Recruiting James Hird Academy (Father/Son and Next Generation)

[Yoda_]

Perhaps you could post it then and I’ll stick your post so you can keep it up to date

The James Hird Academy website has updated the list with next two years eligible kids

Official AFL Website of the Essendon Football Club

The official AFL website of the Essendon Football Club

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[MPMonkeys]

Touk Miller was playing juniors in EDFL and was Vice Captain in under 18s and Dodo head didn't draft him we took Langford and Laverde ahead of him

Give me a spell. Every club overlooked him.

 

[andleanback]

Touk Miller was playing juniors in EDFL and was Vice Captain in under 18s and Dodo head didn't draft him we took Langford and Laverde ahead of him

Classic dodo taking 2 similar type players, instead of the local boy who oozed leadership and was a hard worker.

 

[andleanback]

Give me a spell. Every club overlooked him.

It’s more so we had 2 picks around his range( most thought he was a 15-20 pick slipped a bit on draft night), and we took 2 similar type players, in hoping they could become midfielders. Yeh everyone passed on touk we know that, it’s not the point of his comment.

 

[andleanback]

13 teams had picks before he was taken that year. Including St Kilda (who had 3 picks, none of whom played 100 games for them), GWS (5 and none of which played 100 for them). Suns even took Wright (60-70 games before trading for a pick they didn't use) and Jarrod Garlett (17 games before being traded to Carlton and 13 games there) before him.

Langford is a top 10 player in that draft. Take away the academy linked players he's just about top 5.

In what world is langers top 5?! He’s not even top 10
Petracca, Brayshaw, de goey, miller, moore, Steele, Andrews, lever, Maynard, short, Sinclair, dale, Daniel, saad, heeney

 

[Yoda_]

Stats up for the game today; Falcons kicked a goal inside the first minute in quarters 1 and 4 which really hurt any momentum the Cannons needed. Falcons going on to win 84 - 66

Adam Sweid
21 disposals (9k, 12hb)
13 tackles
4 inside 50's
0.1

Blake Justice (2026 eligible)
18 disposals (11k, 7hb)
3 marks
6 tackles
3 inside 50's

Jad Naim (2026 eligible)
14 disposals 6k, 8hb)
4 marks
2 rebound 50's

Tristan Leeds
12 disposals (9k, 3hb)
6 marks
4 tackles
2 inside 50's
4 rebound 50's

Olu Olalekan
11 disposals (6k, 5hb)
4 marks
4 tackles
2 rebound 50's

Coen McGrath
9 disposals (7k, 2hb)
2 marks
2 tackles
2 inside 50's

Alex Alessio
5 disposals (3k, 2hb)
1 mark
5 hitouts


Noah Caracella
14 disposals (9k, 5hb)
5 marks
2 tackles
2 inside 50's
6 rebound 50's

From my viewing Sweid was ok once again, not as influential but had some really telling moments once again. Highlighted by a take down tackle on a would be fend off. His core strength is second to none which sees him keep his feet better than most.

Without doing much research, Im thinking Olu Olalekan is new to the game, his kicking won't hold up at the higher level but he had some positive moments. Cracks in hard in defence

Jad Naim was good once again on the wing, linked up well and often used it well. Must be hard as I would hazard a guess he plays midfield for his local club, Strathmore.

Read during the week that Calder coach Sam Willet rates Blake Justice highly and can see why. Saw him in a different light today, played down back and did some nice things there. Did get him confused with Gus Pappal at times (both similar physique on the camera)

Tristan Leeds is a big boot head, does the basics ok but easy to see why hes coming from a long way back. At one stage had a kick but then played on and handball blindly to no one and turned it over.

Coen McGrath was largely unsighted

Alex Alessio played second fiddle to the returning Cooper Duff-Tytler and it showed.


Im a little disappointed I didn't notice Noah Caracella as he had a somewhat productive enough day with 14 possessions

 

[ghostdog]

Koby Bewick watch sees him kick 10 today as Strathmore (1) have a resounding 216 - 18 win over Deer Park

That's great, but should that club be in that comp?

 

[ghostdog]

Stats up for the game today; Falcons kicked a goal inside the first minute in quarters 1 and 4 which really hurt any momentum the Cannons needed. Falcons going on to win 84 - 66

Adam Sweid
21 disposals (9k, 12hb)
13 tackles
4 inside 50's
0.1

Blake Justice (2026 eligible)
18 disposals (11k, 7hb)
3 marks
6 tackles
3 inside 50's

Jad Naim (2026 eligible)
14 disposals 6k, 8hb)
4 marks
2 rebound 50's

Tristan Leeds
12 disposals (9k, 3hb)
6 marks
4 tackles
2 inside 50's
4 rebound 50's

Olu Olalekan
11 disposals (6k, 5hb)
4 marks
4 tackles
2 rebound 50's

Coen McGrath
9 disposals (7k, 2hb)
2 marks
2 tackles
2 inside 50's

Alex Alessio
5 disposals (3k, 2hb)
1 mark
5 hitouts


Noah Caracella
14 disposals (9k, 5hb)
5 marks
2 tackles
2 inside 50's
6 rebound 50's

From my viewing Sweid was ok once again, not as influential but had some really telling moments once again. Highlighted by a take down tackle on a would be fend off. His core strength is second to none which sees him keep his feet better than most.

Without doing much research, Im thinking Olu Olalekan is new to the game, his kicking won't hold up at the higher level but he had some positive moments. Cracks in hard in defence

Jad Naim was good once again on the wing, linked up well and often used it well. Must be hard as I would hazard a guess he plays midfield for his local club, Strathmore.

Read during the week that Calder coach Sam Willet rates Blake Justice highly and can see why. Saw him in a different light today, played down back and did some nice things there. Did get him confused with Gus Pappal at times (both similar physique on the camera)

Tristan Leeds is a big boot head, does the basics ok but easy to see why hes coming from a long way back. At one stage had a kick but then played on and handball blindly to no one and turned it over.

Coen McGrath was largely unsighted

Alex Alessio played second fiddle to the returning Cooper Duff-Tytler and it showed.


Im a little disappointed I didn't notice Noah Caracella as he had a somewhat productive enough day with 14 possessions

13 tackles for Sweid speaks well.

 

[eDPS]

That's great, but should that club be in that comp?

That club was 5th in an 8 team comp. Strathmore are just that strong and have been in every side Bewick has been in. Pretty sure he has been captain in all these teams aswell

 

[Agronomus]

13 tackles for Sweid speaks well.

He's next level nuggetty

 

[Yoda_]

That's great, but should that club be in that comp?

As eDPS mentioned the Essendon District is a funny competition, they have 5 under 16 divisions, Strathmore have 3 teams (div 4, div 2, div 1) whilst some clubs in the same association are closer to the bottom of div 5 (see Tullamarine / St albans) than others third teams (strathmore div 4 is 1st)


Fun fact, the second division under 16, Strathmore side is coached by Adam Ramanauskas whilst son Lucas is Vice Captain of said team whilst elder son Lucas is captain of the 2nd Strathmore under 18s side

 

[Runk]

He's next level nuggetty

Exactly what we need. More nuggety players. They're the best.

 

[Runk]

Classic dodo taking 2 similar type players, instead of the local boy who oozed leadership and was a hard worker.

Pretty sure Laverde was a local boy being from Keilor and all

 

[eDPS]

Pretty sure Laverde was a local boy being from Keilor and all

I think he was a bombers supporter aswell

 

[andleanback]

Pretty sure Laverde was a local boy being from Keilor and all

Yeh he was aswell, well he was western jets though
More the point taking 2 similar types.

 

[eDPS]

Yeh he was aswell, well he was western jets though
More the point taking 2 similar types.

Dodoro wanted two Nat Fyfes obviously

 

[Bipolar Bear]

Dodoro wanted two Nat Fyfes obviously

Nothing wrong with pick 17 and 20 getting 150 games each though.
People always think they were much earlier picks.

 

[Bipolar Bear]

Any talls we can have early? Asking for a Brad.

 

[andleanback]

Nothing wrong with pick 17 and 20 getting 150 games each though.
People always think they were much earlier picks.

Again it’s not the picks, it’s getting 2 similar players when we had limited picks throughout 2013 and 2014. It’s just another piece of evidence to why Dodoro struggled with actually building a list.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Again it’s not the picks, it’s getting 2 similar players when we had limited picks throughout 2013 and 2014. It’s just another piece of evidence to why Dodoro struggled with actually building a list.

Weren’t they both drafted with a move to the midfield in mind? Instead of drafting an actual midfielder

 

[andleanback]

Weren’t they both drafted with a move to the midfield in mind? Instead of drafting an actual midfielder

Yeh with the only 2 top 20 picks in 2 years we took 2 similar midfield project players. Neither worked

 

[MPMonkeys]

Yeh with the only 2 top 20 picks in 2 years we took 2 similar midfield project players. Neither worked

Everyone is a genius with hindsight.

Both Laverde and Langford were highly rated. Here is Cal Twomeys take on the 2014 draft.

The Phantom Draft with Callum Twomey

See how Callum Twomey's predictions matched up against the real top 30

www.afl.com.au

And here is another from Jay Clarke and Sam Landsberger

AFL Phantom Draft 2014: Jay Clark and Sam Landsberger predict who your club will pick

Phantom Draft 2014: Late mail on top picks

www.foxsports.com.au

Regardless to get two 150 game players from picks in the teens in the same draft is a fairly decent effort. Once you get below pick 5 in most drafts it becomes a lot more hit and miss.

 

[ghostdog]

As eDPS mentioned the Essendon District is a funny competition, they have 5 under 16 divisions, Strathmore have 3 teams (div 4, div 2, div 1) whilst some clubs in the same association are closer to the bottom of div 5 (see Tullamarine / St albans) than others third teams (strathmore div 4 is 1st)


Fun fact, the second division under 16, Strathmore side is coached by Adam Ramanauskas whilst son Lucas is Vice Captain of said team whilst elder son Lucas is captain of the 2nd Strathmore under 18s side

Look, it's a little bit Sciencey to me, but I think I understand.

Two kids with the same name. Can't see any confusion happening there at all.

 

[ghostdog]

Everyone is a genius with hindsight.

Both Laverde and Langford were highly rated. Here is Cal Twomeys take on the 2014 draft.

The Phantom Draft with Callum Twomey

See how Callum Twomey's predictions matched up against the real top 30

www.afl.com.au

And here is another from Jay Clarke and Sam Landsberger

AFL Phantom Draft 2014: Jay Clark and Sam Landsberger predict who your club will pick

Phantom Draft 2014: Late mail on top picks

www.foxsports.com.au

Regardless to get two 150 game players from picks in the teens in the same draft is a fairly decent effort. Once you get below pick 5 in most drafts it becomes a lot more hit and miss.

That's interesting reading.
I guess if you spend most of your opportunities at junior games, schmoozing with the private school coaches and parents and drinking coffee, you've gotta get your drafting advice from somewhere. *

This observation from Cal about Laverde though; "He's creative and adventurous"

But if I thought Dodo was getting drafting advice from commentators, whomever was list managing Carlton... wow; "Dillon Viojo-Rainbow is a possibility beyond the top-30, as is Blaine Boekhorst."

* May not have occurred as described.

 

[Agronomus]

Again it’s not the picks, it’s getting 2 similar players when we had limited picks throughout 2013 and 2014. It’s just another piece of evidence to why Dodoro struggled with actually building a list.

Does anyone know about Dodoro prior to Essendon? Does he even have a footy background?

 

[Bomber2025]

Yeh with the only 2 top 20 picks in 2 years we took 2 similar midfield project players. Neither worked

Agree totally