Craig Bird

[CharlieG]

Does anyone have an update on how this bloke is going? Is he playing each week with the ressies, and is he a certainty to be drafted at the end of the year? We can lock him in with our last pick, yes? Hopefully he proves to be a bit of a steal.

 

[Tuco]

I don't know anything about him, CharlieG. What's his story?

 

[CharlieG]

I don't know anything about him, CharlieG. What's his story?

Captained the Rams last year and I believe was selected in the AA u18 team. Was the shock oversight of the national draft and was too young to go in the rookie draft. As a Central Coast boy (I think? - Sydney region, anyway) we got him on the NSW/ACT apprenticeship scheme. Around draft time last year there was talk that we could have taken him as early as pick 16 - and from what I gather he'd be an expected first round pick this year if we didn't have dibs on him.

 

[Philhawk]

I know the kid personally and he's a terrific young player.

Is almost Simon Black like in the way he accumulates the ball. He's got a question mark over his kicking, but even that has improved in leaps and bounds over the past year.

Will turn out to be a terrific recruit for the Swans.

 

[Tuco]

Sounds promising.

I've just done a trawl through the Reserves report and he's been playing fairly well from the look of it.

Kicked 2 goals and was named in our best in the season opener. And I know he kicked a goal last week (who didn't though? lol) not sure how he played though.

http://sydneyswans.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/7106/Default.aspx?newsId=40312

I can understand your interest in him, though.

 

[liz]

Saw him play in last week's rout. Would have been hard to stand out in that team but he was certainly handy. Kicked an impressive snap goal.

Reputation is that he lacks a yard of foot pace but didn't seem overly slow on what I saw last week. He's not going to be a greyhound but looks quick enough to play in the centre.

 

[Tuco]

Saw him play in last week's rout. Would have been hard to stand out in that team but he was certainly handy. Kicked an impressive snap goal.

Reputation is that he lacks a yard of foot pace but didn't seem overly slow on what I saw last week. He's not going to be a greyhound but looks quick enough to play in the centre.

So another midfielder with goal sense? We seem to have so many on our list these days. Really helps us get over the injury bumps.

Hey Liz, do you think the pace issue is something that takes younger players a while to improve on as their bodies build? The emphasis seems to be on making sure players at Sydney have enough closing speed to make it through four qtrs rather than on having an amazing burst of speed good for only a couple of 10 min stetches per game.

 

[grimlock]

I think the club is quite impressed with him. They've not been afraid to start him in the centre square, and he's not looked out of place. Has snapped some freakish goals for difficult angles in the past few weeks as well.

 

[VanBerlo=God]

So another midfielder with goal sense? We seem to have so many on our list these days. Really helps us get over the injury bumps.

Hey Liz, do you think the pace issue is something that takes younger players a while to improve on as their bodies build? The emphasis seems to be on making sure players at Sydney have enough closing speed to make it through four qtrs rather than on having an amazing burst of speed good for only a couple of 10 min stetches per game.

4 quarters win games, not 10 minutes.

having the endurace makes sure you are there at the end to give that 10 minute burt, and push over the line re 2005/2006 gf

 

[Northern_Swan]

Captained the Rams last year and I believe was selected in the AA u18 team. Was the shock oversight of the national draft and was too young to go in the rookie draft. As a Central Coast boy (I think? - Sydney region, anyway) we got him on the NSW/ACT apprenticeship scheme. Around draft time last year there was talk that we could have taken him as early as pick 16 - and from what I gather he'd be an expected first round pick this year if we didn't have dibs on him.

From Nelson Bay, not the CC, but pretty accurite description. Given he was bottom age last year I think he was probably overlooked on the idea that he could go around again this year. I think it will be interesting to see if he elects to go with the Swans or goes open market come draft time. Can't see him pulling on a Marlins jumper this year though with the new rules in AFL Canberra