Nick Naitanui

[Hannabal 4]

Get over him

1 Hes not even on our list

2 He may not even be picked up 1st

3 We may not even pick him up

Well aren't you a wealth of information.

Thanks for sharing. Insightful.

[DeeM 42]

Well aren't you a wealth of information.

Thanks for sharing. Insightful.

well dont u think its pathetic talking about some one who may not even be that good and hes not even on our list he we talk more about him thank 3/4 of our list

[Deestroy All 14,266]

well dont u think its pathetic talking about some one who may not even be that good and hes not even on our list he we talk more about him thank 3/4 of our list

Thanks 3/4 of our list, for being so bad we'll get Naitanui with pick 1.

I think that's what you wanted?

[DeeM 42]

WHO says we will pick him up?????

i think its more important getting a foward than a ruck men

Hawthorn doen't have an awesome ruckmen and were r they???

[rpfc 28,433]

WHO says we will pick him up?????

i think its more important getting a foward than a ruck men

Hawthorn doen't have an awesome ruckmen and were r they???

Yea, the Hawks have no ultra-athlete with agility and limitless marketing ability...

And they are just happy to be normal...

[DeeM 42]

Yea, the Hawks have no ultra-athlete with agility and limitless marketing ability...

And they are just happy to be normal...

My point is were getting a bit to excited about some one who isnt on our list and we may never pick up

[Jarka 767]

My point is were getting a bit to excited about some one who isnt on our list and we may never pick up

Mate, it's round 11 and we have one very lucky win on the board. At least let us get excitied about something before this dismal season ends, even if it doesn't actually happen.

[sylvinator 96]

Mate, it's round 11 and we have one very lucky win on the board. At least let us get excitied about something before this dismal season ends, even if it doesn't actually happen.

but what a win it was!

[Deestroy All 14,266]

WHO says we will pick him up?????

i think its more important getting a foward than a ruck men

Hawthorn doen't have an awesome ruckmen and were r they???

Translator please.

I think I failed at replying the first time, and for the life of me I can't decipher this rabble.

I'm sensing MC4B doesn't wan't Naitanui due to the fact he cannot spell his name.

[Lord Travis 10,730]

Can we wait until the season is over before talking about this? Naita could well keep improving, he could stagnate. He has potential, but he could also be a huge blunder. He doesnt have great skills, he doesnt get alot of the ball, he doesnt take many marks. Still alot of question marks over him if you ask me.

Let's wait until the season is through before we start pumping the guys tyres up too much. Rich, Hurley, or someone not even mentioned here could completely tear up the season and be a better pick up. Palmer tore it up last year, was thought to be a 2nd rounder at the start of the year. We all know what happened. Went pick 6, is having one of the best first years ever IMO Averaging 25 touches in his first season with little support!!

Wait out the season before all this talk gets thrown around. Using a pick 1 on a ruck is a waste anyway IMO Don't go saying "ZOMG BUT HE ISNT JUST A RUCK!!1! HE CAN PLAY ANYWHERE!!"

No he can't. He was thrown forward last week and had no impact there. He doesnt take many marks, and is poor at contested marks, which are needed to play as a key forward. Only 8% of his taps have been to advantage this season, which seems poor to me. And he doesnt get much of the ball around the ground. One of his best games this season where he's gotten wraps for showing a glimpse, he got 13 touches. Hardly Cox like. I know he's playing in the WAFL against men, but still not great return for a supposed #1 pick.

Enough of this talk for a few months please.

[DeeM 42]

Can we wait until the season is over before talking about this? Naita could well keep improving, he could stagnate. He has potential, but he could also be a huge blunder. He doesnt have great skills, he doesnt get alot of the ball, he doesnt take many marks. Still alot of question marks over him if you ask me.

Let's wait until the season is through before we start pumping the guys tyres up too much. Rich, Hurley, or someone not even mentioned here could completely tear up the season and be a better pick up. Palmer tore it up last year, was thought to be a 2nd rounder at the start of the year. We all know what happened. Went pick 6, is having one of the best first years ever IMO Averaging 25 touches in his first season with little support!!

Wait out the season before all this talk gets thrown around. Using a pick 1 on a ruck is a waste anyway IMO Don't go saying "ZOMG BUT HE ISNT JUST A RUCK!!1! HE CAN PLAY ANYWHERE!!"

No he can't. He was thrown forward last week and had no impact there. He doesnt take many marks, and is poor at contested marks, which are needed to play as a key forward. Only 8% of his taps have been to advantage this season, which seems poor to me. And he doesnt get much of the ball around the ground. One of his best games this season where he's gotten wraps for showing a glimpse, he got 13 touches. Hardly Cox like. I know he's playing in the WAFL against men, but still not great return for a supposed #1 pick.

Enough of this talk for a few months please.

HERE HERE

ow by the way...

Naitanui, Naitanui, Naitanui

Naitanui, Naitanui, Naitanui lol

[Eastie Boyz 0]

Yea, the Hawks have no ultra-athlete with agility and limitless marketing ability...

And they are just happy to be normal...

Can Naitanui mark? Or does he just jump and run?

[Hannabal 4]

Or does he just jump and run?

That's all he can do. And obviously it's the reason why every respected judge of junior talent in the country doesn't rate him.

[rpfc 28,433]

Can Naitanui mark? Or does he just jump and run?

Nah, he's sh!t.

[Eastie Boyz 0]

Well there's been a few people who have seen him play and have said he doesn't do anything around the ground that a big man is expected to do

[dee-luded 2,959]

WHO says we will pick him up?????

i think its more important getting a foward than a ruck men

Hawthorn doen't have an awesome ruckmen and were r they???

Spot-on 'M4b', franklin has been playing for the last month & the hawks look sick because Hodge & other hardworking mids are out of the team.

If I had the chance 5 or so years back to either pick a kid called Hodge or a kid called Franklin, I'd take Hodge every time.

[Hannabal 4]

Well there's been a few people who have seen him play and have said he doesn't do anything around the ground that a big man is expected to do

And you're one of them ?

Perhaps express a point of view when you've at least seen the person in question play. I've no doubt that there are a few people wanting to bring him down a peg or two, such is the hype, but when I hear club recruiters like Wayne Hughes say that without question they would've taken him over Kreuzer had he have been four days older, Scotty Clayton say that people won't believe the money they'll pay to watch him play, and Hawthorn's WA recruiting officer Buchenara say that he's the most exciting junior talent he's seen, then I suspect he can do more than just run and jump.

At 18 I suspect he'll have an opportunity to improve some areas of his game.

[Eastie Boyz 0]

No I'm not one of those people.

We all know humans have a habit of over-hyping anything that stands out (which Natanui seems to do).

It's been mentioned countless times on here that people who live in WA seem to thing Rich is a better bet than Natanui, people who have seen him play were impressed with certain areas but not so other areas of equal importance.

There's no doubting the potential is there, but it is an ugly word. Damian Cupido had potential, Aisake O'hAilpin has potiental, Franklin had potential, Sylvia has potential.

For every player with "potential" that has made it there has been one who hasn't. Whether Natanui is worth the risk of a #1 draft pick only to fall under the "wasted potential" category is debatable. Some will argue that if he does make it he'll be the best thing that's ever happened to footy, but what if he doesn't? Another blunder on that clubs recruiting CV.

There's no doubting to be playing WAFL is a fair effort for an 18 year old but there has been countless players before him who have done it, and an endless who weren't good enough for AFL still playing in it. For an age you've been complaining about how Jamar stands out so much at VFL but can't take the next step to make it at AFL. Then there are players who look good without being great at VFL then come into the AFL and have an immediate, and sustained influence.

Without having seen him play myself I'm not going to make a 100% judgement of him but I'm yet to hear someone who has call him a fantastic footballer. Plenty have spoken of his athleticism and willingness to go for the hard ball but to me that just sounds like Ben Hudson if he could run and jump. Whilst I believe Ben Hudson is a fantastic player I'm not sure any ruckman is worth a top draft pick because the way they develop is so different from your midfielders and key position players around the 6'4" mark.

[Hannabal 4]

For an age you've been complaining about how Jamar stands out so much at VFL but can't take the next step to make it at AFL. Then there are players who look good without being great at VFL then come into the AFL and have an immediate, and sustained influence.

I was the one who coined the term Donuts for Jamar and gave up on him long ago, so don't lump me with others.

I know Rich and Naitanui's manager and discussed both players with him recently, so I'm aware of the risks associated with Naitanui. This will be known as the suckers draft, in that whomever has pick one will almost feel forced to take Naitanui, and as you say there are risks involved. It's a bit like Kreuzer last year, there was so much hype that Carlton were never going to take anyone else even though Cotchin will probably be the better player.

Some of those who rate Naitanui are aware of what he needs to do to improve, and believe that if he gets certain aspects to his game right he'll be a better version of Goodes. A 6'6" athletic, fast, aggressive freak. I doubt that Melbourne will be able to pass up such an opportunity. Especially the marketing aspect. So yes, I understand your point.

I'll reserve judgment until I see him first hand, but even if there are associated risks with his selection I suspect that the potential upside makes these risks an acceptable and calculated punt.

[beelzebub 23,376]

Well there's been a few people who have seen him play and have said he doesn't do anything around the ground that a big man is expected to do

Strangely I read similar..but in a whole different context. He DOESNT play like your typical big man.Thats the gist I get. His 2nd and 3rd attempts are heartening. He runs down the "quicks" he can play a low ball. Yep all stuff a big fella doesnt normally do )

Hes learning the game. This normally isnt a comment of worth, but given his incredible athleticism where he even is at present is "very good" and he'll most likely get stronger and better.

I just dont see how you dont pick him if given the chance.

[Eastie Boyz 0]

What's the use of someone 2m tall if he can't outmark a 6 foot midfielder though?

[Lord Travis 10,730]

Since everyone keeps talking about Naita, I'm gonna throw my two cents in here. Flame me if you want, I dont give a [censored] because most of you havent even see him play.

I think if we've got a #1 pick, why not use it on a midfielder or KPP. Ruckman seems like a waste, And don't start the he's so much more than a ruckman. He's not. He hasnt proved that, and it's all speculative at this point. He needs to do alot more if he's going to be worth a #1 pick. Yes he is very athletic and has POTENTIAL to be something great, but I think it would be better to take a mid with the #1 pick. Look at last years draft. Kreuzer IMO will be nothing more than an average ruckman. Cotchin and Palmer look like superstars already. Masten and Morton have both shown glimpses of being something special. Kreuzer is a wasted #1 pick if you ask me.

Naita might be different, but I think we can get a decent ruckman with a far less important pick, or even the PSD with Warnock. Then take Rich or Hurley with #1.

Rich is a jet. He's a 17 year old playing in the WAFL against men and copping a no.1 tag already, and still managing to average 16 possessions a game despite being thrown into a back pocket at times. He is tough, and has elite footskills on both feet. He will be a Hodge style star IMO.

Hurley is a gun KPP. All Australian last year already as a fullback. Been thrown forward a few times this year to spice it up and kicked a bag of 6 from CHF. He is a more natural defender though.

And before you ask, yes, I've seen 2 WAFL games of both Naita and Rich. Naita was average. An atheltic freak, but can he learn to translate that into a footballing world? His taps go to noone right now. People marvel at how he roves once the ball hits the deck. The reason it hit the deck in the first place is because he tapped it to nowhere and had to chase after it to make up for it. His best game I saw he barely got any of the ball and the only reason I even knew he was playing was because he stands out so much from his appearances.

Rich was average also. Think he only got 17 touches, but some of his kicks through the middle were [censored] marvelous. He gets his own bal too. Tough little bugger. He'll need to learn to cope with tags though, but you'd hope that comes with experience and age.

Both showed only glimpses, but Rich looks alot safer bet if you ask me.

[beelzebub 23,376]

well firstly I suppose we have to see what pick we get. we may NOT get numbner one. Then we'll see where teh likley candidates are come end of season.. take note of who's progressed etc etc. Then like always we'll take our chances.

Geting any of the top three picks this year will be an enhancement to our list.I suppose the essential thing is we are canny with the picks we end up with and observant of other opportunites that are possibly peripheral to the draft proper. i.e who trdable.. who can we get possibly via the psd etc

There are obviosuly 'camps' forming in a fashion for this bloke or that. I caution about possibly placing all eggs in one basket. Nothing Ive seen or heard of regarding Naita diverts me from thinking he is a very good choice. So might Rich.. its going to depend on where we finish..Some others are doing a great job also of attacking that coveted last spot..lol.

Going to be interesting isnt it

[Hannabal 4]

Both showed only glimpses, but Rich looks alot safer bet if you ask me.

There's no doubt that the above statement is correct.

That said, it's a waste of space this whole argument, because you can bet the family home that if Melbourne have pick one they'll take Naita.

And Boi, if he'll never be able to outmark a 6 footer why do supposed experts salivate over him. Are they stupid, or you're just too clever ?

[Rogue 585]

I haven't seen Naita or Rich play, so a question to those that have -

I've read Naitanui described as very athletic and a great jump, yet he doesn't seem to rack up the possessions. I also haven't heard people talk about him taking strong contested grabs. Does he kick goals?

How quick is Rich?