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

[Mr.Craig]

Thanks for that Stew. Was a very amusing read. ;D

Jones definitely has a bit of the Hibberd about him.

[kilbluff1985]

his lock down roles are a bit off putting in terms of being fantasy relevant

[stew42]

Would be very good from an AFL point of view though. Not everything has to be fantasy related  ;)

[Mr.Craig]

Have you done a profile on Cutler?

Having missed almost the entire season there's not a lot to say on him really. I'll wait until after tomorrow and go from there.

[Mr.Craig]

Daniel McStay



Eastern Ranges 24/6/95 194cm/88kg

Drafted: Round 2, Pick 25 Brisbane

2013 TAC Ave: 71.3

Profile

McStay is a fascinating prospect in that he's got the physical attributes and skills to be a lockdown defender, a running half-back, a third tall in the ruck, a strong marking forward or even a midfielder. An impressive season in the TAC saw him kick almost a goal a game but he also played some important roles at the other end of the ground. He ranked top 10 in the competition for both disposal efficiency and contested marks (averaging 2 a game) and his DT scores for the year were 69, 60, 59, 54, 78, 125, 70, 78, 99, 84, 88, 54, 70, 61, 26, 66. As you can see from that his stats fluctuated depending on his role or opponents and this will be the big question mark from a fantasy perspective because he may get relegated to a back pocket where his output is limited. If he's released across the half back line or even forward there's a chance he could be a solid (but not spectacular) pick.

Knightmare (BigFooty): McStay stands with his athleticism, versatility and strong marking ability. He has the closing speed to go with most guys but then can also take on the game offensively and do some damage with the run and carry he can provide. He's also a good user by foot and can hit his targets up the field and convert from his set shot opportunities. He's a strong mark in the air and has shown that he can also switch forward and present as a marking target at times. My criticism with his play is that he's not a particularly physical or aggressive player by key position standards and is still developing that strength and ability 1v1. If he finds a role it's most likely to be in the back half but he'll need to become a better shutdown defender and improve his 1v1 work.

SC Paige: McStay displays similarities to Western Bulldogs ace, Bob Murphy - in that he is built to play a number of differing roles and brings with him a truck load of versatility. Up forward, McStay takes strong marks overhead, knows how to protect the drop of the ball well, and positions himself with his strong running which usually means he breaks away from his direct opponent, taking an uncontested mark. McStay down back is perhaps where he is at his best; flying to kill a contest, crashing packs, throwing his weight around, displaying a very combative style of play that inspires his teammates. A weapon off half back, McStay is deadly when allowed to take off from half back, running and carrying the ball, and setting up play further afield with an elite kick that more often than not, finds targets; he is the ultimate playmaker.

Bound For Glory: He's often not talked about in the same breath as other key position players because while he has the height, he doesn't have the strength of others like Darcy Gardiner or Michael Apeness. What McStay offers to a club is that ability to break the lines and move into the midfield which is rare for a 193cm player. He's also a hard player to find a comparison with because very few eligible key defenders can move into the midfield. A few years ago Andy Otten showed glimpses of being able to play midfield before injury struck while others such as Tyson Goldsack have made moves onto the wing. I have decided on Goldsack in terms of style, but McStay has much better disposal efficiency. While Goldsack is far from a ball butcher, McStay is one of the better kicks in the TAC Cup.

Fantasy Prospects

It wouldn't surprise me if he manages to play some games in 2014. As noted, his scoring may not be flash at times but if he snags DPP there'll be opportunities to use him as a downgrade in both the backs and forwards while potentially matching him with another DPP. He's a wait and see prospect but I'm not willing to rule him out just yet.

Media

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-20/daniel-mcstay
http://www.scpaige.com.au/draftees-in-focus-daniel-mcstay/
http://boundforglorynews.com/tac-cup-player-focus-daniel-mcstay/
http://madmondayshow.com/2013/11/01/player-profile-daniel-mcstay/
http://www.afc.com.au/news/2013-11-14/mcstay-on-the-move

[KoopKicka]

That last name :P especially as a defender. I wonder if in one on one contests he just yells "McStay" and his opponent immediately stops. ;D

[KoopKicka]

That last name :P especially as a defender. I wonder if in one on one contests he just yells "McStay" and his opponent immediately stops. ;D

God that was a ramble, hindsight KK, use it. ::)

anyway, its no different to what you get here from Craigy, and I got a lot of the stats from here. :P But would like some opinions on this article I have written:

http://www.afldreamers.com/teams/mature-age-madness/

P.S Craigy, youre right, SANFL stat searching is a massive dog. ::)

[Ricochet]

Apparently Garlett missed an interview with Hawks in September. Not looking good for him there

[Toga]

anyway, its no different to what you get here from Craigy, and I got a lot of the stats from here. :P But would like some opinions on this article I have written:

http://www.afldreamers.com/teams/mature-age-madness/

Nice Koopy, really good info there! Will definitely be looking at these guys depending where they go! 8)

[KoopKicka]

anyway, its no different to what you get here from Craigy, and I got a lot of the stats from here. :P But would like some opinions on this article I have written:

http://www.afldreamers.com/teams/mature-age-madness/

Nice Koopy, really good info there! Will definitely be looking at these guys depending where they go! 8)

Cheers Toga, there will be a part 2 with guys like Lloyd, Sikora, Bower and anyone else who gets drafted. But MC will beat me to it most likely. He's the man. ;) Im just doing what Im asked haha. Not meaning to steal any of his thunder.

[Mr.Craig]

P.S Craigy, you're right, SANFL stat searching is a massive dog. ::)

Yup. Best way I've found is to open up their Sportingpulse stats and use the dates to work out which weeks they were playing to avoid wasting time when at the SANFL site.

Would be nice if the Hawks picked up Mirra. I'd rather they used a rookie selection though.

Apparently Garlett missed an interview with Hawks in September. Not looking good for him there

Interesting timing for that to slip out.

[kilbluff1985]

Callum Twomey's late draft mail http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-11-20/cripps-in-blues-sights

[Mr.Craig]

I'm sick of musical chairs. Time to sit down.

[Mr.Craig]

The Roar's phantom draft...

http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/11/16/2013-phantom-afl-draft/

They have Lobb still doing to Sydney. He'll go to GWS now that Syd picked up Derickx

There ya go. You were right Rico.

[Mr.Craig]

Now to add all the new info to the profiles.

Things could have gone slightly better but I reckon we'll have something to work with. Hopefully the PSD and rookie draft fill in some holes.