Player Watch #34: Jack Graham

[Ancient Tiger]

It's exactly that attitude which I'm saying is setting us up for disappointment. Ignoring our pathetic drafting history (which means that if such poor judges chose Graham, there's a good chance they've judged poorly again), while hyping up a mid-low range pick as a ready made player who will come into the afl and perform fron the start despite having not even a practice match to judge. Many of the players I mentioned were picked with earlier or similar picks to Graham.

The difference is, and it has been mentioned by opposition recruiters, that his injuries swayed them away from recruiting him, not his talent. If we can manage his body, we have a great chance of having obtained a great young player who will have a long career at our club.

 

[TheProwler]

Really? I thought he is one of the best non preferred side kickers of a football that has ever played the game. Do you know what his natural side is? I do, but not many do because it's incredibly hard to tell. He hits his target either side.

To he honest I haven't watched him too hard but have heard his kicking questioned in the past so just went with that and used it as an example that you don't need to be elite in every facet of the game to be great.

 

[RememberRoyce]

To he honest I haven't watched him too hard but have heard his kicking questioned in the past so just went with that and used it as an example that you don't need to be elite in every facet of the game to be great.

You heard...'so you went that"...lol.

There are a few very good midfielders you could have chosen to make your pount, but Mitchell isn't one of them. They get it in his hands as much as possible. Can't be compared to Graham in any way on this part of the game.

 

[TheProwler]

You heard...'so you went that"...lol.

There are a few very good midfielders you could have chosen to make your pount, but Mitchell isn't one of them. They get it in his hands as much as possible. Can't be compared to Graham in any way on this part of the game.

Apologies as I didn't think I needed hours of research and video footage analysis to mention what I had heard previously and then post on a football internet blog, some people.......

 

[RememberRoyce]

Apologies as I didn't think I needed hours of research and video footage analysis to mention what I had heard previously and then post on a football internet blog, some people.......

Settle... the Hawks have played in a lot of finals in the last few years...thought you may have watched a few.

No worries. Just thought it strange choice as an example of a poor disposer by foot. Carry on.

 

[Grrr]

Outside of Martin who Hardwick played outside for so long,Graham is the only highly credentialled big bodied inside mid we have taken under Hardwick in the nd .

A constant complaint during Hardwicks time has been the failure to target pure mids especially big bodied inside mids in the ND.Yet right thru this reign we have constantly heard the club talk about the need to take them. Well its taken 7 yrs but finally they took one and that was only because he slipped so far.

Very very pleased to have this kid on our list im just annoyed we have failed to target others like Blakeley and ffs Will Brodie last yr.

Agree with this mostly. I would have like Blakeley from the limited highlight I saw, just seemed a natural inside player with class albeit with not the highest ceiling (just a feeling). They hoped Conca would be there, and Vlaustin so it wasn't completely ignored, but to try and turned high draft picks into perhaps the most difficult position on the ground, inside mids and hope for a Sam Mitchell is a bit hopeless. Graham slid to 52 for a reason. So no amount of preseason hype should allow us to get ahead of ourselves, he has lots to prove. He was a man against boys last year, (although he played senior footy in SA).
The inside mid we all are forgetting about slightly in Prestia. He is a genuine player, and exactly what we needed, so although Brodie would have been nice, we weren't able to get the deal done so it was Prestia or Brodie. I'm pretty happy with Prestia who at least is proven.
One more thing, we were desperately short of small forward class and pressure, hence the last two drafts. How many times did we have Rioi, Bruest, Garlett, Betts and co cut us up while we had Edward, who spent much of the game on ball and isn't in their class as a small forward. So we drafted for this this year and last.

 

[Sterge]

Next person to mention houli in a thread that isnt about houli gets carded

 

[Rubber Hips]

The difference is, and it has been mentioned by opposition recruiters, that his injuries swayed them away from recruiting him, not his talent. If we can manage his body, we have a great chance of having obtained a great young player who will have a long career at our club.

I'm looking forward to Jack getting on the park.

So what's the prognosis re his injury?
Do you ( or other posters) know when he is likely to be 100%

 

[Rubber Hips]

Next person to mention houli in a thread that isnt about houli gets carded : p

Might just be a rumour...but I've head that Graham has been supported / mentored by Houli whilst in the rehab group

 

[Sterge]

Might just be a rumour...but I've head that Graham has been supported / mentored by Houli whilst in the rehab group

You get a pass for bothering to relate it back to graham

 

[Ancient Tiger]

Might just be a rumour...but I've head that Graham has been supported / mentored by Houli whilst in the rehab group

Lol! Walking a tightrope there RH!

 

[mopsy]

Agree with this mostly. I would have like Blakeley from the limited highlight I saw, just seemed a natural inside player with class albeit with not the highest ceiling (just a feeling). They hoped Conca would be there, and Vlaustin so it wasn't completely ignored, but to try and turned high draft picks into perhaps the most difficult position on the ground, inside mids and hope for a Sam Mitchell is a bit hopeless. Graham slid to 52 for a reason. So no amount of preseason hype should allow us to get ahead of ourselves, he has lots to prove. He was a man against boys last year, (although he played senior footy in SA).
The inside mid we all are forgetting about slightly in Prestia. He is a genuine player, and exactly what we needed, so although Brodie would have been nice, we weren't able to get the deal done so it was Prestia or Brodie. I'm pretty happy with Prestia who at least is proven.
One more thing, we were desperately short of small forward class and pressure, hence the last two drafts. How many times did we have Rioi, Bruest, Garlett, Betts and co cut us up while we had Edward, who spent much of the game on ball and isn't in their class as a small forward. So we drafted for this this year and last.

I think everybody has acknowledged Prestia to be a good footballer even those of us who wanted to go to the nd with as many early to mid range picks that we could get our hands on instead.

They got one part of the trade right this time around, they at least targeted a pretty good proven player when fit.

 

[Magic17]

This kid's been in the rehab group for a while. Hopefully it's just being cautious and he hasn't re-injured himself.

 

[HumanMeatball]

This kid's been in the rehab group for a while. Hopefully it's just being cautious and he hasn't re-injured himself.

Ready made body will be fine. Hurt his hamstring but think he still plays a few games

 

[Mr Unbelievable]

When can we see this kid play, I'm excited.

Anyone know when??

 

[Danog]

Settle... the Hawks have played in a lot of finals in the last few years...thought you may have watched a few.

No worries. Just thought it strange choice as an example of a poor disposer by foot. Carry on.

Just add him to the ignore list. I just have. He's a moron.

 

[Madison]

Sam Mitchell not good by foot?

Just showed your footy knowledge there. Now you can rest assured that any other opinion will be taken with a grain of salt.

You almost couldn't have chosen a worse example.

Does anyone have an update of Graham?

ps Houli

 

[wegetpumped]

Just add him to the ignore list. I just have. He's a moron.

I'm glad you have an opinion of some poster but can you keep the name calling to your self thanks.
Back to subject I haven't heard much about this kid during the pre season is he one that is going to take time?
I hear a lot about bolton and bolton and the other bolton lol but not this kid.

 

[Calcium Man]

Just add him to the ignore list. I just have. He's a moron.

I never used to have people on ignore... its a requirement now.

Its not that people disagree with me, I actually understand and agree with some of what they say. But they rate everything based on no ability to improve and continually ram it down your throat. Although I pull my hair out when people put Cotchin down!

 

[RememberRoyce]

I never used to have people on ignore... its a requirement now.

Its not that people disagree with me, I actually understand and agree with some of what they say. But they rate everything based on no ability to improve and continually ram it down your throat. Although I pull my hair out when people put Cotchin down!

Cotchin..dud...delist!

 

[Danog]

I'm glad you have an opinion of some poster but can you keep the name calling to your self thanks.
Back to subject I haven't heard much about this kid during the pre season is he one that is going to take time?
I hear a lot about bolton and bolton and the other bolton lol but not this kid.

He's in rehab group.

 

[Phar Ace]

I'm glad you have an opinion of some poster but can you keep the name calling to your self thanks.
Back to subject I haven't heard much about this kid during the pre season is he one that is going to take time?
I hear a lot about bolton and bolton and the other bolton lol but not this kid.

For what it's worth was talking with Benny Gale about him and he commented the thinking of the coaching group was he had a lot of Rory Sloane about him - hard as a cat's head, hard-ball get player. Not as clean in his disposal, but what I saw in rehab was he kicked well, hands perhaps......? It's a repetition thing and he's doing a lot of that right now!

 

[Magic17]

For what it's worth was talking with Benny Gale about him and he commented the thinking of the coaching group was he had a lot of Rory Sloane about him - hard as a cat's head, hard-ball get player. Not as clean in his disposal, but what I saw in rehab was he kicked well, hands perhaps......? It's a repetition thing and he's doing a lot of that right now!

Great info,.. any idea of the extent of his injury?

 

[Phar Ace]

Great info,.. any idea of the extent of his injury?

"TEARING a muscle off the bone never happens at a good time for a draft prospect. When Jack Graham faced that scenario last November, he had reason to be worried.

A torn quad meant he could complete only two weeks of pre-season training. It threatened to limit the form that he could show recruiters.

"The pressure hit me early. Doing my quad in the pre-season and thinking 'I'm going into my draft year with a quad injury, with not much fitness leading into (the championships), there was a lot of pressure and nerves going into (the season)," Graham said.

He needn't have worried. The South Australian captain at the NAB AFL National Under-18 Championships averaged 25 disposals and six clearances per game.

Unfortunately for the inside midfielder, he hadn't seen the last of the injury. He tore his right quad again in early September while playing in North Adelaide's reserves' first final."

 

[Football Tragic]

What's his injury at the moment?