Sorry I stand corrected MB - I thought you had to commit 2 years to a rookie but Deestroy has confirmed that is not the case.
Did he play any under 18's? What footballing path has he taken so far?
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Rookie Draft
- Thread starter WattsGoodForYou
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Sorry I stand corrected MB - I thought you had to commit 2 years to a rookie but Deestroy has confirmed that is not the case.
Did he play any under 18's? What footballing path has he taken so far?
He was originally from St. Pat's Ballarat, and came down to Melbourne to study. The story goes that he was standing around in his St. Pat's footy jumper watching Uni Blues train, and the coach walked over and said to him that he looked like a footballer, and asked him if he wanted to train. The rest is history.
He was prably overlooked due to the fact that he was playing at a fairly low standard. Even Isaac Weetra would look good playing Vic Ammos, so recruiters were probably cautious as a result of this.
He does seem like the perfect rookie pick, though, and almost the stereotypical rookie, in that he's extremely athletic and hasn't gone through the traditional pathway to get a shot at the bigtime.
It will be interesting to see how he goes.
- Banned
- #29
Boy oh boy!
One wonders how amny A grade ammo games you have watched recently?
Uni blues would beat Oakleigh chargers by 15 goals- Oakleigh woudln't be able to walk after half time from being tackled by men.
Having watched a lot of both this year, A grade is cleary better.
Remember, that the average lifespan of a new recruit is just over two years, so the recruiters get it wrong a lot. He was overlooked because noone had the balls to look outside the TAC system( of which half the recruit barely last two years remember) and take a punt.
Look at what happened for Freo when they looked out side the TAC and even you guys with Jurrah.
This kid is clearly better than half the kids in the ND..mark my words he will be a gun for you. Nobody will be able to keep up with him
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why did he get overlooked for around 20 other pick in this draft alone?
dont get me wrong, i want him to play well for us, but i'm skeptical of anyone who says something like this
- Banned
- #31
Didn't you read my last post?
I explained that recruiters get it wrong all the time and are reluctant to select outside the TAC, despite them lasting on average barely two years.
If he had tac next to his name, after breaking the agility record, he would have been snapped up
20 others? ? .
As someone who has played A grade ammos for Uni Blues I feel I'm in a position to comment on this one.
In reply to RockyBalboa, Nicholson's story sounds very similar to that of Ross Young, another former Uni Blues star that dominated the amateur comp, and was one of the first mature age rookies selected in the AFL (Carlton).
Unfortunately, Young couldn't quite make the step up and left Carlton after a year or two to play in the WAFL.
As a life long Dees supporter I really hope their careers don't follow similar paths, but I think I'll refrain from donning him the next Barlow until he is promoted to the senior list and plays a few games on the big stage.
In reply to RockyBalboa, Nicholson's story sounds very similar to that of Ross Young, another former Uni Blues star that dominated the amateur comp, and was one of the first mature age rookies selected in the AFL (Carlton).
Unfortunately, Young couldn't quite make the step up and left Carlton after a year or two to play in the WAFL.
As a life long Dees supporter I really hope their careers don't follow similar paths, but I think I'll refrain from donning him the next Barlow until he is promoted to the senior list and plays a few games on the big stage.
If Vic Ammos is a low standard, then what standard is the TFL where Howe is from? A-Grade ammos is a good standard.
As I've said, for lower draftees, exposed form against physically developed footballers is a better guide than Under 18 form. But for some reason, recruiters have a history of seeing the TAC Cup as the be-all and end-all of potential AFL footballers.
Let's compare James Strauss and Dan Nicholson who are roughly the same age, and are fighting for a spot on the half back line. Strauss was a high draftee and has had 2 years in the system, whilst Nicholson has had 2 years playing senior footy. It'll be interesting to see who gets the most game time next season.
- Banned
- #35
There are significant differences. Ross didn't test alite for his athleticism.
You must remember that Daniel broke the agility record with a time of 7.69. So , no player ever had tested better than him. He also tested very fast for the 20 metre and had an excellent beep. He can kick very well and has huge upside
He also just turned 20 in november.
Youngs progress isn't related to Nico's necessarily given Daniel elite athletic ability.
Other Uni Blues players of note to be drafted: Ritchie Vandenberg.
Say what you want about him- but did end up captaining a club (though arguably one of the worst players ever to captain a club).
Say what you want about him- but did end up captaining a club (though arguably one of the worst players ever to captain a club).
I honestly didn't expect any arguments surrounding the quality of ammos football. Compare it to the major state leagues such as the VFL, WAFL and SANFL, and it's a long way off that standard. Moreover, any comparison between ammos and the TAC Cup is meaningless, given that one is a junior competition and the other isn't.
I can't comment on the TFL as I've never seen any of it.
- Banned
- #38
Well sorry but you called it a " fairly low standard". You didn't say in comaprison to VFL etc. Given that 90% of the draftees come from the TAC it isn't that easy for you to dismiss the comaparison, given you made it in the first place. So in other words, you agree that an A grade senior team woudl smash a tac cup team? So, a 18/19 yo kid starring in that league should be worthy of consideration?
If you are only comparing it to the major leagues they make up a very small %of draftees. Put it this way, nicholson would have torn TAC to shreds this year
I still haven't heard how much A grade and TAC you have watched?
I remember playing a pre-season game for Sandringham Dragons against Melbourne Grammer old boys (many years ago). It was a curtain raiser to Sydney vs Western Bulldogs so quite a crowd was there - was an enjoyable experience other than Ray Jordan giving me an ear full all day!
Anyway the Melbourne lads gave us an absolute hiding.. but 5 players from my team got drafted - none from Melbourne Grammer that year.
- Banned
- #40
You would be disappointed if any top line senior comps best teams didn't beat any standard of under 18 team. Fitness between them should be comparable and the men have many kilos and experience that talent just can't past. It hardly proves much.
You haven't answered the question of what Nicholson was doing before he ended up at Uni Blues, besides that he went to a good footballing high school. Did he try out for the TAC and get knocked back?
I like the look of this guy, we know he's athletic ability is good and we know he's a footballer as well. That's a handy start.
So the question will be can he win the ball at AFL level, looking at his video I'd say he'd be a good chance. What I'm not so sure on is can he use it at AFL level. His kicking looks smooth but not amazingly accurate. I think that's a huge reason on why recruiters generally go for the TAC, they know how players at that level translate to AFL level, due to the fact of how many have done it. Judging how his kicking will translate from VAFA to AFL might be difficult.
I was just trying to put some context to it. Definitely a better standard - no question.
But the quality and scope for improvement from the 18's is far superior.
If the same team played Melb Grammar 2 or 3 years later the scoreline would have been reversed.
He nitpicked about you spelling Grammar, Grammer... really is this guy really someone you want to talk about quality to?
- Banned
- #44
Well given the average lifespan of a tac player in the afl is 2.3 years one would suggest a lot of tac kids taken aren't up to it. Also many of those drafted can't kick . Recruiters ignored him purely because he didn't have tac next to his name . He was doing athletics in yr 12
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sharp shooter
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- Dec 1, 2006
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He wasn't doing athletics in yr 12, played for the school football side and did the pre season that year with the rebels did not make the list. In that year he played with east point u/18 in the BFL whilst at boarding school. 2009 he moved to melbourne for uni. Was spotted down at uni main watching a mate train with uni blacks. He was wearing the St pats 1st XVIII jumper and former st pats student who was playing with uni blues approached him and ecouraged him to play with them in A Section. The rest is history.
sharp shooter
Debutant
- Dec 1, 2006
- 53
- 0
- AFL Club
- Hawthorn
Trained Last year with hawthorn pre rookie draft. They showed interest but as he was not nominated in the draft they could not select him. Whilst training there he did the sprint testing and the only on to finish with better times was Cyril Rioli. Also finished very high in their time trials, about 10th from memory crossing the line with Jordan Lewis. Now he is torching it at melbourne.
Thanks for that meaningful information (unlike the other guy).
It's interesting he didn't make the rebels, you would think most TAC teams would take a punt on such a good athlete as their chances of getting drafted are good.
- Banned
- #48
Who said he didn't make the rebels?
Sorry for providing his times for his testing-obviously not meaningful enough for you!
How does he know about the hawthorn trainging and him not being nominated?
