On 11/24/2017 at 8:08 PM, Clint Bizkit said:

I trust Taylor but we have a lot of key defenders now.

From watching his highlights (which now makes me an expert) he'll be getting a game sooner rather later.

Carry on.

11 hours ago, machine11 said:

We cannot give up first rounders forever. Need to keep the flow of young talent

If we keep getting A.A squad players like Lever we should give up first rounders forever 

17 hours ago, Clint Bizkit said:

From watching his highlights (which now makes me an expert) he'll be getting a game sooner rather later.

Carry on.

You can say that again, very exciting indeed.

Although I could put together a very, very selective highlights package of my golf game over t he last 40 or so years (if I happened to have the vision) that would make you think I was as good as any golfer in the world.

ps: I’m a bloody lousy golfer.

Edited November 27, 20177 yr by Dee Dee

56 minutes ago, Dee Dee said:

You can say that again, very exciting indeed.

Although I could put together a very, very selective highlights package of my golf game over t he last 40 or so years (if I happened to have the vision) that would make you think I was as good as any golfer in the world.

ps: I’m a bloody lousy golfer.

What's the golfing equivalent of backing into a pack to take an overhead grab Dee?

4 minutes ago, Deeoldfart said:

What's the golfing equivalent of backing into a pack to take an overhead grab Dee?

Carrying your own clubs instead of riding around in a buggy.

Tough game golf.

I thought that he had broken his elbow

21 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Red hair
Country lad
Late entry to the elite talent pathway after relocating to boarding school
Underdeveloped physically
Standout games with standout attributes
Unpopular pick due to already having similar players on the list with many wanting a needs based pick
Not overly quick but elite agility (for his position, 8.29 according to AFL draft central)

All of those criteria apply to Clarry and to Petty.

There seems to be a common misconception that Oliver isn't overly quick.  Oliver's pace for an inside bull is superb, we just don't see it enough.  But if you watch him closely his burst speed is very good.

For the record, Oliver tested 2.99 seconds for the 20 metre sprint prior to the draft.  Anything sub 3 seconds is elite.

If you read the bios for players in this year's draft such as Ed Richards, Charlie Ballard, Lochie O'Brien, Matthew Ling, Jaidyn Stephenson, you'll note that high up on their strengths is their speed.  Only one broke 3 seconds (Stephenson 2.97).

Thankfully, this misconception about Oliver's speed was dispelled in the media this year:

7/4/2017
Melbourne Demon Oliver leads army of stars
Michael Gleeson

He is like Cripps or Sydney's Josh Kennedy, a tall and strong midfielder who with longer arms have better reach to be able to get clear of a tackle and still get a handball out.

The difference between Oliver and Cripps or Kennedy is that he is quick. I know, he doesn't look like he is, but he is. The assumption with an inside player is they are one-paced plodders often with good endurance, Oliver bucks that. He is quick and has decent foot skills.

"He accelerates through the contest," Melbourne player/coach performance manager Brendan McCartney said. "He is electric. He just has great power.
 

Edited November 28, 20177 yr by ProDee

I'm guilty of not recognising Oliver's speed.

So basically he has elite speed, elite ball winning ability, elite hands, elite kick and elite competitiveness.

 

37 minutes ago, Wrecker45 said:

I'm guilty of not recognising Oliver's speed.

So basically he has elite speed, elite ball winning ability, elite hands, elite kick and elite competitiveness.

 

Yep, and that's why he is an elite talent.

We have the best young mid in the competition, the rest of the AFL will finally work it out in 2018...the opposition coaches already have, that's why they put a tag on him and give him votes in the coaches award.

On 11/27/2017 at 11:08 AM, djr said:

I would not be replacing Oscar too soon. From what I can see from the highlights they both have similar attributes.

I'd reckon he would be much better than Oscar McD, right now! 

1 hour ago, Wrecker45 said:

I'm guilty of not recognising Oliver's speed.

So basically he has elite speed, elite ball winning ability, elite hands, elite kick and elite competitiveness.

 

yes but that's about it

 

maybe elite vision as well.

2 hours ago, ProDee said:

There seems to be a common misconception that Oliver isn't overly quick.  Oliver's pace for an inside bull is superb, we just don't see it enough.  But if you watch him closely his burst speed is very good.

For the record, Oliver tested 2.99 seconds for the 20 metre sprint prior to the draft.  Anything sub 3 seconds is elite.

If you read the bios for players in this year's draft such as Ed Richards, Charlie Ballard, Lochie O'Brien, Matthew Ling, Jaidyn Stephenson, you'll note that high up on their strengths is their speed.  Only one broke 3 seconds (Stephenson 2.97).

Thankfully, this misconception about Oliver's speed was dispelled in the media this year:

7/4/2017
Melbourne Demon Oliver leads army of stars
Michael Gleeson

He is like Cripps or Sydney's Josh Kennedy, a tall and strong midfielder who with longer arms have better reach to be able to get clear of a tackle and still get a handball out.

The difference between Oliver and Cripps or Kennedy is that he is quick. I know, he doesn't look like he is, but he is. The assumption with an inside player is they are one-paced plodders often with good endurance, Oliver bucks that. He is quick and has decent foot skills.

"He accelerates through the contest," Melbourne player/coach performance manager Brendan McCartney said. "He is electric. He just has great power.
 

I didn't know Clarry broke 3 seconds and I wasn't saying he was slow, clearly he isn't. But I'd stick with the statement that his agility is elite and rephrase and say he has fantastic burst speed and importantly can use that in traffic, but I imagine plenty of players would sprint by him from the 20m to 50m mark if he was in a sprint race. I guess the point is people on here were disappointed we drafted an inside ball winner and not an outside line breaker. 

Petty did a 3.17 20m sprint, very solid time for a tall but from the look of his highlights he isn't breaking any Hunt or Frost like linebreaking runs. My athletic comparison with Oliver is really saying this guy might be far more athletic than meets the eye and in time might be capable of some attacking play, just like Clarry has and hopefully will do even more regularly from next year.

I get the feeling the footy department favour agility and burst over pure pace. They like players who can break out of traffic and suit the kicking and change of angles plan more so than just running opponents off their legs.

6 hours ago, Deeoldfart said:

What's the golfing equivalent of backing into a pack to take an overhead grab Dee?

Tripping over a tree root while searching for your ball?!

44 minutes ago, Dee Dee said:

Tripping over a tree root while searching for your ball?!

Hitting a buried ball with a sand wedge without closing your eyes

On 24/11/2017 at 8:53 PM, DaveyDee said:

I have this feeling we hope he is going to be Levers partner in crime for around 8 year. 

You have a feeling, that we hope...?  huh?

4 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

I'd reckon he would be much better than Oscar McD, right now! 

Based on what? Highlights reel?

4 hours ago, monoccular said:

Based on what? Highlights reel?

I checked Oscars highlights the other day. They were pretty good (not as good as Petty's in my opinion). His disposal looked good at that level. He played forward a fair bit in them though.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/video/2014-11-27/pick-53-highlights-oscar-mcdonald

18 hours ago, rjay said:

Yep, and that's why he is an elite talent.

We have the best young mid in the competition, the rest of the AFL will finally work it out in 2018...the opposition coaches already have, that's why they put a tag on him and give him votes in the coaches award.

Too right, he is quick. Remember his goal from the boundary line? The was no snap towards goal, that was a receive-'pick-up'- goalward glance-body positioning for impact-lightningly fast kick - and then a re-balance all mixed in with an initial shepherd for his teammate who could not acquire the ball in the massing crowd. All from inside a rapidly growing pack of both teammates and opposition players with a tagger on him, as well.

14 hours ago, monoccular said:

Based on what? Highlights reel?

If need be - partially 'Yes'. Seen a good deal of footy in my time and strong at analysis. Certain elements of play and execution stick in one's mind as 'above average' or unexpectedly capable - even in a young 'un.  Petty displays these characteristics....

22 hours ago, Salems Lot said:

I thought that he had broken his elbow

Certainly unbandaged in the photo at training.

16 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Certainly unbandaged in the photo at training.

Tough, ain't we?

2 hours ago, Deemania since 56 said:

If need be - partially 'Yes'. Seen a good deal of footy in my time and strong at analysis. Certain elements of play and execution stick in one's mind as 'above average' or unexpectedly capable - even in a young 'un.  Petty displays these characteristics....

Lets not get carried away with Petty's highlight reel. Oscar has come a long way in 12 months and the footy department obviously do recognise this.

If highlight reels were worthless recruiters wouldn't pore over them for hours.  And yes, they watch them countless times live, speak to coaches, family, conduct interviews, etc.

Petty was drafted earlier than Oscar; Petty was named most valuable player for his state in the under 18 carnival; Petty was named in the under 18 AA team (Oscar didn't make it).

I don't think it's a stretch to say that Petty has a higher ceiling than Oscar.  

I think Petty, Oscar and Lever will be able to team well together in 2-3 years.

50 minutes ago, ProDee said:

If highlight reels were worthless recruiters wouldn't pore over them for hours.  And yes, they watch them countless times live, speak to coaches, family, conduct interviews, etc.

Petty was drafted earlier than Oscar; Petty was named most valuable player for his state in the under 18 carnival; Petty was named in the under 18 AA team (Oscar didn't make it).

I don't think it's a stretch to say that Petty has a higher ceiling than Oscar.  

I think Petty, Oscar and Lever will be able to team well together in 2-3 years.

Agree.

1 hour ago, djr said:

Lets not get carried away with Petty's highlight reel. Oscar has come a long way in 12 months and the footy department obviously do recognise this.

Yep. In the Bluey Oscar averaged 2.5 votes out of 10 in the games he played last year. They know exactly where Oscar is at.