Big Sammy Draper - #1 ruckman now #2

Don't get the Don Draper references. But does the carpet match the Drapers?

It’s the name of a central character in Mad Men.

Why do people keep mentioning volleyball and basketball when it said quite clearly that he played soccer?

Because he also tried volleyball. Made it to state level in his first year.

Watch his video it says his sporting background in his opening bio

repeat

He will be the AA ruck man in 5 years.

Looks to be and incredibly co-ordinated, natural athlete in what can only be a genetically engineered body.

Glad he’s ours.

Not much of a vertical leap for a volleyballer

Former soccer player Draper joins Bombers in rookie draft – nine months after taking up footy

Matt Turner, Southern Times Messenger

HE spent part of his childhood in an English village and has only been playing football for nine months after switching from soccer.

Now South Adelaide ruckman Sam Draper’s rapid rise will continue in the AFL.

Essendon selected Draper, who started the season with Southern Football League club Reynella Wineflies, with the first pick of Monday’s rookie draft.

“I honestly cannot believe it – it does not seem real,” Draper, 18, says.

“Essendon rang me earlier today and told me they’d select me with pick one.

“Dad was overhearing the conversation and he just burst into tears, he was so happy for me.”

Draper was born in SA but lived in Brede – an East Sussex village of about 1700 people – for six years growing up.

The 203cm, 105kg big man started playing soccer there, originally as a goalkeeper.

Draper was a centre-back for South Adelaide’s soccer club until last year, featuring in four Premier League reserves and 23 under-18s matches.

But he switched codes over summer.

“It was a pretty big decision because I’d obviously played soccer my whole life,” he says.

“Every time I went out to watch my friends play footy, they’d always try to get me to come out and play.

“I just thought I’d give it a go and see where I could take myself with it.”

Draper started at Reynella before South Adelaide asked him to join its SANFL ranks two months later.

He lined up in 16 under-18 matches this season.

“The physicality was pretty different compared to soccer – I found myself a lot more sore after games because of the hard, body contact – and the positioning was heaps different.

“At first, I found it a bit hard but as the season went on I found myself more and more confident.

“I’ve worked pretty hard to achieve this goal and I’m really glad it’s paid off.”

Draper watched the rookie draft on a laptop with family and friends at home.

He will head to Melbourne tomorrow to meet his new Bombers teammates.

“No way could I have imagined anything like this happening in my first year.

“It’s just been so crazy.”

Draper was one of 10 SANFL players taken yesterday.

Originally published as From soccer to Essendon in 9 months

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/former-soccer-player-draper-joins-bombers-in-rookie-draft-nine-months-after-taking-up-footy/news-story/48bc8811d2f7d5dd6f3d9b2e3f1aa253

Fck me… He is already bigger as tall as Leuenberger and 2 kilo’s heavier!

Dont know if he’s errm that way inclined…

His old man burst into tears…love it.

Seriously, if you were a 2 year old in Toys R Us and looked up to see a 203cm 105kg monster stacking Elmo on the shelf, you'd fair dinkum ■■■■■ yourself. It would be like a real life BFG

I hope you mean big ■■■■■■■ giant.

Don't get the Don Draper references. But does the carpet match the Drapers?

Are you saying you …want to see his pubes???

How good is it that we were all expecting a straight forward pick like Xavier Richards on what was meant to be a fairly boring rookie draft. Instead, we find this hidden gem that no one was talking about who has the tools to develop into a very handy ruck! Sandilands & Cox, both products of the rookie draft. This is exactly what we were hoping for and based off his highlights, he looks like a great prospect.

Another thing, good on him for posting his own highlights. Jenkins did the same thing with Lake Boga (from memory) and it got him drafted. He’s gone on to be quite handy too.
You need to promote and market yourself to get noticed in this industry and this act helped get on to a rookie list.

We will have to be patient but there is a huuuggggggggggggeee upside to this kid!

Best of luck!

Another couple of years and pre-seasons, this bloke could be an absolute ripper. Playing soccer has blessed him with good foot skills and he has managed to pick up the AFL footy game quite easily. Might even be a good resting forward when he puts some meat on those bones.

How good is it that we were all expecting a straight forward pick like Xavier Richards on what was meant to be a fairly boring rookie draft. Instead, we find this hidden gem that no one was talking about who has the tools to develop into a very handy ruck! Sandilands & Cox, both products of the rookie draft. This is exactly what we were hoping for and based off his highlights, he looks like a great prospect.

Another thing, good on him for posting his own highlights. Jenkins did the same thing with Lake Boga (from memory) and it got him drafted. He’s gone on to be quite handy too.
You need to promote and market yourself to get noticed in this industry and this act helped get on to a rookie list.

We will have to be patient but there is a huuuggggggggggggeee upside to this kid!

Best of luck!

I think we should heed the sage words of Winston Wolf when he said “let’s not start sucking each others’ ***** just yet!”

What I like about this selection is that we are not going to struggle to put weight on the kid. He’s 105 kegs at 18. Big boy.

Absolute unit for his age. You’d expect at 105kg he’d be looking like carrying puppy fat ala Sean Darcy but doesn’t appear to be so.

Disco has done well!

Not much of a vertical leap for a volleyballer

What?! He almost maxed the jumping pole thingy out. Reckon he did alright without knowing the numbers.

Big Rissian wrecking ball replacement with anyluck.

could we have picked him up as a category b rookie?