Delisted Nathan Wright

[aussierulesrules]

Welcome to the mighty Sainters, Nathan!

Club: Dandenong Stingrays
DOB:16/02/1994
Height:184cm
Weight: 78 kg
Position: Defender/midfielder
Medium midfielder/defender who attacks the ball aggressively and rarely fumbles. Strong and courageous in the air, he also excels at the stoppages. Loves the physical pressure of the game, winning contested ball and tackles strongly. Averaged 14.8 disposals and was impressive in his four matches for Vic Country in this year’s Under-18 championships. AIS-AFL Academy member.
- AFL.com.au
Head recruiter Tony Elshaug on Wright:
“He suffered a broken finger at the start of the year but he came into the championships probably a fraction underdone but he did a good job and fought the fight throughout the whole carnival and got better and better. At the end of the year he hurt his hamstring but he was still able to do some good testing at the combine. He’s got good speed, good endurance and he is a very tough competitor. He is very good overhead and a good, strong person. We are very pleased to have him. His best football seems to be at half-back at the minute and he can play on the wing.”

Click here for:
Nathan Wright Highlights



The Wright Stuff: http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/150629/default.aspx

From Inside Football:

"Nathan is an AIS scholarship holder who missed some footy this year after breaking his hand in one of the AIS practice games. He started the year in about round 6 for us and played the national championships in which he had a brilliant game in the final round against Sth Australia. He did his hamstring late in the year so missed the finals, but I would have thought he'd be a late first round choice perhaps because of his speed. He can also play a variety of roles and has some tricks" (Graeme Yeats, who coached him this year at Dandenong Stingrays)

From Shifter's top 30:

AFL Profile:

Very competitive defender with excellent natural leap and breakaway pace. Strong overhead mark
and excels one on one. Composed under pressure and agile. Showed dash from defence for Vic-
Country, averaging 14.8 disposals in the NAB AFL Under 18 Championships in 2012. Graduate of
the AIS-AFL Academy.

National Combine Results: 3km – 10mins 24secs (Top 18%)

X-factor: “Has real physical presence in winning the ball and a brilliant burst of speed from
defence which breaks the lines.”

Q&A with Nathan Wright:
What type of player are you?
I’m a run and carry player who breaks the lines coming off half back and is very competitive.

What are your strengths as a footballer?
My strengths are my run and carry, contested marking and one-on-one contests.

What parts of your game would you like to improve?
I would like to improve my kicking.

Which AFL player do you feel you resemble and why?
Stephen Hill – he can run and carry the footy and use his speed to break the game open.

#25 St Kilda (Via Gold Coast) - Nathan Wright (VIC – Def/Mid)
Height: 183cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 16/02/1994
Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays
Style: Corey Enright (more inside)
Range: 20-40
Profile: Missed much of the first half of the season but since injury has put together some really nice form. Wright is an athletic defender who can also push into the midfield and have an influence. Wright has excellent pace and a great leap on him. As a defender Wright has the ability to play shutdown roles on smaller or medium types but can also run off a back flank and provide some rebound. Defensively he can go with most players in the air and won’t get burned by too many quicker types. Has the ability through his running to do some damage and can really burst away off a back flank with his explosiveness and has a mean sidestep allowing him to really create separation and easily pass by the opposition forward to start that explosive drive only he can create. With his leaping ability has the ability to take some highflying marks and with this feature of his game might also have potential as a forward which could be something looked at as an alternative depending on team needs. Tackling ability good. Wright also has the ability to go through the midfield, win his own ball and play a role and I think could really thrive in a full time inside midfield role with his ball winning ability. Just plays with a great physicality you love to watch and can win his own ball. Kicking is mostly good and even at full pace can execute but I do have some questions under pressure how good Wright’s ball use is and I have some minor questions about his decision making ability in these situations but there is plenty to work with here and otherwise he looks like a ripper.

23. Nathan Wright (183cm midfielder - Dandenong)

I had Wright rated quite highly coming into the season, unfortunately he has had a few injury problems. But all that means, is that he is now one of the most underrated players in the draft. The good news though is that he is back now and showed some solid form in the Championships. So far he has tended to play more off of half back and he uses his run and dash to attack going forward. He can play defensive roles on the opposition forwards, but he is typically used in a more offensive role purely because of the impact he can have. But I also think he could make the move into the midfield, and be a good inside player. While he isn't going to be throwing himself head first into every pack, he is a more physical player than he is given credit for. He tackles really well, and has clean hands in the contest. And is just a tidy player all round. I think he has every right to be discussed as a first round pick. AFL Comparison: Corey Enright.

Nathan Wright
Dandenong Stingrays
183cm / 78kg / ‘94
Wright is one of my favourite players in the draft and depending on the club he lands at I think he could well walk into senior footy next year. Resume is very impressive and there will be a recruiter that just loves this kid so much he might reach much higher. Aggressive, clean hands, ability to run and carry, very good ball use and can play in a number of different spots. Will start in the back half and be very much a Heath Shaw type but who absolutely could go into the middle. He may lack the x factor of others but in my view he is a bloke you would recruit because you know he will be the type that plays really well in finals type games. Knock on Nathan is his kicking but I think its fine.

Taken from Footy Tragic's mock draft:

NATHAN WRIGHT
Height: 185cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 16/02/94
Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays
Wright is a dashing defender with some serious leg speed.
He also posted some good results at the Combine for endurance.
His kicking, especially short distances, is suspect to me, but he does have a very penetrating long kick when he’s on the run.
He loves to take the game on, and that’s what you want to see with guys who have his pace.
He played 7 games in the TAC Cup this season, averaging 16 disposals at 69% efficiency.


From Emma Quayle:

19. NATHAN WRIGHT
(Dandenong Stingrays. 18, 185cm, 78kg)
A hectic dasher off half-back who grabs the ball cleanly and takes off with it, brushing players aside on his way. His kicking can be untidy, but Patrick Dangerfield was a bit like that too. Knows what he's good at – running – and makes sure he does it.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-pick-of-the-crop-20121117-29jct.html#ixzz2DChzqqQ2

 

[saintsrfreak]

Well looks like we definitely didn't take him too early

 

[aussierulesrules]

No, I think most considered him to be around that mark.

 

[Manimal_Dunstan]

Well looks like we definitely didn't take him too early

I have seen people say would have gone Top 15 if it wasn't for a few things he needs to work on.

 

[Mister E]

Love players, who know their strengths and weaknesses before even playing a game

Will have to wait and see if he can fix em up

 

[Squizz]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-05-10/saint-showing-the-wright-stuff

Nathan Wright "I had just guessed that recruiters wouldn't have looked at me that highly because they didn't really rate my kicking that much. Growing up, I was probably one of the better kicks in my juniors. I guess when I go for a run and get my speed up, I tend to struggle with my kicking. Then I was playing TAC and recruiters started talking about it. It's a bit tough and you're always hearing it and you think, 'I mightn't be that good a kick'."

Wright admitted he couldn't make eye contact with Hayes and Scott Watters when he arrived, such were his nerves. But a first-day interaction with Ahmed Saad helped settle them. "We were getting ready for Colorado and they were handing out snow gloves to take and I sort of missed out. Then 'Saady' grabbed a pair and gave them to me so ever since then I've loved 'Saady' and that memory kind of stands out to me."

Wright roomed with Farren Ray and spent the trip bombarding (him) with questions like what to expect from the pre-season and what was required of draftees. It was an experience Wright believes "fast-tracked" the new Saints' ability to settle in.

Wright will continue to work on a diploma in fitness that has followed on from the certificates three and four he obtained in 2012, with an eventual view to a role in strength and conditioning.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Young Saint Sidelined for 1-2 weeks

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2013-05-14/nathan-wright-injury-update

 

[hayes]

Nathan Wright

Games: 8
Disposals: 12
Tackles: 2
Marks: 2

Wright was selected with our first pick in the draft at pick 24. There was talk he might've even snuck into the top ten but the knocks on his kicking pushed him back to our first pick. Wright spoke about his kicking actually being pretty good a few years prior to being drafted but admitted the talk of it being a weakness got to him. Our recruiters had a simple answer to this, and it was when he kicked the ball he was simply running too fast which can be fixed. Played mostly at half back for the Dandenong Stingrays but it's believed that he will eventually make a move into the midfield to use his explosive breakaway pace. What also catches your eye is his attack on the ball and the man with it. Loves the physical contest, if there's a bit of biffo going on you can be sure he'll be right in the middle of it.

Like most of our draftees last year Wright tested well for both speed and endurance, and he was ready to go from day one. He was the pick of the youngsters in the NAB Cup and despite interchange restrictions seemed to be running out games better than most which is a great effort for a first year player. What stood out about him is his pace, when he breaks away you're no chance of catching him and he knows it. Despite a solid NAB Cup he was overlooked for the first two rounds, but played well in the VFL and earnt his debut game against GWS in round 3 picking up a season high 22 disposals showing run and dash which got him drafted.

Wright was played in a mostly defensive role which lead to low disposal numbers, playing on the likes of Betts, Jetta and Krakour early on with his standout game probably being against Collingwood in what was a low disposal game but kept his man quiet and attacked when he could. Some highlights from that game were a nice handball receive from Jack Steven running through the corridor then threading the needle to Riewoldt in the forward line, and a bone crunching tackle on the much bigger Travis Cloak which (not surprisingly) wasn't rewarded. He was progressing along nicely until a dirty rotten hit from Betts broke his jaw:



The hit ruined his momentum a bit and never really reached the same heights when he did come back, but still showed some promising signs later in the year against Fremantle and Richmond. Was sent to the VFL after round 15 and had a solid finish to the year. There was also talk that he might have been carrying a sore back so the club were cautious with him.

All in all it was a solid debut season from Wright who played a lot more senior football than most would've thought coming in. His mixture of pace and attack on the man and ball will hold him in good stead, and most Saints fans believe the sky is the limit for this hard working youngster.

 

[tom1197]

fantastic player, quite similar to Jarryn Geary but i think he promises to be better, was tearing the Blues apart with his run until little Eddie smashed his jaw open

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2014-02-05/second-year-defender-on-the-wright-track

YOUNG Saint Nathan Wright is very determined going into the 2014 season after injuries and loss of form halted his progress last year.

Wright debuted in round 3 against Greater Western Sydney in 2013 and got plenty of the ball grabbing 22 disposals. He went on to play good footy for the next three games before a broken jaw against Carlton in round 7 sidelined him.

“Prior to the jaw, I felt good,” he said.

“When I came back a few weeks after the injury, footy was a bit different for me.

“I came back and played two games against Richmond and Fremantle and in the Fremantle game I didn’t have the best luck and the best game so I got dropped the next week and I just spent the rest of the year developing in Sandy.”

 

[Periphery]

Here's what the 2015 Champion Data Prospectus had to say about Wright:

Ranked above avg for intercept marks.

Recorded an extrodinarily high kick-to-handball ratio of 3.06:1, but his use by foot was poor.

Struggled in defensive 1v1s - losing 5 of his 9.

(Hurry up and transition him to the midfield Richo!)

 

[walshystkfc]

So Excited to start this advocacy!
A few pics of Wrighty in pre season!

 

[walshystkfc]

Nathan's Career stats so far if anyone is interested!

 

[sammm]

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2015-02-17/wright-to-step-up

Wright to step up

 

[walshystkfc]

Thanks man! was just about to post it!
http://www.saints.com.au/news/2015-02-17/wright-to-step-up

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2015-02-17/wright-to-step-up

Wright to step up

 

[walshystkfc]

Also a massive happy 21st for yesterday to Nath!

(Image thanks to Saints News Express)

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Did not know he had been injured recently! A shame that he won't be playing in the intra-club match but good to hear it's nothing serious.

The long-term plan for Wright, however, is to follow the path of teammate Jack Newnes, who has bulked up sufficiently to play an inside midfield role this year.

"As I get a bit older, my body gets a bit bigger and I keep improving my fitness, then hopefully I can have more of a midfield or wing type role," Wright said.

Like reading that

 

[L_W_P]

Question for the Nath Wright fans - While the club see him as a long term option in the midfield do we think he could play as a small forward at all?

With a very stacked and settled backline I wonder if a season playing at half forward might be a way to add another string to Wrighty's bow.

 

[walshystkfc]

Question for the Nath Wright fans - While the club see him as a long term option in the midfield do we think he could play as a small forward at all?

With a very stacked and settled backline I wonder if a season playing at half forward might be a way to add another string to Wrighty's bow.

Would love to see him at half forward or on a wing

 

[Mindtraveller]

Question for the Nath Wright fans - While the club see him as a long term option in the midfield do we think he could play as a small forward at all?

With a very stacked and settled backline I wonder if a season playing at half forward might be a way to add another string to Wrighty's bow.

Maybe in a Gram type role. Don't see him getting any closer.

 

[walshystkfc]

"This year I've put a big focus on getting 15-20 possessions every game and helping rebound the footy coming out of defensive 50." Nathan Wright

 

[joop]

Can't see him as a forward, his decision making isn't quick enough for a forward. Hopefully this improves as he gains more confidence.

 

[hayes]

Never really shown much goal kicking ability has he.

 

[walshystkfc]

Never Really been given the chance tho?

 

[AnonymousSaint]

I think with Nathan's run and carry he's more suitable running off the half back picking up dangerous players, rather then being up forward not allowing his running ability