Just looking at the success of drafting/rookying 20-23 yo's over the past 5 years (particularly Foley, King amongst others at other clubs) and was wondering whether anyone had any information on the following WA players:
I have also posted an article out of WA highlighting the season some of these guys are having.
Would welcome any responses from someone in the know.
Harry Taylor (EF) 194cm/90kg 21y.o.
Avge: 16.6k 4.2hb 6.6m 11goals
Theo Adams (EF) 184/86 22
14.6/10.3/3.0 15g
Josh Smith (WP) 194/96 21
12.5/3.2/5.2 21g
PS - when I did this exercise last year, Matt Priddis stuck out like the proverbial dog's bollocks
Falcons rookie Smith grabs lead in rich award
25th July 2007, 6:00 WST
West Perth utility player Josh Smith has been unearthed as a potential AFL player on the back of his outstanding rookie season with West Perth.
The 21-year-old from Whitford amateurs has caught the eye on a number of occasions in his first season of WAFL, most recently in the Falcons’ two-point loss to Peel at Rushton Park on Saturday.
The strong-marking Smith, a revelation at both ends of the ground and in the ruck in 2007, would be an ideal candidate for an AFL club’s rookie list.
Smith turned his back on football a couple of years ago, just at the age when AFL recruiters would have been starting to take an interest, but his period out of the game has enabled him to ignite his passion for the sport while giving his 194cm and 96kg body time to catch up with his mental ability. For his size, Smith possesses precise capture and disposal skills and a razorsharp football brain.
Smith was the outstanding player for West Perth against Peel, earning four votes to grab the lead in this year’s The West Australian-WAFL Footballer of the Year award.
Peel’s James Walker produced another stellar effort against the Falcons, his second best-on-ground performance in as many games for the Thunder.
Players to gain top votes in the latest round were Walker, Claremont captain Anthony Jones, South Fremantle midfielder Kris Miller and East Fremantle utility player Theo Adams.
Adams played a starring role in the Sharks’ 10-point loss to East Perth at East Fremantle Oval while Miller was influential in the Bulldogs’ comefrom-behind four-point victory against Perth at EFTel Oval.
Jones kicked five goals in his club’s stirring five-point win against Swan Districts in Port Hedland, three in the last quarter when the match was in the balance.
The award is based on votes cast by The West Australian’s football writers.
The leading five players from each game are voted 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and the player who gains most votes in the season wins $5000.
WAFL Player of the Year voting, round 17:
Peel v West Perth — 5 votes: James Walker (PT), 4: Josh Smith (WP), 3: Rory O’Brien (PT), 2: Hayden Ballantyne (PT), 1: Brock O’Brien (PT).
Swan Districts v Claremont — 5 votes: Anthony Jones (C), 4: Chad Jones (C), 3: Michael McKinlay (SD), 2: James Grabski (SD), 1: Troy Carlon (C).
East Fremantle v East Perth — 5 votes: Theo Adams (EF), 4: Luke Webster (EP), 3; Frank Agostino (EP), 2: Trevor Oliver (EP), 1: Nick Kane (EP).
Perth v South Fremantle — 5 votes: Kris Miller (SF), 4: Scott Siekierka (P), 3: Robert Haddrill (P), 2: Gerard Wilkie (SF), 1: Steven Armstrong (P).
Season totals — 24: Josh Smith (WP).
23: Jaxon Crabb (C).
22: Josh Roberts (SD), Shane Woewodin (EF), Brad Smith (S).
20: Daniel Bandy (C). 19: Adam Campbell (WP), Frank Agostino (EP), Chris Hall (S).
18: Brent Cowell (EP), Adam Hay (SF).
17: Adam Lange (SD), Theo Adams (EF), Daniel Haines (PT).
16: Anthony Jones (C), Chad Jones (C). 15: Michael Griffiths (EF), Jarrod McCorkell (P), Shaun Hildebrandt (S), Daniel Bandy (C), Craig Shaw (P).
14: Andrew Foster (EF), Scott Siekierka (P).
13: Harry Taylor (EF), James Walker (PT).
12: Kyle Hams (SF), Mark Haynes (S).
11: Aidan Parker (S), Mitch Morton (C), Chris Bossong (P). 10: Kris Miller (SF), Dion Fleay (WP), Rory O’Brien (PT), Paul Duffield (SF), Luke Newick (S), Andrew McCarrey (EF), Ben Colreavy (C), Ben Sharp (WP), Mark LeCras (WP).