Rookie Upgrades

[Easy Slips Catch]

We have four rookies left.

Kiwi Kurt - Does lots of good stuff and played the season pretty much as third or fourth defender. Footy for Kurt is very much a straight line. He will charge head first into any contest and will do it with enthusiasm. Give him space to run and attack and something will get hit and hit very very hard. Needs to work on his one on one stuff and general footy smarts. He could be offered a spot on the list but doubt it. I reckon it will be considered.

Shem - did not get on the park for any length of time. I think he has stress fractures of the foot.

Webster - the norm is to compare a kid with an established player. Webster is sort of like Puopolo as he has that insane defensive mind set. The better comparison is Webster plays footy like a Jack Russell hunts. His burst running is genuinely explosive. Disposal is a work in progress. I think it was his hammy that curtailed his season. He showed enough to suggest he will be upgraded but not necessarily this season.

Willsmore - Started the season slowly and played mainly in the development squad. By mid season he was a regular in the senior BHH team playing mainly as a utility wing/flanker. 190cms tall, a really really good kick, moves well and seems to understand how to play footy. The glimpses he has shown have been golden, he clearly improved over the course of the season. Will go awfully close to being upgraded. If we can hold off then so be it but it seems inevitable that this kid will play AFL.

Best collective group of rookies I have ever seen at HFC.

 

[Messenger]

We have four rookies left.

Kiwi Kurt - Does lots of good stuff and played the season pretty much as third or fourth defender. Footy for Kurt is very much a straight line. He will charge head first into any contest and will do it with enthusiasm. Give him space to run and attack and something will get hit and hit very very hard. Needs to work on his one on one stuff and general footy smarts. He could be offered a spot on the list but doubt it. I reckon it will be considered.

Shem - did not get on the park for any length of time. I think he has stress fractures of the foot.

Webster - the norm is to compare a kid with an established player. Webster is sort of like Puopolo as he has that insane defensive mind set. The better comparison is Webster plays footy like a Jack Russell hunts. His burst running is genuinely explosive. Disposal is a work in progress. I think it was his hammy that curtailed his season. He showed enough to suggest he will be upgraded but not necessarily this season.

Willsmore - Started the season slowly and played mainly in the development squad. By mid season he was a regular in the senior BHH team playing mainly as a utility wing/flanker. 190cms tall, a really really good kick, moves well and seems to understand how to play footy. The glimpses he has shown have been golden, he clearly improved over the course of the season. Will go awfully close to being upgraded. If we can hold off then so be it but it seems inevitable that this kid will play AFL.

Best collective group of rookies I have ever seen at HFC.

Is Willsmore potentially better than what will be available at 68?

Is there much drop off between pick 68 who will be available in the early part of rookie draft?

 

[Baz_hawk]

Willsmore in the Box Hill GF was impressive and I'd be okay with him being elevated basedon what I saw in that match and a couple of others late in the season. I think it's going to come down to what is available and perhaps we will chase Deer with the late pick?

 

[Easy Slips Catch]

Is Willsmore potentially better than what will be available at 68?..

Going by the last few drafts clubs are mainly doing rookie upgrades around pick 68.

 

[moginie]

Isn't there speculation that next years' draft is nowhere near as strong/deep as this year?

If so, it might be a better idea to upgrade Willsmore next year.

 

[Agent Smith]

If moginie is correct, then I agree in upgrading Willsmore next year, assuming the lad continues to improve, and use number #68 this year for Harry Dear. The way Heatherley plays, we might need to consider a senior spot for him as well, sooner or later.

 

[HawkintheTuarts]

No way, don't upgrade any of them. Don't need to in the case of the Kiwi two, they're not ready in any case.

Willsmore and Webster would be far better off left there as well as we have plenty of depth and it gives them another year.

We have room for two more come draft time. There's no stress

 

[Turly]

I'd upgrade Willsmore. Showed a lot in the second half of the season.

Reminds me of Gunna.

 

[stemline]

I've heard that Webster will be upgraded this year. Source is usually spot on, guess we'll find out shortly.

 

[Davo-27]

the rookie b kiwis are getting paid outside the cap i believe unless you plan on playing them at AFL level straight away, keep them on the rookie list for another year, no rush, they can also be upgraded during the year incase of injury anyways, i rate Heatherley pretty highly personally

Webster is ok, but i wouldn't upgrade him until he has shown enough and i don't feel he showed enough last yr to be upgraded

Willsmore showed he is good enough, its just now about whether we upgrade him this yr or next, this year is a deep draft pool, i'm sure clubs will allow a good player to fall to 68 like they did with Sicily at 56 last yr

 

[TheFourPillars]

I've heard that Webster will be upgraded this year. Source is usually spot on, guess we'll find out shortly.

This guy really excites me. Rough as they come but has that grunt and go get em attitude. Willl need to work on hs kicking and endurance but is a terrier

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

Yeah with a mixed draft, why would we not leave them all rookies and use our third pick in the real draft?

I know that means you have to sign on someone for 2 years and not 1, but????

 

[Roger Rogerson]

There is no pressing need to upgrade any of them unless there is a benefit to the club from a list management point of view.

Kurt not ready but love the way he goes at it.
Webster lacks polish.
Shem unsighted.
Willsmore promising but lacks speed and fitness.

All a work in progress and as others have said our depth is very solid so plenty ahead of these 4. Plus you would have to think it is likely we will pick up:
1) A mature bodied ruck; and
2) A mature mid (Blease/Hunt/Robinson-type)
who would also be ahead of the above.