Funny how you haven't mentioned James Aish who is absolutely built like a stick and playing real well atm.

Stretch is already playing against men in the SANFL and doing quite well.

He will be fine.

There will always be those who can, but the odds are against it. I haven't seen aish play, but i'll accept he's going well as you say.

IMO drafting kids is a lot about the odds of the player playing lots of games, and also how soon they'll be ready to play regular senior games. This I would assume, is how recruiters decide, not on a bias about a father/son, but rather on who gives us the best return for the pick.

Our in-under stocks lack the polish of the Selwoods, Bartels, SJ's, Hodges, Mitchells, Kennedy's, KJack, Parker, et al. I would go for the stronger class players first, & then the lighter framed guys at this stage of our redevelopment.

He was homesick for his mummy

oh well there ya go. thanks baysidedave, that explains it all then. too easy

It's quite ridiculous how big most players are these days. I remember running into Aaron Davey and surprised he was almost the same height as me but he looked like a midget out on the field (just checked now and he's 177cm I'm 179cm)

he is a midget, in strength & weight. height average.

These are just a few twigs that stood out from this match. There's plenty of others.

I'm not confusing size and strength I'm offering a perspective that you don't have to be 95kg and 190cm. All these guys are slight and regardless of martins 2 preseasons he's still scrawny.

I think what is more important than brawn in 1st and 2nd year players is an appetite for the contest. The players above all go hard at the ball and don't shirk a contest. That's what I'd be looking at from Billy.

Another thing is I'm hoping Stretch isn't required to play before 2016 and that if he debuts its because he is murdering the VFL.

totally agree Dm. Billings is one I liked last draft for this reason, as is Prestia one of my favs that I'd like at Melbourne.

Scrawny is a poor adjective to use to describe what this discussion is all about. Robbie Flower, one of the best of all time.

But I would draft Todd Viney well before Steven Stretch. Clark Keating before Jeff White. etc.

Bottom right corner. Next to the 'Quote' button.

Bottom right corner. Next to the 'Quote' button.

Spot on, although it's come 3,498,657 posts too late.

There will always be those who can, but the odds are against it. I haven't seen aish play, but i'll accept he's going well as you say.

IMO drafting kids is a lot about the odds of the player playing lots of games, and also how soon they'll be ready to play regular senior games. This I would assume, is how recruiters decide, not on a bias about a father/son, but rather on who gives us the best return for the pick.

Our in-under stocks lack the polish of the Selwoods, Bartels, SJ's, Hodges, Mitchells, Kennedy's, KJack, Parker, et al. I would go for the stronger class players first, & then the lighter framed guys at this stage of our redevelopment.

I'd say how soon someone will be ready counts for about 1% of a recruiting decisions. If that. Guys are drafted with injuries that will hold them back all the time. Jake Stringer at the dogs. Matt Scharenberg at the Pies. That's 2 in consecutive top 10's. Every key forward like Patton and Boyd who have gone number 1 have been drafted knowing whilst they might play they are unlikely to get a kick in the first 2 years and unlikely to perform consistently well until about year 4. Rucks the same. And the main reason rucks have slipped down the order has been because the top guys (Nic Nat, Kreuzer, McEvoy) haven't looked any better than just other guys drafted way later, not due to how long it took them to come on.

Anyway, fitness is the number 1 physical determinant of how soon a guy can play. Doesn't matter if you've got all the size if you can't run you won't play early. If Stretch has speed and fitness (and is any good!) then he'll play early on a flank or wing whether he's 75kg or 85kg.

I've never heard anything dumber than recruiter one type of player at a time. You develop a team from the inside out and defensive first. But you draft footballers based on their overall talent.

I'd say how soon someone will be ready counts for about 1% of a recruiting decisions. If that. Guys are drafted with injuries that will hold them back all the time. Jake Stringer at the dogs. Matt Scharenberg at the Pies. That's 2 in consecutive top 10's. Every key forward like Patton and Boyd who have gone number 1 have been drafted knowing whilst they might play they are unlikely to get a kick in the first 2 years and unlikely to perform consistently well until about year 4. Rucks the same. And the main reason rucks have slipped down the order has been because the top guys (Nic Nat, Kreuzer, McEvoy) haven't looked any better than just other guys drafted way later, not due to how long it took them to come on.

Anyway, fitness is the number 1 physical determinant of how soon a guy can play. Doesn't matter if you've got all the size if you can't run you won't play early. If Stretch has speed and fitness (and is any good!) then he'll play early on a flank or wing whether he's 75kg or 85kg.

I've never heard anything dumber than recruiter one type of player at a time. You develop a team from the inside out and defensive first. But you draft footballers based on their overall talent.

Those guys like stringer have already got power builds & were touted as potential P-1's prior to injury. Stringer is said to be able to play key forawrd, & also thru the midfield like a pavlich.

I hoped we might get him in his draft.

we all know top Key forwards are like gold so clubs take them high, & are prepared to wait to develop them.

Mids mostly you want early results from your top 1st Rnd picks (inside 1.5 yrs) getting games, so build is important, & the slighter ones, the slim ones are expected to take a little while, usually.

fitness is a key to gut run to push to space & defend. Unfortunately with sports science & rotations, players are benched before they have to show a lot of guts these days. running thru the burn & jelly legs like Robert Harvey would.

I believe he'd had enough of Daniher's lack of faith in him. so got n his bike like Jolly.

Let's not rewrite history please. The only reason why Daniher didn't play him was because of his injuries.

not invited to state screenings.

Under a different approach this year, AFL clubs were asked to provide a list of 50 players they wanted to see at the national combine.

After that was announced, the clubs each produced 25 names for the state-based combine, with players needing two nominations to attend one of the state screenings, which will be held in Melbourne on October 4, Adelaide on October 11 and Perth on October 12.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-08-04/state-combines-named

not invited to state screenings.

Under a different approach this year, AFL clubs were asked to provide a list of 50 players they wanted to see at the national combine.

After that was announced, the clubs each produced 25 names for the state-based combine, with players needing two nominations to attend one of the state screenings, which will be held in Melbourne on October 4, Adelaide on October 11 and Perth on October 12.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-08-04/state-combines-named

Will be part of the National screening.

Maybe no club nominated him because they all know where he's going already?

Can only be 3rd round at worst if there's no other interest?

Maybe no club nominated him because they all know where he's going already?

Can only be 3rd round at worst if there's no other interest?

Will say it again. This is for the state screening, the kids who miss out on the national. Billy will be part of the national along with Petraca, Wright, McCartin and all the other highly fancied kids not listed in the state invites.

List attached with Stretch in.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-07-28/huge-rise-in-northern-talent

D M Tk FF FA Ho Cl I50 R50 G B DT

B.Stretch 26 12 1 1 0 0 1 4 4 2 0 125

Nice stat line for Billy in Glenelg's loss to the Crows SANFL side.

26 disposal and 2 goals is a bloody good effort against Men especially in the SANFL.

Trengove and Toumpas killed it in the SANFL.

Trengove and Toumpas killed it in the SANFL.

Haters gotta hate

Trengove and Toumpas killed it in the SANFL.

Always that one person..

Always that one person..

He makes a valid point....it is starting to look as if the standard of the SANFL could be lower then some of the other comps

He makes a valid point....it is starting to look as if the standard of the SANFL could be lower then some of the other comps

well certainly not as strong as we have given it credit for.

I feel if we finish 3rd last as looks likely, there is much more chance that we will be forced to use our second round pick on him. I don't see anyone bluffing us with a first round pick but GWS and saints could with their second round pick, knowing we would most likely take him at that point.

Just another reason I wouldn't have been devastated to finish last. It is not just the first pick in the draft and PSD, but what you can do by way of forcing trades.

it hasn't been. for years.

sanfl is still 'traditional' football - players in set positions, kicking to contests.

it's actually really great to watch, and is probably why run-and-carry youngsters such as stretch, aish, toumpas and trengove can stand out in it, but it's no longer a good indication of how players play in the afl system.

that may be changing with port and the crows having their own sides. port in particular have been dominant this year.

it hasn't been. for years.

sanfl is still 'traditional' football - players in set positions, kicking to contests.

it's actually really great to watch, and is probably why run-and-carry youngsters such as stretch, aish, toumpas and trengove can stand out in it, but it's no longer a good indication of how players play in the afl system.

that may be changing with port and the crows having their own sides. port in particular have been dominant this year.

Went to the Amos yesterday DA and it is still a bit like traditional footy.

And it is better to watch and you are close to the action

I can't see the Saints or Giants bidding on Billy with Second rounders in case a player like Hugh Goddard slipped that far down and they missed out, I think there are some good players that will be around that area in the draft

but if push comes to shove I think we will use our second rounder on Billy