Convince me Jack Fitzpatrick will make it

[DeeSpencer 26,094]

Fitzpatrick drafted 2009 suffering Chronic Fatigue. Has suffered some significant injuries and people want to delist him.

Cloke drafted 2004 has just arrived (7 years)

Dawes, Reid and Hawkins all drafted in 2006. After 5 years these guys just arriving.

Obviously the originator of this thread knows little about the challenge of being a tall key position and the time it takes to make it.

No. The originator of this thread thinks he doesn't have the skill set required. He's got a skill set, and it's nice to have, but it's not the one I want in a key forward. I'll take my medicine on this thread and wait until the end of next season to make my judgement.

The originator of this thread has read little in Lucas Cook's season (or his next 2) because he likes what he sees before he was drafted. Tall, with a frame that should eventually fill out, nice sticky hands and a straightforward kicking action.

But I'm still happy that making a judgement on a player at the end of the season and making a thread expressing it is a worthwhile exercise. I'll await being proven wrong (hopefully) or right for the big Fitz.

[Whispering_Jack 30,956]

I think Melbourne is in an extremely fortunate position to have, in Max Gawn and Jack Fitzpatrick, two immensely tall, agile and quick young ruckmen. There's plenty of tall 200cm types around but it's rare to find two with the mobility of these two and it's going to be interesting watching them develop in the coming years and more so, seeing what a creative and innovative coach can do with a pair of players who possess their attributes.

I think the discussion where it's suggested that a one game player needs to prove himself is laughable especially one day after Geelong ruckman Trent West collected a premiership medal after playing just his 20th AFL game. For the record, West was selected at # 31 in the 2005 national draft, spent his first two seasons in the VFL and made his debut in 2008. Like Gawn and Fitzpatrick, West is noted for his good mobility and athleticism.

I can't for the life of me understand how the fools at Geelong could have held onto him for so long even through their long period of sustained success and why they never asked him to prove himself straight after he made his debut back in 2008?

[hoopla 418]

I think Melbourne is in an extremely fortunate position to have, in Max Gawn and Jack Fitzpatrick, two immensely tall, agile and quick young ruckmen. There's plenty of tall 200cm types around but it's rare to find two with the mobility of these two and it's going to be interesting watching them develop in the coming years and more so, seeing what a creative and innovative coach can do with a pair of players who possess their attributes.

I think the discussion where it's suggested that a one game player needs to prove himself is laughable especially one day after Geelong ruckman Trent West collected a premiership medal after playing just his 20th AFL game. For the record, West was selected at # 31 in the 2005 national draft, spent his first two seasons in the VFL and made his debut in 2008. Like Gawn and Fitzpatrick, West is noted for his good mobility and athleticism.

I can't for the life of me understand how the fools at Geelong could have held onto him for so long even through their long period of sustained success and why they never asked him to prove himself straight after he made his debut back in 2008?

Well said .To write off a 200 cm 19 year old on the basis of one game is ridiculous.