Review 40 - Harrison Jones (2018)

[Dixie Flatline]

Harrison Jones

Games: 0
Goals: 0
Yabby Medal votes: 0

Jones was a rookie draft selection for Hawthorn prior to the season starting. He comes to the club as a medium midfielder who likes to get his hands dirty in the centre. He excelled in the jumps test at the draft combine, finishing fourth and sixth respectively in the standing vertical jump and the running vertical jump. He spent his season at Box Hill, playing 12 games and kicking a goal before his season ended in late July.

 

[The Kipster]

Can any of the posters provide an update on how the Jones Boy has been going?

 

[KermitJagger]

Can any of the posters provide an update on how the Jones Boy has been going?

Performing reasonably well at a VFL level. Good size, very athletic and has great attack on the ball, and also fantastic defensive attributes.

For me, the only knock on him at the moment which could hold him back is his accumulation which isn't quite at the level of either Morrison or Cousins.

He's definitely got a better build and more explosive, athletic traits than both of those guys, and I'd say a smarter footballer than Cousins. I'd like to see him get a debut in the second half of the season.

 

[The Kipster]

Thanks Rogues Accumulation can come with more experience, here is hoping to a 2019 debut...

 

[Brishawk]

Performing reasonably well at a VFL level. Good size, very athletic and has great attack on the ball, and also fantastic defensive attributes.

For me, the only knock on him at the moment which could hold him back is his accumulation which isn't quite at the level of either Morrison or Cousins.

He's definitely got a better build and more explosive, athletic traits than both of those guys, and I'd say a smarter footballer than Cousins. I'd like to see him get a debut in the second half of the season.

From the couple of times I have seen him he didn’t get much of it on the spread. Would you say that is the area he can improve his accumulation of the ball?

 

[Roger Rogerson]

And his kicking still needs some.polish at times.

 

[Easy Slips Catch]

A very good scrapper. Am hoping he shows a bit more flair in the second half of the year.

 

[KermitJagger]

From the couple of times I have seen him he didn’t get much of it on the spread. Would you say that is the area he can improve his accumulation of the ball?

That's pretty much it. He could get involved in some more chains. Not to say he wasn't spreading, just that he wasn't being utilised or getting into the best spots if he did.

He's probably playing a bit like Jed Anderson at the moment. Good athletic tools, good contested work but isn't really a 30 disposal prospect.

 

[Luv_our_club]

He could be the most defensive minded player on our list. He is very happy to lay a tackle, then another, then another.

His best offensive asset as a mid at the moment is his attack on the ball, though he is not able to get out of congestion by breaking tackles as yet. Once he adds more strength to his frame he will make the most of the times he gets his hands on the ball on the inside of the pack, and we will get a better idea of how good he can be.

 

[KermitJagger]

He could be the most defensive minded player on our list. He is very happy to lay a tackle, then another, then another.

His best offensive asset as a mid at the moment is his attack on the ball, though he is not able to get out of congestion by breaking tackles as yet. Once he adds more strength to his frame he will make the most of the times he gets his hands on the ball on the inside of the pack, and we will get a better idea of how good he can be.

I think the positive part is when you look at how he tested as a draftee, he was one of the best performed in explosive tests like the running and standing vertical jump. He definitely has scope to develop that explosiveness.

 

[Luv_our_club]

I think the positive part is when you look at how he tested as a draftee, he was one of the best performed in explosive tests like the running and standing vertical jump. He definitely has scope to develop that explosiveness.

I didn't know that and really good to know.

On the field, i think i saw that athleticism more last year when he playing off half back and he had more space. In congestion, this year, he gets shut down quickly with ball in hand. He is currently more a one step, "one second" player, so he needs to build on that with physical maturity. He is currently light, but he has a broad frame.

 

[Brishawk]

I didn't know that and really good to know.

On the field, i think i saw that athleticism more last year when he playing off half back and he had more space. In congestion, this year, he gets shut down quickly with ball in hand. He is currently more a one step, "one second" player, so he needs to build on that with physical maturity. He is currently light, but he has a broad frame.

As he grows into his body his power should enable him to break tackles. Right now he lacks the enertia

 

[KermitJagger]

I didn't know that and really good to know.

On the field, i think i saw that athleticism more last year when he playing off half back and he had more space. In congestion, this year, he gets shut down quickly with ball in hand. He is currently more a one step, "one second" player, so he needs to build on that with physical maturity. He is currently light, but he has a broad frame.

4th in standing and 6th in running.

Interestingly enough his sprint times weren't elite, but he was struggling with back problems throughout that year so that might explain it.

 

[TheFourPillars]

4th in standing and 6th in running.

Interestingly enough his sprint times weren't elite, but he was struggling with back problems throughout that year so that might explain it.

He will be an endurance athlete not a sprinter

 

[Luv_our_club]

4th in standing and 6th in running.

Interestingly enough his sprint times weren't elite, but he was struggling with back problems throughout that year so that might explain it.

I don't rate the sprint test too highly at the combine. An elite number doesn't often translate to speed on the ground, and over 20 meters a lot of players are bunched together. Perhaps 40 meters would be a better indication. Still, it is always better to test well than not.

 

[Brishawk]

I don't rate the sprint test too highly at the combine. An elite number doesn't often translate to speed on the ground, and over 20 meters a lot of players are bunched together. Perhaps 40 meters would be a better indication. Still, it is always better to test well than not.

It tells more about reaction time than actual speed.

Edit: brishawk wrong. See below

 

[Bumps"N"Grins]

It tells more about reaction time than actual speed.

Sorry Bris it doesn't, they tell a kid to go and his time doesn't start until he breaks a timing light or beam. Reaction is tested chasing flashing dots on a wall or other test sitting at a computer. All speed and agility test start when players break timing lights.

 

[Brishawk]

Sorry Bris it doesn't, they tell a kid to go and his time doesn't start until he breaks a timing light or beam. Reaction is tested chasing flashing dots on a wall or other test sitting at a computer. All speed and agility test start when players break timing lights.

Cheers for that. Plenty of slow players seem to do well in it. Doesn’t seem to be much of a test. Wondering if there is a technique that taller players can take advantage of because I have seen many tall players post sub 3 second times but by the time they get on a footy field they don’t have much speed at all save for natinui and Stanley. Maybe a few others. I think they both went sub 3 but I doubt I’ll find those records now

 

[KermitJagger]

Cheers for that. Plenty of slow players seem to do well in it. Doesn’t seem to be much of a test. Wondering if there is a technique that taller players can take advantage of because I have seen many tall players post sub 3 second times but by the time they get on a footy field they don’t have much speed at all save for natinui and Stanley. Maybe a few others. I think they both went sub 3 but I doubt I’ll find those records now

I'd say most of the quicker players in the AFL rated pretty high in the sprints. It's more a test of acceleration and explosiveness though, and 20m is a pretty poor distance to judge speed over. Most professional sports perform a 40m sprint test instead.

Taller blokes don't tend to have the best acceleration, Usain bolt is a noteworthy example of this. He tends to be either behind or in the pack for the first 20 or so metres, but at a certain point the others reach their peak speed and he's still accelerating.



RE Naitanui and Stanley, that 2008 draft had a few talls that broke the 3 second mark.

Jack Watts, Nick Naitanui and Ryan Schoenmakers all did very well in both the sprint and repeat sprinting tests. Schoey actually tested the best for repeat sprinting!

 

[MrPremiership]

Debut this week?

 

[Bumps"N"Grins]

Cheers for that. Plenty of slow players seem to do well in it. Doesn’t seem to be much of a test. Wondering if there is a technique that taller players can take advantage of because I have seen many tall players post sub 3 second times but by the time they get on a footy field they don’t have much speed at all save for natinui and Stanley. Maybe a few others. I think they both went sub 3 but I doubt I’ll find those records now

Yes there is a technique to gaining a flying start and I suppose when we are talking tenths and one hundredths of a second they all count.
Its not much but unlike the old sprint starts prior to having blocks ( think the start of a 1500m) where a runner would stand on the line, lean forward then roll out or launch when the gun goes off these kids now place their feet on the line, rock onto their back foot and when they are ready swing forward with their chest and shoulders in order to break the timing beam with forward momentum. Its only slight but has impact for those that can get it right.

 

[Brishawk]

Yes there is a technique to gaining a flying start and I suppose when we are talking tenths and one hundredths of a second they all count.
Its not much but unlike the old sprint starts prior to having blocks ( think the start of a 1500m) where a runner would stand on the line, lean forward then roll out or launch when the gun goes off these kids now place their feet on the line, rock onto their back foot and when they are ready swing forward with their chest and shoulders in order to break the timing beam with forward momentum. Its only slight but has impact for those that can get it right.

Maybe longer legs leads to more momentum at the line and a relatively quicker time than it does for people with shorter legs?

 

[Brant]

I'd say most of the quicker players in the AFL rated pretty high in the sprints. It's more a test of acceleration and explosiveness though, and 20m is a pretty poor distance to judge speed over. Most professional sports perform a 40m sprint test instead.

Taller blokes don't tend to have the best acceleration, Usain bolt is a noteworthy example of this. He tends to be either behind or in the pack for the first 20 or so metres, but at a certain point the others reach their peak speed and he's still accelerating.



RE Naitanui and Stanley, that 2008 draft had a few talls that broke the 3 second mark.

Jack Watts, Nick Naitanui and Ryan Schoenmakers all did very well in both the sprint and repeat sprinting tests. Schoey actually tested the best for repeat sprinting!

Schoey ran 2.89 sec for Repeat 20m Sprints, from memory.

Bloody elite!

Then he put on about 40kg & played FB for 5+ years...


*in all fairness, dislodging Roughy & Franko from KPF spots between 2009 - 2013, whilst not having a KPD on the list kinda forced our hand a bit.

 

[KermitJagger]

Schoey ran 2.89 sec for Repeat 20m Sprints, from memory.

Bloody elite!

Then he put on about 40kg & played FB for 5+ years...


*in all fairness, dislodging Roughy & Franko from KPF spots between 2009 - 2013, whilst not having a KPD on the list kinda forced our hand a bit.

I also think that the issue with Schoey, much like Watts, has been urgency. They've got all the raw physical tools, the skills, but just no urgency or intensity.

 

[Mojo]

So, what's our thoughts on this bloke?