He’s gotten better at the other stuff, and has not gotten any less tall.
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What would you draft him as?
Is he ahead of Hartley/Zerk for back spots or Brown/McKernan for a forward spot?
I’d leave him in the magoos for another year and see how he developed. And if he kept developing I’d grab him the following year. And he seems to be a forward to me, but who really knows bar his coaches at this point.
For somebody who took the game up at 18 he looks good
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I’d say it depends on if someone we rate is available at one of our (later) picks. McKernan and Belly aren’t spring chickens, but plenty of rucks move clubs a few years after drafting. So if it is a future #2 to Draper we need, we may not need to use the draft. Or at least, not urgently.
In a perfect world you would probably take another specialist ruck (or ruck/forward) somewhere this year or next and have them developing 2-3 years behind Draper. But not with a high pick (unless they can also play as a forward).
Schloithe
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I seriously wonder if Zerk could be a back up ruck prospect. In this article published in October last year,
https://www.afldraftcentral.com.au/tag/brandon-zerk-thatcher/
are these little gems:
“In the running vertical jumps right: 195cm defender Zerk-Thatcher had an impressive 95cm, placing him third nationally”
“Tall defender/Ruckman Brandon Zerk-Thatcher was also effective with 23 disposals, eight marks and 19 hitouts.”
When Paddy Ryder was drafted he wasn’t fully 196cm and I think their running vertical leap is similar.
As Zerk gets bigger, his leap, combined with his wrecking ball approach to contests may work in the ruck, particularly as a back up where he is also a similar height to Smack.
In this day and age with the one ruckman approach, it requires a tough mobile versatile player to play the back up role, the Smacks and Zerks of this world who can perform well in one role, and do the job of providing a contest in the ruck, and some extra presence when the ball hits the ground - have a valuable niche to fill, and give Zerk a couple of years, and I don’t think Stringer will be needed to pinch hit in the ruck if Zerk is around.
I doubt very much that they will pull a key defender out of his role to pinch hit as a back up ruck. Imagine swapping TBell to CHB or FB!
They will always use a forward I would think.
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Forwards or tall midfielders are your backup options.
Defensive structures these days basically means the defensive line is a team within a team.
Wouldn’t be surprised if they trialed Z-T up forward for a bit next year, though.
They could, but I hope they don’t.
This kid will seriously hurt some key forwards in years to come.
He just hits the contest so hard, and so fast.
It’s a thing of real beauty.
He will have a few opponents looking over their shoulders, and jumping at shadows, as he gets bigger and stronger.
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Totally agree, but we have a habit of throwing kids around a bit to see what they can do and to diversify their skill set. I hope they keep him in defense and play him in a few different roles there, he’d be 2nd behind Francis in terms of positional scope; FB, CHB, 3rd and the Sweeper will all be in his wheel house.
Ridley is the one I want to see play further up the ground next year, for the sake of his development.
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Agree 100%.
Ridley on a wing for mine.
Use his athleticism and that beautiful kicking
Think he could do very nicely there.
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From memory, he played up forward as a junior, @THE_DON1 might be able to confirm.
He needs to add a bit of heft to his nice frame, to allow him to be more effective in heavy traffic game which would be a requirement in either the middle and forward line but I totes wanna see if his i50s are as good as his r50s.
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Imagine being a forward getting it delivered by players with disposal like Ridley and The.
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Ridley was a forward in his bottom age year and had kicked a few bags aswell, he was moved to defence in his draft year and he looked very comfortable so they left him there. I didnt get to see much of him playing forward but personally i feel his play making ability and smarts lend him to being a better defender/Wingman rather than a forward.
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And Merrett And Francis And McKenna And Tippa And Fantasia
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And Redman
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Here’s hoping he fills out faster than Gleeson