50 names on recruiters lists

[nesko_25]

Been talking to some other Pioneers people and we had an interesting chat over Geary and Avery and who is more valuable to the team. We both agreed that it was certainly Avery because of his skills, athletisicm and drive that he gives off the back line. Geary does alot but mainly because of Averys good work. Any thoughts on this gentlemen??? Also lets keep the posts up lately I have been the only one talking.

Hey xfactor, ur obviously right up on the pios so could u tell me who u think is there best player (connors, avery, weeks, o'brien and geary?), after selwood. Was at the pios stringrays match, i reckon Connors was best on but Jonnie Coghlan and Fordy put on a great display (Avery, O'Brien and Geary played well). I also see wat u mean about Jono Lee. Hows Weeka goin, i see he was heavily tagged (not for the first time).

At the huddles during quarter time and 3 quarter time i noticed alot of boys injured (15 if i'm correct). Florance with a fractured hip? What happened 2 pios best CHF Lech Featherstone. Lots of handy players out with Holmesy, Marc Millard and Jay Donaldson, wen are them boys set 4 a come back?

 

[xfactor]

I think that the best players out of them would have to be O'brien and Avery. Obrien provides them with great strength in the back line and is a really good pillar of strentgh down there. Him and Avery have a very good undertsanding of each others game and play quite well of each other. Avery provides them great run and drive of the backline and allowws others such as Connors and Geary to do thier work through the midfield. I think Geary is a good player without being great. He is probably one of the best midfielders in the Pioneers but probably not good enough to be able to break a tag, he wouldnt be half as good if it wasnt for players like Connors Obrien and Avery supplying the ball to him. I think the main reason that the Pio's have done much better this year compared to previos years is the emergance of Jono Lee. All good teams need a good ruckman and thats what the Pio's have got with Lee. Maybe a more potent midfield would be able to utilize him a bit better. I do beleive that fitness is a problem with the Pio's as they seem to be able to match it with teams for the first three quarters but then fade in the last, maybe that could be compounding some of thier injury woes. Overall i think thier most imporant players are Avery Obrien and Lee, all of who should be drafted at the end of this year.

 

[Thunderstruck]

Thow in Adam Cockshell from SA as well. 199cm 19yo similar to Justin Westhoff (not quite as good but not that thin either). Playing well for Norwood in SANFL, in the best a few times, kicking goals from CHF mostly.

 

[NavyBlues]

I think that the best players out of them would have to be O'brien and Avery. Obrien provides them with great strength in the back line and is a really good pillar of strentgh down there. Him and Avery have a very good undertsanding of each others game and play quite well of each other. Avery provides them great run and drive of the backline and allowws others such as Connors and Geary to do thier work through the midfield. I think Geary is a good player without being great. He is probably one of the best midfielders in the Pioneers but probably not good enough to be able to break a tag, he wouldnt be half as good if it wasnt for players like Connors Obrien and Avery supplying the ball to him. I think the main reason that the Pio's have done much better this year compared to previos years is the emergance of Jono Lee. All good teams need a good ruckman and thats what the Pio's have got with Lee. Maybe a more potent midfield would be able to utilize him a bit better. I do beleive that fitness is a problem with the Pio's as they seem to be able to match it with teams for the first three quarters but then fade in the last, maybe that could be compounding some of thier injury woes. Overall i think thier most imporant players are Avery Obrien and Lee, all of who should be drafted at the end of this year.

X not sure i agree with you.... connors, geary weeks most important in the team avery aswell no doubt an i think ur gettin excited about jono lee i think we should turn this into a mildura thread i think the midfield has complemented him an made him look good by makin the most of whatever he taps to them which is limited

 

[xfactor]

mate judging by how you write your posts your obviously still at school and play with the Pios. Its not good to see such disunity amongst the Pioneers especially when all of you guys are working towards the same goal, getting drafted. Whatever i said about Lee was backed up by statistics. He is second for hitouts in the league and considerin that he is only 197cm or 198cm, that is a pretty godd effort. As for becomeing a mildura thread, yes I have lived in Mildura for a couple of years and played a bit in the seniors with Lee last year but I now live in Bendigo, I dont have any connection to any other player on the Pio's list, just speak what I think is correct. As for Geary, I think you could compare him to Aaron Fiora, that is when the team plays good, it makes him look good but when it doesnt then he doesnt look to flash. No doubt he is a good player but all good players step up when there team is strugling, something which I dont think Geary does.

 

[NavyBlues]

mate judging by how you write your posts your obviously still at school and play with the Pios. Its not good to see such disunity amongst the Pioneers especially when all of you guys are working towards the same goal, getting drafted. Whatever i said about Lee was backed up by statistics. He is second for hitouts in the league and considerin that he is only 197cm or 198cm, that is a pretty godd effort. As for becomeing a mildura thread, yes I have lived in Mildura for a couple of years and played a bit in the seniors with Lee last year but I now live in Bendigo, I dont have any connection to any other player on the Pio's list, just speak what I think is correct. As for Geary, I think you could compare him to Aaron Fiora, that is when the team plays good, it makes him look good but when it doesnt then he doesnt look to flash. No doubt he is a good player but all good players step up when there team is strugling, something which I dont think Geary does.

I wish i played pioneers mate im not much chop as a footballer i actually go to uni in bendigo. I dont agree with you there he has been 2nd best an best in the last two games which we( by "we" i mean bendi) have gone down in. he is a genuine player. both ways too i think he is leadin tackles and would be leading hard ball gets would luv him down at carlton i think you hav the wrong impression of him. To negative. give the kid a break

 

[daveyboy3]

These are 50 guys that I think will be under consideration come draft-camp time.


Matthew Tyler (Ballarat / COuntry) - Poor kicking action, but is very much the modern rebounding CHB who is dangerous with the ball in his hands.

.

13 marks and 5 goals gtom CHF, named first best for the rebels on the wknd.

 

[aker2dogs]

X Factor.... Jono Lee is in the top couple in the league with tap outs. But you said everygood team needs a good ruckman. Pioneers are on the bottom. Pios have a reasonable midfield with geary, weeks, ford and connors and all of them aren't scared of putting their head down and getting the hard ball. But a good ruckman has good control and precision with his taps and services his meidfielders with quality opportunity. Lee has been able to get his hand on the ball alot but any player that can jump and is 196 cm tall could rack up a ton of taps, but it is his ability of tapping is in question. Maybe pios other ruckman Troy Kelm needs to be utilised a bit more, he only gets 20% of the rucking roll because lee is the preferred option.

 

[xfactor]

Good point mate, but there isnt many 196cm ruckmans going around that can jump that high and beat other ruckamn who are usualy 200+cm tall every week. When i was reffering to a good side I was trying to mean the improvment the Pio's have made this year compared to previous ones and I am sure that all of you would agree with me there. He is second in the hitouts but in the games I have seen the midfield just doesnt seem to be able to utilize him to his full potential. Maybe there is a communication problem of some sort but I just think the midfield should just have a look at what they are doing. As for game time, I guess it just proves how fit Lee is as he is able to run out the game so well and why would you want to change ruckman when he is doing so well. As the old saying goes, you should never fix something unless its broken.

 

[Buster the hawk]

These are 50 guys that I think will be under consideration come draft-camp time.


Tom Hawkins (Melb Gr / Metro) - Neitz style power forward who can take contested marks and is prepared to be physical.

Scott Gumbleton (WA) - Athletic and mobile key forward or back who has the courage to fly.

Bryce Gibbs (SA) - covers a lot of ground accumulating touches and using it well. Not quite as dynamic as Cooney or as quick as Griffin. But in the class.

Lachlan Hansen (Gipps / Country) - Athletic and footy smart. More a CHB than a forward which will have him off top spot.

Mitchell Thorp (Tas) - A CHF at the moment, but could be a ruck-rover. Best case Pavlich, worst case Murray Vance. Player conversions can make some clubs nervous.

James Sellar (SA) - Poor championship won't hurt him much. May be caught between being a ruckman and a forward. Mobile by ruck standards, less so compared to a lot of AFL KP players.

Joel Selwood (Bendigo / Country) - Solid, footy-smart wingman. Lacks real speed and is more of an accumulater of touches. Similar to Crawford.

Daniel Connors (Bendigo / Country) - Unobtrusive but talented centreman who can play inside and outside. Quick, good skills in traffic and willing to tackle too.

Matthew Leuenberger (WA) - Geunine ruck height, good mobility and can take a mark. Willing to take his own kicks not just handball off. Not all clubs want a giant tap ruckmen these days which hurt Wood last year and might hurt Leuenberger this.

Albert Proud (Qld) - Genuine centreman with a nice aggressive streak and good skills. Standout performer at the 2005 Championships and backed it up again.

Clinton Benjamin (WA) - Forced to play CHB but is more a wingman or flanker. Struggles to win enough of the ball and is quite outside.

Ben Reid (Murray / Country) - Extremely raw and light. Struggles in the contest and in KP, but a 194cm guy who can play on the wing will catch the eye. With development he could be a modern fullback.

Jack Riewoldt (Tas) - Probably more flanker than KP type. Still very light and lacks physical presence. Probably a 3rd forward type like Ben Dixon.

Ricky Pettard (QLD) - Talented centreman who uses the ball well, has a great junior resume and prepared to work in packs.

Jarryd Morton (WA)- Pressed into service as a FB/CHB and CHF. Will appeal to AFL clubs as a wingman or flanker with good size, skill and mobility.

Jarryd Allan (Calder / Metro) - Lightly built CHB who has improved this season. Will appeal as the modern counter-attacking backman who can be trusted to carry the ball.

Brock O'Brien (WA) - specialist HBF who rebounds well, can play tight, is cool under pressure and is normally a solid kick.

Jarrad Harborw (Murray / Country) - deceptive pace, nice kick and is tricky in traffic. Goal-kicking midfielders are good value.

Tim Houlihan (Nth Ballarat / Country) - Light and raw wingman. Has pace and a good kick, needs bulk and the confidence that comes with it.

James Hawksley (WA) - Tall, quick, long kicking HBF who needs a lot of extra bulk.

Todd Pfeiffer (SA) - Lousy championship will be excused. Wingman with good long kick and skills, just needs to find the ball a little more.

Chris Schmidt (SA) - Tidy half-back or wingman who reads play well and sets up rebound. Good kick and passable pace. Looks like could play as a defensive midfielder.

Bachar Houli (Western / Metro) - Injury history will hurt him and clubs will want a medical all-clear. Also is probably just a forward flanker which will hurt his value.

Clayton Collard (WA) - Nice skills, vision and awareness seems wasted across HFF. Really needs to become a genuine on baller. Has enough talent for clubs to get excited.

Leroy Jetta (WA) - big reputation but is quick without being explosive, plays too wide and is too hit and miss with his kicking.

Jarryn Geary (Bendigo) - Cheeky around goals and reads the ball off hands very well whether up forward or off the ruckman in the centre bounce. Good pace and skills.

Travis Boak (Geelong / Country) - Genuine centreman with pace, wins the ball and generally makes good decisions.

Shane Edwards (SA) - Might be too light to be considered, but can be explosive when he chooses to be and can kick goals.

Eric McKenzie (WA) - Old-style bigger, slower CHB or CHF. Probably a bit out of fashion and may struggle to get picked up.

Josh Kennedy (Sandringham) - Centreman or tough HBF. Would have been in the centre square for Metro if not injured. Probably Hawks f/s.

Shaun Grigg (Ballarat / Country) - Solid allround game without having one standout quality.

Rhyce Prismall (Western / Metro) - Outside centreman who can also play tall.

Tom Anderson (SA) - Solid back-pocket who rebounded well for SA and showed good reading of the play.

Robert Gray (Oakleigh / Metro) - Tricky, cheeky clever forward who kicks goals and shows top-notch footy smarts.

Tom Hislop (Tas) - solid centreman who is good in close but needs to improve his kicking.

Brent Renouf (QLD) - Genuine ruck size and a good tap, but a poor kick will hold him back.

Josh Cubillo (NT) - Talented and clever around the forward line, can find himself time even in packs.

Jackson Sheringham (Geelong / Country) - Quick with good kicking skills and willingness to carry the ball.

Matt Austin (Nth Ballarat) - Grigg's understudy at Ballarat. Plays centre and goes forward and gets goals. Unobtrusive but good allround talent.

Chris Varsamakis (Northern/Metro) - Tough centreman and ball-winner. Won't go early and won't be a star but has Campbell Brown qualities of actually letting teams now he is out there.

Tim McIntyre (Murray/NSW) - Talented rover with some pace and the experience of playing back-pocket to fall back on.

Robbie Tarrant (Bendigo) - Unsighted this season. More a power forward than his brother. Should resume playing soon and will be closely watched.

Dane Avery (Bendigo) - Very outside but classy backman who uses the ball well and is damaging on the rebound.

James Frawley (Ballarat / Country) - best lock-down defender available, is athletic enough to play as a wingman but his poor kicking will hurt.

James Turner (SA) - Outside HFF who is tall and mobile, can take a turn in the centre square and showed a knack for getting on the end of play.

Tom Collier (Tas) - Solid, unobtrusive CHB who plays tight on his man and has the smarts to know when to run off and create.

Matthew Tyler (Ballarat / COuntry) - Poor kicking action, but is very much the modern rebounding CHB who is dangerous with the ball in his hands.

Andrejs Everitt (Dandenong / Metro) - Had a good championships, is OK as a counter-attacker but probably a bit loose man on man.

Peter Faulks (Calder / Metro) - Probably more a flanker than a KP player. Still light and a bit outside.

Matthew Vasilevski (Northern / Metro) - Wins a lot of the ball but can be pretty scrappy in disposing of it.

Weaver i value your opinion alot when it comes to drafting and always enjoy reading your draft predictions ,with regards to the above, why is it do you think that out of the 50 players you mention, only one Gippsland Power player (Hansen) is rated yet Gippy Power are once again occupying the top few spots on the ladder.I'm not having a shot at you by the way just because i happen to live down Gippsland because you are not the first person in the know who has not rated the Power players ,and i'd just be interested to know why out of a seemingly accomplished U/18 side that Hansen is repeatedly the only one rated.What is your opinion on Eddey or Goldsack for instance?

 

[hirdy.best.eva]

yeah im in the same boat, id like to know your opinion on ross and ryan? any chances there?

 

[saintlynewby]

Considering that the Draft Camp Notices and Screenings have gone out this week to clubs and players, does anyone think that kids that have missed out, but are a chance according to others on this board, will still possibly get a call up if they have a strong finals campaign? I'd be interested to know what others think.

 

[Weaver]

yeah im in the same boat, id like to know your opinion on ross and ryan? any chances there?

The requirements to play well in the TAC Cup and AFL are often different. Successful teams don't always have stand-out individuals. Oakleigh had two top-10 draft picks last year and missed the finals. Bendigo could well have 3-4 guys drafted and win the wooden spoon.

Every year on these forums we have the same debate about small players. People come on and say the AFL clubs SHOULD draft them but the simple truth is that every year there are 5-6 little blokes taken.

Similarly the friends / family contingent want the AFL clubs to take the top-age players but very few are taken. Maybe 15-20 tops.

Gippsland's success is built around a group of rovers who are unlikely to be drafted. Delphine, Blaser and Truscio are good TAC players but don't look to be better than the 50-60 other rovers. Tristan Francis and Michael Todd are too young.

Tom Johnson has had a good year at CHB and Ben Hughes at CHF. I included both in my guess at TAC team of the year. But at 184cm Johnson is not an AFL key forward and Hughes doesn't have the athleticism to attract the AFL scouts either.

MacAffer has had a good year as a key forward but at 184cm he is going to find it tough to get drafted. Occasionally a Matt Little will get drafted but it is very rare.

Jeff Ryan is a very good TAC half-back but he is slow by AFL standards who want their HBFers to be genuinely quick ball carriers. Very few of his type get drafted and he is well down the order behind the likes of Brock O'Brien and Chris Schmidt.

Rob Eddy should come into consideration because he has elite kicking and uses the ball well. However he is again a superb TAC player but slow by AFL standards. Guys like Hislop, Varsamakis and Proud would probably be ahead of him.

Goldsack might be an outside chance as a tall wingman. Clubs do love that type and don't ask them to prove much. However as a 19-year old 'over-age' player I think he should be showing more than he has. Clubs after his type would probably take a chance on Reid or Hawksley first.

Ben Ross is the one who might push his way into calculations. He has had good form in the 6 weeks since I posted that list. Is playing more down the ground. However as a 176cm rover the compeitition is fierce.

 

[Weaver]

Considering that the Draft Camp Notices and Screenings have gone out this week to clubs and players, does anyone think that kids that have missed out, but are a chance according to others on this board, will still possibly get a call up if they have a strong finals campaign? I'd be interested to know what others think.

Happens most years. Clubs often see the list and then moan that there aren't enough of player-type X (eg ruckmen) and then there are late call-ups.

 

[vegas_king]

The requirements to play well in the TAC Cup and AFL are often different. Successful teams don't always have stand-out individuals. Oakleigh had two top-10 draft picks last year and missed the finals. Bendigo could well have 3-4 guys drafted and win the wooden spoon.

Every year on these forums we have the same debate about small players. People come on and say the AFL clubs SHOULD draft them but the simple truth is that every year there are 5-6 little blokes taken.

Similarly the friends / family contingent want the AFL clubs to take the top-age players but very few are taken. Maybe 15-20 tops.

Gippsland's success is built around a group of rovers who are unlikely to be drafted. Delphine, Blaser and Truscio are good TAC players but don't look to be better than the 50-60 other rovers. Tristan Francis and Michael Todd are too young.

Tom Johnson has had a good year at CHB and Ben Hughes at CHF. I included both in my guess at TAC team of the year. But at 184cm Johnson is not an AFL key forward and Hughes doesn't have the athleticism to attract the AFL scouts either.

MacAffer has had a good year as a key forward but at 184cm he is going to find it tough to get drafted. Occasionally a Matt Little will get drafted but it is very rare.

Jeff Ryan is a very good TAC half-back but he is slow by AFL standards who want their HBFers to be genuinely quick ball carriers. Very few of his type get drafted and he is well down the order behind the likes of Brock O'Brien and Chris Schmidt.

Rob Eddy should come into consideration because he has elite kicking and uses the ball well. However he is again a superb TAC player but slow by AFL standards. Guys like Hislop, Varsamakis and Proud would probably be ahead of him.

Goldsack might be an outside chance as a tall wingman. Clubs do love that type and don't ask them to prove much. However as a 19-year old 'over-age' player I think he should be showing more than he has. Clubs after his type would probably take a chance on Reid or Hawksley first.

Ben Ross is the one who might push his way into calculations. He has had good form in the 6 weeks since I posted that list. Is playing more down the ground. However as a 176cm rover the compeitition is fierce.

Fair enough Weaver but i believe with Eddy his kicking is what lets him down, and a few will probably agree..

Goldsack is very versatile and is a chance as he can go nearly anywhere

I agree with johnson and hughes very good players though

Ross is a bit taller than that and isnt really a rover.. plays forward or as a winger and is very fast and has a great ability at reading the play. i think your mis-reading him a little bit.

 

[ozserpico66]

Goldsack is very versatile and is a chance as he can go nearly anywhere

I can just imagine Rex Hunt salivating at the thought of a GOLD SACK playing footy. Lucky nuts play of the day

 

[xfactor]

Geary badly broke his arm and Avery broke his wrist on the weekend, both due to the ridiculosuly hard surface they were playing on. Now days we see lots of young draftees having to delay thier AFL debut because of injuries which have carried through from the TAC Cup season. Much of this blame should be laid on the grounds they play on. I know for Bendigo's case on the weekend, the whole ground was like a cricket pitch. Anyway do you think these injury chances will affect the draft prospects of both Avery and Geary?

 

[footyman]

I know for Bendigo's case on the weekend, the whole ground was like a cricket pitch.

Both injuries actually happened on the centre wicket area, the wing was hard enough so I can't imagine how hard the middle was. At the same time we're in a drought and the local Bendigo water supply is on about 14% capacity so I suppose they cant pump as much water as they'd like onto it. A major problem for the game if the drought continues I suspect.

Bad luck to both those fellas, disappointing way for their seasons to end.

 

[nesko_25]

Speaking of the Pios, Grant Weeks who has been touted to go around pick 20 around the champs but then died down kicked a bag of 6 in a losing side. Great effort. He also had a good write up in the saturdays Sun (he lied bout him bein crap wen he was younger, he was a freak1).

 

[kirky#2]

Speaking of the Pios, Grant Weeks who has been touted to go around pick 20 around the champs but then died down kicked a bag of 6 in a losing side. Great effort. He also had a good write up in the saturdays Sun (he lied bout him bein crap wen he was younger, he was a freak1).

may not top 20 but should certainly go....

 

[Silvagnis]

Jarrad Harborw (Murray / Country) - deceptive pace, nice kick and is tricky in traffic. Goal-kicking midfielders are good value.

1. What are the odds on Harbrow being drafted this year?
2. In which round is he likely to be picked?
3. Does he have a similar game to a current AFL player?