James Polkinghorne

[Grimreepah]

Pick 41 - James Polkinghorne

[POBT]

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/foo...articlehttp://

Fearless Polkinghorne in Hawkish mood
07 July 2007 Herald Sun
Gareth Trickey

A BRIEF flirtation with volleyball has proved rewarding for Calder Cannons midfielder James Polkinghorne.

James Polkinghorne
Rock solid: James Polkinghorne mops for Vic Metro against South Australia yesterday. Picture: Norm Oorloff

The 18-year-old son of former Hawthorn player Robert Polkinghorne and nephew of Hawks star David Polkinghorne, he has a remarkable ability to launch his 82kg frame over packs and snatch the ball out of thin air with the grace of a professional spiker.

His fearlessness around the packs has also caught the eye of national selectors at the national under-18 championships.

Polkinghorne picked up 18 possessions for Victoria Metro in last week's game against Western Australia and finished with 18 possessions yesterday against South Australia at Princes Park.

"The leaping and timing of my jump in volleyball has definitely carried across to my football game," Polkinghorne said.

"I played for three or four years with St Bernard's College and made the under-15 Victorian schoolboy side, but as football became more demanding I had to follow my passion and veer away from volleyball."

Polkinghorne missed a large chunk of last season because of osteitis pubis.

But the 181cm Strathmore teenager has returned from a rigorous pre-season to average 24 possessions this year.

Talk of playing for Hawthorn is inevitable when your father and uncle have left their mark at the club.

"Dad's been a really good influence and has tried to direct me in the right direction," Polkinghorne said.

"He tells me to just try and keep level-headed about it all and stay focused."

[Grimreepah]

Link

CALDER Cannons’ rich draft history was strengthened on Saturday when a total of seven players were added to AFL clubs at the National Draft.

The Cannons have built a strong reputation for consistently producing boys ready to step into elite competition.

Aaron Kite, James Polkinghorne, Darcy Daniher, Adam Maric, Mitchell Farmer and Dean Putt will get their chance to cut their teeth with the best in the AFL after hearing their names called out on the weekend.

The Cannons were again a power in 2007 and won the TAC premiership under coach David Flood.

Polkinghorne will make his new home Queensland with Brisbane selecting the gifted midfielder with its third pick (number 41).

The 18-year-old is a typical in and under style player with the ability to rack up possessions.

Link

RD 3 SELECTION, PICK No. 41 OVERALL – JAMES POLKINGHORNE
Original Club: Calder Cannons (VIC)
DOB: 21/01/1989
Height: 182.7cm
Weight: 81kg
Position: Small/Medium Midfielder

High possession winner and utility player who excels at the stoppages. Very athletic player who represented Vic Metro at the NAB AFL U18 Championships and has debuted with Coburg in the VFL. Runner-up in the Calder Cannons Best and Fairest award for 2007. Son of former Hawthorn player Robert Polkinghorne and nephew of Hawks star David Polkinghorne.

Has a tremendous ability to fearlessly leap over packs and grab the ball with the skills of a professional ‘spiker’ thanks to his three or four year volleyball background with St Bernard’s College and for the U15 Victorian schoolboys side. Missed some of last season with osteitis pubis but returned from a rigorous pre-season to average 24 possessions this year.

NAB U18 Championships Averages: Kicks: 11, Handballs: 5, Disposals: 16, Marks: 2, Goals: 1.

[Quigley]

From Inside Football

"James is a natural leader and showed the way for us all season. He has great hands, is good on the ground, can take a mark when up forward and is poised when asked to play in defense. A good kid." - Cannons coach David Flood.

My review after the Champs:

Polkinghorne – DOB 21/1/89 Ht 181 Wt 82

One of the oldest Div 1 players and has some admirers on BF. For me though he was another of the highly rated but underperforming Vic Metro midfield and I am not convinced. He got a bit of the ball at the championships and generally was good in traffic and took the right options. He will chase hard and works to make tackles and has reasonable pace. He is often a receiver at clearances and can take a nice mark. I don’t think though that he has good balance or is strong on the ball. He can be knocked off it and pressured with the ball and will turn it over too much kicking straight to the opposition. He is also susceptible to being run down himself whilst making his decisions. I have concerns that this could be an issue when he gets to the AFL and he has a lot less time to make decisions.

[TheBrownDog]

Just watched the videos of our draftees on AFL.com.au. Was pretty impressed with Polkinghorne.

Seems to be that nuggety on-ball type. Pace is not great but seems to have plenty of time. Doesn't shirk the issue either.

Dare I say it.... Adcock Mk II?

[Grimreepah]

Link

At 183cm and 81kg, Polkinhgorne is an athletic, high possession winning midfielder who excels at stoppages.
“James is an inside midfielder and another kid with great leadership character. He is related to the Polkinghorne’s that played at Hawthorn and we were really happy to get another quality person at the club,” Allan said.

Link

“Young Polkinghorne, we think, is a great leader and an inside midfielder who we’re very happy with,” he said.

Rock solid: James Polkinghorne mops for Vic Metro against South Australia.

TAC Cup Best and Fairests

CALDER CANNONS
Winner: Jeremy Laidler
Second: James Polkinghorne
Third: Jackson Trengove

[TheBrownDog]

Here is some video footage of Polkinghorne in action (no.7)

[Sherminator.]

I rate Polkinghorne highly, one of my TAC Cup faves. Glad we nabbed him, he'll make a good centreman.

[Grimreepah]

Testing Results

Preseason

Height - 182.0
Weight - 80.95
5m sprint - 1.22
20m sprint - 3.14
Agility -
Shuttle Run - 13.1
Vertical Jump - 77
Repeat Sprints

Screening

Height - 182.7
Weight - 81.0
5m sprint - 1.12
20m sprint - 3.06
Agility - 8.83
Shuttle Run - 13.1
Vertical Jump - 68
Repeat Sprints - 25.03



Vertical Jump

1. David Gourdis 81cm
2. Lachlan Hill 74cm
3. Patrick Dangerfield 73cm
4. James Mulligan 72cm
5. Levi Greenwood 71cm
6. Matthew Lobbe 70cm
Steven Gaertner 70cm
Simon Starling 70cm
9. Robbie Tarrant 68cm
James Polkinghorne 68cm
Mitchell Farmer 68cm

[Grimreepah]

Matt Burgan's Phantom Draft

53 – MELBOURNE – JAMES POLKINGHORNE Calder Cannons, VIC, Medium midfielder, January 21 1989, 182.7cm, 81kg
Having had three selections at No.4, No.14 and No.21, Melbourne will be eagerly waiting to see who falls through to its next pick at No.52. One player who could be a realistic chance of slipping through is Polkinghorne, who is in the club's batch of players for this selection. Hawthorn will consider the nephew of former Hawk David Polkinghorne if it opts not to select Stuart Dew. The Brisbane Lions and West Coast (although unlikely at No.20 or No.22), are the other clubs linked with Polkinghorne.
Bio: High possession winner who excels at the stoppages. Athletic player who represented Vic Metro at NAB AFL U18 Championships and has debuted with Coburg in the VFL. Runner-up in the Calder Cannons Best and Fairest award for 2007.

BigFooty Profiles

Originally Posted by Mr_Catt

James Polkinghorne, 181 cm. B Grade midfielder. Robert Harvey esque with the esque being key. Not overly quick over the journey, although accelaration is not a worry; but just can't be tackled. Incredibly strong player through the hips and core- very powerful. Has penetration in his kick although ball drop causes lack of spin ont he footy. Hard at it inside player with class. 3rd round potential.

Originally Posted by rizzo

Pick #54 – Essendon – James Polkinghorne – Calder – Midfield
Showed some poise when he went down back, however he made his name in the midfield this year. He has good hands and is excellent at ground level. His skills are good and is a leader. Essendon will take him and give him time to develop in the VFL.

Originally Posted by Snoop Dog

# 58 St Kilda - James Polkinghorne (Cannons / 181cm / 82kg)

It really upsets me that blokes like Polkinghorne don’t go a little higher. A guy that works extremely hard at his footy and leaves very little on the park. Very much an in and under midfielder who excels at getting the football at a contest. Great with his hands and just gets the footy going your way. Reminds me a little of Dean Kelly last year albeit a bit quicker. Kicking is not that penetrating and probably not his best skillset so lets hope that does not hold him back.

Originally Posted by foj1

64. Kangaroos- James Polkinghorne 181cm 82kg Calder Cannons

Started the year on fire and ended it pretty well. A hard player to categorise because he can do a lot of things pretty well. I see him being a small defender as he is very good in the air and is quite quick of the mark.

Originally Posted by ant555

James Polkinghorne-181cm, 82kg-Calder Cannons. Solid kid who didn’t really shine for Vic Metro. He tackles hard and can win the footy in close. Pace is average but he gets the job done in the TAC Cup. Uses the ball well and seems to give 100% all the time. Accumulates possessions rather than staring with the ball. Very disciplined player.
Pick 40 plus.

[xplo]

He's a funny collection of attributes.

Looking at that little grab, his hands, turning and inside skills looked like a good centreman -- early Ben Cousins or Geoff Raines -- but the kicking wasn't elite. Ben's never been a long kick though.

Then he has this impressive vertical spring, but it's hard to see him getting a lot of time to set up to use it, as he's better in traffic, and doesn't look to have the kicking accuracy or depth to spend significant time in the forward line. If he played back, they'd beat that marking flair out of him in the first 6 months.

First impressions anyway.

[Grimreepah]

Link

Dummy run should help Polkinghorne
10:52 AM Mon 26 November, 2007
By Simon White
for lions.com.au

JAMES Polkinghorne hopes being used as a “crash test dummy” will stand him in good stead as he embarks on his career with the Brisbane Lions.
The 18-year-old, taken by the Lions as the No. 41 pick of Saturday’s NAB AFL Draft, starred for Calder Canons last year in the TAC Cup competition.
But he also tasted senior VFL action for Coburg, as part of an affiliation agreement with the Canons.
"I was used as the “dummy” in a sense – I ended up playing for Coburg because they wanted to expand things and give the younger guys a chance to try things out," Polkinghorne said.
"The bigger bodies were noticeable at the start but I’ve done a fair bit of weights and pilates and I was able to cope with it.
"At the start I sort of had to stand back and take in the different style of play of that level. But it was a great experience."
At 183cm, Polkinghorne’s frame might initially appear to be best-suited to work around the stoppages and at ground level.
But Lions fans shouldn’t be surprise if they see him regularly attacking the ball in the air – a legacy of time spent playing volleyball at high school.
"As far as my leap and timing goes, the volleyball has definitely helped," he said.
"Just knowing when to jump, based on the volleyball, is pretty handy.
"It’s an especially good asset to have a midfielder, when it’s not necessarily expected of you."
Polkinghorne had some “informal” chats with the Lions in the lead-up to the draft but is delighted to get the opportunity to learn from the likes of Simon Black, Luke Power and Nigel Lappin.
"I’m really looking forward to joining a side that’s on the up," he said.
"It might be sort of daunting in the beginning to be around players of that calibre, having watched them on TV so much.
"But hopefully I can take on a role of my own, watch what they do and then try to follow in their footsteps."
The Victoria Metro representative comes from good Hawthorn stock, with his father Robert playing for the Hawks in 1979-80 and his uncle David racking up more than 150 games in the brown-and-gold.
The youngest Polkinghorne, who will share a house with Jed Adcock when he moves to Brisbane this week, has already changed his own allegiances to the Lions.
And he doesn’t expect his family will have too many problems in that regard either.
"I think my family will be pretty keen for a lot of sides to go well this year," Polkinghorne said.
"Apart from me, a lot of my friends ended up getting drafted by other clubs – so there will probably be a fair few teams they’ll barrack for.
"But hopefully they’ll barrack the most for the Lions."

[POBT]

Runner-up in the Calder Cannons Best and Fairest award for 2007.

Out of interest, I checked who won the B&F for Calder Cannons this year and it was Jeremy Laidler, who was mentioned a couple of times as a possible late draftee but missed out. Others in contention were Mitchell Farmer and Ashley Arrowsmith.

[CoZi36]

James Polkinghorne Player Profile



Name: James Polkinghorne
Jumper Number: 7
D.O.B: 21st January 1989
Local Club:Strathmore
Nick Name: Pokey
Star Sign: Aquarius
Which AFL team do you barrack for? Hawthorn


How old were you when you first started playing footy?
Under 12's - bit of a blur, but always loved playing.

Which past Cannons player is the best and why?
Richard Douglas - very good honest player and role model, played like a leader.

One thing you never leave the house without?
Phone

Best subject in school?
Recess

One place you would like to visit?
Brazil

Best present you ever got for your birthday?
Buzz Light year

Name 3 people you would invite to dinner and why?
1. Lara Bingle - for her personality
2. Strauchnie aka Peter Hellier - funniest dinner I would eat
3. homeless friend

If you could be a movie star who would it be?
Owen Wilson

Best movie you've ever seen?
At the moment, Bra Boys.

Other than Football what sport would you like to play?
Soccer

Funniest thing a coach or team-mate has told you?
Maysie's love life.

What's your ambition in life?(Other than AFL Football)
To get the best out of myself and others.

What is your most embarrassing moment?
Too many to remember!




Source: http://caldercannons.footballvic.com...=63&aid=120873

[Grimreepah]

Link

Matthews backs his new recruits
Article from:
Ashleigh McIntosh and Robert Craddock
November 26, 2007 11:00pm

LIONS coach Leigh Matthews' first exchange with new recruit James Polkinghorne contained a whimsical wish . . . "I hope you kick better than your uncle".
Polkinghorne, chosen by the Lions as the 41st pick in the national draft, has been drawn from the rich heritage of Hawthorn Football Club where Matthews rose to greatness as a player.
Polkinghorne's father Robert played five games for the club and his uncle David 161 in a nine-year career (1975-84) as a no-frills defender with an awkward kicking style.
At 182cm and 81kg, James is an almost identical size to his father and uncle. Matthews will be happy if the youngster has inherited his uncle David's fondness for hard work.
"David was one of those really fit, hardworking footballers but he had a very unusual kicking action," Matthews said. "He was one of those players who got the maximum out of his god-given talent. He was not blessed with enormous natural talent so while he was not regarded as a great player he played a lot of football.
"I don't know whether David's kicking skills would survive in the possession era we play in but he was a great competitor and we hope that has rubbed off in the family genes. They do say James is a great competitor."
Matthews described David Polkinghorne as "an outstanding person" who famously had the courage to tell the truth in a tribunal hearing involving a striking charge with saw rival Wayne Johnston suspended.
James Polkinghorne, 18, has moved to Brisbane from Melbourne with fellow draftees Brad Dalziell, Lachlan Henderson, Tom Collier and Matt Austin, who attended Lions training for the first time yesterday.
"I have some mixed emotions in that I am excited and nervous but it's great to be up in Brisbane and finally the dream has come true and I am lucky enough to live it," Polkinghorne said.
"Dad and my uncle brought me up as a Hawks fan. I was mad about them but more so tried to watch players I wanted to be like such as Shane Crawford. Now I have to change to a Brisbane supporter."
Polkinghorne was philosophical about having to sever his lifelong support for Hawthorn. "I sort of had to prepare myself. I wanted to play AFL football no matter where it was so I had to not worry about where it would be."