Mr.Craig's Rookie Spotlight 2014 (Index On Page 1)

[Nige]

No worries, was just browsing the interwebs for trade/draft news and stumbled across it and thought it was worth sharing.  ;)

[Mr.Craig]

Time to pump out a few more profiles I think.

[Mr.Craig]

Cameron McCarthy



South Fremantle 1/4/95 195cm/89kg

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 14 GWS
2013 WAFL Colts Ave: 67.1

Profile

McCarthy is considered one of the best tall forward prospects in the draft and he showed his worth in the Under 18 Championships, kicking 12 goals in 5 games and averaging 67.7 DT. He slotted the winning goal against Vic Country but unfortunately the All Australian broke his leg in the final game of the carnival. Cameron played 8 games at WAFL level in 2013, kicking an excellent 20.6 with DT scores of 43, 48, 66, 60, 82, 77, 91 and 70. Despite his injury layoff, McCarthy is expected to front at the Combine and should still command a high draft position. He's a decent size already but may take some time to assert himself at AFL level.

SC Paige: McCarthy stands out on field, and that's not because of his long mop of hair that requires a headband, he demands the ball, he's got some pace off the mark, he brings others into the game, and can be relied upon to kick multiple goals. He's a beautiful size for the modern day game, and brings with him a bit of x-factor and a little bit of excitement in his game. McCarthy's pressure football is also a big tick in the recruiting handbook; he runs, chases and harasses the opposition, another trait rare for big blokes, but he does it with ease, and puts pressure on the ball carrier which was very impressive to watch.

Mad Monday: Whenever McCarthy is targeted up forward, he looks dangerous and likely to take a mark. McCarthy has a strong pair of hands and has brilliant aerial ability; he is capable of outmarking his opponent with his reach. This is easily the standout in his game, McCarthy's ability to continually present an option to his team-mates effectively lifts the efficiency of the entire forward line. He is also a fantastic reader of the ball and he can out-judge his defender when his side goes inside 50. McCarthy also has a unique and reliable kicking routine which works well for him, as evident in his game-winner against Vic Country.

Bound For Glory: The best feature of McCarthy's game is his marking. He has an excellent set of hands and takes the ball at its highest point almost every time. He has a great vertical leap and loves to fly at the footy. He uses his leap of advantage and he takes a lot of marks flying over defenders, or taking them with his arms outstretched when others will have given up. He reads the play well and never takes his eyes off the ball, which is surprising considering the long mop of blonde hair he has.

Technically his goal kicking action is poor and is something he will need to work on to avoid a Lindsay Thomas-like situation where he has a deficiency that is repeatedly exposed leading to a lot of behinds being kicked. On paper his kicking looks good but in actual fact he is awkward and seems rather lucky to have such reasonable accuracy. Forwards need to convert at AFL level and he won't get as many opportunities at AFL level so he needs to take advantage of his chances when they are presented to him.

Fantasy Prospects

I doubt he'll be a worthwhile pick. Aside from the fact he's unlikely to be a walk up starter, he doesn't get enough of the ball around the ground and you can't rely on him to be kicking multiple goals each game once he gets exposed to AFL quality defenders.

Media

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-11/10-days-to-the-draft-meet-cameron-mccarthy
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-08/explosive-tall-over-leg-breaks
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-07-12/mccarthy-to-be-ready-for-combine
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-07-03/broken-leg-for-young-wa-gun
http://bfgnews.net/2013-draft-profile-cameron-mccarthy/
http://www.scpaige.com.au/draftees-in-focus-cameron-mccarthy/
http://madmondayshow.com/2013/08/25/player-profile-cameron-mccarthy-2/

[Nige]

This might be worth mentioning.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-01/no-tests-for-aish-billings-

[Mr.Craig]

Luke Reynolds



Port Adelaide 9/1/95 188cm/86kg

2012 SANFL Reserves Ave: 59.6

2013 SANFL Reserves Ave: 61.5
2013 SANFL Seniors Ave: 27.0

Profile

The mop-haired South Australian is a mobile forward who impacts the scoreboard but can be somewhat inconsistent at times. He has spent the majority of the last two years playing in the SANFL reserves comp, often picking up around 15 disposals and a couple of goals a game. In 2013 his DT scores were 34, 91, 39, 73, 78, 61, 45, 70 and 63. Luke played a couple of senior games for Port in August but struggled to have an impact with scores of 33 and 21. During the Under 18 Championships he averaged 12.4 disposals and kicked 7.8 for 62.2 DT per game. One thing that does help Reynolds' scoring is his excellent kick to handball ratio (at the Champs it was over 4:1).

Mad Monday: Luke Reynolds is one of a handful in this years' draft crop that provides that 'x-factor' presence in both the midfield and up forward which makes him a very likeable prospect at the next level! He plays most of his time off the high half-forward role in games, but he does it intelligently with his raking left foot and ability to utilise his above-average foot skills to find a teammate inside 50 and set up a scoring opportunity for his clubs. Not only does he show selflessness but he does not hesitate to have a ping for goal when the opportunity comes to him, and usually finishes very well to be a big "scoreboard impact" player.

SC Paige: The Port Adelaide product took his game to a new level this year in the championships, after being overlooked as an underage player in SA's team in 2012. In a year which is light on for big bodied, key forward prospects - Reynolds has bobbed up, and asserted himself on the big stage. Reynolds plays the flanks quite well, he knows where to put the ball, where to lead and when he plays on, his delivery inside 50 is absolutely elite. His bullet like passes inside 50 is a clear standout of his game, as much as he can hit targets by foot, is unprecedented. Reynolds is a very smart user of the ball; when he goes inside 50 - he forces his teammate to lead to where he wants to send the ball, a skill that is rare in junior footballers (think Jason Akermanis)

Bound For Glory: Luke Reynolds is one of the most interesting players in the draft this year. He has that unique ability to turn it on and threaten to tear open a game but can't quite put four quarters of consistent football together at this stage. Reynolds has played as a third tall before with a decent grab overhead and great positioning where he can time his leads to perfection. Often Reynolds will make long leads up to the wing and be that player that kicks it inside 50 to one of the key forwards. While resting, Reynolds can assist the talls and play from a pocket where he causes players to be aware of his presence. While he doesn't have the body that other forwards have, he is usually more athletic than most defenders.

Fantasy Prospects

I'm happy to be proven wrong but at this point even if Reynolds was available Round 1 I don't think I'd be picking him. I doubt his scoring is going to be that great and I have my concerns about him having much of an impact in his debut season.

Media

http://madmondayshow.com/2013/07/09/player-profile-luke-reynolds/
http://boundforglorynews.com/2013-draft-profile-luke-reynolds/
http://www.scpaige.com.au/draftees-in-focus-luke-reynolds/
http://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/2013-07-31/young-maggies-spreading-their-wings

YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N5Y6LOZBB4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-sE8aNURJA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zALb1jDUM6g

[Mr.Craig]

Mitchell Honeychurch



Eastern Ranges 2/3/95 175cm/65kg

2013 TAC Ave: 94.4

Drafted: Round 4, Pick 60 Western Bulldogs

Profile

Mitch is another of the many sub 180cm midfielders in the draft pool this year but despite his size he's proven to be an effective and damaging footballer. In the Under 18 Championships Honeychurch starred, averaging 25 disposals, 102.5 DT and being rewarded with All Australian honours along with the Vic Metro MVP (which Nathan Hrovat won last year). His TAC campaign was interrupted by injury but Mitch still managed 7 games for scores of 24, 69, 129, 65, 148, 140 and 86 while also kicking 12 goals for the year.

SC Paige: Super talented, and balanced on both sides of his body, Honeychurch has got some serious toe when he takes off, and is calm under pressure, almost always hitting up a target by hand or foot. Perhaps the hallmark of Honeychurch's game was discovered this year in the Metro system, where he displayed the ability to be incredibly versatile, playing in stints up forward, through the midfield, on a wing and across half back - all of which he excelled at. This however came as no surprise to draft enthusiasts, who are aware of the exceptional vision and awareness Honeychurch possesses, akin to that Dayne Zorko who can sum up situations across the field with ease.

Mad Monday: Likened to players such as Luke Dahlhaus and Mathew Stokes, Mitch possesses the rare versatility to rotate through the midfield with the ability to collect large disposal numbers, then moving up forward and providing above-average scoreboard impact for his team. Combining his consistent, versatile style of play with his terrific personality and mental toughness there is nothing about him that says that Mitch cannot sustain a successful AFL career.

Bound For Glory: While he may not look like your typical inside midfielder, Honeychurch can be just that, but his best work is also done on the outside. He's the type of player that if you need to find him, just look for the ball and he'll be in the vicinity. After injury delayed his season this year, Honeychurch turned it on at the Under 18s Championships being one of Vic Metro's best midfielders. Against South Australia at Simonds Stadium, Honeychurch was in the top three players alongside Josh Kelly and Jack Billings. While he may not have had the hype surrounding him as others, he has immense talent that could see him shoot up the draft order. Likewise against Vic Country, Honeychurch was again busy, weaving around opponents and delivering well inside 50.

Chris25 (BigFooty): I liken him a little bit to Lachie Neale from Fremantle, he is only a small player but he throws himself into the packs, chases hard and tackles strongly. Without much fanfare, he consistently wins 20+ disposals and can have a real impact on the clearances. What sets him apart from similar players though, is that he regularly kicks goals and can play as a stay at home small forward. Like I said, he isn't the most exciting player to watch but he'll do absolutely everything possible to ensure he has a long career.

Fantasy Prospects

Despite his fantastic performances this year Honeychurch is still only considered a second round pick at best, his obvious lack of size being the major roadblock. I think at best we might see him near the end of the year and probably not for enough games to make himself relevant.

Media

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-09-23/life-sweet-for-honeychurch
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-07-10/honeychurch-name-starting-to-stick
http://www.scpaige.com.au/draftees-in-focus-mitch-honeychurch/
http://madmondayshow.com/2013/07/11/player-profile-mitchell-honeychurch/
http://bfgnews.net/2013-draft-profile-mitch-honeychurch/
http://www.footballnation.com.au/afl/the-afl-draft/draft-prospect-in-focus-mitch-honeychurch/

[Mr.Craig]

James Battersby



Sturt 7/11/95 177cm/78kg

2013 SANFL Reserves Ave: 99.5
2013 SANFL Seniors Ave: 75.5

Profile

Battersby is a small midfielder come defender who has found himself hot property after a very good 2013 which saw him win All Australian honours and cement his place in the Sturt senior side. At the Champs he was thrown into an unfamiliar role playing off half back but excelled, averaging 19.2 touches and 74.4 DT. James was able to step up from SANFL reserves to the seniors without barely missing a beat, being named in the best for half his games and scoring 51, 43, 56, 90, 96, 97, 94, 42 and 111. One of the knocks on Battersby is some of his defensive efforts and he'll need to address that, particularly if AFL clubs are keen to develop him as a defender.

Mad Monday: He is a known ball winner both at state level for SA and at Sturt, his SANFL club in which he has played both reserves and senior football this season due to his performances. He is one of the smartest kicks off half-back that I have seen this year, using his awareness and decision-making intangibles to effectively make a rushed decision on his feet and turn defence into offense. Not only is he effective off the flanks, but he is known to be just as influential when rotated in the guts, racking up clearances and getting his hands on it more than anyone would've expected! Another weapon in this young prospect's arsenal is his ability to also move up forward and kick a goal.

SC Paige: Battersby has an innate ability to read the ball, and sum up situations very quickly. He often can depict where the ball is going, and with ball in hand, he forces his teammate to space with a kick that forces the player to lead to where he wants them to receive the ball. Although Battersby prefers to play more offensively in defence - he showed natural aggression and strength when playing a lock down role on the oppositions craftiest small forward, this is where recruiters were pleased; he is disciplined enough to play a tight checking and physical game, whilst rolling off his opponent, forcing him to be accountable.

Bound For Glory: One of Battersby's best attributes is his vision and decision making, particularly in traffic. Countless times Battersby has looked like he was about to be dragged down by a tackle only for him to fire off a handball to a man in space. He has an exceptional ability to release runners into space with perfectly weighted handpasses. I find Battersby to much more dangerous when he handballs out of contested situations rather than throwing the ball onto his boot. Battersby is exceptionally versatile and can play at both ends of the field and in the midfield and have an impact in all of these positions. As a forward he is dangerous because he reads the flight of the ball so well and is at the feet of the key forwards more often than not. As a midfielder he has elite ball winning ability and great decision making skills. As a defender he provides run and carry and is a great link up player, kick starting many forward thrusts for his team.

Chris25 (BigFooty): As a 16 year old, he was very highly rated and considered one of the top players of his age in the state. Since then, he has made his SANFL league debut and stepped straight into the starting midfield at Sturt. Against much more mature players than himself, he has excelled at the stoppages and always seems to be the player at the bottom of the pack. The knock on him may be how much growth and improvement he has to come, but he is a smart and well rounded player who could easily come in next year and play through the midfield or in a back pocket.

Fantasy Prospects

Could be a real smokey. There are a couple of issues that might get in the way but there's a lot to like too. M/D status would further increase his cache.

Media

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-07-11/young-gun-sturt-of-heart
http://boundforglorynews.com/2013-draft-profile-james-battersby/
http://madmondayshow.com/2013/07/19/player-profile-james-battersby/
http://www.scpaige.com.au/draftess-in-focus-james-battersby/

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2A9L3hPP-k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mmh5-jAJfTk

[Nige]

Can't believe I've missed this...

Paige Cardona ‏@Paigeos_Hotpies 5m

Josh Kelly - tipped to go top 3 in the draft could have been a father/son to @NorthKangaroos had his father Phil played 33 more games #ouch

[eg6914]

Can't believe I've missed this...

Paige Cardona ‏@Paigeos_Hotpies 5m

Josh Kelly - tipped to go top 3 in the draft could have been a father/son to @NorthKangaroos had his father Phil played 33 more games #ouch

Oh that's devastating, did Phil Kelly play any games for other clubs?

[Nige]

Can't believe I've missed this...

Paige Cardona ‏@Paigeos_Hotpies 5m

Josh Kelly - tipped to go top 3 in the draft could have been a father/son to @NorthKangaroos had his father Phil played 33 more games #ouch

Oh that's devastating, did Phil Kelly play any games for other clubs?

Nope, just the 61 for North.

Did play 109 games for East Perth in the WAFL though.

[Nige]

Sam Landsberger ‏@SamLandsberger 1m

192cm WA fwd Jon Marsh clocks 2.78s for the 20m sprint. Think that's the second fastest behind Joel Wilkinson (2.75). Beats Hill and Pearce.

[Nige]

Kevin Sheehan ‏@AFL_Shifter 32s

Nathan Freeman with a 2.82 sec for 20m now second quickest today at Draft Combine ! He exploded !! #nabaflu18s

[Mr.Craig]

The Dangerfield comparisons will continue to grow...

[Nige]

I just fulfilled Tom Boyd's request to get Karl Amon over 100 followers on Twitter. Became Karl's 100th follower and got a retweet from Tom in the process.  8)

[Mr.Craig]

I just fulfilled Tom Boyd's request to get Karl Amon over 100 followers on Twitter. Became Karl's 100th follower and got a retweet from Tom in the process.  8)

You social media whore. :P