Player Watch #22: Taylor Goad - #20 in '23 ND - the Unicorn

[Warlord69]

I’m still not sure whether a 2.96s 20m time is actually that beneficial for a ruck prospect.
Two questions immediately came to mind when we drafted him:
1. Is he still quick when he’s filled out and carrying 105kg?
2. Is straight line speed actually important for a ruck? I’d prefer agility and vertical leap. Not often do rucks bounce the ball let alone run and carry.
Guess he could be his own player but not sure whether a ruck whose main trait is that he runs really quick over 20m is something we’ve seen succeed. Not saying it can’t happen but he’s an incredibly unique prospect. Maybe he turns into a 207cm monster key defender who has the height to go with the Darcy’s and King’s but also has the closing speed. Or maybe they try to develop him into a key forward. Can’t get my head around it as a ruck however.

 

[giantroo]

I’m still not sure whether a 2.96s 20m time is actually that beneficial for a ruck prospect.
Two questions immediately came to mind when we drafted him:
1. Is he still quick when he’s filled out and carrying 105kg?
2. Is straight line speed actually important for a ruck? I’d prefer agility and vertical leap. Not often do rucks bounce the ball let alone run and carry.
Guess he could be his own player but not sure whether a ruck whose main trait is that he runs really quick over 20m is something we’ve seen succeed. Not saying it can’t happen but he’s an incredibly unique prospect. Maybe he turns into a 207cm monster key defender who has the height to go with the Darcy’s and King’s but also has the closing speed. Or maybe they try to develop him into a key forward. Can’t get my head around it as a ruck however.

Just a reminder:

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

I’m still not sure whether a 2.96s 20m time is actually that beneficial for a ruck prospect.
Two questions immediately came to mind when we drafted him:
1. Is he still quick when he’s filled out and carrying 105kg?
2. Is straight line speed actually important for a ruck? I’d prefer agility and vertical leap. Not often do rucks bounce the ball let alone run and carry.
Guess he could be his own player but not sure whether a ruck whose main trait is that he runs really quick over 20m is something we’ve seen succeed. Not saying it can’t happen but he’s an incredibly unique prospect. Maybe he turns into a 207cm monster key defender who has the height to go with the Darcy’s and King’s but also has the closing speed. Or maybe they try to develop him into a key forward. Can’t get my head around it as a ruck however.

I think you have answered your own question there.

If Goad's speed over 20 metres is what it is then he should be looked at as a key forward prospect. Strong leading and marking with arms out stretched - then he will need to learn how to kick. Think Paul Salmon for those in their vintage years.

However his progress to date seems more like a Cat B rookie - basically walked half of the pre season sessions I went to as his conditioning was just so poor. Any actual football work seemed to be educational rather than match play specific.

I recall Spider Burton being the first 'project' ruckman - I would see Goad in the same boat. He seemingly has a super power with his speed/height ratio but there is literally years of hard work (and eating) in front of him.

 

[Psicosis]

Xerri was a project ruckman that up until a few months ago, was universally thought of as a hack. Anyone that thought he was closer to AA calculations than being delisted would have been considered delusional. That was after 7? 8? Years in the system.

Memo to everyone that feels compelled to post in here. These big fellas take time. A lot of time. So unless you have something positive to say about his development, best shutting the f*** up.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Wonder how many meals a day he's on at the moment.

 

[Kangalongtime]

Wonder how many meals a day he's on at the moment.

Funny you ask
I saw him at my local Coles last night
He had a lot of chicken in his trolley
And he is drinking full fat milk
#goodsigns

 

[Zondor]

Xerri was a project ruckman that up until a few months ago, was universally thought of as a hack. Anyone that thought he was closer to AA calculations than being delisted would have been considered delusional. That was after 7? 8? Years in the system.

Memo to everyone that feels compelled to post in here. These big fellas take time. A lot of time. So unless you have something positive to say about his development, best shutting the f*** up.

Listen up Psicosis. You will find that some of the criticism in this thread is directed more so at the fact that pick 20 was used on a project ruckman that by your own admission will take a number of years to develop. Sure the odd poster is criticising Goad’s current output at VFL level as ordinary. But the stats don’t lie. He ain’t finding the pill. This fact is being used to justify why you don’t use pick 20 on a project player. Plus you can argue that rucks really don’t win you games of football or premierships. Apart from the Gawn / Jackson combo where have a gun ruck won yah a Premiership. You’d probably have to go all the way back to our own McKernan. Xerri has been great this year. However we sit in 2nd last. Goldy as a ruck was seen as one of the best in the comp. How did that help us throughout the years? You know I make sense. Eat Lamb. :stern look

 

[Merlin007]

Funny you ask
I saw him at my local Coles last night
He had a lot of chicken in his trolley
And he is drinking full fat milk
#goodsigns

Shinboners don't do soy

 

[Liam Boy]

Shinboners don't do soy

 

[roospur]

Moves very much like McKernan to my eye. See it time and again on this forum, people have zero patience. The Xerri stuff was equally hilarious. Will be lots of egg on faces with this guy as well.

 

[Shermanator]

Moves very much like McKernan to my eye. See it time and again on this forum, people have zero patience. The Xerri stuff was equally hilarious. Will be lots of egg on faces with this guy as well.

Like it.

 

[Merlin007]

Yeah but what about his dodgey knee, clearly calcium deficient

 

[krakouers]

How has he been going in the ruck Kangaroos4eva ?

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

How has he been going in the ruck Kangaroos4eva ?

He’s been rucking?

Pretty much played back the last three months or so. Clearly lacking in fitness and strength, but I think both have marginally improved, albeit noticeably. Going to be a slow burn. Has done some intermittent ruck work, but his strength limitations has restricted his time in there. Has a bit of ruck craft, but hard to tell atm.

 

[shinboner magic]

I’m still not sure whether a 2.96s 20m time is actually that beneficial for a ruck prospect.
Two questions immediately came to mind when we drafted him:
1. Is he still quick when he’s filled out and carrying 105kg?
2. Is straight line speed actually important for a ruck? I’d prefer agility and vertical leap. Not often do rucks bounce the ball let alone run and carry.
Guess he could be his own player but not sure whether a ruck whose main trait is that he runs really quick over 20m is something we’ve seen succeed. Not saying it can’t happen but he’s an incredibly unique prospect. Maybe he turns into a 207cm monster key defender who has the height to go with the Darcy’s and King’s but also has the closing speed. Or maybe they try to develop him into a key forward. Can’t get my head around it as a ruck however.

Time will tell

Just a reminder:

Wow

After those highlights - the thing that comes to mind is that we don’t need mids, Goady can do it all

 

[the big lebowski]

Competing in the Olympics triple jump under the alias Murphy

 

[Caracas]

Moves very much like McKernan to my eye. See it time and again on this forum, people have zero patience. The Xerri stuff was equally hilarious. Will be lots of egg on faces with this guy as well.

If he turns into another McKernan, we’re definitely winning multiple flags. Of course, he’ll need to be challenging for a Brownlow at 22…

 

[Topparoo]

They are great highlights. I have watched every VFL match this year and have not seen him perform any of those feats. Is it the selective nature of highlights that make him look so good? Is it as simple as he’s gone from playing against boys to playing against men that has made him look very ordinary? Surely he should have been able to show a bit of that SANFL form this year even though he’s playing out of position.

 

[Shermanator]

 

[scottywiper]

They are great highlights. I have watched every VFL match this year and have not seen him perform any of those feats. Is it the selective nature of highlights that make him look so good? Is it as simple as he’s gone from playing against boys to playing against men that has made him look very ordinary? Surely he should have been able to show a bit of that SANFL form this year even though he’s playing out of position.

The Edwards phenomenon.

 

[Sillygit]

The Edwards phenomenon.

He's not edwards

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

For the impatient doubters fascinated with draft picks spent: an easy logic to the Goad situation is to just compare his freakish potential in three years (pick 20 spent, second rounder) to what we spent on the last ruck traded in (pick 20 spent, second rounder).

 

[roos_tt29]

Remember all the talk on Big X. I was also in the camp of having almost written him off. I now have egg on my face and can admit that.

Let's give this fella some time. If he came on well in his first year as a ruck I would've been super surprised.
Let's just wait and see. No rush.

 

[apollo_creed]

The good thing is him not being ready in 2025 or probably even 2026 doesn't matter as Xerri has exceeded the expectations of everyone, even those positive on him at the start of the season.

The reality is for Goad to play (alongside Xerri) he needs to develop other parts of his game and develop himself into a forward option who rucks. That's where his role could be as the likes of CCJ, Pink and Teakle have been serviceable at best but have given nothing to suggest they're a part of a best 22 in a good side going forward.

 

[Sphynx]

Remember all the talk on Big X. I was also in the camp of having almost written him off. I now have egg on my face and can admit that.

Let's give this fella some time. If he came on well in his first year as a ruck I would've been super surprised.
Let's just wait and see. No rush.

People should go back further to the Big H.

Literally one of the most disgraceful excuses for a league footballer you have even seen plying away in Port Melbourne's reserves (i.e AFL 3rds), could barely run a lap at that point either.

Revisit this in 3 years, if anything Xerri means this is a complete free carry for a few years, as there's no pressure on him other than the event of a major injury to Xerri, just let him physically develop.

What I don't agree with is playing him in the backline and Free in the ruck, as an absolute minimum he should be playing 50% ruck, even if he gets pantsed physically.

He's going to have a hell of an apprenticeship in the physical stakes having to battle the Big X every preseason.