Welcome to the Bulldogs: James O'Donnell

[Vred]

Seems like late yesterday it was leaked/reported that the Dogs have signed James O'Donnell - Cat B rookie

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...05-p5cyh7.html

The Western Bulldogs have signed James O?Donnell, the son of former Australian cricketer Simon O?Donnell, as a convert from cricket.The Bulldogs have signed O?Donnell, who has been playing Premier Cricket for Essendon, as a category B rookie - the same rule that Geelong used to recruit Mark Blicavs from athletics and Collingwood deployed to sign American Mason Cox.
O?Donnell?s father Simon, who is also a well-known media personality, played football for St Kilda, where his father Kevin also played in the 1940s, making James a prospective third generation of the family to play the game at the top level.
O?Donnell is an all-rounder at Premier Cricket level, but has a football pedigree, having played for Victoria in the under 12s, alongside North Melbourne?s Will Phillips and Bulldog Luke Cleary. He concentrated mainly on cricket at Xavier College.


O?Donnell, 21, had a late growth spurt at 18-19 years of age, according to club sources, and is 197 centimetres - making him a potential key-position prospect, although the Bulldogs are open-minded about what positions he might fill. He had been a midfield-sized player when he last played the game.
The Bulldogs? expectation is that he could start playing in defence, where it is easier to learn the game. He has not played football since his latter school days.
O?Donnell tested strongly for athletic traits when assessed by the Bulldogs, showing good speed and endurance.
O?Donnell will join training at the Bulldogs on Friday.

The Bulldogs found O?Donnell via the club?s head of high-performance Mat Inness, who is involved at Essendon Cricket Club. They do not expect O?Donnell to play immediately and will give him time to adjust to the game.

[hujsh]

I don't hate us doing something a bit different and taking a gamble like this.

[Bulldog Joe]

I don't hate us doing something a bit different and taking a gamble like this.

We need to always be on the lookout for potential.

Mark Blicavs is probably the best example of someone from a different sport.

[westdog54]

This scenario is one of the reasons the rookie list was designed for on the first place.

The "Cat B" rookies should just be rookies and everyone else on the main list.

Good on the club for giving James a shot. Circumstances can change in an sorts of ways.

[bulldogtragic]

A free hit, but for maybe 6-18 months wage. I like it. I don’t see Sam Power wasting club’s resources/money if he didn’t think there was a good chance at a return. If he develops well then he and Busslinger can slowly transition into the team as our KPD’s retire. Nice strategy if the boys turn out ok. Get them Doedee for support…

Kind of reads a little like English. A midfielder as a junior and then a growth spurt into KPP size.

And we still have a Cat A spot open at the MSD. Heading into the ND.

The ‘rich’ clubs have been using Cat B for a long time. We really haven’t with just a year of Tweedie and now Raak. It’s not lost on me that we are doing something out if the ordinary for us, using a luxury in life, that we don’t often get but often watch others binging on them.

[GVGjr]

I get the free hit component and if Mat Inness and the recruiting team thinks he has the athletic attributes to potentially make it that works for me.

[Testekill]

Take a gamble, if we feel he has elite attributes that would transfer to AFL then why not it's worth a punt. I can't imagine Power would waste money on a cricket convert that he doesn't think would make it.

[Sedat]

A free hit, but for maybe 6-18 months wage. I like it. I don’t see Sam Power wasting club’s resources/money if he didn’t think there was a good chance at a return. If he develops well then he and Busslinger can slowly transition into the team as our KPD’s retire. Nice strategy if the boys turn out ok. Get them Doedee for support…

Kind of reads a little like English. A midfielder as a junior and then a growth spurt into KPP size.

And we still have a Cat A spot open at the MSD. Heading into the ND.

The ‘rich’ clubs have been using Cat B for a long time. We really haven’t with just a year of Tweedie and now Raak. It’s not lost on me that we are doing something out if the ordinary for us, using a luxury in life, that we don’t often get but often watch others binging on them.

The Blicavs comparison sounds apt. He can literally play anywhere and really well - midfield tagger, ruck, key defence, wing, could probably play forwad if they didn't have Hawkins and Cameron. I wouldn't put any restritions on where O'Donnell plays - let him develop in multiple areas at VFL level for the next 18 months.

Patrick Cripps is an elite 195cms stoppage and clearance mid, and O'Donnell is only 2 cms taller.

[Axe Man]

It's great to see us taking a punt on a cat B rookie. We seem to have been either unwilling or unable to get involved in other sport converts or overseas players since the Fiji experiment. The NGA kids like Buku and Raak are a completely different proposition.

As for O'Donnell another developing KPD to pair with Busslinger in the coming years would be ideal.

[Mofra]

We need to always be on the lookout for potential.

Mark Blicavs is probably the best example of someone from a different sport.

Cox is handy.
Plenty of ex basketballers have done well, then there's the Irish contingent too

[Mofra]

Take a gamble, if we feel he has elite attributes that would transfer to AFL then why not it's worth a punt. I can't imagine Power would waste money on a cricket convert that he doesn't think would make it.

Alex Keath had since alright for a tall cricket convert as well

[Happy Days]

Weird that there’s nothing official from the club yet.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

That rule is there to be exploited and I am glad we did

I wish we would recruit from Ireland also.
Ed Richards is from a famous Collingwood family who we valued higher than the resource rich club.
Now O'Donnel from Saints sitting on top of ladder.
It apeases me that we can be a destination club apart from Treloar being shown the door.
O'Donnel chose FFC rather than his families club deliberately with due consideration it seems.

[Stevo]

So we have added him now so we can spend the balance of the season developing him? If so could we have done something similar with our open list spot and started the development early or are we more interested in checking the state leagues and adding a 19 year old that was over looked?

[soupman]

So we have added him now so we can spend the balance of the season developing him? If so could we have done something similar with our open list spot and started the development early or are we more interested in checking the state leagues and adding a 19 year old that was over looked?

Pretty sure we could've provided we signed them prior to the season starting, now we have to wait for the MSD.