Prediction Your 2024 "Breakout" player?

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

The squad should play a game of British Bulldogs

If Sholl isn't in the first handful eliminated then consider him for selection but not otherwise

 

[Big Dub]

In order to have a break out player I think you need to have a few things:
1. opportunity - unless there is a current or impending need in a position, it will be hard for an unproven player to be given a consistent run of games to reach the level. The club would be smart to just play its best players in those positions (and focus on fixing the positions that have a current or impending need)
2. Player capacity - the player needs to be ABLE to play at the higher level. If they have been in the system for a few years, we should have seen glimpses. A bit tougher with draftees, but a year one break out is tough for a non-elite prospect
3. A change in the player - getting their body right, getting their head right, taking a new approach. We've all read the AFC stories

So for me, the break-outs for each opportunity in order of my expectations look like:
1. Key defender - Worrell, Keane, Butts
2. Wing/ running half back - Soligo, Curtin, (then Jones and Hinge ahead of Nank and Sholl)
3. Third marking tall - Thilthorpe, Cook, Gollant
4. Centre square mid - Pedlar, Rachele (on the basis that Rachele would need to get to a higher level than Pedlar to be a "break out")

 

[Jeffcrowe]

The squad should play a game of British Bulldogs

If Sholl isn't in the first handful eliminated then consider him for selection but not otherwise

Sholl is a ‘nice’ player but those types are found wanting when they big games come

If he had a bit more speed he could overcome some physical frailties but unfort sublime skills aren’t enough to get it done in AFL when it matters

 

[FullyBigKPro]

Soligo to have a huge year.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I'm thinking we will have a few breakout players & will be arguing at the end of session who was the biggest breakout.

It's the nature of our side (age/experience) that we are ready to explode into finals action.

Imo, it's likely most of Rachele, Soligo, Worrell, Pedlar, Rankine & Thilthorpe can go to another level.

Cook looking most likely as a new best 23 player.

 

[Carmo]

I'm thinking we will have a few breakout players & will be arguing at the end of session who was the biggest breakout.

It's the nature of our side (age/experience) that we are ready to explode into finals action.

Imo, it's likely most of Rachele, Soligo, Worrell, Pedlar, Rachele & Thilthorpe can go to another level.

Cook looking most likely as a new best 23 player.

Rachele twice for emphasis?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Rachele twice for emphasis?

Lol, thanks was meant to be Rankine.

Will edit... though I think Rachele may be the the one to breakout the most.

 

[Crows I Am]

I'll go Dowling to break out from the SANFL and become a regular in the AFL side.

Thilthorpe to have a breakout year in the AFL.

 

[StonesThrow]

Something about TT tells me he will continue to be just potential this year. Whether through mental issues, wrong position or injury. 3 things that need to go right for him to break out.

Hope I'm wrong.

 

[Thylacinus]

I'm thinking we will have a few breakout players & will be arguing at the end of session who was the biggest breakout.

It's the nature of our side (age/experience) that we are ready to explode into finals action.

Imo, it's likely most of Rachele, Soligo, Worrell, Pedlar, Rankine & Thilthorpe can go to another level.

Cook looking most likely as a new best 23 player.

I agree generally with your list and would add Nank to it.

Regarding Cook, and I would love to see it, but what do you base that hope or projection on? What has he really shown to date? He had potential, but has he shown he is capable of fulfilling it?

I am not sure how many here really appreciate what we are losing in McAdam, and what a live-wire up forward he was and what x-factor he had. Cook won't quickly replace that IMHO. Perhaps Cook could become a bit of a Tom Lynch type?

 

[CrowToon]

I will say it again and again and again, Soligo will be a multiple Brownlow medallist. If you can't see it, you should never watch footy again, it just isn't for you.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

I agree generally with your list and would add Nank to it.

Regarding Cook, and I would love to see it, but what do you base that hope or projection on? What has he really shown to date? He had potential, but has he shown he is capable of fulfilling it?

I am not sure how many here really appreciate what we are losing in McAdam, and what a live-wire up forward he was and what x-factor he had. Cook won't quickly replace that IMHO. Perhaps Cook could become a bit of a Tom Lynch type?

Cook for me needs to be given opportunity & looks like he will this year with McAdam out.

Very skilled player & yes different type to McAdam. Did well in his 1 game last year & shouldn't have been dropped imo.

Nankervis is a good pick too.

 

[cleanhands]

I'll go Dowling to break out from the SANFL and become a regular in the AFL side.

Thilthorpe to have a breakout year in the AFL.

 

[Thylacinus]

Cook for me needs to be given opportunity & looks like he will this year with McAdam out.

Very skilled player & yes different type to McAdam. Did well in his 1 game last year & shouldn't have been dropped imo.

Nankervis is a good pick too.

Agree Cook is skilled. He has that nice, serious, evasiveness. It is time now for him to step up and show serious signs that he is capable of fulfilling his potential.

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Agree Cook is skilled. He has that nice, serious, evasiveness. It is time now for him to step up and show serious signs that he is capable of fulfilling his potential.

Yeah, we drafted him (in the 1st round) as a slow burn, but his time is now. Big year for him.

 

[conVINCEd]

I will say it again and again and again, Soligo will be a multiple Brownlow medallist. If you can't see it, you should never watch footy again, it just isn't for you.

Lachie Neale-esque?

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I will say it again and again and again, Soligo will be a multiple Brownlow medallist. If you can't see it, you should never watch footy again, it just isn't for you.

Yep Soligo no 1 seed to break out for me too

Rachele next

Pedlar was really good last year , can he go further

Rankine can still go levels

 

[Jeffcrowe]

Agree Cook is skilled. He has that nice, serious, evasiveness. It is time now for him to step up and show serious signs that he is capable of fulfilling his potential.

Now or never year for cook , let’s hope he gets his chance

 

[FR0GGY]

Now or never year for cook , let’s hope he gets his chance

IMO he needs more than that.
He got his chance last year, imo took it, yet was still sent packing after 1 game.

 

[Golumless]

Something about TT tells me he will continue to be just potential this year. Whether through mental issues, wrong position or injury. 3 things that need to go right for him to break out.

Hope I'm wrong.

I kind of agree here, there isn't a lot he can do as a third tall/2nd ruck performance wise, and I don't see the likelihood of us giving him the room to breakout being high.

I think TT is really waiting for us to move on from Tex or O'Brien.

 

[Alwaysacrow]

I kind of agree here, there isn't a lot he can do as a third tall/2nd ruck performance wise, and I don't see the likelihood of us giving him the room to breakout being high.

I think TT is really waiting for us to move on from Tex or O'Brien.

True. In the meantime however I'd like to see him continue to roam up the wings. He's been quite effective when he's done that.

 

[Jeffcrowe]

I kind of agree here, there isn't a lot he can do as a third tall/2nd ruck performance wise, and I don't see the likelihood of us giving him the room to breakout being high.

I think TT is really waiting for us to move on from Tex or O'Brien.

I liked how we used him in first showdown

If we get a mismatch make him the main man deep forward

Not ideal we had alot of wet slippery games last year due to rain or humidity , on a dry deck with a good match up get him deep and main man at times

 

[Golumless]

True. In the meantime however I'd like to see him continue to roam up the wings. He's been quite effective when he's done that.

No doubt, TT is a CHF at his core. Still, the main problem is we really don't need that from TT with Fog/Tex and seeing how strong our transition game was in 2023. We need a guy who can draw defenders away and be that contested marking forward to pair with those two and be an outlet kick when required.

It's a role that limits TT, but that's the problem with being a role player.

 

[Alwaysacrow]

I liked how we used him in first showdown

If we get a mismatch make him the main man deep forward

Not ideal we had alot of wet slippery games last year due to rain or humidity , on a dry deck with a good match up get him deep and main man at times

Yes but either Tex or Fog was injured for that game so that's why he was there.

 

[Crows I Am]

I kind of agree here, there isn't a lot he can do as a third tall/2nd ruck performance wise, and I don't see the likelihood of us giving him the room to breakout being high.

I think TT is really waiting for us to move on from Tex or O'Brien.

All good points, thinking about it again and I may have gone a year or two early with my prediction of TT having his breakout year this year. Whilst Tex is still in the side TT will likely still struggle to get many opportunities up forward.

I just hope we continue to see improvements from him and he continues to get more involved in games. If he can have 3-4 games like the Port game last year and end the year with 30-35 goals instead of the 18 last year, then that would be a great result for him.