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November 30, 2005
National Draft Selections
Our picks, not a bad bunch considering the lateness of the picks we had but I would of loved a tall. Still these are good kids that add even more depth to our midfield for the future.
Profiles:
Matthew Laidlaw
Details:
Club: Carey Grammar/Oakleigh
DOB: 9 February 1987 Hgt: 186cm Wgt: 81kg
Position: Midfield/Flanker
Natural Foot: Right
Honours:
State Screening Testing 2004
AFL Draft Camp 2005
TAC Stats:
2004: 6 games, 0 goals, average 11.8 PPG
2005: 10 games, 7 goals, average 24.8 PPG
Background:
Matthew combined school footy at Carey Grammar with his Oakleigh Chargers commitments in 2004. Despite only playing six matches in the TAC Cup he received an invite to Victorian Screening. Starting out as a medium sized defender, he has worked up to the midfield this year and is the ideal side for that position at the next level. This year he doubled his average possessions when playing for the Chargers and was named in their best seven out of ten times. His overhead marking cannot be underestimated, he is a terrific mark for his height.
Strengths:
- very strong overhead
- has the pace to play on smaller opponents as well
- makes good decisions with the footy in his hands
- strong over the footy
- is a good reader of the play
Weaknesses:
- only an ordinary beep test pre-season, and at draft camp was again below average in the beep test and was the slowest of the medium mids in the 3km run.
- not as much exposure in the TAC Cup and missed the championships due to focusing on school footy.
Kristin Thornton
Details:
Club: Peel Thunder
DOB: 5 March 1988 Hgt:183cm Wgt: 71kg
Position: Midfielder
Natural Foot: Right
Honours:
Pel Thunder Colts B&F 2005
WA State Under 18 representative
AFL Draft Camp 2005
Draft Camp:
Beep Test: 14.6 (equal 4th)
Background:
Younger brother of 2005 West Coast rookie Ashley. Kristin came to Melbourne to play in the National under 18 carnival mid year. While he only played two matches and wasn't a stand out player, he did push his name forward with a terrific season in the WAFL Colts and impressive draft camp figures.
Strengths:
- Good skills
- Performed well at draft camp
- Bottom age and could go high next year if not taken this year/value pick
Weaknesses:
- Skinny frame/development time needed
Ryan Brabazon
Details:
Club: Peel Thunder
DOB: 26 December 1986 Hgt:180cm Wgt: 71kg
Position: Midfielder
Natural Foot:
He has improved significantly in all those areas except recovery agility and there has even been a little improvement in that. What we have now is a kid with borderline acceptable pace who gets a fair share of his own ball, routinely looks for options (regardless of pressure), gets much greater value from his disposals, and thinks his way out of trouble. In short, he now earns most of his possessions and he makes the opposition pay for most of them
- Was regularly tagged in Colts yet still bolted away with both the Clarke Medal (B&F) and the Coaches Award, despite not playing every game. Voted BOG 4 times. 27d in Reserves '05 debut R20 206/8/05 and 19d in his other Reserves game. I don't normally read too much into B&F awards (if anything, the Coaches Award is of greater interest to me). However, Brabazon's awards are tangible evidence of his improvement this year and, in particular his consistency and impact. Last year he got just 2 votes, being a 5th best in each of 2 games.
Strengths:
- Quick hands.
- Genuinely dual-sided. Economical kicking style.
- Routinely displays terrific vision, even under pressure.
- Shows poise and looks for options, even under pressure.
- Evasion skills have lifted a notch.
- Has a bit of a knack for stealing the ball from an opponent.
- Generally fairly good above the knee, even under great pressure.
- Excellent endurance.
- Quite a good leap, although he plays small.
- Covers enormous ground.
- Usually does 2nd efforts.
- Shows courage.
- Team orientated. Leadership potential.
Weakness
- Pace
- Which AFL role and what versatility?
- Ability to add weight
OTHER STUFF:
- From rural WA (Nth Albany).
- Colts all '04.
- Colts captain '05. 20 Colts games plus 2 Reserves games late '05. 27d in Reserves '05 debut R20 206/8/05 and 19d in his other Res game.
- Winner 2005 WAFL Colts B&F for comp (5 votes ahead of Gribble). Also easy winner of '05 Coaches Award (Colts)
Posted by robbieando at November 30, 2005 08:06 AM
Comments
Ryan Brabazon is from Claremont Football Club
Posted by: Paul Brabazon at January 9, 2006 10:09 PM
opps my mistake
Posted by: robbieando at January 13, 2006 06:53 PM