Lucas Cook

[Deecisive 1,709]

Cook was a potential Key position player who could compete with the big men from day 1. he was taken for what he could potentially provide. That potential has not been realised, it does not mean that it cannot be, it just means that Melbourne could not afford to wait for Cook, Gys, Morton and other with enormous potential to realise it. Re the comment that KP players take 5 years, not sure I agree, and hopefully hogan also does not agree. Body shape and maturity really determine if they can be competitive.

[rpfc 28,843]

Cook was a potential Key position player who could compete with the big men from day 1. he was taken for what he could potentially provide. That potential has not been realised, it does not mean that it cannot be, it just means that Melbourne could not afford to wait for Cook, Gys, Morton and other with enormous potential to realise it. Re the comment that KP players take 5 years, not sure I agree, and hopefully hogan also does not agree. Body shape and maturity really determine if they can be competitive.

KP players so light an slight take 5 years. I probably said as much when he was drafted, I know I said Gawn would take 7 years.

You just don't invest a pick like that fit such a delayed return, and a potential one at that.

You can take Watts because he can play HBF or wing but Cook was a 5+ year project who can only play as a bookend.

I will say it again - unless you something to bring from day one (hardness, skills, speed, etc) you won't find yourselves at the Dees anymore.

[hardtack 10,704]

That's it in a nutshell.

Different regime in place now. The mistakes of the past are unlikely to be repeated. We can't go back in time to have that choice over again...so what's the point in beating ourselves up over that selection?

[ThreeOneSix 954]

Cook just wasn't up to it mentally at this stage in his life.

He can still make it later on down the track if he works hard.

He is only young.

[PJ_12345 1,098]

Here's a bridge, let's get over this.

Like the 186, tanking allegations, poor recruitment and everything else it's done. Let's move on.

[monoccular 17,607]

Cook was a potential Key position player who could compete with the big men from day 1. he was taken for what he could potentially provide. That potential has not been realised, it does not mean that it cannot be, it just means that Melbourne could not afford to wait for Cook, Gys, Morton and other with enormous potential to realise it. Re the comment that KP players take 5 years, not sure I agree, and hopefully hogan also does not agree. Body shape and maturity really determine if they can be competitive.

As I recall, the Ox and Neita didn't take 4-5 years to produce. Nor Carey, nor Brown.

Sure most big men may take time but there are sone exceptions - hopefully Hogan will be one of them. His body looks ready.

[daisycutter 29,800]

As I recall, the Ox and Neita didn't take 4-5 years to produce. Nor Carey, nor Brown.

Sure most big men may take time but there are sone exceptions - hopefully Hogan will be one of them. His body looks ready.

neither did Royce Hart (at 19) and he would have weighed then much the same

one shouldn't generalise too much, everyone is different

[RalphiusMaximus 6,100]

Why are we still talking about this guy? It's over, he's gone and he never played a game for the senior side. Time to drop the discussion and move on to something relevant.

[Goodvibes 3,596]

426, 186 and now Cooked (for players about to be de-listed) seem destined to become part of the secret Demonland code.

[Whispering_Jack 30,949]

I think the majority of us at the time would have been content with the selection.

As the opening paragraph of the article referred to in the OP says,

"Having pieced together a glittering midfield in recent years, the Demons nabbed under-18 All-Australian centre half-forward Lucas Cook."

We had picked up Scully, Trengove and Gysberts with our first three selections (1, 2 & 11) in 2009 and all of them had shown sufficient promise in their debut seasons to suggest that within a couple of years our midfield problems would be fixed.

With the new GCS franchise picking the eyes out of the early selections (many of who were midfielders) there was a belief that we would do well if we picked one of the top two or three KPP's available in the draft. An All Australian CHF who was tall, could run and kick well, looked appealing.

"... Melbourne saw the potential in a forward line that already has a bevy of dynamic mid-sized forwards including Liam Jurrah and Jack Watts.

It needed a focal point. A bigger body. A tireless worker. Now it has it. One with a big heart, too. The bonus? Cook doubles as a centre-half-back, where he regularly played in the TAC Cup and national championships."

Well, as it happened, not only did Clark get it wrong (query the big body, tireless worker and big heart) but so did Barry Prendergast and so did most of us.

Of course, Prendergast and his team had the opportunity to test out whether Cook was psychologically up to the task of progressing from under 18 ranks into elite ranks (and yes, it's not an exact science and it all takes time ...) and this is where I believe the club failed.

From his first training run when Cook showed obvious signs of distress and didn't last the session, it was clear there were problems. He did however, start showing something at Casey and looked good when he booted four goals in a televised match on the QB weekend but then injury intervened and he had season ending hip surgery.

He just didn't kick on this year. He might get a couple of goals early in a game and then go missing as the opposition manned up on him. I was impressed a couple of times at how he tried to be a leader in the forward line with the use of his voice, trying to bring teammates into the game etc. but he was just too light and often was simply brushed out of marking contests. As the season progressed, I couldn't see any signs of improvement that might suggest he could make it in AFL ranks, so it was almost inevitable that he would be gone by year's end.

It was never the kid's fault. He wasn't cut out for this caper and we should remember for the future that AA selection means little. We might fault Prendergast for the selection but one wonders whether what became fairly obvious soon after Cook arrived at the club could have been detected during the observation and testing period in 2010.

Everyone talks in hindsight about how we missed out on an Atley or a Darling but what interests me is how Sam Day and Tom Lynch who were the KPP's picked before Cook fare. I suppose the Suns always had more time on their side anyway.

[Slartibartfast 17,789]

How about closing this thread. Surely everyone had a chance to have their say..