Hawks and Dockers take big risks
The talk from the AFL National Draft on Saturday obviously centered around Matthew Kruezer at number 1, but it was the choices of Hawthorn and Fremantle that interested me.
Fremantle used 2 of their picks to revive the careers of Mark Johnson and Kepler Bradley. Bradley you could probably understand because of his age and his athletiscism, but Johnson is in the later part of career you would think and although Fremantle coach Mark Harvey says he is testing better than he did when he was 25, his form in 2006 and 2007 has not been great and Essendon was correct in their decision to get rid of him. Maybe Harvey has seen what Sheedy can do to revive older players careers and is trying to do the same. I hope for his sake he can do it because the Fremantle fans are very unforgiving.
Hawthorn put their heads on the chopping block by picking up ex Port Adelaide forward Stuart Dew. Dew is not in terrible physical shape at the moment, his weight had ballooned out to 120kg and his playing weight is usually around 100kg. He has been training by himself for about 2 months and will be interesting to see him go through the pre season.
There will be alot of expectation from Hawks fans in 2008 after their impressive 2007. If this Dew gamble doesn’t pay off and he can’t get his body back in shape and make a significant impact then there is going to be alot of irate Hawks fans. On the up side Dew will bring with him a great deal of experience to the young list, with only Shane Crawford left in terms of experience that will be a bonus. The only position I see for Dew will be as an impact player off the bench, which may be just what the Hawks need.
For both Hawthorn and Fremantle I hope their gambles pay off because if they backfire then both Harvey and Clarkson will be in the sights of their respective fans.
Matthew Kruezer goes Number One in the 2007 AFL National Draft
As expected the coveted number 1 draft pick was Matthew Kruezer from the Northern Nights, he is Cartlon’s third number 1 draft pick in a row, and will join fellow number 1 pick, Marc Murphy (2005) and Bryce Gibbs (2006). Here is a bit of info on him for those who don’t already know:
DOB: 13/5/1989
Original Club: Northern Nights
Height: 199.5 cm
Weight: 94kg
Kreuzer has an enormous athletic ability, which allow him to get to lots of contests in the air and on ground level. He had an exceptional 2007 season including MVP for Vic Metro and All-Australian honours and also winning the Morrish Medal .
In other interesting draft news,
Hawthorn used pick 45 to revive the career of ex Port Adelaide’s Stuart Dew.
Fremantle used pick 55 to get ex Bomber Mark Johnson, This would have to be the influence of Mark Harvery.
St Kilda used pick 57 to re draft Fraser “G-Train” Gehrig
Fremantle used pick 69 to get Kepler Bradley, again Harvey’s influence?
2007 AFL National Draft top 10:
1. Matthew Kruezer (Carlton)
2. Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
3. Chris Masten (West Coast)
4. Cale Morton (Melbourne)
5. Jarrad Grant (Western Bulldogs)
6. David Myers (Essendon)
7. Rhys Palmer (Fremantle)
8. Lachlan Henderson (Brisbane)
9. Ben McEvoy (St Kilda)
10. Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide)
Did your club get it right? Don’t know about Fremantle’s decision to recycle Mark Johnson, I think his best footy his behind him. Kepler Bradley on the other hand could show something more at a new club under Mark Harvey.
Fraser Gehrig Nominating for the AFL National Draft? What is he thinking !
Well, I have heard it all now ! this time ex St Kilda bigman Fraser “The Snake” Gehrig wants to make a return to AFL Football, and St Kilda are actually looking at re drafting him…
I am sure the other clubs are rubbing their hands together in the hope St Kilda will waste one of their draft picks on the G-Train.
There was a classic comment from Scott Clayton, the Western Bulldogs recruiting manager, when asked whether they would be interested:
“Count us out. We have a plan in place we are committed to”, I wonder if he was laughing when he said that? I am sure this will be the response of the other clubs as well.
He was said to have made a phone call from Sweden at 2am, had he had much to drink? My tip, he will end up with mate Justin Peckett at Karingal Football Club, a local club the Peckett coaches on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.
St Kilda set to move to Frankston
St Kilda Football Club is set to relocate it headquaters from Linton Street Moorabbin, it’s home for 42 years to the Peninsula suburb of Frankston. In what will be a hugh coup for the city of Frankston, the move will see new offices, lap pools, gym, cafe and a community center.
This news is very surprising considering their VFL affiliate side Casey Scorpians are located at Casey Fields in South Cranbourne, which itself is a new sporting complex. I believe the new home at Frankston will be jointly funded by the AFL, State Gaverment, Frankston City Council and St Kilda.
Apparently the Frankston Oval ,which is currently the home of the Frankston Dolphins will get an immediate overhaul. Also in what will be a huge financial windfall for the Dolphins is the fact that the Social Club and Poker Machines will remain theirs. This has the potential to bring in alot of money for the standalone VFL Club.
The Dolphins have been known to be against aligning with an AFL team, surely this move will make an aligment inevetable? Mind you while the main man Brian Mace is their I can’t see them aligning any time soon.
A huge win for the Dolphins and the City of Frankston
Over to you Carlton. Collingwood releases a list of their highlights of 2007
In a press release that was released by Collingwood Football Club yesterday outlining the clubs highlights for the 2007 season, on top of the list was the top four finish, the second was beating Carlton twice OUCH !!
You would expect Carlton to come out swinging with a response, on their list you would think that stealing Greg Swan and beating Collingwood to Chris Judd to be high up.
Nathan Buckley to start his coaching career
Former Collingwood Football Club captain Nathan Buckley has accepted a 12 month apprenticeshhip as the AFL’s High Performance Coach. This position means that Buckley will be assisting developing, promoting and implementing strategies in the AFL’s push for the country’s elite young athletes.
Although Buckley has been quoted as saying:
“I’d like to think that, in two or three years’ time, if I found I had the passion, I’d be better placed and more rounded, with a greater understanding of my strengths and weaknesses, and ready to have a crack,”
There is no doubt Buckley is a ready made AFL coach, given he was injured for most of the 2007 season and spent alot of his time along side Mick Malthouse, he has already served a type of apprenticeship. If a coaching position arises at the end of the 2008 season Buckley would be number one on my shopping list.
Loophole in the AFL decision and Ben Cousins may play in 2008
In the never ending saga that is Ben Cousins, the AFL Commission yesterday announced a 12 month ban for Cousins, but this is not an Australian wide ban. Therefore we could see Cousins playing in 2008 in the WAFL, VFL or SANFL. I read today that his WAFL club East Fremantle would consider letting Cousins play if he was “well enough and playing was part of his rehab”.
This has to be a no brainer surely ! What club would pass up the opportunity have Ben Cousins play next year if he is fit enough to play. Alot of experts have said that he may be better off out of WA and out of the spotlight. I am sure the VFL and SANFL teams would be queing up to get the signature of Cousins.
Given that the commission found Cousins guilty of bringing the game into disrepute, I am still yet to see anthing from the AFL that outlines what evidence or which indiscretion or number of indiscretions they had taken into account to get to the verdict.
Furthermore we then have Mike Fitzpatrick coming out and saying that he is not sure that Cousins had damaged the game. I find this crazy that a commissioner can say this and then come out and ban him from the AFL for 12 months.
Do you think the AFL Commission got this right?
Balwyn Tigers extend Hawthorn Connection
Balwyn Tigers Football Club have extended their Hawthorn connection by signing ex Hawk Joel Smith for season 2008 and 2009. This signing is on the back of the Tigers appointing Daniel Harford (also ex Hawthorn), as their playing coach for the 2008 season.
Joel Smith also joins ex Hawks Nick Reis and Marcus Baldwin as former Hawks that are now playing for the Tigers.
For all you non Victorian readers the Balwyn Tigers play in the Eastern Football League here in Victoria.
