List Mgmt. The Rookies

[Jeremias]

Plenty of talk around regarding what we'll do with the senior list heading into next season, but let's not forget the rookie list.

With most of these guys on the standard one year rookie contract, decisions will have to be made and as is always the case, some will have to be moved on.

There are a few here who could go either way, and given 5 of the 8 have played senior football over the past few years, some tough decisions may have to be made.

Of course a lot will depend on our list makeup going forward, but given how comfortable we've been lately with a 38/6 split, you'd have to think it is likely we will be going down that path again in 2016.

Here is the current rookie list, with my comments attached.

Category A

1. Cameron Wood

There is much uncertainty, but we already know what is going on with Cam. Signed a two year deal at the end of last year so he's sticking around for at least one more year.

2. Ciaran Sheehan

Showed good signs at senior level towards the end of last year, but season 2015 has been a complete write off for him through injury. I believe he came across on a two year contract which expires at the end of this year, but you'd think he'll be given a 3rd year on the rookie list.

3. Billy Gowers

Our first pick in last year's rookie draft, VFL watchers will be able to give greater insights into his development. From afar he does not seem to be particularly prolific at VFL level at this stage. May be in danger but could go either way.

4. Blaine Johnson

Blaine has done well to play senior football in both years he has been at the club. Prolific in front of the sticks at VFL level, that has not yet translated to AFL level where I think he has struggled adjusting to the greater pace. Given this is his second year at the club we can give him a 3rd year on the rookie list - I hope we do, but I am not completely confident we will.

5. Bradley Walsh

Looks to have come in and made an immediate impact for the Northern Blues. Inside mid who finds plenty of the ball but is not quick nor particularly damaging with his disposal. Some have called for his inclusion in the senior side, but I still think he's a way off that yet. Is a noted leader so I would hope he is kept around for a second year in 2016.

6. Tom Fields

Plenty of talk about those kicks, but there looks to be plenty more to his game than that. Has been good at VFL level, and I was impressed with him on debut against Richmond where he was forced to play a greater role than anticipated. Certainly worth persisting with in the senior side for now, giving him a great opportunity to (at a minimum) earn a second rookie contract for next year.

Category B

1. Ciaran Byrne

This kid has a real future and looks to be a great find. Has shown immense improvement in his time at the club and looked very comfortable on debut against Essendon earlier this year. Unfortunately injury has restricted him since, but I certainly think we'll see him back in the senior side before the year is over. No doubts as to whether he'll be at the club next year - could very well find himself on the senior list.

2. Fraser Russell

Much like Gowers, VFL watchers will be able to tell us more about Fraser's development. Is coming from a fair way back so should not be critiqued too harshly, but seems neither here nor there at this stage and may drop off the list.


Plenty can change between now and the end of the season, but at this stage I reckon we might be looking at something like this...

ELEVATE
Cameron Wood
Ciaran Byrne

RETAIN
Ciaran Sheehan
Blaine Johnson
Bradley Walsh
Tom Fields

DELIST
Billy Gowers
Fraser Russell

Assuming we retain a 38/6 split, the above would give us space for 2 new Category A rookies, and 3 spots for Category B rookies.

Could SOSOS make it through to the rookie draft?

Given our reported interest in him, will we bring across Matt Korcheck as a Category B rookie?

 

[zeeCFC]

Korcheck is confirmed.

Aside from possibly Russell, I can't say any of the rookies should be let go....even Russell has shown significant improvement.

 

[Jatz]

Hopefully see Walsh next season after a big pre season

 

[Magruder]

But we're Carlton. We have no young players

From a distance I agree with your assssment.

Would love to see Sheehan make it with Byrne and have the three Irish lads in the team.

I wa also impressed with Fields on friday, thougt he had presence and competed well against much bigger/developed opponents. He also seemed to undestand reasonably well when to spread and provide an option. Good instinctive footballer with plenty to work with.

 

[slashin_velvet]

Can we make Sheehan a Cat B international rookie if we upgrade Byrne to the senior list?

No need to delist Russell if he can stay as Category B unless we have another code changing playing in our sights?

 

[Blue__Balls]

If Fields plays out the rest of the year and holds his own, could see him getting elevated as well. Would then like to see Sheehan as our nominated rookie at the start of next season and get some games into him.

Korchek as Category B is fine, and if we can't find a suitor for Warnock, I'd be offering him a rookie spot on minimal wage or he gets delisted. Even if he's a complete spud most of the time, Kreuzer's injury history means we probably need more than just Wood for insurance.

 

[Coona Blues]

Each club is allowed to maintain a list of up to six eligible Category A rookies and three Category B rookies. Up to three rookies can be retained, with the player's permission for a second or third season,[2] with the others having to be either delisted or elevated to the primary list at the time of the National Draft. Only half of the salary paid by a club to players on the rookie list counts towards the league's salary cap.

 

[Jeremias]

Korcheck is confirmed.

Is it? I must have missed that.

I know we're very interested, but have seen nothing suggesting it is over the line.

Can we make Sheehan a Cat B international rookie if we upgrade Byrne to the senior list

Great question. I don't know definitively, but my guess would be no.

No need to delist Russell if he can stay as Category B unless we have another code changing playing in our sights?

Very true. We can certainly afford to keep him on as a Category B rookie for at least another year, with 3 being the maximum allowed at any one time.

 

[slashin_velvet]

Great question. I don't know definitively, but my guess would be no.

I'd assume the same thing - like the Alex Auricchio situation. He would have been eligible as an international rookie, but no club would take him without seeing him at VFL level. And because he's had to play VFL to show his worth, he then is ineligible to be picked up as an international rookie.

I'd expect given Sheehan has played both AFL and VFL, he wouldnt be able to drop back to Category B status.

For this reason, I'd upgrade Sheehan to the senior list, whilst leaving Byrne as a Cat B rookie - but have him be one of the nominated rookies to ensure he gets AFL gametime.

 

[ferrisb]

I see no reason why Sheehan couldn't be reclassified as Cat B if Byrne was upgraded. In fact, I think it would almost automatically happen that way...

From afl.com.au

Clubs can now list one Irish player as a Category B rookie but for each additional Irish player rookie listed, that player will be deemed to be a Category A rookie and the club will forfeit its last selection in the Rookie Draft for each additional player listed.

slashin_velvet - IMO as long as we don't have more than 3 Cat Bs in total, you could keep Russell AND another code-changer....

The Irish category is the only one that has a limit of one Cat B...

 

[Coona Blues]

I'd assume the same thing - like the Alex Auricchio situation. He would have been eligible as an international rookie, but no club would take him without seeing him at VFL level. And because he's had to play VFL to show his worth, he then is ineligible to be picked up as an international rookie.

I'd expect given Sheehan has played both AFL and VFL, he wouldnt be able to drop back to Category B status.

For this reason, I'd upgrade Sheehan to the senior list, whilst leaving Byrne as a Cat B rookie - but have him be one of the nominated rookies to ensure he gets AFL gametime.

Except that we can only have 1 Irish Cat B, and it was reported we had recruiters seriously scouting over there.
Given the likelihood that all 3 are likely best 22 next year, it is a great avenue to talent.....next please.

 

[koutamarto]

Brad Walsh consistently seems to be in the top 4 or 5 possessions for the NB's. Surely he stays?

 

[slashin_velvet]

Except that we can only have 1 Irish Cat B, and it was reported we had recruiters seriously scouting over there.
Given the likelihood that all 3 are likely best 22 next year, it is a great avenue to talent.....next please.

Oh, yeh absolutely. If we have other gems willing to come accross, then we find a way to get both Byrne and Sheehan onto the senior list, or have them as the Category A rookies, whilst the new irish ends up the new Cat B.

 

[HARKER]

Korcheck is confirmed.

Aside from possibly Russell, I can't say any of the rookies should be let go....even Russell has shown significant improvement.

I'm not sure of the status of a Cat. B but I recall it having to be a 2 year minimum........this may be wrong, though.

Best bunch of rookies we've had that have made almost immediate impact in the NB side.
Walsh is the youngest of the lot and plays well advanced of his years.......still only 18, yet I feel he may be the first rookie to be ousted, rightly or wrongly.
Unless the Irish boys decide to go home (God forbid) I can't see how rookies spots may become available other than for promotions whilst still retaining our 38/6 split.

 

[slashin_velvet]

I'm not sure of the status of a Cat. B but I recall it having to be a 2 year minimum........this may be wrong, though.

Best bunch of rookies we've had that have made almost immediate impact in the NB side.
Walsh is the youngest of the lot and plays well advanced of his years.......still only 18, yet I feel he may be the first rookie to be ousted, rightly or wrongly.
Unless the Irish boys decide to go home (God forbid) I can't see how rookies spots may become available other than for promotions whilst still retaining our 38/6 split.

Has Gower done enough? Seems to be flying well under the radar, and potentially likely to suffer the same fate as Luke Reynolds.

 

[koutamarto]

I'm not sure of the status of a Cat. B but I recall it having to be a 2 year minimum........this may be wrong, though.

Best bunch of rookies we've had that have made almost immediate impact in the NB side.
Walsh is the youngest of the lot and plays well advanced of his years.......still only 18, yet I feel he may be the first rookie to be ousted, rightly or wrongly.
Unless the Irish boys decide to go home (God forbid) I can't see how rookies spots may become available other than for promotions whilst still retaining our 38/6 split.

Hey Harks, what gives you this feeling about Walsh?
Cheers

 

[HARKER]

Has Gower done enough? Seems to be flying well under the radar, and potentially likely to suffer the same fate as Luke Reynolds.

I like the way he moves. Is good on both sides of the body and not scared of the contest.

Reynolds may have been a little too casual in the way he went about things.
Gower's performances have ready been better than what Reynolds produced

 

[HARKER]

Hey Harks, what gives you this feeling about Walsh?
Cheers

Only because he doesn't do much particularly well.
Not a great kick, not a great handballer and a little slow to boot.

I like the guy and his efforts, but don't see much which says AFL to me just yet.

 

[Coona Blues]

NB watchers please.
Snapshot.
Could any of Fields, Gowers and Walsh, realistically, given another year or 2, bring more to the
team than White, Armfield and/or Ellard??

Next question is does Blaine Johnson have a role? Genuinely an "inbetween" player with plenty
of positives, but what special talent does he bring to the table?

Are we just going to the draft, or bringing in some mature talent? So many questions.

My "gut" feel is we retain Fields, Walsh and one of Sheehan or Wood on Cat A list. One to be
elevated along with Byrne. Loved the skills of Gowers in draft videos so would be sorry to see
him go, but is a numbers game.

 

[HARKER]

Best I can offer:

Fields felt a little clunky to me early on but his movement has improved.
May have already benefited from being in the system and he seems to be loving the involvement...Keeper.
Have put forward feeling on Gowers & Walsh.
I said weeks ago that we'd be crazy to move off Johnson & Holman. We'd be very lucky to find something immediately better.
Byrne & Sheehan are non-negotiables. Keepers at all cost.

What we do with our senior list may have an impact on which way we go with the rookies.............It was always going to be tough this year.

 

[BluStreak]

Only because he doesn't do much particularly well.
Not a great kick, not a great handballer and a little slow to boot.

I like the guy and his efforts, but don't see much which says AFL to me just yet.

HARKER, sounds bit like Cachia. He could make it at AFL but would be seen as a foot soldier.

 

[HARKER]

HARKER, sounds bit like Cachia. He could make it at AFL but would be seen as a foot soldier.

I could well be proved wrong but I don't see where his opportunity may come from, just at this stage..............(Watch him get selected for Freo )

Graham broke through to the senior side after almost three years of toiling away in the 2nd's when on form alone he should have played more games.
I then consider Graham to be the better kick, hand-baller, mark and goal-kicker........so you can see how tough it may be.
The other thing is that we have a penchant for tall mids and the preference may fall to Whiley if an opportunity does somehow come about.

 

[BluStreak]

I could well be proved wrong but I don't see where his opportunity may come from, just at this stage..............(Watch him get selected for Freo )

Graham broke through to the senior side after almost three years of toiling away in the 2nd's when on form alone he should have played more games.
I then consider Graham to be the better kick, hand-baller, mark and goal-kicker........so you can see how tough it may be.
The other thing is that we have a penchant for tall mids and the preference may fall to Whiley if an opportunity does somehow come about.

I actually think that Whiley will be an upgrade on Ed in the next year or two.

 

[HARKER]

I actually think that Whiley will be an upgrade on Ed in the next year or two.

You can never be sure but if Gibbs, Cripps, Bell, Whiley, Murphy and Graham form the strength of the starting mids, where does Walsh go?

 

[Blue__Balls]

You can never be sure but if Gibbs, Cripps, Bell, Whiley, Murphy and Graham form the strength of the starting mids, where does Walsh go?

Easy.

Murph sits on Walsh's shoulders, therefore giving us another Cripps.