AFL players who were average juniors

[Fat Red]

Originally posted by Westy Boy


Yep, saw Shannon Grant the one day I went to uni this year. Trippy seeing players on Firstclass, asking questions like "anyone got the solutions to Q5.4???" haha.

As for my celebrity spotting...

I went to high school with Danny Giansiracusa..... he was a mad Hawthorn supporter, so I don't know how he took to being drafted by the Bulldogs. lol

He got picked at number 30 in 99, which was a bloody suprise that he got drafted at all, because a lot of us thought that he wasn't a super talent or anything.... but given how he's been killing it lately in the seniors, I guess that's why I'm not a recruiting manager at an AFL club.

I went to high school with Andy Leoncelli, and while he was a v. good player, he was far from the star of our side. (Leoncelli was an Essendon fan).

Anyway, the point of the thread is, anyone else got stories of AFL players who were not specially good as juniors?

 

[topdon]

Yes i do.

My cousin used to play against Trent Croad at East Doncaster and played with him at Donny High. My cousin said there were quite a few players in the region who were miles ahead to Trent, talent wise, but the majority of them either suffered a career threatening injury or turned to booze.

Apparently Trent always played in the year below those who were the same age. He was therefore the oldest in the more junior side. Obviously Trent used to blitz and was everyones favourite at his club.

Dave my cous was shocked when he heard that Trent had been drafted.

Anyways, his claim to fame is that he gave Trent his first ciggy when they were at school.

 

[DEES RULE!]

Originally posted by Fat Red


I went to high school with Andy Leoncelli, and while he was a v. good player, he was far from the star of our side. (Leoncelli was an Essendon fan).

Oh my god..... do you by any chance have a year book picture you can send me?? please please please?!

Oh and I read that my all time favorite player in Russell Robertson couldn't kick while he played for the Tassie Mariners he could only mark and thats why Melbourne selected him.... now he is a super star!

GO DEES!

 

[SS11]

Re: Re: AFL players who were average juniors

Originally posted by DEES RULE!



Oh and I read that my all time favorite player in Russell Robertson couldn't kick while he played for the Tassie Mariners he could only mark and thats why Melbourne selected him.... now he is a super star!

GO DEES!

Care of Almost Football Legends, RE: ch.9

 

[DEES RULE!]

Re: Re: Re: AFL players who were average juniors

Originally posted by SS11


Care of Almost Football Legends, RE: ch.9

LOL.... yeah SS11, at least the footy show done something right!

GO DEES!

 

[walshy1993]

steve alessio didnt play footy till he was about 18

used to live near essendon and was a good basketballer

got dragged down to essendon u19 training one year and well the rest is history

 

[Mr Ripper]

Frank Bizzotto.

 

[Dan26]

Brad Johnson was an average junior

 

[TigerTank]

Fraser Gehrig was a tiny kid with no obvious ability as a junior.

Six years later he had become a giant.

Perhaps if I'd eaten my wheatbix?

 

[Dan26]

I was an average junior

And I'm still average now.

 

[Diatribe]

Originally posted by topdon
My cousin said there were quite a few players in the region who were miles ahead to Trent, talent wise.

There still are players MILES AHEAD of trent.

 

[BIG POPPA PUMP]

Originally posted by Dan25
Brad Johnson was an average junior

Did you play with him at Hoppers, Dan?

 

[coxon]

was in highschool with adem yze...

i cant remember him doing anything outstanding, always thought he was a bit too small...

his brother Yzeir Yze (yes, the name) was the standout junior player... wonder what he is doing now..

 

[Rooboy 96]

Stan Alves never played footy until he was 14... then went on to Captain Melbourne... come second in the Brownlow... Play in a Premiership team... Coach St Kilda to a Grand Final...

Not a Bad Effort...

Dougy Koop... played at Springy High always a sensation there... a lot better then when he made the big time... I still remember the day he got named in the seniors... the School was filled with reporters and cameramen...

 

[meg]

Originally posted by Fat Red


I went to high school with Andy Leoncelli, and while he was a v. good player, he was far from the star of our side. (Leoncelli was an Essendon fan).

Did you go to Xavier college? Because some friends of mine are good friends with Tim Leoncelli who went to Xavier, apparently he's not too bad either.

 

[Pessimistic]

Originally posted by Diatribe


There still are players MILES AHEAD of trent.

It's official, It's get Trent Croad month.

Not picking on anyone in particular but players like Koutafides, Crawford, Salmon etc have all had 'poor' seasons - often due to injury or interrupted pre-season

 

[Stegelator]

yeah someone by the name of. . . .Beau Stegmann but looking in the future he will be a real star!

 

[Fat Red]

Re: Re: AFL players who were average juniors

Originally posted by meg


Did you go to Xavier college? Because some friends of mine are good friends with Tim Leoncelli who went to Xavier, apparently he's not too bad either.

Sprung Meg. But I think (could be wrong) that the 2 stars from that year are the two who went to Essendon, Ted Richards and James Davies. Which, by the way, my sources tell me was a very dodgy deal indeed.

 

[BIG POPPA PUMP]

Originally posted by coxon
was in highschool with adem yze...

i cant remember him doing anything outstanding, always thought he was a bit too small...

his brother Yzeir Yze (yes, the name) was the standout junior player... wonder what he is doing now..

Did you go to the Grange, Coxon?

Yzeir Yze was actually on our rookie list for a while. I saw him play a couple of times in which he didnt stand out.. He's a bit taller and lankier than Adem and didnt really look like a typical footballer. No idea what he's doing now tho...

 

[dee_girl9]

Originally posted by coxon
was in highschool with adem yze...

i cant remember him doing anything outstanding, always thought he was a bit too small...

his brother Yzeir Yze (yes, the name) was the standout junior player... wonder what he is doing now..

Yzeir actually changed his name to Damian. and i think he trained with Essendon during the summer. (essendon people might be able verify this for me) and his younger bro Ramadan is the captain of Ardmona ones in the Kyabram District League.

 

[Dan26]

Originally posted by dee_girl9
Yzeir actually changed his name to Damian. and i think he trained with Essendon during the summer. (essendon people might be able verify this for me) and his younger bro Ramadan is the captain of Ardmona ones in the Kyabram District League.

I know that Adem Yze was actually an Essendon fan, and was hoping to go to the Bombers. Oh well, our loss, is your gain, dee_girl.

 

[dee_girl9]

Originally posted by Dan25


I know that Adem Yze was actually an Essendon fan, and was hoping to go to the Bombers. Oh well, our loss, is your gain, dee_girl.

yeah i know..... he's our best so far this season.

 

[Dan26]

Nearly at the big 1150 too, deebabe

You're reaching a new milestne nearly every day!

 

[dee_girl9]

Originally posted by Dan25
Nearly at the big 1150 too, deebabe

You're reaching a new milestne nearly every day!

i know. sad isnt it

 

[The Abuser]

Wayne Carey

Nathan Buckley

James Hird

Jason Dunstall

Stephen Kernahan

Tony Lockett

Michael Voss

Mind you, Buckley still is rather average...............and SOFT!