Welcome Matt to the best club in the world!
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Can he play midfield?
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Happy heās been given an opportunity at 20.
Reward for persistence.
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He can midfield
I reckon donnington doesnāt even read responses to his panic posts.
Can play anywhere according to his WAFL club
Claremont football manager Darcy Coffey believes āMr. Fix Itā Matt Guelfi ticks every box as a draft prospect.
Heās skillful, tough, wins his own ball, kicks goals, is a strong contested mark for his size and can play almost anywhere ā which he proved against men at WAFL senior level this year.
The talented junior track and field athlete is also blessed with that rare blend of pace and endurance.
Guelfi clocked a sub-three second 20m sprint at the WA Combine, before buttering up to record a gut-busting 21.7 in the Yo-Yo test ā which wouldāve placed him seventh overall at the national Combine.
But Coffey worries that AFL recruiters will overlook the 184cm youngster because heās not part of the next group of teenagers coming through the ranks.
āI think heās ahead of plenty of the 18-year-olds, but AFL clubs seem to go to the next batch and put more energy into them, which is a real shame,ā Coffey told AFL.com.au.
"I donāt know how many of them could put together a full season of League footy and impact the way he did.
āEveryone knows about him, but whether they will grab him, Iām not sure.ā
Guelfi, 20, feels his anxiety rising ahead of next monthās NAB AFL Draft.
He believed he was a chance to make it onto a list after testing at last yearās national Combine, but now reckons he is better placed than ever.
āItās my third shot at it, so Iām probably more nervous than Iāve ever been,ā he said.
"Iāve worked really hard for this.
āI think senior footy helped me a lot this year, showing I can play at that level, and I really wanted to prove I could play multiple positions, which I think I did.ā
Guelfi was a regular senior player at Claremont this season, booting 20 goals in 19 games while averaging 15 touches and three tackles.
After being pigeonholed as an inside midfielder, he relished plugging gaps wherever the coach needed him most ā even if chopping and changing between roles wasnāt always the best thing for his consistency.
āHeās a victim of his own versatility,ā Coffey said.
"At different times heād be shutting down the other teamās best small forward, playing high half-forward, he played on a wing, he played inside at times.
"He was a bit of a āMr Fix Itā. When we needed a goal, or needed to stop someone weād throw him around.
āItās pretty high praise for a kid.ā
Coping with working full-time and meeting the demands of senior football were also challenges Guelfi had to juggle.
While he enjoys working an apprentice electrician, the dream is to become a professional footballer and Coffey has no doubt the emerging Tiger has what it takes ā if an AFL club gives him that chance.
āGuelfi has got big upside. I think heās got weapons in terms of his kicking and contested marking for a guy his size,ā Coffey said.
"He was obviously bitterly disappointed last year to miss out and I can see why, he does everything pretty well spot on.
"The way he plays his footy and goes about it ā heās as hard as a catās head - working full-time as a sparky this year I think heās found that balance difficult at times.
āI think in a full-time environment he would absolutely thrive.ā
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any footage?
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Looks like one of those fifteen eagles players who all look like cheap knockoffs of Mark LeCras.
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Donnington, how about reading the threads before asking questions.
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Two of them
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after being pigeon holed as an inside mid fielderā¦interesting!
This bloke is the best of our picks tonight. We needed someone who would just be happy to come in and do whatever role he was given.
I see him as a back pocket Baguley replacement.
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has got a nice long kick on him for goal
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Could end up a nuts and bolts midfielder too. Or just NGE at anything.
From the footage he looks like a clearance machineā¦we need clearance machines
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Good call.
Like the sound of him
Welcome
Thanks to that, and the Country & Western flavoured music in his Vid, ā¦ I dub thee, āRoosterā
Looks rather good. & seems he has a great attitude. I reckon the kid just might make it ā¦
Interesting pick, I wonder if heās on a 1 or 2 year contact?
I believe the minimum age for a 1 year contract is 23, so Iād assume 2.