David Astbury, Thank You

[Streak]

I was really impressed with Astbury's game against the Swans. Admittedly they were not a team with the forward depth to really test him, but he looked a really likely type. Is already starting to look like a natural AFL footballer. Could be a massive find for us if he continues to develop like he has so far.

Lot to like here.

 

[Dyer Disciple]

Great kid too, good head on his shoulders. I spoke a while ago about some clubs tendency in draft years to go for kids with leadership, Essendon put a real stamp on a draft recently doing such, and I think we did it last year. Footy is very much as much in the head as it is the body, good to see we are really focussing now on quality footy brains and leadership, not just x factor and time trials.

Astbury and Griffiths both show a lot of leadership even in the short time they have been at the club, impressing the players and coaching staff. At the start of the year in the pre season they were doing a long bike time trail and Vickery was lagging at the back of the pack (his not the strongest cyclist, though in his defence he blamed it on the crap bikes ;D ) and Astbury who was doing pretty well dropped back to help him out and got him over the line so he wasn't last. Not a bad effort for a first year player who most would probably be focused on getting the best time possible to impress his new coach.

I also know Hardwick was VERY excited about getting Astbury, he and Griffiths are one to watch equally, not one over the other despite some of the press Griffiths has got.

I'm hoping we have a Griffiths / Lade and Astbury / Leppistisch player. I believe Astbury is down back for his education, not neccesarily his future destination also, of course sometimes players just fit perfectly and he could remain there. Personally I always highly rated players like Leppitsch because they wewre so effective no matter which end of the ground they played at. If we have that in Astbury that is a mighty acquisition.

 

[Giardiasis]

Still don't understand why he was still available at pick 35 ???

 

[Leysy Days]

There was a knock on his pace Giardiasis. From memory he tested only average over 20m at draft camp. That doesnt always eqaute to footy speed, but it likely put the slows on him by recruiters.

He also didnt get a heap of the ball in TAC. Only averaging something like 12 possessions a game. (This could well be wrong, only going off leysy's hazy memory.)

Good recruiting can look past these things & find guys with the tools that can take there game higher. Looks like we've done that with Astbury.

We've got a cracking prospect. Love his work below his knees & 2nd efforts.

 

[Barnzy]

There was a knock on his pace Giardiasis. From memory he tested only average over 20m at draft camp. That doesnt always eqaute to footy speed, but it likely put the slows on him by recruiters.

He also didnt get a heap of the ball in TAC. Only averaging something like 12 possessions a game. (This could well be wrong, only going off leysy's hazy memory.)

Good recruiting can look past these things & find guys with the tools that can take there game higher. Looks like we've done that with Astbury.

We've got a cracking prospect. Love his work below his knees & 2nd efforts.

Looked pretty quick to me on the lead a few times when playing up forward.

 

[Leysy Days]

There are no question marks on his pace on the footy field to leysy barnzy.

Just explaining a couple of reasons why he didnt get drafted earlier.

 

[Col.E.Kurtz]

He also didnt get a heap of the ball in TAC. Only averaging something like 12 possessions a game. (This could well be wrong, only going off leysy's hazy memory.)

Good recruiting can look past these things & find guys with the tools that can take there game higher. Looks like we've done that with Astbury.

For 09 in the TAC cup his possession average was 12. He got 21 last week in the AFL, which agrees with your second point about how good recruiters don’t see players for what they are, but what they will be at a higher level.

 

[Daigoro]

There was a knock on his pace Giardiasis. From memory he tested only average over 20m at draft camp. That doesnt always eqaute to footy speed, but it likely put the slows on him by recruiters.

He also didnt get a heap of the ball in TAC. Only averaging something like 12 possessions a game. (This could well be wrong, only going off leysy's hazy memory.)

Good recruiting can look past these things & find guys with the tools that can take there game higher. Looks like we've done that with Astbury.

We've got a cracking prospect. Love his work below his knees & 2nd efforts.

he actually tested THE slowest at all draft camp. Must have been due to injury though as he is pretty quick. GUN!

 

[LA-Tiger]

Yep, tweaked his hammy at the draft camp - hence the slow time. Read somewhere that he'd run 3.00 sec flat previously.

Also finished in the top 10 in the kicking test I believe...

 

[Scoop]

There was a knock on his pace Giardiasis. From memory he tested only average over 20m at draft camp. That doesnt always eqaute to footy speed, but it likely put the slows on him by recruiters.

He also didnt get a heap of the ball in TAC. Only averaging something like 12 possessions a game. (This could well be wrong, only going off leysy's hazy memory.)

Good recruiting can look past these things & find guys with the tools that can take there game higher. Looks like we've done that with Astbury.

We've got a cracking prospect. Love his work below his knees & 2nd efforts.

Spot on Lazy Days. He stood out at the champs as a one touch footballer but not a athlete. Bit like Jack Riewoldt.

A talented and one touch KP can propser without Carl Lewis type athleticism. Astbury is a good reader of the play and makes the easy choice with the ball in his hands. Get ball, give ball. Easy game when you do that.

 

[IanG]

Yep, tweaked his hammy at the draft camp - hence the slow time. Read somewhere that he'd run 3.00 sec flat previously.

Also finished in the top 10 in the kicking test I believe...

Amazing that the good recruiters didn't pick up on this, although some middle of the road KPPs can drop eg. Cornelius who is now looking quite good.

 

[Scoop]

Amazing that the good recruiters didn't pick up on this, although some middle of the road KPPs can drop eg. Cornelius who is now looking quite good.

I was amazed that he dropped too. Played the same way at the champs.

Would have posted early but been watching Season 4 of House all day. Awesome show.

Went to Casey yesterday. Not a good start, no egg and bacon rolls on the menu. Had to settle for ham and salad, was top notch so things got back on track.

Only caught the last quarter and a bit of the WA game. I am happy we do not have to pick number one this year because to me you are doomed what ever you do. Natitanui does everything great except find the ball. You all know the deal, jumps out of the gym, runs like the wind, 197cm, 95kg. But doesn't get a lot of the ball. His ruckwork is jumping over people and smacking it 10 metres forward. He is a project. Daniel Rich, first rate, runs hard, booming kick and great in traffic. Daniel Kerr clone. If I had one I would take Rich. Watts and Natitanui have more upside but Rich is the sure thing. He may not end as good as the other two but the chances of him not making it are much less then the other two. I hope we don't take Yarran. Classy, outside type who will be good but we need grunt. He doesn't have it.

Still like Cornelius. Jumps into the packs, always looks like he is going to take the mark.

VIC COUNTRY VS. SOUTH AUST.

Jack Zieball was the standout for me. 188cm midfielder. Solid build that would fill out. He does it all. Inside clearances, tap work from the ruckman clearances, runs through traffic, overhead grabs and silky skills. He played in the middle then went to full forward in the last quarter and took some grabs on the lead. He is the one I want at Punt Rd next year.

Nick Suban, pretty smooth mover, great kick of the ball. Bit like Rhys Shaw but with better skills. I wouldn't mind him pushing off half back. Also like John Butcher, big raw boned kid, gives a great contest at CHF and did some ruckwork. Also liked Jordan Jones as late pick, super pace for 190cm and 90kg. Ran off half back quite a bit. He could be a great third tall with pace and skill.

For the South Aussies Bogans, the big ruckman stood out for me. Jarrad Redden. He is another I would put on the must have list. At 202cm he is a genuine mobile tap ruckman. His palming work was very good. Surprisingly he was good at getting a tap and then he would be in the pack trying to clear it. Very co-coordinated and even threw in a baulk yesterday. Linked up around the ground and was smart with the ball in his hands. Can't imagine how good he will be in five years and 10kg.
Hamish Hartlettt is a old school rover, little legs pumping and he knows how to get the ball. I would be happy for him to end up some where else but Richmond. I take that back, I wouldn't take him top 10. Liked Chris Hall on a wingman did some very good things and is all class but is only 65kg!!!

Redden and Zieball for me.

VIC METRO V NSW

The NSW boys flooded and were just trying to not get flogged. Once that started it was pretty clear that is was going to be slog. Jack Watts, in a word I was unimpressed. I just don't see number 1 on him. He is a project. Not saying he is not going to be a very good player but he will take time. Hurley impressed again, he is a massive unit, Huge. Already bigger build then McGuane, Thursfield, Polak and Moore. Very good one on one. Kicks the ball a mile. Not super quick but his great anticipation. Think Nathan Brown at Collingwood of 2008. Hurley will play AFL pretty quickly in 2009. Steven Gaertner, super athlete , zero football smarts. Does two or three good things then does something that makes him look like he has played the game. Tom Lynch is one to watch, not sure about him yet. Great hands, very creative. Tom Scully, a true in and under rover, was in everything. I like him a lot. Jordan Leslie is another big raw KP who took a few big contested pack marks. Used the ball OK and id some ruckwork up forward. I would take a punt on him late or in the rookie draft. For NSW Scott Reed looks classy and Max WIlson gives a contest but overall they didn't impress me.

Overall the day was not a super display of football. The mismatches with some of the Divi 2 sides going against the Divi 1 sides didn't really allow good football to be played.

Any questions fire away.

 

[Col.E.Kurtz]

Amazing that the good recruiters didn't pick up on this, although some middle of the road KPPs can drop eg.

They probably did, I suspect his mediocre output as a junior had a lot more than a draft camp test to do with his drop.

Be interesting to see if Talia ever performs

 

[IanG]

They probably did, I suspect his mediocre output as a junior had a lot more than a draft camp test to do with his drop.

Be interesting to see if Talia ever performs

Now that you mention Talia I wonder why he hasn't played this year. There's no info on the Crows website that I can see.

 

[Baloo]

Talia and Panos. Those two names will forever remind me of the last Draft Day wrap up here on PRE.

 

[Scoop]

Talia and Panos. Those two names will forever remind me of the last Draft Day wrap up here on PRE.

Don't forget Tehmel.

 

[Phar Ace]

Now that you mention Talia I wonder why he hasn't played this year. There's no info on the Crows website that I can see.

Was only taken as a Rookie wasn't he, or was that Panos - check the SANFL records on Sporting Pulse to see how they are going

 

[Col.E.Kurtz]

Now that you mention Talia I wonder why he hasn't played this year. There's no info on the Crows website that I can see.

He's done his knee a few weeks ago, rottern luck for the kid but I don't think he was in much danger of a senior game before he did his knee (I could be wrong)

 

[Baloo]

Don't forget Tehmel.

Ah, yeah, he was the other, cheers.

 

[tigertim]

Panos was drafted by the Bullies in the rookie draft. Going around for Werribee magoos. Temel is a top up player for the Bendigo Bombers and if not selected plays for Greenvale ( I think).