Teenage talent on tap
By Emma Quayle
June 27, 2005
Football's most talented young prospects spent their weekend kicking balls around right outside Denis Pagan's office door.
But while the Carlton recruiting crew took in the opening two days of the national under-18 carnival from their Optus Oval hiding place, the boss spent his split-round Sunday at home.
Rather than pick out a few players to bring to the Blues should they stay in bottom spot, Pagan instead saw South Australia score an upset win over Vic Country from his couch.
"A little bit of information is dangerous for a coach," Pagan said. "You've got to have confidence in your recruiting staff to do their job and stay right away from it."
Just as well; rather than clear up the order at the very top, the weekend's matches emphasised only that spots one, two, three and everything below are very much up for grabs.
South Australia, expected to be the division-one easybeat, was more ferocious than Country early, and held on for a 51-point win.
The talent-laden West Australian side could not get the ball to its plethora of tall forwards, and was beaten by a more determined Vic Metro team, by 27 points.
"It's only muddied the waters even more than I would have thought," said the Brisbane Lions' recruiting manager, Kinnear Beatson.
"In my mind there's only been two players today who've played at the level I expected they would.
"Some played better and there were a number of them who were down today. It's going to be an interesting draft.
"In years to come it will be one of those drafts where someone who's drafted in the 30s or 40s will become a very good player and everyone will be asking, how did he get through that far?"
If the Blues are looking for some midfield speed and skill, they would have liked Marc Murphy, the Vic Metro captain, son of former Fitzroy captain John Murphy and a player the Lions are trying to tempt their way as a father-son selection.
"Right from the first bounce he got the first ball out of the centre, laid the first tackle and really set the stamp on the game from there," said Kevin Sheehan, the AFL's national talent manager.
"He got 23 possessions, he laid six tackles, he made good decisions, he worked hard and he showed good leadership. He's as complete a player as you could get, for a smaller player."
Murphy's Metro teammate, Nathan Jones, also played a good midfield game, while Xavier Ellis zipped around the Vic Country wings, took a couple of courageous marks and kicked one long, raking goal.
Another captain, the taller, more big-bodied Shannon Hurn, might also capture Carlton's fancy. Hurn, who played in last year's Central District premiership side and is also a talented cricketer, spent most of yesterday in defence, thanks in part to some osteitis pubis, but read the incoming play well and showed some safe hands.
Taller options loom, too. Mitchell Clark, who has already held down centre half-forward for his WAFL side, East Fremantle, could not work his athletic 197 centimetres into the match.
The 193cm Josh Kennedy saw a little more of the ball, grabbing six marks across half-forward.
The Blues will need another horrible year to get their hands on WA's full-forward, Scott Gumbleton; the best key position locals include Matt Spangher, who held tough in the Metro defence, and Marcus Drum, who took one particularly gutsy mark in an otherwise quiet game for Country.
Then there is Beau Dowler, who represented Metro as a bottom-age player last year, and was one who did confirm why he had been rated highly leading in to the week-long tournament.
Playing at full-forward for Metro, Dowler looked quick, strong, and kicked four goals. Melbourne recruiting manager Craig Cameron said if anyone loomed as a definite top pick, he did; Sheehan was similarly impressed.
"He did a lot of things. His contested marking was good, he took marks on the lead and he just showed poise at times to set up a goal for one of his teammates," Sheehan said.
"He hung on to the footy and just waited for the right moment. As a guy who will physically develop over time, he's a terrific option for a marking forward."
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/06/26/1119724525849.html
By Emma Quayle
June 27, 2005
Football's most talented young prospects spent their weekend kicking balls around right outside Denis Pagan's office door.
But while the Carlton recruiting crew took in the opening two days of the national under-18 carnival from their Optus Oval hiding place, the boss spent his split-round Sunday at home.
Rather than pick out a few players to bring to the Blues should they stay in bottom spot, Pagan instead saw South Australia score an upset win over Vic Country from his couch.
"A little bit of information is dangerous for a coach," Pagan said. "You've got to have confidence in your recruiting staff to do their job and stay right away from it."
Just as well; rather than clear up the order at the very top, the weekend's matches emphasised only that spots one, two, three and everything below are very much up for grabs.
South Australia, expected to be the division-one easybeat, was more ferocious than Country early, and held on for a 51-point win.
The talent-laden West Australian side could not get the ball to its plethora of tall forwards, and was beaten by a more determined Vic Metro team, by 27 points.
"It's only muddied the waters even more than I would have thought," said the Brisbane Lions' recruiting manager, Kinnear Beatson.
"In my mind there's only been two players today who've played at the level I expected they would.
"Some played better and there were a number of them who were down today. It's going to be an interesting draft.
"In years to come it will be one of those drafts where someone who's drafted in the 30s or 40s will become a very good player and everyone will be asking, how did he get through that far?"
If the Blues are looking for some midfield speed and skill, they would have liked Marc Murphy, the Vic Metro captain, son of former Fitzroy captain John Murphy and a player the Lions are trying to tempt their way as a father-son selection.
"Right from the first bounce he got the first ball out of the centre, laid the first tackle and really set the stamp on the game from there," said Kevin Sheehan, the AFL's national talent manager.
"He got 23 possessions, he laid six tackles, he made good decisions, he worked hard and he showed good leadership. He's as complete a player as you could get, for a smaller player."
Murphy's Metro teammate, Nathan Jones, also played a good midfield game, while Xavier Ellis zipped around the Vic Country wings, took a couple of courageous marks and kicked one long, raking goal.
Another captain, the taller, more big-bodied Shannon Hurn, might also capture Carlton's fancy. Hurn, who played in last year's Central District premiership side and is also a talented cricketer, spent most of yesterday in defence, thanks in part to some osteitis pubis, but read the incoming play well and showed some safe hands.
Taller options loom, too. Mitchell Clark, who has already held down centre half-forward for his WAFL side, East Fremantle, could not work his athletic 197 centimetres into the match.
The 193cm Josh Kennedy saw a little more of the ball, grabbing six marks across half-forward.
The Blues will need another horrible year to get their hands on WA's full-forward, Scott Gumbleton; the best key position locals include Matt Spangher, who held tough in the Metro defence, and Marcus Drum, who took one particularly gutsy mark in an otherwise quiet game for Country.
Then there is Beau Dowler, who represented Metro as a bottom-age player last year, and was one who did confirm why he had been rated highly leading in to the week-long tournament.
Playing at full-forward for Metro, Dowler looked quick, strong, and kicked four goals. Melbourne recruiting manager Craig Cameron said if anyone loomed as a definite top pick, he did; Sheehan was similarly impressed.
"He did a lot of things. His contested marking was good, he took marks on the lead and he just showed poise at times to set up a goal for one of his teammates," Sheehan said.
"He hung on to the footy and just waited for the right moment. As a guy who will physically develop over time, he's a terrific option for a marking forward."
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/06/26/1119724525849.html
