WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - ALEX NEAL-BULLEN

[adsy 135]

Knightmare from Big Footy seems to rate him pretty highly. Seems to think he'll be right to go from next year. Going to be plenty of competition for midfield places!

21. Alex Neal-Bullen (SA – Mid)
Height: 182cm, Weight: 77kg, DOB: 09/01/1996
Recruited from: Glenelg
Draft range: 20-50
Best position/role: Midfield – on the ball.
Strengths:
Work by hand –What most stands out with Neal-Bullen is his awareness in traffic to find the best player by hand, he will at times gamble looking for the opening but he typically finds the most damaging target.
Inside game – In addition to what Neal-Bullen does by hand he at stoppages is consistently in close, in the best positions to either win his own contested ball or to receive the inside ball to win the clearances. He had the highest clearance winning total through the U18 Championships and has shown at SANFL League level that he can also win the clearances. He has excellent contested ball winning numbers and is a terrific contested ball winner showing hardness at the footy, and a real cleanness at ground level.
Endurance – Neal-Bullen has among the best endurance of the midfielders in this draft and it is obvious watching how much ground he covers in game and how many contests he gets to. He is someone who just never seems to stand still in game really showing in game a terrific work rate.
Season one ready – Neal-Bullen has played and played very well at SANFL League level showing that he can compete against men and find and win his own footy against men which suggests that he can from season one play senior games if the opportunity presents.
Versatility – Although he by far and away is best suited on the ball through the midfield he has also spent time in the back half this season so while he probably will be more a pure midfielder he can as required be played in the back half.
Pace - Neal-Bullen is not a plodder and can at times use his pace in game. He can provide some run and carry with ball in hand or break away from the contest and occasionally can get himself out of trouble in traffic to then get a handball off to a target or a quick kick away.
Weaknesses:
Footskills under pressure and decision making – Neal-Bullen in traffic by foot will often just get the ball onto his boot hoping it hits a target, really at this stage just lacking composure. Because he gets so much ball in close making it a reoccurring theme and a constant frustration with his game but at times he can hit a meaningful target from these situations so he is someone who will go for damage over efficiency and it will be a learning process to know when to hit the meaningful target and when to go safe. Give him time and space through and his footskills while still slightly inconsistent are on the most part generally good mostly hitting his targets over a variety of distances, making better decisions and occasionally doing damage and even at times lowering his eyes, but on the inside he just needs that bit more composure and needs to take more time on his kicks than he does at the present time.
Outside game – At this stage Neal-Bullen finds a high proportion of his ball inside the contest and surprisingly despite his endurance and work rate he finds limited outside ball as someone who is very much an inside midfielder first at the moment.
What I expect will improve:
I mostly with Neal-Bullen anticipate the natural and continued improvement in the areas that he performs strongly in and specifically his inside game.
Who he can become?
Through the midfield Neal-Bullen is of similar quality and production to Anthony Miles.
When will he be ready to play?
Neal-Bullen has the ability to play as soon as season one and fit in at AFL level given his strong SANFL League performance.
How to best utilise him?
Neal-Bullen is best utilised on the ball through the midfield.
Interpretation of his numbers:
Neal-Bullen’s numbers have been exceptional both through the U18 Championships and at SANFL League level this season and is among the best performed players in this draft class. Through the U18 Championships he led all participants in clearances and was also one of the dominant contested ball winners throughout. What was troubling was troubling through the U18 Championships his low disposal efficiency of 54%. Through the SANFL at league level Neal-Bullen has shown that he can not only play at the level but also find strong numbers suggesting that he will be able to make the adjustment to playing at AFL level and if opportunity presents from season one.

[ignition. 1,425]

Came across this, some may enjoy.

[Tony Tea 2,792]

Why did he slide to 40?

[ThreeOneSix 953]

Why did he slide to 40?

Probably the same reason as Sloane and Parker, not an athlete.

This guy looks like our best chance to really nail that late pick.

His highlights look similar to Luke Parker.

Just off highlights alone, if Neal Bullen has a solid pre-season, I will be specking him in the rising star markets.

[DeeSpencer 23,460]

Why did he slide to 40?

- Lack of x factor/speed

- Poor disposal efficiency, occasionally just hacking it out of packs

- Black hair/blue eyes, rare genetic trait

- Has the same B'day as Angus Brayshaw and best mates with Billy Stretch, other clubs knew he had to be ours

[DeeSpencer 23,460]

Probably the same reason as Sloane and Parker, not an athlete.

This guy looks like our best chance to really nail that late pick.

His highlights look similar to Luke Parker.

Just off highlights alone, if Neal Bullen has a solid pre-season, I will be specking him in the rising star markets.

Not a speed athlete! Looks a great endurance athlete and like Brayshaw and Petracca (and JKH last year) he's had the year off from school already to really focus on being ready for the draft and preseason. Combined with some life experience going to uni I think that gives him a shot at playing well early.

The main reason I wouldn't have him in the Rising Star would be that along with Ben Newton all 4 of our top draftees look capable of playing early. Not saying they all are, but just how Salem and JKH were rotated in to the starting team a bit this year I think next year we will rotate the first year guys between the starting team, sub and VFL.

[tonatopia 278]

How many mids can a team have? Where will Tompas end up?

Forward, rotating thru mid

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Meet Alex Neal Bullen.

Video included.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-11-11/meet-alex-nealbullen

Highlights video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gw5MUtqDXrY

Why did he slide to 40?

Looking at the highlights I'd say it's his kicking. he seems to have great hands and good acceleration away from the packs, can mark and tackle well, but I only saw a couple of kicks hit their targets in that highlight package. In traffic he actually looked a bit like Moloney with the blind turn and boot it forward. That's something that will need a lot of work once we get him to the club.

[demoniac 1,243]

Probably the same reason as Sloane and Parker, not an athlete.

This guy looks like our best chance to really nail that late pick.

His highlights look similar to Luke Parker.

Just off highlights alone, if Neal Bullen has a solid pre-season, I will be specking him in the rising star markets.

Tested like an elite endurance athlete at the combine.

[DeeSpencer 23,460]

Looking at the highlights I'd say it's his kicking. he seems to have great hands and good acceleration away from the packs, can mark and tackle well, but I only saw a couple of kicks hit their targets in that highlight package. In traffic he actually looked a bit like Moloney with the blind turn and boot it forward. That's something that will need a lot of work once we get him to the club.

Simple. Let's just play him half back or wing for a while! He'll compete with his tackling and competitiveness and he can work on his kicking from there. Should benefit from the Casey development system that seemed to use the youngsters in a variety of positions last year for that reason.

[ThreeOneSix 953]

Tested like an elite endurance athlete at the combine.

I just meant your typical AFL speed athlete.

[P-man 13,277]

Twomey had him at 21. Half price

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-11-25/the-phantom-draft

.

[Ethan Tremblay 28,535]

I just meant your typical AFL speed athlete.

Ahhhhhhhhh not super human speed, got ya!

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Looking again at the footage, how good was that fend?!?! He just shoved the dude away to make enough space for himself in the middle of a pack.

[bush demon 1,910]

Midfielder from Glenelg SA and a teammate of Billy Stretch

181.5cm 76kg

Knightmare had him going at # 21to St. Kilda.

We now have two players with hyphenated names - a sign of the days of old.

Bet he's a dasher!

[ThreeOneSix 953]

Twomey had him at 21. Half price

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-11-25/the-phantom-draft

.

I think Paige Cardona and Knightmare also had him at 21.

I rate Knightmare as a good judge.

[Toad33 57]

I am going to go early and nickname him....'Archie'.....short for Architect,.....because from what I have seen he has elite spacial awareness and always appeared to have a plan when he wins the ball.......his highlight videos take me back to watching Adem Yze in his prime when he would win the ball at half-back, get out of trouble, and start directing traffic up field to put all the pieces(players) in place for an effective attack before releasing the ball.

Welcome ANB aka Archie.

Go Dees

[dazzledavey36 49,319]

I watched his highlights on the mfc website and I thought there was nothing wrong with his kicking.

[rjay 24,045]

I watched his highlights on the mfc website and I thought there was nothing wrong with his kicking.

Agree, on those highlights his kicking was good.

[CBDees 3,162]

Came across this, some may enjoy.

Great interview. The Club is certainly picking up high calibre players who will lead to a great culture! Thanks to the foresight of our recruiting team!

[DeeSpencer 23,460]

Loves the hard stuff and tackling. Surrounded by Jones, Tyson, Viney, Brayshaw, Petracca.... I did have some fears where he'll fit in with all those ball winners, but it's come to me now with elite endurance I think he could make a great tagger. Not a Jordie Mckenzie tagger but more like Ryan O'Keefe or Craig Bird swans style tagger.

[McQueen 17,864]

Loves the hard stuff and tackling. Surrounded by Jones, Tyson, Viney, Brayshaw, Petracca.... I did have some fears where he'll fit in with all those ball winners, but it's come to me now with elite endurance I think he could make a great tagger. Not a Jordie Mckenzie tagger but more like Ryan O'Keefe or Craig Bird swans style tagger.

Ball winners are needed all over the ground.

[hardtack 10,149]

Maybe with a bit of luck, he is the player that could put an end to all of the "wining" that has been going on since we took Toumpas.

[DeeSpencer 23,460]

Ball winners are needed all over the ground.

Yeah but if he lacks the burst to play forward or the speed and skill off half back or the wing I think he could learn and take over from Crossy. Tagging is very underrated I think. It's a full time midfield position going against the other teams best player. He certainly helps get us to that idea of 10+ midfielders in the team in a variety of positions, just tagging could be one.

He also looks a bit like Trent Cotchin in his highlight vids, so maybe who knows he ends up so good that he's the main man and Petracca and Brayshaw have to play roles around him. You never know.

[Robbie57 1,996]

Love the fact we have picked up two sets of best mates....bodes well for building ateaam for the future. Are we moving to SA?