Player Watch Sid Draper

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

If midfielders wither on the vine at half forward, they were never good enough to be the answer you were looking for to begin with. Midfield is as pure of an ability check as there is in football, and those who get left at half forward got outgunned by other, better, options.

Draper is 6 games in, not 50-60 and there is nothing in Sids performances that says "give this guy more midfield time" at this juncture. Most of what his performances indicate there is something worth investing in, but he's going to need a bit more time before he's ready.

Half forward is known as a graveyard for a reason.

Similar with Curtin as a 4th tall forward target. Sholl's wing has opened up at the right time. Gives him an easier avenue into the game.

Occasionally these opportunities fall in a club's lap (eg Crouch getting injured and missing the Suns game) but more often it comes down to the nous and vision of your coaching group.

 

[cmndstab]

He looked tired to me against GWS. I hadn't thought so prior to this week, but this week he did. I wasn't surprised to see him subbed off. It wouldn't hurt to give him a rest, or at least let him start as sub again next week.

I agree that, when we play him, we should prioritise giving him midfield minutes. It doesn't need to be a whole game, but significant time in there.

 

[Cromulant]

Half forward is known as a graveyard for a reason.

Similar with Curtin as a 4th tall forward target. Sholl's wing has opened up at the right time. Gives him an easier avenue into the game.

Occasionally these opportunities fall in a club's lap (eg Crouch getting injured and missing the Suns game) but more often it comes down to the nous and vision of your coaching group.

Plenty of quality midfielders have eased into their careers forward of the ball.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Plenty of quality midfielders have eased into their careers forward of the ball.

This would still be easing him in with majority of the season forward of the ball

 

[StonesThrow]

He looked tired to me against GWS. I hadn't thought so prior to this week, but this week he did. I wasn't surprised to see him subbed off. It wouldn't hurt to give him a rest, or at least let him start as sub again next week.

I agree that, when we play him, we should prioritise giving him midfield minutes. It doesn't need to be a whole game, but significant time in there.

He did a lot of running in the gws game for nothing. A lot of chasing without impacting the contest and was stuffed because of it. Still learning.

Love his agility how he wants to take the game on. Disposal has been better than expected as well. Needs to cut out those dinky kicks out of a pack though.

 

[BRL121]

He did a lot of running in the gws game for nothing. A lot of chasing without impacting the contest and was stuffed because of it. Still learning.

Love his agility how he wants to take the game on. Disposal has been better than expected as well. Needs to cut out those dinky kicks out of a pack though.

One of his current problems is that he wants to do something spectacular with every possession, even under pressure.
In low-probability pressure moments at critical moments against good opponents, he has to learn to take the tackle instead of attempting some brilliant kick futilely. We can't afford just to hand it straight back to the oppo.

 

[NSolis]

If midfielders wither on the vine at half forward, they were never good enough to be the answer you were looking for to begin with. Midfield is as pure of an ability check as there is in football, and those who get left at half forward got outgunned by other, better, options.

Draper is 6 games in, not 50-60 and there is nothing in Sids performances that says "give this guy more midfield time" at this juncture. Most of what his performances indicate there is something worth investing in, but he's going to need a bit more time before he's ready.

Agree with this. The whole 'left in the half forward graveyard' thing that is popular on this board is mostly for players who were pretty borderline anyway. I think it would be good for Draper to play forward a bit over the first couple of years of his career, he should be quite good at it anyway and it will be a way to cement a consistent spot in the AFL team while he's developing his midfield capabilities. Plus we will want him to be a goalkicker later in his career anyway given his skillset.

Obviously he should still get midfield time, but I don't think it's necessary for him to be attending most CBAs for a little while, unless he's demanding it via performance.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

He looked tired to me against GWS. I hadn't thought so prior to this week, but this week he did. I wasn't surprised to see him subbed off. It wouldn't hurt to give him a rest, or at least let him start as sub again next week.

I agree that, when we play him, we should prioritise giving him midfield minutes. It doesn't need to be a whole game, but significant time in there.

Exactly give him quality time in the middle but for shorter periods using him as sub & resting him when he needs a break.. including this week.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Plenty of quality midfielders have eased into their careers forward of the ball.

& in defence too.

 

[Stephen2]

He did a lot of running in the gws game for nothing.

Yeah, have noticed this. Hope he doesn't have a case of the Petrenkos.

I'd love to see him get more CBAs because his energizer bunny act works better in the guts than at HF

 

[TBM]

Good to see him shine in the SANFL on the weekend.

But he’s been brainwashed by Nicks if he’s using language like “work ons”

Draper details two-game weekend

The first year Crow featured at both the AFL and SANFL last weekend

www.afc.com.au

 

[AFC979810]

Our 2nd highest draft pick ever. Has played the last 9 games in a row at SANFL level. Would think if we were worried about his back he wouldn't have played this much SANFL.

We are playing hacks like Jones in our best 23. Need to get him in for the last two weeks and have him play finals.

 

[daniel_4tw]

Draper might need time to develop and don’t expect him to be a superstar straight away, but surely he couldn’t produce less than Murphy/Cook/Jones we’ve been trying.

I still have flashbacks to his Brisbane game in preseason. Give him a go. Even if it’s 10 possessions it would be better than what the alternatives have been offering.

 

[jimvic]

Draper might need time to develop and don’t expect him to be a superstar straight away, but surely he couldn’t produce less than Murphy/Cook/Jones we’ve been trying.

I still have flashbacks to his Brisbane game in preseason. Give him a go. Even if it’s 10 possessions it would be better than what the alternatives have been offering.

Frankly, Dowling is the one who should be in for Jones - I think he is more ready than Sid. Also, is it too late for Edwards to get a game - I reckon Hinge could handle a bit of a spell

 

[mcleod at 50 lines it up]

Said before but I love the blighty way of developing young talents in defence, can't tell me sid playing defence would be any worse than laird. Unfortunately pretty late in the season now to try.

 

[Cromulant]

Id love for us to try that in pre season, on the proviso its with a view to doing it in the AFL side in R1.

 

[FR0GGY]

I’m all for Sid to play but what sort of message does it send to Dowling.
We should have been playing him instead of the others we’ve wasted games on, who should have already had a decision made on them.

 

[Cromulant]

I’m all for Sid to play but what sort of message does it send to Dowling.
We should have been playing him instead of the others we’ve wasted games on, who should have already had a decision made on them.

I think yesterday was Pedlars last chance to show a bit, or we might have had to make a change, which might have opened the door for Sid.

To Luke's credit he had a decent day, though he dropped off in the 2nd half.

Agree on Dowling though, he HAS to come in this week. Provides an option in all 3 areas of the ground too.

 

[AFC979810]

I’m all for Sid to play but what sort of message does it send to Dowling.
We should have been playing him instead of the others we’ve wasted games on, who should have already had a decision made on them.

The message is that professional sports isn't fair. Pick 4 should be prioritized over Dowling.

 

[Cromulant]

The message is that professional sports isn't fair. Pick 4 should be prioritized over Dowling.

Bloke kicks 2 and has 40 touches, busts his arse for 2 years AND played well when given a chance last year.

Piss poor message.

 

[Mostyn]

The message is that professional sports isn't fair. Pick 4 should be prioritized over Dowling.

What's relevant is not where Draper was selected but what is the best way to develop him to the highest level. Watching him in the SANFL, there's clearly things he's trying to improve on, which surely is easy to do there than at the highest level.

 

[AFC979810]

What's relevant is not where Draper was selected but what is the best way to develop him to the highest level. Watching him in the SANFL, there's clearly things he's trying to improve on, which surely is easy to do there than at the highest level.

Where Draper was selected is extremely relevant.

 

[FR0GGY]

The message is that professional sports isn't fair. Pick 4 should be prioritized over Dowling.

Sounds good in theory.

 

[Southerntakeover]

What's relevant is not where Draper was selected but what is the best way to develop him to the highest level. Watching him in the SANFL, there's clearly things he's trying to improve on, which surely is easy to do there than at the highest level.

Playing SANFL makes you a better AFL player than playing AFL.

Can you imagine how good some of the career SANFL players who have never played AFL must be?

 

[Golumless]

Said before but I love the blighty way of developing young talents in defence, can't tell me sid playing defence would be any worse than laird. Unfortunately pretty late in the season now to try.

Considering Laird has been a 23.1 disposal/6.1 marks/6.3 intercept/5.7 ground ball get player this year (all top 10% in comp for small defenders outside of disposals), Draper would have been a serious downgrade. Laird being as good as he is part of why we've been bulletproof in defense. There will be a time to replace Rory, but that falls to Max Michaelanney (and it's the role that'll likely turn Max into an elite defender).

The position for Sid was in the forward line this year. Especially as we've shown that we've been able to win without any production from our bottom forwards.