L Thompson upgraded

[KUNG FU]

http://www.afc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4417/newsid/104158/default.aspx

Schmidt, Riley & Wright re-rookied. Sam Martyn also added to the rookie list.

Changes to list (eight)
Andrew McLeod (retired)
Simon Goodwin (retired)
Tyson Edwards (retired)
Brett Burton (retired)
Trent Hentschel (retired)
Nathan Bock (Gold Coast)
Jonathon Griffin (trade - Fremantle)
Jarrhan Jacky (delisted)

Rookies
Brian Donnelly (retired, returned to Ireland)

Additions to list (seven)
Ricky Henderson (rookie upgrade)
Matthew Jaensch (rookie upgrade)
Luke Thompson (rookie upgrade)
Richard Tambling (trade - Richmond)
Sam Jacobs (trade - Carlton)
Draft pick 1st round (no.14)
Draft pick 4th round (no.61)

 

[Mismatched]

Congrats to the young fella, has had a very solid year and will hopefully build on it this year.

 

[SebastianVettel]

Excellent.

 

[Big Sledge #32]

Congratulations to Thompson who must of impressed to get put up ahead of someone who played mire than half a season. Schmidt will probably be our late upgrade after the NAB Cup, unless we take another impressive mature age rookie that is.

 

[Chief Crow]

Great to see Sam Martyn has done enough to earn himself a spot on the list following in the footsteps of Walker and Reily.
Cant wait to see his battles with VB in the 3km time trials.

 

[Vader]

Still batting 100% with our NSW scholarship holders. Can Duncan keep the average up?

 

[Pariah]

Cool. Congrats to Luke on be upgraded and well done to Sam Martyn on being placed on the rookie list.

 

[thebirdman 24]

Good news, only seem him once and he looks like a good full back option in the not to distant future.

 

[macca23]

Rendell did let the cat out of the bag on 5AA a couple of days ago on this one in his own inimitable way!!

IMO thoroughly deserved it, by capping off a good first up season with an excellent finals series for WWT.

Has size and agility and a great leap, but can run like a hare and has good disposal.

Thompson will definitely end up playing AFL - maybe even in 2011.

If he was in the draft this year, after the finals series that he had against hardened men, he'd be a 2nd to 3rd round selection IMO.

Bargain!!

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Congrat'S Luke - Great News

Love the way this lad goes for the ball in the air, he could be a bit of a smokey in 2011

 

[Schulzycrow]

Another Rendell Rook to the senior list. Keep looking for those diamonds in the rough Matty.

 

[glengowan]

Ended the season strongly with the Eagles. Kept improving and just about played every game which is a great effort for a kid to come across from Victoria and settle in the way he did.

He is quite exciting to watch. Takes a big grab, loves a bounce and taking the opposition on and can kick a long goal as well. Should slot in nicely taking the opposition 3rd tall at AFL level.

IIRC he had shoulder issues in his final TAC Cup season which would have forced him through to the rookie draft. Another great pick up for the Crows.

 

[Smoooothy]

in several years time, i feel that matt rendell will be regarded up there with malcolm blight in our club, we've had some brilliant decisions made in regards to rookies etc made since he's been on board

 

[iamjason]

in several years time, i feel that matt rendell will be regarded up there with malcolm blight in our club, we've had some brilliant decisions made in regards to rookies etc made since he's been on board

I already feel this way. The man's work is simply extraordinary.

 

[cmndstab]

Great job by Luke to force his way onto the senior list after only one season, coming to the club as an injured, skinny tall. Can't wait to see what he does for us in 2011


Also delighted to see Martyn picked up, though I had no doubt. At least we know he won't fall apart with the running workload! I wonder how tall he ended up getting? He was on target to be around 190cm. It will probably be a rude awakening going from country junior leagues to the SANFL, but at least he has the size and fitness to ensure he won't just get knocked around. From what I hear, he's a really outgoing character and has a good head on his shoulders, so hopefully he'll be able to take it all in his stride and grow into whatever role he ends up in.

 

[cmndstab]

in several years time, i feel that matt rendell will be regarded up there with malcolm blight in our club, we've had some brilliant decisions made in regards to rookies etc made since he's been on board

In his three rookie drafts to date, the only busts thus far have been Curnow (who now appears likely to be redrafted by someone after a fantastic year back in Victoria), Moss (who never got a chance with injury taking him down), and Donnelly, who was more a choice by the club than by Rendell.

Jury is still out on Schmidt, Wright and Riley, but so far you'd have to say it's a tick for Petrenko, Martin, Henderson, Jaensch and Thompson. All five look like becoming AFL players That's a fantastic strike rate.

I'm excited about us picking up five more rookies this year! Who knows what diamonds we'll unearth. It's funny, I'm now at the stage where I'm more excited about us having five rookie selections than I would be if we had five more selections in the ND after pick 61


Edit: On that note, why do we have five selections? I understand we gain a selection because we've got one spare spot on the veteran's list, and we gain three spots for Henderson, Jaensch and Thompson... where does the fifth spot come from? Pretty sure it's not from Donnelly's departure because he was on a separate list as an international rookie. Or do Irish rookies go on to the main rookie list? I vaguely remember something about that.

 

[MickyCrow]

Edit: On that note, why do we have five selections? I understand we gain a selection because we've got one spare spot on the veteran's list, and we gain three spots for Henderson, Jaensch and Thompson... where does the fifth spot come from? Pretty sure it's not from Donnelly's departure because he was on a separate list as an international rookie. Or do Irish rookies go on to the main rookie list? I vaguely remember something about that.

I vaguely remember something about additional rookie spots for about 3 years because of GC/GWS coming in, maybe this is it? Or we didnt fill our quota last year?

Congrats to Thompson and Martyn though

 

[MickyCrow]

On a side note, after all the years of Griffin/Griffen coming to an end, we now have Martin/Martyn to contend with

 

[Vader]

Edit: On that note, why do we have five selections? I understand we gain a selection because we've got one spare spot on the veteran's list, and we gain three spots for Henderson, Jaensch and Thompson... where does the fifth spot come from? Pretty sure it's not from Donnelly's departure because he was on a separate list as an international rookie. Or do Irish rookies go on to the main rookie list? I vaguely remember something about that.

Several factors have contributed to us having 5 selections in the RD (6 if you count Martyn, as his elevation formally takes place through the RD even if it's only a formality).

Firstly, the size of the "supplementary list" was increased from 6 to 8 as one of the concessions to the legacy clubs, compensating them for the ravages of the GC/GWS drafts. This "supplementary list" includes both the veterans and the rookies. In 2010 we had 6 rookies & 2 veterans, in 2011 we'll have 7 rookies and 1 veteran.

Clubs are also allowed to have up to 3 players over and above their normal quota..

• International Rookies are outside the normal quota. However, Irish players are specifically excluded from the International Rookie list. Players like Sydney's Mike Pyke and Port's US basketballer/ruckman qualify for this list.
• Former NSW Scholarship holders are also outside the normal quota - and we will have 2 of them in 2011 (Riley and Martyn).

So.. in addition to the 3 retained rookies (Riley, Schmidt & Wright) we get..

• 1 "nominated rookie" position created by going from 2 veterans to 1 veteran.
• 1 position created due to the retirement of Donnelly.
• 3 positions created due to the promotions of Henderson, Jaensch & Thompson
• 1 "additional" position created due to the elevation of a NSW Scholarship holder (Martyn).

 

[Vader]

On a side note, after all the years of Griffin/Griffen coming to an end, we now have Martin/Martyn to contend with

Not to mention Thompson & Thompson. Almost feels like a Tintin comic.

 

[cmndstab]

Not to mention Thompson & Thompson. Almost feels like a Tintin comic.

My theory is last year our rookie draft was designed to frustrate commentators. We picked up another Thompson to confuse with Scott, picked up a Riley to confuse with Brent Reilly, and then took Jaensch which half of them mispronounce.

At least Matthew Wright is easy enough.

 

[King Elvis]

We're so good with the rookie draft, it's almost like we're cheating.


So wait for the AFL to change it.

 

[beartoo]

If we'd gained Griffen and kept Griffin we'dabeen in all sorts of strife.
Congrats to the upgrades and the rookies.

 

[KUNG FU]

I initially overlooked the Martyn inclusion, so didn't include it in the title, but I think that is arguably just as exciting. I had heard second hand that a few of the Crows senior players were already raving about Martyn from his few visits to the club and his inclusion on the list was fait accompli. Apparently he was around mid-season and running laps around the rest of the squad in fitness drills. At the very least he'll be the kind of player that pushes his team mates off-field. His development will most likely be in the Henderson mould. Initially he'll look way out of depth, but if he does come around to "making it" it'll be very sudden and unexpected. Let's hope the club shows patience with him and he has the mental toughness to stick it out.

 

[WALL-e]

I initially overlooked the Martyn inclusion, so didn't include it in the title, but I think that is arguably just as exciting. I had heard second hand that a few of the Crows senior players were already raving about Martyn from his few visits to the club and his inclusion on the list was fait accompli. Apparently he was around mid-season and running laps around the rest of the squad in fitness drills. At the very least he'll be the kind of player that pushes his team mates off-field. His development will most likely be in the Henderson mould. Initially he'll look way out of depth, but if he does come around to "making it" it'll be very sudden and unexpected. Let's hope the club shows patience with him and he has the mental toughness to stick it out.

Watched Sam in a couple of state games this year.

He’s a terrific size for a mid, long and good shoulders. Will be a real utility mid. His running capacity is well noted and already eclipses anyone at the club, though I have a feeling VB will be out for the battle.

One the things that stood out to me watch his agility for his height, along with his smoothness. There was a point in the game where he has given the ball in traffic, hemmed in along the boundary line and as his man approached he did a spin move that would make Hakeem Olajuwon get wood. Proceeded to show solid toe to clear traffic.

His kicking and footy 1%ers/smarts will be the target areas for Sam. The Nationals would have been a great experience, but even playing against the country’s best kids for a couple of games won’t prepare him a whole lot having played country footy.

I imagine he’ll be straight into full training with the seniors, but spend a lot of the year playing Ressies. Once he gets up to speed on the game at a higher level the signs are good though.

HBF/Wing/On ball run with long term.