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

 

[thebigboy]

Calling it early - All Australian Ruckman 2023

 

[Beerfish]

Calling it early - All Australian Ruckman 2023

Nah. Plays for Essendon.

 

[VelvetSledge]

God I love him

 

[Don Won]

God I love him

The balls on that guy

 

[bombreys]

If Heppell retains captaincy and Sammy has another year where he goes up another level - and becomes a little more consistent - I think he's a huge change of being captain in 2024. A young leadership group of Merrett, McGrath, Redman, Draper & Ridley would be scrumptious.

 

[yodellinhank]

If Heppell retains captaincy and Sammy has another year where he goes up another level - and becomes a little more consistent - I think he's a huge change of being captain in 2024. A young leadership group of Merrett, McGrath, Redman, Draper & Ridley would be scrumptious.

We're spoilt for choice.

 

[Vindicater]

Helped change the dynamic yesterday.

 

[Milanista28]

Helped change the dynamic yesterday.

Clearly levels above Phillips and Bryan. Hope he goes up a few levels this year, needs to get that inconsistency out of his game if he wants to be elite.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Just flicked a switch when he came on.

 

[Red Black and Blue]

He looks every bit the top 10 ruck atm. Top 3 by the end of the year is my guess.

 

[HawkerHurricane]

Is this the time of the year where some bright spark makes a ‘SuperCoach questions thread’

haha, yep, fair call, i'll just leave this here and leave you alone, good luck for season '23
(after watching this he's back in my team )

 

[Don Won]

haha, yep, fair call, i'll just leave this here and leave you alone, good luck for season '23
(after watching this he's back in my team )

Didn’t mean to run you off, you’ve been polite and respectful! I’m just not in to SuperCoach (anymore)

And Draper is worth having just to enjoy the highlights reel.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

Blues weigh up McGovern selection; three-club AFLW mega trade; ‘fire in the belly’, says Draper

Three key Blues, including Mitch McGovern, emerged unscathed from a VFL practice match to put their hands up for round one, while several rivals will also take the chance to get extra game time into AFL-listed players.

www.theage.com.au

Captains’ finals snub providing Essendon with ‘fire in the belly’​

Ronny Lerner
Essendon was one of just five clubs not tipped to make the finals this year in the annual AFL captains’ survey this week, and Bombers cult hero Sam Draper said it has given his team added motivation to finish in the top eight.

The Dons last made the finals in 2021, and have been somewhat of a yo-yo club having finished in the top eight six times in the last 13 years. But they are still searching for their first finals win since 2004.
But Draper was adamant that, despite only winning seven games in 2022, it was wrong to write off Essendon so early in the year.

Sam Draper shows some dash last year.CREDIT:AFL PHOTOS / GETTY IMAGES

“Look, I obviously wasn’t too happy to see that,” the emerging ruckman said of the survey results on Friday.
“But for our group, and for me in particular, it puts a bit of fire in the belly, and makes me want to prove people wrong.

“We’re not here just to take part, we’re here to go far into finals and go well.”
During the week Essendon legend Matthew Lloyd told 3AW that the Bombers had to be “tougher” and “nastier” in 2023, and Draper agreed.
“If you want to be a good team like, say, (premiers) Geelong for example, they’ve got a bit of a nasty streak in them so you’ve got to be really competitive,” Draper said.

Essendon’s midfield has come under scrutiny for being undersized, hence their decision to recruit the big-bodied Will Setterfield

12

Will Setterfield

Age

26

Ht

192cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.3

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

5.8

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.6

5star

CL

1.8

4star

D

14.0

3star

K

8.9

4star

HB

5.1

3star

M

1.9

2star

T

4.4

5star

CL

2.9

4star

D

13.4

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

1.4

4star

from Carlton in the off-season, but Draper went as far as to say that his on-ball unit could “definitely” help win the Bombers a premiership.
“We’ve got a really diverse group there and they’ve got a lot of strengths. I think if we put it all together, we could be really dangerous,” Draper said.

“We’ve seen patches of it, we’re just striving for some more consistency, so that’s what a big focus this pre-season has been – a lot of our contest work – so I think we’ve got the boys who can do it.”

 

[Red Black and Blue]

Pretty close to a four goal game. Had Durham pinch one at the end and robbed of a mark/obvious front on call about 10 metres out as well. Bullied the undersized hawks.

 

[Ati Tude]

Pretty close to a four goal game. Had Durham pinch one at the end and robbed of a mark/obvious front on call about 10 metres out as well. Bullied the undersized hawks.

He had 9 possessions and 11 hit outs. 2 goals is a good contribution but overall, he didn't do enough against average opposition. Only round 1, so plenty of time for him but he doesnt do enough for all the hype he gets for mine. Big test this week. Up against Witts who had 51 hit outs. Yes, you can say hit outs are over-rated and stuff like that, but I think he needs to give us more.

 

[andleanback]

He had 9 possessions and 11 hit outs. 2 goals is a good contribution but overall, he didn't do enough against average opposition. Only round 1, so plenty of time for him but he doesnt do enough for all the hype he gets for mine. Big test this week. Up against Witts who had 51 hit outs. Yes, you can say hit outs are over-rated and stuff like that, but I think he needs to give us more.

Draper has struggled against those really big boys in his career so far.

 

[astrowizzle]

I like the way he was called for blocking when the Hawks ruck just kept running into him

 

[Red Black and Blue]

He had 9 possessions and 11 hit outs. 2 goals is a good contribution but overall, he didn't do enough against average opposition. Only round 1, so plenty of time for him but he doesnt do enough for all the hype he gets for mine. Big test this week. Up against Witts who had 51 hit outs. Yes, you can say hit outs are over-rated and stuff like that, but I think he needs to give us more.

I thought he was top 7-8 players for us. He does so much that doesnt end up in stats. Hes very much like Mumford who could be the most influtential bloke on the field with 8 touches. I agree that he does need to do it against better oppositon though.

 

[Lore]

Draper, Phillips enjoy sensory experience in McLaren Vale

Sam Draper returns to where he grew up to sample the inspired cuisine and winemaking at the five-storey d'Arenberg Cube

www.afl.com.au

Random af. Draper and Erin Phillips doing stuff in SA. She's the captain of Port's AFLW side, grew up there, father/daughter for them. Lived there at least the last five years after coming back from her basketball career overseas. But Drapes seems to be more actually familiar with SA than she is despite not living there for 7-8 years

 

[Reximilian]

Draper, Phillips enjoy sensory experience in McLaren Vale

Sam Draper returns to where he grew up to sample the inspired cuisine and winemaking at the five-storey d'Arenberg Cube

www.afl.com.au

Random af. Draper and Erin Phillips doing stuff in SA. She's the captain of Port's AFLW side, grew up there, father/daughter for them. Lived there at least the last five years after coming back from her basketball career overseas. But Drapes seems to be more actually familiar with SA than she is despite not living there for 7-8 years

Adelaide doesn’t change that much in 8 years and the southern suburbs are a bit apart from the rest of the city, especially as far south as Old Reynella. Drapes would know that area and MacLaren Vale very well. One of my old workmates said he was still half drunk at schoolies in Victor when Dodoro called to tell him they’d draft him. Drapes didn’t believe him at first but then had to leg it back to Adelaide to get a flight that night and left all his gear in Victor.

 

[Alberto_Magnifico]

I don't know if this has been posted previously but still, check out this young lad

 

[eth-dog]

Plays better with a second ruck.

 

[ghostdog]

Drapes helping Eddie rediscover the glory days.

 

[BrunoV]

Is that the second time he has taken Grundy apart?

Big marks, goals, hit outs to advantage and a massive presence. All the things you want from your number 1 big man.

Grundy didn't really have an answer. Who cares about a few runs.

 

[Kyptastic]

Draper’s currently the leading goal kicker amongst ruckmen in the comp