Atley was top 3 in repeat sprints, which is what I expected. Still confident he will be our pick.
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Atley was top 3 in repeat sprints, which is what I expected. Still confident he will be our pick.
With either one we're getting a potentially elite player, so I'm not too fussed.
Not keen on Heppell. He ran a 3sec 40 time. Speed not good enough for a #4 pick in the draft - and as Worsfold pointed out - non AIS makes his selection unlikely IMO.
Well, if you are going to draw a conclusion from past recruitment policies then why don't you look at what most of our young mids have in common, they are captains, as is Heppell and nobody else on that list AFAIK.
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****ing heck.
What is with people not even bothering to check facts before they post.
He ran an under 3 second 20m time. Mcartney was quite impressed and since Atley has only ranked in the standing vertical leap I hardly see how you are making the above a knock on Heppell.
Anyway we don't know how big of an influence draft camp results are on clubs recruiting staff and it probably comes down to question marks they have on each player.
But surely you would rather someone who can hit target? Atley just looks like another HBF accumulator with average disposal and okish but not great pace.
True, but disappointing none the less. Bennell is a class above Heppell (several really), and has the potential to be the best player from this draft. Whether he ever fulfills that is another question IMO, but still....
Atley looks like a line-breaking midfielder. Against WA at Subiaco he looked like a young Chris Judd, breaking tackles and running out of packs. He has pretty good speed IMO.
Heppell ran a 2.998 which is pretty much 3 seconds. He is a classy but slowish HBF. He is pretty much Sam Butler. He just doesn't excite me really. I think we have his type covered.
Eastern Rangers
2015 Worsfold Medalist - Rowen Powell
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- #884
Firstly I wouldn't call him slow, secondly he is a midfielder as well as HBF, thirdly massive stretch to say Atley looked like Judd in the WA v Vic Country game.
Dosn't have close to Judds speed or strength through the hips and certainly seems to butcher the ball a bit.
Would rather Smith or Polec to Atley.
My only query on Heppell is that even though he's gotten his 20m time under 3 seconds I just don't see him being able to accelerate away from other players like the player we need at the moment.
Sure, in space he's clean and a good decision maker and at the moment he's a fairly solid lad and so looks pretty powerful, but I think at AFL level he will be reasonably ineffective in close.
We need to suss out whether he has the core strength and acceleration to really power through packs, otherwise I think he will be a lot like Hurn, which is not the kind of player we need right now, apart from the footskills of course.
Having said that, at the moment I would be happy with either Heppell or Polec as first preferences.
Eastern Rangers
2015 Worsfold Medalist - Rowen Powell
Butler has neat disposal, Heppell has a long and damaging left boot.
He is strong overhead, when in the midfield he spreads well and kicks goals. He would be delivering into the forward line if we drafted him because his future is on a Wing or through the middle.
Nice to see plenty of opinions on who we should draft. Certainly wouldn't mind Atley, he's a tackling machine, quick and strong through the hips. Kicking is sound but not elite (like Gaff).
Kicking skills are more important than speed.
Butler has neat disposal, Heppell has a long and damaging left boot.
He is strong overhead, when in the midfield he spreads well and kicks goals. He would be delivering into the forward line if we drafted him because his future is on a Wing or through the middle.
Nice to see plenty of opinions on who we should draft. Certainly wouldn't mind Atley, he's a tackling machine, quick and strong through the hips. Kicking is sound but not elite (like Gaff).
Kicking skills are more important than speed.
Well if you want elite skills, why not Jayden Pitt? He has superior skills than Heppell IMO and quicker too. Small body so will need time to bulk up but Stephen Hill entered the AFL at 70kgs too and it didn't effect him too much.
Butler has neat disposal, Heppell has a long and damaging left boot.
He is strong overhead, when in the midfield he spreads well and kicks goals. He would be delivering into the forward line if we drafted him because his future is on a Wing or through the middle.
Nice to see plenty of opinions on who we should draft. Certainly wouldn't mind Atley, he's a tackling machine, quick and strong through the hips. Kicking is sound but not elite (like Gaff).
Kicking skills are more important than speed.
Its all about atleys agility for me he runs round the opposition like they aint even there
A great point was made on the AFL draft show about those with great vertical leap tests; that with the right sprint/speed training they can get even quicker due to the explosiveness in their muscles.
The fact that Heppell got just under 3secs is great, but there's plenty of scope for improvement with the right training.
The fact that Heppell got just under 3secs is great, but there's plenty of scope for improvement with the right training.
One thing McCartney mentioned is that if you have a great vertical leap it illustrates you have the power and the potential to be faster if you're not there yet. Heppell has this.
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WC seriously need to be focusing on who's going to be playing on the wings in the future. I think most will agree that Rosa is doing ok for now but may not be the long term answer. WC can't be reliant on turning an Inside Midfielder into a Wingman either. Swift, Masten and Ebert do not suit the role, I shake my head when people bring out best 22's with them named in that position.
Whoever WC get at pick 4 in this draft, he must be a Wingman, or have the utility to play the role part time, with the scope of moving into the role on a permanent basis in the future. If Heppell can do this, he sounds like a good choice. If not, I remain in the Polec camp.
Due to having Plod and Plodder (A.Selwood & Priddis) as starting midfielders, WC can't even fit all the Inside Midfielders that are our future into the current team. Swift and Stevens are missing games because of this.
Discussion on bringing in another HBF who rotates as an Inside Midfielder, just further congests two positional queues that are already packed to them brim.
Unless Lamb falls to our 2nd pick, or a quality tall unexpectedly slips to that same pick, WC's first 2 selections need to be Outside Midfielders. WC has an abundance of potential quality grunts, (Masten, Ebert, Shuey, Swift, Stevens, S.Selwood) but nothing of above average quality as finishers, except Sheppard. That's where WC's imbalance lies.
Talk of Hurn and LeCras taking outside roles is unrealistic. They'll be part timers at best and serve a better function elsewhere.
Whoever WC get at pick 4 in this draft, he must be a Wingman, or have the utility to play the role part time, with the scope of moving into the role on a permanent basis in the future. If Heppell can do this, he sounds like a good choice. If not, I remain in the Polec camp.
Due to having Plod and Plodder (A.Selwood & Priddis) as starting midfielders, WC can't even fit all the Inside Midfielders that are our future into the current team. Swift and Stevens are missing games because of this.
Discussion on bringing in another HBF who rotates as an Inside Midfielder, just further congests two positional queues that are already packed to them brim.
Unless Lamb falls to our 2nd pick, or a quality tall unexpectedly slips to that same pick, WC's first 2 selections need to be Outside Midfielders. WC has an abundance of potential quality grunts, (Masten, Ebert, Shuey, Swift, Stevens, S.Selwood) but nothing of above average quality as finishers, except Sheppard. That's where WC's imbalance lies.
Talk of Hurn and LeCras taking outside roles is unrealistic. They'll be part timers at best and serve a better function elsewhere.
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Just out of curiosity have any of you seen Heppell, Gaff and Atley play the game live or have you talked with people who have seen all three play?
My guess is that you are making assumptions based on a few 2 minute youtube highlights, and the Combine results.
Makes genuine comparrisons difficult if you have not seen all the players live.
My guess is that you are making assumptions based on a few 2 minute youtube highlights, and the Combine results.
Makes genuine comparrisons difficult if you have not seen all the players live.
Good post
We dont have to pick polec i dont reckon though if we picked heppell he could play on the HBF moving sheppard onto a wing then if we drafted andreoli as one of our second rounders we could be pretty set
I watched Heppell play in the TAC GF on TV and he copped a very close tag by arguably the best tagger in the draft in Guthrie and while he only notched up 20 possessions playing in the middle, on a half back and half forward flank, every touch was quality.
He has the ability to play anywhere and is pure class, flexibility will be a big asset in a young midfield that currently lacks it.
He also has massive upside IMO and has won almost every accolade he could possibly win this year.
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- #896
Good post
WC have high draft picks as Inside Midfielders, but mostly seem to go for 2nd-3rd round picks for outside types. The quality difference is noticeable. Andreoli and Cripps seem like a good players, but are they the A-graders we need in those positions where we lack, to balance to the quality we have as inside types.
WC will get what they pay for. If we continue to use a similar pick like they did on Rosa and Houlihan, that's what they can expect.
I know some were put off by the YouTube clip of Polec, but that hasn't phased me. I'm looking at the qualities he brings that can be developed, not a current comparison to another player that may or not be surpassed sooner or later.
WC don't want to be in a position like Freo, in that being deficient in a certain area will hinder us from taking the next step in progression. Freo lacking enough quality talls is going to stop them from winning a flag. WC should fix their imbalances, not only in positional need, but by bringing balance to the quality in the deficient positions, while they have the opportunity to get the players in the same age bracket.
The compromised drafts are a good time to draft on a needs basis.
Heppell is the only player I genuinely want us to take.
If I heard the name Jack Darling/Andrew Gaff/Jared Polec/Tom Lynch/Brodie Smith called out at pick 4 I'd be content. But there's a big difference between contentment and utter elation.
Although the only reason I've cooled on Lynch is because he sounds like a natural CHF more than the FF we need. But he honestly has all the makings of a superstar.
If I heard the name Jack Darling/Andrew Gaff/Jared Polec/Tom Lynch/Brodie Smith called out at pick 4 I'd be content. But there's a big difference between contentment and utter elation.
Although the only reason I've cooled on Lynch is because he sounds like a natural CHF more than the FF we need. But he honestly has all the makings of a superstar.
Eastern Rangers
2015 Worsfold Medalist - Rowen Powell
Smarts and impact. Everything Heppell has done in the backend of the season screamed of quality, was getting allot of touches and every touch was worth it's weight in gold.
Jayden Pitt isn't on our radar because he hasn't put the performances on the park to justify such a high selection. We certainly need players like him and im very intrested in Andreoli, Harper and Lamb.
We should surely be able to get atleast one of these players at pick 26 most like andreoli i expect the other to be gone. would really love a few more picks in this draft or atleast some pick upgrades im really very keen on lamb.
EasternHills;[B said:
Exactly.
Add poise and very good footskills and class by hand on top of smarts is what should make any player stand out from the fastest or fitest.
Eagles need skills and footy smarts, Heppell is not a slow plodder by any stretch and he is also bigger bodywise which is something the Eagles always like in a player.
A backline of Hurn, Butler, Sheppard and Heppell with two talls looks very, very good. One of these guys, most likely Sheppard would likely end up on a wing rotating with Ash Smith.
Having an 'all class' backline with two decent talls is what will set us up nicely and get results fast. No more turning the ball over across half back sounds great to me.
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