- Oct 17, 2016
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- AFL Club
- Sydney
He did play a couple practice matches in the seniors pre-covid. But as you say, he's a bit stiff to be having to strutt his stuff alongside two of the best small mids in the country, he may got to another club like Will Martyn from Brisbane but I'm no club recruiter.
He also regularly hits the scoreboard in the prems comp, which is with and against men some with AFL experience.
I only got to see a few preseason training sessions. But I remember seeing Thorne at swans training, though I did not know who he was at the time. He did drills with the seniors and also helped make up the numbers for a few of the match sims. I remember seeing Gaden and Geddes as well. I think Gaden kicked a goal in one of the early match sims.
I don't know anything about the Academy or the decision making process in who to draft.
But I am guessing they are drafting Academy players who they can see have a realistic pathway into the senior team. I am guessing they don't want to keep drafting Cat B rookies, playing them in the reserves and then delisting them after one year. So they might not draft a key forward like Ellem if they have already got McCartin and Mclean as talented young forwards. So instead looking at positions or roles where there could be openings and opportunities.
I am happy to see players like Wicks succeed and get a game. Because I think he got overlooked for Allies selection in his draft year, then had a good season in the NEAFL as a 19yo, then gets drafted and debuts in his 2nd year. I get that feel with Thorne. Because in those two matches he seemed to be playing as well as Campbell/Gulden even though they are the ones with all the draft focus on them.
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