VFL Past #54: Nick O'Brien - returning to play for Essendon VFL in 2017!

[Rack Watts]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

This brings serious questions about his mother.

 

[fishardansin]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Dodoro on SEN was pretty excited about this kids midfield potential. He may start in the forward or backline and then after a pre-season or two be moved to a tagging like role. Who knows.

But all these kids we just drafted need another pre-season before we should expect any sort of impact anyway. Jackson Merrett was only completing one training session per a week. Cannot expect much.

Boy we are going to be fast in 2013 - pieces of jigsaw coming together.

That would be only one a week with the Falcons. He would still have trained in Cobden. Can't say I blame him trying to make the round trip on a bus more then once a week would have been disastrous for study.

It also means that we can expect lots of upside with him. He already tested really well for pace and beep test. If he's training 4 times a week he'll get better again.

 

[ZAAHAARAKIS!!!!!]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

not that concerned abtout his similarity to steinberg. bomber seems to be sticking to the geelong style.

stevie J, chappie and menzel = crameri o'brien steinberg and monfries.

obviously not as good but they're similar types, medium forwards that can rotate through the middle

 

[Fin ice Smuggler]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

I think Crameri and O'Brien are more your Max Rooke type players. Just solid but a very important Cog to the wheel.

 

[wednesdaywarrior]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Great pick up for you guys. Love this kid. I wrote a book about the St Pat's First XVIII in 2009 and O'Brien was playing as a 15 year old. Got to know him well and still keep in touch. He has led St Pats to 2 HSS wins in the past 2 years as an influential lead up forward. He would play more of a utility role at AFL. Outstanding character - universally loved in Ballarat, terrific leadership potential. Hirdy would love all of that. Very upset he didn't get to the Pies. Hope he plays some great footy for you. Might take him a year or two to find his feet at AFL level but have faith in him.

 

[Yoda_]

Great pick up for you guys. Love this kid. I wrote a book about the St Pat's First XVIII in 2009 and O'Brien was playing as a 15 year old. Got to know him well and still keep in touch. He has led St Pats to 2 HSS wins in the past 2 years as an influential lead up forward. He would play more of a utility role at AFL. Outstanding character - universally loved in Ballarat, terrific leadership potential. Hirdy would love all of that. Very upset he didn't get to the Pies. Hope he plays some great footy for you. Might take him a year or two to find his feet at AFL level but have faith in him.

Thanks for that

What are his skills like?

 

[The Donners]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Sounds like a solid line & length late pick... but F me how about a crumber one of these years?

Agree. Maric is still available... so is Dick...

 

[Atavistic]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

This brings serious questions about his mother.

lol, another awesome one-liner from bipolarbeaR.

 

[wednesdaywarrior]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Thanks for that

What are his skills like?

Nick's got a lot to work with, really good hands, tends to mark cleanly at the high point, penetrating left foot, very good tank. He also has a good habit of either moving the ball quickly by foot or looking for a fast handball option to a player moving past. He's a very 'fluent' player. The only concerns would be his starting speed which he will work on and the fact he's in that sort of limbo size between mid and KPP (although most mids these days seem to be giants now anyway!)

 

[Keystone agony]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

So how i read it we have basically got Shuey, outside Pendlebury and Stevie J

gee we have done well

 

[Whatsonswhat]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

His listed weight of 91kgs cant be right, can it? According to the Geelong website, that makes him 1cm shorter (at 188cm) but 4kg heavier...(and nearly exactly 10yrs younger) than Stevie J. Surely not.

 

[Macca18]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

O’Brien captained the Rebels and skippered St Patrick’s College to a Herald Sun Shield premiership at the MCG this year.

The 18-year-old said he grew more nervous as the draft played out and had to check twice when his name was called.

“I’m still pretty shocked. I didn’t really know my fortunes and haven’t had much contact with clubs the past couple of weeks,” O’Brien said.

“I saw my name and face come up on the TV and, even though seeing is believing, I still wanted to hear my name on the radio first.”

http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sp...er/2370224.aspx

 

[ant555]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

do not peg him as only a forward. Have seen him play well at half back a few times.

 

[Fin ice Smuggler]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

do not peg him as only a forward. Have seen him play well at half back a few times.

yeah well Dodoro left the impression that he could even play midfield at some stage with is endurance.

As long as he uses his body in a wrecking ball fashion towards the ball whilst doing the team oriented things I'll be happy man.

Read he will give 100% everytime he goes on the field and was one of Ballarats best Captains, sounds good to me so far.

 

[Slattery_20]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

His listed weight of 91kgs cant be right, can it? According to the Geelong website, that makes him 1cm shorter (at 188cm) but 4kg heavier...(and nearly exactly 10yrs younger) than Stevie J. Surely not.

Is it much of a surprise, given Bomber's thoughts on size/weight (ie Carlisle not being big enough) of our players, and given we went a pretty lightly built kid in the 2nd round?

 

[calyam]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Is it much of a surprise, given Bomber's thoughts on size/weight (ie Carlisle not being big enough) of our players, and given we went a pretty lightly built kid in the 2nd round?

Well it's not a surprise that Bomber wants players like that but it is a little surprising to see an 18 year old with a build like that. It'd be pretty rare I would think.

 

[Slattery_20]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

True, but rare is good.
Particularly if it's that sort of size added to that sort of endurance/mobility. Gives him a bit of an edge, if his skills are there.

 

[efcboy]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Well it's not a surprise that Bomber wants players like that but it is a little surprising to see an 18 year old with a build like that. It'd be pretty rare I would think.

there's a bloke wearing no.18 that was pretty well built as an 18yo!

 

[BrunoV]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Pretty heavy 189cm kid and captain of the Rebels. Sounds good.

I'm not going to buy into hype about the kid till I watch a few NAB cup matches.

They could write me up as a football and it would sound good.

 

[Slattery_20]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Pretty heavy 189cm kid and captain of the Rebels. Sounds good.

I'm not going to buy into hype about the kid till I watch a few NAB cup matches.

They could write me up as a football and it would sound good.

Do you have a pig's bladder? Do you have stitches down your face? Were you, at one time, sponsored by McDonalds?

 

[BrunoV]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Fair enough.

Need to proof read posts.

 

[Slattery_20]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

nah dun worry about the s**t I post!

 

[BrunoV]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

I usually do Slatts, that's the thing.

 

[longdaveyjetta]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Do you have a pig's bladder? Do you have stitches down your face? Were you, at one time, sponsored by McDonalds?

Stitches down your face, hahaha nice one Slats...

 

[Whatsonswhat]

Re: National Draft Pick # 59 - Nick O'Brien

Is it much of a surprise, given Bomber's thoughts on size/weight (ie Carlisle not being big enough) of our players, and given we went a pretty lightly built kid in the 2nd round?

Yeah, it would not be much of a surprise for us going for a bigger bodied lad. And I'd be very happy if it's true - I think that one of the biggest challenges in developing a 18yo is getting them big enough to play AFL without negatively effecting the other attributes they were recruited for.

Just saying he doesn't look like he has a body 4kg (presumably all muscle since he's 1cm shorter) heavier than Stevie J.