Father/Son Watch

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  • bulldogtragic
    The List Manager
    • Jan 2007
    • 34289

    Re: Father/Son Watch

    Rookie Me Summary:

    THERE might be a foot between them in stature, but both Jordan Croft and Nick Watson had a hand in putting away South Australia by 68 points to open Vic Metro?s AFL Under 18 Championships campaign. In a one-sided contest at Thebarton Oval, the visitors overcame some early South Australian resistance to run away victors, 15.16 (106) to 5.8 (38).

    Watson and Croft kicked seven goals between them as South Australia kicked five for the game. Coming off a loss to the Allies the week before, South Australia got up and about early weathering the first few inside 50s to get it down the other end and capitalise via Loch Rawlinson. The Sturt talent would kick both of his side?s opening quarter goals on his Double Blues home deck.

    Unfortunately, opportunities would be far and few between for South Australia, as Will Lorenz snapped a clever one around his body and with a late free kick to Watson lunging forward in a contest, Metro took a 14-point lead into quarter time.

    After missing several chances inside 50 in the first term, Croft came to the party, converting two goals and causing headache for the opposition with his size. But it was not just Croft who was hurting the South Australians, with 170cm Watson applying the pressure with two incredible long-rang set shot goals.

    Though the likes of Luca Slade and Sid Draper were trying hard in midfield for the South Australians, the class of Vic Metro, and the ease of ball movement from one end to the other was the difference. Bottom-agers Josh Smillie, Levi Ashcroft and Jagga Smith were starting to get their hands on the ball to complement the hard running of Kynan Brown.
    By the main break, the lead was out to a 33-point lead with Patrick Weckert?s set shot the only major of the term for the Croweaters after a nice pass inside 50 from Ashton Moir.

    The Glenelg talent started the second half in defence, but while he won a few early touches, it was a similar quarter to the second term as Vic Metro again booted five goals and put the margin out to 68 points.

    Inaccuracy was keeping the margin lower than it could have been, but Croft still joined Watson on three goals. South Australia started having injury concerns to compound its issues with skipper Will Patton going into the rooms to check on a shoulder injury, and Logan Evans landing awkwardly and had to be checked. Both returned to the play within the quarter.

    To South Australia?s credit, it showed some fight in the final term, particularly early with a goal to Slade. Despite that major and a number of other set shots that either just missed or fell short, Vic Metro capitalised through Watson and then Brayden LaPlanche with his second pushed it out to beyond 70 points.

    Despite the game done and dusted, Jed Dignan kicked a late consolation goal with a clever snap around his body. The siren sounded with Vic Metro victorious by 68 points, 15.16 (106) to 5.8 (38).

    Watson and Croft did all the damage on the scoresheet, but the bottom-age contingent of Smillie, Smith and Ashcroft were ultra-impressive for the visitors in the win. Rawlinson?s two first quarter majors made him the only multiple goalkicker for the Croweaters, with Slade, Draper and Kane McAuliffe trying hard all game.

    SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2.1 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 5.8 (38)
    VIC METRO 3.3 | 8.7 | 13.12 | 15.16 (106)

    GOALS:
    South Australia: L. Rawlinson 2, P. Weckert, L. Slade, J. Dignan.
    Vic Metro: N. Watson 4, J. Croft 3, H. Johnston 2, B. Laplanche 2, W. Lorenz, J. Dattoli, M. Taha, L. Ashcroft
    RMC BEST:
    South Australia: L. Slade, S. Draper, K. McAulliffe, A. Moir
    Vic Metro: N. Watson, J. Croft, J. Smillie, J. Smith, L. Ashcroft
    Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023

    Comment

    • Bornadog
      WOOF Clubhouse Leader
      • Jan 2007
      • 66707

      Re: Father/Son Watch

      Father-son decision time looms for Dogs


      The Western Bulldogs may need to match a first-round draft bid on a father-son or academy prospect for the third time in four years this November.
      Calder Cannons prospect Jordan Croft, the son of ex-Bulldog Matthew, who played 186 games for the club between 1991 and 2004, has surged into top-15 calculations with a strong start to the season.

      The 200-centimetre forward kicked four goals for Victoria Metro in their trial game against the Young Guns ahead of the mid-season draft ? which he was not eligible for ? and added 3.2 in Metro?s 68-point drubbing of South Australia on Sunday.

      The Dogs matched a bid on father-son swingman Sam Darcy (son of Luke) at No.2 in the 2021 draft, after doing the same with Next Generation Academy (NGA) graduate Jamarra Ugle-Hagan with the top selection the previous year.

      Several recruiters who spoke to Money Talks on the condition of anonymity believe Croft is a genuine first-round contender, with Metro coach Rob Harding also raving about his work-rate for his size.

      It presents an interesting dilemma for the Bulldogs, given they are blessed for young talls at both ends, including Darcy, Ugle-Hagan, Aaron Naughton, Jedd Busslinger and new category B signing James O?Donnell.

      That doesn?t even include ruck star Tim English, another one of their excellent draft decisions in recent years.

      They already have two first-round picks this year after scoring Brisbane?s in the Josh Dunkley trade, and would hope any bid on Croft comes after those. Otherwise, the Dogs? recruiting team will have to weigh up whether Croft is right for them.

      ?He gets up and back, works really hard, and is a real challenge to defend. He wears his defender down through that work-rate and gets to good spots to generate opportunities to score,? Harding told Money Talks.

      ?He marks well on the lead, and is an on-the-move sort of player, but as he matures and fills out more, he will keep adding to his contest side. He will get an opportunity in the [under-18] champs to do some relief rucking as well.?
      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

      • FrediKanoute
        Coaching Staff
        • Aug 2007
        • 3828

        Re: Father/Son Watch

        A hamstring injury would be a good result right now

        Comment

        • Bornadog
          WOOF Clubhouse Leader
          • Jan 2007
          • 66707

          Re: Father/Son Watch

          Originally posted by FrediKanoute
          A hamstring injury would be a good result right now
          Not for his development.
          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

          • kruder
            Coaching Staff
            • May 2011
            • 3857

            Re: Father/Son Watch

            Wow Croft is very athletic indeed, his kicking looks very suspect from this footage. Who is teaching these kids how to kick?

            Comment

            • JanLorMill
              WOOF Member
              • Feb 2023
              • 1688

              Re: Father/Son Watch

              Originally posted by FrediKanoute
              A hamstring injury would be a good result right now
              Remember the family history,it?s very probable. With his family history too, I have no problem knowing he can forward or back.

              I?m looking out for those sublime blind turns/baulks

              Comment

              • ledge
                Hall of Fame
                • Dec 2007
                • 14309

                Re: Father/Son Watch

                My simple way of seeing if a player is an absolute star is if everyone around him seems to go into slo mo when he has the ball and he just cruises around them.
                Bring back the biff

                Comment

                • hujsh
                  Hall of Fame
                  • Nov 2007
                  • 11841

                  Re: Father/Son Watch

                  Originally posted by ledge
                  My simple way of seeing if a player is an absolute star is if everyone around him seems to go into slo mo when he has the ball and he just cruises around them.
                  Do you see some of that in Croft?

                  To me it seems more like he goes super-speed rather than others slowing down, really surprised by his pace but looks a worse set shot than advertised (neat field kick though with that one good pass from flank to the pocket). TBH I could see him being a really good defender whether it be the main key post or even as the 3rd who plays on resting ruckmen and inbetween 190cm types
                  [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

                  Comment

                  • MrMahatma
                    Coaching Staff
                    • Sep 2007
                    • 3965

                    Re: Father/Son Watch

                    We 100% will pick him.

                    We're lucky to have this crop of F/S being talls. I know we need mids but I don't reckon you can have too many athletic, 200cm, natural footballers on your list.

                    No guarantees any of those already on our list stay, or become the players we're hoping they become. Keep bringing in the top end talent.

                    Would be amazing if we could work a way to get ahead of a bid, or jag an additional first next year and get Croft as cheaply as possible.

                    Comment

                    • hujsh
                      Hall of Fame
                      • Nov 2007
                      • 11841

                      Re: Father/Son Watch

                      Originally posted by MrMahatma
                      We 100% will pick him.

                      We're lucky to have this crop of F/S being talls. I know we need mids but I don't reckon you can have too many athletic, 200cm, natural footballers on your list.

                      No guarantees any of those already on our list stay, or become the players we're hoping they become. Keep bringing in the top end talent.

                      Would be amazing if we could work a way to get ahead of a bid, or jag an additional first next year and get Croft as cheaply as possible.
                      If we draft a good crop of mids in the next couple years they should be coming good around the same time as the talls do
                      [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

                      Comment

                      • ledge
                        Hall of Fame
                        • Dec 2007
                        • 14309

                        Re: Father/Son Watch

                        Originally posted by hujsh
                        Do you see some of that in Croft?

                        To me it seems more like he goes super-speed rather than others slowing down, really surprised by his pace but looks a worse set shot than advertised (neat field kick though with that one good pass from flank to the pocket). TBH I could see him being a really good defender whether it be the main key post or even as the 3rd who plays on resting ruckmen and inbetween 190cm types
                        I haven’t seen any vision of him, I’m just saying that’s my simplest way of seeing if players are talented, you will see that happen occasionally .
                        Bring back the biff

                        Comment

                        • Testekill
                          WOOF Member
                          • Jan 2015
                          • 2327

                          Re: Father/Son Watch

                          From the highlights that I've seen of Croft, he doesn't scream first round bid for me. I also think that his highlights look a lot like Darcy Moore's highlights before he was recruited and it's why I'd be training him to play CHB. Impressive athleticism though.

                          Comment

                          • FrediKanoute
                            Coaching Staff
                            • Aug 2007
                            • 3828

                            Re: Father/Son Watch

                            Originally posted by Testekill
                            From the highlights that I've seen of Croft, he doesn't scream first round bid for me. I also think that his highlights look a lot like Darcy Moore's highlights before he was recruited and it's why I'd be training him to play CHB. Impressive athleticism though.
                            Agree. He is looking like a late 1st round to 2nd round pick - top 30, maybe within the top 20. Backline beckons.

                            Do we have any other FS coming through?

                            Comment

                            • kruder
                              Coaching Staff
                              • May 2011
                              • 3857

                              Re: Father/Son Watch

                              Yep loving the backline calls, his speed and agility would go a long way in defence. I would take him 100%.

                              Busslinger has a long way to go, he is neat with the footy and can mark it but looks a tad slow for mine.

                              Comment

                              • Scorlibo
                                Coaching Staff
                                • Oct 2007
                                • 3087

                                Re: Father/Son Watch

                                Would be a big win this year if we could get Croft and Lual on board without losing our two first round picks. If we're smart about our pick for pick swaps, we could accumulate enough points to make that a reality. Bringing four highly talented kids in as a group is something we haven't done for a while and is probably what our list needs.
                                'And the Western suburbs erupt!'

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