Cyril Rioli and draft tampering?

[Upgrayedd]

I recollect somebody once telling me that in Brodie Grundy's pre-draft interview with Melbourne, Mark Neeld had a go at Brodie's hairdo, saying that it made him look soft or like a girl.

Apparently he was testing Brodie, to see if he was a big enough man to take it. A weird kind of character test....or something.

Brodie replied by saying that this should help him fit in at Melbourne, given that they had the softest midfield in the league. The jaw of every person in the room hit the floor.

Needless to say, Brodes did not want to be a Demon!

Imo negging 17 year olds in draft interviews shows why the demons we're stuffed for a very long time

 

[Upgrayedd]

He's not the only player to do this.

How do you think Chad Wingard managed to get to Port for their first pick? He was easily top 3 even before that draft. He told interstate recruiters that he would simply request a trade back to SA after his first contract.

Do you ever wonder how blokes like Oscar Allen, Tom Barrass and Jack Darling end up at WA clubs for relative bargains?

Oscar Allen fell to pick 20ish because he had multiple stress fractures as a teenager

 

[KermitJagger]

Oscar Allen fell to pick 20ish because he had multiple stress fractures as a teenager

And Darling had "disciplinary issues".

 

[dcutter]

Supposably Buddy didn't interview that well either and allegedly rolled in late to one.

I recall reading one recruiter posing the question to Buddy along the lines of whether he has any flaws/weak points to which his reply was 'none' . What was likely perceived as arrogance, in truth was a young, extremely confident footballer entirely comfortable with his abilities.

 

[Burtman]

Oscar Allen fell to pick 20ish because he had multiple stress fractures as a teenager

Didn’t he win the larke medal in the champs? Normally if a key forward wins best player at the champs they’d be a top 5 pick. I remember watching dom sheed tear up the champs aswell and went in the teens didn’t he? I suppose teams are a little weary taking interstaters early as they don’t wanna * up early picks

 

[BF Tiger]

Didn’t he win the larke medal in the champs? Normally if a key forward wins best player at the champs they’d be a top 5 pick. I remember watching dom sheed tear up the champs aswell and went in the teens didn’t he? I suppose teams are a little weary taking interstaters early as they don’t wanna fu** up early picks

See Jack Graham the year before Oscar Allen. Sure, not a key forward but won the Larke medal captaining SA and was AA that year. Was picked up by the Tigers at pick 53. All bar a very few have a knock on them.

 

[Truckosaurus]

There were also concerns about Allen's height and whether he'd be big enough for AFL. Many on our board were annoyed we took him because of a belief he'd only ever be a third tall. Also because we needed mids and had just drafted Brander.

 

[Truckosaurus]

I didn't hear that one but other similar stories have been floating around about Neeld. Would not surprise me at all

Makes you wonder how Neeld ever got a senior gig.

 

[Upgrayedd]

And Darling had "disciplinary issues".

Yeah he was a complete and utter ******* who started 2 fights with opposition teams AFTER the game, got knocked out outside a club and had bleeding on the brain, had been expelled from school and was told clubs were not interested because he was overweight, slow and only 191cm which at the time was not considered a true KPF height

He honestly thought he was going to carlton, As GC told him they wouldnt draft him, Couldnt do any testing because he had been hit in the head partying and had a fractured skull because they showed pretty good interest (Watson however was around and rated highly) and Melbourne passed for Lucas Cook.

 

[Xtreme]

He was overrated but not s**t.

You're not overrated if you play a role in 4 premierships (embarrassing senior players of the opposition as a rookie in one, and winning a Norm Smith medal in another!).

 

[Marc_Remillard]

Makes you wonder how Neeld ever got a senior gig.

He had a pretty good reputation when had was at Collingwood and from memory no one predicted the outcome. Melbourne's poor admin at the time also contributed, Schwab and Connolly

 

[Juddernaut08]

You're not overrated if you play a role in 4 premierships (embarrassing senior players of the opposition as a rookie in one, and winning a Norm Smith medal in another!).

Perhaps you don't understand what overrated means. It doesn't mean he's a bad player, just means that the perception was that he was better than he actually was.

Don't get yourself riled up when I wasn't even trying to take a potshot at him.

 

[Xtreme]

Perhaps you don't understand what overrated means. It doesn't mean he's a bad player, just means that the perception was that he was better than he actually was.

Don't get yourself riled up when I wasn't even trying to take a potshot at him.

Oh I'm riled up

And he was just as delicious as Bruce said.... if not more TYVM!

 

[Boris the Contradiction]

Imo negging 17 year olds in draft interviews shows why the demons we're stuffed for a very long time

It's bizarre behaviour, especially when you're trying to improve and you're talking to one of the two most talented players in the draft.

They selected Toumpas. I guess they saw him as tougher or more manly than Grundy.

 

[GWBogan]

It's bizarre behaviour, especially when you're trying to improve and you're talking to one of the two most talented players in the draft.

They selected Toumpas. I guess they saw him as tougher or more manly than Grundy.

 

[Kummerspeck]

You mean how Tarryn was training with us for years before we drafted him.

YEARS! The NGAs were founded in 2016, Thomas was picked up in 2018. The Suns and Giants have both had players in their academy longer which they weren't allowed to pick up.

Its so lucky you guys were there to offer Nick Blakey a path to footy - he would have even heard of the game otherwise.

It is, we can't all just put in players who've been in rep teams for years like North can.

 

[The Warlord]

It is, we can't all just put in players who've been in rep teams for years like North can.

You can just invent reasons to put them in a la Jack and the AFL will tick off on it.

Tarryn is from NSW originally and you would have been able to cry and sook to the AFL and they would have given you to him if you hadn't annoyed them with the Buddy stuff.

 

[Upgrayedd]

It's bizarre behaviour, especially when you're trying to improve and you're talking to one of the two most talented players in the draft.

They selected Toumpas. I guess they saw him as tougher or more manly than Grundy.

It's not like they are young professional athletes. 17 year old schoolkids. I mean ruthless industry but questioning a 17 year olds toughness. No wonder Grundy tanked the interview.

 

[ThatsjustDappa]

I recollect somebody once telling me that in Brodie Grundy's pre-draft interview with Melbourne, Mark Neeld had a go at Brodie's hairdo, saying that it made him look soft or like a girl.

Apparently he was testing Brodie, to see if he was a big enough man to take it. A weird kind of character test....or something.

Brodie replied by saying that this should help him fit in at Melbourne, given that they had the softest midfield in the league. The jaw of every person in the room hit the floor.

Needless to say, Brodes did not want to be a Demon!

Well Neeld seems to have a great way of getting troops to do anything for you......

 

[Kummerspeck]

You can just invent reasons to put them in a la Jack and the AFL will tick off on it.

So the AFL will tick it off except that they wouldn't because of the Buddy thing? Proof read, mate