AFL Player # 2: Sam Draper - The mullet hath returneth - 22/6

[Dave]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2025
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 20, TheUnicorn

 

[dank420_]

Jai Newcombe just got a haircut. The comp is quaking.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

I’ll probably get lambasted for this but here I go…..

Cut the stupid hair, lose the stupid mo, forget about your stupid podcasts and become a professional. You have Goldy at your fingertips who is a craftsman of the highest order - ****ing move in with him and download everything you can.

Time to grow up.

 

[brutus76]

He's almost 26 and i think his "ability" has reached it peak

Nick Bryan is only 22 and deserves a sustained run at it to be #1

Bring in Max Knobel who is only 20 and has never been able to break into Freo despite dominating at WAFL level and have Bryan, Knobel and Vigo competing and making each other better

Send Draper home to SA

 

[Rick Ross]

Great rucks and premierships in the salary cap era are not the norm. Maxxy G got one in ‘21 but apart from that, I can’t remember another in recent times…

A lot of battlers have taken home medallions…
Cameron (Coll) - ‘23
Stanley (Geel) - ‘22
Nank (Rich) x3 - ‘20, ‘19 & ‘17
Lycett (WCE) - ‘18
J.Roughead - ‘17
Hale (Haw) x2 - ‘16 & ‘15
Bailey (Haw) - ‘14

I think we not only have much bigger issues to address but we could easily go backwards trying to move on from Draper - costing us in trade &/or getting a worse ruck.

For mine:

• As good as most of those listed above
• Can complete up forward
• Proves lots of bollocking drive … love watching him, Duz & Stringer manic attack with 100% forward vision
• Still has some development and has had an injured preseason (didn’t do any match SIM)
• Bryan is not a better option (yet)

Happy to cop his brain farts and lack of IQ rather than blow up our real list priorities.

 

[windyhill]

Taken to the cleaners by Rowan Marshall

19

Rowan Marshall

Age

28

Ht

201cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.4

4star

K

8.8

3star

HB

6.6

4star

CL

3.4

5star

HO

20.2

5star

D

12.9

3star

K

9.3

4star

HB

3.6

2star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

17.8

5star

D

10.6

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

7.8

5star

, absolutely flogged. Will never be dropped, ever, must be a clause in his contract. “Can’t drop me , nah nah na nah na” Got Darcy and Jackson next week. Holy mother of god.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

I mean Marshall was pretty dominant but he wasn’t that bad was he..?

 

[cAsEy_18]

I mean Marshall was pretty dominant but he wasn’t that bad was he..?

Yeah that’s my take too.

Marshall was awesome, but I thought Draper was okay.

Marshall took a bucket load on intercept marks from (shock horror) some of our aimless long high balls forward.

Not saying Draper’s game was anything to write home about, but thought he was okay. Again, a few marks around the ground. Clearly followed a direct instruction to give the simple handball off.

 

[ant555]

I mean Marshall was pretty dominant but he wasn’t that bad was he..?

Well he was not as bad as 10 or so others but the fact is Marshall just played with us . Obrien gave him a lesson last week. He should be entering his prime but his prime looks well short of what it should be.

 

[DeezNuts]

Should stick to podcasting

 

[Old Campaigner]

If we can get the crows first pick for him I’d say take it and run

 

[bombreys]

If we can get the crows first pick for him I’d say take it and run

The Crows aren’t giving up a first for Draper bud

 

[Burzum]

If we can get the crows first pick for him I’d say take it and run

The AFL would have to pull a David Stern and step in to prevent that because of how unfair it would be for Adelaide.

 

[crackers65]

Why would Adelaide want Draper?

 

[brutus76]

Max Knobel from Freo only 20yo and dominating at WAFL level but can't get a game (Gippsland boy)

Or get Dante Visentini from Port to play with his brother for Draper and a future 2nd and we give them a late pick this year and they can have Draper and Sweet and let Soldo go as he was only on a 1 year

 

[div12ressie]

 

[BomberManU]

Man, this guy has become a whipping boy. Would have thought we have much bigger problems than Draper.

 

[faible]

Man, this guy has become a whipping boy. Would have thought we have much bigger problems than Draper.

Nope, he's the tallest guy on the list. Quite literally the biggest of our problems.

 

[Jade]

Trade him.

 

[BomberManU]

Nope, he's the tallest guy on the list. Quite literally the biggest of our problems.

I'd say 2MP is taller and a bigger problem

 

[faible]

I'd say 2MP is taller and a bigger problem

2.04m for Wright versus 2.05m for Draper isn't it?

 

[BomberManU]

2.04m for Wright versus 2.05m for Draper isn't it?

Really? That's surprising. I just assumed Wright was taller.

 

[Lore]

2.04m for Wright versus 2.05m for Draper isn't it?

Wright is like 198 or 199. He was asked about it once and said "well they call me 2m so it must be right"

 

[eth-dog]

Wright is like 198 or 199. He was asked about it once and said "well they call me 2m so it must be right"

He's 203

 

[Skipper_]

What does this guy actually provide as a footballer besides the occasional burst of ‘energy?’

Terrible tap ruckman, only occasionally competitive in the air and his kicking and decision-making are both still horrific.

 

[cAsEy_18]

What does this guy actually provide as a footballer besides the occasional burst of ‘energy?’

Terrible tap ruckman, only occasionally competitive in the air and his kicking and decision-making are both still horrific.

This part is incorrect, and frequently overlooked. His tap work is quite good. Not Max Gawn level, but better than people give him credit for (despite the valid negative highlights package from the Melbourne game).

I'm a Draper believer to be fair, but am losing a bit of faith. I think his marking has also come on more than people give him credit for. I would see the thing that has dropped away a bit is his follow up work this season. In addition to being a decent-to-good tap ruck, at his best he is actually a decent follow up player, be that winning the ball, or more commonly putting a block on or pressuring the opposition with the ball in a clearance situation. When asking what does he actually provide - he does that... but in a lot smaller spades this year I feel.