Shannon Neale - underrated season.

[Mangy Carl]

Since Hawkins injury, he has put together a very impressive season. For a very tall forward, only 22, and with his first real run at seniors, this is mighty impressive.

He now has 24 goals from 14 games this season, averaging 1.6 goals a game, just behind Sam Darcy in averages, with 1.8 goals per game.

Still waiting on the big breakout game, but I'm liking what I'm seeing.

Could be a 50+ goals a season player as soon as next year..

 

[My Tilly]

I know it's said often but it really is ridiculous just how athletic these players are today.
If you go back 15 years or more, footballers listed at 200cm+ were often dinosaurs.

 

[Warhorse]

Since Hawkins injury, he has put together a very impressive season. For a very tall forward, only 22, and with his first real run at seniors, this is mighty impressive.

He now has 24 goals from 14 games this season, averaging 1.6 goals a game, just behind Sam Darcy in averages, with 1.8 goals per game.

Still waiting on the big breakout game, but I'm liking what I'm seeing.

Could be a 50+ goals a season player as soon as next year..

I agree and got this one wrong. I though he was only good when the ball was speared onto his chest as that's all he could really do at VFL level. Some players play better as they move up I guess.

Compare his stat averages vs Josh Treacy and he is developing well. Won't be a star but will be an important part of the forwardline for a long time.

 

[supahoops]

Biggest tick for me is that Hawkins, as good as he’s been, isn’t in my thoughts for one second as we get to the pointy end.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

I agree and got this one wrong. I though he was only good when the ball was speared onto his chest as that's all he could really do at VFL level. Some players play better as they move up I guess.

Compare his stat averages vs Josh Treacy and he is developing well. Won't be a star but will be an important part of the forwardline for a long time.

Same mate, thought he was Matt McCarthy Mk2 in that he couldn't hold marks and didn't offer much around the ground but I was wrong.
The QF was mighty impressive, 1 clunked every mark and contested well in the air, gives me lots of hope for the future.

 

[frggr]

I think the true test will be whether Eagles fans start bemoaning the fact we took him from under their noses. Same with Humphries.

I like what I see with Neale. Hawkins has been godly one on one and in F50 ruck contests (and by taking the best defender and all the rest)

But Neale's game brings a different dynamic that brings the smalls into the game more often and more effectively.

If he can start clunking more marks and nailing set shots, he's going to be a stalwart of Geelong's forward line for a long time.

 

[Generalissimo]

Same mate, thought he was Matt McCarthy Mk2 in that he couldn't hold marks and didn't offer much around the ground but I was wrong.

He was always a better shot for goal than Yips McCarthy though.

 

[Mad_Hatter]

He was always a better shot for goal than Yips McCarthy though.

He absolutely is, but then again my golden retriever is a better kick at goal too!

 

[catstragic]

Compare his stat averages vs Josh Treacy and he is developing well. Won't be a star but will be an important part of the forwardline for a long time.

Im not putting a ceiling on him yet. Kids got major wheels and you don't really know what a KPF's ceiling is gonna be till their late 20's. Look at Hogan as an example.

 

[dazbroncos]

This is all ive been saying.

GO Catters

 

[bombersboy]

I will admit I may have got it wrong with Shannon. Not prepared to fully concede yet. I don't think we see the best of him till he gets to 24-25 years of age. He and I may well still have a rocky journey till he gets to 50-70 games but he is showing a lot of promise. The trick may be getting to the point where he fully believes he belongs. Confidence is a big thing in footy

 

[BORIS332]

Kicked a goal in every game he played in this year, makes a contest in the air every time. He also runs out games really well. Can't ask for much more at his age.

 

[CHAWKTS]

Kicked a goal in every game he played in this year, makes a contest in the air every time. He also runs out games really well. Can't ask for much more at his age.

Agree. His upside is huge I reckon. And well suited to our current forward mix

 

[catempire]

This is all ive been saying.

GO Catters

In at the ground floor brothers

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Neale & Cadman as a key forward
duo



starts drooling

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

I’ve been on hin since day 1 - saw a fair bit of him in Colts over here, great combination of a natural footballer plus State level 400&800m runner.
Was rapt when we drafted him , just wait till he’s 24 and AFL hardened

 

[Cursed Cat]

I’ve been on hin since day 1 - saw a fair bit of him in Colts over here, great combination of a natural footballer plus State level 400&800m runner.
Was rapt when we drafted him , just wait till he’s 24 and AFL hardened

I had been very much a fence-sitter as is often the case; no arguing with what the big lug has produced in 2024 to date, though - great return.

Started a little shakily, hands looked a little hard.
But Neale has worked his way through this season really soundly.

His fitness and athletic profile no doubt assists greatly with navigating the gruelling game, and he has looked increasingly comfortable and capable of expressing his talents.

Blicavs was a bit the same; very raw, but such a good athlete that he was able to genuinely use his head in-game more than other players by sheer virtue of the fact that he was able to get oxygen into his lungs more efficently than most.
If you're not gasping for air then you're likely a bit better at making quick decisions under pressure.

He's going to be very handy for us going forward; can put in some ruck stints if required, too.

 

[juzcat]

There was a post match interview where a player was saying he has barely touched his athletic capability. 800m runner and a now can clunk. I am calling him the next N Riewoldt who can kick

Sent from my SM-S928B using Tapatalk

 

[Del226680]

I think now that he’s earned a best 18 spot he’s a lot more confident with his game and could be anything.

Love how he competes for the ball in the air and his kicking for goal looks sublime

 

[PzBlinky]

Yep, it's been a fantastic first full year from him. The time in the VFL has been great for his development, but it's well and truly time he stepped up and I think he hasn't disappointed.

Reckon he's still got another year or two of development before we really see him hit his straps, but he could easily be a 50+ goal forward if we have the midfield to deliver into F50.

 

[Generalissimo]

Holmes2Neale

 

[jim boy]

Inauspicious start to the seniors, didn't take his chances and seemed unreliable. As the season has wore on, is becoming more assured. Still not certain he feels he fully belongs, but once he does, will become more confident, leading to becoming a freer player and will start bringing a lot more tricks out of his party bag

 

[Del226680]

Inauspicious start to the seniors, didn't take his chances and seemed unreliable. As the season has wore on, is becoming more assured. Still not certain he feels he fully belongs, but once he does, will become more confident, leading to becoming a freer player and will start bringing a lot more tricks out of his party bag

All I want to see from him and Ollie Henry is to compete and not get out-marked.

 

[iameviljez]

Since Hawkins injury, he has put together a very impressive season. For a very tall forward, only 22, and with his first real run at seniors, this is mighty impressive.

He now has 24 goals from 14 games this season, averaging 1.6 goals a game, just behind Sam Darcy in averages, with 1.8 goals per game.

Still waiting on the big breakout game, but I'm liking what I'm seeing.

Could be a 50+ goals a season player as soon as next year..

He's been ok, which for a young CHF in his first full year in the AFL team, is an impressive pass mark. He's doing the 1%ers well, too.

One thing to note about Neale is that he has started a long, long way back compared to most tall forwards. He was drafted at p33, when most tall forwards with any skerrick of AFL quality go in the first 15, and he was drafted as a ruckman.

I don't think it'll "click" for him for another two years, but right now he's doing a job and deserves his spot.

It didn't "click" for Cam Mooney till 2002, and even then he still struggled for next 18 months. It famously didn't "click" for Hawkins until 2011, and Podsiadly didn't even make an AFL debut till 28. Unless you're a freak like Darcy, Cameron or Riewoldt, the big forwards take time.

 

[iameviljez]

Inauspicious start to the seniors, didn't take his chances and seemed unreliable. As the season has wore on, is becoming more assured. Still not certain he feels he fully belongs, but once he does, will become more confident, leading to becoming a freer player and will start bringing a lot more tricks out of his party bag

Yeah, in his first couple of games he was dropping marks and missing kicks that he gobbled up in the VFL.