NAB AFL Draft Combine - 2011

[LostDoggy]

Saad, Taylor set sprint mark
By Paul Daffey
1:47 PM Wed 05 Oct, 2011

MATURE-AGED prospect Ahmed Saad has increased his chances of being drafted by posting the equal fastest time in the sprint event at the NAB AFL Draft Combine this morning.

Saad, 22, plays for Northern Knights and this year won the Fothergill-Round Medal for the most promising VFL player.

His 2.86 seconds in the 20m event at Etihad Stadium was equal to the time of Claremont 17-year-old Shannon Taylor, who is eligible for trade by GWS.

Taylor is a classy small forward and midfielder who has been a member of this year's AIS-AFL Academy squad.

Two prospects finished 0.01 second slower than Saad and Taylor: West Perth small midfielder Shane Nelson and North Ballarat Rebels medium midfielder Lachlan Dalgleish.

Nelson, 18, is a rover who can kick goals.

Dalgleish, 18, is a wingman with a penetrating left boot who finished third in a heat of this year's Stawell Gift.

Brad Hill, the West Perth wingman who is the brother Fremantle gun Stephen, ran 2.88 seconds while Hayden Crozier, Alex Woodward and Daniel Markworth ran 2.89 seconds.

Crozier, 17, is a medium forward with Eastern Ranges who became known around Australia after taking a spectacular mark for Vic Metro in this year's NAB AFL Under-18 Championships.

Woodward, 18, was a co-captain, with Jack Williams, of the Sandringham Dragons team that won this year's TAC Cup Grand Final.

Markworth, 18, is a medium forward who impressed with Calder Cannons this year in his first season in the elite system.

Markworth last year concentrated on his year 12 studies with great success; he is now a bio-medical science student at Melbourne University.

The record for the 20m sprint is 2.75 seconds, set last year by the then captain of Queensland's team in the national under-18 championships, Joel Wilkinson.

Wilkinson, a 186cm midfielder, played seven games for Gold Coast this year.

The agility test that was to be held on Wednesday morning at the NAB AFL Draft Combine has been postponed until Thursday.

The test was to be held on the hardwood high-performance floor that has been erected on the city wing at Etihad Stadium, but the boards were shifting when players changed direction.

The traffic generated by a mini-combine that was held today by NAB staff and their business partners has served to bed down the makeshift floor.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/124661/default.aspx

[ledge]

Could mods please merge

[SlimPickens]

Have been lucky enough to see a fair bit of the combine over the last couple of days. Majorly impressed with Brad Hill(Stephens brother) and Will Hoskin-Elliot shuttle runs. Brad Hill broke 16 which is a draft record and Hoskin-Elliot scored high 15.11. Pretty awesome stuff to watch there was certainly a buzz amongst the recruiters.

The other who hasd impressed was Ahmed Saad, his speed and agility is really noticeable. As for the big men, i wouldn't be surprised if we don't see Tim Mohr on a list next year. Big bodied defender who tested really well in the speed stakes(20 m sprint).

Any question will try my best to anwser them.

[bornadog]

2011 Draft Combine Results (http://www.afl.com.au/Offseason/DraftCombine/2010Results/tabid/18439/Default.aspx)

[bornadog]

Any question will try my best to anwser them.

How did Dom Tyson go?

[LostDoggy]

Interested to hear from the draft camp watchers. Some or many of these tests to me are a load of BS. Mean very little of the field. Why do they do it?

[Desipura]

Interested to hear from the draft camp watchers. Some or many of these tests to me are a load of BS. Mean very little of the field. Why do they do it?

They do it as it makes the recruiters jobs a little easier when they rate two players similarly.
If one player is a little quicker or can jump higher than the other, they are more likely to go with that player.
As you say, at the end of the day its what they can d o on the ground that counts.

[bornadog]

Is Hunter involved or not eligible this year for the draft?

[Greystache]

Is Hunter involved or not eligible this year for the draft?

He's available next year.

[Greystache]

How did Dom Tyson go?

Average jump, speed, and agility. Good beep test, 14.10

[bornadog]

Average jump, speed, and agility. Good beep test, 14.10

ok, thanks, he is a friend of my daughters, so just wanted to see how he goes.

[SlimPickens]

They do it as it makes the recruiters jobs a little easier when they rate two players similarly.
If one player is a little quicker or can jump higher than the other, they are more likely to go with that player.
As you say, at the end of the day its what they can d o on the ground that counts.

Tend to agree Desi, spoke to a couple of recruiters who basically repeated your sentiment. Certain tests for certain players they don't really care about (eg. small bloke and vertical leap). If the biggest crowd of onlookers is anything to go by, the handball and kicking test along with the shuttle run were the biggest drawers.

Two guys who are thought to go top 3 are Patton and Coniglio neither of them tested due to injury, don't think it'll effect their chances of going top 3.

One of the most interesting things was the medical testing where a player would get looked over by the AIS doctor and physio with a representative (medical staff) from every club looking on. Gary Zimmermann was there for us, each rep was asking question and some doing test for themselves. Probably the most interesting part for me.

[SlimPickens]

BTW Brad Hill is an awesome endurance athelete, destroyed the 3k time trial after breaking the shuttle run record yesterday. Wonder if he can play MJP?

[Greystache]

How did Tim Mohr go in the skills drills Slim?

[SlimPickens]

How did Tim Mohr go in the skills drills Slim?

Solid in the kicking, not preferred has a little to be desired but he wasn't alone there. It took a fair few of the players a couple of kicks to adapt to the drill under the roof (over/under shooting). He was fine in the handball drill, clean on the ground and hit the players fairly comfortably with both hands.

I reckon a number of clubs will look at him and if we were able to secure him with a late pick i'd be happy, big frame and quick off the mark. Could be a could defensive option for the future.

[Greystache]

Solid in the kicking, not preferred has a little to be desired but he wasn't alone there. It took a fair few of the players a couple of kicks to adapt to the drill under the roof (over/under shooting). He was fine in the handball drill, clean on the ground and hit the players fairly comfortably with both hands.

I reckon a number of clubs will look at him and if we were able to secure him with a late pick i'd be happy, big frame and quick off the mark. Could be a could defensive option for the future.

Thanks mate, I'm pretty keen on him.

I'd assume he's nominated for the draft in the past, so I wonder if we can do a deal with GWS for them to trade him to us. Perhaps as a deal for Sam Reid.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Mohr will be pre-selected and kept by GWS

[mjp]

BTW Brad Hill is an awesome endurance athelete, destroyed the 3k time trial after breaking the shuttle run record yesterday. Wonder if he can play MJP?

He played in the championships this year - was pretty good in the games at Subi and v. poor in the one game he played in Melbourne (but wasn't Robinson Crusoe). He is a cheeky kid - full of energy and always looking for a laugh - I like him a lot.

I wouldn't have thought a high pick though - kicking a bit too unreliable for me.

[SlimPickens]

He played in the championships this year - was pretty good in the games at Subi and v. poor in the one game he played in Melbourne (but wasn't Robinson Crusoe). He is a cheeky kid - full of energy and always looking for a laugh - I like him a lot.

I wouldn't have thought a high pick though - kicking a bit too unreliable for me.

Cheers

[ledge]

Thanks for all this guys have you seen us have a particular interest in any or a list of who we are looking at?

[SlimPickens]

Thanks for all this guys have you seen us have a particular interest in any or a list of who we are looking at?

Very difficult to tell ledge, the clubs will interview a heap of players around 50 over the week, you try to look for signs for example when all the recruiters are together watching a certain test but its hard to tell.

[ledge]

Very difficult to tell ledge, the clubs will interview a heap of players around 50 over the week, you try to look for signs for example when all the recruiters are together watching a certain test but its hard to tell.

I suppose all that gives you is the kind of player we are after, i mean of 50 if 40 are tall then its pretty obvious where we are looking.
From what Macca said its probably fast players with a strong build

[mjp]

From what Macca said its probably fast players with a strong build

I think the first part of that statement is true.