Player Watch #21: Callum Coleman-Jones - has resumed light training post his Achilles rupture and many months rehabbing post op.

[The Y Factor]

Xerri is pushing s**t uphill to become good enough to tie Goldy’s bootlaces.

Big year for Goldy and I hope Goldie goes another 2 years - just saying - but I think X will get there but this is a big year for him

 

[HBFlanker]

I firmly believe he needs to choose a role and stick with it!! This average fwd and average ruck isn't cutting it.

I think we need him as fwd and he's no Ruckman imho. Hard hands, no touch.

If he does that and can really target the second tall spot to apply pressure to Chom and even create a fwd role for himself if he's good enough.

Agree its critical for him and us.

Well said, agree entirely.

 

[King Corey]

He might surprise. At least has some size about him and seems a good character (yeh yeh King Cross blah).

The list management oddity about CCJ and Xerri (and now Hamish Free) being our ruck options is that all 3 appear to have the same upside/limitations.

(making assumptions on Free based on highlights)

None are so solid (eg Sean Darcy 110kg+) or tall (eg Tim English 207cm, Ned Reeves 209cm) to have an outright size advantage over a lot of opponents.

None are agile or present as very quick decision makers. None have great skills (CCJ might break even for a ruckman in that category) or play with gamebreaking power a la McKernan or Daw.

On the upside all have decent size and physicality, much the same regulation height and weight and are even around the same age. CCJ looks to have a better mark than the other 2, the other 2 maybe have a bit more grunt in the contest.

But post-Goldie (God forbid) it's hard to see a ruck pairing out of these 3, because none of them present as reliable or versatile enough to threaten in another position. CCJ maybe up forward but being a pinch-hitter vs a legitimate Drew Petrie style ruckman now playing fulltime KPF is a big difference.

All this makes me lament that we never properly ran a Goldstein-Daw duo for a sustained period because that could've been such a complementary pairing.

 

[Footywizard]

He might surprise. At least has some size about him and seems a good character (yeh yeh King Cross blah).

The list management oddity about CCJ and Xerri (and now Hamish Free) being our ruck options is that all 3 appear to have the same upside/limitations.

(making assumptions on Free based on highlights)

None are so solid (eg Sean Darcy 110kg+) or tall (eg Tim English 207cm, Ned Reeves 209cm) to have an outright size advantage over a lot of opponents.

None are agile or present as very quick decision makers. None have great skills (CCJ might break even for a ruckman in that category) or play with gamebreaking power a la McKernan or Daw.

On the upside all have decent size and physicality, much the same regulation height and weight and are even around the same age. CCJ looks to have a better mark than the other 2, the other 2 maybe have a bit more grunt in the contest.

But post-Goldie (God forbid) it's hard to see a ruck pairing out of these 3, because none of them present as reliable or versatile enough to threaten in another position. CCJ maybe up forward but being a pinch-hitter vs a legitimate Drew Petrie style ruckman now playing fulltime KPF is a big difference.

All this makes me lament that we never properly ran a Goldstein-Daw duo for a sustained period because that could've been such a complementary pairing.

Once goldy is done I think xerri would be a good 1st ruck option. Not many have decent 2nd ruck options who are serious threats up forward. We should go back to the zurhaar as the relief ruck

 

[King Corey]

Once goldy is done I think xerri would be a good 1st ruck option. Not many have decent 2nd ruck options who are serious threats up forward. We should go back to the zurhaar as the relief ruck

Most probably. Was just looking at them in combination that there's no real boom-bust option in that group. They all present as 7/10s if it comes off and all with much the same skillsets so you can't use them together.

I overlooked Jacob Edwards who is a boom-bust type - much better agility and skills, potentially key forward ability. But he's so young it's hard to project whether he'll become a genuine AFL prospect.

 

[benbanjo]

Most probably. Was just looking at them in combination that there's no real boom-bust option in that group. They all present as 7/10s if it comes off and all with much the same skillsets so you can't use them together.

I overlooked Jacob Edwards who is a boom-bust type - much better agility and skills, potentially key forward ability. But he's so young it's hard to project whether he'll become a genuine AFL prospect.

You would have to think that bringing in Free means that one of CCJ or Xerri will be moved on at some stage, otherwise what is the point.
The other option is that Jacobs wont make it, but in that case you would ideally substitute him with another boom or bust.
I think we need to kidnap Jacobs and take him to McDonalds for for 10 weeks. His size is stopping him from having the confidence to match it with the big boys.

 

[King Corey]

You would have to think that bringing in Free means that one of CCJ or Xerri will be moved on at some stage, otherwise what is the point.
The other option is that Jacobs wont make it, but in that case you would ideally substitute him with another boom or bust.
I think we need to kidnap Jacobs and take him to McDonalds for for 10 weeks. His size is stopping him from having the confidence to match it with the big boys.

Reckon you're in the ballpark.

No ruckmen have turned our head in the last 2-3 years based on a "best available" criteria.

We've done a risk analysis on the list and by Rookie Round 2 didn't see any undrafted NAB league type prospects we rated so took a WAFL player who might be up to taking senior ruck duties as a 'break glass' option.

Whilst we probably don't have high hopes for him I think you're close to the pin in that we're more sitting and hoping with CCJ and Xerri than having any demonstrated faith in them stepping up if Goldstein is unavailable at all in 2023.

 

[benbanjo]

Reckon you're in the ballpark.

No ruckmen have turned our head in the last 2-3 years based on a "best available" criteria.

We've done a risk analysis on the list and by Rookie Round 2 didn't see any undrafted NAB league type prospects we rated so took a WAFL player who might be up to taking senior ruck duties as a 'break glass' option.

Whilst we probably don't have high hopes for him I think you're close to the pin in that we're more sitting and hoping with CCJ and Xerri than having any demonstrated faith in them stepping up if Goldstein is unavailable at all in 2023.

Do you think maybe we wanted to take Liam Reidy before he went to WA so we took a WA kid instead?

 

[King Corey]

Do you think maybe we wanted to take Liam Reidy before he went to WA so we took a WA kid instead?

That's a good guess, remember him coming up in North VFL discussions - was he noteable opponent or something like that?

 

[benbanjo]

That's a good guess, remember him coming up in North VFL discussions - was he noteable opponent or something like that?

No Idea, think we just took the next best Ruckman that we rated.
Don't know what the rookie wages are at the moment, but it's a big ask to move that far away on a rookie wage which i imagine isn't even $100k

 

[King Corey]

No Idea, think we just took the next best Ruckman that we rated.
Don't know what the rookie wages are at the moment, but it's a big ask to move that far away on a rookie wage which i imagine isn't even $100k

They were seriously bad fairly recently, like circa $60k or something?

It's a big ask for someone past about 22 (typically most kids by then would have a degree / trade / or made their way into a career of some sort) to move across the country then pause or slow your other plans in the hope of scratching out an AFL career.

 

[benbanjo]

They were seriously bad fairly recently, like circa $60k or something?

It's a big ask for someone past about 22 (typically most kids by then would have a degree / trade / or made their way into a career of some sort) to move across the country then pause or slow your other plans in the hope of scratching out an AFL career.

$60k wow, after tax that that's a little over 900 per week, very frugal lifestyle especially when you're a 200cm 100kg bloke who would e spending decent money on food. Hopefully we can help the big fella get another job to supplement his income.

 

[7577969923]

They were seriously bad fairly recently, like circa $60k or something?

It's a big ask for someone past about 22 (typically most kids by then would have a degree / trade / or made their way into a career of some sort) to move across the country then pause or slow your other plans in the hope of scratching out an AFL career.

There is an article on SEN that quotes the rookie wage as $85k plus about a $4k per seniors game played bonus.

 

[King Corey]

$60k wow, after tax that that's a little over 900 per week, very frugal lifestyle especially when you're a 200cm 100kg bloke who would e spending decent money on food. Hopefully we can help the big fella get another job to supplement his income.

He's a Deloitte consultant so was/is doing ok but if we wanted him past 2023 you'd guess he's going to want a much better deal.

 

[King Corey]

There is an article on SEN that quotes the rookie wage as $85k plus about a $4k per seniors game played bonus.

Ok it must've gone up a bit in recent years. Maybe it was mid 2010s or so it was absurdly low.

Still not great money all things considered for someone in that 22yo+ bracket.

 

[benbanjo]

He's a Deloitte consultant so was/is doing ok but if we wanted him past 2023 you'd guess he's going to want a much better deal.

Graduate role still, but yeah, should be fine. might actually be better for him career wise anyway, much better market In Melb.

 

[hoffseason gains]

Graduate role still, but yeah, should be fine. might actually be better for him career wise anyway, much better market In Melb.

Yeah if he’s a graduate at a Big 4 like Deloitte I would say that 85k would be a greater salary than what he was on, they tend to pay less with the notoriety and experience at a large firm being the main selling point, not sure what it would be like for his position though.

I honestly don’t see him being with us for more than the 3 or so years before he would be required to be moved onto the primary list, just seems to be far off it from reports and highlights. He’ll have no worries finding a job afterwards and probably will be able to get more education to ensure he’s not too far behind where he would have been, and he gets a chance at an AFL dream.

 

[King Corey]

They're not far off having the same career output.

Goldie should print this out and ask Brady for a 5 year deal. He might just get it.

 

[My Left Foote]

King Corey you're doing this all wrong, you know the only way to get a true read is to compare them to Jack Mahony.

 

[Psicosis]

 

[King Corey]

3/10 is a bit harsh. He's in pretty good nick.

 

[Sillygit]

 

[Nugget 83]

 

[HBFlanker]

I think he is in trouble.

With Comben (touch wood) looking in good nick, you would think as a genuine forward he is in front of CCJ.

Xerri is clearly in front of CCJ

Goldy is clearly in front of CCJ

I think the forward line mix for round 1 will be Larkey, Comben, Zurhaar, Curtis, Stephenson, Sheezel and one of Phillips/Powell rotating.

The only thing in his favour at the moment is that Melbourne are creating a system where they will continaully play two ruckman. This could help CCJ long term once Goldy finishes up this year.

 

[hellas_johnny]

I think he is in trouble.

With Comben (touch wood) looking in good nick, you would think as a genuine forward he is in front of CCJ.

Xerri is clearly in front of CCJ

Goldy is clearly in front of CCJ

I think the forward line mix for round 1 will be Larkey, Comben, Zurhaar, Curtis, Stephenson, Sheezel and one of Phillips/Powell rotating.

The only thing in his favour at the moment is that Melbourne are creating a system where they will continaully play two ruckman. This could help CCJ long term once Goldy finishes up this year.

Training predominantly as a forward this pre season so will be in competition with comben