On the weekend the Herald Sun ran an article on what it saw as the top 10 draftees in this year’s National Draft. Listening to Greg Beck last night on Sport 927, he seemed to concur with this list.
With that, it appears almost certain that the RFC’s first pick at number 5 will come from one of these 10 players – providing of course that we don’t trade it away that
is !
I’ve been lucky enough to see these 10 kids play a fair bit of footy over the last few months. Here’s my unknowledgable, non-expert and VERY personal piece of garbage on these 10 players, and at the end of it, who I would like to see RFC pick up from these 10 and who, besides all that, we might ultimately end up with.
I’ve tried to steer away from saying that every player is great (like Kevin Sheahan, Terry Wheeler and other commentators e.g. Burgatron do so often) and give a realistic assessment of what’s on offer and put my proverbials on the line a bit more. I can’t comment on their character, attitude, background, family and other intangibles because I’m not a recruiting officer and not close enough to them. This is based purely on what I have seen of their football ability.
Later on, when I get some time, I’ll post up something on a number of other players outside of this group who I think are more than worthy of being selected and who, in some cases, I believe may even be better prospects than this group.
Adam Cooney (SA)
Positives: Athletic. Well skilled on both sides with good penetration in his kick as well. Good mark. Puts his head over the ball. Good endurance. Very well balanced. 186cm makes him very versatile. Quick reflexes. Doesn’t panic in heavy traffic. Has it all really.
Negatives: Not much to the naked eye ! The dyed, way out blonde hair may indicate a personality/character issue – who knows ? Oh, and he’s South Australian…heh heh…
General: Played for SA at National Champs 2 years running. All Australian this year. Put simply, deserves to be the number 1 pick.
Andrew Walker (Vic Country)
Positives: Fantastic leap, but importantly he can take the mark with it. He backs himself when he’s under the ball as well - which takes courage. Mega athletic. Reasonably well skilled with good penetration in his kick and runs the lines excellently with good speed. I’ve seen him get tagged heavily recently, but his fantastic endurance allows him to shake them off. Wiry frame just beginning to bulk up. 186 cm.
Negatives: seen him complain a bit when decisions go against him, but that shows intensity and desire… perhaps. His father hangs around him a lot – maybe too much. I don’t like that at all.
General: All Australian. He’s a player this kid. Every club in the league is after him big time. Rod MacPherson, the brother of Steve ‘Super” MacPherson (his coach at Bendigo) is getting inundated by the recruiters at the moment. Walker can play forward or back. Expect him to go earlier than predicted i.e. at least the top 5.
Colin Sylvia (Vic Country)
Positives: Very well skilled and courageous player. Plays well beyond his 183 cm taking numerous strong marks. He kicked several goals at FF in the National Champs. Solid build. Could play now. Really like his attitude. He wants the ball when it comes near him and he’s prepared to risk his body to get it.
Negatives: Reasonable pace, but I question his aerobic capacity/endurance. He plays through the centre for Bendigo but does not run the length of the ground very often, preferring to jog a lot through the middle until it comes his way or he can move onto it.
General: All Australian. He’s had a massive year for Bendigo. There’s something I really like about this kid. He just keeps getting the football in pressure situations and then doing something positive with it after. Think the possibility of a taller and better marking version of Gary Ablett. I think he’ll make a big impact at AFL level if a club can work on his aerobic capacity and get him to cover a bit more ground.
Troy Chaplin (Vic Country)
Positives: Strong tall at 193cm. He can play CHB or CHF and he moves very well also. Good build – could cope with rigors of AFL footy now. Solid one touch mark of the football.
Negatives: I have a question mark over 2 things 1) his aggression at the ball when it hits the ground and 2) his set shot accuracy – he missed quite a few with some ordinary attempts during the U/18 National Champs.
General: All Australian. Chaplin is being looked at closely by the recruiters because he is one of only a few key position players going around in the draft this year. I’ve gotta say, he certainly looks and moves like a quality key position player, but I’m not 100% certain of his potential. He may be better at CHB than CHF.
Ryley Dunn (Vic Country)
Positives: Super aggressive at the footy. Runs straight ahead and is an excellent tackler when he hasn’t got the ball. At 182cm he is a very solid, well-built inside, on-ball type who can also play defensively. He never gives up in a contest. He moves around the ground very well and is a team player who handballs out under pressure. He’s a leader this kid.
Negatives: when running flat out he kicks floaters i.e. there is a question over his foot skills under pressure when trying to spot someone up.
General: Back to back All Australian. People have likened him to Glenn Archer which is fair enough. But he does not have (at this point) the foot skills of Archer. But he’s no Duncan Kellaway either, I might point out ! He would either a) relieve a lot of pressure on Coughlan as far as all the inside stuff we ask him to do goes or b) be a handy HBF or BP guy.
Part 2 continued on another post......
With that, it appears almost certain that the RFC’s first pick at number 5 will come from one of these 10 players – providing of course that we don’t trade it away that
is !
I’ve been lucky enough to see these 10 kids play a fair bit of footy over the last few months. Here’s my unknowledgable, non-expert and VERY personal piece of garbage on these 10 players, and at the end of it, who I would like to see RFC pick up from these 10 and who, besides all that, we might ultimately end up with.
I’ve tried to steer away from saying that every player is great (like Kevin Sheahan, Terry Wheeler and other commentators e.g. Burgatron do so often) and give a realistic assessment of what’s on offer and put my proverbials on the line a bit more. I can’t comment on their character, attitude, background, family and other intangibles because I’m not a recruiting officer and not close enough to them. This is based purely on what I have seen of their football ability.
Later on, when I get some time, I’ll post up something on a number of other players outside of this group who I think are more than worthy of being selected and who, in some cases, I believe may even be better prospects than this group.
Adam Cooney (SA)
Positives: Athletic. Well skilled on both sides with good penetration in his kick as well. Good mark. Puts his head over the ball. Good endurance. Very well balanced. 186cm makes him very versatile. Quick reflexes. Doesn’t panic in heavy traffic. Has it all really.
Negatives: Not much to the naked eye ! The dyed, way out blonde hair may indicate a personality/character issue – who knows ? Oh, and he’s South Australian…heh heh…
General: Played for SA at National Champs 2 years running. All Australian this year. Put simply, deserves to be the number 1 pick.
Andrew Walker (Vic Country)
Positives: Fantastic leap, but importantly he can take the mark with it. He backs himself when he’s under the ball as well - which takes courage. Mega athletic. Reasonably well skilled with good penetration in his kick and runs the lines excellently with good speed. I’ve seen him get tagged heavily recently, but his fantastic endurance allows him to shake them off. Wiry frame just beginning to bulk up. 186 cm.
Negatives: seen him complain a bit when decisions go against him, but that shows intensity and desire… perhaps. His father hangs around him a lot – maybe too much. I don’t like that at all.
General: All Australian. He’s a player this kid. Every club in the league is after him big time. Rod MacPherson, the brother of Steve ‘Super” MacPherson (his coach at Bendigo) is getting inundated by the recruiters at the moment. Walker can play forward or back. Expect him to go earlier than predicted i.e. at least the top 5.
Colin Sylvia (Vic Country)
Positives: Very well skilled and courageous player. Plays well beyond his 183 cm taking numerous strong marks. He kicked several goals at FF in the National Champs. Solid build. Could play now. Really like his attitude. He wants the ball when it comes near him and he’s prepared to risk his body to get it.
Negatives: Reasonable pace, but I question his aerobic capacity/endurance. He plays through the centre for Bendigo but does not run the length of the ground very often, preferring to jog a lot through the middle until it comes his way or he can move onto it.
General: All Australian. He’s had a massive year for Bendigo. There’s something I really like about this kid. He just keeps getting the football in pressure situations and then doing something positive with it after. Think the possibility of a taller and better marking version of Gary Ablett. I think he’ll make a big impact at AFL level if a club can work on his aerobic capacity and get him to cover a bit more ground.
Troy Chaplin (Vic Country)
Positives: Strong tall at 193cm. He can play CHB or CHF and he moves very well also. Good build – could cope with rigors of AFL footy now. Solid one touch mark of the football.
Negatives: I have a question mark over 2 things 1) his aggression at the ball when it hits the ground and 2) his set shot accuracy – he missed quite a few with some ordinary attempts during the U/18 National Champs.
General: All Australian. Chaplin is being looked at closely by the recruiters because he is one of only a few key position players going around in the draft this year. I’ve gotta say, he certainly looks and moves like a quality key position player, but I’m not 100% certain of his potential. He may be better at CHB than CHF.
Ryley Dunn (Vic Country)
Positives: Super aggressive at the footy. Runs straight ahead and is an excellent tackler when he hasn’t got the ball. At 182cm he is a very solid, well-built inside, on-ball type who can also play defensively. He never gives up in a contest. He moves around the ground very well and is a team player who handballs out under pressure. He’s a leader this kid.
Negatives: when running flat out he kicks floaters i.e. there is a question over his foot skills under pressure when trying to spot someone up.
General: Back to back All Australian. People have likened him to Glenn Archer which is fair enough. But he does not have (at this point) the foot skills of Archer. But he’s no Duncan Kellaway either, I might point out ! He would either a) relieve a lot of pressure on Coughlan as far as all the inside stuff we ask him to do goes or b) be a handy HBF or BP guy.
Part 2 continued on another post......
