Our Young Talls

[HARKER]

Watson, McCarthy, Mitchell, Casboult and McInnes will be names we'll be talking about through the off-season.

To date only Watson has had a taste of the big league, but chances are we will see at least one of these boys make a position their own next year.

Who will he/they be and why?

 

[zeeCFC]

Needs more Andy Mac

 

[gbatman]

The club is going to try and fit in a guy who plays forward and ruck so I suspect Casboult could get a crack. He was promoted early and it looked like they had him lined up for that role this year but he was injured and it didn't pan out. Probably going to be competing with Kreuzer, Setanta and Hampson for the role but I think he may debut at some stage.

I don't think McCarthy will crack seniors next year. Is very lightly built. Is a good running defender and will look to strengthen his attacking game and look to take more marks in the 2nds. Will likely be trialed as a forward a bit as well. Can't see us pushing him too hard so will be an extra development year.

Watson I think will be educated and moulded into a forward over this coming preseason. Has all the tools like natural bulk, strength and height to be a forward plus being able to kick a long way is extra important for a center half forward. Our aspiring CHF's (Waite/Henderson) aren't real long kicks although I am not sure on Mitchell. I know he's played forward in patches in the VFL. Henderson and Jamison have the key positions sown up and look at home where they are and the third tall is in Thornton and Laidler's hands and they have had good seasons. Bower is a chance to take that third tall if he is on the list next year. He could join a long list of super star forwards who started out as backmen.

Mitchell is a big hope and I think he will get games next year regardless of his VFL form. The club's looked after him and managed his injury early so that he will have a fair crack at seniors next season. He's the big forward hope for us and I feel that we might just play him and persist with him. I hope Waite and one of our ruckmen step up to give him support.

 

[Donstuie]

I'd expect the only ones to get any real experience in the 1's next year would be Watson and (hopefully) Casboult. In terms of strength and development they seem to be a bit further ahead of the others (although agility is something they need to work on over preseason).

McCarthy may get a sniff of senior footy, but will probably spend most of the year in red until he gets stronger. Same for Mitchell. Physically he seems to have the attributes to be a solid FF in the Hawkins mould, but he needs match experience and to feel confidence in his shoulders.

McInness (although not really a 'tall' per se) is the dark horse. He sounds like the sort of guy who could prove to be a handy Mr Fix-it type who could potentially play anywhere (like Davies is right now). So if he can overcome his own injury issues we may see some of him next year.

 

[zeeCFC]

Not tall enough, Zee.
Key position only.

Well he's 191cm and who knows how much he's grown. We've played the 190cm Simon White as our CHB plenty of times. Think Waitey on the wing all those years ago when you're asked what we'd like McInnes to become.

 

[AlecDuncan]

I'm not convinced Watson is suited to play-on football. Trundles around without any real pace. Needs to learn how to run like a bastard over the pre-season. Even if he's only going to play on the gorillas, he'll still be in their wake if he stays at this pace.

 

[Silvagnis]

Recall Sam Landsberger tweeting that McInnes played well on Gumbleton earlier this year.

Needs more Mark Austin

*edited for denial*

 

[Beloved]

Watson will most likely get more game time next year, and Casboult should make his debut.

Mitchell and McCarthy are outside possibilities. Each need a season in the Ants at least.

 

[zeeCFC]

Fair point and there has been some pretty excited for him.
Pity he did his shoulder a few weeks back. I saw him go down on the boundary at Visy and he wasn't looking happy.

Will amend the OP to take him into account, although he looks small out on the field.

Not small in reality. Probably the most AFL ready body out of all those talls mentioned.

Can't wait to see them all get a preseason in. Casboult should finally get his tank up and actually challenge for a senior spot.

 

[gbatman]

I'm not convinced Watson is suited to play-on football. Trundles around without any real pace. Needs to learn how to run like a bastard over the pre-season. Even if he's only going to play on the gorillas, he'll still be in their wake if he stays at this pace.

I think he has pace but lacks fittness and runs out of steam quickly. Just needs to train really hard and get a lot fitter.

McInness would have been a good chance to make his debut this year had he not got injured. Looks a smart and smooth half back flanker. We aren't the best team to be a half back flanker as we have loads of them. Hopefully he plays some footy on the wing and at half forward next year. Looks a likely type.

 

[Silvagnis]

Not sure why some are so bullish about Casboult making his debut and playing well. Casboult still needs to improve his disposal, recovery, second efforts and motor. The development of another manchild in Hawkins suggests that you can't throw a manchild into the forwardline and expect him to play well. Dawes took his time as well. The likes of Taylor, Reid, Mackenzie, Merrett and Lake would be too experienced and mobile for Levi.

 

[Dominator_7]

Big Levi and Watto will get a few games next year.. Possibly even Lukey Mitchell if he can put in a full pre season and play some good Ants games early in the year...

 

[Silvagnis]

Carlton supporters still get called out for mentioning Austin as a possible player after what he showed 2009.

Even cop it for mentioning Bower who some don't rate.

I wouldn't be so bullish about Levi.

 

[GordonBlue]

Don't know why, but every time I see Mitchell in training photo, my heart skips a beat!!! Cannot wait to see what he has to offer

 

[Kades_Dad]

I'm very excited about what Mitchell could offer to the club in the coming years.

 

[Kelly_Hunter]

I could see Watson playing as our third tall next year. Jamison, Henderson and Watson could be very handy. I see McCarthy struggling to crack in to the team, just because of the quality already of half back. Luke Mitchell looks impressive and could be a future full foward. He excites me

 

[Wickzki]

I'm just a little worried that Mitchell might be a little bit of a choker.

Other than that I'm completely confident in all of our kids.

 

[Wickzki]

Ask Perry Lou.

No, I'm a big fan of all of our young KP prospects. I think they're all fine and have a chance of making it. As far as Levi - I don't think there's a chance in hell that we don't give him the third year on the rookie list. Thanks to the GC and GWS expansion that's the one concession that the established teams have. I hope the Blues take full advantage of it as Levi really could be anything. I agree with you (I believe it was you) in claiming that he's not a ruck. However, he has the potential to pinch hit and I think with the sub rule that's the way the game is headed. We've seen it with Setanta this year - he's not really a ruck either but he can go in there for little bursts to give 206 a breather. It might only be for 2-4 minutes a quarter but that's often enough to keep a big bloke going for four quarter.

I think Mitchell is the pick of the bunch. Just a gut instinct on that one. Nothing concrete. Just tremendous physical gifts in that body. I think he'll easily be as good if not significantly better than Jack Darling when all is said and done.

I would caution on trying to move Watson out of the backline and making him a forward. The guy has KPD written all over him. I'd not like to see a talent like that go to waste as it'd be a reverse Livingston. With Jamo's injury history I'm not sure that we'll ever be able to count on having him for a complete season. It'd be lovely but over the long haul I'd look to do something similar to what the Pies did this year - rotate players in and out of the side to keep them healthy and fresh. They were forced to do it with some of their KP stock but they had wonderful midfield rotations this year. I also think that's the wave of the future much like it has become typical in European soccer where you don't often have your truly best 22 out on the park together more than a handful of times a year.

 

[Beloved]

EBIAC, Teagueeee and a few other regular Ants watchers may well know better, but I just don't see it with Levi, for the same reason I couldn't see it with Cameron Cloke.
Both can take a beautiul mark, but then what?
Levi does go into the ruck every now and then but he is no more a ruck man than Henderson is right now.

Maybe it's the way he wears his jumper, but Levi also looks as though he's stacked on a bit recently.
Is that the case?

I have the same concern over his uses around the ground, and he still has a lot of work to do on his kicking, but he's doing well for a young key forward.

He has stacked on muscle this year. I'll try and get some up-and-close pictures on Saturday to show it.

 

[Bluebear]

Watson, McCarthy, Mitchell, Casboult and McInnes will be names we'll be talking about through the off-season.

To date only Watson has had a taste of the big league, but chances are we will see at least one of these boys make a position their own next year.

Who will he/they be and why?

I'll take the Essendon supporter approach:

All named are future guns, locks for AA despite not having played......until proven otherwise.

Then, in the face of mouting evidence to the contrary......I reserve the right to make every excuse under the sun starting with injuries. I also reserve the right to refuse to admit any of them were drafting blunders, and when all else fails, I'll mount a case to sack the coach for an inability to develop them properly.

My take:

Watson should play at least 10 games next year. He needs to get an extended run for a few weeks to get the pace of the game at senior level, rather than just bring him on for one game against the defending premier x 2. (GC doesn't count).

If Aussie is still at the club and fit he should be on that list too.

Casboult, from the very little i have seen, looks to be a good offensive weapon in the making, nice mark, nice kick at times, but will need to work on his defensive game. (I stand to be corrected by anyone having watched more than a couple of ants games this year ).

The three contests I can remember McInnes having been in while I glanced at the screen......he is a gun.

Mitchell I don't know at all.

 

[T2B_]

I always hear about Watson's lack of pace and what not...but wasn't Hurley thought to be a bit of a plodder, pace-wise, too once upon a time and similarly "not be able to keep up with the AFL gorillas"?

He sure looks alright now..

Seems to me, I'm hoping anyway, it's just fitness and "pace" of the game Watto needs to adjust to.

 

[BlueTouchPaper]

If Aussie is still at the club and fit he should be on that list too.

He should indeed!

We've struggled for so long to build up a decent list of KPP, we shouldn't be letting him go as, unlike the rest of the KPP discussed in this thread, he has a comparatively mature body, and his appetite for the contest is unwavering.

His maturity is the key - How often do you see Premiership teams with 192cms+ players the age of Watson and Mitchell?

Reid, Brown and Dawes were persisted with on the way to their making up a formidable spine and benefiting from the strength of the team. The maturity of our gameplan and our forward line/defence is something Austin is yet to truly benefit from as well.

Reid, for instance, was in a very similar spot experience wise (injury wise too ?) coming into the Pies' premiership year.

Hopefully, at worst, a rookie spot beckons.

I always hear about Watson's lack of pace and what not...

What Watson lacks in pace, he makes up for in his vision and reading of the play.

His game style is infinitely less team-orientated than Hurley's at present - This will be his major hurdle to getting a game once he sheds a few.

 

[Claypigeon]

What is classed as a young tall?

Our 19 year olds:

Watson, Matthew (195cm) - Will have to learn to be of value up forward or tighten up on his man. .. may get a few games as a third tall
Bray, Blake *R* (191cm) - No real knowledge of his status or ability (remain a rookie?)
McInnes, Andrew (191cm) - Needs to get fit first, more a flanker at this point
Mitchell, Luke (198cm) - The guy looks a beast in the Kreuzer mould, should get an opportunity up forward once fit
McCarthy, Patrick (196cm) - Needs another season I feel, will get looked at as a forward surely

21yo:

Casboult, Levi *R* (198cm) - Another year as a rookie and has a list of things to keep developing, takes a nice grab
Henderson, Lachlan (196cm) - CHB or CHF, either way if he keeps fit he'll be start 22 for a while yet

22yo:

Kreuzer, Matthew (200cm) - Knee injury has set him back, will be better for another pre-season. ..
Austin, Mark (193cm) - My tip for a delist but if he gets another season will need to step up as he approaches peak age

23yo:

White, Simon (190cm) - Too sort for a KPP role but punches above his weight like Walker, would make a good depth for Walker too
Hampson, Shaun (201cm) - Hope he re-signs, Warnock better take a look over his shoulder
Bower, Paul (192cm) - Erratic and injury prone and is short for a KPP and we have too many young third tall options. .. Might get one more year and could do anything. ..

IMHO their order of likelihood to play is:

Defenders: Henderson*, Watson**, Bower, McInnes, Bray, Austin

Forwards: Kreuzer, Hampson, Mitchell, White*, Casboult, McCarthy**

Bold is automatic starting 22 at this stage

*Swing man
** Potential swing man

 

[T2B_]

I can't believe Lachie is still only 21

 

[Dramoth]

I think that Levi and Matthew will get between 6-10 games next year. They will get a couple early just to get them started and they will get 2-3 games per run.

I dont think that we should be throwing them into the serious games against our fellow top 4 sides but it would be a good test for them.

I think that next year will be a second year of development for McCarthy and Mitchell because despite them being a good size for 19 year olds, they arent as developed as Watson is and giving them games too early would be detrimental to their development.

Also saying that, putting them into cotton wool isnt going to help them all that much either.