Rookie 28: Oliver Dempsey (2021 - )

Ratcat

Premiership Player
Aug 28, 2017
4,773
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AFL Club
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I believe so, might be a little bit taller

He's going to be not without a chance this kid, really like what I see there, if he reads this Ollie or Dad, remember it's all about Lungs and Legs, running is the key, you can play son, but you have to have elite fitness, it's a must!
Well done on the video Dad, great job, I think although a long shot, he's there now and that's what matters. I like what I see, good luck too!

With a name like "Dempsey" maybe we should just call him "Jack" after the great old Heavyweight "Jack Dempsey" who punched way over his weight!
As the TV add goes,....let's just name him,.."Jack"
 
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MeffDog

Rookie
Oct 5, 2019
43
150
AFL Club
Geelong
I contacted a friend at Carey. I am advised that Olly is a hugely talented athlete and excels at most sports. Hasn’t played a lot of footy. A person of high character.

Hopefully he can thrive in a professional environment and with development, exposure and confidence he can have a fine career at the Cattery.
 
Mar 27, 2006
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I contacted a friend at Carey. I am advised that Olly is a hugely talented athlete and excels at most sports. Hasn’t played a lot of footy. A person of high character.

Hopefully he can thrive in a professional environment and with development, exposure and confidence he can have a fine career at the Cattery.

My brothers boys are at Carey and he watched a couple of the APS games earlier this year. Said that Dempsey stood out alongside a couple of others (Incl Lohman). He played predominantly at half back and was very reliable. Still raw as you’d expect but has some very positive attributes.
 
Watching the Wellsy summary interview - he's 185cm. Only switched back to footy and played a 'half dozen' games. He is a great athlete and said he is a forward (even though in the footage he played literally every position including ruck).

Gotta love the rookie list.
 
Watching the Wellsy summary interview - he's 185cm. Only switched back to footy and played a 'half dozen' games. He is a great athlete and said he is a forward (even though in the footage he played literally every position including ruck).

Gotta love the rookie list.
At that level of experience, saying he's a forward probably just means he loves kicking goals. Don't we all....

... says the guy who basically only ever played in the backline
 

Hugga

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Sep 5, 2013
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I'm bullish about this pick. Exactly how the Rookie list should be used

Yeah I agree about the rookie list!

As for Ollie Dempsey, my son played against him in the top level of the YJFL comp for first 4 years of junior footy. The best players in the league at that time in my opinion were Josh Ward, Sam Darcy, and Ollie Dempsey, probably in that order, but it was a close thing, not much between them.
 
Mar 27, 2006
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Melbourne
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Watching Dempsey’s highlights on the GFC website the kid looks a strong overhead mark.
He’s no man child who dominates at this level, but a kid who can seriously read the flight of the ball.

Think this kid has enormous potential in a professional environment.
 
May 18, 2016
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Watching Dempsey’s highlights on the GFC website the kid looks a strong overhead mark.
He’s no man child who dominates at this level, but a kid who can seriously read the flight of the ball.
Looks like a very strong contested mark. Great hands and positioning by the look of it.
 

BORIS332

Norm Smith Medallist
Dec 22, 2016
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Geelong Cats AFL Draft haul could be the dawn of a new master midfield
Ollie Dempsey is the smokey of all smokey draftees and one of his coaches has lifted the lid on the basketballer-turned rookie Cat.
Josh Barnes


JUST a handful of school games were enough for “freaky talent” Ollie Dempsey to win over Geelong recruiters and land on an AFL list just six months after he returned to football.

The humble 18-year-old had a quiet celebration on Friday night after he was taken by the Cats with the 13th pick in the AFL Rookie Draft before turning up to do one final running session with his Old Carey Grammarians teammates on Saturday morning.

While the wider AFL world was surprised to hear the Cats call Dempsey’s name, those inside Old Carey and the football program at Carey Grammar had heard whispers he was on the way to the big league after seeing his outstanding ability as a rangy forward.

Dempsey made an under-12 state primary school football team but focused on basketball from under-13 level before he returned to Australian rules this year to play with his mates.

Jeremy Dickson has coached him in both the school and Old Carey programs and he said the 185cm forward had showed plenty of ability in his short return to footy.

Dickson said the competitive teen played in year 12 basketball premierships in year 9 and 10 and captained Carey as a year 11 student before switching codes.

“I think he played three under-19 games with (Old Carey) and every game he has more than 10 scoring shots, the last game he played he was playing high half-forward and wing and he kicked 6.4,” Dickson said.

“At APS level, it is a pretty high standard so anybody that isn’t a 6”5 forward and is kicking 4-5 goals each week, you know you have some freaky talent.

“He is good at ground level, very evasive and he will generally out-mark anyone that is of equal physical dimensions.”

Dickson said he had noticed Dempsey’s basketball background coming to the fore at training, where his vision allows him to see things others don’t.

“In any competitive or contact drill, he finds gaps that you wouldn’t expect are there,” Dickson said.

“He sees and computes the game really well. It is that classic point guard scenario where he sees things before they happen.”

Geelong recruiting boss Stephen Wells said Dempsey was “a bit of a traditional rookie-type selection” as a player who hadn’t enjoyed the exposure at NAB League but clearly had talent.

“He’s a very good mark, a really good footy brain and he is able to get the ball through the goals in a lot of different ways,” Wells said.

“He did all the things that we look for in those sort of players and he did it at the best level he could. It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t be exposed in the NAB League so we came to that sort of player to complement what we already had at the national draft.”

By only spending one pick at the rookie draft on Friday, Geelong kept one vacant spot on the list.

That can be filled at any time until a week before the season starts or saved for the mid-season draft and Wells said the Cats chose to keep it up their sleeve because “it gives us options”.
 
Dec 10, 2003
58,427
66,178
Newtown
AFL Club
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Geelong Cats AFL Draft haul could be the dawn of a new master midfield
Ollie Dempsey is the smokey of all smokey draftees and one of his coaches has lifted the lid on the basketballer-turned rookie Cat.
Josh Barnes


JUST a handful of school games were enough for “freaky talent” Ollie Dempsey to win over Geelong recruiters and land on an AFL list just six months after he returned to football.

The humble 18-year-old had a quiet celebration on Friday night after he was taken by the Cats with the 13th pick in the AFL Rookie Draft before turning up to do one final running session with his Old Carey Grammarians teammates on Saturday morning.

While the wider AFL world was surprised to hear the Cats call Dempsey’s name, those inside Old Carey and the football program at Carey Grammar had heard whispers he was on the way to the big league after seeing his outstanding ability as a rangy forward.

Dempsey made an under-12 state primary school football team but focused on basketball from under-13 level before he returned to Australian rules this year to play with his mates.

Jeremy Dickson has coached him in both the school and Old Carey programs and he said the 185cm forward had showed plenty of ability in his short return to footy.

Dickson said the competitive teen played in year 12 basketball premierships in year 9 and 10 and captained Carey as a year 11 student before switching codes.

“I think he played three under-19 games with (Old Carey) and every game he has more than 10 scoring shots, the last game he played he was playing high half-forward and wing and he kicked 6.4,” Dickson said.

“At APS level, it is a pretty high standard so anybody that isn’t a 6”5 forward and is kicking 4-5 goals each week, you know you have some freaky talent.

“He is good at ground level, very evasive and he will generally out-mark anyone that is of equal physical dimensions.”

Dickson said he had noticed Dempsey’s basketball background coming to the fore at training, where his vision allows him to see things others don’t.

“In any competitive or contact drill, he finds gaps that you wouldn’t expect are there,” Dickson said.

“He sees and computes the game really well. It is that classic point guard scenario where he sees things before they happen.”

Geelong recruiting boss Stephen Wells said Dempsey was “a bit of a traditional rookie-type selection” as a player who hadn’t enjoyed the exposure at NAB League but clearly had talent.

“He’s a very good mark, a really good footy brain and he is able to get the ball through the goals in a lot of different ways,” Wells said.

“He did all the things that we look for in those sort of players and he did it at the best level he could. It wasn’t his fault he couldn’t be exposed in the NAB League so we came to that sort of player to complement what we already had at the national draft.”

By only spending one pick at the rookie draft on Friday, Geelong kept one vacant spot on the list.

That can be filled at any time until a week before the season starts or saved for the mid-season draft and Wells said the Cats chose to keep it up their sleeve because “it gives us options”.

I know these things tend to puff the magic dragon... but if you are not impressed at the potential written about in this, Im not sure what someone would want.
 

Farmer2Goggin

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 17, 2009
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I know these things tend to puff the magic dragon... but if you are not impressed at the potential written about in this, Im not sure what someone would want.

Be interesting to follow this one - the point guard analogy is very relevant in terms of decision making/ vision and finding space. The other attribute a point guard possesses is how to weight a pass and pass to advantage , also skills that are needed as a mid :thumbsu:
 
Clearly well acquainted with the gym

img_1_1638178815527.jpg
 
Dec 10, 2003
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Be interesting to follow this one - the point guard analogy is very relevant in terms of decision making/ vision and finding space. The other attribute a point guard possesses is how to weight a pass and pass to advantage , also skills that are needed as a mid :thumbsu:

If he can transfer his ability to use both sides of his body. He will be more than just a forward.
 
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im happy to wait and see how he goes.

That goes for all the recruits this year actually.... and whilst Conway was the first taken that does not translate in the first to play.

VFL will be another great watch next year.

GO Catters
 
Dec 10, 2003
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im happy to wait and see how he goes.

That goes for all the recruits this year actually.... and whilst Conway was the first taken that does not translate in the first to play.

VFL will be another great watch next year.

GO Catters

Unfair considering the last two years but Stephens and SDek must do something in 2022. Add Evans etc ..there are a few that should be feeling heat before anyone this picked this year.... still..we just do not know what preseason form on and off the track will show. Does Holmes go from strength to strength, or do we start levering these tank shapes into our side. If so, maybe one of these fresh names gets a go. Demspey? Coming from school sport basically basketball more than footy.... If this kid gets a game, then we have a legit wells special. He should spend most 22 playing VFL and hitting the gym to get fit.
 

Heckler

Club Legend
Apr 19, 2014
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Ollie! Ollie! Ollie!
Oi! Oi! Oi!


Love kids with a Basketball background.
-well coordinated
-arm strength
-quick hands - reflexes
-excellent vision and awareness
-good in the air-timing
-high vertical leap
-high aerobic running capacity
-ability to find space
-calm under pressure
-switch from attack to defence fast


Very athletic and naturally sports talented
Highlight vid shows why he was selected
Makes it look easy- Great overhead
Believe he has the talent to make it
Perfect rookie selection


AIR OLLIE :- all aboard
 
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