Senior Keidean Coleman (2019-)

Jan 9, 2009
15,031
16,472
Queensland
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
This guy is seriously talented. Needs to remain in the senior side as his composure and skill set adds a point of difference. I also love how effective his tackling technique is for a smaller player. He buries the opposition when they take him on. You can just tell he has "it". Going to be a terrific long term player for us. So exciting to add another young gun to our plethora of talented young guns.
 

Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 7, 2007
22,114
23,297
Melbourne
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Kiddy kicks his first
The biggest celebration in Brisbane's win undoubtedly came early in the fourth quarter when Keidean 'Kiddy' Coleman kicked the first goal of his career. After missing the chance to do so against Gold Coast on Wednesday night when he unselfishly handballed to an unsuspecting Dan McStay, Coleman made no such mistake against the Swans. Receiving the ball deep in the left forward pocket, the Lions Academy product spied an opening and darted towards goal, took a bounce, stepped Luke Parker and converted from close range. His teammates flocked for everyone to congratulate him.

 

Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 7, 2007
22,114
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Melbourne
AFL Club
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UNSUNG HEROES - ROUND 17
Brisbane: Keidean Coleman

Playing just his third game, the Brisbane Lions Academy product gave the fans the biggest celebration of the night. After missing the chance to kick a goal in his first game last week, Coleman wasn’t going to miss the opportunity again. From the left forward pocket Coleman moved towards the open goal, sidestepping Swans co-captain Luke Parker and slotted the major at close range. It gave the Lions a healthy 14-point buffer with nine minutes remaining in the final term, as they secured a top-two finish.
 
If Coleman played as a junior in Vic and was in the open draft he had to go top 10, top 20 at least.
Not really. Effectively he was in the open draft and not rated even in the top 100. All clubs had the opportunity to draft Kiddy and ultimately passed on him. This idea that if he was this or that or if he was playing there instead of here suits the narrative but the reality is he needed an extra year development to get himself ready to be drafted, no mater where in the country he played.
 
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Not really. Effectively he was in the open draft and not rated even in the top 100. All clubs had the opportunity to draft Kiddy and ultimately passed on him. This idea that if he was this or that or if he was playing there instead of here suits the narrative but the reality is he needed an extra year development to get himself ready to be drafted, no mater where in the country he played.

I agree with him needing the extra year, but I suspect if he'd played in the Victorian TAC Cup as an overager for that extra year instead of our reserves there's a fair chance he would've gone top 20 but had less impact when he made his debut because a) easier to observe, b) not attached to a club as that does depreciate a player, and c) the Victorian U18 comps are a lot more conducive to showcasing individual efforts instead of teaching players a role. So he would've been seen more and had more chance to show off his talent, but I doubt he would have been as AFL ready.
 
I agree with him needing the extra year, but I suspect if he'd played in the Victorian TAC Cup as an overager for that extra year instead of our reserves there's a fair chance he would've gone top 20 but had less impact when he made his debut because a) easier to observe, b) not attached to a club as that does depreciate a player, and c) the Victorian U18 comps are a lot more conducive to showcasing individual efforts instead of teaching players a role. So he would've been seen more and had more chance to show off his talent, but I doubt he would have been as AFL ready.
Yeah, ifs and buts. Who is to say that playing TAC his deficiencies would have been more pronounced and visible, as you say he would not have been AFL ready thus not even drafted, even at 19 years of age. What is certain is at 18 he was not ready to be drafted because all clubs assessed him as not ready. Another year in the system developed him to be drafted. Another year on an AFL list got him ready to be AFL standard when his opportunity presented. The other narratives are just fluff and Ifs and buts. Lets be happy he ended up on our list.
 

Quigley

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 23, 2006
8,700
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Bangalla
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Coleman looked fantastic up forward early last year. The Lions then decided to move him down back to get some "experience". The lower profile probably resulted in him slipping down the draft list. If he had being playing TAC I think that would not have happened.
 
It does seem that playing in the NEAFL is generally less of a handicap to a player's draft prospects than it used to be. Playing him 'out of position' might have been a shrewd ploy by the club.
 

Quigley

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 23, 2006
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He was solid but nothing spectacular. Seemed to be learning the position as he went along. He did not seem to have as much of a feel for the position as he does up forward. He did not get as many disposals as I would have liked him to have gotten.
 

jjami15

Norm Smith Medallist
Jul 16, 2011
5,210
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He was solid but nothing spectacular. Seemed to be learning the position as he went along. He did not seem to have as much of a feel for the position as he does up forward. He did not get as many disposals as I would have liked him to have gotten.
Didn’t he play as HBF in the under 18 Nationals?
 
Keidean Coleman’s seventh game of top-flight football could be a Grand Final

Gun Lions youngster Keidean Coleman is finding it hard to believe that just five games into his AFL career he’s a win away from playing in a Grand Final.
The 20-year-old Northern Territory product debuted for the Lions in their Round 15 eight-point win over Collingwood, and has held on to his spot with some polished displays that have defied his inexperience.

The pressure forward’s bruising defence in last Friday night’s qualifying final was a key turning point in Brisbane’s win over Richmond.

The victory earnt the Lions a preliminary final date with either Geelong or Collingwood.

“I was actually thinking about that the other day,” Coleman said.

“I was just sitting on the couch watching another finals footy game ... I wouldn’t expect myself to be in the position where I am now.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity, especially for the coach (Chris Fagan) to give me a chance. It’s a dream come true.”

Coleman said he tried to keep things simple on the field.

“I’m pretty happy with my role in the team. I’m not really doing anything spectacular,” he said.

“I just come and do the one percenters, tackle ... play my role, which is what I want to do and then hopefully ‘Fages’ (Fagan) is happy with my performances each game and I can just build on that game to game.”

Coleman prides himself on his tackling, which hurt the Tigers on Friday night.

“I just wanted to put that tackle pressure on because they like to exit through the back,” he said.

“I wanted to lay a few tackles on to get me warmed up and settle into the game.

“I always liked to tackle in junior footy. I’m not the biggest bloke out there and there’s a few big AFL footy players out there, so I just try to bring them to ground and whatever happens from there happens.”
 

Dylan12

Brownlow Medallist
Sep 7, 2007
22,114
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Melbourne
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How outback brothers Keidean and Blake Coleman scored AFL guernseys with the Brisbane Lions By Jessica Stewart
Katherine, a town 317 kilometres south-east of Darwin in the Northern Territory, is home to about 10,000 people and known as the place where "the outback meets the tropics". But the small community has another claim to fame: It's where two brothers, Keidean and Blake Coleman, forged their AFL dreams.

There are only five sets of brothers playing for the same team in the AFL at the moment. Carlton, Collingwood and Geelong have one each, while the Brisbane Lions have two; the Coleman boys and the Berry brothers, Jarrod and Thomas.

How the Coleman brothers both landed with the Brisbane Lions can all be traced back to a decision made almost a decade ago.

'Chance to be AFL stars'

Aged just nine and seven, Keidean and Blake Coleman packed up their lives to move across the country to Brisbane, in search of a "greater opportunity and the chance to be AFL stars". "It was Mum's decision — she wanted us to get a good opportunity with footy and get a good education, so she thought moving us down here to live with our auntie was a good option for us and it's all paid off," Blake said.
Blake and Keidean Coleman supporting their favourite AFL teams as young boys

Blake and Keidean Coleman show their support for their favourite AFL teams as young boys.(Supplied)

Two months ago, a now 18-year-old Blake was taken by the Brisbane Lions at pick 24 in the 2020 NAB AFL National Draft. And four weeks later he joined 20-year-old Keidean — who was drafted by the Lions at pick 37 in the 2019 NAB AFL Draft — for his first official AFL pre-season.
"It's unreal, it's something I have always dreamed off ever since I was little, so getting to be here now is unreal and [I'm] just enjoying it," Blake said.
"It's made it so much easier having [Keidean] around the club because, growing up, we've always been around each other, so when I got here, having him at the club made it so much easier."

Keidean made his AFL debut in Round 15 of the 2020 AFL season against the Collingwood Magpies — the team he used to support growing up.
He would go on to play the next five games, including Brisbane's qualifying final win against Richmond at the Gabba.
Keidean Coleman tackling his brother Blake at a Brisbane Lions training session

Keidean Coleman tackles his brother Blake at a Brisbane Lions training session.(Supplied)

Keidean said he was confident it would not be long before Blake also made his debut.
"Hopefully we can make a few memories together while we're in the same club, same team," Keidean said.
'Easy transition for us'

The brothers still fondly remember the day their mother told them they would be going on an adventure to Brisbane. "At the time we thought it was a holiday," Blake said. "And then she sent us down. We ended up going to school and footy, and then we ended up staying."

Keidean said it was tough leaving behind his family and friends. "It was a bit emotional at the time, but once we got here [to Brisbane] it was good," Keidean said. "We were pretty fortunate to have our auntie, uncle and grandma that were working here, so it was an easy transition for us."

Auntie Bernice Broome said when the brother's mother rang to propose the move, she said yes without hesitation. "It's a big change coming from a small town, leaving your mum and your siblings," she said. "I thought being so young, they'd give it a year and be like, 'Nah, this is too hard,' so for them to still be here today, I am glad it all worked out in the end. "Pretty much every game, junior football, I was there.
"I am always there to support them no matter where they are — I just happen to love football, which is even better."
Blake Coleman and Auntie Bernice Broome

Auntie Bernice Broome (pictured with Blake Coleman) says the brothers' success means a lot to the town of Katherine.(Supplied)

Ms Broome said it was hard to put into words how much it meant to the town of Katherine to have the brothers drafted to the Brisbane Lions. "It's huge for the town," she said.
"I know [when] their older brother … goes into town, he always gets people coming up and congratulating him … knowing that these two kids have grown up in that town and have now become AFL superstars."
Now Keidean and Blake's younger brother, Hamish has also moved to Brisbane.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-08/update-to-abc-news-homepage/12579988
"He was here quite a few years ago, but he got a bit homesick and missed him mum, but watching Keidean play on TV — I think it gave him the realisation that, 'My brother's doing so well, I want to go back,'" Ms Broome said. "It's better opportunity for him here school-wise and he gets to be with his older brothers." The fanatical Essendon Bombers supporter said she now considered herself a Brisbane Lions fan. "I think I am going to have to become a Lions member now," she said.

Auntie Bernice Broome sits in front of the locker with the Brisbane Lions guernsey of her nephew Keidean Coleman.
 
Coleman Knocking The Door Down

A severely undermanned Lions outfit went down 9.19 (73) to 8.7 (55) in wet and heavy conditions with Keidean Coleman the best for the home team.

Coleman collected a team high 28 disposals, kicked two goals and laid eight tackles in a performance that was sure to have caught the eye of senior coach Chris Fagan.

Hahn said Coleman, who was drafted as a forward, was enjoying the opportunity to play in the midfield in the VFL because of the shortage of numbers.

The Lions had 11 listed players, mostly first and second year and 11 development players in the side and Hahn said while they were beaten by the bigger stronger bodies in the contest, it was another encouraging performance from the likes of Saxon Crozier, Tahj Abberley, Toby Triffett, Will Tasker and Bruce Reville.

“He (Coleman) was very good, it was tough in those wet, heavy conditions and he stood out,’’ he said.
 
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