Player Watch Riley Thilthorpe - Signed to End of 2028

[Rory Walkerfield]

Just on that in bold..maybe paul salmon? He was super talented

Salmon was a better version of Tippett. He never looked like a mid the way Thilthorpe does.

I'm with Jumboprince, Thilthorpes combination of height and skills is freakish. It’s like he’s just a scaled up version of a 185cm mid.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

He picks the ball up off the ground like Kouta

 

[Southerntakeover]

True but in his break out season before he left Sydney for a lot of money, Walker got the best opposition defender and made Tippett look very good. Tippett should give Walker 50% ($500K) of his salary he got from Sydney, especially he didn't had to walk hard for those money did he.

His break out season was 2009.

 

[Magma]

said all along he was pretty much a midfielder. never seen anyone play like him, even as a 16 year old. he just has it, and you never quite know what it is until you see it.

 

[moogerfooger]

Thank god we sucked balls in 2020

 

[hey shorty]

Thank god we sucked balls in 2020

And also had the balls to ignore the noise, we could've easily gone the safe McDonald option.

 

[Sidthehat]

Will be AFL equivalent of Ibrahimovic - without being a tool.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Good

When you realise that the reason we're struggling to come up with an apt comparison player for him is because there isn't one

 

[Crow till I die]

Salmon was a better version of Tippett. He never looked like a mid the way Thilthorpe does.

I'm with Jumboprince, Thilthorpes combination of height and skills is freakish. It’s like he’s just a scaled up version of a 185cm mid.

A bigger Patty Cripps ...if that is even possible

 

[John Who]

How do I put this...it is like saying "I'm getting a strong Garry Lyon Vibe from this youngster called Carey". RT still has a journey to go but watching his attack on the ball, the casual kick off the wrong foot that the player doesn't break stride for, RT is a dead set freak. Tippett was a very good player, amybe didn't get the best out of himself but a very good tall forward. I have watched footy for near on 50 years, I haven't seen a 201 cm player with his skillset...ever.

Have my fingers crossed on him JW but this kid is a chance to break the Midfielders curse on Charlie, that is how much talent he has

I’m noticing a pattern on here that I get quoted out of context often. Just to reiterate, I’m not saying RT is exactly like Tippett, but it reminds me of a lot of aspects in the marking power, agility for a big forward and a similar huge impact as a first year AFL player. I’m also saying RT has more skills than Tippett and has more potential/ceiling as a player.

And here’s the proof, with my thoughts on RT just before he played his first AFL game:

This lad can play. Saw some of his footage on YT last night. Seems to have natural footy talent and can potentially play all around the ground. Can kick on his left too, which is awesome for a 200cm player. His left for goal might be a better kick than ROB’s right kick!

Yes, I said “he has potential to play all around the ground”, that would include midfield too.

 

[John Who]

So if we’re playing the “comparison game”, I think a taller Goodes perhaps?
Both can play in ruck, forward or midfield/wing. Both have attributes that are useful should a “hole need to be filled” during an injury. Goodes has a Brownlow (actually two), and I rate RT highly enough that I think he can win one sometime in his career.

 

[fortunatecrow]

That's the ice hockey player in him

Ice Hockey background to be refenced by commentators every single game he plays......

 

[DJ75]

Have to say that while I'm absolutely loving what we are seeing from Thilthorpe and am super high on what he is going to produce moving forwards, I don't get all the comments about his contested marking.

The last few weeks (probably since Fremantle game), I've noticed that as soon as a defender gets body contact with him, he loses the ability to get both arms in the air. The amount of time he ends up going at the ball with one arm is amazing and a bit of a concern.

Now I'm sure a lot of it has to do with overall strength. Once he builds that core strength, he will be much harder to move and will be able to get his arms up. Then we will see the contested marking more. Right now it isn't really there.

 

[Josh Jenkins #1Fan]

FAITH

 

[Betts are off]

This is a bit of a weird thing to say about a guy who effectively went #1 in the draft anyway. But knowing what we know now, you would have to say his stock was probably one of the most hurt by the cancelling of the U18 championship.

Given how well he's playing against AFL competition, can you imagine what he would have done against the 17 year old kid's trying to stop him last year?

With the exception of DGB i'm not sure any other KPD in last years draft pool would have stopped him kicking a bag

 

[Danger_zone]

Yeah, Berg/Frampton are done.

Feel bad for those guys, but AFL is a tough gig.

 

[Betts are off]

Yeah, Berg/Frampton are done.

Feel bad for those guys, but AFL is a tough gig.

Its the right call, even when we go through the inevitable lean patches with the Tex-Fog-Thilthorpe trio (and we certainly will), I feel like the current line-up is without question the highest upside FWD combination, and is the line-up I have been desperate to see ever since we called out Riley's name.

The other 2 are now firmly entrenched on the outside looking in. And I think 99% of Crows fans are very comfortable with that.

Onwards and Upwards!

 

[GameofSloanes]

This kid looks an absolute gun. Has great agility for his size, good hands in close, can clunk a mark, and good football smarts. Its very exciting, I can't remember the last time we had someone you could just tell they had something special from their first game. McLeod probably

 

[Betts are off]

This kid looks an absolute gun. Has great agility for his size, good hands in close, can clunk a mark, and good football smarts. Its very exciting, I can't remember the last time we had someone you could just tell they had something special from their first game. McLeod probably

For me the thing that makes him special is his mental processing speed matches his playing ability and skills. Which is great even when you see it in a 18 year old 180cm midfielder, but is essentially unheard of for an 18 year old 202cm KPP/ruck.

 

[Geoffa32]

For me the thing that makes him special is his mental processing speed matches his playing ability and skills. Which is great even when you see it in a 18 year old 180cm midfielder, but is essentially unheard of for an 18 year old 202cm KPP/ruck.

It would be a waste of his height, but he could quite comfortably be a big bodied mid.



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[jackster83]

Yeah, Berg/Frampton are done.

Feel bad for those guys, but AFL is a tough gig.

Lynch too.

 

[Betts are off]

It would be a waste of his height, but he could quite comfortably be a big bodied mid.



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True, TBH he looks more naturally midfield savvy then both Hately and Fog at this level so far (and that's when he's roving his own taps). Clean, opportunistic and fast reacting, all the things you want in that kind of player.

Its like an optical illusion!

 

[Betts are off]

Lynch too.

He not available to play until round 17 or 19. I think by that stage we might be approaching 'send off game' territory for Tommy.

 

[Murray2503]

He picks the ball up off the ground like Kouta

Is very similar to Bontempelli but a better contested mark. Can play anywhere on the ground.

 

[Geoffa32]

True, TBH he looks more naturally midfield savvy then both Hately and Fog at this level so far (and that's when he's roving his own taps). Clean, opportunistic and fast reacting, all the things you want in that kind of player.

Its like an optical illusion!

I personally want him to end his career passing Tex's goal kicking record by 100 plus.

When Tex retires bring in a quality Forward/KPF and let Tilthy be a forward, maybe Ruck up forward. But a dominant forward. In the Buddy mould.

Him, Fog a great duo.

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