Agreed. Got a stack of the ball and uses it well. Definitely has no issue finding the footy and he even came back into the game after tiring late. I was impressed as like Draper it’s as if he’s already played a handful of games.
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I thought he was excellent. He’s a good size mid too. I reckon he might be a bit taller than what his draft height says. Definately stands out when playing as an inside mid, like a skinny Fyfe.
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Post the carnival when people were talking about GWS’s academy picks and the huge boost they were going to get, this guy was being talked about as a (late) first round possibility. I was thrilled to get him when we did, partly as when we called out his name I just assumed GWS would take him. Hopefully he’s our Luke Parker, because we really need to strengthen the midfield and guys coming through picked in his range (plus guys like Langford) will be critical to taking the next step.
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Who could you liken his playing style to? Does he really have a big standout skill to give him that edge?
Well please note that I don’t personally watch any U18 footy, but I do read a lot of the reviews. My understanding is he just projects as a very good footballer. Not fast, not slow, not particularly great in the air, but positions himself well, uses it both sides, knows where the ball is, good work rate, clean user of the ball, endurance and strong stoppage work. Similarities are probably to S. Mitchell, who also went in a similar draft range. Knightmare compared him to Brad Ebert, others mentioned Sam Gibson, Priddis, and Rockliff. Most good phantom drafters (i.e. had seen kids play) put him in the 15 to 30 range.
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If I had to pick a current player I’d say he reminds me of Andrew Gaff, Hopefully with a similar kick.
I think he’s a genuine wingman who hopefully replaces Stanton for the next 12 years.
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Except he can also kick very well off his right foot. Gaff’s is just for balance.
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Um, well I don’t think he’s meant to be outside, not have a penetrating kick, and not be fast.
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Yeah. I see very little in common with Gaff really. If we go with a West Coast midfielder comparison, let’s hope he develops into a Dean Kemp type (for those that remember him) a balanced dual sided ball magnet who was not quick but excellent in congestion and very courageous.
Will except dual premiership player as an output also.
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Gets a lot of it and is a midfielder. Best case scenario is a Mitchell.
He’s a solid footballer, the type that may not change a game off his own back but will keep momentum going in your favour. He is consistently better than most of his peers without being dominant.
He’s very humble and honest on and off the ground, if the couches can channel a bit of Darcy Parish into him he will be going places, sooner than latter.
I think Priddis is a very good comparison.
I think by the end of the year we will see that he is a keeper and very much the kind of player Couches and fans want in the team.
Champion Data say he is similar to Zac Merret.
Andrew McGrath is similar to Sam Mitchell,
Josh Begley is similar to Jake Stringer
and
Dylan Clarke is similar to Luke Parker.
All sounds good to me as long as we can leave out the Mitchell smugness, and the Stringer show pony attitude. I would take a Zerret or Parker clone as is.
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Similar to Zac Merret really? From the little draft footage I saw of him that’s a bizarre comparison.
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Really? I honestly hate these as I cannot recall any being remotely accurate.
To say Clarke is similar to Parker… jeebus then why arent we playing Clarke in the guts and just had him on the wing.
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because hes a big body mid that could monster other 17 and 18 year olds.
No kid could do that in the current afl system.
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I’m pretty sure Parker did…
What I am getting at, is that they should compare them to the stars in their draft year, rather then now in the AFL system where they have had years of development.
I think he moves like Dale Thomas, while being an inside mid.
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Reminds me a little of Byron Pickett
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A few years ago I had this AFL manager game on PC. It was based on the 2011 season I think.
Anyway, at the end of each season, they had a draft, and all the players had a ‘plays like’ section.
They must have been excited about Sam Day that year, because every single prospective key position player ‘plays like Sam Day.’
That’s now a catch phrase between me and my mate whenever we rate new draftees.
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