Nic Naitanui - Worthy of the hype?

[GVGjr]

Having a good look at the Essendon vs West Coast game tonight and I can get over how the commentators and fans get all excited whenever Naitanui goes near the ball.
His athletic prowess is sensational but I think he would have a long way to go to turn into another Adam Goodes.

How do you rate him? Is he the excitement machine as he is being built up as or is he more of a work in progress?

[AndrewP6]

A work in progress, but I can see him being incredible ( or more incredible) in a few years. On what we've seen, Melbourne should be kicking themselves for taking Watts over Nic Nat.

[The Coon Dog]

At present he's a work in progress, but that progression is moving quite rapidly.

On a big ground like Subi he'd be too athletic for most ruckmen, particularly Hudson & Minson!

Every time I see him he improves a bit more. Not going to be long before he really starts to take games apart, particularly if he can take strong marks overhead.

What he does well is scare the hell out of the opposition, he's like a giant manta ray hovering, you just know there is a shadow lurking. I think they call it referred pressure. He exerts it well.

[Remi Moses]

Staggered how Melbourne didn't take this guy with their first pick!! Watts might be a good footballer [Time will tell] but Nick Nat is an absolute freak

[Scorlibo]

He is an absolute freak at the clearances, but he is far less versatile than Goodes. He will probably never be a link up player, and thus will find it very hard to get himself into games in the future when he is being negated. Based on his age and what we've seen so far, he is worthy of the hype imo, but moving to the elite level of the competition will be harder than most think I would reckon.

[chef]

Not many 2ND year ruckmen have played this well.

[Mantis]

I am sick of watching replay after replay of his 'highlights' during telecasts.

One would think that he is the only ruckman going around who can palm the ball to one of his team-mates.

Still has a lot to learn, but his athletic abilities are certainly unique and if he continues on this development path he will become an elite player.... but still has a very long way to go.

[LostDoggy]

This guy has an amazing leap and is an absolute excitement machine to watch..he picks the ball up like no other ruckman and you just know something 'specialllll' is going to happen when he's near it.

[Go_Dogs]

I think he's certainly worthy of the hype.

His ruck work is good, he's able to scrap and win the contested ball and lay tackles after the tap, and is athletic enough to link up and run and carry the footy. His marking and footskills still have a lot of improvement in them, and as such, he could easily end up one of the most damaging players to have played the game.

Last night, he didn't get a huge amount of the ball, but I still would've had him as one of the most influential player on the park.

[Topdog]

He is worthy of the hype simple because he is an excitement machine and will get people through the gates.

He is still very much a 5 minute burst player.

[angelopetraglia]

Yes. Definitely.

A ruckmen, who gets his own ball and then has more than enough explosive pace to bust packs wide open. He has done some things that I have never seen a big bloke do before.

The scary stuff is he is still so raw and we all know how much longer big blokes take to come good.

One thing is certain at this early stage. Nic Nat > Jack Watts.

[azabob]

If he was at our club i'd imagine we all would be in raptures about him and would think he is worthy of the hype and then some.

[hujsh]

Staggered how Melbourne didn't take this guy with their first pick!! Watts might be a good footballer [Time will tell] but Nick Nat is an absolute freak

A lot easier 2 years down the track to speculate who should have gone number 1 but Melbourne don't get that luxury

[SPower]

A lot easier 2 years down the track to speculate who should have gone number 1 but Melbourne don't get that luxury

That's what recruiters and scouters get paid for.

Unfotunately out of our draft picks the only tall we can rave about is - B. "the manificent one" Lake.

Cheers

[mighty_west]

Still has a lot to learn, but his athletic abilities are certainly unique and if he continues on this development path he will become an elite player.... but still has a very long way to go.

Thats the scary part, how good he could get, so far he has been unbelievable, yet still looks quite raw in alot of ways.