borgy
24-11-2007, 03:52 PM
Bulldogs' 'mixed bag' of talent
1:13 PM Sat 24 November, 2007 | Back
By Jennifer Witham
for westernbulldogs.com.au
News
THE WESTERN Bulldogs have emerged from Saturday's NAB AFL Draft with what they described as a "mixed bag" of talent, comprising of a few talls, a handful of midfielders, and a "smokey project player".
Senior coach Rodney Eade said the club selected the "best available talent", and left Telstra Dome having addressed the need for potential tall bookends with Jarrad Grant (the club's first selection, No.5 overall) and Jarrad Boumann (club's fifth pick, No.48 overall).
"We're certainly pleased. Every team is going to say they're really pleased with their draft, but we really are," Eade said.
"We've got a tall forward who can play and has some exciting attributes, so we're certainly pleased with Jarrad (Grant), and with Boumann down the back end, who's 6ft 5 as well."
The Bulldogs also acquired Callan Ward with their second pick (No.19 overall), Sam Reid with their third (No.35), Easton Wood with their fourth (No.43) and Guy O'Keefe with their sixth (No.63). The club passed on its final selection of No.67.
"Grant's an exciting forward with great hands, he's really quick, and he's a contested-marking forward so we're really pleased with him. We've rated him for a long time," recruiting manager Scott Clayton said.
"Callan is a beauty. We're really pleased we got him. He's on our doorstep, he's a Western Jets boy, and he's a very tough competitor. He's got great grunt, he's a very good player and he'll be terrific for us.
"Sam is a very talented midfielder from Queensland, and we think he'll develop into a really nice player.
"Easton is a bit of a smokey from Geelong. He's a very athletic, powerful young man who's got a long way to go, so we'll have to give him some time, but he's certainly got the body and the frame and the athleticism to be an exciting player.
"Boumann is a very tall option, he can ruck and he can play back and he can play forward. He's a very athletic, tall player that we're excited about. We're going to develop him now; that's the challenge.
"And, Guy O'Keefe is a goal-kicking forward, and you can never have enough of them, so we'll give him an opportunity."
Clayton said the 18-year-old Easton found his way onto the Dogs' radar when he saw him playing school football throughout the year, while Eade believed the Camperdown midfielder attended Geelong College on a cricket scholarship.
Eade also said there was no reason why all six of the Bulldogs players couldn't push for senior selection next year.
"It's hard to predict. When you look at our season this year, Jarrod Harbrow was a rookie at the start of the year and played senior footy in round four," he said.
"Where they're taken in the draft and whether they actually get a game, only time will tell. Some kids develop more quickly than others and circumstances arrive, so there's no reason why they can't play senior footy."
1:13 PM Sat 24 November, 2007 | Back
By Jennifer Witham
for westernbulldogs.com.au
News
THE WESTERN Bulldogs have emerged from Saturday's NAB AFL Draft with what they described as a "mixed bag" of talent, comprising of a few talls, a handful of midfielders, and a "smokey project player".
Senior coach Rodney Eade said the club selected the "best available talent", and left Telstra Dome having addressed the need for potential tall bookends with Jarrad Grant (the club's first selection, No.5 overall) and Jarrad Boumann (club's fifth pick, No.48 overall).
"We're certainly pleased. Every team is going to say they're really pleased with their draft, but we really are," Eade said.
"We've got a tall forward who can play and has some exciting attributes, so we're certainly pleased with Jarrad (Grant), and with Boumann down the back end, who's 6ft 5 as well."
The Bulldogs also acquired Callan Ward with their second pick (No.19 overall), Sam Reid with their third (No.35), Easton Wood with their fourth (No.43) and Guy O'Keefe with their sixth (No.63). The club passed on its final selection of No.67.
"Grant's an exciting forward with great hands, he's really quick, and he's a contested-marking forward so we're really pleased with him. We've rated him for a long time," recruiting manager Scott Clayton said.
"Callan is a beauty. We're really pleased we got him. He's on our doorstep, he's a Western Jets boy, and he's a very tough competitor. He's got great grunt, he's a very good player and he'll be terrific for us.
"Sam is a very talented midfielder from Queensland, and we think he'll develop into a really nice player.
"Easton is a bit of a smokey from Geelong. He's a very athletic, powerful young man who's got a long way to go, so we'll have to give him some time, but he's certainly got the body and the frame and the athleticism to be an exciting player.
"Boumann is a very tall option, he can ruck and he can play back and he can play forward. He's a very athletic, tall player that we're excited about. We're going to develop him now; that's the challenge.
"And, Guy O'Keefe is a goal-kicking forward, and you can never have enough of them, so we'll give him an opportunity."
Clayton said the 18-year-old Easton found his way onto the Dogs' radar when he saw him playing school football throughout the year, while Eade believed the Camperdown midfielder attended Geelong College on a cricket scholarship.
Eade also said there was no reason why all six of the Bulldogs players couldn't push for senior selection next year.
"It's hard to predict. When you look at our season this year, Jarrod Harbrow was a rookie at the start of the year and played senior footy in round four," he said.
"Where they're taken in the draft and whether they actually get a game, only time will tell. Some kids develop more quickly than others and circumstances arrive, so there's no reason why they can't play senior footy."