Potential Draftee Watch - Version 2008

[thejester]

Starting to? He is the classic Thompson player - hard at it and a magnet for contested footy.

 

[rizzo]

Starting to? He is the classic Thompson player - hard at it and a magnet for contested footy.

Has a bigger engine then a train. The bloke is a freak. Watched him last year at the carnival, ran all day and came off for his first rest in the 3rd qtr.

 

[Big Nasty]

Thanks Rizzo. Interestering reading, which was that Thompson you were comparing Ranga to?

 

[TheBigUnit]

Watched him for the 1st time today and he was excellent against very good opposition (WA), all the appraisals in this thread are bang on - led from the front, tremendous endurance/work ethic/intensity, very good contested ball/stoppage winner, good pace etc. - it's a pity he wasn't surrounded by more class, which would've allowed his good work to be converted into goals. You lucky bastards! (again)

 

[rizzo]

n Sunday, we spoke to AIS-AFL academy high performance coach Alan McConnell.

His comments came after the first day's play of division one, where Vic Metro sealed a three-point thriller over Vic Country, just moments before the final siren.

VICTORIA COUNTRY
Nick Suban - Suban's ball-winning ability and ground work was great.

Nic Heyne - Heyne created a number of opportunities to work his way into the game. He used the ball effectively and also created a number of scoring opportunities.

Tom Rockliff - He was a very good player, booting four goals.



VICTORIA METROPOLITAN
Jack Watts - He finished with 12 possessions and booted four goals, including the match-winner.

Shaun McKernan - His ruck-work was excellent. Vic Metro had the better of the stoppages because of McKernan's ruckwork.

Tyrone Vickery - Vic Metro's ruck dominance was due to McKernan and Vickery. Vickery also won his share of the ball as well as influencing the play with his ruckwork.

Tom Lynch - He was dominant early, but drifted out of the game. He presented up extremely well early in the game, when he was playing as a leading forward, coming up to half-forward.

Michael Hurley - Hurley was the best backman on the ground. He just doesn't get beaten in one-on-one contests. He hasn't had high possessions, but whenever he's been in a one-on-one contest, he never gets outmarked. He also doesn't give his opponent easy possessions, so I'd say he was the dominant defender.

Xavier Gotch - He picked up good numbers in terms of possessions - he got 21 disposals the most for his side.

David Zaharakis - Zaharakis also gained 19 possessions, behind only Gotch for Vic Metro.

 

[rizzo]

ALL, key-position type players and a return to the more “natural” footballer are the early long-range draft predictions from two of the country’s leading underage footy experts.

While AFL talent manager Kevin Sheehan and AIS/AFL high performance coach Alan McConnell said more would be known at the completion of the 2008 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, both men have seen enough to form an opinion of the young crop coming through the ranks.

“We can see there’s a very, very impressive group of tall players,” Sheehan said.

“We could see that from second division, the qualifying division played there, and we saw that with the opening game between Vic Metro and Vic Country the other day.”

While one of the hottest draft prospects in years -- WA’s Nicholas Naitanui -- is certain to gain attention, Sheehan was quick to point out the depth in the group.

"It’s not just all about Naitanui, put it that way,” he said.

“There’s lots of other taller key-position ruckmen type-players that are attracting a fair bit of interest.”

Quality taller players are highly prized due to their relative rarity.

“They’re harder to come by, that’s the key to it,” Sheehan said.

“They’re from a reasonably limited pool … but it’s becoming a bigger pool. We seem to have a lot more bigger blokes appearing at our championships and trials.”

Last weekend a number of taller players impressed during Victoria Metropolitan’s thrilling win over Victoria Country.

Shaun McKernan, the younger brother of former North Melbourne and Carlton star Corey, was among those to impress for Vic Metro. Jack Watts also starred in the game, his fourth goal on the final siren securing a victory for Vic Metro.

Both players are involved with the AIS/AFL Academy, which is seen as developing the crème de la crème of Australia’s top footballing talent.

The Academy was responsible for 13 of the top 14 picks at last year’s NAB AFL Draft and currently comprises more than 20 per cent of AFL lists.

McConnell gave an interesting insight when assessing the talent he believes will be on offer later this year.

“I would have thought in general there’s a larger group of just genuine footballers,” McConnell said.

“There’s perhaps not as many elite athletes as there has been in recent years but lots of very good footballers, if that makes sense.

“They’re smarter players. Certainly, the group of Academy boys have had the capacity to embrace concepts perhaps more readily than the last couple of years, which suggests to me that they’re perhaps a more innate, natural football-orientated group.”

As for the players coming through this year, McConnell says the group he has dealt with – the Academy has an intake of just 30 each year – would offer AFL clubs plenty.

“There’s a mix … there’s a bit of everything to be honest,” he said.

“I think there’s something for everybody but I guess the question is always, ‘after pick 20 what else is left?’

“But I would have thought the top end of the draft should be laced with boys with good footy brains.”

 

[rizzo]

Results from the round one match of the 2008 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships played between South Australia and Tasmania at Adelaide Oval today:

South Australia 17.6 (108) d Tasmania 9.9 (63)

GOALS
South Australia: Johnston 4, Hartlett 2, Mardling 2, Hall 2, Cahill 2, Broadbent 2, McAdam, Lane, Blesing
Tasmania: McCullough 3, Cox 2, Robinson, Cornelius, Hislop, Allwright

BEST
South Australia: O'Keefe, Armstrong, Martin, Cahill, Hall, Jones
Tasmania: O'Brien, Allwright, Salter, Harwood, Robinson, Crichton, Milne

A seven goal to one last quarter handed South Australia a convincing 45-point victory.

The remaining round one match w

 

[Pivo]

This is from the AFL website today. While I don't think Geelong needs "small defenders" (athough Broadbent probably is more mid) I am hearing more and more good things about the kid.

THROUGHOUT the remainder of the 2008 NAB AFL under 18 championships, AFL youth and high performance coordinator and former AFL star Jason McCartney will give afl.com.au his thoughts on the players who caught his eye. Here are his assessments after Victoria Metro defeated South Australia by 53 points at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Victoria Metro:
Jack Watts: Jack is a star. He’s one of our AIS boys and he’s also a very talented basketballer. He wanted to balance both footy and basketball through the scholarship program, but in the end he has chosen to go for football because his workload was just too great. He was a star in Vic Metro’s win Vic Country. He was a little bit quiet against Tasmania, but obviously very prominent against South Australia.
He kicked five goals, had 17 disposals and took three really big contested marks. He has great agility, great lateral movement and the ball just melts into his hands.
There has been a lot of talk about the WA boys and how talented they are, but Wattsy is a great kid and is right in that mix.
Tom Scully: Tom is another star in the Vic Metro side. He’s bottom-aged, so he can’t be drafted this year, but he is all class. He’s a left-footer; is good around the clearances and sets up the play with his quick hands. He had a massive nine inside 50s against South Australia and also kicked two goals, but it was his work around the clearances that was most impressive. He’s just a quality act.
Jordan Lisle: Jordan plays at centre-half back and has been really good over the three games. He’s disciplined, strong overhead and has great footy smarts. He rarely gets beaten in a contest and he also provided some good run from defence in the game against South Australia.
Shaun McKernan: Shaun is really playing his part. Saturday’s game was probably the most time he has spent on the ground during the championships so far. In the first two games he switched between the ruck and interchange to make way for some of Vic Metro’s other good, tall options, but against SA he rested a bit up forward. He has a great attack on the footy in the air and is a great contested mark. He was really solid in the ruck with 15-hit-outs and it was another good performance from Shaun. It’s just frightening to think I played with his brother and watching Shaun is like seeing Corey play all over again. He’s just a replica.
David Zaharakis: David had a really good first game; was a bit quieter in the second, but he was just tremendous again on Saturday. He’s got a really high work rate and can play out on the wing and also in the midfield. He’s pretty hard at it and always finishes well. He had another 21 touches against SA and also five inside 50ms. David is a really good leader and is a bit of a barometer for Vic Metro. When he plays well; the team usually does and that was certainly the case on Saturday.
Luke Shuey: Luke had 18 disposals, five clearances and also snared a couple of goals playing through the midfield and across half-forward. He plays with a really good intensity and, even though he got rushed with a few disposals on Saturday, when he had those opportunities to finish around goal, he did.
South Australia:
Matthew Broadbent: Matty is very good in close. His disposal is effective by both hand and foot and he’s been quite consistent throughout the championships. Against Vic Metro he finished up with 21 possessions and three hard-ball-gets. He had a really good, solid four-quarter performance.
Dale Armstrong: Dale was very prominent on Saturday. He’s not the biggest kid out there but he has a great work rate. His clearance work was very good in the third quarter and he ended up with 21 disposals, four clearances and five inside 50ms. Dale was certainly one player I thought stood up for the SA team.
Rhys O’Keeffe: Rhys is a left-footer, who like Broadbent, uses the ball really well. He played across half-back and also in the midfield. He had 20 disposals and showed he can win his own footy with three hard-ball-gets.
Jay Shannon: I haven’t seen much of Jay in the Championships so far, but he was a real in-and-under type player in the midfield on Saturday. He wins his own footy, is good around the stoppages and finished with 21 disposals and five inside 50s.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL

Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network

 

[year of the cat]

Suban and Ziebell from what I have read sound like likely types. Any more info on either of them? Have you seen them play? Heyne is another one.

 

[thejester]

Is Lisle a Geelong local?

Could be what we need for a tall defender.

 

[rizzo]

Is Lisle a Geelong local?

Could be what we need for a tall defender.

Nope.

Shifter has summed up who to look for. A very good list.


A FORTNIGHT ago in Sydney, Victoria Country was on the receiving end when their underrated opponent New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory rose to the challenge and inflicted an unlikely defeat (and a sizeable dent) on the more fancied Victorians.

The loss was another blow to Vic Country after its narrow defeat by Vic Metro, but a debrief by coach Robert Hyde and his off-field crew saw a sharply-focused, revitalised and committed group turn up at Subiaco on Saturday, determined to restore their battered reputations against the undefeated Western Australia.

This of course was the venue where Western Australia smashed Vic Metro last year, starting a five-match winning streak at this level for the Sandgropers.

Yet the Vic Country team responded in emphatic fashion, leading by 45 points at half-time, before withstanding a spirited Western Australian comeback to win by 27 points.

On Sunday, at the wonderful and picturesque Adelaide Oval, Vic Metro continued its winning run with a convincing victory over South Adelaide to head the top of the division one table, after three rounds.

So far we have seen matches played in five states, with teams learning enormously about the challenges at this level. For the rest of the series, we will see individual performances lift, strategies put in place to minimise the impact of in-form opposition players and teams playing with great pride and passion in representing their states.

The final two rounds of the competition will be held at Casey Fields (Saturday, July 5) and Telstra Dome (Wednesday, July 9) and those matches have much to live up to, such has been the great competition so far.

The following a run down of players who have caught the eye and ones to watch out for at Casey Fields and Telstra Dome …

Tasmania
Mitch Robinson – Robinson has continued the form that saw him win the Hunter Harrison Medal as division two's best-and-fairest in the qualifying series. He has great ball-winning ability (averaging 19 disposals), is a penetrating kick and is evasive to boot. The youngster from Lauderdale has been a shining light for the Mariners.

Jesse Crichton – A 183cm midfielder from North Launceston, Crichton leads the competition in handballs (35 at an average of 12 per match). He possesses pin-point accuracy with his disposals and is a smooth-gatherer.

South Australia
Rhys O'Keeffe – A dashing medium-defender at 187cm, O'Keeffe, from North Adelaide, has also been prominent for his team in all three matches. Averaging 17 disposals, with four hard-ball gets, along with nine handball receives, indicates his ability to win the ball in contested situations, as well as provide great run through defence.

Lewis Johnston – Bottom-aged tall forward, Johnston (192cm), is also from North Adelaide and he shows great promise. He leads the competition in contested marking. His 10 markes up forward against WA in a beaten side was impressive along with 4 goals in game 1 from limited opportunities.

Victoria Country
Steele Sidebottom – Vic Country would be pleased with the output from Sidebottom, which has been supported by Champion Data statistics. He is rated fourth overall in disposals (55 at an average of 18.3) and first for contested possessions (29 at an average of 9.8). He is also ranked third in clearances (15 at an average of five).

Tom Rockliff – A medium forward from the Murray Bushrangers, Rockliff has won a total of 26 contested possessions and 13 hard-ball gets. He has also taken eight contested marks and seven goals, to be third on the goalkicking table, which has been outstanding. He has also laid 12 tackles (ranked fourth overall), showing he is prepared to keep the ball inside the forward 50 for his team.

Jack Ziebell - Medium defender / midfielder who has exceptional capacity to win the contested football and make great decisions with it and under pressure. Missed game 1 due to injury but was Vic Country's most influential player in games 2 & 3. Strong overhead and powerful on the burst, he hits his targets with hand and foot.

New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory
Kade Klemke – The medium defender has been among NSW/ACT's most consistent performers. He is ranked fifth in disposals (55 at an average of 18.3) and is second in uncontested marks (17). Klemke has shown an ability to read the play across half-back and judges the ball well when in flight, showing great courage in the air.

Ranga Ediriwickrama – His first two games were outstanding, averaging 25 disposals, before a hamstring injury early against Tasmania set him and his team back. His has won 28 contested possessions from nine quarters, which still ranks him second overall. It demonstrates his courage and his attack on the ball. He is a one-touch player and a great reader of play.

Western Australia
Matt De Boer – A medium-sized midfielder, De Boer has been very good for his team, with his strong attack on the ball and run. This has been supported statistically, with 69 disposals in total (averaging 23 per match) which ranks him No.1. He has also taken 20 (average of 6.9) marks, ranking him first in the competition. De Boer has also 17 inside 50s, which is also number one in the competition.

Nick Naitanui – The ruckman leads the hit-outs with 51 (including 10 to advantage, which is ranked No.2). Naitanui is also ranked second in both clearances (16) and tackles (15) – statistics ruckmen are not usually prominent in. It also reflects his competitiveness and natural speed.

Victoria Metropolitan
Jack Watts – A key position player, Watts has shone up forward, taking 16 marks and booting 11 goals. He also has demonstrated his team orientation on a number of occasions highlighted by an exceptional assist in short passing (with great vision and skill) to teammate Tom Scully to seal the match against SA. With 5 goals already on the board that game others may have been tempted to look for a 6th.

Jordan Lisle – The tall defender has taken 13 marks and impressed down back. He is also capable of playing key forward and at 196cm has the height and natural athleticism already to complement his clean hands to play a variety of roles. Father Mark played in the ruck for North Melbourne does not qualify for father/son.

Shaun McKernan – He has been prominent in the ruck with 38 hit outs and 16 marks. Unbelievably like his older brother Corey both in looks and movements at the same age. Has a wonderful leap, good feel for the game, courage and versatility. At 196cm can play forward/back or in the ruck.

David Zaharakis – A medium-midfielder, Zaharakis finds space and uses the ball well, winning 25 effective kicks (ranked fourth) and averaging five inside 50s. Has good breakaway speed allowing him to run the lines. At 180cm and 73kg will develop physically and has shown real sharpness around the goals.

 

[year of the cat]

Shifter has summed up who to look for. A very good list.




Lewis Johnston – Bottom-aged tall forward, Johnston (192cm), is also from North Adelaide and he shows great promise. He leads the competition in contested marking. His 10 markes up forward against WA in a beaten side was impressive along with 4 goals in game 1 from limited opportunities.

Steele Sidebottom – Vic Country would be pleased with the output from Sidebottom, which has been supported by Champion Data statistics. He is rated fourth overall in disposals (55 at an average of 18.3) and first for contested possessions (29 at an average of 9.8). He is also ranked third in clearances (15 at an average of five).

Tom Rockliff – A medium forward from the Murray Bushrangers, Rockliff has won a total of 26 contested possessions and 13 hard-ball gets. He has also taken eight contested marks and seven goals, to be third on the goalkicking table, which has been outstanding. He has also laid 12 tackles (ranked fourth overall), showing he is prepared to keep the ball inside the forward 50 for his team.

Jack Ziebell - Medium defender / midfielder who has exceptional capacity to win the contested football and make great decisions with it and under pressure. Missed game 1 due to injury but was Vic Country's most influential player in games 2 & 3. Strong overhead and powerful on the burst, he hits his targets with hand and foot.

Ranga Ediriwickrama – His first two games were outstanding, averaging 25 disposals, before a hamstring injury early against Tasmania set him and his team back. His has won 28 contested possessions from nine quarters, which still ranks him second overall. It demonstrates his courage and his attack on the ball. He is a one-touch player and a great reader of play.

Jordan Lisle – The tall defender has taken 13 marks and impressed down back. He is also capable of playing key forward and at 196cm has the height and natural athleticism already to complement his clean hands to play a variety of roles. Father Mark played in the ruck for North Melbourne does not qualify for father/son.

Shaun McKernan – He has been prominent in the ruck with 38 hit outs and 16 marks. Unbelievably like his older brother Corey both in looks and movements at the same age. Has a wonderful leap, good feel for the game, courage and versatility. At 196cm can play forward/back or in the ruck.

David Zaharakis – A medium-midfielder, Zaharakis finds space and uses the ball well, winning 25 effective kicks (ranked fourth) and averaging five inside 50s. Has good breakaway speed allowing him to run the lines. At 180cm and 73kg will develop physically and has shown real sharpness around the goals.

These are the ones that have taken my eye so far. McKernan and Sidebottom may go a bit early for us. The others appear to be possibilities. Great to see Ranga feature again!! Bargain. Thanks for the info Rizzo.

 

[rizzo]

These are the ones that have taken my eye so far. McKernan and Sidebottom may go a bit early for us. The others appear to be possibilities. Great to see Ranga feature again!! Bargain. Thanks for the info Rizzo.

You have mentioned some very good players there YOTC. TBH, i have spent more time in DIvi 2 so far, so Next wednesday will be a good time to have a look at divi 1.

It's good going into these sort of things with very little knowledge. Stops you from being biased.

 

[year of the cat]

You have mentioned some very good players there YOTC. TBH, i have spent more time in DIvi 2 so far, so Next wednesday will be a good time to have a look at divi 1.

It's good going into these sort of things with very little knowledge. Stops you from being biased.

Are on holiday next week and are hoping to go along on Wed to Telstra Dome if I get an opportunity.

 

[rhino_19]

Why the hell are u talking about the division 2 teams so much? You'd be better off talking about the team right under your nose, the Falcons. They had 6 drafted and 2 rookied last year, probably more than any division 2 state team.
They are very strong again this year, surely you'd be more interested in the local talent!!!

 

[MisterX]

I would like to hear thoughts on Zaharakis and Shuey please!!

will they make it?

cheers

 

[rizzo]

TASMANIA v WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Tasmania

Jesse Crichton – Once again, Jesse was good. He kicked a couple of goals, had four tackles, 15 disposals and was really creative by hand. He had good poise and balance. I haven't seen him put in a bad performance since division two started.

Aaron Cornelius – I thought this was Aaron's best game in four or five games. He had 14 disposals, seven marks – three were contested – and this was a fine effort, considering the ball only went inside 50 for Tasmania 20 times. His second quarter was outstanding. He had six marks in that period. It was a really solid performance. He played on instinct, he played in front and his work-rate was high.

Maverick Weller – Maverick played his first game and we'll see him in the under 16s championships in a few weeks time. He played in the under 16s last year. Maverick finished with 16 disposals – including seven contested possessions. He was actually rated by Tasmania's match committee as its second best player. He's clean with the footy, makes good decisions and he's going to be one to watch out for in the next few years. We'll be looking at him closely in the under 16s and in the bigger picture, he could be in the mix for an AIS/AFL scholarship. It was great for him to get exposed at under 18 level.
Western Australia

Kane Lucas – Again, he accumulated possessions. He had the most uncontested possessions on the ground with 18, from his 20 disposals, but that was because he works hard and finds space. He also sets up well around the stoppages. Early on, he didn't use the ball as effectively as Kane normally does, but overall it was another good game.

Daniel Rich – He worked into the game, after a slow start. He ended up with 16 disposals and six clearances, but what's so dangerous about Daniel is that he is so penetrating with his left-foot. He also had seven inside 50s and it was good to see some defensive pressure, laying four tackles. There have been such high expectations on Daniel and although he hasn't quite achieved those standards, I wouldn't say he's a poor performer. He's been pretty consistent on two or three occasions and probably lowered his colours a couple of times, but it's great to see him working hard.

Chris Yarran – Chris had 16 disposals and seven tackles. He played forward and got into the midfield a bit, but he is very classy and uses the ball extremely well. It looks like he is coasting around in second or third gear, because he is such a great mover, but when he got up into the midfield, he put the foot down and accelerated a few times. There is still more in the tank from Chris, so that's a worry for Vic Metro on Wednesday.

Nick Naitanui – He had 15 disposals, including 13 handballs, but 10 were contested possessions, so in-and-around the stoppages, he was excellent. He also had 19 hit outs and really set the game up for Western Australia.

VIC COUNTRY v SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Vic Country

Nick Suban – Nick had 19 disposals, including nine contested possessions, five tackles and six inside 50s. He was very good through the midfield and back behind the ball. He's a left-footer and continually sets the play up by foot. He doesn't waste the ball and showed really good leadership again.

Steele Sidebottom – He had 17 disposals, 11 contested, with five tackles and four clearances. It was another good all-round performance. He used the ball really well from a half-back role.
South Australia

Christopher Hall – He's been quite classy throughout all of South Australia's matches. Chris was opposed at times to Steele Sidebottom and he did really well with his 20 disposals, including 11 contested. He was good around the stoppages and quite clever with six clearances. He's got quick hands and more importantly he does use the ball really well by foot. He's also a nice mover and finisher on the run.

Matthew Broadbent – Matthew has been very consistent throughout all games. He has been averaging 14 or 15 disposals throughout the carnival and he gained 14 against Vic Country, with five inside 50s and four rebounds. I think he really set the game up for South Australia with his attack on the footy. He also carried it and played with great intent. To just watch his game against Vic Country, you would think he had more stats than he did – such was his big influence on the game, so that was great.

Luke Tapscott – Luke came in to play a defensive role on young Andrew Hooper, who has provided Vic Country with a lot of run and rebound and has been really solid in the backline. Not only did Luke put a stop on Hooper, he also booted five goals and looked as if he really loved the contest. He kept his feet really well, loved the contested situations and to finish with five goals from just nine possessions was a great result for him and South Australia.

VIC METRO v NSW/ACT

Vic Metro

Michael Hurley – Michael was impressive again. The key defender didn't let the ball get past him and if he wasn't spoiling, he was marking everything. He had 15 disposals, including three strong contested marks and his rebound was excellent. He also uses the ball particularly well and is a penetrating kick. In the last quarter, he wandered down into attack – similar to a NAB Cup style of play – where he received the handball from Jack Fitzpatrick, who would not have kicked the distance, and Michael put the ball over the fence. What he lacks in leg speed, he makes up for with his anticipation. He's the type of player who gets in front and reads the ball really well. But overall it was yet another fine game from Michael.

Tom Scully – Tom is very classy. A left-footer, he predominantly played as a half-forward and finished with 15 disposals and applied some great forward pressure with seven tackles. He also kicked a couple of goals. Tom continually got to the foot of the contest and he always gets to the correct position. When he gets the ball and runs with it, he doesn't waste the footy. He's definitely one to keep an eye out for over the next year.
NSW/ACT

Kade Klemke – Again, he was good across half-back. He was opposed to Tom Scully at times and although Tom probably got away from him at times, Kade was really good overhead and made really good decisions. He had 19 disposals and provided great rebound – eight times – and was good in-and-around the stoppages in the back-half. Kade has been really consistent throughout the championships and I watched him play for the Murray Bushrangers last week and he was rock solid again.
Josh Bryce – He's only 186cm, but he has been used by NSW/ACT as a key defender and he has played well on most key forwards, including Tasmania's Aaron Cornelius. He started on Jack Watts and did okay. He is disciplined, and although he doesn't get a lot of the footy, he rarely gets beaten one-on-one. Josh was then moved to Tom Lynch in the second half and Lynch had a very good first half, as a lead-up forward, but Josh really quelled Tom's influence in the third quarter. So without winning a lot of the footy and looking at the coaches' votes for NSW/ACT, Josh was rated pretty highly again. He's been playing out of position and he normally plays half-back/wing for the Murray Bushrangers, but he has been a key position player for NSW/ACT and he can hold his head up high again.
Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network

 

[year of the cat]

Matthew Broadbent – Matthew has been very consistent throughout all games. He has been averaging 14 or 15 disposals throughout the carnival and he gained 14 against Vic Country, with five inside 50s and four rebounds. I think he really set the game up for South Australia with his attack on the footy. He also carried it and played with great intent. To just watch his game against Vic Country, you would think he had more stats than he did – such was his big influence on the game, so that was great.

Rizzo, this bloke could also be considered for that small/med back role that a few on here are saying we are short on. Apparently has played effectively in this role for SA this carnival.

Are you going on Wednesday?

 

[rizzo]

Rizzo, this bloke could also be considered for that small/med back role that a few on here are saying we are short on. Apparently has played effectively in this role for SA this carnival.

Are you going on Wednesday?

Sure am mate. Looking forward to seeing how far they have come along.

Was talking to a few of the Geelong Falcons today as well. They are really enjoying the vic country experience.

 

[Pivo]

Rizzo, this bloke could also be considered for that small/med back role that a few on here are saying we are short on. Apparently has played effectively in this role for SA this carnival.

Are you going on Wednesday?

Jump on board This kid can play. Doing some very good things in the SANFL at senior level off half-back.

A number of WWT supporters are furious that he keeps getting pulled out of the league side to play U/18s.

Don't know if Geelong really needs his type but I'm hoping he is around for Geelong to at least consider him. Can play in and outside but sounds a bit like Mackie.

Be interested to hear what you guys think if you get to see him live this week.

 

[rizzo]

NSW/ACT Rams captain Ranga Ediriwickrama says irrespective of whether he ends up making it to the top level or not, the AFL’s scholarship program on offer for youngsters in northern states helps make players better footballers.

Ediriwickrama is on scholarship with Geelong, and could join the reigning premier later this year should the Cats opt to select him in the NAB AFL Draft in November.

If they don’t, the impressive midfielder will be open to any of the 15 other AFL clubs.

But whether he makes it to the big time or not, Ediriwickrama says the experience of rubbing shoulders with some of football’s elite has helped him become a better player.

“I was down for a week in the December holidays, and I also went down in about February for an intra-club game and got to play in that ... it was a really good experience,” Ediriwickrama said of his time with the Cats.

While the pacy onballer ran with the likes of David Wojcinski and James Kelly during the pre-season scratch match, it was a fellow youngster that left the biggest impression on the highly-touted ballwinner.

“I really like the way Joel Selwood goes about it at Geelong,” he said.

“Just what I’ve seen from him at training … his professionalism, and just that he’s such a young player and he’s such a leader.”

Ediriwickrama missed last Saturday’s round of matches, but has been among the standouts of the carnival in earlier matches.

Click here to read a Q&A with the NSW/ACT RAMS captai

 

[rizzo]

POTENTIAL No.1 draftee Nicholas Naitanui says he is not feeling the weight of public expectation on his shoulders.

His words come despite the massive scrutiny of the Western Australian ruckman – perhaps the most of any youngster set to enter the AFL in recent years.

"I don't take much notice of it. In Perth especially … especially being from a Fijian background, they can get a good story out of it, but I don't really mind, so I just keep playing footy and enjoying it," Naitanui said.

"I'm just another footy player. I'm a little bit different and I know I play a bit different to some other players, but when I was a kid, I looked up to the Josh Frasers and the Dean Coxes, so hopefully I can be the same – especially to the young Fijian kids back at home and the ones in Australia as well.

"Some of [my footy] I'd say comes naturally, but I've worked pretty hard as well at the same time. I was never the fastest bloke and I'm still pretty skinny at the moment as well, so I think as I get older and keep improving – you can never stop learning … so I wouldn't say it comes naturally.

"Just coming into the AIS program with Alan McConnell, I remember telling him I didn't want to play AFL footy – I enjoyed playing it, but I didn't think I was good enough … so that built my confidence and I think ever since then, I've wanted to go as high as I can go."

The 197cm athletic tall said it was "weird" having people starting to recognise him on the street.

"I was walking through the streets of Melbourne and everyone notices who you are, so you've got to make sure you're doing the right thing around town," Naitanui said.

"As long as I keep my head on and do well at football, it'll be alright to be a role model in a sense to some of the younger kids coming through.

"Sometimes I say I don't play football, so I can get a bit of break, and I say I play basketball, because I'm built like a basketballer and I don't really mind it."

A Collingwood supporter, largely because WAFL side Swan Districts sport the same colours, Naitanui admits that in an ideal world, he would like to remain in Western Australia rather than be drafted outside of the state.

"It'd be good to stay home; [I'd] probably get homesick if I go somewhere else. But then again, I don't really mind where I go – just to get the opportunity to play at an AFL club is my main dream," Naitanui said.

Meanwhile, Naitanui said the interest in AFL from Fiji was growing.

"A few of the clubs have gone across and are trying to pick up a few players and start programs over there," he said.

"I know some of the Port Adelaide players like David Rodan and Alipate Carlile are trying to start football up there as well, so hopefully they'll bring a few more over.
"Most of my family know my over there, but they wouldn't really understand [the] number one or number two [draft selection] – they just see players like Rodan on the TV, because they've got AFL on the TV as well now."

 

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OUTSTANDING South Australian under-18 prospect Hamish Hartlett says having an older brother to learn from, already in the AFL system, has been a great learning experience for him.

Hartlett, whose brother Adam plays for Carlton, is set to be one of the leading prospects at this year's NAB AFL Draft, but he said having Adam for advice had been beneficial in his development.

"Getting the opportunity to head over there [to Melbourne] a few times a year and see what it's like from a first-hand perspective – it makes you just want it that much more, so it's been really good and really helpful," Hartlett said.

Hartlett, who also represented South Australia in last year's under 18 series, said there were plenty of expectations on him to back up in 2008.

"I expect the best for myself, like a lot of the guys, and it's a bad thing sometimes – you've got to go in nice and relaxed and cool and calm, just the way you'd prepare for a normal game back at home and everything will come alright in the end," Hartlett said.

"A lot of guys coming into the carnival put a lot pressure on themselves – I know I certainly did – but you just need to have the balance between the individual and the team, and all in all, the team comes in first."

 

[rizzo]

EXCITING young key Vic Metro key forward Jack Watts says he is unsure if he will nominate for this year's NAB AFL Draft.

Watts, who has been a standout in this year's NAB AFL under 18 championships, said he was still weighing up his options when he spoke about his future on Monday at Telstra Dome.

"I really haven't thought about it at all – the draft or where I'm going. I haven't even decided whether I'm nominating or not yet," Watts admitted.

"I'm lucky to have the opportunity to get into this position, but I'm not really looking too much into it.

"Obviously, school is a massive one. If you happened to get picked up by an interstate team and you're still doing year 12, it can cause a few problems, so that's a big concern of mine – that's about as far as I've thought about it really."

Recently, Watts had to make a big decision in his sporting career – either pursuing a basketball or football career. He said it was "definitely a tough choice" as he's "loved both of them my whole life".

"I've been playing the two sports my whole life and I really wasn't sure what was going to happen this year, so to have made a decision and to have had the opportunity to play with the best in the country has been great. It's happened quickly, but it's been great so far," Watts said.

"Once I made the decision, it was a bit of a relief and could really concentrate on footy now. I enjoyed the whole carnival and had a ball, and coming up against Western Australia will be great.

"Basketball is an international sport and in Australia it's not really going that well at the moment, so you'd really have to travel internationally to be successful and make a really good career out of it, so that was a big factor."

"I love my home, I love Melbourne and Victoria, so it was a big factor. In the end, footy was the choice."

Watts' fine form has elevated his status in recent times to a potential No.1 draft pick, but the impressive youngster doesn't see himself as a club saviour.

"I didn't know whether I was going to be playing footy six weeks ago, so to be talked up and getting the attention that I'm getting at the moment is definitely a weird feeling I've never had before, obviously," Watts said.

"To be talked up as a saviour or to go to a club and bring them out of the ditches or something like that – it's just too early to be thinking about that at all.

"I'd have to get my body right to play AFL, and at the stage I'm at now, I'd say I'm definitely not really ready for it yet – I'm still a lanky, tall, skinny kid, so I'd look to play school footy and play for Brighton Grammar and try and get my body right."

 

[rizzo]

VIC COUNTRY youngster Jack Ziebell says moving to Melbourne to further his football and schooling has helped his progress enormously.

Ziebell, who is an outstanding draft prospect, spoke of how attending Caulfield Grammar, the school of Chris Judd, Brendon Goddard and Andrew McQualter had been an important part in the development.

"I started last year. I was 15 at the time, but it was probably the best thing I've done, so far. My school has gone through the roof, which is good," Ziebell said.

"Andrew McQualter has come down to our school footy. He's helped us out every now and then, which is good. Last year, Brendon Goddard came down and took a training session, so they're good role models for the boys."

Ziebell, who hails from Wodonga Bulldogs/Murray Bushrangers, said he was the youngest player to play a senior match for his local club.

"I played my first senior game when I was 15. I was the youngest player to play at my club, so it was a big honour to do that," the versatile youngster said.