Welcome to the Club pick 46 Western Bulldogs Caleb Daniel

[dogwatch]

Three comments on Caleb.
1. He has VERY quick hands. Just watch the video above. That also suggests he has a quick footy brain because his disposal efficiency is also very high. It means he makes smart decisions at the speed of light. He must see the opportunity almost before he gets the ball. That alone will be worth watching. We have all been whingeing about how we don't move the ball fast enough. This bloke will help us do it by hand AND foot.

2. SA won the U18 championships. We picked up two of that side. I like us drafting Vic boys but we can get a bit obsessed with the hype around Vic players. Vic country got thrashed by SA and Vic Metro lost to them by a smaller margin. If SA were that good it's worth pillaging their ranks. Daniel was among the best of them.

3. Of our six draft picks only one was an U18 AA ... Caleb Daniel. And he only played 3 games in those championships. I know, Panos and Hooper were two U18 AAs who didn't work out but most of them do make the grade.

 

[timtamWB]

T2. SA won the U18 championships. We picked up two of that side. I like us drafting Vic boys but we can get a bit obsessed with the hype around Vic players. Vic country got thrashed by SA and Vic Metro lost to them by a smaller margin. If SA were that good it's worth pillaging their ranks. Daniel was among the best of them.

And we've had pretty good success with SA boys in the past. Cooney and Griffen, say what you will about either of them, but both were guns for our club, and both came from SA.

 

[dogwatch]

Another thing.
Those are pretty good stats for a supposedly undersized 63kg 18yo playing against seasoned adults in the SANFL - averages 17 possessions a game at 77% DE, 7 of them are CPs and he averages 2.5 tackles. In the lower grades (U18/SANFL Reserves) he is averaging 5 tackles.

He will only get better after a year or so adjusting to VFL/AFL.

 

[dogwatch]

And we've had pretty good success with SA boys in the past. Cooney and Griffen, say what you will about either of them, but both were guns for our club, and both came from SA.

Howard and Fuller.

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

Came on this tread dreading worst. Am happy with everyone's positivity.

 

[Scary_Foot_9]

Am happy to back in talent and character over size. Time and again guys have proven its an overrated quality.

 

[stmookeyj]

The fact he's played against men and held his own in a high quality comp (South made the Prelim this year) is a tick for me, always a fan of those players.

 

[King Harold]

Came on this tread dreading worst. Am happy with everyone's positivity.

Want to keep the positivity going , and there is no doubting this blokes ability , but looking at the big ( pardon the pun ) picture, in the future can we have Daniel , Honeychurch and the Rat all in the same side ? I would say no.

 

[yebiga]

This is the kind of no brainer amazing pick up you should not be able to get late in the 3rd round

Certain to be really good

It goes to show no amount of money or resources can trump stupidity

 

[ManOfClay]

The best part of this is if he turns out to be good then we can laugh at Carlton for giving us the pick. If he's not then it was pick 46 and speculative anyway.

We've traded away Liam Jones for a kid 30cms shorter who, if he plays the same amount of games as the former, isn't highly unlikely to kick more goals than him.

 

[ManOfClay]

Want to keep the positivity going , and there is no doubting this blokes ability , but looking at the big ( pardon the pun ) picture, in the future can we have Daniel , Honeychurch and the Rat all in the same side ? I would say no.

I actually rate Daniel a lot more than Honeychurch based on under 18s form. Obviously being in the VFL Honeychurch had a couple of really dominant games, will be interesting to see Daniel's progress. He looked good in the SANFL for South Adelaide.

 

[TempleKelvington]

A really good pick up. other than Webb I didn't get any of my preferred players until Daniel was selected. I think it was brave selection that should have been a no brainer. Can't wait to see him in action.

 

[TempleKelvington]

Want to keep the positivity going , and there is no doubting this blokes ability , but looking at the big ( pardon the pun ) picture, in the future can we have Daniel , Honeychurch and the Rat all in the same side ? I would say no.

Nice to have depth of good players don't you think?

 

[King Harold]

I actually rate Daniel a lot more than Honeychurch based on under 18s form. Obviously being in the VFL Honeychurch had a couple of really dominant games, will be interesting to see Daniel's progress. He looked good in the SANFL for South Adelaide.

Yeah so do I , he is a very classy user of the ball and by all accounts has no trouble finding it. But we won't fit all these short people in the same team together I don't believe ? I could be wrong though ?

 

[King Harold]

Nice to have depth of good players don't you think?

Yeah no doubt , it will make them all fight hard for spots and the good news is they all have a good chance of making it. But can it be in the same team. I ask the question , what do you guys think ?

 

[Aldo]

Not bad. On Monday the 24th of November, Landsberger and Clark in the Hsun had Caleb Daniel at pick 16 based on his champion data from under 18 champs just behind Leverde and in front Cockatoo..

They also noted that he was the highest champion data points scorer in the National Championships. Really excited byt this kid.

 

[TheFutureIsGo]

Whilst disappointed the Hawks didn't get a chance to pick him up at 49 I am pumped for you guys. He does things that no one else can do - his ability to pick up ground balls in congestion and then accelerate out of the pack/dish off/kick to advantage is unbelievable. And he kicks goals and kicks with penetration, and he is creative with brilliant vision, and he is a genuine team player - will make other players around him better. Absolute ripper.

 

[GreatSouthWest]

Want to keep the positivity going , and there is no doubting this blokes ability , but looking at the big ( pardon the pun ) picture, in the future can we have Daniel , Honeychurch and the Rat all in the same side ? I would say no.

We probably can't, but that's their problem, not ours. We must continue to draft players to put pressure on those with the same skillsets.

Read plenty this morning, and previously, about 'can we fit x x & x all in one side????'. No we can't, but many of them, like this years draftees, haven't proven anything as yet.

 

[TempleKelvington]

I have heard that Bev told the recruiters they must get Caleb, Bev didn't want to remain the shortest man at the club.

 

[Mofra]

Want to keep the positivity going , and there is no doubting this blokes ability , but looking at the big ( pardon the pun ) picture, in the future can we have Daniel , Honeychurch and the Rat all in the same side ? I would say no.

Yes - but all three with Hunter, McLean, Dale & Dahlhaus might be a bit of a stretch.

Daniel becomes a midfielder/high half forward for mine - 16.1 beep test is obscene.
God I can't wait till he racks up free kicks for "too high" against Geelong and Selwood complains

 

[ManOfClay]

Yeah no doubt , it will make them all fight hard for spots and the good news is they all have a good chance of making it. But can it be in the same team. I ask the question , what do you guys think ?

You don't draft purely for a 22 man team - ideally you need about 28 players who can rotate through in order to be a premiership threat.

A lot of the small guys on our list have question marks around them anyway. Competition for spots is nothing but a positive

 

[TempleKelvington]

Yes - but all three with Hunter, McLean, Dale & Dahlhaus might be a bit of a stretch.

Daniel becomes a midfielder/high half forward for mine - 16.1 beep test is obscene.
God I can't wait till he racks up free kicks for "too high" against Geelong and Selwood complains

Hunter and Mclean look like clones and both love to take a specky! Dale looks a bit rangier than the others, Dahlhaus is a jet as we know and has that electric pace the others don't.

Agree.....Daniel can play pure mid high HF, they want the ball in his hands delivering into forward 50. Hrovat is similar although not in the same aerobic class as Daniel I think.

 

[Dazb86]

I've got a good feeling about this kid. Think he'll tear it up pretty early on and push for selection mid year.

 

[TempleKelvington]

I've got a good feeling about this kid. Think he'll tear it up pretty early on and push for selection mid year.

Nah.....round 1. he'll be straight in.

 

[ManOfClay]

He's already pinned as our next captain. Round 12 after Murph retires.