DRAFT COMBINE

[Whispering_Jack 28,147]

The AFL Draft Combine opened up today with a relatively light day of activity, mainly introductions and interviews.

The AFL website is suggesting that things will start to heat up tomorrow.

From 11am, groups of players will start to complete the agility and 20-metre sprint tests on the Etihad Stadium floor.

West Australian Jarrod Pickett, who has run a 2.8 second 20-metre sprint, looms as one of the favourites to take out this event but could face some opposition, particularly from Victorian Ed Langdon, who tests well for speed.

Later on, the draft hopefuls will be put through the repeat sprints test, in between more interviews with clubs and recruiters.

Midfielder Angus Brayshaw of the Sandringham Dragons who is considered one of the options for Melbourne at pick 2 will miss the physical testing because of an ankle injury.

Here's a video summing up the first day of the Combine: http://m.afl.com.au/video?guid=693501

[Whispering_Jack 28,147]

Roosy at the Draft Combine

[Whispering_Jack 28,147]

Nakia Cockatoo's draft hopes have risen with his impressive efforts at the combine

DAY TWO DRAFT COMBINE RESULTS

20 metre sprint results

Marvin Baynham 2.81secs
Oleg Markov 2.87
Jarrod Pickett 2.87
Reece McKenzie 2.87
Connor Menadue 2.88
Nakia Cockatoo 2.90
Ed Langdon 2.92
Paddy Brophy 2.93
Conor McKenna 2.93
Nathan Drummond 2.93

Agility results

Clem Smith 8.09secs
Daniel McKenzie 8.10
Conor McKenna 8.12
Jarrod Pickett 8.13
Teia Miles 8.27
Lukas Webb 8.28
Josh McGuinness 8.33
Billy Stretch 8.33
Kyle Langford 8.36
Jack Lonie 8.37

Repeat sprint results

Nakia Cockatoo 23.93secs
Nathan Drummond 23.95
Daniel Nielson 23.99
Daniel McKenzie 24.02
Ed Langdon 24.06
Oleg Markov 24.14
Connor Menadue 24.14
Conor McKenna 24.16
Matthew Goodyear 24.49

[Elwood 3184 1,270]

Nakia Cockatoo's draft hopes have risen with his impressive efforts at the combine

DAY TWO DRAFT COMBINE RESULTS

20 metre sprint results

Marvin Baynham 2.81secs

Oleg Markov 2.87

Jarrod Pickett 2.87

Reece McKenzie 2.87

Connor Menadue 2.88

Nakia Cockatoo 2.90

Ed Langdon 2.92

Paddy Brophy 2.93

Conor McKenna 2.93

Nathan Drummond 2.93

Agility results

Clem Smith 8.09secs

Daniel McKenzie 8.10

Conor McKenna 8.12

Jarrod Pickett 8.13

Teia Miles 8.27

Lukas Webb 8.28

Josh McGuinness 8.33

Billy Stretch 8.33

Kyle Langford 8.36

Jack Lonie 8.37

Repeat sprint results

Nakia Cockatoo 23.93secs

Nathan Drummond 23.95

Daniel Nielson 23.99

Daniel McKenzie 24.02

Ed Langdon 24.06

Oleg Markov 24.14

Connor Menadue 24.14

Conor McKenna 24.16

Matthew Goodyear 24.49

That Markov is the guy who holds the world record in the pole vault, yes?

[mog 58]

Billy Stretch ran a 2.99 second 20m sprint. Almost as quick as Jack Trengove

[Felix 92]

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2014-10-01/dees-want-fair-deals-for-lumumba-clark

Jason Taylor sounds like Chris Dawes

[Whispering_Jack 28,147]

Speed and agility tested at Combine

The important beeps

[monoccular 16,747]

Just a question - why "combine"??

I would hazard a guess that some US sport has a "draft camp" called a "combine" and DumbItriou adopted it as he seems to love the hype and names related to US sport more than AFL. (When 'divisions' were once mooted after all he wanted to call them 'conferences' to mimic NBL or NFL, when to word has no connection with AFL at all.)

[Pink Freud 334]

Billy Stretch ran a 2.99 second 20m sprint. Almost as quick as Jack Trengove

He's doing well that boy Stretch.

[Mousey 47]

Just a question - why "combine"??

I would hazard a guess that some US sport has a "draft camp" called a "combine" and DumbItriou adopted it as he seems to love the hype and names related to US sport more than AFL. (When 'divisions' were once mooted after all he wanted to call them 'conferences' to mimic NBL or NFL, when to word has no connection with AFL at all.

Guess it means activities that test a combination of skills and attributes..combine

[Wiseblood 24,636]

James Fantasia: Which club asked the hardest question in interviews? @cpetracca7: @melbournefc, it took me two mins to answer it

Love it!

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

Why is Stretch Jnr there? Why are we advertising him?

Of course Brayshaw has to be injured. FFS

[watchtheeyes 1,320]

Nat Edwards ✔ @NatEdwards_AFL

Follow

With one lap to go in the 3km time trial, Christian Petracca has pulled out. Looks to be limping a bit #DraftCombine

2:02 PM - 3 Oct 2014

[dazzledavey36 49,925]

Wow amazing effort!

Callum Twomey ‏@AFL_CalTwomey 18h18 hours ago

New 3km time trial record for the @AFLDraft Combine - Jack Hiscox has run 9:17mins. Great effort.

[deeko 952]

So, as apart of working at NAB I was lucky enough to spend the day at Etihad yesterday and got to do all the testing for a bit of fun.

Got there early for a look and have to say, love the look of Petracca. No idea if he can play or not but he's that protege big arsed midfielder who walks with a lot of swag. Very excited to see him play for whoever gets him next year.

The only thing worth noting was watching the kicking drill, the boy Garlett has fantastic skills both sides. Some of the kids really shanked it on the opposites and he was a star.

On other notes, got a solid 15min chat with Kevin Sheehan and I had to ask him a couple quick questions.

First one was around Toumpas and what his thoughts were why he might be struggling. He said that some kids just unfortunately hit there ceiling when 18 years old and he mightn't continue to get better like others around him have however its impossible to tell where he is at after his hip issues. He said every team would have taken him at our pick and has faith he will be a really good player.

Asked him what we will do with our picks and he thinks similar to last year in the Dom Tyson trade. Said this year there is little difference between picks 4 and 20.

The end of the day we spent with Brad Johnson who was an absolute star to talk with. Full of energy, running around having a kick with us country plebs.

Asked Brad about free agency and he said it obviously works both ways with the dogs nearly going all the way with Hall and Aker but it was different then as now the players clearly have all the power.

Said he is worried for the Saints, Dees and Dogs retaining quality players and thinks there is danger of clubs like ours will be nothing more than teams that attract mercenaries in the near future.

Finally, I think the combine results are a bit of a [censored]. I tested in the high quartile in the 20m sprint, agility and the standing jump. Was in the mid/high quartile in skills however as a footballer am a genuine dust buster and rarely ever got a touch and would be playing twos in the bush if I was still playing.

Lots of people put to much emphasis on these kind of days and forget about genuine footballers in Priddis, Mitchell and Swan's of the world.

[deeko 952]

On other notes, got a solid 15min chat with Kevin Sheehan and I had to ask him a couple quick questions.

Also on this quickly, Sheehan said he believes Mason Cox will play senior footy in the near future as he is picking up the game amazingly quick.

And finally every team should be desperate to sign up the 3 or 4 irish boys at the combine as there testing is brilliant and they can be signed as international rookies still.

[Grimes is Great 183]

Nathan Drummond, who is he? Features prominently in all testing results.

[Whispering_Jack 28,147]

Wow amazing effort!

Callum Twomey ‏@AFL_CalTwomey 18h18 hours ago

New 3km time trial record for the @AFLDraft Combine - Jack Hiscox has run 9:17mins. Great effort.

If he doesn't make it at AFL, perhaps we might see him in the Olympics?

[Whispering_Jack 28,147]

Combine results: who stole the show?

2014 NAB AFL DRAFT COMBINE STANDOUT RESULTS

3km time trial (minutes : seconds)

Jack Hiscox 9:18

Tom Lamb 9:45

Alex Neal-Bullen 9:54

Billy Stretch 9:57

Nathan Drummond 9:59

Josh Deluca-Cardillo 10:07

Daniel McKenzie 10:07

Connor Menadue 10:07

Liam Duggan 10:11

Jack Steele 10:11

Beep test/shuttle run (level)

Caleb Daniel 16.1

Jack Hiscox 16.1

Nathan Drummond 15.9

Tom Lamb 15.5

Ed Langdon 15.3

Jarrod Garlett 15.2

Alex Neal-Bullen 15.2

Jason Castagna 15.2

Billy Stretch 15.1

Jack Steele 15.1

Jordan Cunico 14.12

Christian Petracca 14.12

Kicking test (score out of 30)

Nakia Cockatoo 29

Daniel Howe 28

Kyle Langford 28

Toby McLean 27

Michael Mattingly 27

Nathan Drummond 27

Dean Gore 27

Brett Eddy 27

Clem Smith 26

Liam Duggan 26

Brayden Maynard 26

Jack Steele 26

Ed Vickers-Willis 26

Mitch McGovern 26

Clean hands test (score out of 30)

Nathan Drummond 26

Paddy Brophy 26

Reece McKenzie 26

Tyler Keitel 26

Dougal Howard 26

Michael Mattingly 25

Brett Eddy 25

Caleb Daniel 25

Jake Johansen 25

Jarrod Garlett 25

Brydan Hodgson 25

Marc Pittonet 25

Liam Dawson 25

Jack Cripps 25

Goalkicking test (score out of 30)

Dean Gore 30

Keenan Ramsey 30

Nathan Drummond 25

Paddy Brophy 25

Michael Mattingly 25

Liam Dawson 25

Cory Gregson 25

Aidan Anderson 25

Dougal Howard 24

Jarrod Garlett 24

Jack Cripps 24

Bailey Dale 24

Declan Hamilton 24

20 metre sprint results (sec)

Marvin Baynham 2.81

Oleg Markov 2.87

Jarrod Pickett 2.87

Reece McKenzie 2.87

Connor Menadue 2.88

Nakia Cockatoo 2.90

Ed Langdon 2.92

Paddy Brophy 2.93

Conor McKenna 2.93

Nathan Drummond 2.93

Agility results (sec)

Clem Smith 8.09

Daniel McKenzie 8.10

Conor McKenna 8.12

Jarrod Pickett 8.13

Teia Miles 8.27

Lukas Webb 8.28

Josh McGuinness 8.33

Billy Stretch 8.33

Kyle Langford 8.36

Jack Lonie 8.37

Repeat sprint results (sec)

Nakia Cockatoo 23.93

Nathan Drummond 23.95

Daniel Nielson 23.99

Daniel McKenzie 24.02

Ed Langdon 24.06

Oleg Markov 24.14

Connor Menadue 24.14

Conor McKenna 24.16

Matthew Goodyear 24.49

Jack Hiscox 24.36

Standing vertical jump (cm)

Marvin Baynham 88

Jarrod Garlett 76

Nathan Drummond 76

Christian Petracca 74

Nakia Cockatoo 73

James Rose 73

Dean Gore 72

Nicholas Coughlan 72

Evan Bruinsma 72

Reece McKenzie 72

Tom Read 72

Running vertical jump (cm)

Evan Bruinsma 97

Marvin Baynham 95

Daniel McKenzie 94

Billy Gowers 93

Nathan Drummond 90

Nakia Cockatoo 89

Matthew Uebergang 87

Mitch McGovern 87

James Rose 87

Matthew Hammelmann 87

[Whispering_Jack 28,147]

On those figures, there's every chance that a club will put its hand up early for Billy Stretch tomorrow and he will cost us a second round pick. My guess would have been Port Adelaide but I suppose they don't want to mess up their chances of getting Paddy Ryder.

The other player who caught my eye (on the vision I saw from the All Stars v AIS game and these numbers only) is Nakia Cockatoo. He's starting to sound very much like a top 20 prospect.

Here's the Bound for Glory take on the sliders and bolters of the combine. Paige has developed a lot of cred with her assessments in recent years.

[Theo 263]

Looks like Billy Stretch can do everything but kick, pick up the ball with one grab, sprint repeatedly and jump high. Perfect for MFC

[rjay 24,205]

On those figures, there's every chance that a club will put its hand up early for Billy Stretch tomorrow and he will cost us a second round pick. My guess would have been Port Adelaide but I suppose they don't want to mess up their chances of getting Paddy Ryder.

The other player who caught my eye (on the vision I saw from the All Stars v AIS game and these numbers only) is Nakia Cockatoo. He's starting to sound very much like a top 20 prospect.

Here's the Bound for Glory take on the sliders and bolters of the combine. Paige has developed a lot of cred with her assessments in recent years.

Looks like my man Dean Gore can kick, I know he tackles well and reads the ball well. I hope we get him with a 3rd round pick.

[Whispering_Jack 28,147]

Looks like Billy Stretch can do everything but kick, pick up the ball with one grab, sprint repeatedly and jump high. Perfect for MFC

And on that assessment we'll get him for a 4th round pick.

[Roger Mellie 3,695]

Nathan Drummond, who is he? Features prominently in all testing results.

His name sounds familiar - I think he nominated last year but was overlooked?

[Jesse Christ 2,884]

No little Ironman put in such a good display at the combine that we'll have to use our second rounder on him, so we can kiss any sliders goodbye