Player Watch #25 Billy Cootee - Welcome to Sydney - Pick 42

[RUNVS]

Cootee may be competing with Corey for a spot but winning that battle will not be sufficient because Corey doesn't have a spot to take. Braeden does have a spot to lose but has different weapons and so might not be the first one to give way to Cootee. Braeden's kicking is his biggest point of difference. On that point, I'd really love Braeden to learn to leverage his exceptional kicking more effectively. As I mentioned yesterday, Braeden did finish a whisker in front of Cootee in the time trial, so Braeden isn't going to lose his spot because Cootee has a bigger tank (not at this point, anyway).

Campbell's problem now, as it has been his entire career is his endurance. He always is so much more impactful in the first half than the second. It is common for him to get 10 disposals and a goal the first half and for us to think he is on for a really good game and then end the game with only 13 disposals.

 

[rustycrate]

There was an interview with Cootee on SEN which finished about 15 minutes ago.
I just missed it.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Audio from his interview on SEN Afternoons:

 

[SydneyBlood]

Audio from his interview on SEN Afternoons:

Just listened and he seems a really humble and switched on young lad. Hope he can make an impact, even if it isn't straight away.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

He's not messing around: he's determined to play AFL straight up, not here to play in the VFL!

 

[bedford]

There was an interview with Cootee on SEN which finished about 15 minutes ago.
I just missed it.

It was on the media thread which has gone off again

 

[bedford]

A story about when he 1st went to Essendon , his coach Leigh Tudor was so happy with him and it is now history that he was made Captain. Tudor after a couple of games went to the Dons recruiter Adrian Deodoro telling him that they have a AFL ready player and must recruit him and kept getting dismissed by Deodoro
Very happy with this pick and originally from Mt Beauty in the Great Dividing Range

 

[Cadsky]

A story about when he 1st went to Essendon , his coach Leigh Tudor was so happy with him and it is now history that he was made Captain. Tudor after a couple of games went to the Dons recruiter Adrian Deodoro telling him that they have a AFL ready player and must recruit him and kept getting dismissed by Deodoro
Very happy with this pick and originally from Mt Beauty in the Great Dividing Range

Leigh Tudor. I wonder where we've heard that name before

 

[dosser]

Leigh Tudor. I wonder where we've heard that name before

Blast from the past

 

[SwansLifer]

A story about when he 1st went to Essendon , his coach Leigh Tudor was so happy with him and it is now history that he was made Captain. Tudor after a couple of games went to the Dons recruiter Adrian Deodoro telling him that they have a AFL ready player and must recruit him and kept getting dismissed by Deodoro
Very happy with this pick and originally from Mt Beauty in the Great Dividing Range

Thank you AD. The gift that keeps giving every other AFL team but Essendon. Any chance all the other clubs can pitch in and get him back there?

Anyway, it's pretty telling of the impact he makes to be in a leadership position at a VFL club at such a young age. Incredible really.

 

[joeykanga]

Leigh Tudor. I wonder where we've heard that name before

I had to look him up. You awakened my curiosity.

Leigh Tudor Appointed as Senior Coach for 2026

The Aberfeldie Sports Club is proud to announce Leigh Tudor as the new Senior Men’s Football Coach.

www.aberfeldiesportsclub.com.au

 

[Cadsky]

I had to look him up. You awakened my curiosity.

Leigh Tudor Appointed as Senior Coach for 2026

The Aberfeldie Sports Club is proud to announce Leigh Tudor as the new Senior Men’s Football Coach.

www.aberfeldiesportsclub.com.au

He was an assistant coach during our 2012 premiership year.

 

[bedford]

He was an assistant coach during our 2012 premiership year.

Quality person

 

[rustycrate]

Billy Cootee to debut on his old home ground in Gather Round 11th April 2026.

 

[SydneyBlood]

Billy Cootee to debut on his old home ground in Gather Round 11th April 2026.

Sounds good. Even better, Billy Cootee in his fifth game on his old home ground in Gather Round 11th April 2026 aiming to keep up his average of 20 disposals, 3 goals and 5 tackles per game as a dangerous forward.

 

[SwansLifer]

Billy Cootee to debut on his old home ground in Gather Round 11th April 2026.

That would be quite a story.

 

[rustycrate]

I just cannot understand why Essendon did not even rookie him.
Essendon VFL captain. At a young age too.
Seems like a guy who would smash through walls to play AFL.
Seems to have the talent and the runs on the board.
I am driving the Cootee wagon.
Toot toot.

 

[Big Blood]

He was an assistant coach during our 2012 premiership year.

We've done well out of North Melbourne premiership players.

 

[bedford]

I just cannot understand why Essendon did not even rookie him.
Essendon VFL captain. At a young age too.
Seems like a guy who would smash through walls to play AFL.
Seems to have the talent and the runs on the board.
I am driving the Cootee wagon.
Toot toot.

Dedoro didn't like him , simple as that , our gain from that ###

 

[dosser]

Dedoro didn't like him , simple as that , our gain from that ###

Dodoro was always a very astute judge of young players.

 

[caesar88]

I just cannot understand why Essendon did not even rookie him.
Essendon VFL captain. At a young age too.
Seems like a guy who would smash through walls to play AFL.
Seems to have the talent and the runs on the board.
I am driving the Cootee wagon.
Toot toot.

Odd comment rusty. Dodoro is probably Italian for potato but Cootee is 22 so technically every club passed him over about a dozen times at least.

 

[rustycrate]

Odd comment rusty. Dodoro is probably Italian for potato but Cootee is 22 so technically every club passed him over about a dozen times at least.

True. But they had him in their hands and made him captain. They knew him inside and out.
I think if 'Dodoro' really means 'potato' then I understamd why.
Thanks for clarifying.
Your knowledge of entymology is warming.

 

[bedford]

Odd comment rusty. Dodoro is probably Italian for potato but Cootee is 22 so technically every club passed him over about a dozen times at least.

Leigh Tudor was his coach in the VFL and kept pushing him to Dudoro who just ignored it , nothing to do with other clubs

 

[Kiama Chris]

Leigh Tudor was his coach in the VFL and kept pushing him to Dudoro who just ignored it , nothing to do with other clubs

Looking for the "shakes head" emoji.

 

[bedford]

Looking for the "shakes head" emoji.

Good for you