The Alan Stewart & Shane Tuck Thread

[PAfolwr]

Shane Tuck

another interesting article.
Any thoughts from those that have seen him play?
I only saw him in the finals (thanks to the abc), and that wasn't enough to make an opinion, although I will say that he didn't seem to do too much wrong in those games.
I'll be very very surprised if we don't recruit at least one "mature aged" player this year.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Alan Stewart

Anybody hear the Alan Stewart interview on 5AA this afternoon? I just missed it ... was wondering if there was any useful info.

I've heard Port have spoken to a few more mature age players in local comps around the country (Shane Tuck was mentioned in the Herald Sun/ Advertiser this morning) so it looks like they're serious about targeting that type of player in the draft.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I saw a few Westies games on ABC ... he looked quite good in some and ordinary in others. Seems to be a fair gap between his best and worst. If he can get his consistency up to the 'good' end of the scale he'd have to be worth a look.

 

[PAfolwr]

Re: Alan Stewart

Originally posted by Ford Fairlane
Anybody hear the Alan Stewart interview on 5AA this afternoon? I just missed it ... was wondering if there was any useful info.

I've heard Port have spoken to a few more mature age players in local comps around the country (Shane Tuck was mentioned in the Herald Sun/ Advertiser this morning) so it looks like they're serious about targeting that type of player in the draft.

Great minds think alike. Exactly the same posting time .
Perhaps Porthos should combine the threads.

 

[Hit And Rum]

I just had to say.........


FORD FAIRLANE!!!!!


Great name, brilliant movie!!!


Now back to the scheduled program....

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Scary that! Maybe the thread could be called Alan Tuck or Shane Stewart (hmm nice piece of alliteration) ... but then everyone would think it was another weird draft smoky pulled out of some suburban comp!

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Originally posted by Hit And Rum
I just had to say.........


FORD FAIRLANE!!!!!


Great name, brilliant movie!!!


Now back to the scheduled program....

another great mind! ...

 

[Portia]

I'd be a bit disappointed if we went for recycled ex-AFL types. Surely keeping Adam Kingsley forfeited that right?

The likes of Craig Parry and so on - late maturers - yeah, OK, maybe, but there should still be half decent juniors around at #46 which is when we'll stop drafting.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Originally posted by Porthos
I'd be a bit disappointed if we went for recycled ex-AFL types. Surely keeping Adam Kingsley forfeited that right?

The likes of Craig Parry and so on - late maturers - yeah, OK, maybe, but there should still be half decent juniors around at #46 which is when we'll stop drafting.

I've heard Alan Stewart a couple of times recently and he has repeatedly made the point they're looking at players ready to go next year ... he hasn't been forthright about whether that means ex AFL players or guys who are a bit older and have been overlooked in the past for whatever reason. I've heard they've talked to a few in the latter category as well as the former so they'll have a few to choose from with the later picks.

Stevens screwed up their plans in more ways than one - I'd be pretty sure they were looking to get a couple of ready to go players packaging he and Guerra, but when the deals all fell over and they were forced to fire sale for draft picks, they were back on the lookout for players. That saved Kingsley and has fired up this strategy.

At the end of the day they may decide there are juniors around the place in the late 30s/40s that are better than the mature players. Then again, Choco is in panic mode ...

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Ford Fairlane
Then again, Choco is in panic mode ...

This is my primary concern.

In Guerra and Stevens we've lost two good young players - if we replace them with recycled hacks that we didn't want to trade for I will be very unhappy.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Originally posted by Porthos
This is my primary concern.

In Guerra and Stevens we've lost two good young players - if we replace them with recycled hacks that we didn't want to trade for I will be very unhappy.

You know when you put it like that I get this queasy feeling of looking thru the looking glass ...

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by Ford Fairlane
You know when you put it like that I get this queasy feeling of looking thru the looking glass ...

I really hope this is needless paranoia. I dunno about you, but I'd love to have at least a milligram of positivity coming out of this off-season.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Originally posted by Porthos
I really hope this is needless paranoia. I dunno about you, but I'd love to have at least a milligram of positivity coming out of this off-season.

Absolutely. I'm all for a positive vibe. It'll come with the draft ... football supporters have a way of seeing the coming of the Archangel Gabriel in a #46 pick .. we can even spot divinity on a rookie list!

*Had to go looking for this quote from poet Bruce Dawe - I think it sums us all up ...

“having seen in the six-foot recruit from Eaglehawk their hope of salvation”

 

[Portia]

PS. GO DAMON WHITE.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Originally posted by Porthos
PS. GO DAMON WHITE.

Hallelujah!!!

 

[PAfolwr]

Originally posted by Porthos
This is my primary concern.

In Guerra and Stevens we've lost two good young players - if we replace them with recycled hacks that we didn't want to trade for I will be very unhappy.

Trouble is we are all a bit worried that it may happen.
We have a plethora of untried/semi untried young players.
That has been a real downfall for us since Choco panicked in 2000.

 

[Macca19]

Originally posted by Ford Fairlane
I've heard Alan Stewart a couple of times recently and he has repeatedly made the point they're looking at players ready to go next year ... he hasn't been forthright about whether that means ex AFL players or guys who are a bit older and have been overlooked in the past for whatever reason. I've heard they've talked to a few in the latter category as well as the former so they'll have a few to choose from with the later picks.

He said today at #15 they will pick the best possible tall that is available.

He also said for the later picks they are looking at guys aged 19-25 who have been performing well in the second tier competitions that could fit into the side pretty much straight away.

Im guessing these would be guys like Tuck, Parry, maybe Salim Hassan, Cicolella, Bello (just as an example) types that are young and perform to a high standard at the lower levels and could probably get a game in the first few rounds.


Looking at the Club delistings....these are the players that I would be interested in adding to our list:

Jarrad Wright
Rod Crowe
Dylan Smith
Luke Molan
Phil Read

The only one that would probably make our side in the first few weeks would be Phil Read, but they are the only ones that I wouldnt mind seeing in a Port guernsey. Molan would be a big risk tho.

We certainly need to do something this draft to restore in my eyes some sort of faith in the guys that run our club. A few inspired draft choices could help set up next year.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Thanks Macca. Good to see someone with a prolific memory listened!

 

[Portia]

Perhaps his recent illness gave him superpowers...

Reckon Sinkunas rates a thought?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Originally posted by Porthos
Perhaps his recent illness gave him superpowers...

Reckon Sinkunas rates a thought?

Funny you should mention him. I thought he looked a class act the few times I saw him this year before the busted collarbone. Fair size and hard at it too. Could slip under the radar to rookie listing with any luck.

 

[Macca19]

Originally posted by Porthos
Perhaps his recent illness gave him superpowers...

Reckon Sinkunas rates a thought?

I do. Huge kick, tough as nails, good body size and shape but lacks true pace. Stephen Williams had an interview a couple of months back when the season finished and he was asked who he thought would be drafted and Sinkunas was the second name he mentioned after Harry Miller.

He came in and was named high in our best players in his 2nd and 3rd game which is a pretty good effort. Had he not done his Shoulder then I reckon his name would have been bandied around as a probably draft pick in all the phantom drafts.

Cam Ilett is another I wouldnt mind getting but he may not be around at pick 46.

I just hope when our recruiting staff say they are looking for AFL experience that they arent thinking Ross Funcke is a good option. If we draft him then I reckon ill move to Bolivia and stay there until he retires.

The only thing is, Scott Borlace is a very good SANFL footballer and the Power dumped him so Im not sure who they would be really looking at.

I guess the Power inviting Heath Hopwood out to training certainly gives the impression they are looking for an older player that could fit in right away.

These are some of the names of SANFL/ex AFL players I reckon the Power staff would have looked at, not neccesarily have ear marked as possible draftees but would have looked at none the less:

Chad Davis, Adam Grocke, Scott Hahn, Jade Sheedy, Brant Chambers, Andrew Whiteman, Brett Backwell, Paul Thomas, Quinton Graham, Adam Switala, Mark Bradley, Rod Tregenza, Michael Davis, Mark Passador.

Thats just a group of names. The one I'd personally like to see on our list out of that lot would be Adam Grocke. Its highly doubtful any of them would be drafted by us but they would have been looked at.

 

[sog35]

This recruiting pattern is not entirely dissimilar to that of our neighbours after their successes.

In Alan we trust.

 

[Portia]

Originally posted by sog35
This recruiting pattern is not entirely dissimilar to that of our neighbours after their successes.

Annoyingly true.

 

[sog35]

It's the management that is important and the use of the players and their drive.

Some of these players may have been in the system and have been found out on a mental level and some may have the drive to succeed at AFL level.

If the player is happy with their lot in the SANFL than leave them alone. I think the mental aspect of our mature age pick ups would be the most important thing to look at.

Just look at Matty Lokan. Really only an honest trier but did a job for Collingwood. Most likely because he has that drive.

 

[sog35]

Another thing on Shane Tuck is that he was right up there in West Adelaide's B&F and was one of our most consistent performers on the year.

One of this strengths (and one of the things I look for in midfielders) is the way his arms shoot up when tackled to allow him to get the handpass on. It is also well documented that he has an outstanding vertical leap and is pretty good endurance wise I think.

There are some questions on his character, however unfounded they may be.

He spent 2 years on the Hawks rookie list, but was brought down by OP. I think he may still have something to prove.