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

 

[ant555]

I’ll stand by my comment that he is a handbrake to this football side.

No Gawn against a midfield missing Trac and an out of form Oliver and he barely breaks even against the might of Petty and Van Rooyen.

Deplorable doesn’t even begin to start with how frustrated I am with the constant dumb shit he does



On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Agree he is a bit of a handbrake although the wet weather negated any advantage we may have got.
Any physical presence he has is negated by some of the under 12 level stuff he does.

 

[boncer34]

He was always a bit of a project player and has only ever had 1 full season of senior football. But coming into 26 do you continue to hope the old adage that talls take time holds true? Or do you cut and run?

 

[ant555]

He was always a bit of a project player and has only ever had 1 full season of senior football. But coming into 26 do you continue to hope the old adage that talls take time holds true? Or do you cut and run?

If the Crows want to come hard then go for it . For me the dumb low footy IQ shit hinders us more than the few X factor moments he produces or his physical game. He was simply in the way a lot of the time last night and his skills are under 10 level at times. There is just too much gap between his good and bad.

 

[BomberTime]

Give me Bryan, if he had the rest of the year to get the speed of the game and continuity I’m sure he would be better than Draper.

He has genuine ruck craft, moves well and is not a complete moron.

Let Sam do the beer ads, the podcasts and his Instagram.

I know we are going to lose Bryan and he will go on to forge a great career whilst we are stuck with this clumsy buffoon.

 

[ant555]

Give me Bryan, if he had the rest of the year to get the speed of the game and continuity I’m sure he would be better than Draper.

He has genuine ruck craft, moves well and is not a complete moron.

Let Sam do the beer ads, the podcasts and his Instagram.

I know we are going to lose Bryan and he will go on to forge a great career whilst we are stuck with this clumsy bafoon.

Until Bryan works out how to use his size outside the ruck he will always be a poor mans Tim English. That is our problem. We have a buffoon . A bloke who can not add any physicality to the side and a bloke who is at the end of the road .

 

[BomberTime]

Until Bryan works out how to use his size outside the ruck he will always be a poor mans Tim English. That is our problem. We have a buffoon . A bloke who can not add any physicality to the side and a bloke who is at the end of the road .

No doubt you are right.

I just think we have more chance of Bryan learning to use his size at AFL level than Sam ever learning not to be a giant buffoon.

We won’t pull the trigger though and just let Bryan dominate at VFL level and then trade him for a 3rd rd pick.

 

[ant555]

No doubt you are right.

I just think we have more chance of Bryan learning to use his size at AFL level than Sam ever learning not to be a giant buffoon.

We won’t pull the trigger though and just let Bryan dominate at VFL level and then trade him for a 3rd rd pick.

Why is Bryan going to learn how to use his size around the ground at AFL level compared to the VFL ? You have to want to do it. Does not matter what level it is at. So far he has not shown it at AFL level either and he is the same player he was at the start of 2022. There has ben zero improvement.

 

[BomberTime]

Why is Bryan going to learn how to use his size around the ground at AFL level compared to the VFL ? You have to want to do it. Does not matter what level it is at. So far he has not shown it at AFL level either and he is the same player he was at the start of 2022. There has ben zero improvement.

One game in and then out doesn’t help him.
I’ve seen him use his size at VFL level, I think it’s a confidence thing at senior level.

 

[ant555]

One game in and then out doesn’t help him.
I’ve seen him use his size at VFL level, I think it’s a confidence thing at senior level.

When ? In the ruck contest yes. Around the ground no. It is something I have been watching closely as it is the one thing that is stopping him from taking the next step. Plenty of live games watching him and if he has improved physically.
In the match sim over summer he had an opportunity to take the number one spot. With Draper out injured he rucked against Goldy every week and he could not match him. He got a full half in the practice match against Geelong and was horrible. In the one game he got he rucked against a bloke who he had been competitive against at VFL level and could not hold the form over the whole game.
It is not a confidence thing at AFL level. He is really poor at it in the VFL. People get excited about the stats and possessions and do not see he does not perform one of the basic fundamentals needed for a ruck. Physical presence around the ground and not get run off the line or under the ball in marking contests so it is not a contest. He is Peter Wright level in the physicality stakes.

 

[BomberTime]

When ? In the ruck contest yes. Around the ground no. It is something I have been watching closely as it is the one thing that is stopping him from taking the next step. Plenty of live games watching him and if he has improved physically.
In the match sim over summer he had an opportunity to take the number one spot. With Draper out injured he rucked against Goldy every week and he could not match him. He got a full half in the practice match against Geelong and was horrible. In the one game he got he rucked against a bloke who he had been competitive against at VFL level and could not hold the form over the whole game.
It is not a confidence thing at AFL level. He is really poor at it in the VFL. People get excited about the stats and possessions and do not see he does not perform one of the basic fundamentals needed for a ruck. Physical presence around the ground and not get run off the line or under the ball in marking contests so it is not a contest. He is Peter Wright level in the physicality stakes.

I agree with you, it’s definitely an area of his to work on. I guess I just have more faith in his rucking ability and faith he can tap to advantage.

We are in a tricky spot with our rucks, a 36 year old who will retire, a 26 year old buffoon who is not taking the next step and doing the basics right, and a 22 year old who lacks physicality. I’d like to think the 22 year old could become more physical with more size and confidence that he belongs at the level.

Otherwise, we are back to square 1.

 

[Yoda_]

When ? In the ruck contest yes. Around the ground no. It is something I have been watching closely as it is the one thing that is stopping him from taking the next step. Plenty of live games watching him and if he has improved physically.
In the match sim over summer he had an opportunity to take the number one spot. With Draper out injured he rucked against Goldy every week and he could not match him. He got a full half in the practice match against Geelong and was horrible. In the one game he got he rucked against a bloke who he had been competitive against at VFL level and could not hold the form over the whole game.
It is not a confidence thing at AFL level. He is really poor at it in the VFL. People get excited about the stats and possessions and do not see he does not perform one of the basic fundamentals needed for a ruck. Physical presence around the ground and not get run off the line or under the ball in marking contests so it is not a contest. He is Peter Wright level in the physicality stakes.

I don't understand the thinking unless it is a pedestal thing (aka a ruck must have a "presence") but the positives Bryan shows are seriously starting to outweigh the negatives.

He has a much better footy IQ, he is working as a link man around the ground, he has got forward to kick goals this year, his marking has improved exponentially at VFL level, the hit outs are better ten-fold than when he first arrived.

Why should we deny him the opportunity because he lacks physicality? Im a little with BomberTime on this, we know the positives he has, we know the negatives he has. Give him the opportunity to show it.

 

[ant555]

I don't understand the thinking unless it is a pedestal thing (aka a ruck must have a "presence") but the positives Bryan shows are seriously starting to outweigh the negatives.

He has a much better footy IQ, he is working as a link man around the ground, he has got forward to kick goals this year, his marking has improved exponentially at VFL level, the hit outs are better ten-fold than when he first arrived.

Why should we deny him the opportunity because he lacks physicality? Im a little with BomberTime on this, we know the positives he has, we know the negatives he has. Give him the opportunity to show it.

So you are happy he gets run off the line or under the footy easily and he puts no real pressure on ?
He is basically Peter Wright level soft in a marking contest.
I do not want my ruck to be the link man . I want my midfield and half backs to run the football.
I want my ruck to take a few marks and handball off .
He has kicked goals in 4 games out of 13.
If you are happy with a poor man’s English then good for you.
Let’s face it he even balked at tackling Tom Hird last week.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I don’t think he will ever grow out of the dumb shit. It’s too late.

He’s not a disaster, but he is what he is.

If we think Bryan will be better then play him. If not, stick with Draper.

I’d give that another 3-4 weeks. If we get to say Round 21 and are still in with a shot of Top 4, then we go with the best ruck, which is Goldstein. Try to lock in that top 4 spot and have a crack. Otherwise it’s still about the future.

 

[eth-dog]

I don’t think he will ever grow out of the dumb shit. It’s too late.

He’s not a disaster, but he is what he is.

If we think Bryan will be better then play him. If not, stick with Draper.

I’d give that another 3-4 weeks. If we get to say Round 21 and are still in with a shot of Top 4, then we go with the best ruck, which is Goldstein. Try to lock in that top 4 spot and have a crack. Otherwise it’s still about the future.

If you watched Bryan today, you wouldn't think he'll be better.

He's Bellchambers without the overall tap craft. No physical presence at all. Watching Verrall take two strong CM down the line against Bryan trying to play for frees when we needed him to stand up was very very disappointing.

 

[sup3rfish]

Until Bryan works out how to use his size outside the ruck he will always be a poor mans Tim English. That is our problem. We have a buffoon . A bloke who can not add any physicality to the side and a bloke who is at the end of the road .

What areas would you look at for Draper to improve?
Bryan its physicality around the ground. Goldy its father time slowing him down.
What is it for Draper?

 

[ant555]

What areas would you look at for Draper to improve?
Bryan its physicality around the ground. Goldy its father time slowing him down.
What is it for Draper?

Footy IQ and skills . Neither have progressed far. Even his tap work was predictable on Saturday. The only area he has improved in is he can now play 80% game time rather than 60%

 

[Old Campaigner]

trade him to the crom as a pre agent imo

we'd probably jag a first round pick

 

[windyhill]

Yeah but he’s a “character “ FMD.

 

[Jobe Watson]

Can't strut around like a dickhead then miss a 15m set shot.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Just had to pop it through instead of trying to kick the cover off it

 

[ghostdog]

Immature.

 

[boncer34]

He was always a bit of a project player and has only ever had 1 full season of senior football. But coming into 26 do you continue to hope the old adage that talls take time holds true? Or do you cut and run?

 

[SpeckieMcVeigh]

Missing from ten metres out is ****ing nasty work. Knew we'd lose a close one from that moment.

 

[Petrify]

He missed a sitter but played an otherwise great game. Plenty of other people to be more mad at than him.

 

[bacon buster]

He got destroyed by O'Brien in the last 10 mins.