Academy Watch

[Chezzalenko Reborn]

Bloody good news about Lewis Radford. One of UQ's scholarship players, along with Zac Southern, Jordon Morrison and Jordon McDonald who I believe are former or current Lions Academy players.

Having seen the two Jordon's played for my club, very smart footy players and very capable. The academy is breeding good footy players, even if they go back to more grassroot/community level footy

 

[Sticks11]

Good to see Archie make it, considering he's only played a couple of AFL Games.

Wow he must be some outstanding player having only played 2 AFL games in his life and now being selected for QLD. As fas as I know you have 2 games to impress Ray Windsor (QLD coach), a home and away game against the GC suns academy.

I saw Archie's first match against GC academy where he jumped early every ruck and most times made no contact with the ball. Yes he can jump high but you need more then that. He missed the second game against the GC suns due to some injury but alas the QLD coach Ray Windsor must have seen something really special in him.

Perhaps all those years coaching Archie at basketball at Brisbane Capitals may have helped??

 

[Dylan12]

As whatboutbob pointed out to me, 17 are from the Lions Academy and 9 from the Suns. When you add in the injured players, it is 20 and 10.

Going on from those numbers, can somebody please remind me again how Queensland is divided between the Lions and Suns? I recall the Suns being allocated the Gold Coast region, for obvious reasons and FNQ, if not the two strongest AFL regions in Queensland outside Brisbane, areas where a lot of southerners tend to relocate.

I recall seeing a map of QLD detailing each team's region including QAFL club's but at a loss to locate it.

 

[Quigley]

Anyone know if Tickner is on the AIS tour to Europe or did his injury keep him at home?

Also on the prelim Qld team. Does anyone know what happenned to Jackson Gray? He is a ruck who I thought might go alright this year but has not been selected. Is he injured?

 

[Martins49]

Anyone know if Tickner is on the AIS tour to Europe or did his injury keep him at home?

Also on the prelim Qld team. Does anyone know what happenned to Jackson Gray? He is a ruck who I thought might go alright this year but has not been selected. Is he injured?

Not sure what the status is with Jackson Gray. Maybe someone with ties to Aspley would know.

Tickner played in the Chairman's Cup for AIS Academy against Collingwood 2s last week. Not sure if he's gone to Europe, but am catching up with some people from Noosa FC tonight, so will be able to find out then.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Going on from those numbers, can somebody please remind me again how Queensland is divided between the Lions and Suns? I recall the Suns being allocated the Gold Coast region, for obvious reasons and FNQ, if not the two strongest AFL regions in Queensland outside Brisbane, areas where a lot of southerners tend to relocate.

I recall seeing a map of QLD detailing each team's region including QAFL club's but at a loss to locate it.

http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_...ID=108278&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=11489838

 

[Dylan12]

Thanks TBD

 

[Martins49]

Not sure what the status is with Jackson Gray. Maybe someone with ties to Aspley would know.

Tickner played in the Chairman's Cup for AIS Academy against Collingwood 2s last week. Not sure if he's gone to Europe, but am catching up with some people from Noosa FC tonight, so will be able to find out then.

Tickner has definitely gone to Europe with the AIS squad.
Jackson Gray has played the first 2 games in TIS Cup for Aspley Reserves. Hasnt figured in the best players. His work around the ground & ball handling skills habe let him down a bit. Needs to improve both disposal by foot & marking to become a consideration for elite level footy.

 

[Quigley]

Cheers Martins.

 

[Martins49]

Cheers Martins.

No problems Quigley.
It was good also to see 4 Academy guys get a run in the Reserves last weekend; Bertoli-Simmons, Conway, Radford & Stevenson (16year old).
Hopefully there'll be more opportunity for these guys, along with Rutledge, Gribble etc to have exposure at this level. It will be the acid test to establish whether any could be considered for 2014 & beyond.

 

[Triple R]

Has anyone seen the highlights of the Lions V Suns Academy boys on the Lions website?

http://www.lions.com.au/video/2013-04-08/academy-stars-in-action

 

[Quigley]

23 = Hammelmann? Looked impressive.

 

[Jorgo]

23 = Hammelmann? Looked impressive.

Agree 23 stood out. 39 did some nice things too.

15 was about & Izzy made it into the vid on a couple of occasions.

But 23 seemed to show the most on the footage presented.

 

[Quigley]

My thoughts on Conway's ressies game against GWS are below. I commented last year about his tendency to play from behind at contests and that was still evident on the weekend. For goodness sake you are a clearance specialist at least put yourself in a position to win the ball.

Conway - played the whole game in defence and seemed determined to play quite a tight role. He didn't offer much coming out of defence and he really does need some work on his spread. He would have ended up with 12 to 15 possessions with at least half being handballs in the back half. His kicking was a bit variable. He had some good kicks, a couple of clangers and a couple of rainbows that took entirely too long to arrive. Defensively though I thought he was pretty good and I did not see his man getting away from him. When he had the ball going forward he was very composed and took his time to find open options. His hand balling was crisp and found their targets and he showed great strength. He is going to be a tank and I love his ability to just stand in the contest. When he was at a bounce or throw in I did notice he continues to play from behind which I wish he would do away with and just hunt the ball. I hope he watched the way Bartlett went about things as I think Conway can do just that. He should be one of the best in and unders in this years draft class I just he gets off the leash and attacks.

 

[Martins49]

Agree 23 stood out. 39 did some nice things too.

15 was about & Izzy made it into the vid on a couple of occasions.

But 23 seemed to show the most on the footage presented.

My replay of the vid is a bit grainy, but I reckon #15 is Pendlebury, and #39 looks like Liam Dawson. Dawson is a bottom ager with a good leap & huge hand span. I saw him stretch his hand out once & his thumbs & little fingers were almost in a straight line with each other!

 

[Quigley]

What I want to see at the Champs from some of the guys:

Conway - really attacking the contests. Punching his kicks in nice and low.
Tickner - some real explosiveness off the mark.
Gribble - some real improvement in his skills.
Rutledge - composure and direction at the back (assuming he is playing there and not up forward).
Hammelmann - a legitimate AFL FF in the making.
Dawson - class with the ball in hand.

 

[Martins49]

What I want to see at the Champs from some of the guys:

Conway - really attacking the contests. Punching his kicks in nice and low.
Tickner - some real explosiveness off the mark.
Gribble - some real improvement in his skills.
Rutledge - composure and direction at the back (assuming he is playing there and not up forward).
Hammelmann - a legitimate AFL FF in the making.
Dawson - class with the ball in hand.

I agree Quigley.
Izzy works hard on his disposals, but does balloon a few, especially when he's "in the heat of the moment", drifting back to old habits. Knowing his mindset though, he'll get it right. Also agree that he's got to be more conscious of getting in & winning his own ball a bit more. Even though he might work on it, that aspect of a great inside midielder's game needs to be instinctive, not reactive.
Hammelmann has got the goods...well rounded athlete who reads the ball in flight well & second efforts & defensive forward work is solid.
Dawson is like Hammelmann, only 12 months younger. Toss up which will end up being the better of the 2.
Tickner could be great...as long as he does develop an urgency to his game. Its not so much that he lumbers...moreso lopes at times.
Without being too harsh, I reckon Gribble & Rutledge need to get past just being talented enough to be noticed at their current level, & get their head around the fact that continued hard work & development is the only way to a reward at elite level.

 

[BigCat2]

Found this handy document with some measurements of our Academy lads:
http://www.aflq.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/PDF/Scorpions/State_Academies_Footy_Record.pdf

Among others:
Name, DOB, height, weight

Jonothan Freeman, 27/4/94, 198, 95
Lewis Radford, 11/1/95, 179, 75
Sam Gribble, 23/2/95, 181, 81
Cain Tickner, 17/4/95, 194, 91
Isaac Conway, 29/5/95, 183, 85
Aden Rutledge, 12/6/95, 190, 90
Archie Smith, 19/7/95, 200, 97
Liam Dawson, 23/1/96, 188, 78
Matthew Hammelmann, 8/3/96, 196, 84

Tickner looks pretty solid, ready to go.
Archie Smith looks like he'll be genuine ruck size.
Liam Dawson is unlikely to hit optimal KPP height. Will be interesting to see what other positions he can play.

 

[chopperduck]

It is good to see some genuine KPP size players coming through. Over the next 4 or 5 years we are going to need talls at both ends, and then likely another ruck to start developing.

 

[Quigley]

23 = Hammelmann? Looked impressive.

23 was Freeman. A year older than the others but he looked like a good target. Having Freeman, Hammelmann and Tickner in the forward line for Qld is going to make things difficult for their opposition if they can get some decent delivery.

 

[Judge]

According to the AFLQ link above both Hammelmann and Dawson are only turning 17 this year, with Dawson being the older of the two.

Just on the video evidence so far they both look pretty excitcing prospects for the draft next year. Along with Tickner and Sam Michael we might soon have a surplus of good, young tall forwards - how good would that be compared to our present position?

Gotta love that Academy.......

 

[Hollow Knight]

Gotta love that Academy.......

"SHUT IT DOWN!"

 

[whatboutbob]

23 was Freeman. A year older than the others but he looked like a good target. Having Freeman, Hammelmann and Tickner in the forward line for Qld is going to make things difficult for their opposition if they can get some decent delivery.

Thought it may have been. The age discrepancy makes it hard to judge, but he looked good in the academy curtain-raiser to the Lions Ressies pre-season game too. He's got a fair build on him, but is a bit lumbering. Might be one of those not-quite rucks, not-quite forwards.

 

[Martins49]

According to the AFLQ link above both Hammelmann and Dawson are only turning 17 this year, with Dawson being the older of the two.

Just on the video evidence so far they both look pretty excitcing prospects for the draft next year. Along with Tickner and Sam Michael we might soon have a surplus of good, young tall forwards - how good would that be compared to our present position?

Gotta love that Academy.......

Thanks for clearing that up, Judge. My info must have ben a bit off.

 

[Martins49]

23 was Freeman. A year older than the others but he looked like a good target. Having Freeman, Hammelmann and Tickner in the forward line for Qld is going to make things difficult for their opposition if they can get some decent delivery.

Freeman kicked 7 against Redlands in the TIS Cup for Aspley 2s last weekend.