Player Watch #26 Riley Collier-Dawkins

[Mr Magic]

Cotchin is not an automatic anymore and should be used as an impact player in the guts when needed. Maybe swapping with Edwards up forward. Prestia if not injured is automatic. Martin may be automatic or may be used more forward. Bolton could be used more in there but is not your coalface mid. Lambert plays half forward and not very often seen in the middle. Baker played on cracking game in the middle but did not stay in there even with out injuries. Graham is the one that might get more midfield time, but his role like Lambert is important for our run and carry.

Ross and RCD will be fighting it our for spots I think. Dow maybe also. All will get time in there. We won the wooden spoon for the last half of the season and our old players are a year older. At some stage we can't rely on the same players that won us games over the last 5 years.

If Cotch is not a automatic we can say half the team is not automatic since we have raised the standards

 

[tora tora tora]

Ready to play mids can be just be kids who are bigger than other kids in the U18's, but don't get any bigger, fitter, stronger, and while they may look to be closest to a debut at time of drafting, their abilities may have been pronounced due to their physical dominance in U18's, which is lost at the senioe level

Jack Graham type. Hobbs at 183 is tall enough to play senior football. He's probably taller than half our mids. Use pick 15 on a taller type.

 

[Grrr]

If Cotch is not a automatic we can say half the team is not automatic since we have raised the standards

Did you notice that Cotchin was pretty average last year. I have been advocating him moving forward for a good while now, one because I think he is on the wane, no shame there, the way he has battered his body for the side will do that. Also because I think he would be really dangerous up forward and a massive upgrade on all bar Bolton down there. Still used through the middle, but not solely. Midfielders don't go on for ever. He will be 32 early next season, Knights, Bowden, Campbell all retire around that age.

 

[Grrr]

It's a midfielder's draft, though. Next year is flush with talls.

If a good tall comes in at your pick, we would be silly to pass it up.

 

[richoatthedisco]

Rinse and repeat every October this statement

Not really.

If a good tall comes in at your pick, we would be silly to pass it up.

What good tall?

 

[Hank Heavenly]

Not really.

To be honest, every year you hear things like, next years KP players are so much better, next year is a super draft, next year...
And rarely does it eventuate.

That's not a go at you, btw, I just take n notice of what they thinks nexts years draft looks like, because they are 17 old kids who could change dramatically, for better or worse, in the next 12 months.

Those KP players, might stop growing, might not get a kick, might go down injured etc...

 

[Grrr]

Not really.


What good tall?

I can't be bothered going through it all. Gibcus, Amiss, Van Rooyen. Pick 7 or 15 depends on who is available, but we need quality talls I reckon, especially if they can play forward.

 

[richoatthedisco]

To be honest, every year you hear things like, next years KP players are so much better, next year is a super draft, next year...
And rarely does it eventuate.

That's not a go at you, btw, I just take n notice of what they thinks nexts years draft looks like, because they are 17 old kids who could change dramatically, for better or worse, in the next 12 months.

Those KP players, might stop growing, might not get a kick, might go down injured etc...

I don't reckon you hear it about talls every year.

I can't be bothered going through it all. Gibcus, Amiss, Van Rooyen. Pick 7 or 15 depends on who is available, but we need quality talls I reckon, especially if they can play forward.

That's my point. They're not that quality. Gibcus, yeah, for a defender. Van Rooyen maybe, for pick 26. Amiss is more like Gunston than a proper KPP.

 

[Dr Tigris]

To be honest, every year you hear things like, next years KP players are so much better, next year is a super draft, next year...
And rarely does it eventuate.

That's not a go at you, btw, I just take n notice of what they thinks nexts years draft looks like, because they are 17 old kids who could change dramatically, for better or worse, in the next 12 months.

Those KP players, might stop growing, might not get a kick, might go down injured etc...

the predicitons are usually sort of accurat-ish.
2020: 2021 is a midfielders draft - it is
2021: 2022 is a talls draft. Probably somewhat true as there are a heap of good talls already being looked for next year. Whether they kick onto A grade or are B grade 30+ picks who knows?

They know the general shape of the top 40 odd players the year before. But things always change in the actual draft year, especially for talls. What we know is that there will be a lot of talls the drafting people will look at. Whether they are much chop we don't know yet.

 

[Dr Tigris]

I don't reckon you hear it about talls every year.


That's my point. They're not that quality. Gibcus, yeah, for a defender. Van Rooyen maybe, for pick 26. Amiss is more like Gunston than a proper KPP.

Yeah, this year is very light on for genuine quality talls. Even Darcy is a potential pick, more than solid. Amiss is a very good player, but not a genuine monster KPF. JVR is very good, but not top shelf. However, you can never tell. Might end up with all the rated talls being A graders or just players.

 

[captain blood 17]

To be fair.

Edwards should've retired. He's practically done. My big call is he's pushed out the best 22 at some stage next year. He's 33 in a week, the age cliff is real and he was bad and couldn't stay healthy in the back end of the year.

Cotchin's running ability (defensive run especially) is cooked. His best chance to play another year or two at a high level and not get exposed like he did in the centre square is to play on a flank. Prestia is perennially injured. There's 3 huge question marks. 2 that are on their last legs.

Edwards played the whole year crook and the only reason he did, was because we had so many other injuries. He took one for the team so to speak this last season. Cotchin will still play a mix of on ball/other roll next season. He certainly wasn't our worst this last year (but i get what your saying). Prestia was one who suffered from a shortened pre season. It certainly didn't help him.

 

[Tigers Time]

People are also forgetting/overlooking that RCD was getting tagged now in a few of the VFL games, so he was learning how to deal with that as well as basically carrying our VFL mid field.

Have to say I’m an RCD fan and I’m very much looking forward to seeing how he goes after another full preseason.

 

[captain blood 17]

I guess the point is, no VFL for two years, and players generally don't start show show their real wares (unless your a Dusty/Danger type) until minimum 50 games. None of RCD, Ross, Dow, Hugo, Martyn are near that mark yet.

 

[Grrr]

That's my point. They're not that quality. Gibcus, yeah, for a defender. Van Rooyen maybe, for pick 26. Amiss is more like Gunston than a proper KPP.
[/QUOTE]
Well take Gibcus then if available.
Most draft ratings have Amiss at about pick 14-15 and at 195cm is more like Jack than Lynch, which is a good thing. More like Gunston, fine with that as well, although I can't see the comparison. Williams maybe.

You sometimes have to bid higher for what you want. Unless next year is stacked with good talls, and the recruitment team would not know, not so much about Vic's who have missed pretty much 2 years.

 

[Sir_Loin]

People are also forgetting/overlooking that RCD was getting tagged now in a few of the VFL games, so he was learning how to deal with that as well as basically carrying our VFL mid field.

Have to say I’m an RCD fan and I’m very much looking forward to seeing how he goes after another full preseason.

and we took him knowing he’d need a few years of development. He might take a touch longer to come on with all the COVID impacts but we knew what we were getting when we drafted him

 

[Rayzorwire]

Which way to the draft thread, RCD?

 

[Rioli2Rioli]

Im not writing off any of our young players under 23

2 years with no VFL and games its just bloody hard for these kids to get any continuity and when they have been played its off no decent games or game time as well as being not played more than 60% game time . How can they adapt and improve

Ross - Martyn - RCD - Dow - Ralphsmith - Cumberland (if he is kept on the list)
Plus another 3 kids we will get in the midfield this year.

Beauty about these kids (apart from this years crop) is that they will have 3 years at the club and will be well and truly ready both physically and maturity
Im expecting a big uplift in our younger mids this year.

Just hope we rate and can get JVR this year as the kid can football

 

[_RT_]

Na, he had some dominant games and parts of games this year. His first quarter against Sandy was pretty special and he ended with 27 disposals and 2 goals.
His VFL stats for the year:
R1: 31 disposals, 8 tackles, 0.2
R2: 13, 4 tackles
R10: 24, 4 tackles, 1.0
R11: 27, 2.0
R16: 27, 3 tackles
Averaged 24.4 disposals, 3.8 tackles.


Dude. The mid slots are open.

Round 1 - 7 clearances
Round 2 - 8 clearances
Round 10 - 6 clearances
Round 11 - 4 clearances
Round 16 - 6 clearances

Add the above to the disposals and tackles and you've got a solid all around midfielder. I know we joke about Post needing to have put together consistent games but Riley will come on very quickly once we get him playing regular senior footy. This is why I am so gung-ho about his future, along with Dow Martyn & Ross. They've all shown an ability at the lower level to have major impact as midfielders in terms of getting possessions and also winning clearances and contested possession. You can't teach that ability IMO, it comes naturally.

I'll go on record now and say that RCD will play at least 15 games next year and it won't be because of injuries but because he earned it through performances.

 

[richoatthedisco]

I guess the point is, no VFL for two years, and players generally don't start show show their real wares (unless your a Dusty/Danger type) until minimum 50 games. None of RCD, Ross, Dow, Hugo, Martyn are near that mark yet.

Yeah, but you have to play them for them to get to 50 games. That's also the point.

 

[TigerTime88]

22 next year. Needs to be played the first 8 weeks or so and be given a long stint in the ones. Make or break 2022.

 

[Roachy8]

Edwards played the whole year crook and the only reason he did, was because we had so many other injuries. He took one for the team so to speak this last season. Cotchin will still play a mix of on ball/other roll next season. He certainly wasn't our worst this last year (but i get what your saying). Prestia was one who suffered from a shortened pre season. It certainly didn't help him.

What was the main issue with Sheds?

 

[DoItForCaptBlood]

Did you notice that Cotchin was pretty average last year. I have been advocating him moving forward for a good while now, one because I think he is on the wane, no shame there, the way he has battered his body for the side will do that. Also because I think he would be really dangerous up forward and a massive upgrade on all bar Bolton down there. Still used through the middle, but not solely. Midfielders don't go on for ever. He will be 32 early next season, Knights, Bowden, Campbell all retire around that age.

My worry is that it'll be a Mark Murphy scenario. What a sad way to go out.
And not sure he has the goal kicking. But perhaps as a George upgrade.. might work. Captain of the forward line..... I'm coming around!!

 

[captain blood 17]

Yeah, but you have to play them for them to get to 50 games. That's also the point.

So of we haven’t had the opportunity so far, how do we know if RCD, Ross or any other of those young guys are a bust?

 

[captain blood 17]

What was the main issue with Sheds?

He was injured early in the year, missed games, and when he came back he wasn’t right.

 

[Calcium Man]

To be honest, every year you hear things like, next years KP players are so much better, next year is a super draft, next year...
And rarely does it eventuate.

That's not a go at you, btw, I just take n notice of what they thinks nexts years draft looks like, because they are 17 old kids who could change dramatically, for better or worse, in the next 12 months.

Those KP players, might stop growing, might not get a kick, might go down injured etc...

Disagree. Plenty of drafts have been talked about as loaded with KPP a year out.

Last years was and turned out correct with JUH, Thilthorpe, McDonald, DGB.

2018 was talked about a fair way out with the King twins and Lukocious (although seems more a HBF)

2015 was Weitering, Schache, the McKay twins.

Most drafts are midfielder drafts cos their are just more of them. It’s hard to find a quality talls.

But when it’s a talls draft you take your chance because they are usually playing against better quality talls.

I’ve only read about kids this year and the draft watchers never seemed overly enthusiastic about talls all year, more just talking themselves into it. I think it shows in how they were all dropping down the rankings until the end of season when there seemed to be run on with the SA vs WA games. And honestly haven’t heard much about SAs talls anywhere so what were Amiss, JVR etc. coming up against.

Whereas in the Kings year or last year there was genuine excitement about the talls from a long way out.