2014 Draft/2014 Nat Champs | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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2014 Draft/2014 Nat Champs

What are people's thoughts on Alex Neal-Bullen?

Inside midfielder who has been playing senior footy for Glenelg.

Would he be a chance for our second pick?
 
SCOOP said:
Touk Miller with a 3.06 in the 20 metre sprint. Dion Prestia did a 2.98 as a similar body type and size.

If Miller can run a 8 second agility test, he is right in the mix for our second pick. Why do I think this? This quote from Dan Richardson in the Hearld Sun.

"Our strategy is we are keen to improve the depth of our midfield. We’ll be investing pretty heavily in this year’s draft, hence we delisted seven players. We aim to have four to five draft selections plus some rookie selections.”

Connor Menadue with a 2.88. Rising very quickly. Menadue can win his own ball, with this pace result, he will be second rounder.
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Would love both Scoop, one thing Miller has done this season is improve his kicking efficiency & scoreboard potency, reckon he'd be right in the mix for our second. Still have Bampton slightly ahead at this stage but wouldn't be upset with Touk. Anyone know how Bampton tested by the way?

As for Menadue, that is a quick time, just what the doctor ordered as far as a potential recruit is concerned.

Smoking Aces said:
What are people's thoughts on Alex Neal-Bullen?

Inside midfielder who has been playing senior footy for Glenelg.

Would he be a chance for our second pick?
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I like him, led the clearances at the champs and is ready-made. He's also very powerful through the hips and appears to be able to shrug off tackles relatively easily. My only knock on him is he tends to rush his kicking when under pressure, he needs to learn a bit of composure when under the pump. Not that I think his kicking is technically bad, he seems very capable of hitting targets when in space, so is definitely one to consider for our second.
 
Smoking Aces said:
With his skinny frame could Menadue slide to our third pick?
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Don't think so, Hartung was small, so too was Hill, reckon 20-30 is the range for his type. Hope it's Menadue or Garlett if we choose pace with our second.
 
Smoking Aces said:
With his skinny frame could Menadue slide to our third pick?
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Nope. No hope.

Smoking Aces said:
What are people's thoughts on Alex Neal-Bullen?

Inside midfielder who has been playing senior footy for Glenelg.

Would he be a chance for our second pick?
Click to expand...

Prefer Bampton, Blakley and Miller. Not convinced he has enough polish. Think a poor mans David Armitage.
 
SCOOP said:
Prefer Bampton, Blakley and Miller. Not convinced he has enough polish. Think a poor mans David Armitage.
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One thing I learnt from the Luke Dahlhaus experience was never to judge a player too harshly in the hotbed of contested football. From memory, Dahlhaus was running at around 50% for disposal efficiency, he was subsequently overlooked in the ND and picked up only after he sent a montage of video highlights to various clubs.

The same issues are prevalent in the Neal-Bullen situation, he butchered the ball a bit at the champs but every clanger seemed to be under heavy pressure. I think this can coached out of him, I look at guys like Miles who isn't the prettiest kick but has refined his game to such an extent that he's now become an elite mid. Neal-Bullen has plenty of senior experience and has done exceedingly well since the champs. He's averaged 21 touches, played as a back flanker/midfielder, featured in the bests most weeks and has generally been clean with his disposal. He didn't make the AA team on the back of a couple of clanger ridden games but he was in the bests in 5 out of the 6 games, with his best coming in the final. Given that he's stepped up to the plate in big matches he rightly deserves some kudos.

I agree that Blakely, Bampton, Miller & even Gore are probably ahead of him at this stage but I see tremendous value in Neal-Bullen. I think if the other fancied players are off the board then we would be negligent in not considering him. Neal-Bullen is a value pick & the exact type who can drift down the order due to a perceived kicking flaw. He already has an impressive tank and a nice turn of speed in the first 3 steps. I see a bit of Lenny Hayes in him and feel he stands a good chance of making it as an AFL player.
 
Very heartening to hear Dan Richardson say we'll be hitting the draft hard for midfield depth this year. Just a plethora of good options. Hopefully we're looking to trade into it.
 
Lenny Hayes? Geez Bully, big call.

If you can't kick, you don't play is our mantra. Taking ANB goes against that. He's off my list completely. So many good ball users in this draft, so many talented onballers that I wouldn't be taking any glass half full types.
 
SCOOP said:
Lenny Hayes? Geez Bully, big call.

If you can't kick, you don't play is our mantra. Taking ANB goes against that. He's off my list completely. So many good ball users in this draft, so many talented onballers that I wouldn't be taking any glass half full types.
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I think the kicking deficiency is being overstated, in space he's fine, the rushing of his disposal is something that can be ironed out. The Lenny Hayes comparison has more to do with the fact that his kicking lacks a bit of finesse. Lenny would be the first to say that his kicking isn't one of his finest attributes, but he's a super smart distributor who possesses an ability to shrug tackles and switch on the after burners in the first 3 steps. Neal-Bullen was travelling at 54% DE at the carnival but this naturally lifted in the second half of the season when playing as a half back for Glenelg. Even Brayshaw had the odd game going sub 50% for disposal efficiency.
 
bullus_hit said:
Even Brayshaw had the odd game going sub 50% for disposal efficiency.
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The odd game? I'll take the odd game but like your argument pro Conca, I'll judge players on the big picture not snippets.

ANB is anywhere near the same class as Brayshaw, even on his best day he isn't close to Brayshaw. Miles apart in ability & disposal.
 
I am no junior expert but I place a heavy emphasis of kids who have been exposed to senior footy prior to being drafted. Neal-Bullen has that exposed form and from all reports was a good contributor for Glenelg.

Playing with people your own age is one thing but being able to compete with blokes 10 - 15kg heavier than you is a totally different ball game. We have seen many talented junior kids in the past who have never been able to make the transition into senior footy and have the same impact they had a junior level.
 
SCOOP said:
The odd game? I'll take the odd game but like your argument pro Conca, I'll judge players on the big picture not snippets.

ANB is anywhere near the same class as Brayshaw, even on his best day he isn't close to Brayshaw. Miles apart in ability & disposal.
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Not saying he's in the Brayshaw class, far from it. Just highlighting the fact that DE for inside mids isn't the be-all-end-all. And this isn't about snippets, far from it, if one was to take the carnival in isolation then maybe Neal-Bullen gets marked down. I'm factoring in his form at senior level, he has played as a utility and performed at a very high standard, I see a player who has a fair bit of scope for improvement. His range would be 25-50, suffice to say that if we get Menadue/Garlett with our second, I'd be all over Neal-Bullen with our third.
 
TigerTribe5 said:
Nakia Cockatoo - Get it done Tiges!! ;D
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He's my number 1 choice for our 2nd pick. Could be anything. Sure wish we had another pick in the 20s.
 
Stylo said:
He's my number 1 choice for our 2nd pick. Could be anything. Sure wish we had another pick in the 20s.
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Another 2nd rounder could well be gold.
 
SkillzThatKillz said:
Another 2nd rounder could well be gold.
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Well if we're hitting the draft hard as they say then we MUST somehow get another second rd pick and another potential very good needs player into our system. If this is our way then get it done and do hit it hard.
 
Stylo said:
He's my number 1 choice for our 2nd pick. Could be anything. Sure wish we had another pick in the 20s.
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Tested really well but does he have sufficient runs on the board to go in the top 30?
 
The way they were rating him today on the radio review was that he could be a bolter toward the Top 10! 188cm/84kgs already, so good size and weight to build on.
 
bullus_hit said:
Tested really well but does he have sufficient runs on the board to go in the top 30?
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Possibly not, but I just love his attributes. If he puts it all together he'll be a bloody gun.
 
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