14 minutes ago, MFC-11 said:

OK, I'll start the nick-naming question, in order of priority.

1/ Aussie

2/ Powers (yeah baby!)

3/ Bradders

G-Raff

15 minutes ago, MFC-11 said:

OK, I'll start the nick-naming question, in order of priority.

1/ Aussie

2/ Powers (yeah baby!)

3/ Bradders

Option 2 thanks, on face value seems like a great get.

Pardon my ignorance but can someone clarify what exactly is the status of a cat B rookie?

Are they totally ours or do they still need to go through the draft in some way?

3 hours ago, monoccular said:

Pardon my ignorance but can someone clarify what exactly is the status of a cat B rookie?

Are they totally ours or do they still need to go through the draft in some way?

Totes ours but we get to pay them f all while we see if they can make senior list.

People who haven’t played any footy for 3 years, otherwise they have to go to the draft.

12 hours ago, Nasher said:

I often wonder what happens behind the scenes with these multi-sport talents - especially the basketballers, when they’ve chosen the other sport, then suddenly rock up at Cat B rookies in the AFL. 

Given that there’s daylight between the career prestige and cash between the NBA and the AFL, you would owe it to yourself to have a crack at the former first and fall back to the latter when it was obvious it was not going to happen.

A bit like moderating I guess !

Seventeen years old and half a head shorter than his Father.  Can we expect a late growth spurt from him?  Not that he really needs it, but it would be an added bonus if he wound up his Dad's size and build. 

15 hours ago, ProDee said:

He turns 18 in May, so he's either turned 18 or will in the next week, which means he's roughly 18 months younger than Filipovic.

I'd say he'd be aware of a looming threat.

He turns 18 on Sunday

3 hours ago, puntkick said:

A bit like moderating I guess !

?

Might see him in the red and blue in 2024. 

Or not.

Either way good pick up and the best (cheapest) way to get ruckmen ie on the slow burn as rookies.

His dad is about 11 hundred feet tall and played at 120 kgs.  Imagine that physical presence, either forward or in the middle?  Sheesh!  That is not Brendan Fevola 120 kgs (stuffing hamburgers into his cheeks like a starving Hamster in a nut factory), but athletic size and genuine build. Keen to see how he develops in our system

Austin has a younger brother (Jensen) who is 14 years old. If he is any good at football it’s about time he concentrated on basketball for a few years. 

47 minutes ago, FarNorthernD said:

Austin has a younger brother (Jensen) who is 14 years old. If he is any good at football it’s about time he concentrated on basketball for a few years. 

Good idea.

perhaps this is part of the reason we and a bunch of other clubs were so keen on him: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-07-31/lack-of-ruckmen-could-leave-clubs-short

IF he turned out like Mason Cox we would all  be very excited.

Wans't he plucked from US basketball?

I watched this kid do some ball work with Daniel Cross the other week and when it came to the kicking, he was kicking low flat 30m bullets straight onto Crossy.. not only was his kicking hitting targets with ease, but he had such a fluent kicking action. They did one drill where he would have his back towards Cross and then whistle would blow and he would spin around and nail a 30m kick each time. Dont remember him missing a target at all.

I know he's years away from being AFL ready, but he's definitely got the right tool set to succeed if he wants it.

Very bullish,  but quietly reckon we have a good prospect on our hands.

 

Paul Amy on Twitter 

“Fair chance Melbourne Category B rookie Austin Bradtke will play some Under 18 football this year. Suggestions around that he’s been given permission from the AFL to turn out for Dandenong Stingrays.”

Probably a good idea since it’s 4 or 5 years since he’s played a game of AFL.

1 hour ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Paul Amy on Twitter 

“Fair chance Melbourne Category B rookie Austin Bradtke will play some Under 18 football this year. Suggestions around that he’s been given permission from the AFL to turn out for Dandenong Stingrays.”

Probably a good idea since it’s 4 or 5 years since he’s played a game of AFL.

Fantastic for his development instead of chucking him straight into the wolves.

 

13 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Paul Amy on Twitter 

“Fair chance Melbourne Category B rookie Austin Bradtke will play some Under 18 football this year. Suggestions around that he’s been given permission from the AFL to turn out for Dandenong Stingrays.”

Probably a good idea since it’s 4 or 5 years since he’s played a game of AFL.

Is permission needed because he's apparently over 18 (an earlier poster said he turned 18 in May last year) or for some other reason? (Or both?)

1 hour ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Is permission needed because he's apparently over 18 (an earlier poster said he turned 18 in May last year) or for some other reason? (Or both?)

I think most TAC clubs can have a couple of overages but because Bradtke is also on an AFL list he'd probably need permission from the AFL as well. So both would be the answer is my guess. Will give us a great chance to see how he compete's with guys around his own age given he missed all the underage years. Should hopefully fast track him as a player or conversely mean the club gets a quicker idea if he's worth persisting with. 

Smart call 

Smart call. He might even need some local Footy in between the tac and VFL as well. Not an easy pathway for a raw 18 year old 

Today was the first time I have seen Austin Bradtke  play in a match simulation.

I though he acquitted himself quite well, didn't look lost, in one passage he made a lead to a forward flank and spun around to deliver the ball to Bayley Fritsch at the top of the goal square and that was of course in appalling conditions.

Made his TAC debut today for Dandenong Stingrays and played as ruckman/forward.

11 disposals 1 mark 15 hitouts and 1 goal

Undefeated so far Bradtke - the Stingrays have 2 wins and a draw. 

Rd 2 v Power 11d 7k 5hb 1m 0t 4I50 20HO

Rd 3 v Falcons 11d 1g 4k 7hb 1m 1i50 15HO

They have a bye this week and he should be back in action in Round 5. 

Does anyone know who the top ruckmen in the under 18 competition are and when Bradkte’s likely to play against them?