Toast Fremantle's 1st 2018 National Draft Pick: Sam Sturt [Pick #17]

[estibador]

The other discussion is about if multi sports people are going to be more likely to have their performances set at a 'different level ' as a consequence.

Hard to measure directly as I said, but here's one example of a study supporting the idea that playing multiple sports is better for physical development and gross motor coordination.

Differences in physical fitness and gross motor coordination in boys aged 6–12 years specializing in one versus sampling more than one sport

Multiple comparisons revealed that boys aged 10–12 years, who spent many hours in various sports, performed better on standing broad jump (P < 0.05) and gross motor coordination (P < 0.05) than boys specializing in a single sport.

 

[theGav56]

Hard to measure directly as I said, but here's one example of a study supporting the idea that playing multiple sports is better for physical development and gross motor coordination.

Differences in physical fitness and gross motor coordination in boys aged 6–12 years specializing in one versus sampling more than one sport

I would assume that most kids who are good at sport play more than one sport because of the seasonality of sport. The way to measure it could be to look at AFL lists and categorize those who were good/elite in a second sport (Sturt with cricket, Moller with basketball), and then see how many actually succeeded. Then see if there is any variance with those and players who either didn't do a second sport or were poor/average in a second sport (Darcy with swimming, Blakely with surfing). Then compare the statistics to see if being good/elite in another sport translates into a greater success level in the AFL.

 

[M_rash]

I would assume that most kids who are good at sport play more than one sport because of the seasonality of sport. The way to measure it could be to look at AFL lists and categorize those who were good/elite in a second sport (Sturt with cricket, Moller with basketball), and then see how many actually succeeded. Then see if there is any variance with those and players who either didn't do a second sport or were poor/average in a second sport (Darcy with swimming, Blakely with surfing). Then compare the statistics to see if being good/elite in another sport translates into a greater success level in the AFL.

Slightly off topic, I think the AFL just like to let everybody know that they “poached” an athlete from another junior sport - kinda a chest beating, pissing contest. Otherwise we probably wouldn’t even hear about Sturts cricketing potential. Feels more like an “AFL beats cricket to claim talented junior”, than a “talented multi-sports junior will excel at AFL” kinda story.

No doubt there are benefits to playing various sports as you grow up. But I would imagine some sports complement each other better than others. Be it from a conditioning, skills or focus/mindset perspective. Working in close and vertical leap playing basketball can translate to footy. Tackling in Rugby can translate to footy. Athletics and running can translate to footy. It’s harder to see the link between cricket and footy - other than a personal desire to compete/be the best - or just being patient playing that sport every week over summer, countless hours doing bugger all haha (sorry to the cricket fans).

 

[wayToGo_]

It’s harder to see the link between cricket and footy - other than a personal desire to compete/be the best - or just being patient playing that sport every week over summer, countless hours doing bugger all haha (sorry to the cricket fans).

He'll have no problem waiting to be played. The perfect 'project players' are from cricket.

 

[Wally Walpamur]

I had the pleasure of playing a half round of golf with Sam today at Point Walter. Myself and a friend were in front of him and he was playing by himself. He kept hitting up on us (long driver) and we thought we should get him to join our group (the boy can play). He’s with a host family at the moment and plans on staying there until the end of the season. He’s still rake skinny but it was interesting that he said he’d been training in the backline since he arrived, with the ultimate plan to play midfield in a couple years time.

He’s a really good bloke and motivated to succeed here with the young group. Loving his time in Perth. Super professional aswell, we were sinking a few and offered him one which be quickly declined because of his game tomorrow. His shirt was dirty cos he didnt have a towel to wipe his clubs and he has the nose the size of Pav.

If I could change buddy now I would but I’ll support him like he was. We’ve got a real keeper on our hands.

 

[yakka man]

I had the pleasure of playing a half round of golf with Sam today at Point Walter. Myself and a friend were in front of him and he was playing by himself. He kept hitting up on us (long drives) and we thought we should get him to join our group (the boy can play). He’s with a host family at the moment and plans on staying there until the end of the season. He’s still rake skinny but it was interesting that he said he’d been training in the backline since he arrived, with the ultimate plan to play midfield in a couple years time.

He’s a really good bloke and motivated to succeed here with the young group. Loving his time in Perth as well. Super pefessional A’s week, we were sinking a few and offered him one which be quickly declined because of his game tomorrow. His shirt was dirty cos he didnt have a towel to wipe his clubs and he has the nose the size of Pav.

If I could change buddy now I would but I’ll support him like he was. We’ve got a real keeper on our hands.

Your're kidding right? Why don't we just draft nothing but backmen because nearly all our recruits seem to end up playing there.

 

[Joao]

I had the pleasure of playing a half round of golf with Sam today at Point Walter. Myself and a friend were in front of him and he was playing by himself. He kept hitting up on us (long drives) and we thought we should get him to join our group (the boy can play). He’s with a host family at the moment and plans on staying there until the end of the season. He’s still rake skinny but it was interesting that he said he’d been training in the backline since he arrived, with the ultimate plan to play midfield in a couple years time.

He’s a really good bloke and motivated to succeed here with the young group. Loving his time in Perth as well. Super pefessional A’s week, we were sinking a few and offered him one which be quickly declined because of his game tomorrow. His shirt was dirty cos he didnt have a towel to wipe his clubs and he has the nose the size of Pav.

If I could change buddy now I would but I’ll support him like he was. We’ve got a real keeper on our hands.

Dude has the talent to play anywhere IMO. If he knows how to win the ball and has a decent sidestep, he literally has every desirable skill/trait for non-kpp players.

Interesting that he was playing on his own. Hoping he has some mates in the playing group.

 

[Scham]

Your're kidding right? Why don't we just draft nothing but backmen because nearly all our recruits seem to end up playing there.

Yep. Unbelievable! We desperately need quality small and med forwards and we seemingly draft one but immediately play him in defence. This has become beyond a joke! We’ll go nowhere while we have this thinking at the club. Change is now desperately needed if we want to succeed.

 

[Wally Walpamur]

Dude has the talent to play anywhere IMO. If he knows how to win the ball and has a decent sidestep, he literally has every desirable skill/trait for non-kpp players.

Interesting that he was playing on his own. Hoping he has some mates in the playing group.

That’s what I thought too but his host family live on Burke Dr (must have lucked out in the host family department!) so Point Walter is just up the road. He did say most of the boys play at Royal Freo so I think ultimately that’s where he’ll end up in the not too distant future. The only thing I can think as to why he hasn’t yet is that their nom fee is between $3,000-$4,000 and their annual around the same, so maybe he needs to save a few $ first.

I agree he could play anywhere but he just has the frame to add another 15kg and be an inside mid.

 

[eastfreo75]

I had the pleasure of playing a half round of golf with Sam today at Point Walter. Myself and a friend were in front of him and he was playing by himself. He kept hitting up on us (long drives) and we thought we should get him to join our group (the boy can play). He’s with a host family at the moment and plans on staying there until the end of the season. He’s still rake skinny but it was interesting that he said he’d been training in the backline since he arrived, with the ultimate plan to play midfield in a couple years time.

He’s a really good bloke and motivated to succeed here with the young group. Loving his time in Perth as well. Super professional aswell, we were sinking a few and offered him one which be quickly declined because of his game tomorrow. His shirt was dirty cos he didnt have a towel to wipe his clubs and he has the nose the size of Pav.

If I could change buddy now I would but I’ll support him like he was. We’ve got a real keeper on our hands.

awesome story, thanks for sharing

 

[Wally Walpamur]

Your're kidding right? Why don't we just draft nothing but backmen because nearly all our recruits seem to end up playing there.

Do you think that after coming from a cricket background, the coaches thought it would be better for him to start down back to learn to read the game a bit more, then move to midfield? I do agree he seems like a perfect forward/mid in the Fyfe and Mundy mold.

 

[salim malik]

Do you think that after coming from a cricket background, the coaches thought it would be better for him to start down back to learn to read the game a bit more, then move to midfield? I do agree he seems like a perfect forward/mid in the Fyfe and Mundy

Yours was a good feeling positive post that I enjoyed reading .Why do some feel the need to find some kind of negative twist to what is a great post.

 

[eastfreo75]

Do you think that after coming from a cricket background, the coaches thought it would be better for him to start down back to learn to read the game a bit more, then move to midfield? I do agree he seems like a perfect forward/mid in the Fyfe and Mundy mold.

I think that people are forgetting that young players rarely play full time midfield and most of the time start as a half forward or back then increase their midfield minutes as they learn and get a tank.

Sturt has never had a pre-season ever and only half a season of TAC.

Massive upside but he may take time.

 

[Dale147]

Good yarn Wally, thanks for sharing.

 

[Taylor]

Was he spraying them wide or mostly long and straight up the middle?

 

[Wally Walpamur]

Was he spraying them wide or mostly long and straight up the middle?

Long and straight... until he joined our group haha. He was even before he joined us then shot a double first hole he joined us and unfortunately only made one more par for the rest of the round. He was teeing off from the comp markers though.

 

[wild side]

Good stuff Wally. His coach at TAC reckons he's a forward. Its in a Duffield article in the last day or so!

 

[Cesoir]

Yours was a good feeling positive post that I enjoyed reading .Why do some feel the need to find some kind of negative twist to what is a great post.

I just love the ability of some posters to turn everything into a negative, no matter how positive the original intent. I can just see it in the future:

Belly "Good news, the recruitment guys have pulled off a massive coup and recruited Jesus".
Scham "Unbelievable! Why couldn't we recruit someone from a more attacking religion like Islam?"

 

[Scham]

I just love the ability of some posters to turn everything into a negative, no matter how positive the original intent. I can just see it in the future:

Belly "Good news, the recruitment guys have pulled off a massive coup and recruited Jesus".
Scham "Unbelievable! Why couldn't we recruit someone from a more attacking religion like Islam?"

The truth hurts you doesn’t it.

I just want us to succeed and can see both positives and negatives rather than just being a fanboy accepting that everything we do is beyond criticism. And I don’t accept mediocrity when the pursuit takes excellence to succeed. We need to destroy that weak culture associated with our club. You’re part of the problem.

 

[theGav56]

Nice insight, cheers for that. Have to agree with the development plan of introducing players via the HBF. Especially with players who are likely to end up midfield, which Sturt clearly has the capacity for, it is a sound strategy to get exposure to the game and sharpen the decision making while developing the body.

Makes me laugh/cringe when posters want to lock in a player who has barely played a handful of TAC games into a specific role. Fyfe and Mundy are prime examples of the importance of being able to look at a young man's skill set and put in place a process of harnessing that full potential.

 

[Joao]

Half back isn't necessarily a defensive role, in fact, gun half backs are probably just as important as your forwards for attacking anyway.

 

[Taylor]

Is it so surprising that the skills that make for a great half back distributing the ball work all the way up to the half forward line?

There is a lot more of the ground facing the goals (defenders moving forward) than there are facing the ball (attackers leading at the ball carrier)

 

[theGav56]

Is it so surprising that the skills that make for a great half back distributing the ball work all the way up to the half forward line?

There is a lot more of the ground facing the goals (defenders moving forward) than there are facing the ball (attackers leading at the ball carrier)

Is Lyon unique in introducing players to the game via HB?

Does anyone really think Lyon plans for Sturt to develop and stay in defence?

Is there any other position that provides such an all round knowledge of the game?

 

[theGav56]

Half back isn't necessarily a defensive role, in fact, gun half backs are probably just as important as your forwards for attacking anyway.

It is the starting point of attack.

 

[Taylor]

Is Lyon unique in introducing players to the game via HB?

Does anyone really think Lyon plans for Sturt to develop and stay in defence?

Is there any other position that provides such an all round knowledge of the game?

Half back is the place to play your young highly rated talent in their early years before they go full midfield.

McGrath is one that comes to mind. Yeo did it too.