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Pick 9 ND 2012 – Who should we pick?
- Thread starter AstuteTiger
- Start date
This is Kristians - a Tigers man - summation from over on footy tragic.
PICK 16 – GEELONG: NICK VLASTUIN
Height: 187cm, Weight: 86kg, DOB: 19/4/1994
Recruited from: Northern Knights
Vlastuin is another one of my favourites in the draft, and if Ollie Wines hadn’t have been available at Richmond’s pick 9, this is where I would have placed him.
For some reason, talking to a lot of people, they don’t regard him as a top ten pick. Obviously I don’t have him top ten in this draft, but if I were to do it ‘power rankings’ style, he’d most likely be in there. It’s almost like he’s ‘unfashionable’. Why? I have no idea.
Vlastuin is the closest thing to Luke Hodge I have seen coming through the junior ranks. The half-back Hodge, and the midfield Hodge.
It’s everything from his big size, excellent foot skills, manic attack on the ball and leadership qualities that remind me of Hodge. Hopefully he doesn’t have as many injury issues, although I think this is the reason why he isn’t talked about a bit more.
He’s been playing sore nearly all season, and as a result we didn’t get to see much midfield time from him in the National Champs, but he still made the All-Australian side. He consistently used the footy above 75% and cut off lots of attacks off half back, showcasing his ability to read the play and take intercepting marks in space or contested.
In the TAC Cup it was much the same, playing 10 games and averaging 18 disposals, 5 marks and 6 tackles at a healthy efficiency rate.
At his best, and fittest, Vlastuin is a legitimate inside midfielder. He craves the contested ball and you’ll struggle to find many players who go in harder at the footy (Steve Morris is a good example).
With his big size he’s able to position himself well and win those clearances with ease, and that will only translate into the AFL.
On the outside, he’s polish, which is why I rate him so high. He’s not the absolute best kick in the draft, but he’s up there. He’s very safe with short distance kicking and he has very good penetration on his long kicks, safely covering 50m.
Aerially he doesn’t have the biggest jump as he’s not really an athlete as such, but I really, really like his overheard marking. I think it will become a feature in his game at AFL level.
The reason he probably isn’t that ‘fashionable’ is because he’s not a pure athlete. He’s not overly quick and doesn’t have the spring in the air that some others have.
At the Combine he didn’t test for any of the jumps or sprints, but he ran a 13.2 shuttle run in 30 degree weather, and was in the top 40% in the 3km time trial. He clearly isn’t at his fittest, so the myth that he doesn’t have a tank is officially put to bed.
What Vlastuin is, is a natural footballer. I have no doubt he’ll become an AFL captain one day. He leads on the field by example, and supporters will love him because he gives his all at every contest.
http://www.footytragic.com/blog/2012-post-season/kristians-2012-phantom-draft/
PICK 16 – GEELONG: NICK VLASTUIN
Height: 187cm, Weight: 86kg, DOB: 19/4/1994
Recruited from: Northern Knights
Vlastuin is another one of my favourites in the draft, and if Ollie Wines hadn’t have been available at Richmond’s pick 9, this is where I would have placed him.
For some reason, talking to a lot of people, they don’t regard him as a top ten pick. Obviously I don’t have him top ten in this draft, but if I were to do it ‘power rankings’ style, he’d most likely be in there. It’s almost like he’s ‘unfashionable’. Why? I have no idea.
Vlastuin is the closest thing to Luke Hodge I have seen coming through the junior ranks. The half-back Hodge, and the midfield Hodge.
It’s everything from his big size, excellent foot skills, manic attack on the ball and leadership qualities that remind me of Hodge. Hopefully he doesn’t have as many injury issues, although I think this is the reason why he isn’t talked about a bit more.
He’s been playing sore nearly all season, and as a result we didn’t get to see much midfield time from him in the National Champs, but he still made the All-Australian side. He consistently used the footy above 75% and cut off lots of attacks off half back, showcasing his ability to read the play and take intercepting marks in space or contested.
In the TAC Cup it was much the same, playing 10 games and averaging 18 disposals, 5 marks and 6 tackles at a healthy efficiency rate.
At his best, and fittest, Vlastuin is a legitimate inside midfielder. He craves the contested ball and you’ll struggle to find many players who go in harder at the footy (Steve Morris is a good example).
With his big size he’s able to position himself well and win those clearances with ease, and that will only translate into the AFL.
On the outside, he’s polish, which is why I rate him so high. He’s not the absolute best kick in the draft, but he’s up there. He’s very safe with short distance kicking and he has very good penetration on his long kicks, safely covering 50m.
Aerially he doesn’t have the biggest jump as he’s not really an athlete as such, but I really, really like his overheard marking. I think it will become a feature in his game at AFL level.
The reason he probably isn’t that ‘fashionable’ is because he’s not a pure athlete. He’s not overly quick and doesn’t have the spring in the air that some others have.
At the Combine he didn’t test for any of the jumps or sprints, but he ran a 13.2 shuttle run in 30 degree weather, and was in the top 40% in the 3km time trial. He clearly isn’t at his fittest, so the myth that he doesn’t have a tank is officially put to bed.
What Vlastuin is, is a natural footballer. I have no doubt he’ll become an AFL captain one day. He leads on the field by example, and supporters will love him because he gives his all at every contest.
http://www.footytragic.com/blog/2012-post-season/kristians-2012-phantom-draft/
I'd love Menzel. I think his knee problems have been a bit over-played due to Daniel's horrible luck.
Tiger Tuff. said:
LARS surgery has been banned all over the world, I don't think the concerns been overplayed at all.
Vlatsuin - " excellent foot skills, manic attack on the ball"
Cant really misfire (with pick 9) with those type of things written about you. Building a team of contested ball animals!!!!
Cant really misfire (with pick 9) with those type of things written about you. Building a team of contested ball animals!!!!
bullus_hit said:
It's not just the surgery itself, plenty of AFL players have a couple of reco's over their career. My biggest worry with LARS is that the method of the surgery makes it more difficult to go back and do a traditional reco if the LARS doesn't work out.
linuscambridge said:
Yep, that combined with a possibility of the weak knee gene makes him a very high risk proposition.
