Xavier Ellis on Sport 927

[Stratton24]

http://www.sport927.com.au/audioplayer/1289429109.mp3

First time ever Adam Simpson has seen every player come back and run under their target time.

Ellis (after a chat with Clarko) looking to settle into one positition.

Good to have Hale, hoping for big things from Max and have good developing rucks.

Bruce would be a great pick up.

 

[Brant]

Ellis at his best is very good.

I know every club has "pre-season pump up stories" but Ellis playing 20 games in 2011 at his end of 2010 form would be huge for us.

Be like getting a gun player for free - or getting the return on our previous investment (high pick) that to date has not consistently delivered.

All the best X man!

 

[The Kipster]

I have heard that he has been training well and truly over and above...is very keen to prove his worth in 2011

 

[Brown Blood]

Ellis at his best is very good.

I know every club has "pre-season pump up stories" but Ellis playing 20 games in 2011 at his end of 2010 form would be huge for us.

Be like getting a gun player for free - or getting the return on our previous investment (high pick) that to date has not consistently delivered.

But at least he has delivered, and in a GF -at least he has done it when it has really counted (though I agree about consistency which has been as a result of injuries over the last couple of years).

All the best X man!

Agree, one of my favourite players.

 

[Choota]

But he did deliver, and in a GF - can't do much better

.

You must have missed the word consistently.

He can't hang his hat on a good grand final performance 2 years ago. He's been around long enough now. His finish in the 2010 B&F given he played every game was very unimpressive.

Fans let him off too easy.

 

[Brown Blood]

You must have missed the word consistently.

He can't hang his hat on a good grand final performance 2 years ago. He's been around long enough now. His finish in the 2010 B&F given he played every game was very unimpressive.

Fans let him off too easy.

I did reword my post choota - no doubt injuries have been a major factor resulting in his inconsistency - lets hope he is through those issues.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

I remember this time last year Gibbo saying the player that really surprised him with his capability was Ellis.

Hope he has a full pre-season and delivers on his potential.

Would be great to see him turn into a Pendelbury-type, because for mine, he's not in our best 18.

 

[whiteTiga2k]

Been pretty disappointed with the development of Ellis. For a Number 3 draft pick, he hasn't starred in many games. He should be tearing it up and grabbing games by the scruf of the neck.

He is a good player... but his kick lack penetration, he isn't quick, he isn't strong and he is not one with a massive tank either.

A poor number 3 choice. I hope he turns this opinion around. I'm more then happy to eat humble pie by years end and say he is a gun player. At his best... which was some games midway through 2008, his contested footy work was very good. But he has been very poor since.

I find players like lewis cop so much more stick then Ellis... and i don't really know why. Ellis is not in our best 18. Hope he has a ripper 2011 tho

 

[benhawk]

There is no possible way you can name 18 better Hawthorn players

 

[Hodgepodge]

He was good towards the end of this year too.

When he gets continuity into his football he is very good.

 

[Brant]

Wonder how it might effect X if we get Bruce?

 

[PeeRod]

Wonder how it might effect X if we get Bruce?

Hawthorn have been quiet and meticulous this time around. Far cry to this time last year with the circus that we experienced. They've shown they've done a full assessment of the list by dropping players who were under performing. They've brought in some experience into the coaches box as well as some fresh faces. They've got a plan for next season which is encouraging so Im sure if Bruce comes into the side it wont be at the risk of players like Xavier.

 

[Franko Armani]

Good player, good skills, I like him. Tends to get hurt too easily & ends up sitting out almost half of each game. Feel for him at times, he needs to be an outside, open space player.

 

[Fastback]

Another 5kgs to the frame wouldn't hurt.

 

[Jason Dunstall]

Good player, good skills, I like him. Tends to get hurt too easily & ends up sitting out almost half of each game. Feel for him at times, he needs to be an outside, open space player.

Nice theory but he has neither the pace or the penetration with disposals.

I rate him but he needs to be more consistent as has been pointed out. Don't think he will ever become elite though unfortunately....

 

[hawks_time]

Nice theory but he has neither the pace or the penetration with disposals.

I rate him but he needs to be more consistent as has been pointed out. Don't think he will ever become elite though unfortunately....

He does, he just for whatever reason doesn't use it.

 

[Stubz]

http://www.sport927.com.au/audioplayer/1289429109.mp3

First time ever Adam Simpson has seen every player come back and run under their target time.

Ellis (after a chat with Clarko) looking to settle into one positition.

Good to have Hale, hoping for big things from Max and have good developing rucks.

Bruce would be a great pick up.

Was there any mention of what position Ellis is looking to settle into?

 

[SNAITHY]

Was there any mention of what position Ellis is looking to settle into?

Hopefully one in front of the buffett........and he just eats and eats and eats.......

 

[Vanstead]

Interesting to go back and look at the full list of draftees for that year - 2005 - before saying 'he's a #3 pick, shoulda done better.'

http://www.afl.com.au/portals/0/afl_docs/development/draft/national_draft/national_draft_2005.pdf

Pies got Thomas at #2 & Pendlebury at #5 - apart from that there's not many Brownlow medallists in the list. Note Murphy at #1. Apart from that it's a potato harvest - full of spuds.

I think Ellis has given us excellent value with plenty of upside to date.

 

[FAIRANDBALANCED]

Interesting to go back and look at the full list of draftees for that year - 2005 - before saying 'he's a #3 pick, shoulda done better.'

http://www.afl.com.au/portals/0/afl_docs/development/draft/national_draft/national_draft_2005.pdf

Pies got Thomas at #2 & Pendlebury at #5 - apart from that there's not many Brownlow medallists in the list. Note Murphy at #1. Apart from that it's a potato harvest - full of spuds.

I think Ellis has given us excellent value with plenty of upside to date.

Andrew Swallow, Bernie Vince, Josh Kennedy, Sam Gilbert, Richard Douglas, Travis Varcoe, Shannon Hurn, Nathan Jones, Shaun Higgins, Mitch Clarke, Paddy Ryder, Clint Bartram, Mathew Stokes, Garrick Ibbotson and even Paul Bower would be players I would take well before Ellis from 2005. And obviously the 3 you mentioned as well. Disappointing draft from the Hawks, with Birchall being the only real postive. With a number 3 draft pick you expect more than Xavier Ellis seems capable of producing. I would say 2011 will tell us if he will ever make it to top class.

 

[dp_ramas]

Time is still on X's side. He has played 70 games and is still only 22-23.

Now is the time for him to step up. I still think we have a beauty, he just need to back himself and be more creative. The last couple of games this year where he kicked some goals and played more midfield showed his potential.

I remember when he first came to the Hawks he was balking around players and showed some flair. I think he has been trained to curb that natural flair when we played him in the backline. I hope as he moves more into the midfield this will return.

I think we need to get over the fact that he was high draft pick. I know we all think that a high draft pick should equal a gun player but it doesn't always work out that way.

If X can't get the the next level and be elite I will still be happy that he will probably be a solid 200+ game player with good skills and leadership.

 

[dermott]

Interesting to go back and look at the full list of draftees for that year - 2005 - before saying 'he's a #3 pick, shoulda done better.'

http://www.afl.com.au/portals/0/afl_docs/development/draft/national_draft/national_draft_2005.pdf

Pies got Thomas at #2 & Pendlebury at #5 - apart from that there's not many Brownlow medallists in the list. Note Murphy at #1. Apart from that it's a potato harvest - full of spuds.

I think Ellis has given us excellent value with plenty of upside to date.

Are you kidding? Of the top 16 picks only Dowler, Oakley Nicholls and Drum could be labelled spuds at this time. The rest are all good to very good players at this early point of their careers. With regard to Ellis many people forget he was in our best 3or 4 players in the 2008 grand final but largely as a result of injury and interrupted preseasons he has been unable to consistently perform at his best. He is a very courageous player who I have never seen shirk an issue, although for a bloke of his build I often wish that he would play more of an outside game and leave the bash and crash to our bigger built midfielders. His seeming reluctance to kick long to a target has puzzled me as occasionally he does and does it well. The round 22 game against Collingwood last year spring to mind. Perhaps he is under instruction (like many others) to chip the ball around backwards and sideways as part of our mysterious game plan. However best I do not go on about our short kicking game plan other than to say we seem to win more games when we move the ball quickly and in a forward direction. (Excuse the sarcasm!)

 

[Brant]

He does, he just for whatever reason doesn't use it.

Agreed.

Was in the 2nd Melbourne game last year I think, when I saw him show some serious pace on or about the wing - just burnt off an unassuming opponent. Also in that game I saw him spear a ball long into the 50m to a Hawk Player who marked. The kick appeared as 'chippy' as a lot of his other ones but had some punch and easily travelled 45m - quick & flattish.

Like someone else posted, I think he has had his creativity curbed in the hope that he became the HBF General to release / replace Hodge from there.

 

[Hawkzzz]

I firmly believe Ellis' best is yet to come. Like others have posted, he has been hit with a few injuries affecting his pre season. I reckon 2011 we will see a bigger leap forward from the X man.