Training 2025 Pre-Season

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Nat Fyfe averaged 25 touches and 4 clearances a game in his second season after being drafted as a scrawny tall

If he's genuinely elite he should be front and centre in his second season. Third season at the latest

Daniel Curtin was drafted at 197cm and weighed 95 kilo.

Fyfe was drafted at 188cm and 75kilo.

May as well compare Caleb Daniels development curve to Max Gawn.

Look at other players around Curtin's height / build who had their breakouts in year 5 - Hawkins/Walker/Josh Kennedy. Jack Riewoldt had his breakout season in his 4th year.

The bigger the player - the longer they generally take to develop. 15+ games should be the goal for Curtin in 2025.
 
Daniel Curtin was drafted at 197cm and weighed 95 kilo.

Fyfe was drafted at 188cm and 75kilo.

May as well compare Caleb Daniels development curve to Max Gawn.

Look at other players around Curtin's height / build who had their breakouts in year 5 - Hawkins/Walker/Josh Kennedy. Jack Riewoldt had his breakout season in his 4th year.

The bigger the player - the longer they generally take to develop. 15+ games should be the goal for Curtin in 2025.
Not sure about that. Clearly, rucks and KPDs do take longer, but do taller mids/flankers/3rd talls take longer?

Bont was very good in his second season iirc. Cripps was averaging 23 touches in his second year.
 
Not sure about that. Clearly, rucks and KPDs do take longer, but do taller mids/flankers/3rd talls take longer?

Bont was very good in his second season iirc. Cripps was averaging 23 touches in his second year.
Curtin hasn't spent that much time as a midfielder, so it'll take a little longer.

That said, a kid with his talent won't take too long to adjust. Late on in the season he looked confident around stoppage and up forward.

That's where he should stay
 

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Daniel Curtin was drafted at 197cm and weighed 95 kilo.

Fyfe was drafted at 188cm and 75kilo.

May as well compare Caleb Daniels development curve to Max Gawn.

Look at other players around Curtin's height / build who had their breakouts in year 5 - Hawkins/Walker/Josh Kennedy. Jack Riewoldt had his breakout season in his 4th year.

The bigger the player - the longer they generally take to develop. 15+ games should be the goal for Curtin in 2025.

Right so Curtin was more physically developed than Fyfe and more ready to play AFL
 
Anyway here's another example. Patrick Cripps was a 190cm (grew to 195cm) 90kg kid when he was drafted, and in his second year was averaging 24 disposals and 7 clearances a game

I guess if we believe he's a key forward then we can expect his development to be a lot slower. But I'm not sure many people think he is.

If he's actually an elite midfielder like we hope, then he should be showing that quite quickly and needs to be prioritized in that role
 
Not sure about that. Clearly, rucks and KPDs do take longer, but do taller mids/flankers/3rd talls take longer?

Bont was very good in his second season iirc. Cripps was averaging 23 touches in his second year.

There are not many examples of great midfielders taking time to evolve at AFL level. It's typically evident in the 2nd season, or at the latest, the 3rd season. That's what needs to be planned for (as in, giving these players their best roles to prove themselves)

Unless Curtin is playing a true key position role, we need to lower our expectations of his ceiling if he isn't producing in the next 1-2 seasons
 
Curtin reminds me a bit of Andrew Embley. Give him a run on the wing and half forward flank. His strength seems to be his elite kicking and his natural size he, and we as a team, can use to advantage. If he goes close to a Cripps style of player we can use in the middle, we've hit the jackpot. He doesn't seem like a key position player at either end to me, but I can picture him drifting to the forward 50 and causing issues in the air for the opposition if they don't have a match up.
 
There are not many examples of great midfielders taking time to evolve at AFL level. It's typically evident in the 2nd season, or at the latest, the 3rd season. That's what needs to be planned for (as in, giving these players their best roles to prove themselves)
100%

If we think we have a jet dont put the handbrake on

Its really frustrating to see a long development cycle in the SANFL which does nothing but stifle real talent

12-15 games for Curtin and at least 8 with significant midfield minutes
 

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100%

If we think we have a jet dont put the handbrake on

Its really frustrating to see a long development cycle in the SANFL which does nothing but stifle real talent

12-15 games for Curtin and at least 8 with significant midfield minutes
The people who think Curtin's time in the SANFL was valuable for his development were not watching those games.
 
The people who think Curtin's time in the SANFL was valuable for his development were not watching those games.

Its safe to say at this stage, Nicks arrogance was not helpful for Curtins development. Thank god we did an about face midseason and changed tact by playing him actual positions he plays well in.
 

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