With our first pick we select Tim English
Welcome to the greatest club on the planet you lucky fellow.
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With our first pick we select Tim English
Welcome to the greatest club on the planet you lucky fellow.
Took us less than 30 seconds to select him. The best ruckman in the draft, at pick 19, that's not too shabby. Here's hoping for a long and successful career.
great pick
a player type we need and fills a very important position on our list but most importantly a very good footballer.
Welcome to the premiership team
Welcome to the dogs Tim.
http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam...9426303135.jpg
https://youtu.be/R9UBcgRKTXk
Welcome to the Dogs Tim English.
Welcome Tim. Happy with this pick.
Seems to use the ball well for a big man. Also looks to cover ground - engine wise. Runs and bounces ridiculously well for a ruckman, seems also to compete well for the ball on the ground - Ben Hudson style.
I'm not a huge advocate for drafting ruckmen early, but at pick 18, this kid represents no-brainer value. I feel that, ten years ago, before ruckmen went out of vogue, he'd have been a top 5 pick...
.... Just hope he's not homesick for Perth like a couple of other WA boys we've had recently!
However, continues a strong tradition of our club recruiting WA players.
Welcome to the Premiers Big Fella :)
Welcome Tim.
I like the look of him in that clip. Moves really well for a 203cm ruckman.
Nickname - geezer
Really love the kicking action and the quick thinking.
Concerned that six years have to go by before we can expect to learn whether he will cut the mustard in all likelihood. Like Webby has said, a few years ago someone like this would be easily top ten credentialed.
Congrats Tim; I didn't want to pick you because you're really skinny but now you're ours so obviously you're the biggest steal in the draft. Dal strikes again.
Welcome the Premiers Timmy.
I've seen a few fearful references away from here about his need for development and similarities with Ayce Cordy. Something to keep in mind is he's 12kg heavier, albeit 3cm taller than Ayce was when he was drafted.
By the time Ayce was playing senior footy moderately regularly he was 20kg than when he was drafted, just 8kg heavier than English is now.
I don't know much about English, what I do know is he's not Ayce Cordy in terms of physique.
Is it just me, or does he resemble the early 1980's blonde David Bowie. The Thin White Ruck.
Attachment 823 Attachment 824
Welcome to the premiers big fella. Here's hoping you have a long and fruitful career with the Bulldogs. I hope you play plenty of footy early on and develop as quickly as our last few first round picks.
Could English play as a key defender?
That would be an interesting idea given our preference for versatile players.Quote:
Originally Posted by Go_Dogs
I haven't seen anywhere near enough of him to gauge how he may go competing 1:1 as a defender, but with his speed, repeat efforts, ground level ability, clean hands and decent kicking he has quite a few tools that would appeal in that role.Quote:
Originally Posted by GVGjr
Look forward to watching him develop.
A revolutionary Ruck concept in a year or 2 with Boyd patrolling the front 3rd, Roughy the midfield and English the back third as a 3 way mobile Rucking division?Quote:
Originally Posted by Go_Dogs
Just when you thought Bevo had taken the game in one direction (small, handball based), he zags the other way.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeanutsPeanuts
Genius.
I like it.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeanutsPeanuts
I get the below message when I click on the links.Quote:
Originally Posted by bulldogtragic
Quote:
Originally Posted by KT31
Guys he's finally onto us. What do we do now?Quote:
Originally Posted by KT31
afl.com.au
THIS year's premiers have bucked the trend of steering away from big men early in the NAB AFL Draft, with the Western Bulldogs taking exciting West Australian Tim English with their first selection on Friday.
The Dogs grabbed the agile ruckman with pick 19 after he showed plenty of improvement over the past 18 months with WA and South Fremantle, where he played senior football in the WAFL this season.
English, who is lightly built but highly skilled for his size after honing his craft across half-back before a growth spurt, will no doubt be given time in the VFL to develop his body, and looms as a long-term project for the Bulldogs.
The club's recruiting manager Simon Dalrymple told AFL.com.au they were more than willing to take a chance on English if he was available, despite the snubbing of young ruckmen in the past.
"We always thought that there was a chance that he might slide down the order because of that reason, but we felt that he was too good a player to pass up," he said.
"At 205cm and with his ability with ball in hand, we thought it was really suitable to the way we play, so that made him an attractive option.
"We always pick the best player available, and our list is fairly well balanced, so we didn't think there was a pressing need, we just wanted to get good players."
The Dogs used three more selections on former basketballers Patrick Lipinski (No.28) and Lewis Young (No.49), and Fergus Greene (No.70).
Looks like a young John Schultz with that hair.
I guess his recruitment means we are less likely to redraft Luke Goetz.
All the best of luck young Bulldog, Tim English.
Apparently English has grown over 20 cm in the last 3 years and his brother is even taller. Could end up a monster height, even by modern day ruck standards.
Sandilands styles?Quote:
Originally Posted by PeanutsPeanuts
Yep, was a midfielder until the growth spurt.. Which is probably why his ground skills are pretty good.Quote:
Originally Posted by PeanutsPeanuts
I don't think he is the type of guy that is going to add a heap of muscle and lose his agility. Most of his ground level work appears to be done through a willingness to compete and clean hands rather than agility. As long as he can get to a point physically where he doesn't get battered around in the actual ruck contests then his ground level work is going to be a bonus. Liked watching the footage of him putting his head down and gut running in transition(both ways). Ruckmen as kids are basically taught to ruck then play a kick behind play so to see him trying to join in to link up or close space makes him pretty unique. Bevo would no doubt be liking the fact that he can get around and join in on team defence. The hands and ability at ground level sort of suits us too and is probably the reason we chased Kruzer so hard a couple of years ago.
Having said all of that I do think it is a risk taking a ruckmen. I qualify this by saying I have seen very little of English.
1- I don't think they are that hard to find if you really want one. Every trade period they are shopped around or there are guys showing a bit as back up rucks at other clubs. We ourselves are basically pushing an AA ruckmen out the door. They are there if you really want to go and grab one. You may have to pay a premium for them but that is pretty much what we have just done anyway.
2- I am not sure they are as influential as they once were. It's not that I don't rate ruckmen it is just teams have found a way to work without a dominant one. With third man up, video, team defence all of these things have slowly just whittled down the areas they can actually dominate the game. It is still better to have a gun ruckmen than not have one but it is not the end of the world if you don't. I would argue Gawn (2016) and Goldy (2015) played almost as well as any ruck for a long time but their teams didn't get a huge advantage for it. I am certainly pleased that English looks like he can add other dimensions to his game other than just ruck work. IMO they need to be either great at contested ground balls, able to mark around the ground or go forward. If they don't have any of these attributes and just stand and tap then it is a waste. Roughy took important marks all finals series and has improved his ground stuff...that's what I want from my ruckmen.
3- I back Dal in with his projections for English but as many people have mentioned history does show they are difficult to judge. At any level of any sport tall guys are the hardest to project on for the future. Everything I have seen of him suggests he has a bright future but there is that risk. I hope he is an absolute star and brings back the days of the dominant ruckmen.
afl.com.au
WEIGHTS and eating, eating and weights.
That's the schedule for the Western Bulldogs' top draft pick Tim English over the next few months.
The lightly built ruckman was seen as a steal for the premiers at pick 19 in Friday's NAB AFL draft, but the 205cm West Australian tips the scales at around 90kg, and knows exactly what's on the agenda when he arrives at Whitten Oval on Monday.
English told AFL.com.au in Sydney that the experience he gained late this season with South Fremantle in the WAFL was extremely beneficial, and he's prepared to bide his time developing in the VFL in 2017.
"Playing senior footy against bigger bodies certainly helped me with South Fremantle, given the size aspect is probably a weakness of mine," he said.
"Going up against stronger players helped me learn about my body positioning and things like that, so that developed my game in a way.
"I have to increase my physical size, so I'll be getting in the gym and making sure my diet is right once I get to Melbourne."
English has quality foot skills for a big man and the Dogs were ecstatic to see him still on the draft table when their first selection came up.
The quietly spoken big man has been likened to former West Coast champion Dean Cox because of his ability to cover territory and use the footy by hand and foot, and that's exactly the type of ruckman he hopes to be in the AFL.
"I want to provide that link up role around the ground, and do plenty of follow up work as well," he said.
"A big factor for the Bulldogs is contested possession, and obviously they've been really successful at that, and mobility is another one.
"They're two of my strengths that I can work on, so hopefully I can add something to the team."
While any young draftee faces a daunting task in adjusting to AFL level, English has the added pressure of going to this year's flag winners, but the teenager said he saw no downside in going to the premiers.
"I see it as a massive positive," he said.
"They've been really successful this year and seem to have a really strong group led by 'Bevo' (Luke Beveridge), who is such a well-respected coach.
"I met him for the first time at the draft, so I'm just excited to get there and get to work under him."
Very well coordinated, kicking short and long. Love the look of him. Well done Simon and team.
Work on the guns, hope he evolves into Wynd MK II. Bit of that about him.
Quote:
Originally Posted by EasternWest
As a joke Arthur Consn Doyle sent three of his friends a note saying 'they are onto us. Flee now' and never saw one of them again.
I like the video although I'm worried a bit by his chicken legs but his skills and second efforts look very exciting for a big guy
HS, John Ralph
The Western Bulldogs secured the best ruckman in the AFL draft when they selected Tim English
JON RALPH, Herald Sun
November 26, 2016 9:34pm
Subscriber only
LUKE Beveridge just doesn’t rate ruckmen. Or, to more specific, the premiership coach believes unless they do more than tap the ball they aren’t helping his side.
So it tells you plenty about the remarkable skill-set of 205cm ruckman Tim English that he is now wearing the colours of the premiership side.
In truth a player rated by the Dogs as the draft’s seventh-best player was such a bargain at pick 19 that they had to take him.
But a player who racks up possessions at will and runs a 10min 55sec 3km time-trial time is nothing like your old fashioned ruck dinosaur.
The South Fremantle 19-year-old was clearly the best ruckman in the draft and said as soon as he put on 8-10kg, he would try to make his way in the game.
“I am skinny at the moment but I want to get into the gym and work my way up from there.”
Bulldogs recruiter Simon Dalrymples sniffed the wind at the start of the month and decided to get on a plane to WA’s Pingelly, home of the English sheep and cattle farm.
“It was probably one where we thought we were a chance given the history of the draft (with ruck sliders) so we went to the family farm and said, ‘We are a chance here’,” Dalrymple said.
“Bevo has got some strong views on ruckmen. It was a good fit for the way we play and he joins in on offence. He is young and has to put on weight, but as shown by his numbers, he just loves getting the ball.
“It was great to meet mum and dad and you can see by dad’s frame, he is a strong man and mum is a schoolteacher. With Will (Minson) retiring ruck was a bit of a gap, but we weren’t going to make one up and the purchase price had to be right.”
The Dogs also added Northern Knights mid-forward Patrick Lepinski, a former basketballer coached by Marcus Bontempelli’s uncle.
English can’t quite believe he has landed at the premiers, having studied their most recent glories more than once.
“I am obviously really stoked with that, they are coming off a really successful season this year,’’ English said.
“I watched the Grand Final with a heap of friends and there was quite a bit going on and I had heard and knew about how great it was and I thought I would watch it all again.
“Obviously it’s a huge things (playing under Luke Beveridge), everyone talks about how respected he is and now he has a premiership under his belt.”
^^^
We ranked him as number 7 and got him at 19. No wonder Dal is very happy!
I was a bit concerned about picking up a ruckman so early in the draft but after reading each article and watching Englishes highlights packages I am quite excited about his future with us.
I'm not an officianado on rucks. But most drafted rucks seem to have been rucks most or all of their junior careers. But English spent much of his juniors as a midfielder and defender because he wasn't yet tall enough to play in the ruck. Hence why his skills are so good. It seems like such an uncommon circumstance that I can see his appeal to us at 7/19.Quote:
Originally Posted by KT31
Already 90kg, I can see him getting towards 100kg by the end of next year. So by 2018 he should be AFEL playing weight. The more I watch his highlights the more I'm looking forward to watching him in the VFL next year with a view to what he might do in 2018.
Does anyone else thing Ralpy's article had a bit of Rocco about it?
I was against picking him for a few reasons, mostly in relation to when and how you recruit rucks rather than anything directly against him.
He does seem to have a very nice kicking style and his height surely means he is competitive in the ruck. If he does come through he could be quite a player. I'm looking forward to seeing him in action. Besides I trust Dalrymples judgement; he's already had two players taken with our first pick which I was not keen on (Dunkley and Smith) but very quickly won me over.