Eddie Prato

[Cyberdoggie]

Our fourth selection in the rookie draft (pick 59) is Eddie Prato from Maryborough.

An interesting bit of info from a western bulldogs article stated the following:

"Gaelic player Aiden O'Shea is on the verge of completing a two-week program with the club but will be considered for a rookie spot next year, while it is believed Maryborough's Eddie Prato has decided to concentrate on basketball instead of chasing a football career."

Perhaps we were trying to fend off potential suitors?


Apparently he has only played 1 game of senior football?

[LostDoggy]

:) Oh dear. Oh well, gotta trust the talent scouts i guess.

[stefoid]

He is a huge guy, if hes the guy I think was the guy that he is. at training I mean.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Pretty obvious there must have been a few lurking and we've told him to stay away. I always wondered why clubs didn't do more of this. Perhaps we just don't hear of it. In any case, he's another story to watch out for.

This is what the rookie list is for so without having seen him, the logic behind the choice is good IMO.

[LostDoggy]

He is a huge guy, if hes the guy I think was the guy that he is. at training I mean.


Unless he was the guy you didn't think was the guy that he isn't in which case he's a little bloke.:D

[LostDoggy]

Any measurements?

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Any measurements?

I read somewhere he's listed as 205cms but nothing seems certain yet.

[chef]

Whats 6'9 in cm's?

[Mantis]

Whats 6'9 in cm's?

206cm

[chef]

206cm

He's a very tall boy then. Here's a picture of him.

http://www.sleepythompson.com/elemente/teams/08_christchurch.htm

[LostDoggy]

I don't understand why he doesn't just pursuit Basketball? There are now 4 Australians in the NBA. Sounds like he'd be a chance based on what I've been reading.

[Twodogs]

I don't understand why he doesn't just pursuit Basketball? There are now 4 Australians in the NBA. Sounds like he'd be a chance based on what I've been reading.


Basketball is only a pretend sport.

Maybe he wants to play a proper sport?

[G-Mo77]

There was a chance I would be playing against him next year if he didn't get drafted he probably would have been persauded to play BFL for Maryborough but there was a chance he would have played for a local Maryborough team in the MCDFL. So it's good news we don't have to worry about a 6'9 player in 2010. :D

[Scorlibo]

Basketball translates very well to AFL, you only have to look as far as Jack Watts, Nick Dal Santo, Scott Pendlebury, Kurt Tippett. Sounds like a promising athlete and basketball should give him much of the necessary ball skills for AFL. Good selection.

[LostDoggy]

Basketball is only a pretend sport.

Maybe he wants to play a proper sport?

I'd love for you to say that to Shaq O'Neal :D

[Go_Dogs]

Basketball translates very well to AFL, you only have to look as far as Jack Watts, Nick Dal Santo, Scott Pendlebury, Kurt Tippett. Sounds like a promising athlete and basketball should give him much of the necessary ball skills for AFL. Good selection.

Next year we'll probably be adding Sam Day to that list too. (Played U/18's this year for SA as a year 11 and captained his school in basketball too).

Like yourself, I'm very much into the basketballers turned footballers. If he's super agile like most, at his height he could become a ruck/forward option. Will be interesting to see how he develops over the next couple of seasons.

[ledge]

Brogan was pretty good as an ex basketballer.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I don't understand why he doesn't just pursuit Basketball? There are now 4 Australians in the NBA. Sounds like he'd be a chance based on what I've been reading.

$$$$$$$$

[bornadog]

I read somewhere he's listed as 205cms but nothing seems certain yet.

Selection No.59: Eddie Prato
DOB: 15/01/90, Height: 202cm, Weight: 92kg
Recruited from: Maryborough
"He's a developing ruckman. He's six foot eight, he's a great athlete from a basketball background who needs to play a lot more footy. He's not going to play for a couple of years but John Barnes (Bulldogs' ruck coach) is very excited about his jumping ability and ability to palm the ball. Even though he's raw, there's a lot of talent there."

[LostDoggy]

$$$$$$$$

He would get more money if he made it in the NBA. :p

[Bulldog Revolution]

He would get more money if he made it in the NBA. :p

The percentage of college players that make it to the NBA is miniscule

[LostDoggy]

The American Dream, be good at something and earn bucketloads of money from it.............

[Twodogs]

I'd love for you to say that to Shaq O'Neal :D



I'd say it to his face. It's an easy argument to prosecute.;)

[Happy Days]

This to me is the perfect rookie-list player; an emerging tall with little/no experience, but a bundle of raw athleticism and talent.

Players like Prato is what the rookie list was designed for IMO.

[LostDoggy]

I don't understand why he doesn't just pursuit Basketball? There are now 4 Australians in the NBA.

And there are 800 Australians in the AFL. I know where his chances of making it are higher.

[Bulldog Revolution]

And there are 800 Australians in the AFL. I know where his chances of making it are higher.

It should also be added that of the 4 australians, 3 of them are 6 foot 10 or above, and the one who isn't Patrick Mills, hasn't yet played a game

[alwaysadog]

He's a punt worth taking, he's been in an elite sporting program, so he understands the demands on life and body. He isn't a stranger to our game although he hasn't yet played it at an elite level. The transition could take a lot of time or might occur quite quickly or not at all.

If the reports are true that Barnsie is a rap for the kid and he has seen enough to be willing to put in the time and effort into developing him then what have we got to lose?

[GVGjr]

Dogs punt on Prato (http://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/news/local/sport/football-australian-rules/dogs-punt-on-prato/1705890.aspx)

ADAM BOURKE
16 Dec, 2009 08:44 AM
THURSDAY, August 20, 2009 and Maryborough coach Shane Fisher interrupts training to inform a rookie he’d been selected for his first game.

“The world’s in front of you, AFL clubs should be looking at making you a rookie down the track if you work hard,’’ was the message Fisher gave the teenager.

The first gamer was Eddie Prato.

Two days later he kicked three goals on debut in Maryborough’s one-goal loss to Kangaroo Flat.

Yesterday he was selected by the Western Bulldogs with pick 58 in the AFL rookie draft.

“I knew Eddie had the raw ability, but I never thought he would get picked up this quickly,’’ Fisher admitted yesterday.

“He’s got all the attributes, he just needs to get some full-time footy into him.’’

The 202cm ruckman spent most of this year playing basketball with Ballarat in the South East Australian Basketball League.

At the completion of the SEABL season he spent rounds 16 and 17 of the BFL season in the Maryborough reserves before his eye-catching senior debut in round 18.

Prato had been training with the Western Bulldogs in the lead-up to yesterday’s rookie draft.

“He’s six foot eight, he’s a great athlete from a basketball background who needs to play a lot more footy,’’ Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade told the club’s website.

“He’s not going to play for a couple of years, but John Barnes (Bulldogs’ ruck coach) is very excited about his jumping ability and ability to palm the ball.

“Even though he’s raw, there’s a lot of talent there.’’

Fisher said Prato’s and Stewart Crameri’s selection yesterday was a major boost for football in Maryborough.

“We’re trying to recruit players from the district level to play in the major league and improve their footy,’’ Fisher said.

“Eddie and Stewy Crameri played major league footy and now they’re going to the next level.

“From my point of view, Eddie being selected might prove to a few people around Maryborough that there is a pathway to the AFL if they come in and play major league footy.’’