Welcome With Rookie Pick 28 Geelong Football Club Selects Nick Driscoll

[CatToTheFuture]

You can see the appeal of this kid from that highlight package.

Some damaging handballs, penetrating kicks, and evasive movement in traffic. Sounds like the core components of his game are not why he slid, just doesn't get it enough.

 

[year of the cat]

Some damaging handballs, penetrating kicks, and evasive movement in traffic. Sounds like the core components of his game are not why he slid, just doesn't get it enough.

Be interesting to know why he hasn’t accumulated to the level of the top mids? Does he switch off mentality or is it a fitness issue?

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Be interesting to know why he hasn’t accumulated to the level of the top mids? Does he switch off mentality or is it a fitness issue?

Rookieme lists speed and run and carry as a positive attribute so maybe fitness base, maybe it's running patterns, dunno

 

[Gazza Greatness]

Some damaging handballs, penetrating kicks, and evasive movement in traffic. Sounds like the core components of his game are not why he slid, just doesn't get it enough.

Be interesting to know why he hasn’t accumulated to the level of the top mids? Does he switch off mentality or is it a fitness issue?

Rookieme lists speed and run and carry as a positive attribute so maybe fitness base, maybe it's running patterns, dunno

By Cats Media

With their final selection in the draft, the Cats recruited Nick Driscoll, a speedy midfielder-forward from Eltham and the Northern Knights. Driscoll earned a state draft combine invite after a brilliant stretch of football through the middle of the season, resulting in him making his VFL debut with the Northern Bullants in Round 17. Capable of breaking lines with his elite speed, Driscoll is also able to have an impact around stoppages with a high IQ around the contest and a clean set of hands to extract the ball. Driscoll also possesses elite endurance and can work hard into space.

New draftee, Nick Driscoll by limited highlights video seems extremely promising, especially coming from rookie list and I'm not even sure I've read the club saying "with a high IQ around contest" before with a young recruit. Long way to go and he's got plenty of hard yards to make it but having 'top footy nous' is a bloody good starting point of which less face it, most footballers don't have.

 

[dazbroncos]

Got tools of the game clearly... not really big or explosive... seems elusive and reads game relatively well.

BE good to see what 2 years in a professional team environment can yield for him.

GO Catters

 

[Generalissimo]

Looks like he's got a bit of pace, just not explosive off one step. Excellent evasion in traffic and sound disposal are nice too.

 

[Footy Smarts]

He looks pretty skinny and underdeveloped physically in those clips. I imagine that's part of why he didn't get the exposure some others did despite a good looking skill set. Maybe he's just a late developer who will make big strides from here.

 

[joe444]

His highlights looked better than some of the more touted picks this year, which isn't saying a heck of a lot.

Comfortable on his left as well as his right foot. That's already something we could do with more of.

 

[BORIS332]

Looks a smart player, and uses it well on both sides.

 

[joe444]

Looks a smart player, and uses it well on both sides.

How many players do we have who can do that? Humphries ...

 

[Heckler]

Evades, Finds balance, moves ball on quickly
ie: Has Awareness, Speed, Smarts, Skills.
Needs Size, Strength, Stamina,
Skinny kid, yet to fill out, still growing.
Long term project player,... could surprise.

 

[dudusmaximus]

Sees around corners. The Wellsy Legend lives on.

 

[bombersboy]

Got tools of the game clearly... not really big or explosive... seems elusive and reads game relatively well.

BE good to see what 2 years in a professional team environment can yield for him.

GO Catters

As a rookie he may not not get the 2 years. I thought Retschko showed enough in his first year to warrant a second year but he did not get it and I think we may be just as tight for list spots next year.

 

[year of the cat]

As a rookie he may not not get the 2 years. I thought Retschko showed enough in his first year to warrant a second year but he did not get it and I think we may be just as tight for list spots next year.

You’d think next year is Stanley’s last (finally!). Also Stevens and Matofai-Forbes will have to show a bit to stay on. Wiltshire, Martin and Bews all need to have good seasons to get new contracts.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

As a rookie he may not not get the 2 years. I thought Retschko showed enough in his first year to warrant a second year but he did not get it and I think we may be just as tight for list spots next year.

I see it the complete opposite.
We're going to have list spots in abundance in all likelihood.

It's why I believe we've prolonged the cull for a season in order to do it in a better draft/FA year, and not have all of Guthrie, Duncan, Bews, Stanley, and PFD leave a void at once.

This isn't to write anybody off or say it's a guarantee, anything can happen. On what we know right now though, would it surprise anybody if these names weren't on our list in 2027?

• Rhys Stanley (retired)
• Jed Bews (retired)
• Patrick Dangerfield (retired)
• Mark Blicavs (retired)
• Jack Martin (retired)
• Mitch Knevitt (delisted)
• Oli Wiltshire (delisted)
• Keighton Matofai-Forbes (delisted)
• George Stevens (delisted)
• Joe Pike (delisted)

I doubt it would be that aggressive, so there's a couple who probably don't get the chop - but the point is we're highly unlikely to have the squeeze we had this year.

 

[bombersboy]

You’d think next year is Stanley’s last (finally!). Also Stevens and Matofai-Forbes will have to show a bit to stay on. Wiltshire, Martin and Bews all need to have god seasons to get new contracts.

All valid points but after this year? Who knows with Stanley. Depends on Conway and Edwards and if things go pear shaped at St Kilda we may get Marshall - but that would be a one for one replacement. I thought Wiltshire would be the first to be delisted this year. If he shows anything in the coming year he is likely to get a contract given he got one this year after showing nothing. If Martin performs as well as he did this year he is likely to get another contract. Plus you would expect we would trade in another 1 or 2.

 

[bombersboy]

I see it the complete opposite.
We're going to have list spots in abundance in all likelihood.

It's why I believe we've prolonged the cull for a season in order to do it in a better draft/FA year, and not have all of Guthrie, Duncan, Bews, Stanley, and PFD leave a void at once.

This isn't to write anybody off or say it's a guarantee, anything can happen. On what we know right now though, would it surprise anybody if these names weren't on our list in 2027?

• Rhys Stanley (retired)
• Jed Bews (retired)
• Patrick Dangerfield (retired)
• Mark Blicavs (retired)
• Jack Martin (retired)
• Mitch Knevitt (delisted)
• Oli Wiltshire (delisted)
• Keighton Matofai-Forbes (delisted)
• George Stevens (delisted)
• Joe Pike (delisted)

I doubt it would be that aggressive, so there's a couple who probably don't get the chop - but the point is we're highly unlikely to have the squeeze we had this year.

I think Danger and Blicavs have a couple of years left and I would be surprised if Martin retired. If Stanley retires then he is a fair chance to be replaced by Marshall as an unrestricted free agent. There is a fair chance based on past history that we trade in another 1 or 2 and I am hopeful that one of Knevitt or Stevens takes a step up.

 

[BORIS332]

Evades, Finds balance, moves ball on quickly
ie: Has Awareness, Speed, Smarts, Skills.
Needs Size, Strength, Stamina,
Skinny kid, yet to fill out, still growing.
Long term project player,... could surprise.

Feels like a Sam Simpson type.

 

[strauchnyy]

Looks like he could develop into a back pocket

 

[Pure_Ownage]

As a rookie he may not not get the 2 years. I thought Retschko showed enough in his first year to warrant a second year but he did not get it and I think we may be just as tight for list spots next year.

Next year i do think we have a lot more obvious exits though-stanley bews knevitt (if he doesnt come on) Wiltshire kmf stevens possibly Martin or kolo, dangerfield or blitz retiring etc (thats before you get to guys like clark) so driscoll might get 2 years if he plays well. Retschko was just unlucky we were in a squeeze year.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I think Danger and Blicavs have a couple of years left and I would be surprised if Martin retired. If Stanley retires then he is a fair chance to be replaced by Marshall as an unrestricted free agent. There is a fair chance based on past history that we trade in another 1 or 2 and I am hopeful that one of Knevitt or Stevens takes a step up.

Marshall is not a free agent until 2027 we would be getting a different ruck. If Conway cant get on the park id delist him too (despite the contract). Martin will be over 30 and with his injury history this might be the last year. You could say the same about kolo depending on how his body comes back.
Danger retiring wouldn't surprise me. Blitz may go on as he was a late starter.

 

[Mattlock]

Hopefully he is the type that looks better and gets more of it at higher levels tehehe

 

[CatRiot]

Looks like he's got a bit of pace, just not explosive off one step. Excellent evasion in traffic and sound disposal are nice too.

Evades, Finds balance, moves ball on quickly
ie: Has Awareness, Speed, Smarts, Skills.
Needs Size, Strength, Stamina,
Skinny kid, yet to fill out, still growing.
Long term project player,... could surprise.

Looks a good link-up sort of player. High half forward perhaps - a bit like Close, or S Byrnes. Not sure he's a natural goal kicker though, more that link-up type of forward. Slightly different to Miers though.

 

[year of the cat]

Looks a good link-up sort of player. High half forward perhaps - a bit like Close, or S Byrnes. Not sure he's a natural goal kicker though, more that link-up type of forward. Slightly different to Miers though.

Agree with strauchnyy that he could develop into a running small defender which we are lacking. Needs to put on 5-10kg but has the right skill set it appears.

 

[CatRiot]

Agree with strauchnyy that he could develop into a running small defender which we are lacking. Needs to put on 5-10kg but has the right skill set it appears.

This is possible too... I quite like that he has some pace and looks like a classy user. I'm sure he can be developed into something, just a question if others are better at his supposed role.