Strapping Young Lad
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Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn : Jai “Duke” Newcombe - 2024 Peter Crimmins medalist
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Round 13 Rising Star nominee
Will hopefully step right in.
Aside from his run and spread, the thing that caught my attention leading up to the draft was the size and power he has.
In one pic I saw he was standing next to Howe, and was bigger in the upper body than the closest thing we have had to a midfield enforcer since Hodge and Lewis left.
We have been crying out for grunt and run, not to mention goal kicking from beyond 50 from our mids.
Doesn't have to be a world beater, just needs to do what he's already shown at the highest level. Anything more than that would be a bonus.
Aside from his run and spread, the thing that caught my attention leading up to the draft was the size and power he has.
In one pic I saw he was standing next to Howe, and was bigger in the upper body than the closest thing we have had to a midfield enforcer since Hodge and Lewis left.
We have been crying out for grunt and run, not to mention goal kicking from beyond 50 from our mids.
Doesn't have to be a world beater, just needs to do what he's already shown at the highest level. Anything more than that would be a bonus.
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Hopefully will relieve the workload currently carried by JOM
Because Clarko we all know he'll rot at BHH until Shiels retires... probably why we gave him 4 years, so he can start in the AFL in his last 
No games last year. If he wasn’t already at the top of the list he had no chance to rise up the ranks.
Playing local footy under 16s , made the Gippsland squad last year and had some wraps on him . No footy last year so didn't get a chance to show himself . Pretty impressive rise considering he has stepped straight into vfl footy and probably been the standout player along with jeka for Bowhill.
- Nov 13, 2018
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As a midfielder, why does he get such low numbers?
Is it a case of not having the conditioning yet?
He looks like a midfield/forward beast.
I can't wait until he gets a pre-season under his belt.
Is it a case of not having the conditioning yet?
He looks like a midfield/forward beast.
I can't wait until he gets a pre-season under his belt.
What are people seeing that excites them? He looks average paced at best and skills seem average (gets under them too much). Ie same issues as our current AFL midfield but at vfl level. He’s a big unit for his age and a hard unit but his attributes seem that of a vfl player. Can he play anywhere else other than inside mid? He’ll need to. Maybe the club sees a lot of athletic upside in him if strip off a few kgs. Dunno.
End of day he’s a rookie pick so if you get 50 afl games out of them you’ve done well. But would have liked someone with either pace or skill that’s better matches AFL footy.
End of day he’s a rookie pick so if you get 50 afl games out of them you’ve done well. But would have liked someone with either pace or skill that’s better matches AFL footy.
chopflop
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Read an article that cites the gippsland coach. They got him as a 19 year old for his top age season and he dominated their intra-club practice matches. So was set for a big year with a big role at gippy power. Covid happened and wiped out his chance to be seen by recruiters. It's a fair effort to have done what he has done at box Hill. I watched a bit of box Hill towards the start of the season and though "this bloke goes OK" but I thought he was like 26-27 lol. He plays above his years and is physically pretty dominant at that level which is very impressive... An elite program (which he has never been in as an underage) screams alot more development to come. Want this kid spending plenty of time next to Sam Mitchell that's for sure.
KermitJagger
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It's his first year playing VFL footy and he's averaging 23 touches and 7 tackles. Wouldn't call those low, tbf.
Appears to be growing each game at the level, too.
He isn’t average paced at all
Nor does he have average skills
And thirdly his power is his attribute so it’s purely wrong that the club needs to strip a few kegs off him
He is a powerful unit in a Sewell like way with pace
Whether he can jump another level is the big question
I hope so
KermitJagger
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Give him a try and the benefit of the doubt before you spout all the weaknesses you assume he has please.
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Fair enough.
Just thought a full-time mid might be getting more.
Didn't Sonsie collect 27 + 2 goals in his first VFL game as an under 18 a few weeks back?
Just comparing...trying to get some context.
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Newcombe is a much more complete footballer. He is hard can get the ball and aggressive. He also has a great defensive mindset. Look at his tackle numbers. Lets see what happens its literally a free hit
Disposal stats are so overrated. IMO.
Context is the key word you have used though.
I'm just happy that we've identified someone we like, for the way he plays, that we see him as part of our future, and we've got him.
Good luck Duke.
I'd take 23 important and well used touches than 45x shorthandball/15mkick receives that put our team ball movement into a dead end.
Strapping Young Lad
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Pretty good highlights.
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Getting in early for whipping boy?
VFL is completely different to AFL. 25 touches there is like 40 in AFL.
Milkshaker
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Not much in that package you could be unhappy with. Ticks a lot of boxes, works from the contest, neat disposal, good hands, good overhead, tackles hard and and looks composed shooting for goal.
Watching them, he does something that stands out, he thinks through options extremely quickly. He might be a far smarter player then we realise
KermitJagger
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I really like him, and he seems to have mastered something that most of our current midfielders struggle with - handballing to advantage and not to the other bloke's feet.
This.
‘I don’t think the box hill midfield is exactly struggling right now
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