Convince me Jack Fitzpatrick will make it

[RalphiusMaximus 6,000]

I'm happy to back him in. He's absolutely smashed some [pretty decent AFL players at Casey when he wasn't injured and could string a few together. Hudson for one. He took on the Hampson/Jacobs double team last year and beat them both. Admittedly, none of them are elite, but all are solid and Hudson was better than average. For a skinny 19 year old to do that is pretty impressive.

This year he lost a lot of gametime with injury which has probably set him back, but he's had a taste and knows the sort of speed he needs to work at now. He'll get there.

[demon3165 2,305]

Unfortunately I don't think Fitz will make it.

Well seeing you think that, then he will be a monty to be a great player for us!!

[cowboy_from_hell 2,390]

I met jack at the G before the hawks game this year. this adds nothing to the conversation I know.

[old dee 23,256]

I have seen him a number of times at Casey Last year and this year.

I have seen some good games and some poor ones.

But the poor ones are getting fewer as the two seasons wore on.

He is IMO improving all the time.

He was out injured for quite a while in 2011

I am not certain he will make it at AFL level.

However it is way too early to fling him.

Not sure how many games he has played for casey but it could only be around the 30 mark at the max.

If we can afford 50 games at AFL level for Bennell then surely the guy deserves a little longer.

Get off his back guys.

[angrydee 842]

I'm impressed by his ability to get to contests. He played a couple of excellent games at Casey fighting out of his weght division. He's 200cm and weighs only 89/90 kgs.

In his 1st game he took 4 marks and had 11 disposals (only 48% efficiency) where nerves seemed to get the better of him. Far from the worst debut I've seen and no reason to get rid of him.

I'd give him a couple of years and then assess.

[beelzebub 22,715]

trigger happy bunch all of a sudden arent we

[DeeSpencer 23,642]

Well Neeld talked about making tough decisions and we all loved that. If I was coach (and judging by this about 75% of people are thankful I'm not) one decision I would make is to cut the Fitz.

[beelzebub 22,715]

Well Neeld talked about making tough decisions and we all loved that. If I was coach (and judging by this about 75% of people are thankful I'm not) one decision I would make is to cut the Fitz.

I dont quite understand the logic. Fitzy wont be costing us much and we really have no idera of how good he might get. The decions Id be making are on the "known" quantities. , the Dunn's , The Bates, The Newtons etc of this world. For mine even the Mortons but hes now contracted. In the grand scheme of things Jacks'; still got time on his side.

[Nasher 33,246]

Ok so we all got to see the Fitzy show at Adelaide Oval, but personally I'm not a fan. If he's not contracted I don't think we should accept mediocrity

I stopped reading here.

[beelzebub 22,715]

I stopped reading here.

We probably all should have

[Brayshaw Self 847]

I think it's a bit hard to debut interstate in a losing team with a crap midfield and have Carlisle and Chaplin breathing down your neck. Give him more games before you blacklist him.

[hardtack 10,187]

Crucifixion seems to be a recurring theme on these forums of late.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

I've never seen him play so I can't comment but I guess Neeld will look at all the players we have and make an assessment on the potential of each one before he cuts from the list. If he sees him as superfluous to requirements he will go and it will possibly be a decision between him and Spencer; we may have one tall too many.

Being tall and quick will not guarantee him a spot.

[Redleg 38,483]

Yes.

Why bother recruiting a 197cm 18 year old at pick 50 if you turf him two years later?

What's the effing point?

Give him a chance or don't pick him in the first place.

I agree with "the Master" . From now on a dropped mark or missed pass in the first training run with the club after drafting will result in instant delisting.

[dee-luded 2,958]

Well Neeld talked about making tough decisions and we all loved that. If I was coach (and judging by this about 75% of people are thankful I'm not) one decision I would make is to cut the Fitz.

My hard decision would be to keep Fitz & trade Maric, & Davey next year.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

I remember a praccy match down at Casey, this bloke got a free and lined up about 35 out in front, I am always interested in a player's first kick- he proceeded to roost it on the full with one of the worst kicks I have ever seen, and I coached an under-10s side. Haven't seen anything from him since that was an improvement on that. There's a reason you go that deep in the draft, a very good reason

[Brayshaw Self 847]

I guess all players can't be as good as Dean Polo from day one.

[mordja 187]

Having met jack and talked with him at the CEOs breakfast last year he certainly isn't lacking desire.

Cam asked him to explain where he was at with the CFS and he was good enough to indulge our ignorance. It has obviously affected development but the club knew that prior to draft. He also hadn't had an 'episode' as he termed it for nearly 12 months, after which apparently they consider the syndrome to be improved if not cured.

I'm not up to date with further developments but it seems awfully harsh to knife a bloke that the FD obviously see something in because you didn't like his first game or his development isn't where YOU want it to be.

Maybe you are trolling..... Either way it's pretty unfair on a kid that seems to have gone through a lot and is slowly developing.

[Axis of Bob 10,491]

I have watched Fitzpatrick play at Casey over the last two years and at the under 18 championships the year before.

His main attribute seems to be speed, which is nice, but it's not what I want in a key forward.

He has several attributes that make him a very attractive prospect. As you say, his speed, which is really good for anyone llet along a 200cm forward. Secondly he is a genuinely tall forward. Jack Darling is as close in height to Tom Scully as he is to Fitzpatrick. The reason why most ruckmen make poor key forwards is because they lack the mobility to play forward. Fitzpatrick has the ruck height but top quality forward mobility. It's a very rare combination.

To me he seems to have put on only a minimal amount of weight and with the chronic fatigue I think it will take him a long time to bulk up. Plus he's injury prone. His kicking is not good enough for a key forward and I doubt it ever will be.

Only a minimal amount of weight? You clearly did not see him at all prior to him being drafted. He was ridiculously skinny. He ran like the wind but also could be blown over by a small zephyr. He came to the club at 85kg (same as Watts, but 2 inches taller) and is now listed (probably at the start of the year) at 93kg. He'll eventually get himself up to about 100 or so kg. He's much bigger than what he was when he was drafted.

It appears that he's over his chronic fatigue now, which is good news. If you think his kicking is currently bad then you should have seen it when he was drafted. The only person I've seen who was a worse kick was Stefan Martin. That includes Jake Spencer and various Irish recruits. His kicking has improved a heap and continues to improve. He had a horrid technique which is looking a lot better now.

If Neeld brings a Collingwood style game plan to Melbourne then the players he wants as Key forwards and ruck forwards will be contested footy types who either mark on bring the ball to ground. I don't think Fitzpatrick can do that, he doesn't look strong enough in the air. As for his speed, as I said its nice but if we want someone burning defenders for speed we already have Jurrah.

Not strong enough in the air? He's a skinny developing key forward who takes plenty of strong contested marks at VFL level. He is very strong in the air and, with time and size, he will be a genuine AFL marking threat. He's 200+cm tall, developing (and has already developed a lot) and played AFL footy a year before I thought he would have a chance of doing so. I've been super impressed with his development so far - far more so than a lot of other player of ours.

We were going to take Fitzpatrick in the second round of the draft in 2008, but we were lucky to get Gawn and then him in the third round. Why did he slide? A few reasons. Firstly his kicking. He was a very poor kick. Secondly, he was really, really skinny and you needed to be able to put time into developing him into the player he will be. It was a risk. Thirdly was his chronic fatigue. While it was not a long term problem, it was still a risk. Fourthly was his form. In his last year of under 18s his form was a bit scratchy, which may have had him drop down the rankings a bit. Overall, there was just so much projection of development needed that there was a lot of risk that he wouldn't become the player he could be.

Luckily he has been putting on weight, his kicking is getting better and he's improving ahead of where he would have been projected to be. They re-signed him on a two year deal in the middle of the year while he was injured. I think that says a bit about where the coaches think he is.

Is making a tough call on a ruck/forward type after 2 years too harsh? Or if we keep this guy for more years are we just plodding along with another future Newton or Spencer.

Making a hard call to delist a project tall, drafted as a stick figure in a position we really need, who has unique gifts among the league as a 200+cm player with genuine speed, that is developing extremely well and played AFL a year ahead of schedule.

You're an idiot.

Edited September 27, 2011 by Axis of Bob

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

Yes.

Why bother recruiting a 197cm 18 year old at pick 50 if you turf him two years later?

What's the effing point?

Give him a chance or don't pick him in the first place.

This sums it up. Talls take time (with a few notably exceptions, eg, Darling, NikNat). Literally everyone knows this.

Perhaps he won't make it - but it's clearly too early to call that now.

[Adzman 2,086]

A guy named Steph Martin got dragged over the coals at the end of last season, and he ended up being a saving grace for 2011.

A guy named Jamar had the same treatment on here 2 years earlier, and has gone on to become a premier ruckman in this competition.

I think it is fair to say we shouldn't be making a call on a young tall after 1 game of footy. Give him another 2 years to find his place.

On Spencer, I think the club did the right thing signing him at the time. The interchange rule all but killed the second traditional ruckman rendering Spencer almost unusable. He is probably more in line for the chop than Fitzy.

[hells bells 2,023]

I'm not sure he'll make it either, but I'm reminded of Garland's first game, I'm reminded of Frawley's first game and I'm reminded of Jack Watts' first game. All have showed a bit since then after being touted as duds.

He may not make it, but it's way too early to make that call. Revisit in two years time.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Well Neeld talked about making tough decisions and we all loved that. If I was coach (and judging by this about 75% of people are thankful I'm not) one decision I would make is to cut the Fitz.

Cutting a guy who was drafted two years at pick 50 is a hard decision?? Hell, you wont cope with serious choices.

I can only think your straw poll was amongst 4 people and you were one of voters.

The club has to give him a 'rocket' to get him to work harder.

As a junior he appeared Lazy. And he also got that CFS.

But does need to get the lead out.

Do you ever read your posts?

Maybe because as a junior his laziness was attributed to CFS.

I am not sure what "rocket": you refer. Are you referring to issues with his training? Care to spill the beans?

I agree with "the Master" . From now on a dropped mark or missed pass in the first training run with the club after drafting will result in instant delisting.

There you go Redleg, Accepting mediocrity again. Why wait for a dropped mark or missed pass? We need to make tough decisions!!

Minf you on that criteria we might only have 7 on the list left after the first training session and six of those would be missing in rehab.

[old dee 23,256]

Cutting a guy who was drafted two years at pick 50 is a hard decision?? Hell, you wont cope with serious choices.

I can only think your straw poll was amongst 4 people and you were one of voters.

Do you ever read your posts?

Maybe because as a junior his laziness was attributed to CFS.

I am not sure what "rocket": you refer. Are you referring to issues with his training? Care to spill the beans?

There you go Redleg, Accepting mediocrity again. Why wait for a dropped mark or missed pass? We need to make tough decisions!!

Minf you on that criteria we might only have 7 on the list left after the first training session and six of those would be missing in rehab.

and the other guy would be Davey!

[mauriesy 6,909]

We've had threads about how good it would be to recruit a big power forward like Chris Dawes.

He was Collingwood's pick 26 in 2006. He spent most of 2007 recovering from a knee reconstruction, played six games at the end of the 2008 season, then only four matches in 2009. Then he wasn't picked for the first four matches of 2010.

But after that, he played 20 matches including the two 2010 Grand Finals.

Imagine if Collingwood made a 'tough call' after three years on their list, and delisted him for being such a 'dud'?