Well, I guess he did kick 4 goals against the full u18 AIS academy squad when they toured Europe and all he had was a bunch of no hopers around him.
In the he didn’t waste too much time in his development up forward like some have (Hurley). And when he becomes a fully fledged midfielder the time he spent up forward will make him a deadly option resting forward.
I genuinely think he has brownlow potential, if, he is able to become an inside capable midfielder.
I would say a very similar story here. His position in GAA is most suited to the HB role, bear in mind he only had 1/2 a season in that role before he was thrown forward. What i’ve seen from his games thus far is his ability to take a ball from deep, beat a guy 1:1 and then bomb one accurately. Ref: Mozzies goal on the time stamp above.
Not taking him for a 3rd season seems baffling given what he has shown us in those two games.
It certainly is baffling that they would recruit an Irish guy, with no experience and with his attributes, then boot him so quickly. It can’t be a professionalism thing, as if it was poor he’d fit right in at StKilda.
What I wonder about Connellan is that say by June we like the cut of his jig can we just snap our fingers and list him as Cat B and he plays ones and we feel like we just found a four leaf clover?
No, I think all Irish guys initially fall under the “Haven’t been registered to Aussie Rules in the previous 3 years” category and once they’ve been registered to play AFL they are no longer Free Agents.
Hmmmm… that could very well be the case. May be able to grab him as a DFA at the end of the season, effectively giving up our last pick in the national draft.
Basically, any one who has previously been on an AFL list is a Free Agent. Connellan would therefore only need to be convinced to sign.
Mitch Grigg and Jye Bolton, who are arguably the two best midfielders in the SANFL and WAFL would also be FAs. This will add a very interesting dynamic to the end of season shenanigans.
As a matter of interest, are there any restrictions on VFL listed players training alongside AFL listed players? Aside from games in the VFL this would be the best way to both fast track him and ultimately assess him in competition with AFL level players and see if its a case of WSPHU.
I don’t know whether the AFL has any rules about non-AFL players training with AFL teams, I don’t imagine so. One of the restricting factors would be the part-time nature of VFL listed players. I imagine that being aligned to an AFL team and the development resources they have access to would be a drawing card for many VFL players.
He can’t go on the Cat B list, but he can be recruited as a DFA as he was delisted last year. I don’t believe it applies to anyone delisted more than 12 months previously though, I didn’t think so. So Grigg may not be able to be recruited via this.
I have no idea how it would all work with the mid-season draft if someone came calling.
Former St Kilda-listed speedster Ray Connellan is proving a driving force for Essendon’s VFL team this season. Having been released from his previous forward-line role at the Saints, the Irishman generated a round-high nine inside-50s from 19 disposals and nine marks in the Bombers’ 94-point defeat of North Melbourne.
ROUND 3 STATS LEADERS
TACKLES (9): Dylan Clarke (Essendon) and Joe Maishman (Werribee)
INSIDE-50s (9): Ray Connellan (Essendon)
GOALS (6): Peter McEvoy (Coburg) and Jayden Laverde (Essendon)