Rookie 43. Emerson Jeka (2023 - )

[CatToTheFuture]

I thought there was some talk about Bailey Van De Heuvel before the draft. Wouldn't he have been the alternative to Jeka?

There was rumoured interest but not sure how strong

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

I think he is more a natural forward. Interesting we did not look at Rudd? Size?

Rudd is very ordinary.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Gotta laugh at Jeka being at Hawthorn, Essendon VFL, and now Geelong.

Hawks & Cats rivalry enough said.

Same with Hawks & Bombers.

And we've even got Bombers & Cats, with our fake rivalry out of the country game based on nothing.

Good luck Emerson, may you have a long and prestigious career in hoops!!

 

[Cataholic]

He’s still only 22. But I have a feeling we will know very early whether he will remain on our list for another year after next season.

Hopefully the Cats initiated a very frank, blunt conversation with him, and have been equally as pragmatic when assessing his response and potential.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Gotta laugh at Jeka being at Hawthorn, Essendon VFL, and now Geelong.

Hawks & Cats rivalry enough said.

Same with Hawks & Bombers.

And we've even got Bombers & Cats, with our fake rivalry out of the country game based on nothing.

Good luck Emerson, may you have a long and prestigious career in hoops!!

plenty of key position players dont come on till 23-24 yo, so you can see the merit in another crack if he has developed further in the VFL.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Hopefully the Cats initiated a very frank, blunt conversation with him, and have been equally as pragmatic when assessing his response and potential.

It's funny, I was actually thinking of this guy the other day when the thought crossed my mind of how much draftees value can change over the course of a season (See Ashton Moir).

With that being said, you're never in the number 1 pick conversation if you don't have talent, and it looks to be all between the ears for this kid.

As you say, hopefully we've been blunt with what we're expecting from him and he can finally deliver on his potential.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

I've had to refresh the page 8 times to make sure I was reading it right.

Now I've done my neck for shaking my head too many times.

 

[Shadow89]

I've had to refresh the page 8 times to make sure I was reading it right.

Now I've done my neck for shaking my head too many times.

He's a rookie pick who we've drafted as depth for both ends while the kids come through.

I honestly don't get the furore. He likely doesn't make it, but we used a rookie pick on him as depth back up - so it really doesn't matter?

I have him in the same category as Furphy and Foster - don't expect them to do anything of merit, but will pleasantly surprised if they do.

 

[year of the cat]

At some stage we are going to have to invest a high pick into a key forward if we don’t trade for one in the meantime

 

[Reg Hickey]

Just took a look at some of his U18 & VFL highlights. The kid seems to have the tools be a very good player, so the fact that he was delisted by the Hawks after 3 seasons on their rookie list suggests that perhaps something has gone amiss with his developmental progress or mental state.

If the club can sort that out then we might have a bargain on our hands. If they can't, then we've wasted pick #7 in the rookie draft.

Either way, it seems like a reasonable punt to me.

 

[Reg Hickey]

At some stage we are going to have to invest a high pick into a key forward if we don’t trade for one in the meantime

Cadman

 

[year of the cat]

Cadman

Be nice.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

He's a rookie pick who we've drafted as depth for both ends while the kids come through.

I honestly don't get the furore. He likely doesn't make it, but we used a rookie pick on him as depth back up - so it really doesn't matter?

I have him in the same category as Furphy and Foster - don't expect them to do anything of merit, but will pleasantly surprised if they do.

Same here.

It's worth the punt, particularly if his struggles are mainly between the ears.

You can't teach God given talent and ability, and even if the downside is they don't quite know how to use it, you'd take that any day in the rookie draft.

We've already got COS, SDK, Neale, Conway, Edwards, & Henry x2 as talls that we've got high hopes for and expect to be around for a while.

It's perfectly normal to have some low risk, high reward players in Foster, Furphy & Jeka too.

 

[winty]

Not to put any pressure on the kid, but...

 

[CatToTheFuture]

At some stage we are going to have to invest a high pick into a key forward if we don’t trade for one in the meantime

Given the failure rate I'd strongly prefer stealing someone else's

 

[Cataholic]

Not to put any pressure on the kid, but...

Wow, no pressure indeed!

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Be nice.

Who knows what's going to happen, but based on the rumours and our heavy draft hand, I'd suspect we've got a few mids and/or key forwards on the radar for next year's trade targets.

Backline looks set both long term and short term, midfield is getting there, but still another elite young mid away IMO, and the forward line is similar, with a legitimate Hawkins replacement all that we're really lacking both long term and short term.

Bailey Smith & Aaron Cadman feel like the obvious names to address that, or similar players of that ilk.

 

[feelinfeline]

Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane kind of player? Not sure we're even allowed to use that phrase anymore, but you catch my drift.

You're allowed but I'm not sure why you would. Did you watch our team play in the AFLW last week? No shrinking violets there.

 

[year of the cat]

Given the failure rate I'd strongly prefer stealing someone else's

Just costs a premium doing it by trade.

 

[CatToTheFuture]

Just costs a premium doing it by trade.

Depends on the failure rate. There was no Jeremy Cameron available at any pick we gave up for him. Lynch was free, as was Daniher.

 

[year of the cat]

Who knows what's going to happen, but based on the rumours and our heavy draft hand, I'd suspect we've got a few mids and/or key forwards on the radar for next year's trade targets.

Backline looks set both long term and short term, midfield is getting there, but still another elite young mid away IMO, and the forward line is similar, with a legitimate Hawkins replacement all that we're really lacking both long term and short term.

Bailey Smith & Aaron Cadman feel like the obvious names to address that, or similar players of that ilk.

Fairly confident that we will have a red hot go to get Smith. Cadman seems unrealistic, particularly in the same off season that you’d look at Smith. God knows how we’d get both done.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Not to put any pressure on the kid, but...

Ok, I'm sold. Mods please delete my previous comments.

 

[CatRiot]

Has some talent. Let's see how he goes.

 

[barbster]

Not to put any pressure on the kid, but...

What about Sam Menegola?

 

[Hamingja]

Not to put any pressure on the kid, but...

Had to check on David Loats. Played 11 for the Hawks