Far out those wraps on him are huge. Hopefully he can become half of that still
I've always like having him in the 22, but he just never gets the opportunity to build and stay in the team.
He needs to be given the chance.
Gee those wraps... the difference between playing against boys and playing against men?
I was told by a recruiter that he was a likely Ryan Griffen type.
I would guess Sal has watched him closest and he's seen plenty of signs that he could convert it to AFL form.
Let's hope Hird and the team can get the most out of him.
Surely they're talking about a different player?! He plays nothing like those wraps, IMO.
Who stole Kavanagh and who is that imposter in his place?
Not that it really means anything but for those asking where the comparisons emanated from...
WHEN Elliott Kavanagh met Essendon coach James Hird last month, it was hard to know which of the two would have been more excited.
Much like Dyson Heppell last year, Kavanagh, a classy midfielder from the Western Jets, has idolised the Bombers' legend all his life.
"He's one of my childhood heroes," Kavanagh said. "I saw him about five times (at the draft camp) and it was a bit overwhelming."
Three days out from the national draft, Hird and recruiting guru Adrian Dodoro might be feeling just as thrilled.
The Bombers have made clear their desire for another quality midfielder at pick 19 and Kavanagh looks set to fall in their laps.
Unless Richmond intervenes at 15, or North Melbourne at 17, for the second year in a row, the draft may deliver Essendon a surprise first-round gift, like Heppell last year.
While Kavanagh's hamstring problems are the key concern, some have likened the 187cm ball-carrier's style to Chris Judd, largely for his versatility, endurance and speed.
Kavanagh, 18, said he tried to be flexible through the midfield.
"I can play outside because I've played outside during my junior career playing on a wing," he said. "But last year I got introduced into the midfield set-up where I won a lot of my own ball. I think I do OK in both aspects of the game."
Noted for his decision-making and skill, Kavanagh is an offensive weapon because of his ability to burst through congestion.
He is clean, if not calm as well, ranking first in the draft camp handball test, with a score of 28 out 30.
For a long time last year, Kavanagh loomed as a top-five pick.
But he tore his left hamstring twice, first in August 2010 and in February this year, which would have scared some clubs off.
Even though his form was more subdued this season, Kavanagh still managed about 10 games and won a premiership with Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School.
Since then clubs have done everything to find out about Kavanagh's hamstring.
He told them the first injury was a grade two tear and that doctors had taken a cautious approach to get him right.
The second tear was in a different spot, sounding alarms bells for some recruiters.
He was ruled out of the AIS games and the national championships, making the ball-winner one of the draft pool's biggest quandaries.
But after working hard and gently easing back into the fray, Kavanagh hoped those setbacks were all behind him.
"They have taken a massively conservative approach and built up the hamstring to withstand big workloads," he said.
"So hopefully that has done its work and I can get back out there in the years to come and not have any problems."
Is it all upstairs.
Not backing himself?
That game against Freo that we came back and won in 2013, I thought he did a couple of very promising things.
He just has to have the greatest pres-season of his life, get super fit, get the right psychology in his ear, and play him in the preseason games
in a pivotal role.
I think he CAN make it, but does he?
Sounds like someone who arrived at the football club, and had the requirement to win his own ball drilled into him. Someone who is a bit low on confidence, but who wants to do what is expected of him. So he concentrates really hard on becoming more inside, while forgetting that the outside part is a key to who he is and what defines him as a player.
Now the task for the coaches is to find the lost outside game. If he can get the balance right, then he can still be a gun.
A noticeable thing for me is that he still looks so skinny and underdeveloped. Despite the conservatism in his management regarding his hamstrings you would think after 3 seasons he would cut a more imposing figure than he does. Still built like a boy.
meh, size never stopped gleeson or melksham from playing well in their first seasons at the club
meh, size never stopped gleeson or melksham from playing well in their first seasons at the club
Yeah fair point. As always it is probably 90% mental. He is probably severely lacking self belief and perhaps the will and hunger to sacrifice. A little bit of size can't hurt though, it can actually aid in building your confidence.
Yeah, there was a reason so many on here (myself included) were happy we got him. And with him and Heppel in subsequent years I've always thought the criticism of taking Steinberg and not a pure midfielder was a bit unfair.Far out those wraps on him are huge. Hopefully he can become half of that still
But heh, there's been plenty of top 10 draft picks that have been flops.
Came 3rd in time trial
MOMENTUM.
KAV time
Let's hope his Idol can find the switch and Turn it the fark on.
hes got a funny little beard
2015 - year of the Kav!
Recruit of 2015…never doubted him.
Lol. I love blitz
KAV!
That’s what he needed to do. Well done kav. Prove some of us wrong.
juddlike