Delisted #37: Dylan Clarke - End of the road, will not be offered a list spot in 2022

[Lore]

Contract Status: Not offered a contract for 2021
Last Game Played: Round 23, 2021 (omitted)
Injury Status: n/a

 

[WEEVZ]

If Clarke comes out in the pre-season games getting 25+ touches he could make a play for Round 1. I dont think he will play early but he is extremely driven and a natural ball winner. If his form warrants it he plays and that goes for anyone. He will get in the bests in VFL pretty regularly i reckon.

Agree, hopefully he's working closely with Jobe as from memory he couldn't kick to save himself when he was drafted. Also think that given Clarke is always in amongst it the percentages may not be a true reflection of how good/bad his kicking actually is.

 

[eDPS]

Agree, hopefully he's working closely with Jobe as from memory he couldn't kick to save himself when he was drafted. Also think that given Clarke is always in amongst it the percentages may not be a true reflection of how good/bad his kicking actually is.

If he is getting picked it's for his ball winning ability and contested footy not so much his kicking. He is a super consistent player so I expect him to play a couple of senior games next year at least

 

[WEEVZ]

If he is getting picked it's for his ball winning ability and contested footy not so much his kicking. He is a super consistent player so I expect him to play a couple of senior games next year at least

Completely agree, I honestly see him developing into a Priddis-type. May never be a great kick but his contested work, ball winning and footy smarts more than make up for it.

 

[DERO]

If Clarke comes out in the pre-season games getting 25+ touches he could make a play for Round 1. I dont think he will play early but he is extremely driven and a natural ball winner. If his form warrants it he plays and that goes for anyone. He will get in the bests in VFL pretty regularly i reckon.

Looks ready to play too. A very nice size.

 

[Andronicus]

Looks ready to play too. A very nice size.

Especially his head.

Must have a great football brain.

 

[Vdubs]

IMHO, this is a steal. His kicking deficiencies are overrated in these discussions because the rest of the package is so elite. And the way Bulldogs won the GF, DC may the perfect recruit- his handballing is superb.I was sure he'd go top 20, but anyway, as a clearance machine with superb fitness and room for improvement- he is extremely teachable, and Jobe Watson was not exactly an elite kick when he started - I think people will be talking about this Bombers draft like they did about ours when we secured Kelly, SJ, GAJ, Bartel.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Thanks for these insight Vdubs.

Hopefully Nobby will play a game or 2 next year and look to solidify his position by 2020.

Go the Eastern Ranges.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

Watching him at training the other day, I noticed a couple of things about his kicking action.

His kicking leg doesn't swing back far at all. It seems to go forward from wherever it is when he motions to drop the ball, which I think is why even his short kicks usually lob upwards.

He also tends to hang back a little when he strikes the ball, so his head is nowhere near it, which would probably affect his accuracy with longer targets.

While his ball drop probably needs the most work, these two things would be quicker fixes.

What happens with his kicking over the next couple of years will be an interesting (but minor) indicator of how good our skill development coaching is.

 

[DraftMe]

Watching him at training the other day, I noticed a couple of things about his kicking action.

His kicking leg doesn't swing back far at all. It seems to go forward from wherever it is when he motions to drop the ball, which I think is why even his short kicks usually lob upwards.

He also tends to hang back a little when he strikes the ball, so his head is nowhere near it, which would probably affect his accuracy with longer targets.

While his ball drop probably needs the most work, these two things would be quicker fixes.

What happens with his kicking over the next couple of years will be an interesting (but minor) indicator of how good our skill development coaching is.

I think you're spot on about his technique. While I'm sure it'll improve, I would be surprised if it ever looks natural. I am excited for what he'll bring to the club. He'll probably average 10+ contested possessions in the VFL from the beginning.

 

[Vindicater]

Will be a beast at VFL level ancd hopefully translate that to AFL level.

 

[eDPS]

My boy for 2017 expecting great things in the VFL this year he will work well in tandem with Nick O'Brien in the centre another ball magnet. With guys like Howlett and Bird looking likely to spend time in the VFL he will have plenty of experience to help him and I expect him to have a very good year. Doesnt have to play senior footy this year but he will aim for it and I predict he will end up playing atleast 3 senior games this year.

 

[blitzer]

It was interesting hearing from McKenna that Dylan Clarke had done the most of the first year boys in terms of training loads but still it was probably about 50% of what Parish had done last year. The gist of the conversation seems to imply Parish did more than normal because obviously we were short on players (although he doesn't actually say that).

He also went on to say that McGrath was probably similar and then obviously that the rest had done less (didn't say how much less). Based on hearing that you certainly don't get a strong sense that any of the young draftees will be playing a full season in the best 22. I'm sure some of them will get a run of games here and there but I think the ones that do play will be regularly rested or in and out of the seniors.

That being said - depending on how everyone goes in the NAB equivalent this year it could still all change. Plus personally I reckon they will find a spot for McGrath more often than not.

 

[DERO]

My boy for 2017 expecting great things in the VFL this year he will work well in tandem with Nick O'Brien in the centre another ball magnet. With guys like Howlett and Bird looking likely to spend time in the VFL he will have plenty of experience to help him and I expect him to have a very good year. Doesnt have to play senior footy this year but he will aim for it and I predict he will end up playing atleast 3 senior games this year.

Hopefully he has better wheels than NOB!

 

[eth-dog]

Hopefully he has better wheels than NOB!

Aaron Sandilands has better wheels than NOB, it's not very hard

 

[DERO]

Aaron Sandilands has better wheels than NOB, it's not very hard

Aaron Sandilands runs like he is on a treadmill, NOB was more of a witches hat.

That said, he did seems to be able to get his hands on the footy.

 

[Whispering_Jack]

It was interesting hearing from McKenna that Dylan Clarke had done the most of the first year boys in terms of training loads but still it was probably about 50% of what Parish had done last year. The gist of the conversation seems to imply Parish did more than normal because obviously we were short on players (although he doesn't actually say that).

He also went on to say that McGrath was probably similar and then obviously that the rest had done less (didn't say how much less). Based on hearing that you certainly don't get a strong sense that any of the young draftees will be playing a full season in the best 22. I'm sure some of them will get a run of games here and there but I think the ones that do play will be regularly rested or in and out of the seniors.

That being said - depending on how everyone goes in the NAB equivalent this year it could still all change. Plus personally I reckon they will find a spot for McGrath more often than not.

Clearly the name change is working well from a marketing perspective!

 

[akiva]

Didn't realize what a good runner he is. In the draft combine he tested 14+ in the beep test and under 10min in 3km time trail.

 

[JayJ20]

I keep forgetting our draftees this year. What's happening

 

[Autobahn]

I keep forgetting our draftees this year. What's happening

Just close your eyes and imagine someone training the house down. Now do that for every single players in the AFL.

 

[eDPS]

I keep forgetting our draftees this year. What's happening

Much like all the other draftees this year they have received easier work loads which seems to have worked well with all our draftees showing no signs of niggles or injury. So yeah you won't here much about this guy but by all accounts is training well and competing well

 

[Rack Watts]

Our depth has meant that we can go easier on our young players, which is great! Dylan Clarke just needs to sit in Jobe's hip pocket, and learn from a guy with similar strengths and weaknesses, and figure out how Jobe got to the biggest level.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Pretty impressed, certainly needs to work on his kicking as stated, but his two way running and football brain were on show.

 

[Rack Watts]

Certainly has composure and smarts, those were the things that stood out.

 

[eDPS]

We are very far from seeing his best, does his best work in the guts which he won't get much time in this year.

 

[Vindicater]

Did everything I thought he would in the JLT game and reinforced my view that he will dominate at VFL level before getting his go in the big league later in the year..