Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn, Denver Grainger-Barras

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[theiaofseed]

This is where he rolled his ankle late in the game

 

[theiaofseed]

 

[cryptor]

Would have been very easy for him to withdraw and hyper focus on his direct opponent after that first quarter. Very impressive to instead focus on doing what he does best and subsequently help the team starve Carlton on the scoreboard.

 

[Brishawk]

Ball rustles free in the tackle…that is dropping the ball!

Great game by Denver. He is starting to believe and find the range between staying back and going full kamikaze

 

[HawthornHawk]

Would have been very easy for him to withdraw and hyper focus on his direct opponent after that first quarter. Very impressive to instead focus on doing what he does best and subsequently help the team starve Carlton on the scoreboard.

Couldn't agree more- this game really showed he has a strong mentality and it's going to serve he and the club well in the future

 

[KermitJagger]

Ball rustles free in the tackle…that is dropping the ball!

Great game by Denver. He is starting to believe and find the range between staying back and going full kamikaze

That happened an extraordinary amount of times in the last quarter. It was like the umpires were so obsessed with not paying game deciding frees that they did far worse in the exact opposite way.

 

[Jables]

That happened an extraordinary amount of times in the last quarter. It was like the umpires were so obsessed with not paying game deciding frees that they did far worse in the exact opposite way.

That's just the AFL in general, they rarely call it as it is, and they think not calling any frees makes for better close games. We got away with a few high stuff too although it wasn't as blatant.

 

[theiaofseed]

Robbed of the nomination this week, he was so clutch in the final term.

 

[grumbleguts]

By far his best game for the club today and it was only game number 8

Every single player has their best game for the club in their first game. (except maybe Connor Downie.)

 

[MrPremiership]

Every single player has their best game for the club in their first game. (except maybe Connor Downie.)

Thought Downie did well that game. Didn't make any clangers

 

[chopflop]

He stopped watching the man and started backing himself in! Gun.

Big difference between him and weitering as junior prospects was their tank. Weitering has elite endurance. Think Barrass-Grainger is the more attacking of the two

 

[Hippster]

Love the Hyphen.

 

[chopflop]

Context is king!


James Sicily

6

James Sicily

Age

29

Ht

188cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

12.7

5star

HB

5.7

4star

M

6.3

5star

T

1.5

3star

MG

365.0

5star

D

19.4

4star

K

14.3

5star

HB

5.1

3star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.0

2star

MG

437.4

5star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

4.2

4star

T

2.0

4star

MG

173.8

3star

drafted in 2013. 185cm 76kg
2014 - no games
2015 - 3 games
2016 - AFL regular.
2017 - good AFL player

DGB drafted in 2020 195cm 78kg
2021 - about 5 games
2022 - most games
2023 - ?
2024 -?

I think he is tracking ok. He is clearly being fast-tracked so let's not expect any consistent performances until say year 4 which is when sis started to really look like a good AFL player.

 

[SammyC]

He is a jet. People criticising or doubting really need to think about where he is in his development, roles we are asking him to do & the pressure our defence is generally under.

His instincts are spot on, he is super competitive, you can see he will be strong in the air, he is good by foot & he makes good decisions.

More games, filled out, backline not under siege - think we will find we have a player. Very comfortable where he is at.

 

[daniel23]

I just think back to jacob weiterong and his early development. He came in year 1 playing loose and looked amazing , the following year he was given more accountable roles and was heavily criticised as being a bust and I think was dropped a few times . It didn't click until his 4th year where he had the strength and endurance to go with more experienced players.

That is what we are seeing with Denver right now he has the tools, crazy Agility and competitiveness it's his body that's restricting him atm but I am enjoying how Mitchell is giving him big roles and putting him in the deep end.

 

[TylerDurden]

Will be our full back for the next decade.

 

[theiaofseed]

Denver was always going to be slowest to develop out of the talls drafted in 2020, 8kg lighter than McDonald and ugle-Hagan, 20kg less than Thilthorpe, non of them have stamped their authority yet either, just look at Grimes and Rance took until their 4-5 year before they were solid defenders.

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Denver was always going to be slowest to develop out of the talls drafted in 2020, 8kg lighter than McDonald and ugle-Hagan, 20kg less than Thilthorpe, non of them have stamped their authority yet either, just look at Grimes and Rance took until their 4-5 year before they were solid defenders.\

Would be rated higher then Ugle-Hagen at this point

 

[moginie]

Context is king!
View attachment 1401997

James Sicily drafted in 2013. 185cm 76kg
2014 - no games
2015 - 3 games
2016 - AFL regular.
2017 - good AFL player

DGB drafted in 2020 195cm 78kg
2021 - about 5 games
2022 - most games
2023 - ?
2024 -?

I think he is tracking ok. He is clearly being fast-tracked so let's not expect any consistent performances until say year 4 which is when sis started to really look like a good AFL player.

Of course it is.

And the bulk of negative views come from posters who have a fairly long track record of "feelpinions" and like to revel in commentary that's pessimistic.

 

[GerryLewis]

Let's not forget that whilst Weitering is only 1cm taller than DGB he is 16kg heavier. DGB will be fine. I can see why we took him so low.

 

[smeltitdeltit]

Wow skinny kid hasn’t become a hulking giant in two years. Dank god we don’t take “short cuts”

 

[CHUBBSS]

The work his done to get his body in the position it is now is huge, you can’t get to big to soon without causing injury’s. he is doing extra work with the guy in w.a also who has worked with a lot of the freo players.

(Would love to see him get an offer into our department as a side note)

Not sure what the big deal is about making the error, it’s a simple one but right now is the perfect time to learn from those mistakes and the more opportunity we can give the whole group to make decision in high pressure situations with the score tight the better we will develop.

Reckon he will still find two or three steps as well, just needs time in game but when he is sure of himself he is dam fast

 

[Roger Rogerson]

Has gun back written all over him. No doubts at all now. Such a good character. Compare to when Zac Dawson

Zac Dawson

Age

38

Ht

197cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

3.4

1star

HB

6.6

4star

M

3.7

4star

T

1.5

3star

MG

34.4

1star

No current season stats available

D

8.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.4

4star

and Schoey were getting torched as young backs they were getting destroyed. Denver is only cm away from halving or winning a contest. Give him another preseason and this will change in his favour.

What I have noticed is that both Denver and Sic often spoil each other in a contest. They both get to exactly the same spot in the air due to their elite reading of the ball in the air but they stuff each other up. Maybe they need to play on different lines.

It would be nice if we can find a gun no.1 defender so Sic can play higher up the ground as an interceptor and Denver as a more mature defender can outpoint the 2nd tall and not be on the no.1 fwd.

Finding that gun KPD changes our side so much it's the absolute key for us moving up the ladder quickly...plus mids.

 

[MrPremiership]

I like the Weitering comparison. Gives me comfort that he just needs time (and size)

 

[burner1]

He’s probably ahead / tracking same of the other elite talls from the draft. Eg JUH hasn’t done much. Thiltrope is playing 2s. Even Will Phillips hasn’t done much.

Still doesn’t mean he’s up to task of manning eg reiwoldt. Getting beaten most weeks. He’s giving up a heap of size/strength every week and it’s causes him to overcommit/panic at times. Needs size but that will take time given his frame. The club clearly thinks it’s better to give him exposure and not that concerned of stuffing his confidence etc. We don’t really have other defensive options which is the other issue.