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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Excellent news. I was pleasantly surprise by how well he played on the weekend.The curse is dead. -
Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Same Chef! So good to see him rewarded with his efforts Sunday.Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Well done to Mitch, good game on the weekend and hopefully his form continues.Have you heard Butters wants to come to the Dogs?Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
From the AFL site LINK
THERE are few football experiences Mitch Wallis hasn't shared with Tom Liberatore but a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination is one of them.
Liberatore was one of the most impressive first-year players last year, playing 16 games in a season where he was widely considered to be unlucky not to be nominated for the award.
Wallis had a quieter debut season but looks set to have a bigger second year after earning the nomination for his 22-possession game against Melbourne on Sunday.
The 19-year-old Wallis said he looked up to his junior teammate, schoolmate and best friend for what he achieved in 2011.
"I'm definitely proud of him because he's my best mate. We're always competitive growing up but we were always on the same teams so that helped us out," Wallis told AFL.com.au.
"To see how well he's gone, I couldn't be happier. He has set the benchmark and hopefully this year I can do some of the things he achieved last year.
"I marvel at the work he does and hopefully we can start playing together more often."
While playing more VFL than AFL last season, Wallis said he learned plenty about what he needed to make it at the elite level.
An off-season focus on his defensive spread, finding his opponent and narrowing his focus in pursuit of the contested ball could see him set for more regular senior action.
Wallis credits new assistant coaches Steven King and Shannon Grant with his development but says the main influence has been new senior coach Brendan McCartney.
"The best thing about 'Macca' is he has time for everyone and I've noticed that from the day he started, he always has time to talk to you, focus on your strengths and weaknesses but he has been pretty strong on his methods of contested ball and teaching the game from the contest out," he said.
Wallis said McCartney's emphasis on education had been vital.
"You can see he has come from a learning background because coming to a new club is all about education to begin with and learning the new game-plan, the new style and structure but he does have the ability to connect with all the players on the playing list whether that is the oldest bloke or the youngest bloke on the list," he said.
The main influence on Wallis' football career has been his father, former Bulldogs captain Steven Wallis who coached him throughout his junior days.
With Liberatore and Ayce Cordy also coming to the club via the father-son rule, the Bulldogs have a definite sense of history repeating. And there could be yet another father-son recruit on the way with Wallis' 16-year old brother Josh coming through the system.
Mitch Wallis said it is not out of the question that the pair could be lining up for the same team in the future.
"He is having a bit of fun with his footy," he said.
"He is at that stage now where he has to make a decision whether he wants it or not because he's definitely got the ability and now it is just about making sacrifices and things like that."Don't piss off old people
The older we get the less "LIFE IN PRISON" is a deterrent...Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Congratulations, Mitch.Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Well done to Mitch and hopefully his brother will be with us soon.FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Let's hope Josh has some of those silky skills we need...Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Nice one, what a pleasant surprise!Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Great news and very well deserved after a very solid game on Sunday."Loves a scrap....oh yeah & he's a pretty handy footballer as well"Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Well done Mitch!
Very happy with this news this morning.Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
I'm pleased for Mitch, but this is a classic case of the Rising Star (and the judgment of the footy community generally) being based on perception, not fact. Wallis being a first round draft pick was always seen superficially by the wider media as a 'better' player than Libba, so Libba's entire first year (which was better than anything Mitch has yet dished up) didn't even get a sniff, but the first decent game Mitch serves up he gets a gong as he's already on the radar.
I hope Mitch knows the award is meaningless and keeps on keeping on.Comment
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Re: Mitch wallis rising star nominee
Congrats Mitch. Thoroughly deserved.Comment
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