Waylen Manson | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Waylen Manson

Man there are some harsh people on here! When I was 20 I did the backpacking thing o/s and after a year in the UK decided to go it along in Egypt. My first night there I probably felt a whole lot like Manson did down here... alone, really alone, way out of my comfort zone with no one to turn to and ask for help.

It can be bloody scary.
 
K3 said:
Man there are some harsh people on here!
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Most kids get coached about what questions they will get asked in the interviews so they know what is coming. Some clubs are deliberately hostile and put guys on the spot accusing them of being weak, or soft or selfish just to see how the kid handles it. No suprise that an unprepared kid would struggle.
 
Lennox Street said:
Most kids get coached about what questions they will get asked in the interviews so they know what is coming. Some clubs are deliberately hostile and put guys on the spot accusing them of being weak, or soft or selfish just to see how the kid handles it. No suprise that an unprepared kid would struggle.
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or a kid with no answers
 
michael roach said:
Even his mentor, a footy co-ordinator from up North stated that he wouldn`t last one year if he moved to Melbourne.



"If he was to go to a Melbourne club and relocate next year, immediately, as most draftees do, I would go as far as saying he wouldn't make it," he said.

"He wouldn't get through one year."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/will-a-goanna-hunter-be-afls-next-big-thing-in-the-national-draft/story-e6frf9jf-1226204211599



I hope we won`t draft him, massive alarm bells on this bloke.
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I actually know the mentor (Brett Claudius) referred to in the article.

He wasn't misquoted, but what he said was taken out of context. How unusual for the HUN.

Basically, this kid will need time to adjust. Even with high level support around him, he will find it tough. And it is likely that in his first year, he probably will not be around in Melbourne long enough to make a debut. There will likely be a lot of to-ing and fro-ing.

But, given time and some astute work with him, he will most likely be able to make the transition. No guarantees, so any club wanting him will take a risk. these days clubs have a much better understanding of the needs of young footballers, even Richmond.

Manson reminds me of another young aboriginal star identified by Claremont at a young age. I remember this kid so well, he was 3 classes above the WAFL level at the time in the 80s. He was from the fringes of Alice Springs, although he had played footy in Darwin from an early age. He came to the club when Gerard Neesham was coach. Neesham's record of working with young aboriginal footballers speaks for itself.

This kid was going to be anything. Lightining quick with impossibly fast hand and foot skills, really good strength, great in congestion and very good decision maker. Basically the Chris Judd of his time. He came to Claremont at the start of the season, but when home after a month or so. Couldn't handle city life. The club worked with him and got him back, but second time round he only stayed a week. Didn't even directly say goodbye, just left the club a note at the place he was staying thanking them. And that was it. He was lost to football.

However, he suddenly reappeared in the SANFL a year or two later. Better prepared to make a fist of things. He went on to win a Magarey medal before a club drafted him in to the AFL at the age of 22.

The kid was Gilbert McAdam, and I think his AFL record shows he never really settled into AFL life. 100 odd games with two clubs..

But interestingly, these days he lives in Victoria and co-hosts a TV show. The adjustment just took a long time maybe ?
 
Streak said:
I actually know the mentor (Brett Claudius) referred to in the article.

He wasn't misquoted, but what he said was taken out of context. How unusual for the HUN.

Basically, this kid will need time to adjust. Even with high level support around him, he will find it tough. And it is likely that in his first year, he probably will not be around in Melbourne long enough to make a debut. There will likely be a lot of to-ing and fro-ing.

But, given time and some astute work with him, he will most likely be able to make the transition. No guarantees, so any club wanting him will take a risk. these days clubs have a much better understanding of the needs of young footballers, even Richmond.

Manson reminds me of another young aboriginal star identified by Claremont at a young age. I remember this kid so well, he was 3 classes above the WAFL level at the time in the 80s. He was from the fringes of Alice Springs, although he had played footy in Darwin from an early age. He came to the club when Gerard Neesham was coach. Neesham's record of working with young aboriginal footballers speaks for itself.

This kid was going to be anything. Lightining quick with impossibly fast hand and foot skills, really good strength, great in congestion and very good decision maker. Basically the Chris Judd of his time. He came to Claremont at the start of the season, but when home after a month or so. Couldn't handle city life. The club worked with him and got him back, but second time round he only stayed a week. Didn't even directly say goodbye, just left the club a note at the place he was staying thanking them. And that was it. He was lost to football.

However, he suddenly reappeared in the SANFL a year or two later. Better prepared to make a fist of things. He went on to win a Magarey medal before a club drafted him in to the AFL at the age of 22.

The kid was Gilbert McAdam, and I think his AFL record shows he never really settled into AFL life. 100 odd games with two clubs..

But interestingly, these days he lives in Victoria and co-hosts a TV show. The adjustment just took a long time maybe ?
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Nothing has changed with these aboriginal footballers from outback rural areas. They come from such a different cultural and lifestyle background that it's near impossible to just pick them up, plunk them down in a major city and expect them to adjust to the way of life and handle the elite training and playing requirements in a couple of weeks.
Jurrah, Wonaeamirri, Cyril and Dean Rioli, TT, all had trouble settling into the AFl and city lifestyle, regardless of their personal lives. Any club planning on bringing these players into the fold needs to understand the amount of extra work required into acclimatising these players over a period of probably two to four years, perhaps for not much result, regardless of whether they have the footy talent to make it.
 
snaps truly said:
Cyril did nearly four years schooling in Melbourne before he got drafted. He was groomed for AFL life
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Certainly did, but he also had another friend / rello down with him at the start. His offsider couldn't handle the transition and went back home Cyril was constantly nudged and mentored by his family, Longy and other support to tough it out and stay. He was also only a youngster needing to concentrate on his schooling and junior footy not the sledgehammer scrutiny of AFL footy.
 
it's a great argument for having a team in Darwin. I reckon that a lot of these blokes would flourish in their own environment. I for one would love to see these guys play to their potential.

Also, don't be surprised if Sheedy nabs this one. He's the best at making it work.
 
Streak said:
A close checking quality defender has to catch him first.
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A close checking defender will be a close checking defender, he won't get near the pill to begin with. Have seen the good and the bad of Waylen live. His good is great but his bad is too much to ignore. I don't like to pidgeon hole players but when under pressure he ain't that good. A tough, big defender would scare him away from doing the great. Have seen it, in Darwin no less, not least an afl quality defender.
 
snaps truly said:
A close checking defender will be a close checking defender, he won't get near the pill to begin with. Have seen the good and the bad of Waylen live. His good is great but his bad is too much to ignore. I don't like to pidgeon hole players but when under pressure he ain't that good. A tough, big defender would scare him away from doing the great. Have seen it, in Darwin no less, not least an afl quality defender.
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Fair enough. FWIW, my brother also lives in Darwin, is a keen footy follower, and thinks

a) he will not adjust to city life
b) he will not be able to handle the rough stuff
 
tigs2010 said:
Have heard he's not that quick. So think they would probably be able to catch him.
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I heard his pace was quite good, but no endurance.

I was actually thinking of his jumping ability when I orioginally posted.
 
Streak said:
I heard his pace was quite good, but no endurance.
I was actually thinking of his jumping ability when I orioginally posted.
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All this is true. His standing verticle leap is quite good, never really have seen him take a hanger though. The thing that I like about him is that he knows very early where the ball is going to drop. Reads it well.
 
snaps truly said:
All this is true. His standing verticle leap is quite good, never really have seen him take a hanger though. The thing that I like about him is that he knows very early where the ball is going to drop. Reads it well.
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That's his absolute standout quality for mine. It's what is allowing a young bloke so light to take pack grabs amongst men. I've seen many promising lads in the NT and his ability to win a contested grab with those long arms and clever placement is impressive.

The knocks on him are fair. He has a lot to learn and a long way to go. For me this is what the rookie draft (or even the PSD) is for. The upside on Waylen is pretty impressive. The queries on his pace are not founded - for a tall man he's quick, we need to remember he's around that 194cm mark and is not your Indigenous/bush forward pocket type. This makes matching him up a challenge, particularly once he builds a tank.

I wish we would stop making the "won't settle in the city" remarks without evidence. If we are thinking of picking him up then our club needs to be didligent in the profiling it does and not rely on stereotyping or keyboard clackers who think Troy Taylor is the prototype for all Territorians, particularly Indigenous ones. The people I speak to say Waylen has his head screwed on.
 
Streak said:
I heard his pace was quite good, but no endurance.

I was actually thinking of his jumping ability when I orioginally posted.
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I've heard his pace isn't too bad but someone like Jurrah has him covered by a fair bit.
 
hopper said:
I wish we would stop making the "won't settle in the city" remarks without evidence. If we are thinking of picking him up then our club needs to be didligent in the profiling it does and not rely on stereotyping or keyboard clackers who think Troy Taylor is the prototype for all Territorians, particularly Indigenous ones. The people I speak to say Waylen has his head screwed on.
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Think there has been plenty of evidence thus far in his past actions and don't think many, if any, are making these judgements based on Troy Taylor. Personally I wouldn't risk s spot on him, will be interesting to see if he does get picked up.
 
GoodOne said:
Think there has been plenty of evidence thus far in his past actions and don't think many, if any, are making these judgements based on Troy Taylor. Personally I wouldn't risk s spot on him, will be interesting to see if he does get picked up.
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No worries, goodie. I don't know much more about the boy than I've posted. But given the success rate of rookie picks, I actually think he's worth a shot (as much as Addam Maric anyway) based on what I've seen. I certainly don't profess to know if any of the little bush telegraph tales about him are true or not.

I actually think there are plenty of Richmond people (at the club and supporters) who are gunshy about Indig lads after Tambling (high pick that failed), Taylor (mid-low pick that failed) and Roberts (speculative Rookie that failed). Just reckon there's not enough evidence there alone that we should avoid players like Manson if the usual diligence in profiling is done. I know it's not the world's best footy, but this kid has some ... dare I say it ... serious upside and buckets of x-factor!
 
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