Our 'OTHER' Rookie Ruckmen

[Mr Crow!]

There has been a lot of talk this summer about John Meeson, but didn't we also in last years draft recruit two other ruckmen? Ivan Maric? Forget the other players name.

Does anyone know what these players are like? How their progress and development over summer was?

Who are most likely to play first?

 

[Stiffy_18]

Maric has only started training after recovering from knee tendonitis. Jonathan Griffin is the rookie ruckman that the club supposedly tried to "hide". He is a smooth mover for someone his size and has very good skills. A stick figure, so he will take a fair bit of time to develop.

Meesen would be the first debut IMHO. Maric is still a fair way from debuting, so is Griffin.

 

[Mr Crow!]

Why do you think Van Berlo will most likely make his debut before Meeson, given that Meeson is a higher draft pick? (Van Berlo is an emergency for Round 1 I think).

Is it a matter of team structure / need, or ability?

 

[crowsarethebest]

Maric has only started training after recovering from knee tendonitis. Jonathan Griffin is the rookie ruckman that the club supposedly tried to "hide". He is a smooth mover for someone his size and has very good skills. A stick figure, so he will take a fair bit of time to develop.

Meesen would be the first debut IMHO. Maric is still a fair way from debuting, so is Griffin.

I think Meeson might play a few games this season but the other two have maybe 2 years for a debut

 

[Mr Crow!]

2 years???

 

[crowsarethebest]

2 years???

Maybe even more

 

[Jerome]

Mr Crow,

I posted this last weekend after watching the Crows players in the Tigers V Glenelg games at the Bay:

I arrived at half time of the ressies and saw Griffen ruck for Centrals. He was on the bench in the last so I can only report on his third quarter efforts. The Dogs kicked 6 -7 goals in 20 minutes in the third. Griff's ruck work and efforts around the ground (getting down on the ground and getting it out, then running in to kick a goal a few minutes later) was quite good. Needs to work on his positioning and at ruck contests around the ground but does well in the centre. He's very mobile - something the Dogs senior ruckmen ain't. I think his mobility and his work rate will get him into the seniors.

 

[jo172]

Maric is still learning footy after picking it up quite late as he was a basketball player. Griffin is a stick who will take a while to debut. Expect Meesen to debut late this year, Maric late 2006 Griffin 2007

 

[macca23]

Maric is still learning footy after picking it up quite late as he was a basketball player. Griffin is a stick who will take a while to debut. Expect Meesen to debut late this year, Maric late 2006 Griffin 2007

About right for all 3 at this stage.

 

[Mr Crow!]

Do you think Maric and Griffin are worthy investments?

 

[Stiffy_18]

Do you think Maric and Griffin are worthy investments?

Of course they are.

Why do you ask????

 

[Mr Crow!]

Just curious

Who was our last draftee that turned into a star, who had an initial 2 years development before playing a senior game?

 

[jo172]

Mr. Crow you may be right about Griffin but methinks diffently.

The reason why Maric will not debut for a while is that he is a sort of Dean Brogan, he only has 2 or 3 years of football under his belt. he needs to learn the game first. The other thing is assuming Meesen debuts first if Maric also debuted this year than we'd have - Clarke, Biglands, Hudson, Meesen and Maric all as ruckmen. We have enough ruckmen to tide us over until Maric comes good.

 

[Mr Crow!]

Don't get me wrong, I am not having a go at the guy!

Just wonder if it normally takes 2 years for draftees to develop, and if the 1st year players, like Deledio, Cooney before him, etc... are the exception.

Have there EVER been players in the modern draft era, who after being drafted, and not playing a senior game for 2 years, have they turned into stars?

 

[Stiffy_18]

Don't get me wrong, I am not having a go at the guy!

Just wonder if it normally takes 2 years for draftees to develop, and if the 1st year players, like Deledio, Cooney before him, etc... are the exception.

Have there EVER been players in the modern draft era, who after being drafted, and not playing a senior game for 2 years, have they turned into stars?

Brogan comes to mind.

Players generally start playing good footy in their 3rd year on the list. If they are talls they take a bit longer. We are not talking about cream of the crop draftees here. They were not top 3 picks. There is a reason they slipped down and it might have something to do with how long they take to get to AFL level.

Last year was 3rd year on the list for the likes of Hentschel and Reilly and before last year they really haven't shown much at AFL level.

There is an exception to every rule but I think its unrealistic of us to expect the likes of Maric and Griffin to come in next year and be key contributors to the side.

 

[AJ_No.4]

Don't get me wrong, I am not having a go at the guy!

Just wonder if it normally takes 2 years for draftees to develop, and if the 1st year players, like Deledio, Cooney before him, etc... are the exception.

Have there EVER been players in the modern draft era, who after being drafted, and not playing a senior game for 2 years, have they turned into stars?

Yeah, there is quite a few that have taken a few years to develop. Josh Carr, Shaun Burgoyne and Toby Thurstans to name a few.

Deledio and Cooney etc are No. 1 Draft picks at clubs that are struggling, of course they are going to be thrown in to the action straight away, beacuse they haven't anything else.

Meesen. Griffen and Maric are behing Clarke, Biglands and Hudson, who are seasoned AFL Ruckmen, maybe not the best ruckmen in the league, but if these guys can get a couple of good years under their belt in the SANFL..... we will be very well set for some quality ruckmen for a good 5 - 10 years.

I think Van Berlo will make his debut in the next couple of weeks, probably will play about 5 - 10 games this year. I can not see Meesen playing this year, next year for sure.

 

[- PC -]

Just curious

Who was our last draftee that turned into a star, who had an initial 2 years development before playing a senior game?

Define star?

Chris Judd was always going to be a star.Yet I consider someone like Johncock to have potential. Out and out champions go under 7. There are a few gems who come through but more through hard work of the draftee once he is given the chance.

 

[tribey]

Have there EVER been players in the modern draft era, who after being drafted, and not playing a senior game for 2 years, have they turned into stars?

Adam Kingsley spent 2 or 3 years in the Essendon reserves before Jack Cahill picked him up - isn't a star, but he's won a B&F and a Michael Tuck Medal.

 

[Mr Crow!]

Define star?

Chris Judd was always going to be a star.Yet I consider someone like Johncock to have potential. Out and out champions go under 7. There are a few gems who come through but more through hard work of the draftee once he is given the chance.

So we just missed out on a champion then, with Meeson at pick 8???

 

[jo172]

So we just missed out on a champion then, with Meeson at pick 8???

Yeah and does that make Angwin a champion

I think what PerthCrow is trying to say is that high draft picks are usually more developed and better players. However there are about 5 or 6 players debuting this weekend most of whom have been drafted this year very highly - Delideo, Griffen, Tambling and Franklin or have been hanging around club lists for a few years and are now ready.

 

[Crow-mosone]

Have there EVER been players in the modern draft era, who after being drafted, and not playing a senior game for 2 years, have they turned into stars?

your test is too hard, a player might be thrown in for the odd game, but take longer than 2 years to establish themselves. A gun young player going to the doggies or some other rabble is going to be the thrown to wolves - inadvisably. that's what got these teams those picks, a lack of focus and patience in developing those players. the real test is a player who has not established himself and only played a handful of games in the first couple of years.

however I'd have thought Luke Ball would fit that category. He'll win a brownlow before he's a done, and he was slow starter. Riewoldt was another.

Hentschel could well turn into a star, and Kenny Mcgregor will be AA before his done.

 

[Stiffy_18]

So we just missed out on a champion then, with Meeson at pick 8???

Depends how you define a champion.

Meesen is potentially a 200 game player so I would take that every time with a mid-first round pick

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Just curious

Who was our last draftee that turned into a star, who had an initial 2 years development before playing a senior game?

Reilly - yes played 1 game in his second year, but close enough for the argument.

Smart played a couple of years with South prior to Crows formation and was hardly a standout.

 

[Mr Crow!]

Reilly - yes played 1 game in his second year, but close enough for the argument.

Smart played a couple of years with South prior to Crows formation and was hardly a standout.

I wonder what the club saw in Smart then. They were obviously a good pick of a future footballer player then...

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Smart was always regarded as an athlete, trouble was South were a basket case so he found it difficult to star particularly being young and still learning the game.

If I remember correctly Goodwin was on the sidelines injured constantly in his first 1 and a bit years, again an athlete who was considered injury prone - look what developed there.