Left Essendon - Alex Morgan

Football Discussion Non Essendon Stuff
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RIP
As in rip or R.I.P.?
As in 'Really, Isit imPortant'?
22

Should have got Mathieson.

Sack Dodoro

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RIP
As in rip or R.I.P.?
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damn

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RIP

26

A worrying sign. Hopefully a cause of adjusting to increased workload and intensity and not some inherent physiological issue

27

Future Captain. There. Got in first!

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AFL draft 2015: Alex Morgan is back in the game and loving it
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-draft-2015-alex-morgan-is-back-in-the-game-and-loving-it/news-story/10bd48e024643d61ad2f93ad4d881fb5

ALEX Morgan is quick.

But when the fastest player at this year’s draft combine vanished from the AFL pathway last year, clubs thought he’d disappeared for good.

Morgan played nine TAC Cup games in 2013, but his enjoyment of the game waned and so did his desire to front up at Oakleigh Chargers.

On a pre-season camp early last year, the penny dropped.

So, the rebounding defender decided he would man up and stand up in front of his teammates before training to announce he had quit.

“They were probably thinking, ‘Who’s this hot shot trying to retire after nine games’,” Morgan said.

“But I just felt like I owed it to them. A month leading up to the camp I’d recognised I wasn’t enjoying it as much and if you’re staying there because you think you’re forced to, you’re kidding yourself and being a bit selfish — taking someone else’s spot in the team. For me it was a hard call, but the right call.”

And it wasn’t a call Morgan made lightly.

Before he transferred to play in Division 4 of the Eastern Football League he sought advice from his parents, then-Chargers coach Justin Wenke, former talent boss Mark Smart and welfare manager Jim Honey.

By the end of Forest Hill’s season, Morgan had returned from hamstring setbacks and was in the team.

He was playing senior football, but the drop in standard — and speed — was as big as some of the blokes he was competing against.

Eight of his old Chargers mates, including Darcy Moore and Jordan De Goey, were drafted following their premiership season. Then the backflip came.

Finally, Morgan wanted his shot at the big time.

It was a decision harder to execute than walking away, the second-year university student scared people would think he was returning for the wrong reasons.

So Morgan penned an email to Smart formalising his request, the TAC Cup approved and allowed Morgan to play as a 19-year-old.

By mid-season, Geelong sent recruiter Michael ­McMahon to his house for an interview.

Less than a year after trotting around with local plodders, Morgan’s AFL dream was tangible.

“It was a bit exciting, but it was a bit scary as well,” Morgan said of the Cats visit.

“I’m pretty sure I polished everything and made sure nothing was dirty. I just wanted to make a good impression and obviously and you just want to present your best self.”

Morgan knew the inevitable question was coming: Will you walk away again?

Morgan could have bluffed. But that’s not his style.

“People want to hear that the reason I left is school or academic-based, but I tell recruiters honestly,” he said.

“ People develop at different times and for me this is the first year I’ve recognised that I really do want to play AFL.

“Once I had a sniff of it, I really wanted it.”

Fremantle has been watching closely and Melbourne recently emerged as a suitor, likely to consider Morgan at pick 46.

The Chargers now believe he could be their first player picked at Tuesday’s national draft and Champion Data rated Morgan’s Vic Metro games elite for contested possessions, intercept possessions and SuperCoach points.

Morgan returned from a torn hamstring to play in this year’s grand final and new talent boss Craig Notman said after a cold start he was the “catalyst” for the premiership, drifting forward to take a clean mark and kick a clutch goal.

“He’s a terrific kid,” Notman said.

“He’s like a 21-year-old in a maturity sense, but like a 17-year-old in a footy sense because he missed last year and a chunk of this year.”

Then came draft combine.

Off a limited preparation, Morgan registered the quickest 20m sprint time and finished second in the agility and vertical jumping tests.

“I didn’t think I was that fast, but I looked up at the scoreboard and everyone started clapping,” he said.

“My strengths are my decision-making mixed in with my speed and skills.

“I think I have the ability to kind of slow down play and pick the best option when other people would panic.”

But when Morgan returned to the same Oakleigh surroundings but with different people did he think he would make it?

“Well, I didn’t want to come back and let them down by being a failure, so hard work was a non-negotiable,” he said.

“But I’ve played championships, played at Etihad and am testing at combine with some of my best mates. If you’d told me that 12 months ago I probably would’ve said you were spewing.”

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speed

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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CUkN7tmUcAA8asY.png:orig

GUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUNSSSSS

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Alex “hamstrings” Morgan

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Quick and can jump but seriously would have hoped for others

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Delist

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Alex "hamstrings" Morgan
SHUT UP!

BURN THE WITCH! BURN THE WITCH!

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So… He’s pretty much Lachie Dalgleish?

36

I did not mind what I read about Morgan, could be a really good pick. I would be lying if I did not say that I was a bit concerned that he kind of disappeared though. Plenty of others that were highly rated that we did not take though. Interesting to see how he turns out.

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Alex "hamstrings" Morgan
SHUT UP!

BURN THE WITCH! BURN THE WITCH!

38

Love it when Dodoro goes off Broadway. Makes you feel like theres a little secret that only we know about

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:frowning:

No to Bonner?

40

Will probably attract the most “sells a bit of candy” calls from Brian Taylor of anyone in our team. Looks good in the highlights