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Player Watch Riley Thilthorpe - Signed to End of 2028

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Sizzlepack said:
Sure, point taken. Perhaps fairer to say "thank God for Thilthorpe, otherwise we'd have been stuck with Ugle-Hagan, McDonald, or Phillips."
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Ugle-Hagan is an interesting one. He’s clearly got what it takes to be elite, but obviously there are other factors at play. You never know how it would’ve panned out at a different club/environment. I also wouldn’t rule out him getting it together and realising his potential either.
 
Soggy2112 said:
Ugle-Hagan is an interesting one. He’s clearly got what it takes to be elite, but obviously there are other factors at play. You never know how it would’ve panned out at a different club/environment. I also wouldn’t rule out him getting it together and realising his potential either.
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I dunno, after that video, maybe a boxing career is on the horizon
 

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At the time I remember it felt bad winning the spoon because Ugle-Hagan was considered the best prospect in the draft, but would go the Bulldogs under NGA/Academy rules. Given his current off-field struggles it looks like it was a lucky one to miss out on in hindsight. I think he’s also got a knock on his set shot kicking technique and accuracy – even though he kicked 40 goals last year, can remember reading a comment that he’d had just over 100 scoring shots and about a quarter of them didn’t even score. I think the Bulldogs have been the highest scoring team this year without JUH playing, so his scoring is probably more reflective of receiving excellent supply via the midfield.

Was never really keen on Logan McDonald because if he became really good there was a feeling he’d probably end up returning to a WA club. I feel he’s been a bit underwhelming so far – good, but not great. Will be interesting to see how he comes back from injury.

After coming back from injury last year Thilthorpe really started to hit his straps, averaging 2 goals a game. And he always looks like an absolute maniac after kicking a goal; would cause defenders nightmares I'd think. Hopefully his best is still to come.

 
LiquidCrow said:
At the time I remember it felt bad winning the spoon because Ugle-Hagan was considered the best prospect in the draft, but would go the Bulldogs under NGA/Academy rules. Given his current off-field struggles it looks like it was a lucky one to miss out on in hindsight.
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Our list build is shaped by several big sliding doors moments.

Not getting Jamarra; multiple first-rounders offered for Harry Petty, Clayton Oliver, Pick 1 that NM used on JHF.

Deals that would've cost us Thilthorpe, Dawson, Rankine and/or Rachele.

We'd be a very different side today.
 

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Crow till I die said:
His development will come in the form of getting very smart with his leading patterns, sharpening up his goalkicking from mid to longer range and how he can bring others into the game. Where he is now (a dominating presence in the air and a physical menace for defenders) is actually like where I think Dan Curtin's journey will take him (but his will be more of a midfielders physical dominance like a Bontompelli or Cripps rather than as a key forward), its just that he is a few years behind development wise.

Thilthorpe is that generational forward we build the forward line around for the next decade post Tex.
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1990crow said:
Disagree. Bigmen don't normally peak until 25/26, and have 100 plus games under them.

Just means his ceiling is best player in the league possibly.
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Bring others into the game? You realise we're talking about a guy who has a multiple game lead on second for key forward goal assists (and equal 3rd with Peatling for all players). Even the other parts, such as marks on lead, your boy is 10th in the league, goal kicking? 58% and +ve rating in any distance under 40 m (though it's likely the broken fingers have mucked around with his mechanics). Pretty much pick a forward stat and Thilthorpe in and around the top 20 at worse, and this guy isn't even playing full time as a forward. Even if there is improvement in this area, it's going to be "oh he got 1 more chance at goal every 1p-20 games or so" seeing his game is in such good shape at the moment.

Like, the only genuine thing Thilthorpe could improve on is his TOG% (and get into the high 80s/low 90s however that has long-term drawbacks), but really, Thilthorpe is at the peak of the mountain right now game wise. Most of the stuff like leads being sharpened are just about maintaining this level of play as his athleticism eventually decreases (or the body begins to wear out as it takes a battering), but we're long past the days now that it's going to lead to any genuine improvement. When it comes to performance, the only thing that's really going to improve it is us deciding on how to use Thilthorpe, alongside TT keeping healthy.

The conversation around the ages players peak is footballs equivalent to astrology. For some, their peak is going to begin at 20-22 due to how good of a shape their game was in when they came into the league which means all your waiting for their bodies to catch up to their ability (after all, the vast majority of development is physical), others might take to 27-30 to get the opportunities/situation to do so. Some simply require being on a different team/list.

Possibly, though I don't really know what I expect Curtin to be. He's on an inside midfielder track at the moment, but looks like he's lacking in explosiveness at this point for me to feel super confident in that. It's a physical thing at least.

ABAB said:
Pedlar has finally got himself AFL fit. It's now up to him if he want to be an AFL player, we know the talent is there.
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It's not just that, it's also if he can fit into the system we've built? You can have an AFL game, and want to be an AFL player, but struggle because it's just not the right system for you, or you're in competition with players who are out of your pay grade.
 
Just saw this on a random YouTube feed and I’d thought I’d share:


This might go down as one of the most important decisions we’ve ever made. Not only was TT the right guy and fit, but the path to drafting young players from then on seems to be a lot more right than wrong.

Which brings me to the next point. I still can’t get over how good this play was by a big 200cm ruckman.


@7:22 mark, TT intercepts a hand pass with his left hand, has a quick glance towards goal and does a short kick across his body into the lap of ROB. That is something you’d see in the most skillful of players like a Butters, and very rarely see in a ruckman. Amazing stuff!
 

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MrBarry said:
Yeah have been looking forward to this one. You'd think Riley has had it pencilled in for a while.
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Forgot about that episode, I don’t advocate for Riley snapping someone in half, but if I did…
 

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Player Watch Riley Thilthorpe - Signed to End of 2028

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