Crows Draft Targets

[Stiffy_18]

Here is an article from the tiser

Young big men on Crows' shopping list
By ANDREW CAPEL
28oct03

ADELAIDE'S search for a young ruckman to develop for the future is taking it all over the country.

But there are a handful of home-grown products among the 10 teenagers the Crows are believed to be interested in securing as long-term replacements for Matthew Clarke.
Woodville-West Torrens' Jason Whitehead, Glenelg's Josh Krueger and Port Adelaide Magpies' Craig Parry are understood to head the queue of local talent.

Whitehead, 18, hails from Moonta and impressed at the AFL Draft Camp with his high leap, quick hands and endurance.

Krueger, who turned 20 yesterday, played eight league games for the Tigers this season and showed enough to suggest he has a future, reminding some of a young Bob Tardif, a premiership ruckman with Glenelg in 1973.

Former WA boy Parry had an exceptional first year in the SANFL, leading the Pies first ruck and making The Advertiser SANFL Team of the Year.

He is likely to be drafted although there is some concern over his lack of height. At 194cm, he might struggle to match it with some of the bigger ruckmen in the AFL.

AFL National Talent Manager Kevin Sheehan believes up to 10 young ruckmen will be taken in the November 22 draft but only one in the first round.

Adelaide's first pick is at No. 14.

West Perth's Kepler Bradley, 198cm, is Sheehan's tip to be the first big man taken. A member of the Falcons' premiership team this season, he won the Larke Medal for the best division one player at the national under-18 championships this year and is very athletic.

Sheehan, however, believes he will be best suited to a key defensive post, which also could interest the Crows.

Sandringham's Andrew Ericksen (203cm) and Tom Mentiplay (195cm), South Fremantle's Brent Hall (198cm), WA's Michael Embley (200cm), Tassie Mariners' Rowan Andrews (198cm), North Ballarat's Daniel Batson (201cm), Calder's Zac Dawson (194cm) and Dandenong's Chris Farmer (194cm) are among the interstate ruckmen Sheehan says the Crows would be looking at.

Lord have mercy. Those 3 "SA" boys are all undersized with tallest being 197 cm. They are more like KPP.

Do they REALLY think that Bradley will be available with pick 14?????? I'd like what he is having

Please no Andrew Ericksen. I couldn't possibly live with a younger version of Ben Marsh

 

[tribey]

We better get David Mundy....

 

[Jerome]

Please dont go for Whitehead! The boy can jump and takes a decent mark but his ruck work is shocking!

I like the sound of Brent Hall and Clint Dubenecki from Glenelg. Based on the review on the drafts and trading board (see SA draft targets thread) we might have to work on his skills a bit.

I dont know who we could pick up that is AFL experienced and over 20. I think thats what the club is also looking for, but I would take anyone over 25.

 

[MarksGirl-kbcrowgirl]

Oh Well!!!!

we will soon find out

k
xx

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by dyertribe
We better get David Mundy....

Why?????? We are in greater need of a ruckman.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Jerome
Please dont go for Whitehead! The boy can jump and takes a decent mark but his ruck work is shocking!

I am of belief that you can teach someone how to ruck. Tap work can be learned but athletic ability is something that cannot be learned.

My concern with Whitehead is that he is undersized for a ruckman and he is VERY light, only 84 kg. If we are after a project player then I guess Whitehead is as good a punt as any.

 

[Jerome]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
I am of belief that you can teach someone how to ruck. Tap work can be learned but athletic ability is something that cannot be learned.

Fair call, but his ruckwork has a long way to go from what I have seen. He was soundly beaten by Damo Arnold in the SANFL reserves last month.

I'll be very interested to see who we pick up, I just hope its not another ruckman from Victoria. We have had trouble holding on to Vic based ruckmen (Gilligan, Angwin).

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by Jerome
Fair call, but his ruckwork has a long way to go from what I have seen. He was soundly beaten by Damo Arnold in the SANFL reserves last month.

I'll be very interested to see who we pick up, I just hope its not another ruckman from Victoria. We have had trouble holding on to Vic based ruckmen (Gilligan, Angwin).

I definetly wouldn't select Whitehead with our 1st pick. That would be a murder.

Rhett's ruckwork wasn't great when he came over either but I think he does a good job now. Given, Whitehead has a long way to go with his tapwork but given that AFL are introducing all these rules so we can have athletic high leaping ruckman in our game, he surely is an interesting proposition.

As long as we don't get Ericksen, I'll be happy. That bloke is a Ben Marsh clone

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I reckon our ruckman will be coming from the West (to replace the dud we had from West).

 

[Portia]

Capel is a funny fellow.

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by Jerome

I dont know who we could pick up that is AFL experienced and over 20. I think thats what the club is also looking for, but I would take anyone over 25.

Hmm, (think's long & hard)

ah hah !!! "Ben Marsh" anyone ????

 

[maccas_no1]

The only thing Ben Marsh is good for is frying burgers at the roadhouse in Iron Knob

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by Porthos
Capel is a funny fellow.

I must say Porthos but even your own good self has displayed the odd humorous moment for others to enjoy at times.

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by maccas_no1
The only thing Ben Marsh is good for is frying burgers at the roadhouse in Iron Knob

Maybe that's why someone burnt the place down

 

[maccas_no1]

Are you serious???????The Roadhouse burnt down???????? LOL

Well he might be good at digging up iron ore then............with a shovel

I havent been up to the 'Knob' in ages They still pulling ore out of there??????

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by maccas_no1
Are you serious???????The Roadhouse burnt down???????? LOL

Well he might be good at digging up iron ore then............with a shovel

I havent been up to the 'Knob' in ages They still pulling ore out of there??????

No they stopped mining up there a while ago but apparently they have found gold & other minerals around the Point Lowely area.

 

[maccas_no1]

So are they only pulling ore out of Iron Duke now???????? I know Iron Baron closed ages ago and they pulled the town down, is that the same fate for Iron Knob?????

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by maccas_no1
So are they only pulling ore out of Iron Duke now???????? I know Iron Baron closed ages ago and they pulled the town down, is that the same fate for Iron Knob?????

Iron Duke is still going as well as a couple of new ones starting up but the Knob is a shadow of its former self & only a very few die-hards still live up there.

 

[maccas_no1]

So there are know trains running up there anymore????Hve they pulled the track up?????Whats the go with gold at Pt Lowely?????

 

[noddy]

Originally posted by maccas_no1
So there are know trains running up there anymore????Hve they pulled the track up?????Whats the go with gold at Pt Lowely?????

Think the tracks are still there.

& as for the gold well Bobs hardware has been doing a brisk trade in metal detectors in the last few weeks,

 

[maccas_no1]

Did you grab yourself a metal dector????

 

[tribey]

Originally posted by Stiffy_18
Why?????? We are in greater need of a ruckman.

I'd rather have a key defender.

We will never win a Premiership while our full-back and centre-half-back can't even hope to match the best full-forwards and centre-half-forwards in the comp.

Ruckman schmuckman - there's always some tall lump left at the back end of the draft. We missed our chance at a gun ruckman when we sat in the corner during trade week.

 

[Thunderstruck]

A key backman is needed, but weve already got Parker so why bother with Mundy?

A ruckman should def be our first priority, I still think Parry is the one. Proven at the next best level to AFL, blokes like Whitehead id hardly heard of until the draft, he wont really go anywhere. I somehow like Krueger tho, saw him play senior SANFl and theres some about him. Still rather Parry tho

If we decide to take out ruckman from afar then hopefully Brent Hall is still around. If Capel thinks Bradley will be around at #14 I dunno how he got his job. Spaanderman lacks a lot fo skill apparently but his size would be very useful ay 17 he is 199cm 100kg, normally if u are 199cm and 17 ud weigh about 85-90, as seems to be the case with ur average younf ruckman.

 

[tribey]

Originally posted by Thunderstruck
A key backman is needed, but weve already got Parker so why bother with Mundy?

All well and good, but are we ever going to blood the likes of Parker or Bock or any of our young defenders for that matter?

The only reason the likes of Hentschel and Rutten got games last year was because every other forward option bar one was injured. We should look to start rewarding form and blooding kids rather than only playing them as a last resort IMO.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Originally posted by dyertribe
All well and good, but are we ever going to blood the likes of Parker or Bock or any of our young defenders for that matter?

The only reason the likes of Hentschel and Rutten got games last year was because every other forward option bar one was injured. We should look to start rewarding form and blooding kids rather than only playing them as a last resort IMO.

I couldn't agree more. We definetly need to blood youngsters in 2004. Good news is that Parker is sticking around. Bad news is that he is on the Rookie list and will not get a game unless someone gets a long term injury. Apparently it was a decision based on salary cap issues and reason why we will go with a reduced list in 2004.

Guys like Hetschel, Rutten, Bock, Reilly and Schuback should be all given a fair crack in 2004 or there are some lean times ahead.