Welcome Rookie Draft Pick #21 - Ben Crocker

[Mutineer]

Well that's one thing I've never seen Lyons do...take a speccy like Ben Crocker.

 

[6BTS]

Absolutely amazes me how none of you are employed by AFL clubs as recruiters....

I would have been if work didn't get in the way, and then work fell through meaning there was no reason for me to miss out. Still bitter about it to this day.

 

[conVINCEd]

Who locked Hamish in the cupboard during the rookie draft to stop him taking O’Neill?

 

[Golumless]

It’s not to do with whether they have been on a list before, it’s to say that 22 isn’t old in footy terms and there’s plenty of development left.

Both were good U18 players as well, sometimes a 2nd chance is exactly what they need to kickstart their career again.

No, development has everything to do with being on a list. There isn't much development left in a 22 year old who has spent four years on a list as a large portion of development is from being in a professional environment, putting on weight, getting fitter etc.

Keays is an interesting project; don't get me wrong. The question is more are we able to use his skills in a way Brisbane didn't, or more likely, weren't able too, and if we do that end up snowballing into being a reliable long term piece, but tool wise, what he is now is what he'll always be.

 

[Golumless]

And Keays was stuck behind Lyons... who we effectively got rid of.

I could stomach going with one of them but two take two minimal upside known entities is a waste IMO.

Yeah, I'm in the same boat with two is a waste. Whilst this draft really fell apart after 40, surely there was another kid like Gollant who we thought could blossom into something instead of going for two 4 year players.

That said, it does indicate we don't have a lot of faith in our small/med forwards at this point.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

No, development has everything to do with being on a list. There isn't much development left in a 22 year old who has spent four years on a list as a large portion of development is from being in a professional environment, putting on weight, getting fitter etc.

Keays is an interesting project, don't get me wrong, the question is more are we able to use his skills in a way Brisbane didn't, or more likely, weren't able too, and if we are does that end up snowballing into being a reliable long term piece, but tool wise, what he is now is what he'll always be.

Don't your two paragraphs contradict each other slightly ??

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Well that's one thing I've never seen Lyons do...take a speccy like Ben Crocker.

That's Crockers #1 wood .....plays tall like Welsh

 

[Golumless]

Don't your two paragraphs contradict each other slightly ??

Not really, it just comes down to the battle coaches face with most player. Finding a set up where they can make the most of what they have.

Neither Crocker or Keays are going to improve much as footballers. They can, however, find better performance from being in a set up which covers their deficiencies and supports their strengths.

 

[1970crow]

He's not AFL standard.

Be an OK SANFL player, he's essentially another Riley Knight.

Unless our aim was simply to strengthen the SANFL team for a year then this is a waste of a pick.

it is interesting that we seem to have picked up delisted depth from contending clubs when we’re in a sort of rebuild phase.

 

[scoota10]

Who locked Hamish in the cupboard during the rookie draft to stop him taking O’Neill?

Maybe he didn't Rate him.

 

[spexau]

it is interesting that we seem to have picked up delisted depth from contending clubs when we’re in a sort of rebuild phase.

Haggis video says that the reasoning is to have some hardened bodies with good training and work ethic to support the current batch of kids and put spot pressure on.

 

[FAITH]

And Keays was stuck behind Lyons... who we effectively got rid of.

I could stomach going with one of them but two take two minimal upside known entities is a waste IMO.

Crocker is a meh sort of player, but it's rookie picks.

 

[huludicidal]

Who locked Hamish in the cupboard during the rookie draft to stop him taking O’Neill?

Simple. We have an abundance of sub-183ish cm mids on our list already and our last 4 picks (2 in ND, 2 in RD) were always going to be based on list needs.

Our needs were tall mids and medium half forward flankers.

We addressed them.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Not really, it just comes down to the battle coaches face with most player. Finding a set up where they can make the most of what they have.

Neither Crocker or Keays are going to improve much as footballers. They can, however, find better performance from being in a set up which covers their deficiencies and supports their strengths.

But a building of confidence, can do wonders to a players game ....doesn't that improve them ala Seedsman ?

 

[boffo]

Tim Kelly had never been on an AFL list before drafting, these two have.

So these guys are better than Tim Kelly at the equivalent age then.

 

[Dangarman]

Can we actually play rookies in the AFL side without someone coming off the senior list first?

Yes I know Wikipedia is not necessarily the final authority, but it says this:

Rookie listed players are not eligible to play in AFL home-and-away or finals matches unless they are elevated to the senior list, either to replace a retired player or a player with a long-term injury.

If that's the case, these guys are definitely depth players, and let's hope that we don't have a Doedee like R1 catastrophe again.

 

[conVINCEd]

Rookie listed players can play any time now; those rules have been updated.

 

[hey shorty]

it is interesting that we seem to have picked up delisted depth from contending clubs when we’re in a sort of rebuild phase.

This is the thing, I can handle taking these guys as they come from good clubs. We aren't getting St Kilda or GC cast offs.

 

[marvin]

Can we actually play rookies in the AFL side without someone coming off the senior list first?

Yes I know Wikipedia is not necessarily the final authority, but it says this:

Rookie listed players are not eligible to play in AFL home-and-away or finals matches unless they are elevated to the senior list, either to replace a retired player or a player with a long-term injury.

If that's the case, these guys are definitely depth players, and let's hope that we don't have a Doedee like R1 catastrophe again.

It changed a couple of years ago for Category A rookies. See 10.16 (a) on page 64 of https://s.afl.com.au/staticfile/AFL Tenant/AFL/Files/AFL Rules effective 9 May 2019.pdf

 

[Golumless]

But a building of confidence, can do wonders to a players game ....doesn't that improve them ala Seedsman ?

Somewhat, but that's a rather temporary improvement seeing confidence/form fluctuates.

I wouldn't consider confidence as a part of the development sphere. More again leaning on structures.

 

[NikkiNoo]

Can we actually play rookies in the AFL side without someone coming off the senior list first?

Yes I know Wikipedia is not necessarily the final authority, but it says this:

Rookie listed players are not eligible to play in AFL home-and-away or finals matches unless they are elevated to the senior list, either to replace a retired player or a player with a long-term injury.

If that's the case, these guys are definitely depth players, and let's hope that we don't have a Doedee like R1 catastrophe again.

As others have said, the rules have changed in the last two years. All of Murphy's games for us up to this point were him as a rookie (he's now on the Senior List). CEY was also on our rookie list the past couple of years and regularly playing AFL.

 

[Dangarman]

Thanks all for that.

 

[Jen2310]

Really pleased for him. Teammates will love him. Loves to play prankster in the locker room. He has a fun and outgoing personality, which says something given the situation with his dad (which will be hard on him, leaving him).

 

[Crowfoot]

Ben's father was diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimers while Ben was in Year 12. He now needs 24 hours care.

This interview with Neroli has to be seen too

 

[1970crow]

This is the thing, I can handle taking these guys as they come from good clubs. We aren't getting St Kilda or GC cast offs.

Get that, but I’d have thought their need for solid depth would be a fair bit greater than ours.