Senior Harris Andrews (2014-) (Co-Captain)

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Harris Andrews
Tall forward/ruck
198cm/91kg
11/12/96
Aspley/Brisbane Lions Academy
"The modern game needs forward/ruckmen who play 20 per cent in the ruck and 80 per cent in the forward line, and he's a guy who can do that. He has good endurance, he can take big marks in the forward line and then he can go into the ruck. We're using him at centre-half back at the moment and he's got a lot of variety to his game."
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Meet the latest Lions

The Brisbane Lions welcomed three new players on Monday via the Father-Son and Academy pre-Draft bidding meeting – Liam Dawson, Harris Andrews, and Josh Clayton.

Nickname: Riss

DOB: 11/12/96

Height: 200cm

Weight: 91kg

Recruited from: Aspley (QLD)

Position: Defender / Ruckman

AFL summary: Tall Defender and backup ruckman who has a real presence in the contest and is strong overhead. Agile and good user of the footy can also push forward and provide a target. Played six games for Queensland at TAC Cup level this year, averaging 14 disposals and 6.5 marks.

Harris says: “It’s been great (being part of the Hyundai Lions Academy). I played at game with the Lions Reserves this year and felt right at home. Everything the Lions have done for me this year has been massive and has put me into the position where I am now.”
AFL club previously followed and favourite player: Essendon – Jobe Watson

Current AFL player comparison: “An AFL player that I model my game on is Jake Carlisle. His ability to influence the game at both ends of the ground is a trait that I try to emulate in my game. His marking and disposal efficiency for a tall player is also a skill that I feel that I have obtained while playing footy.”
Andrews_Headshot-hero.jpg
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Can't say I'm enamoured with who he models his game on.
 
Andrews a late bloomer

Unlike fellow 2014 draftee Liam Dawson, Harris Andrews had only been part of the Hyundai Brisbane Lions Academy for a relatively short period of time.

It wasn’t until a standout season with Aspley as a bottom-ager in the NEAFL U18 that the Lions stood up and took notice of the 200cm teenager.

Andrews kicked a competition-high 80 goals across 17 games in 2013 – an average of almost five per game – and he was promptly invited to join the Lions Academy.
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From the highlights it looks as though he knows how to both read the ball in flight and position/use his body to mark against opponents.

Will be interesting to see if the club does choose to play him as a key defender or a key forward. I would prefer forward myself, but with Freeman and Close already on the list and Pick 5 turning into a key forward most likely it could come down to where we need him.
 
Bengwatkins said:
From the highlights it looks as though he knows how to both read the ball in flight and position/use his body to mark against opponents.

Will be interesting to see if the club does choose to play him as a key defender or a key forward. I would prefer forward myself, but with Freeman and Close already on the list and Pick 5 turning into a key forward most likely it could come down to where we need him.
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????????
 

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Harris Andrews
Ht – 201 Wt – 95

This is a kid I have massive raps on and think he could be one of the steals of this draft. I have not seen a hell of a lot of him but when I have I have come away impressed. He is a legitimate ruck size with the ability to play key position. With the number of ruck sized KPFs coming into the game the last few years, clubs are starting to look for defenders who are capable of handling such players. Last year Gold Coast took Jack Leslie at 20 hoping to make him into a KPD. Leslie is a better athlete than Andrews but Leslie is not close to the defender that Andrews is already.

Andrews has played mostly up forward and in the ruck but I see him as a defender based on the games I have seen him play back there. Up forward he is an excellent contested mark but he relies on that too much. His leading is quite poor and every mark he goes for seems to be contested. He gets away with it at junior level but he is not going to at AFL level where his opponents are all going to be bigger, stronger and more athletic. When he does mark it up forward his kicking for goal is pretty solid. Better than most rucks you will find but pretty average overall.

His height does allow him to play in the ruck where he is serviceable. He would need to put on more weight to ruck in the AFL but he has the potential to be better in the ruck than 80% of the KP/2nd ruck options which are currently playing. The ability to be the second ruck should help him get games early in his career.

Where I see him playing long term is at the back as a KPD capable of taking the ruck sized KPFs and the resting rucks. As mentioned above he is an excellent contested mark and has very large hands. He shows good judgement about when to mark and when to spoil. When he is stationed close to goal he shows good strength in the contest (admittedly against junior opponents) and with his height and reach (2nd longest arms at Combine) he is really difficult to mark over. When away from goal a bit he tends to play a step or two off and credit to him he seems to read and react a couple of steps sooner than the forward does. He looks to be an excellent judge of the ball in the air and backs himself to be in the right spot no matter what the forward is going to do. If the ball is going to the forward he closes very quickly and goes body on body with his opponent. When the ball is going to miss the forward though he seems to be the one leading his opponent to the ball. More than anything this kind of judgement is what has me most impressed with him.

Skills wise he is solid. He seems to pick his targets well and hit them. I would not say he is hugely dangerous coming out of defence but he is very capable of being a link in the possession chain and moving things along well. Athletically he plays with good agility and decent pace for a man of his size. I note, like all the Queenslanders, he tested pretty poorly at Combine but I see him being better than what he showed.

Overall I see him as a very nice prospect and a bargain at pick 63 in this draft.
 
Do you think the Queenslanders don't train for the combine testing as much as others so they don't test as well?
 
He reminds me of Clarke a lot. Hopefully he can fill out and take the Monster forwards that are starting to come through.
 
Brother of Jack Daniels?
 
It's hard to see where about 10 of those kilograms are hiding.
 
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