- Nov 23, 2015
- 11,862
- 17,576
- AFL Club
- GWS
- Moderator
- #1
Pick #11 after our bid on Nick Blakey, GWS welcomes a kid with huge potential to be a great midfielder if he can overcome his injuries - Jye Caldwell.
DRAFT ANALYSIS: “A special talent who can play on the inside, burn his opponents on the outside or go forward and wreak havoc up there."
OVERVIEW
The forgotten man of the 2018 draft crop is a special talent who has very few deficiencies in his game. Jye Caldwell is a player who can go inside, spread to the outside or play up forward and still have an impact. Athletically, Caldwell is very similar to recently retired Bulldog Clay Smith at the same age, and has that fierce attack on the ball and ability to hit the scoreboard similar to Smith. Caldwell unfortunately has not had luck on his side this year, with injuries restricting him to just three TAC Cup games and one National Under 18s Championships game, as well as missing games through playing for his school, Geelong Grammar. Recruiters are aware he is a super athlete so how much he tests at the upcoming National Draft Combine is unlikely to affect his draft prospects, with the pocket rocket likely to land somewhere inside the top 30.
STRENGTHS
Caldwell has the goal sense to play down forward and create something out of nothing. He can use his class to pick up a loose ball and cleverly snap around his body, or he can work his opponent under the ball and use his smarts to win the football and hurt opponents that way. His defensive attitude is as impressive as his offensive capabilities, laying fierce tackles and putting defensive pressure on the ball carrier. Finally, his ability to win the ball on the inside or outside is a huge positive for any AFL club looking at him, while his leadership traits saw him earn co-captain of Vic Country with Sam Walsh.
IMPROVEMENTS
SUMMARY
Caldwell is a well-balanced prospect who has a good combination of skills, smarts and athleticism that make him an exciting player. The fact he received a National AFL Draft Combine invitation despite playing very few games is testament to his ability and how highly clubs rate him. He is one of those players that could end up top 10 on pure talent, and has very few deficiencies in his game.
This kid could be anything, including the best midfielder from 2018, if he can shake his early injuries. Clearly our Dylan Shiel replacement IMHO.
DRAFT ANALYSIS: “A special talent who can play on the inside, burn his opponents on the outside or go forward and wreak havoc up there."
OVERVIEW
The forgotten man of the 2018 draft crop is a special talent who has very few deficiencies in his game. Jye Caldwell is a player who can go inside, spread to the outside or play up forward and still have an impact. Athletically, Caldwell is very similar to recently retired Bulldog Clay Smith at the same age, and has that fierce attack on the ball and ability to hit the scoreboard similar to Smith. Caldwell unfortunately has not had luck on his side this year, with injuries restricting him to just three TAC Cup games and one National Under 18s Championships game, as well as missing games through playing for his school, Geelong Grammar. Recruiters are aware he is a super athlete so how much he tests at the upcoming National Draft Combine is unlikely to affect his draft prospects, with the pocket rocket likely to land somewhere inside the top 30.
STRENGTHS
- Acceleration
- Agility
- Goal sense
- Game smarts
- Tackling
- Leadership
Caldwell has the goal sense to play down forward and create something out of nothing. He can use his class to pick up a loose ball and cleverly snap around his body, or he can work his opponent under the ball and use his smarts to win the football and hurt opponents that way. His defensive attitude is as impressive as his offensive capabilities, laying fierce tackles and putting defensive pressure on the ball carrier. Finally, his ability to win the ball on the inside or outside is a huge positive for any AFL club looking at him, while his leadership traits saw him earn co-captain of Vic Country with Sam Walsh.
IMPROVEMENTS
- Durability
- Kicking consistency
SUMMARY
Caldwell is a well-balanced prospect who has a good combination of skills, smarts and athleticism that make him an exciting player. The fact he received a National AFL Draft Combine invitation despite playing very few games is testament to his ability and how highly clubs rate him. He is one of those players that could end up top 10 on pure talent, and has very few deficiencies in his game.
This kid could be anything, including the best midfielder from 2018, if he can shake his early injuries. Clearly our Dylan Shiel replacement IMHO.
Last edited:
