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Past Nicholas Graham

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Who cares if someone is a good mark for their size if they are small? I don't quite understand it when people say a small or medium player is "a good mark for his size" and therefore dangerous up forward.

Seems like it's only useful if the player you are on is a similar height and not a good mark for their size.

Can someone please explain this to me?

And just to keep the BF justice police at bay I am in no way bagging Graham (i'd heard of him pre draft and therefore think he's good), I just don't really understand why it's so good to be a good mark when you are small.
 
Kruzering said:
Who cares if someone is a good mark for their size if they are small? I don't quite understand it when people say a small or medium player is "a good mark for his size" and therefore dangerous up forward.

Seems like it's only useful if the player you are on is a similar height and not a good mark for their size.

Can someone please explain this to me?

And just to keep the BF justice police at bay I am in no way bagging Graham (i'd heard of him pre draft and therefore think he's good), I just don't really understand why it's so good to be a good mark when you are small.
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Are you trolling, or.......?

Being a good mark is another skill that enhances the worth of a footballer. Perhaps not as important as kicking skills, vision etc. but is another string to the bow of a player.

It looks like Graham is a midfielder who likes to push forward and have an impact on the scoreboard. It's important for a player like that to have clean hands as it adds another dimension to his game, and enhances his flexibility out on the field which we clearly value as an important aspect of a player and their ability.

Why are you suggesting that only taller players should be clean marks of the football? Makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
 
I guess if you "play tall" for your size you are hard to match up, do the opposition use a tall but less athletic defender or a small agile defender who can't go with you in the air
 

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Kruzering said:
Who cares if someone is a good mark for their size if they are small? I don't quite understand it when people say a small or medium player is "a good mark for his size" and therefore dangerous up forward.

Seems like it's only useful if the player you are on is a similar height and not a good mark for their size.

Can someone please explain this to me?

And just to keep the BF justice police at bay I am in no way bagging Graham (i'd heard of him pre draft and therefore think he's good), I just don't really understand why it's so good to be a good mark when you are small.
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Refer Eddie Betts who is a fantastic mark for his size and as such can almost play as a leading full forward at times.

It's about having the ability to read the ball, get body position and hold your ground as well as having sticky hands. It might not help you against a full back who is 6 inches taller and 15kg heavier than you, but it is a handy attribute to have. Having that judgment also helps you to read the play and spoil the ball if not in the best position.
 
Jeremias said:
Are you trolling, or.......?

Being a good mark is another skill that enhances the worth of a footballer. Perhaps not as important as kicking skills, vision etc. but is another string to the bow of a player.

It looks like Graham is a midfielder who likes to push forward and have an impact on the scoreboard. It's important for a player like that to have clean hands as it adds another dimension to his game, and enhances his flexibility out on the field which we clearly value as an important aspect of a player and their ability.

Why are you suggesting that only taller players should be clean marks of the football? Makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
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No I'm not trolling I just don't really understand the saying.


If someone is 195cms and a good mark for their size, great! That's a major weapon!

If someone is 180 cms and a good mark for their size.....so what. If they go forward can't the opposition just put someone bigger on them.

I understand it's better than nothing, but it just doesn't really seem like a major attribute if you are small.
 
The Old Dark Navy's said:
Refer Eddie Betts who is a fantastic mark for his size and as such can almost play as a leading full forward at times.

It's about having the ability to read the ball, get body position and hold your ground as well as having sticky hands. It might not help you against a full back who is 6 inches taller and 15kg heavier than you, but it is a handy attribute to have. Having that judgment also helps you to read the play and spoil the ball if not in the best position.
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Yeah I get what your saying.

I just reckon the saying gets thrown around a lot when it's not really that much of a weapon.

What I really want to know is what his tap ruck work is like!!!
 
HARKER said:
Quigley says: (Well done Quigley)
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.
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He'll fit right in :cool:
 
Kruzering said:
No I'm not trolling I just don't really understand the saying.
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I think the point of someone who is good overhead for their size is that a) they can go forward and "worry" their opponent as a marking thread, b) they can confidently go into defence and beat their opponent in the air.

Think... one of the things that makes Jimmy Bartel so awesome. He's not big, but he clunks overhead marks. A midfield tagger on him is often woefully outplayed if Bartel drifts forward. Contrast that to, say, even our own great Chris Judd, who is no realistic threat overhead whatsoever, despite actually being a pretty big-bodied middy.
 
Kruzering said:
No I'm not trolling I just don't really understand the saying.


If someone is 195cms and a good mark for their size, great! That's a major weapon!

If someone is 180 cms and a good mark for their size.....so what. If they go forward can't the opposition just put someone bigger on them.

I understand it's better than nothing, but it just doesn't really seem like a major attribute if you are small.
Click to expand...

Let me ask you this. What's better - a midfield restricted to the midfield, or a midfielder who has enough strings to his bow to enable him to be a dangerous footballer in other positions as well?

It's a no-brainer.

When assessing whether or not a junior has what it takes to make the transition from junior footballer to a capable AFL level footballer, there are many traits, or attributes as you say, that they look for. The main ones are clearly their skill level, their vision and ability to draw their teammates into play, their poise with and without the ball, their level of commitment and professionalism, and whether or not the individual in question are of good character. I argue that all of those attributes are vital and can absolutely make or break a junior attempting to rise the ranks. Then there are other attributes which are important, but probably not as much as the aforementioned ones - being a good handballer, having the ability to take a grab etc. Also important aspects, but realistically probably not as vital, more that they simply add to their repertoire and make them a more enticing prospect.

As the game progresses, I've got no doubt that flexibility is becoming a more important issue for recruiters when trawling through junior football to find the next batch of AFL footballers. These days I feel it to be very rare that a player can come through the junior ranks, and make it at AFL level, as a specialist in one position - unless they are simply brilliant in that one position.

Graham is considered primarily a midfielder, but he has the added bonus of possessing a good set of hands. That means he can push forward and have a real impact as he presents and can take a grab. Now I've not seen much of him, but would he be regarded as he is, if he didn't have that ability? Probably not as there are plenty of 'one trick ponies'. Being able to impact a game not only in the middle but also up forward gives him that little extra to push him above others, to get him drafted, and to perhaps carve out an AFL career for himself. It's that extra bit of skill which would have appealed to some and made him stand out in the eyes of others.

If someone is 180cm and is a good mark for their size, he plays taller than his size suggests. That creates issues for the opposition when he pushes forward, and could well give us an advantage. H it can create issues for the opposition when he pushes forward. He'd probably be too big for small defenders, and conversely, as he's capable of pushing through the middle, he's probably too quick and slippery for taller defenders. Either way, it creates issues and can give us, or any team that has similar footballers capable of playing forward and through the midfield, a real advantage or boost during games.

Being a good mark for a smaller player might not be a major attribute, but it makes a difference. It's probably not the sort of thing that would determine whether or not a player gets drafted, or whether he develops from a good footballer into a great one, but there's no doubt it enables a player to develop into a more well-rounded footballer than he otherwise would.
 
Kruzering said:
No I'm not trolling I just don't really understand the saying.


If someone is 195cms and a good mark for their size, great! That's a major weapon!

If someone is 180 cms and a good mark for their size.....so what. If they go forward can't the opposition just put someone bigger on them.

I understand it's better than nothing, but it just doesn't really seem like a major attribute if you are small.
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Look at Le Cras.

Height accentuates marking prowess, but being short doesn't stop you being able to take them over bigger badder opponents.

Chapman, Betts, Proplyzia. Plenty of very good marking smalls
 

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Its all about reading the play, we have a few players who are awesome at reading the play and for their size taking big marks, I think this kid is a great pick up for us, will add another dimension.
 
32. Nick Graham

NickGrahamunlimm.jpg


DOB: 12/6/1994

Height: 182cm

Weight: 80kg

Draft History: Pick 54 (Carlton), 2012 National Draft

Recruited From: Traralgon-Tyers United/Murray U18

Debut: Yet to Debut

Twitter: twitter.com/nickeygraham

Career Highlights: Video to be provided

2013 Forecast:
 


http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/151476/default.aspx

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.
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http://www.carltonfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/4311/newsid/151655/default.aspx

DOB: 12/06/1994. Height: 183cm. Weight: 79kg.

Medium midfielder who won the 2012 Morrish Medal, Graham is a terrific competitor with great lateral movement and evasive ability. Strong overhead and very good by foot, he has been a prolific ball winner for Gippsland Power this year averaging 25 disposals.

Can also play role up forward presenting as a target and applying good defensive pressure.
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Here's what a few of BigFooty's 'resident experts' have to say about Nick.

Knightmare -

#22 Sydney - 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.
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Chris25 -

33. Brisbane - Nicholas Graham (182cm midfielder - Gippsland)

Graham is another one of those players who I could see surprising come draft day, and his recent form has done nothing but support this. And while it doesn't always mean much in terms of draft position, he did take home the Morrish Medal in the TAC Cup. He is just one of those super competitive players, seems to have an ability to run all day which allows him to get to more contests than most. He isn't a real crash and bash type player, yet he still gets in there and get the ball out without too much of an issue. He is also a strong mark for someone his size, and applies a heap of defensive pressure. As well as solid form in the midfield, he has shown the ability to go forward and have a real impact there too. One weakness to his game would be his kicking in my opinion, it can be quite inconsistent so he can turn it over a bit. But then again, on his day you wont even notice it. I think he'll be a solid player. AFL Comparison: Luke Parker.
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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.
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Snoop Dog -

# 29 Port Power
Nick Graham
Gippsland Power
182cm / 76kg / ‘94
I have seen a fair bit of him and I can make a case for him to go higher than this. Reminds me very much of a Parker / Ellis / Toy sort of player from previous years and who looks most comfortable as sitting on a HB or BP and using his ability to read the play, provide an option and then execute really well. Has good endurance but probably lacks the yard Ellis has so I think he might drop to about here. Very competitive and hard at the footy and when gets a decent shape on him he will be a terrific inside midfielder. Terrific kid and he has some real upside as think he might thrive given his competitive nature. If he is gone then I reckon if Nathan Wright was here they would jump at him but they may also look to take a tall here especially if they have gotten Jolly dealt for the back end of the draft. Smith or Close or anyone else above.
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