List Mgmt. Welcome to Geelong Nakia Cockatoo - National Draft selection no. 10

[Whit3y]

Geez the H-S are a terrible paper. I mean, they can't even get his age right. He's not even close to being 19 yet. If they can't get something as simple as that right then what chance have they got with anything else!

you got that right there stan the man

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

According to Wells it takes most draftees 3 seasons to get fit enough to play a full 1sts season.
Last season Cockatoo played 1 game.
The year before, he missed numerous games while they were trying to cure his injury with rest.
During his recuperation last season, I understand that he was training largely on his own.
If he gets fit enough to have any significant influence in the 1sts this season, we'll know that we really do have one out of the box.

Spot on FredLeDeux
We all underestimate how much conditioning these young guys require to cope with the rigours of AFL Football.
Apart from understanding Game Plan and Structures they have to step up to the mark physically.
We had a #1 pick from our junior Club who was a 188cm , 80kg beast as an 18yo. He basically couldn't walk after playing 7 games in his first season - the soreness was so acute. Took him 3-4 seasons to start delivering on his potential. Nakia looks fantastic but he will take time - most of the 2013 draftees had little impact in 2014.
We need to be patient !

 

[rizzo]

He's a fantastic kid. Really down to earth

 

[The rabbi]

He's a fantastic kid. Really down to earth

Will we see a write up on him by you in the local rag in the near future?

 

[Teriyakicat]

Spot on FredLeDeux
We all underestimate how much conditioning these young guys require to cope with the rigours of AFL Football.
Apart from understanding Game Plan and Structures they have to step up to the mark physically.
We had a #1 pick from our junior Club who was a 188cm , 80kg beast as an 18yo. He basically couldn't walk after playing 7 games in his first season - the soreness was so acute. Took him 3-4 seasons to start delivering on his potential. Nakia looks fantastic but he will take time - most of the 2013 draftees had little impact in 2014.
We need to be patient !

I hope he spent a lot of time in the gym last year when he was recovering from his foot issue, F2G That will give him a head start.
It is a HUGE step up to the AFL and that's why most new draftees aren't sighted for a couple of years- though a lot of local clubs seem to be breeding them almost AFL-ready these days.

 

[dazbroncos]

Spot on FredLeDeux
We all underestimate how much conditioning these young guys require to cope with the rigours of AFL Football.
Apart from understanding Game Plan and Structures they have to step up to the mark physically.
We had a #1 pick from our junior Club who was a 188cm , 80kg beast as an 18yo. He basically couldn't walk after playing 7 games in his first season - the soreness was so acute. Took him 3-4 seasons to start delivering on his potential. Nakia looks fantastic but he will take time - most of the 2013 draftees had little impact in 2014.
We need to be patient !

I remember seeing Hartman's first game. He was cooked by half time. Running on the spot almost. And granted he was young pick but he had 2 full pre seasons and he debuted mid yr 2. Point being it takes time to build tanks. And if he has played… what 5 games in 18 months or so, I don't care how good he looks on the track he will be cooked by 1/2 time of his first VFL game.

Not a criticism of NC5 by any stretch but it just takes time to get up to speed and while he might be flashy good or brilliant, id be shocked if he can maintain it for a full game.

GO Catters

 

[Whit3y]

so far in another thread, at the end of this year we will be labeling him

prodigy, talent, confident, promising, excels, breakout, amen, exciting

some one has even bizzarly thouht he will be known as GAJ2.0

alot of weight on his shouldars

 

[Topper Harley]

so far in another thread, at the end of this year we will be labeling him

prodigy, talent, confident, promising, excels, breakout, amen, exciting

some one has even bizzarly thouht he will be known as GAJ2.0

alot of weight on his shouldars

I'd be happy if he had a first year similar to Lang. Gets through the VFL season injury free, plays an AFL game and shows he has a skill-set that could succeed at AFL level.

 

[Jon Douglas]

I remember seeing Hartman's first game. He was cooked by half time. Running on the spot almost. And granted he was young pick but he had 2 full pre seasons and he debuted mid yr 2. Point being it takes time to build tanks. And if he has played… what 5 games in 18 months or so, I don't care how good he looks on the track he will be cooked by 1/2 time of his first VFL game.

Not a criticism of NC5 by any stretch but it just takes time to get up to speed and while he might be flashy good or brilliant, id be shocked if he can maintain it for a full game.

GO Catters

Agree 99 % of the time. Occasionally a kid comes along who is just naturally super fit and can run pretty well from day 1. It happens very rarely I know.

However if I am not mistaken Selwood played Round 1 2007 (his first senior game) and ran out the quarters and season pretty well from memory. I stand to be corrected on this point - but my slowly fading memory reckons that might be right.

Just maybe, just maybe after half a season in the VFL he will be good to be pushing for the SUB position. He maybe an X-factor type player - comes on and does some special stuff in the last quarter. Just as long he is fit enough to run out a game if we have an injury - but a sub needing to play 3/4 of a game is not that common.

 

[Jon Douglas]

I'd be happy if he had a first year similar to Lang. Gets through the VFL season injury free, plays an AFL game and shows he has a skill-set that could succeed at AFL level.

Thanks for reminding me - I watched Lang's one and only AFL game again - and I like the way he moves. I still have good hopes for the lad.

And the same goes for McCarthy - I watched some of his games and he was ok as well. That is for very inexperienced players.

 

[dazbroncos]

Agree 99 % of the time. Occasionally a kid comes along who is just naturally super fit and can run pretty well from day 1. It happens very rarely I know.

However if I am not mistaken Selwood played Round 1 2007 (his first senior game) and ran out the quarters and season pretty well from memory. I stand to be corrected on this point - but my slowly fading memory reckons that might be right.

Just maybe, just maybe after half a season in the VFL he will be good to be pushing for the SUB position. He maybe an X-factor type player - comes on and does some special stuff in the last quarter. Just as long he is fit enough to run out a game if we have an injury - but a sub needing to play 3/4 of a game is not that common.

Agree there is the 1 %…. I just don't see it realistically after missing 18 months of training and footy.

Would be the happiest bloke around if im wrong. Pretty sure Selwood didn't miss as much time either. Missed some yes but not as much.

GO Catters

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Agree 99 % of the time. Occasionally a kid comes along who is just naturally super fit and can run pretty well from day 1. It happens very rarely I know.

However if I am not mistaken Selwood played Round 1 2007 (his first senior game) and ran out the quarters and season pretty well from memory. I stand to be corrected on this point - but my slowly fading memory reckons that might be right.

Just maybe, just maybe after half a season in the VFL he will be good to be pushing for the SUB position. He maybe an X-factor type player - comes on and does some special stuff in the last quarter. Just as long he is fit enough to run out a game if we have an injury - but a sub needing to play 3/4 of a game is not that common.

Spot on Jon Douglas - he is an absolute freak though , kinda spoils it for the rest if we measure them all against him
I remember seeing him at Docklands 2007 clean up the Bulldogs CHB - Williams - just a classic clashing of bodies , both going hard for the ball - the Timbermerchant cooly gathered the ball whilst the vastly bigger( and heavier ) Williams lay there completely stunned.

 

[abet]

Agree there is the 1 %…. I just don't see it realistically after missing 18 months of training and footy.

Would be the happiest bloke around if im wrong. Pretty sure Selwood didn't miss as much time either. Missed some yes but not as much.

GO Catters

How many Geelong fans on this forum? I'm guessing we'll all be as happy as you if your wrong.

 

[Jon Douglas]

Agree there is the 1 %…. I just don't see it realistically after missing 18 months of training and footy.

Would be the happiest bloke around if im wrong. Pretty sure Selwood didn't miss as much time either. Missed some yes but not as much.

GO Catters

Yeah I know Cocky's injuries that kept him to one game does suggest we consider that he plays a full VFL season and then makes his appearance, if good enough, the season later. Even that would be good result for any first year player - who becomes a second year player.

However if I am recalling correctly - Selwood fell in the draft because of his dicky knee - and I think he had most of that season (before the ND) he hardly played ? Not sure on that but someone will know.

So maybe there is a precedent.

 

[FredLeDeux]

Yeah I know Cocky's injuries that kept him to one game does suggest we consider that he plays a full VFL season and then makes his appearance, if good enough, the season later. Even that would be good result for any first year player - who becomes a second year player.

However if I am recalling correctly - Selwood fell in the draft because of his dicky knee - and I think he had most of that season (before the ND) he hardly played ? Not sure on that but someone will know.

So maybe there is a precedent.

But Cockatoo also missed substantial parts of the season before last.

 

[Jon Douglas]

But Cockatoo also missed substantial parts of the season before last.

Wow - we really know how to pick them !

 

[FredLeDeux]

Wow - we really know how to pick them !

Not quite as bad as it sounds, it was the same injury that they finally cured with the surgery which caused him to miss last season. The issue will be match fitness rather than injury, I suspect.

 

[dazbroncos]

Not quite as bad as it sounds, it was the same injury that they finally cured with the surgery which caused him to miss last season. The issue will be match fitness rather than injury, I suspect.

Thats what im talking about. Missing that much fitness base you just can't get it back in 2 months. Id luv him to impact immediately I just don't think his lungs will let him.

Go Catters

 

[abet]

Thats what im talking about. Missing that much fitness base you just can't get it back in 2 months. Id luv him to impact immediately I just don't think his lungs will let him.

Go Catters

Went 15 months without a game and then stepped out to represent the Allies on grand final day and was player of the match, was still full of run in the 4th quarter. Match fitness didn't seem to worry him then and now with a full pre season he might surprise us all.

 

[Catatonic Shock]

Thats what im talking about. Missing that much fitness base you just can't get it back in 2 months. Id luv him to impact immediately I just don't think his lungs will let him.

Go Catters

His fitness base would be fine, don't confuse not playing for 12 months as not doing ANYTHING for 12 months, he had been training pretty intensively months before that game.
Match fitness would be a problem, stepping up from 1 game against other kids into consistent games in the VFL against some seasoned players/2nd-3rd year rookies, and then possibly up to fully professional seasoned brick walls of the AFL.

I'm confident we will see him in the AFL somewhat early this season, but I don't expect him to last past July or so.

 

[HaroLad]

I just love watching this video. I'm really excited but what this kid could do, and is it too early to say he could be a future captain?

 

[Catatonic Shock]

I just love watching this video. I'm really excited but what this kid could do, and is it too early to say he could be a future captain?

Yes, yes it is.
I also love to watch those highlights...

 

[Teriyakicat]

would have thought it's a different kind of match fitness. He will be wrestling against players stronger than himself right throughout and then have to gut run and keep up when others already have a few years over him in that regard.
Not even our third to fourth year players can fully run out a game as of yet. Certainly not a consistent basis.

and it's tougher if they're playing through the midfield, too, which is where we're all anticipating this young man will be played.

 

[Teriyakicat]

Wow - we really know how to pick them !

It's definitely a pre-requisite for selection, JD

 

[Claude Balls]

I'd be happy if he had a first year similar to Lang. Gets through the VFL season injury free, plays an AFL game and shows he has a skill-set that could succeed at AFL level.

Me too, though given our lack of real star prospects of late (Menzel being the last one), I'd be extra pleased if the skill-set he showed in that one game was higher than Lang's. In other words, I am happy for him to take his time fitness wise, in view of his injury history, however I hope he plays a slashing 1/2 at some point this year! Hell, even a slashing 1/4...