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Ben Lennon
- Thread starter rinso17
- Start date
Baloo said:
Agree but he’s probably our worst first round pick in over a decade which speaks to our improved recruiting. Even Vickery played over 100 games and Conca gets picked whenever he’s fit.
Not getting picked for round 21 was the clincher. He plays in that 100 point flogging of the dockers more than likely kicks a few may and I stress may have been a premiership player
Club went with Townsend and the rest is beautiful history
Think he will get picked up
Club went with Townsend and the rest is beautiful history
Think he will get picked up
Kaelan said:
Reckon he was no chance of being a premiership player even if he was involved in that 100pt flogging.
Its clear he doesn't cover enough ground or pressure and defend well enough. Considering that was our gameplan non-negotiable this year, there would have been no chance Dimma would have carried him into the intensity of finals.
TigerFurious said:
A regrettable waste of a top draft pick. It's interesting to hear some attribution of his selection to Deledio's influence and enthusiasm (remember Ben trained at PRO pre-draft).
It's also interesting to reflect on Ben's final demise in 2017 compared with Jacob Townsend's ascendancy to a Premiership player:
So who do you think has far more talent?
So what qualities made the difference and successful path so apparent?
Not saying that Townsend is necessarily assured of a continuing place in the team. AFL changes quickly (see Boyd, Cloke and Stringer), but Towno had the G and D required if not the pure football skills. I criticised Ben's selection for his lack of pace and endurance, but Jacob is not that gifted in these areas either, yet the gap is stark.
Tiger_mitch said:
Yep a first rounder in a frankly *smile* weak draft.
Take a look at it, the top 4 were good, then pretty much daylight until you find a couple of gems in Crouch and Merrett and then all the glory is in the late picks.
Absolutely garbage draft seemingly devoid of talent.
After watching him play, how did they pick a slow, tankless, plodder who doesn't tackle, is not too different to vickery, no wonder the ball sling shot from our forward line, with guys like vickery, Lennon, putting no pressure on anytime.
mrposhman said:
Wasn't the pick after ours used on Cripps, mrp? Just checked. Yes. Then McCarthy went to seed early but kicked 35 in his first full season and then Zak Jones.
I can understand the potting of picks around Corey Ellis. (I'm no fan of Weller and Duggan is a battler.) But there was plenty around Lennon. Demonstrably bungled choice.
BTW I still maintain that the Lennon choice cost Frank his job. It looks a bit harsh in retrospect but Clarke looks good at this early stage.
Clarke came from Melbourne didn't he, after Cameron headed our footy dept? It was the other fella (Luke Williams) who came from Geelong via Carlton.
For a bit of hindsight fun, here's a look into an article on his strengths and weaknesses before the draft: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-02/19-days-to-the-draft-meet-ben-lennon
"(Image: "Loves a contest: 60% of his disposals were contested" and "Strong overhead: not key position size, but leads and marks like it")
LONG regarded as a talent, Lennon had a consistent, strong season in 2013. After getting a taste of the under-18 system last year as a bottom-aged player for Vic Metro, the half-forward worked to make this year his best.
It started well, with a standout performance on the MCG against Collingwood's VFL team. There he had 16 possessions, took six marks and competed well against senior opponents. An ankle injury just before the mid-year carnival threatened to ruin Lennon's campaign but he battled through and was named an All Australian forward. The AIS-AFL Academy graduate's standout game was a four-goal haul against Western Australia at Patersons Stadium.
Returning to the TAC Cup later in the season, Lennon showed his smarts as a midfielder and averaged 28 disposals over a five-week period for the Northern Knights. He finished with a season average of 25 touches for the Knights.
STRENGTHS
Firstly, it's his foot skills. Over any distance Lennon is a terrific right-foot kick, pinpointing passes and directing the play with his ball use. Around goal that's a bonus, because he converts shots from any angle and loves to snap around his body. His marking is at the same level. Although not a key position size (189cm), Lennon marks and leads like a tall. Sometimes it looks like he has run too hard at a marking contest, but he slows down at last moment, protects the space in front and sticks the mark. Circumstances prevented him from spending more time in the midfield but towards the end of the season he found the opportunity and excelled. He's combative (60 per cent of his possessions at the carnival were contested), he has spring in his legs, demands the ball and wants to be a part of the action.
WEAKNESSES
The question on Lennon was whether he could be a full-time midfielder at AFL level. He hasn't had huge chances to show his stuff in that area of the ground, but made the most of it in that patch from July through to September for the Knights. He can still work on his endurance and his defensive running.
PLAYS LIKE
His attributes and ability to play most positions make him a different type of player. In that similar mould is Brendon Goddard, particularly given Lennon's overhead marking and accurate kicking.
DRAFT RANGE
A top-10 pick, and if he isn't, a club will get a bargain.
BOTTOM LINE
Lennon wants the ball in his hands at the big moments, a characteristic of all the best players. Kicks goals, takes some risks and understands the game. One of the top prospects available."
----------------------
In hindsight, everything they said was accurate. Lennon's forward strengths seem to occur after he's won the ball, but he won the ball playing a KPF role, which doesn't transfer to AFL due to physical limitations. His strengths didn't align with his projected AFL position, and we were probably scanning too closely for a classy medium forward at the time, so maybe we were optimistic about him filling a role on paper we badly needed even though he wasn't that player.
In his secondary position, he averaged 28 possessions with 60% contested while playing as a slow midfielder. This reads a bit like an inside mid. But his weaknesses column state that he was an unfit frontrunner. To overcome these known weaknesses in his secondary role as a mid, he would've needed to do both of the following:
1. Significantly improve his fitness by training harder than the average AFL footballer
2. Develop a defensive appetite
Did he show any signs we could've ticked off these boxes? If not, he'll never be a mid either. The report labels him "a different type of player" because his strengths don't align with his projected AFL position. He should've been pigeon-holed as a short KPF or an unfit front-running inside mid. Project player.
Also, nowhere in this report do they praise his work ethic or character as outstanding, which is crucial when your career depends on your ability to play a new role that you're not comfortable with. Perhaps carrying injuries became too much of a let-off in this area.
Ultimately Lennon was exceptional with the ball, but poor for most other AFL traits, and in the end drafting is all about priorities. Sometimes prioritising great skills (aka "talent") gets you nowhere. I'll remember this next time I see a bad kick.
"(Image: "Loves a contest: 60% of his disposals were contested" and "Strong overhead: not key position size, but leads and marks like it")
LONG regarded as a talent, Lennon had a consistent, strong season in 2013. After getting a taste of the under-18 system last year as a bottom-aged player for Vic Metro, the half-forward worked to make this year his best.
It started well, with a standout performance on the MCG against Collingwood's VFL team. There he had 16 possessions, took six marks and competed well against senior opponents. An ankle injury just before the mid-year carnival threatened to ruin Lennon's campaign but he battled through and was named an All Australian forward. The AIS-AFL Academy graduate's standout game was a four-goal haul against Western Australia at Patersons Stadium.
Returning to the TAC Cup later in the season, Lennon showed his smarts as a midfielder and averaged 28 disposals over a five-week period for the Northern Knights. He finished with a season average of 25 touches for the Knights.
STRENGTHS
Firstly, it's his foot skills. Over any distance Lennon is a terrific right-foot kick, pinpointing passes and directing the play with his ball use. Around goal that's a bonus, because he converts shots from any angle and loves to snap around his body. His marking is at the same level. Although not a key position size (189cm), Lennon marks and leads like a tall. Sometimes it looks like he has run too hard at a marking contest, but he slows down at last moment, protects the space in front and sticks the mark. Circumstances prevented him from spending more time in the midfield but towards the end of the season he found the opportunity and excelled. He's combative (60 per cent of his possessions at the carnival were contested), he has spring in his legs, demands the ball and wants to be a part of the action.
WEAKNESSES
The question on Lennon was whether he could be a full-time midfielder at AFL level. He hasn't had huge chances to show his stuff in that area of the ground, but made the most of it in that patch from July through to September for the Knights. He can still work on his endurance and his defensive running.
PLAYS LIKE
His attributes and ability to play most positions make him a different type of player. In that similar mould is Brendon Goddard, particularly given Lennon's overhead marking and accurate kicking.
DRAFT RANGE
A top-10 pick, and if he isn't, a club will get a bargain.
BOTTOM LINE
Lennon wants the ball in his hands at the big moments, a characteristic of all the best players. Kicks goals, takes some risks and understands the game. One of the top prospects available."
----------------------
In hindsight, everything they said was accurate. Lennon's forward strengths seem to occur after he's won the ball, but he won the ball playing a KPF role, which doesn't transfer to AFL due to physical limitations. His strengths didn't align with his projected AFL position, and we were probably scanning too closely for a classy medium forward at the time, so maybe we were optimistic about him filling a role on paper we badly needed even though he wasn't that player.
In his secondary position, he averaged 28 possessions with 60% contested while playing as a slow midfielder. This reads a bit like an inside mid. But his weaknesses column state that he was an unfit frontrunner. To overcome these known weaknesses in his secondary role as a mid, he would've needed to do both of the following:
1. Significantly improve his fitness by training harder than the average AFL footballer
2. Develop a defensive appetite
Did he show any signs we could've ticked off these boxes? If not, he'll never be a mid either. The report labels him "a different type of player" because his strengths don't align with his projected AFL position. He should've been pigeon-holed as a short KPF or an unfit front-running inside mid. Project player.
Also, nowhere in this report do they praise his work ethic or character as outstanding, which is crucial when your career depends on your ability to play a new role that you're not comfortable with. Perhaps carrying injuries became too much of a let-off in this area.
Ultimately Lennon was exceptional with the ball, but poor for most other AFL traits, and in the end drafting is all about priorities. Sometimes prioritising great skills (aka "talent") gets you nowhere. I'll remember this next time I see a bad kick.
spook said:
Sure was Luke Williams, wasnt the Cripps thing though it was MM's my way or the highway attitude
Yep. From what I heard Carlton recruiters wanted to pick up Lambert. But its was MM who put a stop to it.taztiger4 said:
All I know I was keen on the Lennon pick at the time and was glad we got him.
Pity others passed him and he couldn't keep up - I wonder what he may have achieved if he was given 100 games like Vickery to prove his worth. We will never know and not all players make it. Interested to see if another club picks him up
Pity others passed him and he couldn't keep up - I wonder what he may have achieved if he was given 100 games like Vickery to prove his worth. We will never know and not all players make it. Interested to see if another club picks him up
year of the tiger said:
Vickery is tall and can play. Has a whole set of other deficiencies obvious. the thought of gifting Lennon even 50 games is the stuff of nightmares
