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

 

[Ambrosia]

You think we have crumbing small forwards ?
Wright may not mark a lot but he doesn’t get out marked much either in the forward line .
Sam was actually caught out of position a lot when he was forward this year.

I did say up forward and around the ground. We've been kicking long to the point of the square area close to our forward 50 more this season. I thought we were extremely uncompetitive in those contests against Brisbane

 

[ant555]

I did say up forward and around the ground. We've been kicking long to the point of the square area close to our forward 50 more this season. I thought we were extremely uncompetitive in those contests against Brisbane

And I did not see much more in Sam’s games this year. My opinion of course.

 

[faible]

And I did not see much more in Sam’s games this year. My opinion of course.

I think he stands out because he's about the only big bloke we have who actually uses his size and weight in an aggressive way.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

And I did not see much more in Sam’s games this year. My opinion of course.

Draper has a lot to work on but statistically we have won a higher % of clearances when draper has been the ruckman vs goldy.
And in my opinion whilst he still has concrete hands I felt the forward line looked a lot more balanced when we had him and Goldy rotating rather than goldy/wright because Draper is a more "crash pack" type which none of our other talls is (except a very raw caddy).
I was worried about playing both and Wright in same team but it worked well on anzac day, although thats only a sample size of one.
And I know our small forwards arent great at crumbing at the moment but one thing we did a lot better till the last three games was pile the pressure on with repeat forward 50 entries. I think in that regard we are missing draper as well as hobbs/duursma who were really good at scrapping for ground ball on wing/forward flanks.

 

[Lore]

Yep we have really missed the 2 marks inside 50 in 6 games

Don’t exaggerate ant, you’ve got a standard to uphold

 

[ant555]

Draper has a lot to work on but statistically we have won a higher % of clearances when draper has been the ruckman vs goldy.
And in my opinion whilst he still has concrete hands I felt the forward line looked a lot more balanced when we had him and Goldy rotating rather than goldy/wright because Draper is a more "crash pack" type which none of our other talls is (except a very raw caddy).
I was worried about playing both and Wright in same team but it worked well on anzac day, although thats only a sample size of one.
And I know our small forwards arent great at crumbing at the moment but one thing we did a lot better till the last three games was pile the pressure on with repeat forward 50 entries. I think in that regard we are missing draper as well as hobbs/duursma who were really good at scrapping for ground ball on wing/forward flanks.

We have won more clearance with Draper and Sam is only 3% behind in hit outs to advantage but the issue is both rate average or below average in pretty much everything . So you could say that if we had Draper we would be marginally better but that does not change the fact that Sam has to find a level and improve. I am not pumping up Goldy over Draper. I am pointing out that Sam is no silver bullet either. Our ruck stocks are average and it is one part of the game we really need some improvement in. Draper adds a physical presence but is a poor mark. An average tap ruck . His forward craft is lacking and his around the ground work is more often than not poor. His actual footy IQ is average.
If Langford does not play this week I would play Bryan and Goldy. However I do not think Wright is a good enough number 1 KPF to be able to play 2 rucks week in and week out. It worked against the Pies as they play 2 rucks that are not stars . For it to work well enough then we can not play all of Langford / Stringer / Geulfi / Gresham in the same side as it is too slow. We would need two fast small forwards for it to work.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

We have won more clearance with Draper and Sam is only 3% behind in hit outs to advantage but the issue is both rate average or below average in pretty much everything . So you could say that if we had Draper we would be marginally better but that does not change the fact that Sam has to find a level and improve. I am not pumping up Goldy over Draper. I am pointing out that Sam is no silver bullet either. Our ruck stocks are average and it is one part of the game we really need some improvement in. Draper adds a physical presence but is a poor mark. An average tap ruck . His forward craft is lacking and his around the ground work is more often than not poor. His actual footy IQ is average.
If Langford does not play this week I would play Bryan and Goldy. However I do not think Wright is a good enough number 1 KPF to be able to play 2 rucks week in and week out. It worked against the Pies as they play 2 rucks that are not stars . For it to work well enough then we can not play all of Langford / Stringer / Geulfi / Gresham in the same side as it is too slow. We would need two fast small forwards for it to work.

No argument from me that ruck and kpf are our two biggest list weaknesses (along with a fast high pressure/crumbing small fwd) I guess I just enjoy drapers x factor and am still optimistic he can improve on the marking and follow up work (I doubt he will ever have great footy IQ though).

 

[Vindicater]

The constant breaking down is a major concern.

I really think he could make it as a forward/ruck given enough time but he won't get that due to always being injured.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

Another game down that firms my belief we looked better with this baby giraffe in the team. Despite all the stupidity offers a hell off a lot more than wright

 

[ant555]

Another game down that firms my belief we looked better with this baby giraffe in the team. Despite all the stupidity offers a hell off a lot more than wright

We would be better on a physical front but unless he starts hanging onto the 4 or 5 marks a game he drops around the ground we will still have an issue.

 

[joey_jo_jo]

We would be better on a physical front but unless he starts hanging onto the 4 or 5 marks a game he drops around the ground we will still have an issue.

Something different has to be tried though, too many lead up forwards at the moment. Our attack has been off the boil since the pies game.
I know it won't really be fixed till caddy is ready/we recruit a mature body kpf though.

 

[jdstorm]

We would be better on a physical front but unless he starts hanging onto the 4 or 5 marks a game he drops around the ground we will still have an issue.

That’s why this year Draper’s the answer at KPF1 because if he spills a mark 20M out from goal it opens up crumbing options (and it’s probably a more reliable Avenue to goal hen him taking a set shot)

 

[ant555]

That’s why this year Draper’s the answer at KPF1 because if he spills a mark 20M out from goal it opens up crumbing options (and it’s probably a more reliable Avenue to goal hen him taking a set shot)

And what about the 7 times out of 10 he gets caught behind the contest and has no impact or gives away a dumb free kick ?
That also relies on us having good crumbing forwards which we do not have .
Rucks that make good key forwards are simply rare. The answer is to find a good KPF. If they do that then you can get away with playing Sam or Wright in a pocket.

 

[jdstorm]

And what about the 7 times out of 10 he gets caught behind the contest and has no impact of gives away a dumb free kick ?
That also relies on us having good crumbing forwards which we do not have .
Rucks that make good key forwards are simply rare. The answer is to find a good KPF. If they do that then you can get away with playing Sam or Wright in a pocket.

I don’t think he’s a good key forward. I just think he’s currently the only player on the team physically capable of playing the role. Circa Cale Hooker 2021

The 7/10 times he gets caught behind the contest is bad, but if he gets it to 5/10 and Jones can bail him out 2-3 times by coming in from the side then that’s a good outcome 7-8 times out of 10 which would be acceptable.

Then it also frees up Wright and Langford to play as leading targets on defenders they can take advantage of.

That’s the thing about this structure. Draper as the “Drop Zone Forward” is still the 4th option after Langford (leading forward) Wright (High Leading Forward) Jones (2nd man up)

Also as good as Gresham has been playing higher he’s should probably spend more time deeper as the best crumber on the team.

 

[yodellinhank]

And what about the 7 times out of 10 he gets caught behind the contest and has no impact or gives away a dumb free kick ?
That also relies on us having good crumbing forwards which we do not have .
Rucks that make good key forwards are simply rare. The answer is to find a good KPF. If they do that then you can get away with playing Sam or Wright in a pocket.

That's yet to be seen, because we don't have key forwards that bring the ball to ground or neutralise a contest.

 

[ant555]

That's yet to be seen, because we don't have key forwards that bring the ball to ground or neutralise a contest.

They would need to be near a contest to start with

 

[ghostdog]

Another game down that firms my belief we looked better with this baby giraffe in the team. Despite all the stupidity offers a hell off a lot more than wright

I agree we would look better with him there currently. Earlier in the season when Goldy could have kept him out, not so much. Goldy will be gone soon. Draper needs to develop a bit quicker than he is to meet our needs when Goldy's gone. He also needs to not be injured. I think that needs to be by next season. If anyone is not confident that Draper can be that guy consistently, or that Bryan can be that guy by next season, then we probably need another ruckman.

 

[MiguelM]

It is around the ground marking that we lack consistently. A huge advantage to the team that can take a few. Game changing.

Last week, TDK took 5 marks, Goldy 0, had that been reversed we might have won.

At times Jones has been ok when used on the wings but we will never be top 4 until we can take contested marks around the ground IMO, so important.

 

[Vindicater]

I have more confidence in Draper learning some forward craft than Wright learning how to be physical.

 

[Nifft]

I have more confidence in Draper learning some forward craft than Wright learning how to be physical.

And if Draper gets bumped from behind while going for a mark we know he can take a convincing dive which could lead to a free kick.

 

[ant555]

I have more confidence in Draper learning some forward craft than Wright learning how to be physical.

Well that is not a very high bar to jump

 

[jdstorm]

I have more confidence in Draper learning some forward craft than Wright learning how to be physical.

Drapers got lots of forward craft. It’s just he’s a massively oversized Small Forward. Lol

 

[Yoda_]

I have been one of Sam’s biggest supporters but even i am concerned about the lack of progression in the last year or two.

The injuries are concerning whilst the lack of power to control games is also of concern why i want to consider Bryan to jump ahead asap in the ruck queue

 

[Call Me Cake]

The problem with Draper is that he's a shocking kick.

 

[Runk]

The problem with Draper is that he's a shocking kick.

Exactly what his Therapist said