North one of the 4 clubs looking at 211cm giant American

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Tas

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Exactly mate.

I hope this opens a pipeline, and US kids think we are the team to come to.

I couldn't care if we have 100 busts in a row.

You only need 1 kid to make it and become a good senior player for this to be worthwhile.


It has to be this type of athlete though, the ruck is the only position it will work, apart from the Irish recruits with the ball handling skills.

The rucks the only position on the ground where you can impact the game, without using the ball, possessions are largely negligible.
I also said before we took Wallace that it is important we take Wallace even if he is a bust because getting players from outside of Australia will be a massive source of talent, one that will be important to us when we are a top 8 side and do not have much of a look at the good talent via the draft.

It is going to take us a while to develop a program which can fast track skill development for players who have not seen a footy before. Even if our boom overseas recruit is not for some time, the more of these players we get into the system and get to perfect our ability to get them up to scratch as quickly as possible will mean when we do hit a great prospect we will have that development work in the bank and that network of experience to have confidence we can get someone up and running relatively quickly.
 

RobZombie

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I also said before we took Wallace that it is important we take Wallace even if he is a bust because getting players from outside of Australia will be a massive source of talent, one that will be important to us when we are a top 8 side and do not have much of a look at the good talent via the draft.

It is going to take us a while to develop a program which can fast track skill development for players who have not seen a footy before. Even if our boom overseas recruit is not for some time, the more of these players we get into the system and get to perfect our ability to get them up to scratch as quickly as possible will mean when we do hit a great prospect we will have that development work in the bank and that network of experience to have confidence we can get someone up and running relatively quickly.
Indeed. Even this early on, it might be our main selling point if we do want him -- come to a club that already has experience developing inexperienced/converted players. Majak's playing in the show, and Eric is already holding his own at VFL level.
 

DJ Dupree

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It's just interesting to me, I guess, that we bother teaching complete newbies from other countries the game from scratch, when we already seem to struggle so much with the actual footballers we draft from here.

But oh well, move on. Can he tap the ball? Yeah? And do not a lot else? No? Maybe he's a superstar ruckman in the making!
 
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It's just interesting to me, I guess, that we bother teaching complete newbies from other countries the game from scratch, when we already seem to struggle so much with the actual footballers we draft from here.

But oh well, move on. Can he tap the ball? Yeah? And do not a lot else? No? Maybe he's a superstar ruckman in the making!
Mate, our international rookie is showing a lot more signs of being a hardworking footballer than most of our homegrown wonderboys.
 

Black2Blue

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Not worried if he can take a catch, do a hand punch, or punt the ball straight. Just looking forward to having a Spider Burton Mk II in the club. Perhaps a little concerned about an American twang infiltrating the team if we have both Big E and Giant C around the club. Brad quarter time address: "Y'all doin' awesome in offence...."
 

Phillyroo

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Actually met this guy in the rooms before the game. To state the obvious.... Bloody hell he is tall... I got my lil fella to do some recruiting, upon prompting he went up and said "Mason are you going to play for my roos next year?" He played a straight bat and said he didn't know.... Really nice guy though, and with some work in the gym would be hard to beat.
 

B Tron

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Not worried if he can take a catch, do a hand punch, or punt the ball straight. Just looking forward to having a Spider Burton Mk II in the club. Perhaps a little concerned about an American twang infiltrating the team if we have both Big E and Giant C around the club. Brad quarter time address: "Y'all doin' awesome in offence...."
I'm sure that there are a large number of supporters who would go to VFL games if they were guaranteed to see Eric Wallce with big Cox.
 

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DJ Dupree

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Mate, our international rookie is showing a lot more signs of being a hardworking footballer than most of our homegrown wonderboys.
Exactly.

Maybe they just enjoy it more? They're wide-eyed, grinning kids at a showground, elated that they get a chance to experience something new.

Whereas our guys still play like (I think you even said this) kids forced into an Auskick clinic.
 
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I'm sure that there are a large number of supporters who would go to VFL games if they were guaranteed to see Eric Wallce with big Cox.
Someone check on Twinkletoes I think he just fainted.
 

verypoorboy

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Maybe it's just me but I don't see the hunger in his eyes and by the way he talks it just doesn't come off to me that this kid wants to succeed bad enough. When the Beast talks you can tell he's willing to be a student of the game and that he's willing to put in the extra yards to learn this game more and study it...just don't get the same vibe from this kid hm. Must just be paranoid though
 
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Hi guys this is my first post here. I felt compelled to join as a basketball (and football) fan who is intrigued by the league's current interest in American college athletes. I was checking the combine results here: https://usafl.com/news/2014/05/12/combine-records-set-again and although Mason Cox seemed to test well in a few categories there were certainly others who were strong performers.

The guys that might be of interest (besides Cox):
Justin Wesley: the best "absolute vertical jump" (bearing in mind he's probably a fair bit shorter than Cox, so his vertical by itself would be far greater than Cox's), best 20 metre sprint, and 4th best in agility
Marvin Baynham: 6th in "absolute" vertical, 2nd in 20 metre sprint, best in agility
Jay Smith: 4th in 20 metre sprint, 1st in repeat sprint, 5th in 3km time trial
Drew Barham: 3rd in agility, 5th in repeat sprint, 1st in 3km time trial

Checking their ages: https://usafl.com/news/2014/04/25/third-afl-us-combine-underway-la Barham being born in 89 might arguably not give him enough time to learn and develop while the others are born in 91/92 which is more doable.

Of course the other factor in all of this is their own keenness and willingness to try their hand at a foreign sport on the other side of the world. From memory I don't think US recruits Eric Wallace, Jason Holmes and Patrick Mitchell necessarily tested the best out of all the athletes at their combines so presumably other factors like attitude came into play.
 
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Port rule themselves out:

http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/2014-05-26/power-wont-pursue-cox

PORT ADELAIDE won't offer American prospect Mason Cox a international rookie contract for 2015.

The club invited the US prospect to the club's 14-point win over Hawthorn on Saturday night after meeting with players and football department staff over the weekend.

The Power's list manager Jason Cripps toldportadelaidefc.com.au the 211cm athlete impressed the club's recruiters both in the US Combine and his time in Australia, but the club was more focussed on developing current international rookie Daniel Flynn.

“I can confirm that we won’t pursue contract talks with Mason and his management team," Cripps said.

“We really like him and wish him all the best in the future but the reality is we already have an international player on our list in Daniel Flynn and we are keen to see this through and focus strongly on his development.

“From a list management perspective we saw Mason as being a long-term project rather than short-term fix for our ruck stocks.

“We will continue to explore the US Combine in the future and feel as though we got a good look at this time around which will keep us in good stead for future reference.”
 
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Liam Anthony is set to line up for his first game since Round 13 last year, after being called up to the North side for the clash against the Eagles.

The on-baller joins Aaron Mullett as the two inclusions to the team that lost to Geelong, with Joel Tippett (pectoral) and Sam Wright (omitted) going out.

Anthony has averaged around 27 disposals a game in the VFL this season, but it's his tackling that has been the biggest area of improvement. He's amassed more than 50 in just seven matches.

Mullett has missed the last two games due to hamstring soreness, but will be welcomed back in the Kangaroos' back six against a dangerous West Coast forward line.

Wright will be forced to sit out the weekend, with the VFL state game meaning both Werribee and Ballarat have the bye.

Despite 42 possessions and 4 goals for the Roosters last weekend, Ben Jacobs will have to settle for a spot in the emergencies.

Backs L.McDonald 21 S.Thompson 16 L.Hansen 6
Half Backs N.Dal Santo 15 M.Firrito 11 S.Atley 18
Centreline S.Gibson 43 A.Swallow 9 L.Greenwood 24
Half Forwards L.Adams 13 A.Black 35 B.Harvey 29
Forwards L.Thomas 12 D.Petrie 20 R.Nahas 28
Followers T.Goldstein 22 J.Ziebell 7 B.Cunnington 10
Interchange R.Bastinac 3 L.Anthony 4 M.Daw 38 A.Mullett 41
Emergencies D.Currie 1 B.Jacobs 5 S.Wright 19

In: L.Anthony , A.Mullett
Out: J.Tippett (Injured) , S.Wright (Omitted)
http://www.nmfc.com.au/news/2014-05-30/team-two-changes-for-north
 
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