Book featuring Veszpremi

[Hopelesslyaddicted]

I've heard that there is a book which if not already on the shelves, is due to be released soon which apparently heavily features Patrick Veszpremi in it.

From what I could make out on the radio, Melbourne Age writer Emma Quayle supposedly spent the best part of eighteen months following and personally meeting Veszpremi and 3 or 4 other top draft prospects before and after last years national draft.

Does anyone know anything about this book?

 

[smasher]

I know it has finished being published but I don't know where you buy it.I think Vesz has read it and liked what he read.Just have to keep an eye out for it.

 

[grimlock]

http://chaos.com/product/draft_2298953_916901.html
http://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=94&book=9781741755183

 

[SOPH_CROSS]

Lots of boys dream of playing footy for an AFL team. Only a few will make it.

Trent Cotchin is a possible No. 1 draft pick.

Cyril Junior' Rioli loves to play footy but isn't into the draft game.

Brad Ebert is the latest in a line of famous South Australian footballers.

Ben McEvoy lives miles away from his football team on the family farm.

Patrick Veszpremi has a nagging shoulder injury and has been told he's not fit enough.

In their final year of junior football, these five boys join the other 2000 or so who nominate for the national AFL draft. Teetering on the brink of sporting careers, they have important decisions to make, gruelling physical work ahead of them, anxious parents and Year 12 to pass. And what if they're not picked? What if it's all a waste of time?

Meanwhile, Hawthorn Football Club has a 5-year plan to revitalise their playing list. After finishing near the bottom in 2004, they see strategic use of the draft as their pathway to a premiership. Things are going well, so far.

This is the inside story of the AFL draft, looking at all aspects - scientific and instinctive - of identifying whether a boy has the talent and mental toughness to be an elite footballer and whether he fits a club's requirements. It's do-or-die for the boys, and crunch time for the coaches and recruiters.

Sounds good ill get it

 

[Bloods boy from the Bush]

launched today in melbourne will be getting my copy tomorrow sounds like a great read.

 

[smasher]

Can purchase online for $26.95 at www.booktopia.com.au.It is in stock.(The Draft by Emma Quayle).
They have a shop in Sydney who have it as well.

 

[liz]

Picked up a copy on my way home this evening. Have only dipped into little bits of it thus far but suspect it is compulsory reading for the growing crowds on board the Vez-train.

 

[grimlock]

Hi liz,

What is the format of the book like? Is it split into basically 5 minibooks on each player, or is it chronological going through each player at different stages through the year?

 

[Dudley]

Are there any nude shots ?

 

[liz]

Hi liz,

What is the format of the book like? Is it split into basically 5 minibooks on each player, or is it chronological going through each player at different stages through the year?

More the latter. There are some chapters focussing specifically on one of the five, but other chapters with themes (not necessarily arranged chronologically) - eg at the start there is a chapter describing what they did on draft day last year and how they were feeling.

There also seems to be an overall obsession with Hawthorn. Four chapters are just called "Hawthorn". The small bit of one of these I have read seems focussed on The Ego, Pelchen, and his rating of how talented his team is and which bits of the "recruitment model" were still missing before last year's draft.

 

[grimlock]

That's somewhat surprising considering Quayle is a die-hard Bombers supporter. Just the word Pelchen is almost enough to put me off getting the book. Sure he's had some success, but with the amount of high draft picks at his disposal, he'd be hard pressed not to pick a few superstars. There's still some high draft picks yet to impose themselves at Hawthorn. I thought somewhat like a Scott Clayton, who's had great success with lower picks at the Doggies would have been a better research topic.

 

[grimlock]

Selected extracts

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/ne...1220121234074.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

Pat's a funny guy

 

[EatBig Australia]

This is a must read. Really enjoying insight into the young guys feelings about becoming an AFL player.

I admit that I was guilty of watching Vesz play this year and assuming because he was a high draft pick, is still a teenager and playing AFL footy that he had/has all the confidence in the world. This book is a great read and really lets you understand that he was stressed and worried about impressing scouts, felt bad about his weight and also getting drafted at all.

 

[scottwade]

A fascinating read and I thought the chapters on Pat were probably the most honest in the whole book.

A one parent family, a mother who worked 2 jobs to support Pat & his brother and who felt the (perceived) guilt of not being there for her sons. A special bond between the 2 brothers and Pat's wish for his grandfather to see him play on the MCG before his Pa died.

A wonderful read not only from the human perspective but an insight into the drafting process. The book outlines Pelchen's view that you don't draft best available, but rather work to a set process.

When he came to the job he outlined the spine of the team is the most important, then the midfield is next and other areas (such as small forward) were addressed later.

 

[soupaman]

Very good read, and I highly recommend it for anyone with even a vague interest in the draft process or those involved.

I think you'll find that the chapters on Hawthorns recruiting team are actually quite interesting, looking at the amount of people and research that goes into identifying the way clubs identify talent.

 

[SM]

Well then I'll try and pick it up.

At this stage it's just a hazy thought considering I haven't even played before and I'm getting delusions of grandeur, but my fittness is really picking up considerably now... so who knows...

 

[RW]

After reading the book, I found myself cheering on Rioli in the GF as if I'd been following his progress for years! Of the five draftees followed, Cyril and Pat were the two whose stories I most enjoyed following. Highly recommended.

Grim/Liz, I know what you mean about 'the ego' Pelchen. And it's only going to get worse now they've won the flag! I mean he's obviously gone to a lot of trouble to come up with his recruiting model, but while they used their picks wisely, the strategy wouldn't have worked as well without the high draft picks they got in 2004-06. It was pointed out in a thread on the main board comparing Hawthorn with Richmond over the same period that the core of the Hawks' 2008 team (players like Hodge, Crawford, Mitchell, Bateman and Ladson) were all there pre-Clarkson. They were probably a middle-of-the-road team when Clarkson took over (despite finishing bottom four in 2004) and had more to work with than say Richmond or Carlton at the same time, so the injection of multiple first-round picks over a couple of seasons was always going to make a huge difference.

But still very interesting reading!

 

[liz]

Agree with your observations rwfan83, though Bateman is a player who's really flourished in the last couple of seasons under Clarkson. He was just an inconsistent reasonable player before but he's closing in on elite status now. Not really the same kind of player, but has done a similar thing for the Hawks in terms of improvement that someone like Buchanan did for us in 2005/6 (but sadly hasn't kept it up). Sewell is another low pick (rookie in his case) who has gone from being reliable run-with player to a superb ballwinner in his own right. Their version of Kirk? And at the end of last year, you'd have put money on Osbourne barely playing another game of AFL. But he's reinvented himself in 2008 - had a superb season.

Lots of things have to click for a team to suddenly come together. An injection of a few important personnel, a handful of players really stepping up, and the rest flourishing from the increased level of confidence. We saw a run-of-the-mill team in Geelong suddenly become world-beaters, and now we've seen the Hawks reach the top a year or two before they even thought they probably would.

 

[Corpuscles]

Of course I don't know the "Pelican" personally but anyone who can draw angst and derision from Stewy Maxfield must be an absolute tosser!

BUT

What I admire is his "structural picks" rather than "best available"

I remember when Hawks took Buddy.... heaps said he was a super risk and WA boy likely to do a "Headland"

Picking Roughhead instead of Tambling was structurally BRILLIANT!

SWANS eventually have to take a gamble and pick a high round.... TALL KPP potential player! eg Fitzy was a gun but unfortunately injury prone, wrong character and too light!

This is the year to do it!!!

Pelican doesn't talk much about Zac Dawson though... have you noticed?

 

[RW]

Yep, you might say the strategy of going for 'structural picks' (i.e. KPPs) when there was more than one player available that fit their recruiting model was pretty gutsy, we've heard Roosy say how many times that young KPPs take longer to develop, even top-10 picks are no guarantee of making it (see: Fitzy).

I will not weigh in to the 'tanking' debate other than to say that they were obviously prepared to accept some short-term pain when Clarkson came in with the list they had at the time, and it would be silly to say that they weren't influenced by the incentives given to poorly-performing clubs at least to some extent. This is more a criticism of the system than the Hawks though, they just happened to do pretty well out of it (Zac Dawson aside )

 

[SOPH_CROSS]

i got the book on sunday and im finding it hard 2 put it down but im forcing myself to read it slowly 2 enjoy

the books is amazing i love reading about the boys and find it amazing that i watched them all play this year and what i took for them 2 get there

the amount of pressure and stress and enjoyment and hard work they went through to get where they are is fantastic

every time i read about Pat i get goosebumps he his such a character and I love Trents story so far aswell

Seriously love it and **** the draft and the lead up 2 it sounds scary and exciting i want 2 some how become involved in it

I wanna be an Agent

Still got lots more 2 read


and i wish some how the book would have know hawthorn was going to win the grand final in 08 because the story of the once failing club to building up 2 where it is is awesome

But wow i am even more proud of Pat now...the poor thing kept being told he was fat...NOT ANYMORE HES FRICKEN HOT!

 

[TheMase]

I wanna be an Agent

As long as you don't look after any Swans players. I can just imagine it now ..

Soph to said player: You are awesome, you are the best and soooo hot!

Player (with a big head), perhaps Ryan O'Keefe : You're right, I am! I am worth far more than a million a season!

 

[BIGBEZ]

I cant wait till the book comes out in 'hard' cover, not a big fan of 'soft' covers, im sure it will in time..

 

[SOPH_CROSS]

As long as you don't look after any Swans players. I can just imagine it now ..

Soph to said player: You are awesome, you are the best and soooo hot!

Player (with a big head), perhaps Ryan O'Keefe : You're right, I am! I am worth far more than a million a season!

Oh gosh it would be hard 2 not go after the looks factor but i know idd do what would be best for my client





but seriously one day AFL will look back and be like Sophie Cross damn did she have good tatse

 

[TheMase]

I cant wait till the book comes out in 'hard' cover, not a big fan of 'soft' covers, im sure it will in time..