2018 Draft thread

[briztoon]

Jez McLennan says he’s wants to come up to Queensland. He is an All Australian half back and a Lions fan. He would be around our pick 18, is he worth the punt considering we want half backs?

Have you got a link to an article.

 

[buttermuffs]

Have you got a link to an article.

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/spor...t/news-story/2cc1defedde40f96ea0761aad152a74f

HIGHLY rated South Australian draft prospect Jez McLennan has bucked the trend by issuing a “come and get me’’ plea to struggling AFL club Gold Coast.

While some of his more high-profile under-18 national championship-winning teammates have the Suns — described by Essendon great Matthew Lloyd as having the “worst list ever put on an AFL field’’ — at the bottom of their draft wishlist, McLennan says he would “love’’ to head north.

“I’ve heard all the stories about players not wanting to go there but I'm certainly not one of them,’’ said intercept defender McLennan, who was one of six Croweaters chosen in this year’s All-Australian under-18 team.

“Gold Coast is actually one of my preferred destinations and a place I would love to go to because it’s like a home away from home for me.’’

While gun SA kids Jack Lukosius, Izak Rankine and Connor Rozee — in contention to be taken by the draft-rich Suns with the selections they have at 2, 3 and 6 — prefer to stay in SA or go to a Melbourne club, McLennan has good reason for wanting Stuart Dew's club to call his name.

The 183cm Central District backman — regarded as a possible top-20 pick (the Suns also have selections 24 and 29) — is a mad-keen surfer who has family living at Gold Coast’s Mermaid Beach.

McLennan spends every Christmas with his parents and siblings there, taking to the surf for up to five hours a day.

It is luxury the well-travelled McLennan is denied in SA because he lives in the small Barossa suburb of Vine Vale, which is more than two hours from his favourite SA surfing spots on the Yorke Peninsula and at Middleton on the South Coast.

“I love surfing because when I’m out on the water it’s the best feeling in the world,’’ said McLennan, 18.

“Catching a wave, being out there with the dolphins, it clears my mind and gives me a great sense of freedom.

“I don't get the chance to surf much in Adelaide, so if I happened to be drafted by Gold Coast or Brisbane it would be a great result.’’

Not that McLennan, a Lions supporter who grew up idolising Brownlow Medallists Simon Black and Michael Voss, is taking his football lightly.

He aspires to be the best and has flown up draft boards this year.

SA under-18 coach Tony Bamford, who this year led the Croweaters to their first national title since 2014, said McLennan had been one of his team’s great success stories.

“At the start of the year Jez probably wasn’t among the best 20 draft prospects from SA — now he is in the top six or seven,’’ Bamford said.

“He has grown so much in the past 12 months and is one of those players who seems to thrive at the next level, which is a great sign for him heading into the AFL.’’

Chosen in SA’s leadership group, McLennan followed his All-Australian selection with a strong finish to the year with the Bulldogs, making his league debut against Adelaide in round 15 and playing the last five matches.

He models his game on Collingwood intercept king Jeremy Howe.

“The best defenders are the ones who win the ball first — and Jez intercepts the ball as well as anyone of his age,’’ Bamford said.

He noted that McLennan “isn’t one of those kids that is obsessed with football’ — skateboarding also is a hobby — but that is part of his charm.

“Life's not all football for him but that can be a good thing because some players can be over the top with it but Jez has a really good balance,’’ Bamford said.

Much of McLennan’s balance stems from his upbringing.

Born in Renmark, he spent much of his early life being raised in the Western Australian town of Derby in the Kimberley region and Nepal with his builder dad, Warren, nurse mum, Rachel, and siblings Ruby, now 20, and Louie, 15.

He attended school for seven months in Nepal where Rachel worked as a volunteer nurse and trekked through the Himalayan Mountains before returning to live in the Barossa and joining Central’s junior squads at age 14.

 

[ManeMan]

Have you got a link to an article.

https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&...EEAQ&usg=AOvVaw2ZAsuCGHuIQJX7DuwX-LVK&ampcf=1


Well, that's me aboard the McLennan train.

 

[luthor]

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/spor...t/news-story/2cc1defedde40f96ea0761aad152a74f

HIGHLY rated South Australian draft prospect Jez McLennan has bucked the trend by issuing a “come and get me’’ plea to struggling AFL club Gold Coast.

While some of his more high-profile under-18 national championship-winning teammates have the Suns — described by Essendon great Matthew Lloyd as having the “worst list ever put on an AFL field’’ — at the bottom of their draft wishlist, McLennan says he would “love’’ to head north.

“I’ve heard all the stories about players not wanting to go there but I'm certainly not one of them,’’ said intercept defender McLennan, who was one of six Croweaters chosen in this year’s All-Australian under-18 team.

“Gold Coast is actually one of my preferred destinations and a place I would love to go to because it’s like a home away from home for me.’’

While gun SA kids Jack Lukosius, Izak Rankine and Connor Rozee — in contention to be taken by the draft-rich Suns with the selections they have at 2, 3 and 6 — prefer to stay in SA or go to a Melbourne club, McLennan has good reason for wanting Stuart Dew's club to call his name.

The 183cm Central District backman — regarded as a possible top-20 pick (the Suns also have selections 24 and 29) — is a mad-keen surfer who has family living at Gold Coast’s Mermaid Beach.

McLennan spends every Christmas with his parents and siblings there, taking to the surf for up to five hours a day.

It is luxury the well-travelled McLennan is denied in SA because he lives in the small Barossa suburb of Vine Vale, which is more than two hours from his favourite SA surfing spots on the Yorke Peninsula and at Middleton on the South Coast.

“I love surfing because when I’m out on the water it’s the best feeling in the world,’’ said McLennan, 18.

“Catching a wave, being out there with the dolphins, it clears my mind and gives me a great sense of freedom.

“I don't get the chance to surf much in Adelaide, so if I happened to be drafted by Gold Coast or Brisbane it would be a great result.’’

Not that McLennan, a Lions supporter who grew up idolising Brownlow Medallists Simon Black and Michael Voss, is taking his football lightly.

He aspires to be the best and has flown up draft boards this year.

SA under-18 coach Tony Bamford, who this year led the Croweaters to their first national title since 2014, said McLennan had been one of his team’s great success stories.

“At the start of the year Jez probably wasn’t among the best 20 draft prospects from SA — now he is in the top six or seven,’’ Bamford said.

“He has grown so much in the past 12 months and is one of those players who seems to thrive at the next level, which is a great sign for him heading into the AFL.’’

Chosen in SA’s leadership group, McLennan followed his All-Australian selection with a strong finish to the year with the Bulldogs, making his league debut against Adelaide in round 15 and playing the last five matches.

He models his game on Collingwood intercept king Jeremy Howe.

“The best defenders are the ones who win the ball first — and Jez intercepts the ball as well as anyone of his age,’’ Bamford said.

He noted that McLennan “isn’t one of those kids that is obsessed with football’ — skateboarding also is a hobby — but that is part of his charm.

“Life's not all football for him but that can be a good thing because some players can be over the top with it but Jez has a really good balance,’’ Bamford said.

Much of McLennan’s balance stems from his upbringing.

Born in Renmark, he spent much of his early life being raised in the Western Australian town of Derby in the Kimberley region and Nepal with his builder dad, Warren, nurse mum, Rachel, and siblings Ruby, now 20, and Louie, 15.

He attended school for seven months in Nepal where Rachel worked as a volunteer nurse and trekked through the Himalayan Mountains before returning to live in the Barossa and joining Central’s junior squads at age 14.

I like this guy already.

the AFL needs more of his type than the self entitled spoilt mummies boys that are the norm

 

[briztoon]

Interestingly, currently listening to the BigFooty draft podcast with a couple of the AFL Draft Central guys. Talking about Jez McLennan, the only thing he lacks is speed. He's a very good small defender and leader of the defence.

I'll admit he's one I've paid absolutely no attention to at all. But he's rated right around the mark our first pick likely falls to.

 

[Lace Out]

I like this guy already.

the AFL needs more of his type than the self entitled spoilt mummies boys that are the norm

To be fair,he has reasons to want to go there,so isn’t exactly bucking the trend.

 

[jjami15]

Interestingly, currently listening to the BigFooty draft podcast with a couple of the AFL Draft Central guys. Talking about Jez McLennan, the only thing he lacks is speed. He's a very good small defender and leader of the defence.

I'll admit he's one I've paid absolutely no attention to at all. But he's rated right around the mark our first pick likely falls to.

Noble came out stated that they would be looking at players with foot speed and not to say it's the only deciding factor it's definitely one that I've been using when looking at players that we might draft. Nothing against McLennan and without knowing his testing results but it might be the l my real knock on him. That rebounding defender is one that they've highlighted as a definite need as well. I know we've got the Irish fella but might still look for more. Jayden Hunt is one that we might have already started taks with for next years trade period but another name is Will Hamill as a possibility around the picks in the 30's or even the one in the 50's.

 

[bungalow_bill]

If he's rated around our pick 18 suppose it depends who is still available. I'm assuming not much chance he's available at 30.

 

[Harris Specter]

Not a bad highlights package, plays similarly to Bontempelli. Smooth mover and not afraid to take a mark in the backline.

 

[buttermuffs]

If he doesn’t have foot speed I’m fine to pass on him. I’m still excited at the prospect of him wanting to go to Gold Coast as well.

 

[BrizzyBandit]

McStay, McInerney, McCluggage, McCarthy, McFaden, McLennan

Ok that's out of control.

Do it

 

[SizeMatters]

cant see the Bont similarities at all TBH. Looks like a decent type and certainly someone the Lions would love to draft. Speed doesn't look that bad.

 

[bungalow_bill]

McStay, McInerney, McCluggage, McCarthy, McFaden, McLennan

Ok that's out of control.

Do it

Brisbane McLions

 

[Lions Lions]

Been on the McLennan train for a while, his leg speed seems fine to me. As i said last week he has all that attributes to be successful off half back in the AFL and we need a player like him. Half back is a worry for us. Little to no depth and outside of witherden we have no young talent who thrive in that role.

 

[Dylan12]

When it comes to draftees, I think some consideration has to go to a kid that genuinely would be happy to move to Queensland. I think it is also why kids from Tasmania and NT adapt a lot better to moving anywhere, because all of their lives, they (and their families) know that if they're to make it, they have to move (you know, like 98% of professional athletes around the world do), so they're mentally prepared for it, which I think is the reason why so many kids from Vic, SA and WA struggle, because they just hope to god they get drafted in the state(s) they're from. A big generalisation I know, particularly given kids that are drafted later in the draft tend to accept where they're drafted and are (1) grateful of the opportunity a club drafting has provided and (2) if there isn't a lot of interest outside of an interstate club drafting them (from wherever they're from) they buy in to clubs like Brisbane i.e. Robertson, Lester etc.

In hindsight for example, I suspect Schache was just saying he wanted to come to Queensland because he thought he should follow in Dad's footsteps, but probably deep down there wasn't that genuiness.

I know there is that mantra that you have to back in your system / culture, but given our situation and the ease with which players can now move, I know I'd be placing greater weight on the kid that has no problem moving to Queensland even over a Vic metro kid that you rate that bit higher.

 

[davemc_lions]

from that package McLennan seems to read the ball well. Has 2nd efforts and seems to have Footy brains which I really rate.
Couple of guys on our list could take a breath and think through their disposals.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

What are your thoughts on Jarrod Cameron, would we consider bidding early enough that the Eagles wouldn't match?

 

[StevoJenkins]

What are your thoughts on Jarrod Cameron, would we consider bidding early enough that the Eagles wouldn't match?

Seriously doubt it. The club might be talking about bringing him up here once he’s available, but doubt we’d be able to get away with him and keep our own plans in tact.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Seriously doubt it. The club might be talking about bringing him up here once he’s available, but doubt we’d be able to get away with him and keep our own plans in tact.

Think we might make a play for Cameron junior in 2020. By then we'll also have a good idea if he's worth getting.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Leg speed eh?

How's his foot kicking? Or his handballing by hand?

 

[Gabbattoir]

Leg speed eh?

How's his foot kicking? Or his handballing by hand?

Haha. I’m hearing you. What about pissing down with rain? Sandgroper expression. I always felt like saying to them “look to save you time if you say it’s pissing down, I’ll assume it’s rain.”

 

[dlanod]

Haha. I’m hearing you. What about pissing down with rain? Sandgroper expression. I always felt like saying to them “look to save you time if you say it’s pissing down, I’ll assume it’s rain.”

You think that, until someone decides to relieve himself off the top of your office building...

 

[Gabbattoir]

You think that, until someone decides to relieve himself off the top of your office building...

Yes my point exactly. Save your breath for when you you need to clarify it isn’t rain. In your example I would be more than happy to be patient while someone clarified what the substance was. Appreciative in fact.

 

[luthor]

Brisbane McLions

Huge sponsorship from Maccas looming.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Huge sponsorship from Maccas looming.

Josh Green asks to be traded back to the Lions.