Past Nicholas Graham

[gbatman]

I know highlights are just that, and they make every one look good but this guy looks like a good competant player. Liking the midfielder who can play forward aswell as a lot of our our multipositional midfielders are midfielder/defender types. Seems to have good poise, neat skills and is a well built player, seems to have the tools. Good luck and welcome to Carlton!

 

[Aphrodite]

Nicholas Graham's twitter .........


@nickeygraham

 

[AB_Blue]

This kid could be a diamond in the rough. Seems to have good endurance

 

[gbatman]

if we are lucky, perhaps a Ryan O'Keefe type?

 

[Big Sim]

Looks the goods. Welcome aboard nick.

 

[Krujan]

2012 Morrish Medal Winner.

http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_...-81015-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=20539376

 

[Silvagnis]

Is it wrong that I'm more excited about Graham than Menzel and Temay?

I silky players like Gibbs and Yarran, but tough players make you hard in a different way altogether.

Stevo gives Nick the nod

“To get Nick at pick 54 is a steal,” Stevens said from Graham’s home last night. Throughout the year I spoke to Shane Rogers quite a bit about him because I really rate him highly.

“The beautiful thing about Nick is that he’s a really good solid midfielder who you can actually rest forward because he’s really strong overhead for his size,” Stevens said.

“His ability to win the ball contested and uncontested is first class. He’s got great skills, he’s really fit, he’s really good overhead for his size and he’s a quality young man. For someone coming into the system you won’t get any who’ll work harder and I think he’ll be an outstanding player.”

Though he is coming off a minor knee operation, Nick looked forward to making an immediate impact and had set his sights on making the cut for the opening round with Richmond, the team that until now he supported.

“I started running a week ago and am nearly back to full pace now,” Nick said. “Hopefully I can work in closely with the people at the club and before you know it I’ll be 100 per cent ready to go.”

Stevo gives Nick the nod

Graham's highlights, hardness, marking and ability to go forward reminds me of Mad Mitch when he was blond.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

That article says that he supported Richmond.

 

[BluesMan]

Looks like we have a good pick on our hands. Welcome Nick!

 

[Bronze]

That article says that he supported Richmond.

He was interviewed on SEN tonight and said his dad loves the Blues.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

He was interviewed on SEN tonight and said his dad loves the Blues.

Ah so he took his Dad's guernsey out. His Dad will be stoked, rights the wrongs of the past after he wondered what he had done wrong to get a Tigers loving son .... not that there's anything wrong with t .... ah **** it, there is a lot wrong with that.

 

[Bradschi]

I silky players like Gibbs and Yarran, but tough players make you hard in a different way altogether.

I see what you did there

 

[Aphrodite]

What Shane Rogers said .......

Link

Pick 54: Nick Graham, Gippsland Power
Rogers says: Coached by Nick Stevens and he's been a good player for a long time. I know it's a draft day cliché, but we were a bit surprised that he was still available for us to select.

Link

 

[Dramoth]

What Shane Rogers said .......

Link






Link

And with a lot of thanks to Nick Stevens for developing a shining star for us...

 

[Faz 2000]

Frankly, you expect absolute tin at pick #54, so this guy sounds like a great prospect. Tough, fit, can kick goals and competitive. More than worth a go. Good luck Nick! Would take a Luke Parker clone in a heartbeat

 

[etsal1]

Herald Sun Phantom had him going @ 23 to Brisbane. http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/draft-tracker
Great pick up @ 54.

Joins Kreuzer & Heppell as fellow Morrish Medallists

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Now this is a pick i enjoy
He's the kind of player i can see playing in Navy blue for a long time

 

[Sin City]

Herald Sun Phantom had him going @ 23 to Brisbane. http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/draft-tracker
Great pick up @ 54.

Joins Kreuzer & Heppell as fellow Morrish Medallists

And Vin Catoggio and Dick Pratt

 

[HARKER]

Quigley says: (Well done Quigley)

56. Carlton

Okay I am getting to the stage where I am less worried about needs and just want to get players into slots. Graham I have falling and Carlton seems like as good a destination as any for the Morrish Medal winner.

Nicholas Graham
DOB 12/6/94 Ht: 183 Wt 79

I see Graham as one of those midrange mids who do a lot of things pretty well but does not have a big selling feature and demands he be picked. He is a midfielder who is capable of spending time forward or back and has a tendency to blend into the background a bit. Against lesser opposition in the TAC he did well picking up the Morrish Medal but that is often a sign of someone to avoid rather than pick.

What Graham did very well though was take a pretty average Champs performance and build on it to finish the year very strongly. He had a very good finish to the year particularly in the finals for Gippsland and was very influential in the grand final picking up 3 goals for a losing team. He averaged 25 disposals a game and showed that he could really get the ball.

What I took away from the Champs was that he was a not particularly strong clearance player and had questionable decision making. He is a worker though and was one of those who was still running at the end of games but when the heat is on it was other blokes who were doing the heavy lifting. Like I said though he showed definite improvement over the year and the finals performances would assuage some of the concerns that teams would have had.

As I mentioned against better opposition he was not a big clearance winner and certainly behind the likes of Whitfield, Crouch and Wines in the VC team for influence in this area. He did win a bit of it though and when he did he showed nice quick hands and he is reasonable at clearing the contest. Graham will attack the contest and look good doing it but he is not consistent and will more often be seen standing flat footed or following his man to the contest. He is not a particularly physical presence in the clearance contest but he is one of the more effective tacklers. He averaged over 6 tackles a game in the TAC. He gets quite a few tackles because he follows his man into the contest rather than chasing the ball himself but if you put him in a defensive role that would be okay.

His defensive game has improved this year and he did do some tagging at times at the Champs. I noticed that he got Toumpas in the SA game and didn’t do too badly on him at times although his own offensive game suffered. He played some time in the backfield at the Champs and was okay but gave away a few goals with poor decisions.

Graham’s kicking can be a bit hit and miss. He can at times look very good with his kicking, making damaging kicks at pace and at others he will kick it straight to an opposition player with two men open. Similarly his handballs go astray or hit the deck a bit too often for me to be comfortable of his skill level. Again though, he often brings out enough really nice handballs for you to think that there is potential there.

One thing I really do like with Graham is his gut running. Where others are stopping he pushes himself through and is getting to contest ahead of others. In the back end of quarters he is at his best and that should stand him in good stead for his transition to the AFL. Pace wise he seems like he has enough for it to be considered neither a liability nor a weapon. His jumping is quite good and he is a very good mark for his size. He has nice hands above his head and judges the ball well in the air. After he marks he makes good decisions about whether to go back or to play on. He is a solid shot for goal.

Overall he is a decent prospect but not one I am confident is going to be a difference maker at the next level. He looks more like a meat and potatoes type who will be a serviceable part of a midfield rotation. His skills though need to improve otherwise he will always be in danger of being supplanted by someone who doesn’t make the skill errors that he does.

Sin City says:

Nick Graham
A lion hearted midfielder who had a massive finish to 2012. Won the Morrish medal and was in the eyes of many BOG in the TAC Cup GF despite not having it awarded to him after his amazing second half. Very similar in style to the Magpies own Dayne Beams in that he will battle hard to win the contested ball and extract it, not fast but will get the outside ball and carry it and can get forward often to hit the score board. Tackles hard and tackles often, could be a good replacement for Luke Ball over the next few years and is a guy who will be determined to succeed.

Knightmare says:

Nicholas Graham (VIC – Mid/Util)
Height: 182cm, Weight: 76kg, DOB: 12/06/1994
Recruited from: Gippsland Power
Style:
Player comparison:
Range: 20-45
Profile: Have been impressed with his game. What really stands out with Graham is his ability to attack the ball and I really like his tackling game and his tackling energy has been a real highlight with the pressure he provides. Marking ability also solid for a player of his size. Uses it very well by both hand and foot. Decision making ability good. Also an above average stoppage player and has a really natural inside awareness as well as the ability to read ruck taps.

 

[Jabba73]

Looks like another good'un. Welcome aboard.

 

[thylacine60]

Herald Sun Phantom had him going @ 23 to Brisbane. http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/draft-tracker
Great pick up @ 54.

Joins Kreuzer & Heppell as fellow Morrish Medallists

And that weird bunch of dancers...

 

[blueboy25]

Sounds like a great pick up but not sure about the hair style.

What's wrong with kids these days, he better get to the hairdressers and ask for a Mike Fitzpatrick style short back and sides before his 1st day of training.

 

[Aphrodite]

Sounds like a great pick up but not sure about the hair style.

What's wrong with kids these days, he better get to the hairdressers and ask for a Mike Fitzpatrick style short back and sides before his 1st day of training.

Already booked in at Ciccone's (group discount).

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

He obviously confused the hell out of Quigley.

What I took away from the Champs was that he was a not particularly strong clearance player

and .....

As I mentioned against better opposition he was not a big clearance winner

but .....

He did win a bit of it though and when he did he showed nice quick hands and he is reasonable at clearing the contest.

Graham will attack the contest and look good doing it but he is not consistent and will more often be seen standing flat footed or following his man to the contest.

and ...

He gets quite a few tackles because he follows his man into the contest rather than chasing the ball himself

but .....

One thing I really do like with Graham is his gut running. Where others are stopping he pushes himself through and is getting to contest ahead of others.

questionable decision making

but .....

he makes good decisions about whether to go back or to play on

Seems what we have here is a capable footballer who lacks consistency. Perfect candidate for Malthouse to extract the best out of.

 

[Mister Carlton]

Welcome to Carlton Nicholas Graham.