Opinion Late Developers

[Nomad12]

Easton Wood

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Wonder if Daicos will develop a spine as he matures. It would be good to see him put his body on the line the odd time.

 

[rye]

stef martin and liam jones come to mind

 

[Saints4ever]

Gary Ablett jnr
Leigh Montagna
Zac Dawson

 

[Freomaniac]

He wasn't old but I thought Darren Glass was a spud early on at West Coast. Ended up a club champion and the best full back in the comp. All Australian 3 or 4 times.

Might as well add Jeremy McGovern going by similar posts.

Started on the eagles rookie list. Slowly developed to a decent player.

I would classify him as a late bloomer.

I could add more

 

[Freomaniac]

Not sure if he broke his leg in his first season when he was on fire.

Yeah he did. I remember the exact game too.

Round 14 vs Port Adelaide in Subiaco oval.

When Barlow broke his leg it took the sting out of the game.

Crowd felt like the wind was taken out of their sails too

 

[Saints4ever]

Michael Tuck

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Might as well add Jeremy McGovern going by similar posts.

Started on the eagles rookie list. Slowly developed to a decent player.

I would classify him as a late bloomer.

I could add more

I agree. Was going to name him. Maybe Erick McKenzie too.

 

[Jane Doe]

Michael Tuck played 50 odd games in the Reserves until he got a chance in the 1sts

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Josh Kenneddy took a while to get going. The Eagles.

 

[Scotland]

Most talls are late bloomers. Taylor, Andrews, Weitering, Moore etc. weren't AA ley defenders overnight. The likes of Jeremy Cameron and Lance Franklin doing what they did at 20/21 is freakish. Josh Kennedy was great for us but he only played 45 games in his first 4 years through a mix of form and injury which is what happens when you are 6'5'' at 18 years old. You could see in the latter half of 2009 (his fourth year, age 22) he was hitting his straps and he kicked 59, 18 (9 games), 60, 61, 80, 82, 69, 43 (14 games) goals the next 8 years.

Ed Richards is a good shout. He's played 8 years and was a fringe selection for a good part of that and is now an AA mid. A failed mid/forward moving to half back and finding a spot isn't unusual, but to go from failed forward to pretty good half back to elite mid is outrageous.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Sean Dempster is one very obvious example for us.

Was the epitome of a role-playing “GOP” for his first 7 years, but then, leading into his 8th season, at 28yo, we got a new coach in (Watters), and one day in preseason Sean did his usual thing, of punching a ball over the boundary line, when he could easily have marked it, and Watters stopped the session and asked him “WTF?”, and told him to go for his marks from then on, and Sean did so.

Going from a 90 mark (9 contested) 2011 season, to a 155 mark (26 contested) season in 2012, and All Australian selection. Gunned it up from then on.

Another good example is Mason Wood. Spluttering 7 seasons at North, then delisted and picked up in the SSP by St Kilda, and in the year he likewise turned 28 he started playing some really good footy and has been a key part of the team ever since, plugging holes where needed and hitting the scoreboard regularly.

 

[crowman2]

Tony Modra drafted at 23 went on to kick 129 goals and take soo many marks of the year

 

[nineteen eighty]

Zorko was 23 / 24 when he made his debut wasn't he? Immediate impact once he was listed though.

Matt Priddis was 21 / 22 when he was listed. Won a Brownlow at 30.

Podsiadly has already been mentioned.

Tom Stewart was 23'ish when he was drafted.

Sam Mitchell came good mid 20's didn't he?

Dean Cox would have also been mid 20's.

Max Gawn - mid 20's?

Sean Dempster was mentioned. Any of you blokes remember Nick Smith from the Swans? Became an elite lock down defender mid 20's.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Tony Modra drafted at 23 went on to kick 129 goals and take soo many marks of the year

Not many people knew about him before 93. He was a gun in 92 the few games he played.

 

[Pistol Night]

Wonder if Daicos will develop a spine as he matures. It would be good to see him put his body on the line the odd time.

Probably cop a thread ban if this was a Carlton player

 

[Meteoric Rise]

Probably cop a thread ban if this was a Carlton player

Just pointing out if he actually develops courage it will be late in his career.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

Brad Sheppard copped some grief early career, but gee he was quality when he hit his straps, probably mid 20s.

 

[fake tyrone]

David Astbury at the Tigers took a while to get going initially, lots of injuries early in his career, although he did put in a few promising performances between those stints on the sidelines.

I thought Dylan Grimes was a bit of a plodder early on.

Bachar Houli and Shaun Grigg had largely forgettable starts to their careers at Essendon and Carlton respectively.

Shane Edwards consistently played throughout most of his career but seemed to only gain widespread recognition late in the piece.

Max Gawn took a little bit of time as well.

This one may be a bit left-field, but Levi Casboult - I think he was a really slow burn but overall, had a serviceable 198-game career.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

David Mundy

 

[The_Reaper]

Surely Garry Ablett Jnr is the number 1 example?

 

[Yoda_]

what was the story behind Michael Walters? wasnt he close to being delisted at one stage before coming good in his mid 20's and then becoming a real cultural driver amongst a raft of indigenous players at Fremantle?

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Dusty?

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

what was the story behind Michael Walters? wasnt he close to being delisted at one stage before coming good in his mid 20's and then becoming a real cultural driver amongst a raft of indigenous players at Fremantle?

I know he spent time in the WAFL amd had to lose weight. I think you're right that he was on the brink of being delisted.

 

[Piggy Smalls]

what was the story behind Michael Walters? wasnt he close to being delisted at one stage before coming good in his mid 20's and then becoming a real cultural driver amongst a raft of indigenous players at Fremantle?

Great nomination.

When he came back from the stint in the WAFL he gave us so much spark. Almost turned the 2013 grand final our way while a lot of his team mates went to jelly.