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

 

[Booplaz]

Not worried about him but has gone backwards since last year. Keep pumping games into him.

 

[srobbo]

My god, he is just so bad. I just can't believe everyone is so blind to how atrocious he is. Can go and pick any semi decent strong 7ft athlete from any sport and they'd give you the output this spud is.

There is certainly something to work with, but my god he needs like 1-2 continuous years in the VFL.

it’s not lost on me.

Deadset playing like someone they’ve dragged from another sporting code & gone have a crack in the ruck son.

He is way off being a league ruckman.

 

[Falcon27]

it’s not lost on me.

Deadset playing like someone they’ve dragged from another sporting code & gone have a crack in the ruck son.

He is way off being a league ruckman.

Should be the first one dropped this week. Bring in Bryan and Jones. Wright can give some chop out to Bryan.

 

[bacon buster]

he's not even our #1 ruck based on this year's form. Phillips far better.

he can't play this week, i'm not sure why Bryan couldn't play a few games while Draper gets some form and confidence back in the VFL.

 

[nipst@r]

I'd give draper another week. Even to follow Grundy around for four quarters. But we signed bryan to multiple year contract so need to get games into him at some stage.

 

[BrunoV]

Some of the posts here are going to look so stupid in 12 months time.

Such overreaction to a drop in form. You can't fake slugging it out toe to toe with Nic Nat at something near his prime. You can't fake the hit outs, the runs he has made out of congestion and the marks he has taken.

He's not ready to carry a ruck division yet and it's coincided with a loss of form. It's frustrating but it happens.

 

[bacon buster]

Some of the posts here are going to look so stupid in 12 months time.

Such overreaction to a drop in form. You can't fake slugging it out toe to toe with Nic Nat at something near his prime. You can't fake the hit outs, the runs he has made out of congestion and the marks he has taken.

He's not ready to carry a ruck division yet and it's coincided with a loss of form. It's frustrating but it happens.

why will they look stupid? the comments and criticism are valid right now. he's not a #1 AFL ruck right now. maybe he will be, who knows. we're hopeful, but i'm sure most of us expcted him to continue his improvement trajectory with a full preseason. hasn't happened. he's not the only one on the list though. he's got 7-8 mates there.

 

[ant555]

Some of the posts here are going to look so stupid in 12 months time.

Such overreaction to a drop in form. You can't fake slugging it out toe to toe with Nic Nat at something near his prime. You can't fake the hit outs, the runs he has made out of congestion and the marks he has taken.

He's not ready to carry a ruck division yet and it's coincided with a loss of form. It's frustrating but it happens.

He has caused us some major structural issues this year. I have no doubt he can be a good ruck going forward but I have to say he has to cop some of the heat for our current issues. He is the future but the future is also hurting us.

 

[84859300]

I'd give draper another week. Even to follow Grundy around for four quarters. But we signed bryan to multiple year contract so need to get games into him at some stage.

I question that his is part of his problem - being that he doesn't follow the other ruck and leaves them exposed from the middle. It's common to see Draper compete for a centre bounce, then act as a 4th mid to try and take a handball or chase a quicker player he will never get.

As of late, we haven't been getting a great deal of ball to our guys from the bounce so are defending from the off. Draper doesn't man up the other ruck and loses the ability to impact as such. He should follow a guy like Grundy or Gawn all day to learn, but I don't think it's his bag.

With all the spectacular things he has done; towering marks and snap goals, there is another 85% of his game that he needs to concentrate on improving. It could be coaches saying "go out and play your game as you learn". IMO, this is what you do in the seconds.

 

[nipst@r]

I question that his is part of his problem - being that he doesn't follow the other ruck and leaves them exposed from the middle. It's common to see Draper compete for a centre bounce, then act as a 4th mid to try and take a handball or chase a quicker player he will never get.

As of late, we haven't been getting a great deal of ball to our guys from the bounce so are defending from the off. Draper doesn't man up the other ruck and loses the ability to impact as such. He should follow a guy like Grundy or Gawn all day to learn, but I don't think it's his bag.

With all the spectacular things he has done; towering marks and snap goals, there is another 85% of his game that he needs to concentrate on improving. It could be coaches saying "go out and play your game as you learn". IMO, this is what you do in the seconds.

If he doesn't do it, drop him and give bryan a go.

 

[MiguelM]

He is very lucky Philips has pinged a hamstring. TBH, I would drop him. He really needs VFL games to get confidence back

Ruckwork around the ground is so important. Hasn't once looked like holding a mark this year. Has gone backwards this big time.

Show him some videos of Simon Madden.

 

[Falcon27]

Belongs in the VFL because he’s lazy and doesn’t have any idea how to football.

 

[CBombers17]

Obviously very raw and having a poor season so far by any standards. Doesn't offer enough skill wise yet to drop any intensify or aggression or he's a liability. At least he's healthy and getting experience. Hopefully he's a fast learner and he's clicked with whoever is working with him (Madden?)

 

[TheUnicorn]

Huge game for Draper gone from doing not much around the ground to doing everything.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Never going to be a supercoach player, but my god he's a living highlight reel until he kicks it.

 

[EnolaGay]

More of this version of loose unit Draper please

Sent from my SM-A515F using Tapatalk

 

[BrunoV]

I didn't get around to finishing the Fremantle game until last night.

No doubt he made some errors and was a bit lazy at times but he actually beat Darcy quite comprehensively in the ruck.

I'm not surprised by the bath he has given Grundy (at least in the hitouts). He's found that timing that has otherwise been sorely missed this year.

Just needs to settle with the ball in his hand. The adrenalin takes over by which stage the ball is just thrown near his boot.

 

[The Devils Advocate]

Somebody please take the "Youngest" out of the thread title.
Thanks.

 

[Schnitzengruben]

Great game. Not afraid to show his physicality which is a refreshing trait at Essendon. Keep it at, son.

 

[andleanback]

Had a real crack today. Need that every week

 

[naraku]

Good to see him comeback to some good form.

 

[Zach Package]

His best is ‘takes everyone in the AA conversation out behind the woodshed’ level good.

More please, many will eat words.

 

[Halftimehero]

Went ok but Grundy went better

 

[citizen-erased]

Complete wtf game. As in half the time no one knew wtf he was doing
But it was good
Sadly grundy got going too. But good bounce

 

[ant555]

His skill level really worries me. He is a raw beast but his kicking is poor and his handball is under 12 level at times. Just as well he can tap the ball around a bit. Still does not take enough marks and his positioning around the ground is just average as well. He is young in the terms of experience but I would have liked to see some improvement in some areas, well at least more than he has shown this year.