Player Watch #39 Mate Colina

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I think this is fantastic news, players of his size don’t often come around. Being a category B rookie he doesn’t take up a spot on the list and means there’s absolutely nothing to lose.

One comment I want to make though, the talk of him coming in to replace CCJ is ridiculously premature.

Someone of his size and lack of recent AFL experience could take years before we’re able to determine if he’s going to make it. If we were to use the Soldo signing in comparison, we announced the signing of Soldo as a cat b rookie during 2014, it was the middle of 2019 before we really seen him become a regular starting ruckman for us.These kind of signings can take years and if we’re fully committed to trying to develop him the club have to be ready to play the long game.
 

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Roksman said:
I'd imagine he came from a very limited footy background like Soldo but the difference is he's a MUCH better athlete than Soldo - running, athleticism, kicking (action and strength, not sure about accuracy) all much better.
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This is the main difference as to how long it will take him to adapt , Basketball players adapt better than most and Soldo was from Soccer from what i remember. He is also more athletic and has better agility and better tank and all this goes along way to both the time it takes and the level they get to.

He will certainly have the right people around him to give him the best chance to make it at this level. Ivaan , Soldo , Balta will all help and having both Lynch & Jack to assist in his foward craft.

Mason Cox was drafted in the rookie draft in 2014 as a 24 year old and played his 1st senior game in april 2016 , He hadnt even heard of AFL let alone touched a football and had to have a look at youtube to see what this game was.

I personally think it will take Mate Colina just 2 years to play AFL seniors as he already has the physical attributes
 
Best wishes to Mate!
Hope to see him on the victory dais one day, lifting the trophy aloft.
Study hard, work hard, to achieve personal success.
 
Drunken Wookie said:
Had a look at his basketball highlights. Was probably unfairly expecting some freak athletic specimen like Balta. Standard lumbering big man.
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What could he have done in these clips that would have made you say Wow ?
Athleticism :heavycheck:
Speed :heavycheck:
Height :heavycheck:
Weight :heavycheck:
Age :heavycheck:
Competitive :heavycheck:
Has had exposure to AFL previously :heavycheck:

The best part is that he does not look unco like most giants are
 
Great news on old mate

Feel sorry for Adelaide

They gave us Maric, we gave them Angus Graham

Maric drove the culture changes at Richmond and ended up coaching Nank to two flags ( 1 over Adelaide ), and getting his cousin Soldo a flag as well.

Now through the croation connection, we have created an environment for Balta to shine ( Rance/Jackovich hybrid )
and now, Balta has brought down old mate,

This is a recurring nightmare for the crows, that has many many years of jealousy from them to play out

Poor campaigners
 

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Great news, looks quite an athlete despite his giant stature. :thumbsu:


THE_GUN said:
This is the main difference as to how long it will take him to adapt , Basketball players adapt better than most and Soldo was from Soccer from what i remember.
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Soldo was an elite junior basketballer who also played a bit of junior soccer.
 
THE_GUN said:
What could he have done in these clips that would have made you say Wow ?
Athleticism
Speed
Height :heavycheck:
Weight :heavycheck:
Age :heavycheck:
Competitive :heavycheck:
Has had exposure to AFL previously

The best part is that he does not look unco like most giants are
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I'll give you those. What he could have done was move more like an AFL player and not your typical, towering basketball centre. He was about a foot taller than his peers in those highlights. All I'm saying is this looks pretty speculative to me but the recruiters have obviously seen something in him to offer him a place on the list in these uncertain times.
 
Drunken Wookie said:
I'll give you those. What he could have done was move more like an AFL player and not your typical, towering basketball centre. He was about a foot taller than his peers in those highlights. All I'm saying is this looks pretty speculative to me but the recruiters have obviously seen something in him to offer him a place on the list in these uncertain times.
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Of course he's speculative, that's why he a Cat B Rookie.
 
4 Croats at the club.

* Yeah.
About time AFL starting to tap into the talent of Croatian athletes and stuborness and willingness to not lose.

Per Capita one of the most successful nations in sport.
 
Phar Ace said:
Of course he's speculative, that's why he a Cat B Rookie.
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In regular pre-COVID context, obviously. That's what they're their for. But with us likely to have to cut numbers from our list you'd want to be pretty confident, even with your rookies, that they're worth the spot. Hence my initial apprehension to this pick up.
 
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