Delisted Marco Paparone (2012-2018)

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Brisbane’s Marco Paparone enjoying life as lion club, plans to stay loyal to club during rebuild

MARCO Paparone says he is enjoying life as a Lion and plans to stick around through the club’s efforts to rebuild. Paparone played a pivotal role in the Lions’ shock seven-point win over Carlton on Saturday night, collecting 22 touches and a goal to cap it off.

The 19-year-old says he has settled in to his second year at the club nicely, and feels a part of the key group of young Lions that coach Justin Leppitsch has heavily relied on this year. “The young boys have been really good, and having them fill the holes has been really good for us,” Paparone said.

Despite holding his spot in the team for the first 10 games this year, Paparone says his spot in the team isn’t yet secure. “Going into selections, I’m still feeling a little bit nervous, but it’s good to play consistent footy and get a bit of confidence,” Paparone said.

The natural forward is also gaining confidence in the midfield, being given licence to have a run on the wing on rotation. He says he’s comfortable playing in space and his running game will help him find more of the ball moving the ball into the forward line.
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Not confirmed, but pleasing all the same that he is intending on sticking around.

Certainly contrary to what I was told about 3 months ago of him leaving and couldn't be happier that he may be staying.
 
Dylan12 said:
Not confirmed, but pleasing all the same that he is intending on sticking around.
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His interview on the fancast a month or so ago was very promising - combined with today's comments I now feel very comfortable.

He's totally on track to be everything he was promised to be, a tall midfielder/winger who can also play as a long leading CHF linkman. His running is really starting to become a weapon. Another couple of pre-seasons and wow!
 
The way he ran off holding his shoulder against Carlton had me worried. For a beanpole he isn't shirking contact which is good to see. Can't wait to see what he becomes when he is more conditioned with a bit of extra mass, even if he doesn't get huge.
 

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Caiphus said:
The way he ran off holding his shoulder against Carlton had me worried. For a beanpole he isn't shirking contact which is good to see. Can't wait to see what he becomes when he is more conditioned with a bit of extra mass, even if he doesn't get huge.
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I recall people comparing him to Andrew Embley which is a pretty good comparison I think. He will never be a big unit but more time in the gym will strengthen his core and make him stronger in a wiry sense.

Probably provides a little more marking power than Embley, but apart from that, I see the resemblence and it is definitely a player type we need.
 
He's a real quality kid. Thought he'd be needing a rest, but he continues to impress. Given his height and tank he could be a nightmare for opposition teams to match up on in the next few years.
 
TheBrownDog said:
I recall people comparing him to Andrew Embley which is a pretty good comparison I think. He will never be a big unit but more time in the gym will strengthen his core and make him stronger in a wiry sense.

Probably provides a little more marking power than Embley, but apart from that, I see the resemblence and it is definitely a player type we need.
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Good comparison. I think kind of like Staker as well. Staker does have some muscle on him, but overall still has a fairly lean look to him, but he is actually a fairly strong player, holds his spot well and i think has good core strength.

I am loving what Paps can do. He has had 2 pretty good games now that when the team has been in the game and able to win some ball, he is able to contribute. He does go missing when the team is getting thumped overall, but he is a link player, so if we ain't got the ball he won't be super involved. One of those types that when we are playing well, he is a bit of icing on the cake. Considering his size and his tank, and he isn't even one of our tall forwards, he could be a real handful for opposition teams in the future.
 
I'm impressed at how he's gone from looking quite lost on the field last season to him now running to the right spots. I thought he'd be struggling at a little more with his positioning this season but he's really come on.
 
ZoBlitz said:
I'm impressed at how he's gone from looking quite lost on the field last season to him now running to the right spots. I thought he'd be struggling at a little more with his positioning this season but he's really come on.
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Whenever I've seen Marco play I don't get frustrated watching him.
Got yourselves a good little get.

Mayes, Paparone and maybe Michael Close.
Cheers 2012 AFL Draft.

He's (Paparone) the one Lion I focus on more than others (refer to my sig.)
 
There is a lot of similarity in the impact he is having in games now as Yeo did in his second season. Of the games I've watched this year, he's done at least one thing that has surprised everyone. Looking forward to seeing him and Rich in the same side.
 
Who are the AFL's most improved players?

BRISBANE LIONS
Worthy mentions: In just his second season, utility Marco Paparone has made a quantum leap. The West Australian played just five games in his debut season but has played all 14 this year and proved a terrific link man with his peerless aerobic capacity helping him get up and down the wing.
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Marco Paparone watches as his father battles cancer
NO ONE could blame Marco Paparone if he was to become the latest Brisbane Lion to request a trade in order to head back to his home state of Western Australia.

From a close-knit Italian family, the 19-year-old has had to watch from a far as his father, Claude, has continued his fight against lung cancer.

"He's been battling it for three years now," Paparone told APN this week. "He's getting all his chemotherapy, and it's going OK.

"We're all positive. He came out of his last chemotherapy and all the signs were looking a lot better than what they used to."

And partly for that reason, Paparone, who is signed until the end of this season, said this week his dad's situation "won't really affect my contract decision".

"It's in the back of my mind, but I'm trying not to think about it," he said. "My family is really supportive of what I want to do."

The youngest of four children, Paparone has been able to see his family back in North Fremantle as much as possible with strong support provided by the Lions.

"The club has been really good with that - every bye we have they allow me to go home and spend some time with them," he said. "He (his father) has come over three times this year. It's been good."

Brisbane will, of course, be desperate to keep him, but there is no doubt both WA clubs, especially the one he used to barrack for, Fremantle, would be keen to acquire his services.

Though still developing, Paparone is a promising lead-up half-forward come wingman who shows exceptional athleticism for someone that stands 194cm.

He initially tried to "resemble" St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt, but now playing more on the wing, he is modelling his game on Hawk Jack Gunston.

"I've been looking at how he plays. He does the runs back to goals and goes a little bit higher up the ground as well," he said.

After playing five games in his debut season, Paparone has played all 15 this year, and averaging 15 disposals and 4.5 marks a game.

Though he would like to have been a part of a few more wins, he is enjoying being part of his Lions family away from home.

He lives with fellow 2012 draftees Sam Mayes and Michael Close, who have extended their contracts at the club - and may just help sway him to stay put as well.

The likable youngster certainly talks as though he is in for the long haul. "We all get along really well," Paparone said. "We're building towards what we want to achieve."
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Emma Quayle reporting in The Age that Marco has signed for another 2 years:

The wounds of Brisbane’s recent youth exodus are continuing to heal, with another talented youngster extending his contract with the club.

The Lions have signed promising forward Marco Paparone to a new two-year deal, warding off interest from his home-town teams in Western Australia.

His signature means that having been forced into trading away five young players at the end of last season, the club has now tied all three of its 2012 draftees to new deals.

Sam Mayes, the No. 7 pick, extended his contract by two years during his excellent debut season in 2013, while Michael Close, pick 32, signed until the end of 2017 earlier this year.

Paparone was chosen between those players, at No. 23 in the draft, and has shown promise as a tall, roaming and hard-working forward in his 16 senior games this season.

The 19-year-old had good reason to consider a move back to Perth, where his father has been undergoing cancer treatment since before he moved away. The Lions have helped find ways for him to spend as much time as possible with his family.

Brisbane has already signed Tom Rockliff, Jack Redden, Rohan Bewick, Ryan Lester, Josh Green and Claye Beams to new deals this season, with the club also extending first-year midfielder Nick Robertson’s contract.

New deals for two more debutants, Lewy Taylor and Darcy Gardiner, are understood to be in the works.

Dean Warren, Brisbane’s general manager of football operations, said the club had made a concerted effort to retain its talented draftees and develop them inside and outside the club, having struggled for almost a decade to keep some of its best prospects.

The club spent most of last year’s trade period trying to get fair value for Jared Polec, Billy Longer, Sam Docherty, Patrick Karnezis and Elliot Yeo, all former first-round draftees who requested trades back to their home states.

Before this year, 10 of Brisbane's 19 first-round draft selections since 1996 had walked out on the club to “go home”, with five of the remaining nine departing for other reasons.

While the Lions Academy will give the club a chance at developing, drafting and retaining more home-state players, 85 per cent of this year’s list were drafted from interstate.

Clubs in Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia have an average of 41 per cent interstate players on their lists. The Lions have just six Queenslanders on their 2014 senior list.

“We’ve been able to improve our situation by putting more resources into our footy department, but in addition to having more development coaches we’ve got a performance and wellbeing psychologist as well, and we’ve put a lot of attention into that area,” said Warren.

“About 95 per cent of our players are involved in study or some sort of work experience, and that’s something we see as really important in terms of how we develop our players.

“We don’t just want them here playing football, we want them experiencing Brisbane, experiencing Queensland, meeting people, and we’ve worked on a whole range of things to develop them, help them settle in and make sure they feel happy and positive about being here.”



Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...cy-pays-off-20140731-zz10g.html#ixzz391tnP300
 
Cannot like this enough.
 
This is the best I've felt following a re-signing. Marco had better reasoning than anyone to leave, but he has stuck by the club. This is brilliant news from the club and shows we have definitely turned the corner in terms of retention. It's your turn now, young James
 
I'm just going on a "liking Frenzy" Agree with all of the above.

Congratulations Marco!:thumbsu::thumbsu::rainbow::D:p:cool::)

I am so glad about this news on so many levels - The club, the leppas, the boys, the coaches, last week's win (read 1st qtr shellacking) - the tide has turned.

The news is good.
 
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