2015 Draft Watch

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Might depend if we land somebody like McKay at 20/21, but he looks a more complete prospect than Brown so if we wanted him at 30 I could understand it.

[boydogs]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Mature KPD option 3 - Michael Hartley

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/sport/former-collingwood-rookie-michael-hartley-chasing-a-second-chance-at-afl-level-after-top-season-at-coburg-in-vfl/news-story/5b023f89f90c95e7e3ce08e09caf17d9

http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/player-profile/michael-hartley

[GVGjr]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Mature KPD option 3 - Michael Hartley

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/sport/former-collingwood-rookie-michael-hartley-chasing-a-second-chance-at-afl-level-after-top-season-at-coburg-in-vfl/news-story/5b023f89f90c95e7e3ce08e09caf17d9

http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/play...ichael-hartley

I've seen him a few times and he has performed well. I believe he failed the physical when Essendon were recruiting for their top-up players at the start of the year but I'm not 100% certain. Worthy consideration.

[boydogs]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

I believe he failed the physical when Essendon were recruiting for their top-up players at the start of the year but I'm not 100% certain

Spot on, that's covered in the article I linked

Earlier this year, Hartley was in line to be an Essendon top-up player for the NAB Challenge.

That was cut short after doctors discovered weakness in the same shoulder he had two reconstructions on during his days at Collingwood.

But a physio program this year has strengthened the shoulder and Hartley is confident that won’t hold him back this time.

“There’s been nothing to worry about so far this year,” he said.

“I’ve been spoiling all right and tackling really well so it’s feeling really good.”

[GVGjr]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Bulldogs have some interest in Sam Murray

Some footage

https://vimeo.com/135350860

Does anyone else think he players just a little bit like a smaller version of Crameri? Maybe it's his kicking

[LostDoggy]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2015-11-07/dogs-drafts-2002

The Western Bulldogs website is putting up some articles on previous drafts. They are interesting reading as comparative studies.

The most recent, 2002, was a bit of a trainwreck, with 5 picks inside the first 35 and only 1 of those players getting to 20 games (Will Minson, a fine pick at #20, with 189 games not out and All-Aust honours). Especially bad given the 2003-2005 Dogs were a haven of opportunity, with spots open across the field.

Compare that to 1999, where we had 1 pick inside 30, yet 5 of our 6 picks got to 75 games, and 4 got to 180 games. Given the lack of high picks, surely one of the greatest drafts ever by any club; 13 - Bob (292 not out), 32 - Gia (265), 35 - Wiggins (12), 37 - Hahn (181), 43 - Gilbee (206), 58 - Bowden (75), 66 - Hargraeve (203).

Just goes to show what a huge day Nov 24 is, although it'll be years before we can properly assess the outcome.

[Throughandthrough]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/north-adelaide-forward-ryan-burtons-horrific-leg-injury-makes-him-one-of-the-drafts-biggest-question-marks/story-fnia3v71-1227600649080

North Adelaide forward Ryan Burton’s horrific leg injury makes him one of the draft’s biggest question marks
November 8, 2015 6:30pm
ANDREW CAPEL adelaidenow




AFL draft prospect Ryan Burton with his dad Craig. Picture: Matt Loxton


FOR 15 minutes all eyes were on Ryan Burton.


As the exciting North Adelaide forward took his turn on the medical table at the AFL draft combine doctors and physiotherapists from all 18 clubs scrutinised him like no other member of this year’s draft class.

“Every club was around me looking at the X-rays, playing with my leg and pushing and prodding me,’’ Burton said of his centre-of-attention moment.

“There were doctors, physios and scouts from all the clubs and they were testing me, asking questions and taking notes.

“I felt like a piece of meat and I was pretty nervous about it because a lot of people saw it as my biggest test of the week.

“Hopefully the doctors came away thinking my leg was as good as I do.’’






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Supplied Editorial The photos of the Caucasian officer (foreign fighter) with the flag on his right sleeve talking t





Ryan Burton with his dad Craig at Prospect Oval. Picture: Matt Loxton

Burton’s rebuilt left leg is one of the biggest mysteries surrounding this year’s draft crop.

No other player at last month’s combine — where Australia’s best talent was put on display at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium for the AFL clubs — spent more than five minutes having their bodies, in particular previous injuries, examined.

But the 191cm Burton is a unique case.

Before the high-leaping 18-year-old landed freakishly from a marking contest while playing for Sacred Heart against Victoria’s Assumption College on August 24 last year he had been inked as a likely top-five and possible number one draft selection this year.

But his leg and knee were so badly mangled — the kneecap had been dislocated, the tibia shattered and there was ligament and cartilage damage — that there were early fears that he might not be able to run again, let alone play football.

The surgeon who operated on Burton, former Crows rover Matthew Liptak, said he had sustained injuries seen more often in motorcycle accidents than on a football field.

“When I did the injury I immediately thought that my (AFL) dreams might have been shattered then and there,’’ said Burton, who had 10 screws and a plate inserted into his shredded leg to hold it together.


Now, nearly 15 months after thinking his draft chances were “gone’’, Burton is confident he will find an AFL home at the November 24 draft in Adelaide.

Still sporting a 20cm scar which runs down the outside of his knee as a stark reminder of his horrific injury, Burton missed the entire 2015 season but managed to take part in all the physical testing at the combine apart from the beep test, which he avoided due to the rapid stopping and turning on the hard floor.

“I felt I showed that my knee is absolutely fine,’’ said Burton, who made his league debut for the Roosters at age 17 and put his name in lights with a standout five-goal, 10-mark display in SA’s opening under-18 game against WA last year.

“I’ve been training pretty well flat out for the past three to four months and have had no setbacks at all.

“My training over the past few months has actually been better than it was prior to the injury and from what I can understand the clubs are pretty happy with what they’ve seen.’’

Burton, the son of dual North premiership player Craig Burton, spent his year on the sidelines stacking on 10kg of muscle to now hit the scales at an impressive 90kg.

His top-five hopes are gone but he is almost certain to be among the first 20 players selected.

The Crows will look at him closely with their first pick at number nine.

Adelaide last year took a punt which paid dividends on key defender Jake Lever, who slipped from a potential top-five pick to number 14 after missing his final under-age year following a knee reconstruction.

“Fourteen months ago I was sitting in a wheelchair so it’s been a long, tough road and it will be a nervous couple of weeks now waiting for the draft,’’ Burton said.

“But after such a tough year to hear my name called out would be an extra special moment for me.’’

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

If Hugh Goddard was in this draft, would he go before or after Ben McKay?

[Bornadog]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Story on Clayton Oliver here

[boydogs]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

If Hugh Goddard was in this draft, would he go before or after Ben McKay?

Probably before, a bit better performed as a junior

[GVGjr]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

If Hugh Goddard was in this draft, would he go before or after Ben McKay?

Well before in my opinion.

[FrediKanoute]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

My worry with Burton is that whilst the leg/knee may be fine, with the load he will have to carry to get to peak fitness are you looking at a guy who will be finished with football by the time he is 25? The worry for me is the dislocated knee cap. Knee caps are by far the worst if the bone damage that you can do to a knee because stabilising it to heal is impossible without losing the mobility, hence it never really heals well.

I like what Burton brings to the table and whilst the success of Stringer having come back from a broken leg is encouraging, this is a different level of injury. Not likely to be around when we have our pick anyway.

[Twodogs]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Kneecaps can keep slipping out once they have already slipped

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

At the moment I'm leaning towards:

20: Ben McKay/Hibberd (Assuming Oliver is well gone)
21: Tucker/Ah Chee
30: Adams/Rioli

Couple notes:

- If McKay is gone, I wonder if we'll jump at somebody like Adams.
- One of our first picks to be best available. Hard to predict who that might be.
- We need some pace and skill, so I wouldn't mind Ah Chee is he's available.
- A specialist small forward like Rioli would be a good get, we don't have one on the list at the moment.
- I'd love to add both McKay and Adams to our list, allowing us to use 21 & 51 on best available.

[Throughandthrough]

Re: 2015 Draft Watch

Matt Allen article - interview - highlights

http://www.sanfl.com.au/news/sanfl_news/3257/