Rookie Draft

[Clay Davis]

Hard at it but you're right about the decision making, by comparison Dodd was elite.

Maybe he was played out of position during his time at Port and has improved with age, but I wouldn't put too much by his SANFL form - like the WAFL there's a huge gap between it and the AFL, (e.g., look at how well Scham, Spud and Dodd do here!)

Choco had this thing about turning everyone into half back flankers.

 

[strobe00]

If Lower's an inside mid, then my concerns about not getting an inside mid in the draft are diminished.

Ditto. Based on all the descriptions I've read he sounds a lot more inside than outside to me. Advantage is that he's a ready-to-go inside mid. Some more polish on his disposal (similar story to Palmer) and he'd be a great fit.

Inside mid (cover for Micky B), and another option as cover for Roger in case Mz is injured or in midfield.

 

[Lach72]

http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7009/newsid/105973/default.aspx

 

[strobe00]

Poached from a guy called Drummond from a Port board (found via web search):

"My favourite footballer down at the Parade. Absolute gun. He's got every attribute to succeed as an AFL footballer, if he doesn't get re-drafted I'll be shocked. Been totally dominant for Norwood this year, a credit to him because he signed on for a LOT less than he was offered from rival clubs. Got pegged as a medium defender for Port when he clearly does his best work in the midfield as a tough, inside mid who excels at winning the clearances at stoppages. "

There's our inside mid boys. Insurance for Palmer, but potentially a very important player in his own right.

 

[BleedPurple]

Poached from a guy called Drummond from a Port board (found via web search):

"My favourite footballer down at the Parade. Absolute gun. He's got every attribute to succeed as an AFL footballer, if he doesn't get re-drafted I'll be shocked. Been totally dominant for Norwood this year, a credit to him because he signed on for a LOT less than he was offered from rival clubs. Got pegged as a medium defender for Port when he clearly does his best work in the midfield as a tough, inside mid who excels at winning the clearances at stoppages. "

There's our inside mid boys. Insurance for Palmer, but potentially a very important player in his own right.

 

[Bluto]

Reckon a few of you blokes have Lower confused with Lonie. Who was a soft outside Dodd-esque decision maker. Lower has played less than 20 games I think.

 

[Undertaker]

Ditto. Based on all the descriptions I've read he sounds a lot more inside than outside to me. Advantage is that he's a ready-to-go inside mid. Some more polish on his disposal (similar story to Palmer) and he'd be a great fit.

Inside mid (cover for Micky B), and another option as cover for Roger in case Mz is injured or in midfield.

IMHO they have recruited Lower as cover for Micky B who will / may not be ready to play until back half 2011. Lower is another ball magnet just hope he can use it as well as Micky

 

[Dormammu]

Reckon a few of you blokes have Lower confused with Lonie. Who was a soft outside Dodd-esque decision maker. Lower has played less than 20 games I think.

Nah, saw Lower play a few games down back and turn the ball over repeatedly.

IMO he owes his selection to Menegola and Evans (who both trained with us) getting picked up by Richmond and Melbourne respectively just ahead of our picks.

Roberts might also consider himself a bit fortunate.

 

[tribey]

Lower is a very astute pick up and will suprise many on this board.

Yep.

Harder than a coffin nail, powerful left foot, underrated creativity, has improved his reading of the play with a full, uninterrupted year in his natural position of the midfield without being dicked around by us playing him out of position at medium defender, emergencying or dumping him in a given week.

Only knock would be his vanillaish pace, but he has no trouble making contest after contest.

Probably won't have the starry impact of Barlow, but definitely has the potential to come in and have 20-odd touches a week.

 

[Drummond]

Lower's the biggest inside mid ever. Is a gun. An absolute gun. Tough as nails, gives everything for his club, the best pair of hands I've ever seen. Is quick enough, agile, great in and under, hard tackler, huge left boot, I'm devestated beyond words to lose him. Good pick up guys.

And Roberts, interesting one, I wanted the Crows to draft him. Being brutally honest, looked out of his depth in the SANFL seniors for the first few games this year. Dropped marks, seemingly afraid of physical contact, but he's got tremendous upside. Will be 2 years away from playing AFL IMO. Extremely quick, sublime left foot skills, just one of these great athletes who could end up being an elite runner/user of the footy. Smart pick, could pay off big time.

 

[P.A.F.C]

The odd Port supporter on their board joking that Choco cut him because he "went in too hard", as opposed to some of the soft players that Williams seemed to like.

He is 189cm, still only 23 ... so that sounds OK. I just can't remember how quick he is or what his skills are like. That article in this thread says he is "smooth-moving".

I would have thought the SANFL is a much better comp than the WAFL, so to come 2nd in the Magarey Medal is a pretty good effort. Not unhappy with this selection at all, could prove very useful in case of injury problems.

Yeah but there are still Port supporters dirty over the delisting players like Adam Thomson. Apparently we'd have the best midfield in the comp with names like Ezard, Thomson and Lower.

Lower is probably the most likely to make it out of Port's recent de-listings though. At least he isn't undersized. Poor decision making will be his downfall imo but the rookie draft is about taking these punts.

 

[Taylor]

Sounds like Lower might be in the mould of Haze.

Now that would be interesting.

 

[Drummond]

Yeah but there are still Port supporters dirty over the delisting players like Adam Thomson. Apparently we'd have the best midfield in the comp with names like Ezard, Thomson and Lower.

Lower is probably the most likely to make it out of Port's recent de-listings though. At least he isn't undersized. Poor decision making will be his downfall imo but the rookie draft is about taking these punts.

Will always be prone to the odd brain cramp but really improved his decision making this year. Ever since he's been a full time midfielder it's steadily improved. I mean he averaged about 28 touches a game this year, everyone will make a couple of blues, it's just that his stand out. As I said though, they've certainly decreased in terms of frequency and how bad they are.

Sounds like Lower might be in the mould of Haze.

Now that would be interesting.

Yep. I was thinking to myself why would Freo want Lower, and then I remembered Haze retired, and they're pretty similar players, so he could be a fair replacement.

 

[P.A.F.C]

Will always be prone to the odd brain cramp but really improved his decision making this year. Ever since he's been a full time midfielder it's steadily improved. I mean he averaged about 28 touches a game this year, everyone will make a couple of blues, it's just that his stand out. As I said though, they've certainly decreased in terms of frequency and how bad they are.


Yep. I was thinking to myself why would Freo want Lower, and then I remembered Haze retired, and they're pretty similar players, so he could be a fair replacement.

Much easier to improve your decision making skills at SANFL level. AFL pressure is totally different and the recent obsession with tackling and fitness could find Lower out. Bigger ground at Subi might help though.

 

[malpaso]

Like the Lower pickup, 189cm and 90kg. Good unit.

Sounds like a DeBoer type with good midfielder skills to boot. We needed another beast in the midfield with so many skilled players to run off with the ball.

 

[Lach72]

So, IIRC, we can elevate one prior to the season.

Lower would seem to be the leader there...maybe Pearce

 

[Cuzzzy]

These are his numbers in the home and away season this year in the SANFL: 20, 28, 26, 21, 23, 20, 26, 29, 28, 26, 31, 33, 19, 23, 33, 30, 31, 21, 20, 22. Not much of a goal kicker either.

 

[Clay Davis]

So, IIRC, we can elevate one prior to the season.

Lower would seem to be the leader there...maybe Pearce

We can elevate two? With Roger out. Maybe three depending on when Barlow is scheduled to return.

Lower is certainly the leader - plug and play like Barlow was last year.

I'd say Sibo might be in the running for the next spot if he has a good preseason. Pearce/Buco after that.

 

[Dr Ralph Dagg]

Yep. I was thinking to myself why would Freo want Lower, and then I remembered Haze retired, and they're pretty similar players, so he could be a fair replacement.

If Hase had ever cracked a sub 3 sec standing 20 metres he would have been better than Chris Judd.

What I like about our list is there are a smattering of great players, a lot of good players, and a swathe of solid players. Lower adds to that swathe of solid players. He is really safe bet.

Plus we have a lot of upside with players like Walters, De Boer, Suban, Ibbotson, Silvagni, Chrichton having plenty of improvement left in them.

 

[samseenee]

So we have recuited the bloke with the Zoolander Blue Steel look in his pic on the afl website...
http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=104496

Quite the team of good looking lads is Freo becoming!

Seems Lower could be up there for starting 22 come round one:

FREMANTLE
Brad Lloyd, recruiting manager
"It was part of our list management strategy to secure a potential senior player in the pre-season draft, and Jack [Anthony] is a quality player who's going to give us some extra firepower.

"Gavin Roberts has been training at the club and our medical and sports science staff have worked really closely with him and feel that he'll cope really well in our program. We think Nick Lower can have an impact pretty quickly and he's going to get plenty of opportunities."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/105980/default.aspx

 

[Chris25]

Sorry for being late to the party.

Could not be happier about the Gavin Roberts pick. It's nice to have someone I talked up, actually get chosen by the club. He will be a great player for our club, not many players are as versatile, skilled and quick as him.

And I rate Nick Lower as the best mature aged midfield in the draft. He is a gun, and is ready made just like last years rookies. No coincidence that he got drafted, while Myles Sewell got passed over once again.

Also on a side note, Jimmi Savage to the Giants.

 

[Arcassius]

Sorry for being late to the party.

Could not be happier about the Gavin Roberts pick. It's nice to have someone I talked up, actually get chosen by the club. He will be a great player for our club, not many players are as versatile, skilled and quick as him.

And I rate Nick Lower as the best mature aged midfield in the draft. He is a gun, and is ready made just like last years rookies. No coincidence that he got drafted, while Myles Sewell got passed over once again.

Also on a side note, Jimmi Savage to the Giants.

Does that mean you'll switch to be the president of the Gavin Roberts fan club?

 

[ImperialPurple]

So we have recruited the bloke with the Zoolander Blue Steel look in his pic on the afl website...
http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=104496

Somebody better give him a good "whack behind play" at training...
1. for the abominable haircut, and
2. for this comment, which would indicate that the boy needs some sense knocked into him pronto:

Q. Which AFL team do you support and how did you come to barrack for them?
A. Carlton because it is the only decent club.

I nominate de Boer - and if that doesn't work, unleash the monster... 211.


I guarantee he'll be falling into line and playing "Freo style footy" sooner rather than later...

 

[Nickos66]

And I rate Nick Lower as the best mature aged midfield in the draft. He is a gun, and is ready made just like last years rookies. No coincidence that he got drafted, while Myles Sewell got passed over once again.

Since you touched on the subject, why is it do you think that it's no coincidence that Sewell missed out while other tried and failed AFL players keep getting the call up?

 

[Chris25]

Does that mean you'll switch to be the president of the Gavin Roberts fan club?

There's plenty of love to go around. Roberts and Hinkley can share me.