Rookies 09

[beelzebub 23,380]

OK.. for me the Rookie is a bit of a punt. They sometimes take longer or need more work done. They are projects for the most.

One guy that fascinates me a bit is Majak Daw

Club - Wyndhamvale

Height - 193cm

Weight - 84kg

DOB - 11/3/91

A tall Sudanese player who has great athleticism. According to watchers he's really bulked up in the past two seasons.Skills a bit iffy but works on them. Known for some freaky things.. I keep thinking of Magumbwa ( South Fremantle ). Would love to se a Gumby type in red and blue.

video highlights :

read about him: Out of Africa

Daw flies Jets to victory

Seven learning to be stars

Majak might be what AFLclubs want

oh and btw.. he often plays Ruck or KPP(forward) ...and hes gotten this far in just 3 and a bit years.. !!! Mind boggles what he could do with top level coaching and mentoring..

If we are really clever, we'll rookie him and get him into our system

Edited September 1, 2009 by belzebub59

[H_T 3,049]

Well, he satisfies Freak's criteria. He's not 190-192cm.

[beelzebub 23,380]

Well, he satisfies Freak's criteria. He's not 190-192cm.

I know...phew !!! was worried about that

Seriously though , if we can find a smokey from way out in the Never Never... why not one from Africa ??

If we dont.....I gaurantee some one else will !!

[RalphiusMaximus 6,054]

I've been interested in him too. Do you think he'll still be available for the rookie draft? I wouldn't be surprised if he went in the ND. As you say his skills are not great but his freak factor is high.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,054]

Plus we'd then have Majak and the Wizard in our forward fifty.

[dee-luded 2,959]

OK.. for me the Rookie is a bit of a punt. They sometimes take longer or need more work done. They are projects for the most.

One guy that fascinates me a bit is Majak Daw

Club - Wyndhamvale

Height - 193cm

Weight - 84kg

DOB - 11/3/91

A tall Sudanese player who has great athleticism. According to watchers he's really bulked up in the past two seasons.Skills a bit iffy but works on them. Known for some freaky things.. I keep thinking of Magumbwa ( South Fremantle ). Would love to se a Gumby type in red and blue.

read about him: Out of Africa

Daw flies Jets to victory

Seven learning to be stars

Majak might be what AFLclubs want

oh and btw.. he often plays Ruck or KPP(forward) ...and hes gotten this far in just 3 and a bit years.. !!! Mind boggles what he could do with top level coaching and mentoring..

If we are really clever, we'll rookie him and get him into our system

I saw him play @ Willianstown earlier in the season for the W - Jets. I went to watch fitzpatrick play & a couple of others. Dissappointed with Fitzpatrick's efforts, lazy & was dragged, sat on the pine for a long time. went back on & was still dissinterested.

I noticed that Majak Daw & was & he was interesting. I didn't know of him previous to that, a good athlete, & from what I've seen on the Media, there's very good upbringing there as well.

I think it would be great to get a indigenous African player onto our list. Majak Daw would be perfect.

[Doggo 32]

I saw this guy play last year and was impressed, and have a couple of friends associated with the Jets who love him as a player. They have very big wraps on him and his rate/scope for improvement. Has athleticism, power, vertical leap and pace that you wouldn't believe, although very raw football wise. I'd liken him to Stef Martin, but stronger, and more of a power athlete. Apparently he has grown to around the 196-197cm mark, and is considered to be still growing. Plays ruck and in the forwardline, could be a very interesting bargain basement pick up. I'm sure at least one or two clubs have had a look, considering the dearth of KPP's in the upcoming draft.

Here's what i wrote about him last month:

Think we should take a punt on this kid from the Western Jets U/18 side, Majak Daw. Some will remember there was an article in the paper about him a few weeks ago that was posted here. He's an 18 year-old Sudanese forward/ruckman, around 197cm with HUGE leap and exceptional pace. Smokey with unlimited potential. People who know him rate him as just as good a chance to make it as Nick Naitanui. Serious athletic ability and the boy can play too.

Have seen him play live for the Jets once last year and in that match saw him take a big pack mark and make some great run-downs. This year he has consolidated his spot in the Jets team and has been improving rapidly. Along with his great leap and speed, has got pretty good skills too. Huge pack marking ability. X-factor written all over him... Long-term project player, definitely worth a punt with a late pick.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Doggo

[Doggo 32]

Another kid who i wouldn't mind seeing us take a punt on in the RD:

Josh Donaldson, played as the ruckman for WA in the U18 carnivals this year, despite being well undersized (193-194cm i think). Skinny but with an amzaing leap in centre-square contests, times his jump beautifully and was regularly out-jumping much taller opponents, and rarely beaten from what i saw. While at this stage he has not nailed a key position as a back or forward, has got some real raw athletic ability and could be worth a look at late.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Doggo

[Viney_12 1]

Serhat Temel from the cannons

[e25 5]

I quite like the sound of Majak Daw for a rookie, could really blossom into something else.

If irish guys can do it after playing with a round ball, why can't he?

Also like the idea of tapping into the ever-increasing Sudanese population in Australia as a supporter-base.

Nothing to draw them to the game like having one of their own involved.

Its just a matter of time - I'd love MFC to be the first.

[Doggo 32]

Another bloke who'd i'd love to see rookie drafted, Casey skipper Kyle Matthews, who has been ultra impressive all year. I've no doubt he would acquit himself nicely at AFL level, as he's head and shoulders above VFL (not literally though, he's only a little bloke). Easily Casey's best player, and better than most of the guys we've had playing down there this year too. More likely than someone like say, Valenti, to make it IMHO.

[Doggo 32]

Do you think he'll still be available for the rookie draft? I wouldn't be surprised if he went in the ND. As you say his skills are not great but his freak factor is high.

From what i've seen of Majak (mind you i've only seen him play live once), he looks to have the basic mechanics of kicking down pat. Didn't see him drill any long ones, but looks to have a nice kicking action with his field kick. He doesn't look unco at all IMO.

Looks to have an uncomplicated, relaxed kicking style, so he's obviously been coached in the fundamentals very well early in his career, given that he hasn't picked up any bad habits of kicking naturally with an awkward action (like Frawley or Bate, for example). Looked a natural in kicking drills during the warm up, and apparently always works very hard on his kicking at training.

My mate says he's improved out of sight this year, so i'd imagine his skills will definitely be better than when i saw him. Like Naitanui, he's seen as a long-term 'project-player', athelte first, footballer second. But unlike NN, whoever picks him up will be getting him at a bargain-basement price of probably a ND 4th rounder or a rookie-draft pick, unless one club suspects another will be going after him and wants to get in first. You never know with these shallow draftts...

And in terms of marketing value and in community involvement and asymilation, it would be so fantastic for the Sudanese community to have representation in the AFL. He'd be a hero for all the young Sudanese-Australian kids to aspire to become, much in the way Liam is back home in Yuendumu. Not to mention the thousands of new members he'd attract to the club, and new supporters to the game.

[RalphiusMaximus 6,054]

Also, the guy looks downright scary. He's huge for his age, won't need to bulk up much and could carry some serious intimidation into the game.

[e25 5]

Looks like the doggies are already onto him if you've seen today's hun

Couldn't find a link in under 30 seconds so i gave up

[RalphiusMaximus 6,054]

Yeah, I saw it. I'd avoid that place like the plague if I were him. Their record with big men and injuries is pretty scary. The big question become whether they are going to spend a pick in the ND on him? If not we're a good shot a it. Assuming our recruiters like the look of the kid.

[MadAsHell 4,212]

Any chance of Max Gawn slipping through from Sandringham Dragons to the rookie draft seeing as he missed a chunk of the season with a knee injury?

Club: Sandringham Dragons

Height: 206cm

Weight: 97kg

DOB: 28/12/91

Edited August 27, 2009 by Tall Defence

[w00dy 146]

Hutchy must be reading Demonland, he showed footage of Daw running around in the TAC cup tonight on the Footy Show for some reason... Mainly due to his African roots I would think...

[Maric Legend 0]

Do we get first pick in the rookie draft? If so, please please get this guy.

Hopefully won't get taken in the ND, but don't think many clubs would for a guy thats unlikely to play AFL soon.

[beelzebub 23,380]

Do we get first pick in the rookie draft? If so, please please get this guy.

Hopefully won't get taken in the ND, but don't think many clubs would for a guy thats unlikely to play AFL soon.

yep...fist pick at everything

[beelzebub 23,380]

Hutchy must be reading Demonland, he showed footage of Daw running around in the TAC cup tonight on the Footy Show for some reason... Mainly due to his African roots I would think...

the bastard...doesnt he have any original thinking !!

[e25 5]

yep...fist pick at everything

I very easily could be wrong on this but for some reason I have a feeling GC17 get the first 5 picks in the rookie draft this year...

[Carn dees 108]

I very easily could be wrong on this but for some reason I have a feeling GC17 get the first 5 picks in the rookie draft this year...

Yeah i think they do i also recall reading that somewhere.

[dee-luded 2,959]

I very easily could be wrong on this but for some reason I have a feeling GC17 get the first 5 picks in the rookie draft this year...

Draft Concession Package Summary for GC-17

2009 National Draft

> Ability to sign upto 12x 17 year olds born between January 1st-April 30th 1992 in 2009

2009 Rookie Draft

> All first 5 selections - pick 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

[Ryan Dee 140]

Draft Concession Package Summary for GC-17

2009 National Draft

> Ability to sign upto 12x 17 year olds born between January 1st-April 30th 1992 in 2009

2009 Rookie Draft

> All first 5 selections - pick 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

So do we still pick #1 in the PSD?

No chance in getting any top players in the PSD if true, GC will snap them up.

[Carn dees 108]

We still get First pic in PSD.

If not id be pretty unhappy, we've really gone well here.