Past Player - Alex Spina

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Alex Spina!

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-20/alex-spina

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Position: Medium forward
Height: 181cm
Weight: 75kg
Born: 27/6/95
Home club: North Adelaide
Medium forward with clean hands and excellent game sense. Reads the play well and shows good composure when the ball is in his hands. Has excellent vision and is smart around goals. Can go through the midfield when required.
 

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roo2macca said:
I can't see the reasoning in this when we really needed a ruckman. Maybe the club rates Osborn highly.
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More to the point, maybe they don't rate any of the available options very highly at all?

It doesn't really matter. There is no way that an RD selection Ruck is going to be ready to play in 2014 anyway. Drafting a ruckman in this draft wouldn't have helped solve that problem at all.
 
Very happy with this pick. I haven't seen enough of Spina to add anything new, but I can confirm that he is a lovely mark for his size. Saw him take two very clever overhead marks within a couple of minutes of each other over a taller opponent this year (rarely catch much of the ressies, or pay attention, so if he hadn't have done that, I probably wouldn't know who he is)
Haven't seen enough of him to know if he'll make it, but he's got talent. Very clean with his disposal on both sides. With Spina, Battersby and Knight this drafting period, we've brought in some very tidy kicks. Heck, for all the criticism, I don't think M. Crouch's leg looks that terrible either.
Could end up being a very fruitful November - despite the Tippett penalties. Too early to say well done to the recruiting staff, but I'm optimistic :thumbsu:
 
Alex Spina (181cm, 74kg midfielder - North Adelaide)

Chris 25 - Another Croweater who is sneaking under the radar a bit, Spina has been one of the better underage players in the SANFL for a number of years now, always playing above his age but being named in the bests regardless of what level he plays. Unfortunately, he has been suffering from some injuries this year which has seen him play a little less than we all would have liked. But he has come back strongly in the SANFL Reserves and in the U18 Championships, generally playing as a high half forward. And like a Robbie Gray or Shaun Higgins, that's where I see him getting a game at the next level. From that position on a flank, he is able to work up the ground as well as back towards the goals and become a pretty dangerous goal sneak. And while he doesn't have the blistering pace that others may have, his game sense is a real highlight and he always positions himself in the right spot. Also has a strong defensive side to his game, and could easily play on the dangerous half backs of the competition.

Snoop Dog - At his best is a very damaging player forward of the ball who seems to have really good game sense and knack of getting to good positions. The upside could be quite high because he is still pretty thin and if he can build his body size and his endurance he has all the tools to land in the middle. Often think players with good game sense have that bit more time and hence if you can get them into the middle then those players tend to make good decisions. He has really good feet and hands as well so he can hurt. I certainly walked away from Champs thinking this kid ticks a lot of boxes and has all the scope to be an in and out mid.
 
I like the pick... we don't have enough natural goal kickers who add a bit of flair to the team and seems like this guy provides that. The rookie draft is a crap shoot anyway, if we get a good one out of this lot we'll have done well. He seems like possibly a similar player to Atkins?
 
Not 100% sold on Alex. Would also have taken Darcy H before him. We have a number of his type such as Lynch, Atkins, Porps etc. Bit of a wasted pick in my eyes. Would be super happy to be proved wrong.
 
http://www.afc.com.au/news/2013-11-27/crows-recruiters-rate-rookies

Pick No.52 Alex Spina
Position: Medium forward
Height: 181cm
Weight: 75kg
Born: 27/6/95
Home club: North Adelaide
“Alex was a really promising 17-year-old last year. He was selected in the AIS-AFL Academy squad and travelled to Europe this year. We all expected him to be a standout player this year, but for whatever reason he didn’t quite get the results this year that he or we had hoped for. He played reserves footy at North Adelaide for most of the year. He played a few Under-18 games and averaged about 25 disposals, so he showed he was a cut above that level. We’ve seen it before, where a kid is a dominant 17-year-old and then his 18th year just doesn’t quite happen. He’s got great speed and agility. He’s got a great side-step and kicks the ball really well. He needs to improve his work rate and he understands that. He’s a really good kid. I’ve had a couple of really honest chats to him recently and gave him some really honest feedback. He accepted the feedback and is ready to take the challenge on, and prove to a few people that he can play AFL footy.” – Phil Bunn
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Write up on Spina in the 2013 AFL prospectus, they listed his as a top 25 prospect this time last year.

Alex Spina - Plays Like: Robbie Gray
North Adelaide, Mid-Forward, 179cm

Spina is a midfielder who could play as a small forward in the higher levels. He played in the U-16 championships as a 15 year old in 2010 and again in 2011. He also played seven SANFL Under 18 for North in 2011, averaging an elite 25 disposals and four clearances per game. With good composure and awareness, he started the 2012 season in the under 18s and progressed to the reserves level, playing the final three matches and averaging 18 disposals, five marks and three tackles per game. At the 2012 U-18 championships, he played 4 matches averaging 12 disposals, four marks and two tackles per game. These numbers are diluted due to only playing 28 minutes against WA.
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From Nelso on the Port Board:

" Spina's parents are diehard Port supporters. They are devastated he has gone to the dark side. My wife works with his mum."
 
Should read:

"His parents were devastated when he wasn't drafted and are grateful he's been selected by a South Australian club considering the club we support didn't think enough of him to pick him up. So a big * you to the Power"

Seriously if that's their attitude and I doubt it is they are flogs and belong on the Port board.
 
johnnypanther said:
From Nelso on the Port Board:

" Spina's parents are diehard Port supporters. They are devastated he has gone to the dark side. My wife works with his mum."
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Would Spina's parents have been happy if their son wasn't drafted at all, because if it wasn't for us picking him no-one would?
 
johnnypanther said:
From Nelso on the Port Board:

" Spina's parents are diehard Port supporters. They are devastated he has gone to the dark side. My wife works with his mum."
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Lies. Alex's dad runs a hardware store on magill rd. Have known him for ages. Family is beyond pumped.
 
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