Tbh, I don't think SDK should be feeling any heat at all. He's a KPD and not even 21 yet. Don't be surprised if he doesn't play seniors for the first half of the season.
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AFLW 2024 - Round 10 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Rookie 28: Oliver Dempsey (2021 - )
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Tbh, I don't think SDK should be feeling any heat at all. He's a KPD and not even 21 yet. Don't be surprised if he doesn't play seniors for the first half of the season.
I hope he does.
I agree with the thrust of what you are saying but I come from a pov that every player that is on the list is under a time pressure of some sort. Thru no fault of their own the guys like Stephens and Sdek have had the last two years affected but it doesn't mean that they gets a free pass. Just being on the list means there are others that want their position.
Everyone thinks that have heaps of time..till they work out that times up. Sdek is probably different to most on our list. Kueger going means he has little comp for replacing a retiring player.The lack of recruitment etc, and faith they seem to have in him... means he is prime candidate for a KPD role, but Id not want to be him and go another year not being selected..thru bad luck, injury or whatever.
He need to do whats ever is required this preseason and do enough to start being part of the best22. I expect him to do that.
In comparison to Stephens he would feel he is on track, but time stops for no one.
dazbroncos
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clearly some have shorter leashes than others time wise... but CS and SDEK dont need to star this year IMO.
They need to play regular stints of footy at either level and if the VFL they need to flash and flash well...but IMO they still have time.
GO Catters
Ollie expects smooth transition
NEW Geelong rookie Ollie Dempsey is confident time spent in elite junior basketball programs will help transition to the AFL.
Dempsey was a shock selection with the Cats’ lone rookie draft pick last Friday, having played no organised football since under-14 level before returning to the game this year.
However, he showed enough in school football with Carey Grammar and in the VAFA under-19 competition with Old Carey Grammarians to attract interest from the Cats, reigning premier Melbourne and Port Adelaide.
“I had a few clubs interested, and one of them was obviously Geelong,” Dempsey said.
“I got a call 15 minutes before the rookie draft, and they said they were going to take me.
“It makes the process pretty painless, which is good, and I’m just excited to get to work.”
Dempsey only decided late last year to return to football – but with the intention of going back to basketball for the 2022 season.
“12 months ago, I thought I’d have a year of footy with my mates and then go back to basketball next year,” he said.
“As soon as I played my first game and had my pre-season, I was like, “I kind of like this”, and I was really enjoying it, so I thought I’d stick it out.
“It’s pretty crazy to think 12 months ago I wasn’t even remotely thinking about the AFL.”
During his basketball stint, Dempsey worked closely with NBL great Darryl McDonald.
“He came over to my house and did a lot of private training from when I was young,” Dempsey said.
“He’s definitely been an influence for my basketball and journey to here where I am today.”
NEW Geelong rookie Ollie Dempsey is confident time spent in elite junior basketball programs will help transition to the AFL.
Dempsey was a shock selection with the Cats’ lone rookie draft pick last Friday, having played no organised football since under-14 level before returning to the game this year.
However, he showed enough in school football with Carey Grammar and in the VAFA under-19 competition with Old Carey Grammarians to attract interest from the Cats, reigning premier Melbourne and Port Adelaide.
“I had a few clubs interested, and one of them was obviously Geelong,” Dempsey said.
“I got a call 15 minutes before the rookie draft, and they said they were going to take me.
“It makes the process pretty painless, which is good, and I’m just excited to get to work.”
Dempsey only decided late last year to return to football – but with the intention of going back to basketball for the 2022 season.
“12 months ago, I thought I’d have a year of footy with my mates and then go back to basketball next year,” he said.
“As soon as I played my first game and had my pre-season, I was like, “I kind of like this”, and I was really enjoying it, so I thought I’d stick it out.
“It’s pretty crazy to think 12 months ago I wasn’t even remotely thinking about the AFL.”
During his basketball stint, Dempsey worked closely with NBL great Darryl McDonald.
“He came over to my house and did a lot of private training from when I was young,” Dempsey said.
“He’s definitely been an influence for my basketball and journey to here where I am today.”
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Best part of that for me is Darryl McDonald must’ve seen the talent, he took it on board.
Training and being in the gym looks to have been part of his program and I find it very likely Geelong also Reached out to McDonald so know more about the kid.
Even if this doesn’t work out, it’s great a kid got his chance of a list. The exact way a rookie list should be used
He was probably playing against school teams that had half of their team from NAB League players, and if he was dominating in school footy then they would've put NAB League players on him... Just my guess. I think in terms of upside, he might have the most from this draft class, but also probably going to need a bit more development. I mean I don't want to say it, but he can mark the footy and bang goals like Ablett Senior, also at 185cm is the same. Even if he is realistically half as good as Ablett Senior, we might have a super talent.
Poor kid, from school footy to half of god
What you think SDK mite not play the first half of the season? The start of the season is when the young guy's get more of a chance as they drop off later in the season from fatigue
Certainly wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't. He's only played one senior game, and the club seemed to have Kreuger ahead of him last season. People on this board seem to think he's going to come in and replace Henderson, he's a 20 year old lanky kid who hasn't played much footy at all in the past two years.
Same goes for guys like Stengle, Stephens, Stevens, Neale, Evans, etc. These guys aren't going to be the difference next year. They may be able to come in and play a role but none of them will play 22 games, some won't play at all.
They will be like most young kids they are going to have ups and downs but they need games, So they will all be tried and some will get more games than others....They are the future...oh and SDK will be a star don't worry
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Good footage there of his movements. He's probably going to be more of one of those wirey types, based on his legs. But he should be bigger than Waybill was. He's not in Ablett Senior mould, even though supposedly this kid was averaging 10 shots at goal per game in College footy (though not sure if that was accurate in the article)... He reminds me more of how Ken Hinkley used to move. Showing my age.
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If you really wanted to show your age, you could say he moves like another Ken - Ken Newland.
Like a young Mick Turner?
Really like Oliver’s balance and burst speed in his first few steps - can really see the influence of basketball. Not the most brilliant ball drop but his kicking has a nice low contact with the foot.
Very skinny (and facially could pass for a 15 YO!) - will need two years minimum to build up bulk. (Apparently Senior was very skinny, when he first arrived at Hawthorn but that is absolutely where I’ll stop with any reference to Gaz !)
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More like Leo Turner, actually
Jhye Clark 13
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If he turns out be half the player Turner was we have a beauty.
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I do agree playing 22 games in your first year at a finals club is the exception rather than the rule (selwood basically did but he will be a hall of famer most kids arent that good) its more likely they play half the year like holmes did. That said youve got to acknowledge SDK has a better chance than most due to our list composition. Eg i like evans and i think hes a diamond in the rough but he will have to push past at least one of miers (coaches love him) close (career best year) rohan (finals failure but very good in HA) plus stengle (at the age where he can slot straight in) plus dahl anf higgins on the fringes etc. Whereas with no kreuger and hendo sdk has very little competition for that spot. Weve basically played 3 key defenders all year every year since 2007 (lonergan replaced egan then rivers replaced scarlo then when riv went hendo came in etc plus blitz went back weve never played a short defence) and we dont seem to consider kolo a kpd as we rarely play him on the oppositions tallest forward (blitz and hendo used to get that job and henry sometimes does but kolo usually plays on mediums). Now its possible kelly changes that structure but if he doesnt sdk is getting a lot of games unless we do something radical (like turn sav into a key back) because we have no other key backs on the list. I dont expect him to play 22 games purely as he will need rests but i expect him to play more than holmes did.
CS and our MC have shown that they simply won't play someone if they're not good enough, regardless of what hole that might create in the team structure. We've played games without a genuine ruck for this reason. If SDK isn't up to the level, the MC won't play him and they'll find ways to cover that KPD role. It's easier to gift someone like Ratugolea games as a KPF, you can't hide your KPDs.
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TheBrownDog
I agree he wont play if he isnt good enough. That said the structure comment is important as players get picked all the time or not picked due to structure (blitz is a great example as a rookie he got picked in his debut year purely because all our other rucks were injured that month and we didnt want to change the structure to go in with no ruck..over the course of weeks and months he then locked in his spot on form merit). I was simply pointing out that of all the players currently outside the best 22 he has a clearer path into the 22 than the rest of those untried kids which i think is true. The pre season games will give us a good indication of where he sits.
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I like him. I just want the new boys to come in hungry. Weve had a few coasters lately (not just the ones from the West). I bit of desire would get us closer to where we want to be.
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He's about half the pace of Micky Turner but most are.
Don't worry about SDK the only thing is he will be up and down like most kids, but he will show glimpses of what he can do in the future, Just got to get games in him
Wow just seen Ollie in some footage on gfc website..We will have to rebuild him looks so young and skinny no AFL for him next year
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Like 99.9% of new AFL players, he's nothing like any previous players, be it LTurner, MTurner, KHinkley, KNewland or GAblett.
Really like this rookie draft pick, nice size and great athletic traits but a footy player when I look at him. Agile fast, likes to mark overhead, not to skinny but with plenty of development to come, actually has nice muscle mass for a kid. Good arms.
I reckon we did well here, and wouldn't surprise me he shows a bit early.
I reckon we did well here, and wouldn't surprise me he shows a bit early.
