Past Sam Sheldon (2007-2012)

[Lady Lawrence]

Pick 70 in the 2006 National Draft

Summary:

* broken leg (#23)
* 2007 review (#35)
* takes over number 3 guernsey from Michael Voss (#36)
* osteitis pubis (#50)
* 2008 review (#62)
* glandular fever (#63)
* debut: round 6 vs Essendon (#105)
* 2009 review (#153)
* 2010 review (#239)
* named in All Stars squad (#244)
* 2011 review (#354)
* 2012 review (#380)

Contract status: ?

Merrett-Murray Medal results:

2007: -
2008: -
2009: 19th (13.5 votes)
2010: 33rd (1 vote)
2011: 14th (16.5 votes)

Coach's votes:

2010: 0
2011: 1
2012: 0

Tribunal history:

* Round 13, 2010 - first offence for engaging in a melee ($1600 reduced to $1200)
* Round 1, 2011 (NEAFL) - striking (62.5 demerit points)
* Round 8, 2011 - first offence for making contact with an umpire ($1200 reduced to $900)

 

[Jeremias]

Wanted to know how the young kid was going in his first preseason.

Don't think he will play this year because he is VERY small, but how's he going?

Any info would be appreciated. Cheers.

 

[Quigley]

Where's the update Warwick or are we speaking Toddy timeframes on your updates.

I have not seen Sam play at all but I am predicting a big year from him on the basis that karma will balance us up for Murphy last year much in the same way as the only reason we won the premierships was because Buckley said he was leaving us so as to win premierships. He is the only bandwagon I am on without having seen him play first.

 

[Warwick]

Put this in your diaries: the kid will be a star.

I know you don't judge a player on one performance, a scratch match at that, but stuff it, he is all class.

Plenty of time for people to clamber aboard the bandwagon.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Put this in your diaries: the kid will be a star.

I know you don't judge a player on one performance, a scratch match at that, but stuff it, he is all class.

Plenty of time for people to clamber aboard the bandwagon.

Yup, I was sold by the end of the first quarter.

The kid has a football brain and the skills to match.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Put this in your diaries: the kid will be a star.

I know you don't judge a player on one performance, a scratch match at that, but stuff it, he is all class.

Plenty of time for people to clamber aboard the bandwagon.

I'm working an arse-groove into one of the seats as we speak...

 

[BigCat2]

For a fellow 183cm tall, he didn't seem small at all. Going by his performance last night, you wouldn't have picked him as a bottom-aged player. Plenty of positives.

 

[Quigley]

For a fellow 183cm tall, he didn't seem small at all. Going by his performance last night, you wouldn't have picked him as a bottom-aged player. Plenty of positives.

Nice point BC. It is well worth considering that Sam is bottom aged (together with Schmidt and Hawksley) and there is a lot of development left in him. I am thinking that Carlton is already cursing not taking him this year. I don't think they will make the same mistake with his brother.

 

[Grimreepah]

Weaver's Phantom Draft

51. Sam Sheldon (Carlton) – Son of Kenny and eligible under father-son rule but probably not quite worth sacrificing the pick. Is a clever outside wingman. Predominately played school football and missed the tail end of the TAC season with injury – which means he has not had too much exposure. Good athlete with reasonable skills.

Here's an article from the 1st December

Sam makes it a 'Super 17'
By DARREN MONCRIEFF
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Friday, December 1, 2006

LAST week's AFL National Draft was the largest single intake of Indigenous footballers in the 20-year history of the draft when 16 youngsters from a pool of 80 footballers were picked up by 11 AFL clubs.

Or so we thought.

While we here at AboriginalFootball pride ourselves on bringing accurate and well researched Indigenous football news to whoever can access the Internet, we don't profess to "know it all", so to speak, and are always open to correction and constructive criticism. It is, therefore, a pleasure to announce that the 'Sweet 16' of the 2006 National Draft are in fact the 'Super 17'.

Damian, from Victoria, yesterday emailed us with information about young Sam Sheldon, son of St Kilda and Carlton (triple premiership) player, Ken, and Wendy Sheldon.

Sam's Mum's side of the family has strong links with the Rumbalara Football/Netball Club.

(Rumbalara FC stepped up this year and joined the Murray Football League.)

Last year, Sam represented his family's home town of Echuca at the annual Victorian Aboriginal Football Carnival. This year, he sparked up his Oakleigh Chargers team-mates with 2 goals in the 3rd quarter in the grand final, which they went on to win. And at last week's National Draft, he was snapped up by the Brisbane Lions at pick number 70 (overall).

Destined for Carlton under the father/son rule, Sam, 17, opted instead to nominate for the Draft a year earlier and will now head north to the Queensland capital to begin his AFL dream.

In his player bio, Sam is described as a medium-size midfielder who reads the play well, is good around stoppages and is a good user of the ball by hand or foot.

Here's an article from the 5th December

Son of a gun
4:48:38 PM Tue 5 December, 2006
lions.com.au

Sam Sheldon, the son of former Carlton three-time premiership player Ken, was expected to sit out this year’s draft and allow the Blues to nominate him under the father-son rule next year. Instead, the 17 year old opted to nominate for the 2006 AFL National Draft where the Lions pounced on the medium-sized midfielder with their sixth selection (pick 70 overall).

The Lions had assured Sheldon, his father and his manager that the club would take him if he was still available for their final pick.

“I was well-informed by the Lions that they intended on taking me in the draft,” Sheldon said, “but I guess I was still a little surprised when my name was actually read out.”

“I’m rapt to be playing with the Lions next year,” he said. “The move to Brisbane doesn’t worry me at all because I have been moving around the place most of my life. My family are really supportive.”


Brisbane Lions Football Manager Graeme Allan was thrilled to be able to secure Sheldon with a late draft pick.

“We were very lucky to get him,” said Allan. “He is an extremely smart midfielder, who’s bottom age and we think would’ve been a first round pick next year.”

A standout junior footballer who represented Victorian in the under 16’s, Sheldon juggled his playing commitments between school team Haileybury and the Oakleigh Chargers in 2006.

He played a full season with the Haileybury, leading them to their third consecutive APS football premiership and won the club’s best and fairest award.

“When Haileybury had a bye, I played for the Oakleigh Chargers,” he said. “Once the school competition finished, I then played each week for the Chargers”.

While Sheldon is often applauded for his ability to read the play and extract the ball from stoppages, he prides himself on his tackling and being able to pressure the opposition.

In his first match at TAC Cup level, Sheldon hit the ground running gathering 22 possessions and laying 11 tackles against the Eastern Ranges. Similar impressive displays against the Western Jets (25 disposals and two goals) and the Geelong Falcons (19 disposals and nine tackles) suggested that he was ready for the next step.

An A/C joint injury suffered towards the end of the season threatened to derail Sheldon’s season, however he was recalled to the team for the TAC Cup grand final and kicked two third quarter goals to help steer the Chargers to a premiership.

Sheldon began pre-season training with the Lions yesterday and is now looking forward to the challenges ahead as he embarks on an AFL career.

“Obviously I would really love to have the opportunity to play a senior match next year, but basically I just want to work on getting bigger and stronger,” Sheldon said. “I am probably most looking forward to training alongside Jonathan Brown.”

Link

Meanwhile, Ken's son, Sam Sheldon - a promising mid-fielder with the Oakleigh Chargers, was offered a place on the rookie list at Carlton in 2008 as a father/son selection in the National Draft - provided that he delayed his nomination for twelve months. But Sam elected not to wait an extra year, and was snapped up by the Brisbane Lions at selection 70 in 2006.

 

[C4[2]Yo`DooR]

I refuse to rate him untill he plays for us ! LOL

 

[toddy]

Make room for me!!

 

[Silvagnis]

I am thinking that Carlton is already cursing not taking him this year.

Is Sam a better talent than Mark Austin?

There's only 16 days between the two but Mark has played senior footy in the same team as Gibbs and done well. We had the chance to take Sam again at pick 51 but we still passed and picked Benjamin who has more upside and pace to burn.

I wouldn't give up Joseph Anderson either.

I don't think they will make the same mistake with his brother.

Are you referring to his cousin Tom Sheldon?

 

[Silvagnis]

You don't need to convince us about your insecurities.

Run along now.

Why would anyone be about insecure about losing Sheldon?

That type of player isn't very hard to find.

Does he have a brother?

 

[Warwick]

Well done. If you are intent on convincing us Carlton have done the right thing, go some place else.

We really don't care. I'll just check the stats to compare Sheldon and Benjamin - won't be a sec.

Yep, found them:

Sheldon: 0 games, 0 goals, average possesions = 0, average marks = 0, average tackles = 0.

Benjamin: 0 games, 0 goals, average possessions = 0, average marks = 0, average tackles = 0.

Pretty close at the moment.

 

[SunKing]

Burn.

The fact that carlton supporters are here in the sheldon thread being defensive and cloaking their fears in silly flippant comments says it all.

 

[Quigley]

Is Sam a better talent than Mark Austin?

There's only 16 days between the two but Mark has played senior footy in the same team as Gibbs and done well. We had the chance to take Sam again at pick 51 but we still passed and picked Benjamin who has more upside and pace to burn.

I wouldn't give up Joseph Anderson either.

Are you referring to his cousin Tom Sheldon?

Firstly I don't have any problems with Flint and I have enjoyed some of his posts on the draft board. On Sam, the kid has had a good first hit out and admittedly it was only a practice match but I am relying on the football gods (any TMQ fans might be more familiar with the football gods and their rules eg the likelihood of a win is inversely proportionate to the size of the team's cheerleaders costumes) squaring us up from last year. The kid looks like he belongs and will be a player. I beg to differ with you though that you can easily find 17 year olds who can step in and make an immediate impression like he has. He has reasonable height for a mid, pretty good athletic ability, good skills, can read the game well and has an eye for goal. Most teams find these sort of players rather more difficult to get hold of than you seem to think.

Of the guys you picked Austin is not expected to show anything for a while and he hasn't. Anderson has looked pretty good from what I understand but in regard to Benjamin I always get a good laugh when people talk about upside in a draftee. It is a euphermism for a good athlete with no skills and no idea how to play the game. Good luck with that with Benjamin.

How about we agree to compare notes at midseason and see how the respective guys are going.

On the brother thing I thought I had read somewhere that he had a brother coming through but I might easily have been mistaken there.

 

[xplo]

Yeah, not sure about Benjamin -- sounds challenging -- but I like Joey Anderson at the National Championships. Wouldn't have been displeased to have picked him up.

Regardless, when we drafted Sammy 3 months ago, I think we had good reason to assume he'd play the year out at Suncoast, and might get a look in sometime next year if his form is there. One match in, most who watched him play seem sure he'll play this year.

That alone is reason for optimism.

 

[Silvagnis]

Firstly I don't have any problems with Flint and I have enjoyed some of his posts on the draft board. On Sam, the kid has had a good first hit out and admittedly it was only a practice match but I am relying on the football gods (any TMQ fans might be more familiar with the football gods and their rules eg the likelihood of a win is inversely proportionate to the size of the team's cheerleaders costumes) squaring us up from last year. The kid looks like he belongs and will be a player. I beg to differ with you though that you can easily find 17 year olds who can step in and make an immediate impression like he has. He has reasonable height for a mid, pretty good athletic ability, good skills, can read the game well and has an eye for goal. Most teams find these sort of players rather more difficult to get hold of than you seem to think.

Compared to an athletic tall like Austin who was very good as a 16 year old before he broke his leg, they're a lot more common. Houli and Moss are approximately the same size as Sheldon and rated higher because they have the score on the board becasue they played at the championships. We have Blackwell to come into the team and he's a similar size to the aforementioned players.

No major loss or karma there and Sam might want out like Hooper.

I'm confident Wayne Hughes will pick another Austin with the pick we may have used on Sheldon.

Of the guys you picked Austin is not expected to show anything for a while and he hasn't.

Austin's impressed alot of trackwatchers(and maybe even his teammates) with the way he hasn't shown any fear of the contest and contested the ball backing back into the pack. That's pretty impressive for a skinny kid of just 17 and he looks to be a very likely type after he did the same in the SANFL last year.

We drafted him because we needed a defender and we know he's further away than some of the midfielders, but so is Leuenberger given the nature of the position he play.

Anderson has looked pretty good from what I understand but in regard to Benjamin I always get a good laugh when people talk about upside in a draftee. It is a euphermism for a good athlete with no skills and no idea how to play the game. Good luck with that with Benjamin.

That doesn't apply to Benjamin though who fell into our laps after clubs drafted for need last year and he has his fans on alot of forums.

 

[Quigley]

Compared to an athletic tall like Austin who was very good as a 16 year old before he broke his leg, they're a lot more common. Houli and Moss are approximately the same size as Sheldon and rated higher because they have the score on the board becasue they played at the championships. We have Blackwell to come into the team and he's a similar size to the aforementioned players.


I would point out that you need more of those smaller guys. You only need 4 or 5 of those key position guys on the field at once. You need a lot more of those smaller guys and the more quality that you have on the field the more wins you are going to get. And since when is having someone the same size any indication of anything. As I understand it about half your squad is over 190 cm already so you haven't had too much trouble finding taller guys. Finding quality at any position has been a problem for Carlton for a while. I agree others had more runs on the board but Sam looks like being a quality addition to the team. What you did in juniors means nothing once you step up to play with the big boys.

No major loss or karma there and Sam might want out like Hooper.

and Gibbs might get hit by a bus and Murphy might decide that the sunshine looks pretty good after the madhouse that is Carlton at the moment.

On a serious note though if I was a Carlton supporter I would be hoping Murphy picks another role model. From what I have heard some of his family haven't been that impressed with the amount of time recently that he has been hanging out with Fev. A worse role model I couldn't think of.

Anyway it is going to be a fair while before we can make any definitive judgements on who has done what. On Sam though take it as a given that we have been impressed with his start.

 

[danielcan]

 

[scott522]

maybe he'll be another "Fly"...

 

[Quigley]

maybe he'll be another "Fly"...

We could hope.

 

[Grimreepah]

Sheldon ended up missing about 11 weeks with that broken leg (originally diagnosed as a 6 week injury IIRC). Good to hear he played well in his first game back.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Kicked an absolute gem of a goal vs Southport.

 

[notting18]

So far it seems that he has shown quite a bit in what most people saw a "transition year", even with the injury - seeing as the club seemed to take him late in 06 instead of higher in 07!