Senior 9. Patrick Cripps

[Aphrodite]

 

[Salaryman]

like poorly formed dumpling, HBF have thick skin

 

[thylacine60]

dumpling in-jokes.............clique much?

 

[Dramoth]

Older players are more experienced and are better developed physically... I dont understand why there is all this clamour to be the youngest list and make fun of the clubs with an older list... there can be an issue if you dont have a natural progression through the club in terms of ages and for most of the bad years, we had lost most of the upper levels of experience and had to make do with a list that was too young and green to be any good. And even the few experienced guys we managed to get in were not really that good and didnt last all that long.

Clubs need a few guys in the 28-32 range... we do now
Clubs need a few guys in the 18-22 range... we do now

And most importantly, the core of the team needs to be between 23 and 28.

Here is the 1995 team

As you can see, we were a bit top head, but the core of the group was between my mythical number range of 23-28 years old... if we were to expand that out to 23-30, then the top end guys drop down to 6 and the core group is 11.

Player DOB Age in 1995
Michael Sexton 05/03/1971 24
Stephen Silvagni 31/05/1967 28
Ang Christou 16/01/1972 23
Matthew Hogg 21/12/1968 27
Peter Dean 09/03/1965 30
Andrew McKay 14/07/1970 25
Milham Hanna 05/04/1966 29
Brett Ratten 11/07/1971 24
Anthony Koutoufides 18/01/1973 22
Dean Rice 17/03/1968 27
Earl Spalding 11/03/1965 30
Matt Clape 28/05/1969 26
Greg Williams 30/09/1963 32
Stephen Kernahan 01/09/1963 32
Brad Pearce 16/08/1971 24
Justin Madden 31/05/1961 34
Craig Bradley 23/10/1963 32
Fraser Brown 18/08/1970 25
Scott Camporeale 11/08/1975 20
Adrian Whitehead 25/08/1975 20
Glenn Manton 01/06/1973 22
Average Age: 26.48

older than 28 8
between 23 and 28 9
less than 23 4

 

[thylacine60]

Good work, D-Man.

 

[Dramoth]

Unfortunately, thats the team that ran out in the grand final. I could do a comparison for the team that ran out against the swannies last year... or the Dawks grand final team, but I think that you get the idea. When you are in a rebuilding mode, the numbers between all three groups should be more even with possibly a greater number of players younger than 23 in the side.

I think in another thread, someone put up the list of players ages and our main core group has a huge number of players who are all just really hitting into their prime. If we keep managing the draft like we have been and we can manage to maintain the mix of players coming through, we should have an even longer period in the top half of the ladder than the Pussies have since 2005.

 

[Dramoth]

Also, when you are in a rebuilding mode, you tend to try and hang onto only a couple of older guys and shift out anyone who would be taking games away from the talent you are picking up in the drafts.

 

[Quazza]

How's he looked on the track?

 

[HARKER]

How's he looked on the track?

Running drills: Back quarter of pack which should be expected.
Ball movement drills: O.K. but would love to see a little more speed.
Midfield drills: Body positioning is good and can free the arms well but behind most others, including Holman

Things can change quickly but at this stage I just don't see where we could use Cripps given that most of our mids are further advanced.
Can't see that height alone will get him over the likes of Graham, Ellard and Robinson.

Reports are saying different but I can't see Cripps involved at senior level this year.
Still has to grow into his body as he can look somewhat clunky in movement.

 

[Sublime]

How's he looked on the track?

Tall, ever so tall.

 

[beowulf]

If he keeps growing he will pinch hit in the ruck....

 

[Jeremias]

Hendo to remain Blues swingman

The Blues' first draft selection from last November Patrick Cripps has also impressed with his potential so far.

"He's a good shape; he's a big bodied midfielder for us," McKay said.
"He's got good strong legs and a good strong backside on him. He'll need to build up his tank over the next 12 months or so and get a bit more endurance under his belt but certainly he's got a great stature for it.
"We saw Fremantle go quite well last year with big bodied midfielders and a couple of other teams doing the same, Sydney and those guys.

"If we can get a bit more strength around that ball, that will certainly help and it gives the other guys like Juddy and Murph a chop out."

Hendo to remain Blues swingman

Won't be a regular in year 1, but there's no reason why he can't push for a senior debut in 2014.

Needs to build his tank, and the other thing I'd love to see him work on is his versatility. Would be terrific if he were to develop into a goal kicking midfielder. Would be a nightmare for an opposing midfielder to match up on at his height.

In that regard he should have a look at what Jobe Watson has been able to do. Jobe started off as a battler who certainly couldn't contribute much forward of centre, but he's certainly improved that area of his game over the past few seasons.

Looking forward to seeing him in the preseason competition.

 

[Silvagnis]

IN FOCUS: Patrick Cripps

3. Who was your football hero when you were growing up?

Ben Cousins, because I was an Eagles supporter.

10. What are your goals for the year ahead?

I haven’t set too many goals, but I want to hit some good form in the VFL and press for senior selection.

IN FOCUS: Patrick Cripps

 

[beowulf]

IN FOCUS: Patrick Cripps
IN FOCUS: Patrick Cripps

Hopefully he can play like Cousins without being like him in any other way. if I were Cripps, I would be ashamed of Cousins now.

 

[coryne]

Hopefully he can play like Cousins without being like him in any other way. if I were Cripps, I would be ashamed of Cousins now.

Bit of a strong reaction from this answer

3. Who was your football hero when you were growing up?

Ben Cousins, because I was an Eagles supporter.

He doesn't say he wants to emulate Cousins, or that he has spent time with Cousins, just that he was his fav player growing up ........ I mean over-react much, I am sure lots of kids grew up with Fev as their footy hero but won't grow up being alcoholic gamblers ............

 

[HARKER]

Has been catching the eye through match simulations.

Think we may be hearing a bit about our speculative selection soon.

 

[Silvagnis]

If he's 194 cms, does this make him a tall mid/forward like Goddard, Watson, Goodes and Pavlich (played midfield in 2011)?

Isn't as athletic as the last two, but if he can develop the forward side of his game, then he'd demand a tall opponent like Walker. For a player of his size, he's pretty clean below his knees. Murphy suddenly looks small next to Cripps, Bell, Gibbs, Cachia, Robinson, Curnow, Graham and Mclean.

 

[etsal1]

He played as a forward as a junior before his growth spurt.


Highlight from Saturday from him has to be the Menzel-like pick up at his feet during the play that set Wood up for the sealing goal.

 

[HARKER]

Remember that he has been called Diesel-like.

Cripps has very good vision, clean hands and is aware of his surrounds. Good attributes to have as a mid.

 

[Silvagnis]

Remember that he has been called Diesel-like.

Cripps has very good vision, clean hands and is aware of his surrounds. Good attributes to have as a mid.

Mick wants versatility. With the interchange cap, they will need to rotate through the forwardline like Mclean who kicks goals.

 

[zeeCFC]

Mick wants versatility. With the interchange cap, they will need to rotate through the forwardline like Mclean who kicks goals.

Just let him go wherever there's a contest. He can float back and maybe take a intercept mark or rest forward and get a shorter opponent while Waite, Kreuzer, Henderson, Everitt/Walker are being manned up.

 

[gbatman]

Cripps is looks good, he's not slow and his hands are clean. He's still a kid even though he's big, he hasn't got a mature body with adult strength and power, he did get pushed aside by ziebell a few times. He will compete with the AFL guys but his strength, running, both endurance and speed are nowhere near where they are going to end up being. In a year or two it will be he who is pushing every other AFL midfielder around and his pace will get better. Do want to see him taking some marks in the future, if he does that he may well be the next kouta.

FWI one thing I have noticed is that starting one on one and initiating physical contact and pushing opposition off their line and into poor positions and pushing off them to attack the ball and create space is part of our game plan, what we are doing at stoppages is very new compared to last year, we have the team for it for sure. Cripps will fit into this well.

 

[Azul]

Can someone get out the measuring tape the next time they stalk Cripps at training?

Cos from the vision on Foxtel in Ballarat he looked nothing like the 194cm colossus at which he's been exaggerated.

(CFC website lists him at 190, same height as Walker and White and marginally taller than Judd)

 

[Silvagnis]

He's not all head and neck like Daniel Rich.

Call it the Watson effect who doesn't look 196 cms with his build and body type.

Paddy is nearly as tall as Jack Cripps whose height is listed as 196 cms.

 

[HARKER]

Can someone get out the measuring tape the next time they stalk Cripps at training?
Cos from the vision on Foxtel in Ballarat he looked nothing like the 194cm colossus at which he's been exaggerated.
(CFC website lists him at 190, same height as Walker and White and marginally taller than Judd)

Definitely taller than Walker Azul.

193/4 is about right. He does though carry that Waite type hunch at times which has made him look a little shorter at training.

 

[BlueJet]

He's closer to 190cm I'd say, from standing alongside him.
It'd be good if clubs listed players actual heights though.