Daily Player reviews #5 Brad Ottens
One of the guys who is in a Tigers e-mail loop with me at work is putting together a one-a-day player critique starting at #1 and working through the player list. It's a pretty good read so I thought I would share it with you.
Part 5 in the series….
5 - Brad Ottens
Position: Ruck / Tall Forward
Age: Turned 23 the day before Australia Day.
Height: 201cm
Weight: 100kg
Career Games: 99
Career Goals: 126
Draft History: Drafted No 2 in the 1997 National Draft behind the big young gun at the time - Travis Johnston. We acquired selection 2 as a trade for Chris Bond & Selection 21 (Which the Dockers used to get Clem Michaels).
2002 Averages: 20 Games, 8 Kicks, 5.1 Marks, 5.7 Handballs, 1.35 Goals, 18.8 Hit Outs, 2 Tackles, 0.5 Rebounds, 2.45 Inside 50s, 3.5 Clearance, 2.7 Clangers
Stats Fact: Not really a bit thing, but on the stats I've got (only go back to 94), Brad last year had the highest average number of hit-outs per game, surpassing Benny (only just) a few years back. Noted it more for the fact that he shared it with Stafford who also averaged over 10. Interesting what might happen if he plays there more. And before anyone says anything - yes it's a very highly over-rated statistic, but is interesting to see how well he can get hand on ball.
2002 Summary: Supposed to take the competition apart in 2002 and generally disappointed everyone - or did he? Here was a 22yo 201cm player with less than 100 games of AFL footy averaging nearly 14 possessions a game, kicking 27 goals and averaging nearly 19 hit outs per game sharing the Ruck with Stafford & Hall - those are similar numbers to what Matthew Primus delivered for Port. Was he that bad, or did we expect too much. Little bit of both - mainly the later I think. Ottens at time looked to me like he was suffering badly from being thrown around too much and at times looked either unfit or not fully focused and it was a surprise to see his normally safe hands fail him a number of times. For the first time in his career he didn't progress from the previous year, but his "fall back" year of 2002 was comparable to 2000, so it's not like he disappeared off the radar. Biggest worry though was his ability to completely fluff a disposal - up till now he'd been a revelation for a player of his size and age to pick good options and deliver well - not perfect, but damn good. Last year he was cringe factor at times as you could see him about to cough it up. Still managed to finish 5th in the B&F, which I thought was about spot on. His ruck work I believed has continued to improve, although at times remains a bit amateurish, but it was noticeable in the second half of the year how well he teamed with Coughlan in the centre square showing that when he gets it right (and has someone to get it right with) he can be very good. Did use his body more with a bit more preparedness to take a hit and use his weight but a long way to go in that regards.
Previously: All-Australian in 2001 when also 5th in Richmond's B&F. Averaged nearly 15 possessions a game, 6.9 Marks and 1.9 Goals to prove dangerous up forward and in the middle of the ground and that year was a nice step up from 2000 where he was also very good with not dissimilar numbers and another top-10 B&F finish. The previous two years were his "baby years" as he just started to kick off his career.
Ability: 9 - In the top bracket in terms of ability - showed very early in his career very crisp hands and a beautiful kicking style. Remarkable attributes for a man his size and age and at times his agility is astounding. One of the few pure "natural" looking quality footballers we've had for a long time.
Offence: 7.5 - Well above average, beautiful kick at goal, leads well and a strong mark particularly in a contested situation Could do a bit more to bring his smaller players into the game, but that will come as the body matures and the packs get split a bit more often.
Defence: 4 - I'm a bit of a hard marker here on Ottens. His capabilities have meant that he's rarely been tested by a player he has to worry about - generally the big gun in the middle has coped someone else as Otto settles up forward - or they've played well apart from each other, but at times when I've thought he could have manned up, he's often fallen short of the mark. Still not a monster worry.
Hardness: 5 - Average, his size allows him to crash through often unimpeded. Getting better, but not that strong at the bounce yet. I've seen a few critics say that Ottens has to be prepared to get hurt at the centre - I don't agree, the main thing he needs to do is learn how to use his body to avoid getting hurt. At the moment he will tend to avoid the contest and give a nothing tap to nowhere. I think his ruck technique has a long way to go and as a consequence he might be getting belted around a bit in the middle and becoming gun-shy.
One of the guys who is in a Tigers e-mail loop with me at work is putting together a one-a-day player critique starting at #1 and working through the player list. It's a pretty good read so I thought I would share it with you.
Part 5 in the series….
5 - Brad Ottens
Position: Ruck / Tall Forward
Age: Turned 23 the day before Australia Day.
Height: 201cm
Weight: 100kg
Career Games: 99
Career Goals: 126
Draft History: Drafted No 2 in the 1997 National Draft behind the big young gun at the time - Travis Johnston. We acquired selection 2 as a trade for Chris Bond & Selection 21 (Which the Dockers used to get Clem Michaels).
2002 Averages: 20 Games, 8 Kicks, 5.1 Marks, 5.7 Handballs, 1.35 Goals, 18.8 Hit Outs, 2 Tackles, 0.5 Rebounds, 2.45 Inside 50s, 3.5 Clearance, 2.7 Clangers
Stats Fact: Not really a bit thing, but on the stats I've got (only go back to 94), Brad last year had the highest average number of hit-outs per game, surpassing Benny (only just) a few years back. Noted it more for the fact that he shared it with Stafford who also averaged over 10. Interesting what might happen if he plays there more. And before anyone says anything - yes it's a very highly over-rated statistic, but is interesting to see how well he can get hand on ball.
2002 Summary: Supposed to take the competition apart in 2002 and generally disappointed everyone - or did he? Here was a 22yo 201cm player with less than 100 games of AFL footy averaging nearly 14 possessions a game, kicking 27 goals and averaging nearly 19 hit outs per game sharing the Ruck with Stafford & Hall - those are similar numbers to what Matthew Primus delivered for Port. Was he that bad, or did we expect too much. Little bit of both - mainly the later I think. Ottens at time looked to me like he was suffering badly from being thrown around too much and at times looked either unfit or not fully focused and it was a surprise to see his normally safe hands fail him a number of times. For the first time in his career he didn't progress from the previous year, but his "fall back" year of 2002 was comparable to 2000, so it's not like he disappeared off the radar. Biggest worry though was his ability to completely fluff a disposal - up till now he'd been a revelation for a player of his size and age to pick good options and deliver well - not perfect, but damn good. Last year he was cringe factor at times as you could see him about to cough it up. Still managed to finish 5th in the B&F, which I thought was about spot on. His ruck work I believed has continued to improve, although at times remains a bit amateurish, but it was noticeable in the second half of the year how well he teamed with Coughlan in the centre square showing that when he gets it right (and has someone to get it right with) he can be very good. Did use his body more with a bit more preparedness to take a hit and use his weight but a long way to go in that regards.
Previously: All-Australian in 2001 when also 5th in Richmond's B&F. Averaged nearly 15 possessions a game, 6.9 Marks and 1.9 Goals to prove dangerous up forward and in the middle of the ground and that year was a nice step up from 2000 where he was also very good with not dissimilar numbers and another top-10 B&F finish. The previous two years were his "baby years" as he just started to kick off his career.
Ability: 9 - In the top bracket in terms of ability - showed very early in his career very crisp hands and a beautiful kicking style. Remarkable attributes for a man his size and age and at times his agility is astounding. One of the few pure "natural" looking quality footballers we've had for a long time.
Offence: 7.5 - Well above average, beautiful kick at goal, leads well and a strong mark particularly in a contested situation Could do a bit more to bring his smaller players into the game, but that will come as the body matures and the packs get split a bit more often.
Defence: 4 - I'm a bit of a hard marker here on Ottens. His capabilities have meant that he's rarely been tested by a player he has to worry about - generally the big gun in the middle has coped someone else as Otto settles up forward - or they've played well apart from each other, but at times when I've thought he could have manned up, he's often fallen short of the mark. Still not a monster worry.
Hardness: 5 - Average, his size allows him to crash through often unimpeded. Getting better, but not that strong at the bounce yet. I've seen a few critics say that Ottens has to be prepared to get hurt at the centre - I don't agree, the main thing he needs to do is learn how to use his body to avoid getting hurt. At the moment he will tend to avoid the contest and give a nothing tap to nowhere. I think his ruck technique has a long way to go and as a consequence he might be getting belted around a bit in the middle and becoming gun-shy.
