After. He was giving a rundown of each of the new rookies in the first round. He explained that Hayes had started the year very well but was hampered by injury in the mid to late season. He said there was a big upside to Hayes and seemed to genuinely think that we might well have a "hidden gem".

Man, I don't know how to feel?

I really want this player on the primary list, but for this to happen we must have a long term injury (and we obviously don't want this to happen to anyone)

Perhaps a Bizzell/Brown/Ward may feel mid-season that their career prospects are over and retire/donate their spot to Hayes if he's ripping it up at Sandy?

The kid seems really exciting!!! Infact more exciting than any of the other draftees (except Pettard)

Obviously Weetra is regarded as better though because he was taken in the National draft. i must admit, Hayes sounds impressive though.

Is it true that he has 'lost in" during games a bit like Jeff Farmer used to do in the past?

I didn't want to ask the question generally but considering you've worked with him you'd probably know.

i think he may have been provoked once but generally he was pretty good on the field and tended to hold his ground. he had a few issues around him early on in the year. i dont think him working as a trainee at the club really helped him either.

http://demonland.nozzs.org/finks/hayes.jpg

(I'm having probs with displaying this pict, you'll need to just click on it. Sorry.)

Photo from www.aboriginalfootball.com.au

i think he may have been provoked once but generally he was pretty good on the field and tended to hold his ground. he had a few issues around him early on in the year. i dont think him working as a trainee at the club really helped him either.

Thanks hendo, at his age it's not really an issue as the club would work on it pretty quickly i'd imagine.

Obviously Weetra is regarded as better though because he was taken in the National draft. i must admit, Hayes sounds impressive though.

The late picks are always very interesting as clubs try to juggle low age players who cannot be rookied and older ones who can be left to the rookie draft, if still available. Weetra was too young to rookie, the only way to get both of them was to pick Weetra in the national draft.

Friend of mine is a coach and runner with the Eastern Ranges club. I asked him about young Hayes and he said, "He is a top player and if the dees can keep his mind on the job he is going to be a beauty.

Looks good on paper, but at 178cms and 66kgs one would assume he is too light to make an impact in the demons lineup straight away.

I am pretty sure we will see him play in the NAB cup, as we have a habit of playing rookies in the NAB cup while we rest our injured big names.

I like the idea of adding some pace, and with Hayes test results you cannot help but smirk and think this might be a davey repeat. CAC drafted him knowing that he will be something out of the ordinary. Given his test results I was suprised he was taken in the national draft. (He must sit a SHOCKER of an interview)

Will be exciting to see some more indigenous talent down at the MFC.

Actually, the slighter and quicker players usually impact more quickly than the stronger types because of the style of game they play. Look at the debate a few years ago about McLean v Tenace. Everybody would say that McLean wouldn't develop because he was already strongly built, while Tenace had more physical development so he would therefor overtake him when he muscled up.

The difference is that Tenace plays a very outside game while McLean is inside. This means that McLean has to take hits and win contested footy inside packs against men who are much stronger. But more development and he is now a very good player because he can compete in the clinches. Tenace, on the other hand, never has to go near another player because he is an outside player. Even as he bulks up the effect this has is very small, as he is not competing one on one.

Hence you will usually find inside ball winners devlop much later than outside runners. Look at Danyle Pearce. How many tackles did he need to break this year?

Hayes seems like an ouside runner with evasiveness. Hopefully this will result in him showing us what he's got earlier rather than later. Mind you, this doesn't take into account a host of other external factors which can affect development.

Hayes seems like an ouside runner with evasiveness.

Related to former MFC board member Peter Hayes?