Player Watch James Borlase and Tariek Newchurch

Remove this Banner Ad

May 29, 2011
24,936
38,739
SA
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
Sturt
Newchurch is the kind of player I like as rookies. A bit of X-factor. Could be the next Charlie Cameron or a complete bust. Hopefully it works out.
 
Nov 28, 2011
19,312
33,376
Melbourne
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
LIVFC
Borlase is already a huge unit for his age - hopefully they don't bulk him up too much

Newchurch highlights, wowee - but no left foot judging by the highlight of him tackling the Sturt playing, picking the ball up and playing on but coming back into traffic to snap the goal
 

Log in to remove this ad.

hey shorty

Cancelled
30k Posts 10k Posts TheBrownDog
Jun 15, 2005
69,233
60,483
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
AUFC, Everton, Sturt
Will the draft order be done via last year's finishing position, or on the ladder position at time of draft?
Finishing position I think, but wouldn't bet against the AFL changing that.
 
Sep 18, 2014
144
405
AFL Club
Adelaide

Vhaluus

Cancelled
10k Posts
May 13, 2016
15,604
16,943
AFL Club
Adelaide
I once again find myself more impressed with what we do with the least of our list spots than I am with how we use our top end draft picks.

Think that this was very shrewd on our parts to grab these two.
 

Vhaluus

Cancelled
10k Posts
May 13, 2016
15,604
16,943
AFL Club
Adelaide
Newchurch is the kind of player I like as rookies. A bit of X-factor. Could be the next Charlie Cameron or a complete bust. Hopefully it works out.

Agreed, high risk high reward is where you should be looking with these spots.

No point getting a guy who looks like having a moderate ceiling, this is where you make your gambles.
 
May 24, 2006
76,800
149,880
Car 55
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
Redbacks, Sturt, Liverpool, Arizona
Newchurch is the kind of player I like as rookies. A bit of X-factor. Could be the next Charlie Cameron or a complete bust. Hopefully it works out.
Ironically busts are better for your club than someone who is thereabouts.

Eg a player like Poholke stays on the list for 4 years, plays 20 or so matches. Eventually you see that he's not quite up to it and he gets cut.

During those 4 years he's soaked up development resources, coaching time, playing opportunities and a list spot ahead of other players. Those investments ultimately come to nothing and could have been used elsewhere. You're not to know at the time of course.

You want either picks who become good players or blazing, immediately obvious failures that you spend no time on.

Not every draft pick will make it and you don't need them to. If players have a 10-12 year career then you only need 1-2 from each draft on average to become a first 22 quality player. And you only have space for that many anyway.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

May 29, 2011
24,936
38,739
SA
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
Sturt
Ironically busts are better for your club than someone who is thereabouts.

Eg a player like Poholke stays on the list for 4 years, plays 20 or so matches. Eventually you see that he's not quite up to it and he gets cut.

During those 4 years he's soaked up development resources, coaching time, playing opportunities and a list spot ahead of other players. Those investments ultimately come to nothing and could have been used elsewhere. You're not to know at the time of course.

You want either picks who become good players or blazing, immediately obvious failures that you spend no time on.

Not every draft pick will make it and you don't need them to. If players have a 10-12 year career then you only need 1-2 from each draft on average to become a first 22 quality player. And you only have space for that many anyway.
Poholke was also proof that consistent SANFL performances don't necessarily indicate a player will take the next step. He's a pretty dominant SANFL mid but his qualities never translated to AFL. Then you look at McAdam's performances in the SANFL as a contrast. He showed a lot of raw talent and athleticism but never really dominated. It's not like he was kicking 6 a game in the SANFL before he got called up. Sometimes the cream just rises to the top.

(pretty sure Fog never kicked 5 goals in a SANFL game either)
 
Hamish seemed really excited by Newchurch in his interview, not so much about Borlase

Probably fair considering. Newchurch could be elite of he sorts his s**t out. Borlase probably won't be.

Borlase will certainly put some pressure on Doedee and McPherson to stay healthy and perform though.
 
Jun 21, 2004
28,687
31,458
Adelaide
AFL Club
Adelaide
Other Teams
49ers, AFC Wimbledon, Utah Jazz
Not only that but Tariek was told to take down the highlights video of him that was up on YouTube. And it was indeed taken down.

Similar thing happened with Taylor Walker

We committed to Walker, but keep it very low key and apparently made sure that Walker's exposure through the national carnival was minimal so that he wouldn't attract too much attention. The club firmly believed at the time that he was the caliber of a top 10 pick and has easily gone on to prove that to be right.

Keep in mind this was not long after Rucci went to the AFL to stop us getting access to Gibbs so the club were understandably coy and didn't want Walker attracting too much attention.
 
Last edited:
Aug 21, 2008
12,563
15,279
Adelaide
AFL Club
Adelaide
I think he looks awkward when he runs. His arms are flailing and his head moves around a lot.

Think he is worth a punt. Serious x factor. Just needs to learn how to find it more often and work harder.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Back