I have seen Tim play live at the State U/18's this year at Domain when they played Victorian Country mid season Country were last year's titleholders. He is a tall slim guy with reasonably good skills and certainly matched it at that level with opposition talls. Yes he needs to bulk up and that is acknowledged but the heartening thing about him is the wrap Andrew Lockyer gave him on PR one Sunday morning. He indicated that Tim runs to the rights spots and he has been coached at Christ Church Grammar by Ryan Turnbull ex Eagles ruckman. Lockyer also acknowledged that he needed to bulk up.
The fact that he has been elevated by Souths to the League side is recognition of what he delivers. I am all for picking him as he is a WA boy and homesickness wont be an issue. Whilst Sandi is still with us Tim can learn heaps from the Big Fella whilst building his body. I don't subscribe to the view that we shouldn't waste a high pick on a ruckman as I don't believe we can find a good one as easy as that.
In that U/18 State game at Subi Strnadica from East Freo kicked some goals but he is a tall forward that also needs work on his body to add bulk. I would love to see English play in the finals and I will go and see him live at some stage as Souths are playing in all grades this week except this week as I am
watching Peel play. In fact I would love to catch up and sit with you and watch English live and other eligibles.
Thanks Danny. I was at that game as well. In that game he was very good at positioning himself across half back to stop the opposition rebounding. He took a number of good intercept marks. I thought his disposal was ok for a big guy but Rotham was miles ahead of everyone on the field with his class kicking that day. A little frustrated that Tim didn't nominate for the draft last year because he certainly wouldn't have cost a top 10 pick then. But then again we may not have Tucker and Balic on our list if he did.
I'm still caught up using pick 3 on a speculative ruck prospect personally. And its the economics of it that's causing my mind to explode. Let's assume he's going to take 2-3 years to build the body, strength and skills to play as an AFL ruck. At the end of that 2-3 years (he could be out of contract at that time as well), he almost certainly won't be worth more than first round pick (at trade). Even many years later as one of the best rucks in the comp, it's unlikely he'll cost more than a single first rounder. Have any rucks ever been traded for more than a single first rounder?
Meanwhile on the other hand let's say McCluggage slides to #3. He's ready to play round 1 in a forward pocket/flank. By the time a young ruck from the same draft year is ready to play he's already racked up 2-3 years of AFL games experience. If he becomes the gun we expect he'll be worth more than a single first rounder he originally cost, most likely two (eg Jaeger who has been injured most of his career). So in 3-4 years we could have two first rounders in trade currency up our sleeves. So we could trade McCluggage out, trade English in, and still have a first rounder left over for someone else.
I like English, I just don't like the maths.