We would have taken English if he’d lasted two more spots IIRC, Fog had mentioned club keen.
Will be a star. His kicking & ground level work for such a big guy is impressive. Dean Cox esque he was being touted as
Runs rings around Belly for mobility
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Draper is more than a year younger (and presumably English started playing Aussie Rules many years earlier) but contrarily 18kg heavier despite conceding 2cm. If Bellchambers is going to stay fit and Loony can’t play anywhere but the ruck, I’d consider playing Draper at CHB. He did it once (versus Richmond?) and was very good at it. He needs to be in the play as much as possible to accelerate his learning.
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VIDEO
http://www.essendonfc.com.au/video/2018-04-11/btv-drapers-development
Draper right on track
Young Bomber Sam Draper says he feels ready to make his debut in the senior side this year.
Draper impressed in his first season at the club in 2017, putting together a number of strong performances in the VFL as a ruckman.
The former soccer player has since started his second season with a more attacking focus and thinks he can prove himself at the next level in 2018.
“I don’t really feel like I’m just a developing player any more, I feel I am ready to play some senior football this year,” Draper said.
“When that opportunity comes I’ll definitely grab it with two hands.”
The 19-year-old is expecting to show more versatility this season as he pushes into the forward line.
“This pre-season a big focus on me was to keep developing, playing as much ruck as I can, but also learning my forward craft as well.
“I think this year in the VFL I’ll be playing a lot of time down forward, so just really embracing it and just getting used to all of the structures and how to play forward.
“Every week (ruck coach) Mark Jamar is in and he’s helping me out with my ruck craft and that sort of thing, but I really am embracing playing that forward role now, because it can add a few more strings to my bow.”
Draper was a part of Essendon’s VFL side that last weekend kicked off its season with an impressive 102-point thrashing of Frankston, and said getting on the board with a goal was a nice confidence boost to start his second year.
“The brand of footy we played was a good way to start the year.
“They (Frankston) were a pretty young side, they came out pretty hot early but we ended up running over them towards the end of the game, which was good.
“I was playing forward all game, but ended up getting one (goal) in the last quarter, a bit of junk time, but that’s alright I’ll still take it.”
He said while the senior Bombers have had a tough fortnight with back-to-back losses to Fremantle and the Western Bulldogs respectively, he expects the team to hit back.
“I think the main thing is really to move forward from it,” Draper said.
“There are a few things that we need to sharpen up on, but I think we can bounce back this week.”
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So English is Australian and Draper is English, but English is better than Draper? I’m confused.
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I know when I’ve been told to STFU.
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I want him to play because I like the sound of “BIG SAMMY DRAPER” from BT/Russell
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I want him to play because we desperately need a good young ruckman.
He is only 19, no rush.
English is only playing out of necessity for the Dogs given they’ve had injury issues.
Draper differs also as still got miles to go on game sense (understandably) and impacting around the ground so VFL best place for it.
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Time to throw him into the deep end…bring him innnnn…
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In VFL plays of the week:
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Sounds like he’s looking for opportunity…that’s never a good sign.
How is a young player looking to crack into the senior team a bad sign? There’s 20-odd players on each list every week who wished they were playing
He might be thinking about Jenkins
Jenkins was mature age already and about 3 deep in pecking order, also poached to play fwd/ruck
Most teams have established rucks already
Draper hardly going to move if being said you can be next in line to our main ruck, which is ultimately what he is for us anyway.
He’s also a kid with wayyyyy more development to go in terms of game sense and running patterns.
Our only other ruckmen are nearly 30 and one of those is purely backup these days. Why on earth would he leave for opportunity?
Jenkins had obvious talent and we should never have let him go.
I remember watching him in the VFL and it was already obvious despite his lack of AFL experience that he was going to make it.
Plenty of big men have swapped teams for exposure to senior teams.
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A) We didn’t have much choice at the time, Crows offered him a better deal than we could. We took what we could get for him which I believe was a 10 spot pick upgrade.
B) At the time we had Hille, Bellchambers and Ryder ahead of him as rucks. I don’t think anyone really expected to become the forward he did.
Bang in the money.
Draper is currently behind Belly and also Leuey and unless Belly gets injured I can’t see Draper playing much over the next two or three years.
Maybe somebody comes knocking.
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Leuy is pretty much done and Belly has been pretty injury prone over his career. Not too many clubs where he has a better shot at being #1 ruck. He’ll be getting games either later this year or next.
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Belly is currently in his prime. Yes he may get injured but does Draper ask himself does he want to play second fiddle to Leuey at VFL level?
Maybe money and opportunity is a good option.