Player Watch #30 Alex Neal-Bullen - signed to 2026

[schmuttt]

He's our spitter, apparently

???

 

[saj_21]

???

Meaning he spits out the back of contests, hence why he gets so many goals out the back.

All clubs use very similar terminology, or at least similar tactics with different terminology.

 

[stretcharmstrong]

It still doesn't make sense "spits out the back of contests"; somebody obviously liked it though.

 

[Max Power 83]

I'm confused. I thought Robbo sat in on St Kilda's team meeting. Were the Saints calling him a spitter, or are we?

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

It still doesn't make sense "spits out the back of contests"; somebody obviously liked it though.

'Spitter' what complete dribble

 

[Cannon82]

It still doesn't make sense "spits out the back of contests"; somebody obviously liked it though.

Seems a silly term.

 

[Tempy Tiger]

'Spitter' what complete dribble

So who's the swallower? Takes ticker, maybe Viney?

 

[BG32]

So who's the swallower?

It was Mitch Clark

 

[Higgs Boson]

Just watching the replay. Who was it that said ANB looks like Yze? So, SO right <3

 

[Theseventhhamster]

He's got the best crumbing instincts on the list outside of Jeffy IMO.

 

[Headless]

He's got the best crumbing instincts on the list outside of Jeffy IMO.

Crumbing whilst Garlett is inside seems a fairly niche skill.

 

[Topkent]

He's got the best crumbing instincts on the list outside of Jeffy IMO.

Based on last week? Or have you seen him in the 2s a lot

Everyone was saying he was an accumulator? The kid has confidence that's for sure

 

[stabler]

Based on last week? Or have you seen him in the 2s a lot

Everyone was saying he was an accumulator? The kid has confidence that's for sure

I was standing in front of Brendan McCartney and Simon Goodwin at a Casey game earlier this year (those two are regulars at every game I've been to) and overheard Brendan talking about ANB. Their concern was that while ANB is adept at getting the ball out of traffic, he tended to dispose of the ball all too quickly and often kicked haphazardly and shortly to the wrong area of the ground. Having said that, both Goody and Brendan rated him very highly and said he was 'definitely next off the block' in terms of getting a call up , and I think he debuted shortly after that game.

So he can get the ball easily, that's not the issue, its what he does with it once he has it, and I think this is an area that can be fairly easily addressed over time. I think we have a gem here.

 

[Topkent]

I was standing in front of Brendan McCartney and Simon Goodwin at a Casey game earlier this year (those two are regulars at every game I've been to) and overheard Brendan talking about ANB. Their concern was that while ANB is adept at getting the ball out of traffic, he tended to dispose of the ball all too quickly and often kicked haphazardly and shortly to the wrong area of the ground. Having said that, both Goody and Brendan rated him very highly and said he was 'definitely next off the block' in terms of getting a call up , and I think he debuted shortly after that game.

So he can get the ball easily, that's not the issue, its what he does with it once he has it, and I think this is an area that can be fairly easily addressed over time. I think we have a gem here.

Yeah I've noticed he is very quick to get the ball to foot, resulted in a goal against Geelong

Reckon that will improve as he gets more confident playing with men, his hands certainly looked clean though

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Based on last week? Or have you seen him in the 2s a lot

Everyone was saying he was an accumulator? The kid has confidence that's for sure

Just the last game, constantly in great positions at the fall of the ball. From the VFL he looked like a very good inside mid.

 

[Topkent]

Just the last game, constantly in great positions at the fall of the ball. From the VFL he looked like a very good inside mid.

Fair enough, he certainly looks a natural reader of the play

 

[RandB]

Pretty impressive in the limited TOG he had today. Looked fresher and switched on, surely plays every senior game remaining unless Roos wants to give the also-rans one last chance to show something.

 

[Sylvia Saint]

Last week against Collingwood, he ducked his head in a marking contest and was dragged for it. Today, within minutes of coming on he took a very courageous mark going back with the flight of the ball. Clearly the kid is a fast learner.

 

[deeco]

Shocking that we started this bloke as sub. One of the reasons we managed to get back into the game.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Looking forward to the end of the sub rule given Roos just uses it as a place to plonk whoever he deems to be this week's 22nd man. There's never any strategical reasoning.

 

[schmuttt]

He hasn't set the world on fire, but he's done a lot more than what I'd expect from a pick 40 in his first year. The story of him being Billys best mate and ending up at the same club is a great one (There were actually a lot of good stories for us in last years draft), hope they play 200+ together.

 

[Amarula]

He hasn't set the world on fire, but he's done a lot more than what I'd expect from a pick 40 in his first year. The story of him being Billys best mate and ending up at the same club is a great one (There were actually a lot of good stories for us in last years draft), hope they play 200+ together.

My impression when he was drafted was that one of his strengths is his gut running, and we haven't really had a chance to see that. He's been good, but I suspect he's got a lot more in him which we'll see more of next year.

 

[Topkent]

Kids got an eye for a goal, that running snap with his second touch was top quality
Didnt know he had that side of him

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

He hasn't set the world on fire, but he's done a lot more than what I'd expect from a pick 40 in his first year. The story of him being Billys best mate and ending up at the same club is a great one (There were actually a lot of good stories for us in last years draft), hope they play 200+ together.

It's hard for him and Brayshaw to show what they can do when they're not being played in the midfield, also.

 

[rhaz]

Came third in the 3km time trial at the combine apparently?

Can forgot that his dislocated his knee earlier in the year, bit of a s**t injury to come back from.

Great pickup. Is the 'Kent' of the 2014 draft.