fans interview the draftees (long post)

[danzan22]

Lets hear what our draftees have to say when they come up against some of our fans questions.
​

Hislop at home with his heroes

Monday, 4 December 2006
What do you think you can bring to Essendon? (Nick Rudich)
I think I have the ability to win the hard footy and be committed to the football with hard running and controlled aggression.
What team did you follow before you were drafted? (Robert Allingham)
I was an Essendon fan so when I was drafted I was extremely excited to go to the club which I have barracked for all of my life and now to be alongside players who I have always looked up to.
How does it feel to have Kevin Sheedy as your coach? (Rachael Hawthorn)
It's fantastic. He definitely is very experienced which is great and I am very much looking forward to learning a lot from him and I think he will provide a lot of support to my development.
Which player (past or present) would you like to play on and why? (Irene Sawyer)
Ben Cousins because of the way he runs and the way he goes about his footy. I would enjoy the challenge of playing on him and am sure that I would learn a lot from the experience.
What was your reaction when you were drafted to the Bombers? (Bobby Hamilton)
I was over the moon. I watched it on the website and at first I was extremely nervous but when I heard my name called out I was very excited. It is a lifelong dream come true.
Have you ever suffered any serious injuries? (Wayne Russell)
Yes I had a shoulder reconstruction in March last year so I missed out on playing all of last year because it probably took about eight months to recover.

Houli: From coffee maker to play maker

Monday, 4 December 2006

What are your strengths/weaknesses? (Gary Stevens)
My strengths would include my kicking (left-side), marking and handballing. I need to work on my agility and first five metres of a sprint.
Did you have any other jobs before football? (Lewis Chapleton)
Yes. The jobs I had before I got drafted were as a fruiterer, coffee maker, landscape gardener and I also worked in my family fish and chip shop.
Do you think your drafting may encourage other young Islamic men to take up the game? (Brian Russell)
Yes I am confident that other young muslims will start playing the game. I want to talk with them and take them through how I went about reaching the top level. My aim is to help send that message.
What does it feel like to be playing alongside James Hird and Matthew Lloyd? (Robert Allingham)
It already feels extraordinarily exciting to train alongside the greats in Lloyd and Hird. I can’t wait to play with them!
Who is the player that inspires you most and why? (Bre Stroszynski)
The player that inspires me most is Matthew Lloyd because of the way that he approaches every training session and makes us feel welcome as new draftees.
How did you feel when you heard that you had been drafted? (Tom Howard)
I felt like the most delighted young man in the country when I got drafted to Essendon.

CAN DAVEY MATCH HIS BROTHER
You spent a lot of time working on your defensive skills last year. What areas do you think you will need to improve when you make the transition to senior footy? (Adam Williams)
I think I just want to help out in the forward line, while working on my kicking and tackling. Hopefully I will score some goals.
I was surprised to see that you are 22 years old. Is this your first draft appearance? (Aiden Toogood)
Yes this is my first appearance. I was playing in South Adelaide prior to that.
Can you beat your brother Aaron in a footrace? (Robert Allingham)
I’m not sure actually. We haven’t had a race in a while but we will soon find out.
In what ways does the Essendon Football Club interest you? (Bre Stroszynski)
I think it is just a fantastic club full of great players and coaches and I’m really looking forward to getting involved in it.
Do you feel pressure to live up to the expectations of your brother who has already made a successful career in the AFL? (Nicholas Loschiavo)
Yes I really feel the pressure. There are a lot of expectations with people comparing me to my brother.
Who is your favourite player and why? (Edna Phillips)
That would be Gavin Wanganeen because he is a superstar. He is just a good all round player.

Gumbleton feeling more comfortable

Monday, 4 December 2006
What does it mean to be in a great team like Essendon, playing alongside the likes of McVeigh, Lloyd and Hird? (Rachael Hawthorn)Yeah it is fantastic. At the start it was all a little intimidating but once we started training it was great to train alongside Hird who is one of the best of all time and Lloydy. It was great.
Which number would you like to wear next season? (Robert Lewy)
I don’t really know yet. To be honest, I don’t really know what is available. If I had the chance of any number I would choose 14, 16 or 17 because they are the numbers I have worn at my past clubs but I’m not really fussed. I guess we will just wait and see.
Do you feel extra pressure to perform considering you were taken with the Bomber’s first pick? (Wade Phillips)
Yes I feel a little bit of pressure. I’ve been under pressure to perform for a while now but hopefully I can just get out there and do my best. I’ll give my best effort in training and follow the coaches advice and then hopefully get out there perform.
In which position do you think you play your best footy? (Nathan Beever)
Centre half forward is the main position I play but I can also play down back or in the ruck.
Do you have a favourite football moment? (Harold Nomandy)
It would definitely be winning the premiership in 2004 and 2005 for the Colt Peel Thunders. We made it two years in a row and I was given the opportunity to be vice-captain in 2005.
If you could play on any AFL footballer – past or present – who would it be and why? (Julian Scott)
I would love to play on Nick Riewolt because I think I could learn so much from him because he is an instrumental player. I would like to try and model myself on him.

Reimers' steep learning curve

Monday, 4 December 2006
Who did you barrack for before joining the Bombers? (Jenny Templeton)
West Coast Eagles.
What are your goals outside of football? (Paul Gerard)
I’m planning to go to TAFE this year. I’m intending to do some study on health and fitness.
Where is your favourite playing position? (Jake Sluiter)
My favourite playing position would probably be on the half forward flank. I like playing there because it’s quite open and you have the ability to run and kick goals.
What do you want to learn while you are at the Essendon Football Club and what do you think will be the hardest to learn? (Bre Stroszynski)
I think I will learn a lot more about the game. I will definitely learn about footy in greater depth. The hardest thing to learn will probably be having to play in a variety of roles. That will be challenging.
What do you view as your greatest strengths when playing footy? (Sam Hyland)
My greatest strength would be my long kicking. I think it comes in handy when trying to hit a target inside fifty. I don’t usually miss.

Leroy Jetta answers your questions

Monday, 4 December 2006
Who are you looking forward to playing with? (Amy Kerr)
There are lots of great players at Essendon but in particular Hirdy and Lloydy because they are such champions.
What is your greatest achievement outside of football? (Amelia Smith)
That would probably be completing my VCE in year 12 last year. I just did the usual subjects like maths and english, nothing really out of the ordinary.
Who is your favourite Indigenous player of all time - why? (Tony Fogarty)
Definitely Andrew McLeod with his remarkable ability to play the game – great pace and skills and just a quality midfielder.
If you had a choice of any guernsey number to wear, which would it be and why? (Samantha Kisielis)
That would be number five. All the greats have it – Hird, Buckley, and it is also the number I wore at my last club.
Which AFL team did you barrack for prior to the draft? (Tony Fogarty)
Adelaide Crows.

 

[S.C[BANKS]]

Thats cool, the more I hear about this rookies the more I get a positive feeling about our future.

 

[danielcan]

great stuff danzan.

they all love hirdy and lloydy. well, reimers is a worry.

 

[Andrew_5]

Jetta's got big shoes to fill if he wants number 5....

 

[go team]

what shoe size is hirdy?

 

[danzan22]

Jetta's got big shoes to fill if he wants number 5....

if he turned out to be like hird, then this would be the best draft ever.

 

[Broady Poker Tour]

if he turned out to be like hird, then this would be the best draft ever.

I'd be happy if the comparisons to Andrew McLeod are half true. Looks like he has a lot of confidence about him.

Really like the sound of Houli. Soulds like a kid with his head switched on. Seems to want to keep on improving.

Baby bombers of 2007!