled down and conditioned. Style-wise, think of an early Lockett but who is team-orientated and works very hard both ways. Will take plenty of marks and kick plenty of goals but his career will also be noted for what he does to create opportunities for team-mates. Good hurt factors. Right footer (thumping kick) who rarely uses his left although he is actually quite good on it. Is often described as slow. He is no gazelle but his pace is underrated and I have no concerns whatsoever re his pace for AFL. He does nothing half-paced - he goes full bore and gets the most out of whatever his legs can produce. Terrific ethic and intensity, and not just for a huge man. Routinely chases and chases full bore. eg In game 2 of U18 Champs, chased a WA player for 70m, passing a team mate who couldn't be bothered - opponent had 15m start but Hawkins chased desperately and actually almost caught the opponent (who admittedly was running 3/4 pace). Mouth-watering prospect.
DJERRKURA, Nathan (25 GEE) [9] 176cm electrifying, fierce, dynamic, quick, clean, take-them-on, relentless ball-carrying dasher. Byron Picket with some Wirrpanda. Breaks the play open. Exciting combination of speed, motor, attack, physicality and natural footballer ability. Despite his height, I think he is likely to be something special. X-factor. Trademarks are (1) Come from nowhere to run opponent down with excellent closing speed and fierce tackle ("silent assassin" ), (2) Take-them-on dash then kick into forward 50 (if not nailed in the process!). Other main selling points are intensity, balance, contested ball ability, agility, endurance, overhead, consistency, evasion, traffic management, versatility. Gives away an avg 3 frees per game, virtually all through either (over-)ambitiously taking opponents on and getting nailed, or through over-zealous tackles. He's a smart kid and I'm confident he will learn to be more judicious. Regardless, even though 3 FAs a game is not what a coach would normally like to see, I think it is more than balanced by the pressure he puts opponents under (a la Davey, but with brutality) and the number of times he is actually successful in breaking the play open with his daring. i.e. If you want the benefits of his attack on the man and opening up of the play, you should expect to have to wear occasional slip-ups. Benefit greatly outweighs cost in Djerrkura's case. (I'd rather a kid who dares to dare than one who plays introverted). He is as quick as any '06 draftee. He is as good and as reliable in the air as most of the other good smalls/mediums who are good overhead. Usually a good kick and his disposals often hurt. Has the dash, daring and hurt factor you want from an outside player, the hardness and in-close ability you want from an inside player, plays tall, is versatile, is footballer and athlete in equal doses, is a great kid who will be very coachable, and doesn't have a "go home" query. Add endurance, physicality and ethic (both ways) to that and IMHO no other kid in this draft can lay better claim to that package of traits. I'm less hung up on height than many people are. Recent premiership teams, Brownlow high voters and AA teams prove there is always a place for a smaller player if he is special enough in certain areas or as a package. I rated Djerrkura quite a lot earlier than I knew he would go but am very confident he will be very good AFL. Except for (arguably) height, he is made for today's game and could play anywhere down the flanks. Probably best suited to HBF or wing in his early AFL days. Could play BP too but I believe his talents are best utilised where he can afford more risks. In the backline, will be able to supply both Pickett-like pressure as well as plenty of run out of defence and hardball get ability. Down the track I think he could be a good AFL onballer. Has the capacity to potentially be a run-with or even an inside mid. No doubts about his tank or speed or hardness and he is quite clean under pressure (both getting and disposing). And he should be virtually plug 'n play. Bargain.
SELWOOD, Joel (7 GEE) [11] First Dibs midfielder. Elite play-reader with great ability to win the ball and to pressure opponents from winning it cleanly. Very balanced genuine footballer. Excellent vision, smarts, very good by hand, strong overhead. Gets to a helluva lot of contests and very competitive in any type of contest, ground level or overhead, regardless of pressure, and against different types of opponents. If I had to describe him in "one" word it would probably be either "relentless" or "highly-competitive". Has most of the typical Selwood traits (courage, ethic, endurance, competitiveness, overhead, lack of pace) but has much better decision-making than the twins. His kicking is also better, albeit not one of his strengths.
Will be at least good
BEDFORD, Liam (R23 GEE) [38] Skinny, outside, slippery, quick, clean. Needs to do more. Punt on upside vs wt
Interesting to see no mention on Simon Hogan at all.