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

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Sean Darcy and Drapes are going to be the rucks to watch over the next decade. If they have good runs without injury expect to see them in the AA team together at some point.
 

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Sean Darcy and Drapes are going to be the rucks to watch over the next decade. If they have good runs without injury expect to see them in the AA team together at some point.
Will be fun to watch these guys go head to head next year. Big, raw powerful units.

Darcy has huge upside if he can drop 10kg of baby fat and get himself AFL fit.
 
Will be fun to watch these guys go head to head next year. Big, raw powerful units.

Darcy has huge upside if he can drop 10kg of baby fat and get himself AFL fit.
Darcy was huge in his last 8 or so games this year...took the next step imo. If Draper gets to that level we will be picking or jaws up off the floor. Exciting times ahead.
 
Love him but why does he never give the handball after taking a mark. Even under a bit of pressure I’d back all of Merrett, Parish, Hind, Heppell and Redman to do something more productive with the ball then Drapers slow long kicks down the line
 
Love him but why does he never give the handball after taking a mark. Even under a bit of pressure I’d back all of Merrett, Parish, Hind, Heppell and Redman to do something more productive with the ball then Drapers slow long kicks down the line

I have noticed that, needs to be quicker to give the handball to someone who's a better kick. A few times Cutler or Redman swept around behind him for the handball and are more the guys you want delivering i50.
 

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I wonder how his skill development goes. Never seen someone with such good hands at ground level and in the air look so awkward when kicking and handballing. Hoping it’s a sign that he has a lot of potential to improve those areas of his game
 
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I wonder how his skill development goes. Never seen someone with such good hands at ground level and in the hair look so awkward when kicking and handballing. Hoping it’s a sign that he has a lot of potential to improve those areas of his game
I think he only played one season of junior footy as a code switcher at 17. Drafted end of 2016, so 2.5 seasons playing reserves in the VFL? Then did his ACL, and later a syndesmosis so has played about 25 games at AFL level?

Compare that to your average kid who starts Auskick at age 4. He should have plenty of development still in him.
 
I wonder how his skill development goes. Never seen someone with such good hands at ground level and in the air look so awkward when kicking and handballing. Hoping it’s a sign that he has a lot of potential to improve those areas of his game
Think we should accept his kicking will never be much chop - work on it of course but kicking seems to be part of the game where anything more than small improvement is very difficult to achieve.

Handballing is different - can absolutely be significantly improved with work and every AFL player should be competent on both sides.
 
Think we should accept his kicking will never be much chop - work on it of course but kicking seems to be part of the game where anything more than small improvement is very difficult to achieve.

Handballing is different - can absolutely be significantly improved with work and every AFL player should be competent on both sides.
Someone at the club has taught Clarke to kick… which had to be the hardest job in footy.

Still hope for Drapers’ kicking I reckon
 
Someone at the club has taught Clarke to kick… which had to be the hardest job in footy.

Still hope for Drapers’ kicking I reckon
No one taught Clarke to kick. They moved him out of the midfield so the impact of his kicking issues was not as prevalent. He was always a steady kick on the outside in space. He still has a dinky ball drop that is a massive issue under pressure.
 
No one taught Clarke to kick. They moved him out of the midfield so the impact of his kicking issues was not as prevalent. He was always a steady kick on the outside in space. He still has a dinky ball drop that is a massive issue under pressure.
Agree it’s still very poor - but I reckon his kicking (and ball drop) have improved a few percentage points.
 
Think we should accept his kicking will never be much chop - work on it of course but kicking seems to be part of the game where anything more than small improvement is very difficult to achieve.

Handballing is different - can absolutely be significantly improved with work and every AFL player should be competent on both sides.
Nic Nat was one of the worst kicks I’d ever seen play AFL. He’s competent now without being amazing.
 

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

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