Anyone worried about our ruck problems? Not now we have Derickx

[The Big Cat]

Ben Mabon delisted at North. Did some good work for North Ballarat towards the end of the season. Has had 3 preseasons. Nice kid.

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Just how high can Sam the Swan fly? | Namoi Valley Independent

You can tell Gunnedah is a farming community. The reporter managed to include the word "paddock" in four of the first five paragraphs!

[Doctor]

Different. The godbotherer decided not to come, bit too hard all round I surmise. This bloke is different kettle of fish. They had a US combine, and invited 3 fellas over, they all sat together during that big rain game, and are picking up one of them.

Thanks for the info but I don't know if disparagingly referring to his religious beliefs was necessary or relevant.

[DeadlyAkkuret]

It must be how Benny McGlynn feels when he stands next to some of these ruckmen though!

That's how McGlynn feels when he stands next to Kieren Jack.

[aardvark]

So who's giving me odds on him playing seniors in his first year?

American Swan?s journey begins - sydneyswans.com.au

[wolftone57]

Thought I would have a bit of fun! What do you think of my round 1, 2016 team?

B. Johnson P. Mitchell Rampe
H.B Towers Reid N. Smith
C Jetta K. Jack D. Hananbury
H.F Mitchell Franklin Parker
F. B. Jack Tippett Membrey
Foll Nainsmith Kennedy Rohan
Res Mckvigh Bird, Perris
Sub Cunningham

What a team!

I think Pat Mitchell will probably play in the ruck or KB on the resting ruck if he turns out to be a winner. Xav Richards will be playing FB.

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At 108 kgs., did you think he was too light or too heavy?

Basketball players have such a good conversion rate to AFL because of the quick hand movement, especially in close, as well as the split second decision making.

Like every American athletic kid, he would have kicked around a football, but it's hard to say how far that will go toward what's required at AFL level. Mike Pyke shows just how good you can get if you're determined to succeed. In any case, I think he should become a pretty good handballer. And should be a good contested mark as well.

I like what I see. I'm on the PM bandwagon.

Their footy is nothing like ours. Poinyty ends like a witch hat, rubber/plastic. bloody horrible thing no relation to a ball in my opinion. I kicked one 60 metres and I could only land a sherrin 45.

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Patrick Mitchell was playing a massive sport in Basketball. Mike Pyke was playing a very minor sport in Rugby. So not sure it is a great comparison

Reggi I think the difference is Mike Pyke was playing a football type sport on a surface that at least resembles grass not wood. The surface of a rugby field is 100m x 68m and and the average Aussie rules field is 160 x 135. The dimensions of a basketball court are 28.65 x 15.54. Some of the problems with coming over from basketball to footy are;

1. On a court you can basically see every player at all times they are not going to sneak up behind you or come out of the blue. In Aussie rules the field being so big this happens all the time and we hunt in packs they doin't tend to in basketball due to the foul rules and tech fouls and 5 foul send off.

2. The endurance needed to play basketball is not as intensive as playing Aussie rules, the players are not even half as fit.

3. They don't kick in basketball. Kicking our ball is the bane of even our home grown and developed players so when a player comes from another game even one where you do kick it is hard, ask Pykie. A huge advantage to Pykie

4. They do not tackle in basketball, in fact tackling is a foul. Rugby they tackle, a huge advantage to Pykie

5. They do not bump in basketball. See above

6. You are not allowed to physically hustle and bustle a player in basketball, it is a foul. In Aussie rules a backman can grapple with you up to the point of holding or pushing quite legally. Physicality is a huge part of our game. Pykie having played rugby has a huge advantage over a basketballer in that he would be used to this.

7. Handball and bouncing an oval ball on a grass surface are two major problems not encountered by either basketballers or rugby players. Pykie still has problems with the latter. Maybe Patrick will be a bit better at this being a basketballer.

But all in all the fitness level, dedication and weights requirements are what tell in the end. Yes we have had basketballers who have made the transition BUT they had all played Aussie rules either as juniors or joined AFL development programs and played 16-19 level like Tippett & White. Both White and Tippett were 15 when they joined the AFL junior development program.

He might make it he might not he has a good chance due to his agility and height. But he is coming from a long way back not having played any REAL OVAL ball sports. He seems to be doing very well for a beginner and played in the local AFL comp last year as a development measure. His ball handling so far in all his training programs seems to be very neat and clean. So there is a chance we just need to wait and see what the kid can bring to the table.

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Patrick Mitchell was playing a massive sport in Basketball. Mike Pyke was playing a very minor sport in Rugby. So not sure it is a great comparison

Mike Pyke played in a World Cup Reggi and to represent your country at any sport no matter how min ow they may be is no mean feat. He also scored a full length of the field try against the All blacks and that does not happen very often, so he must have been pretty well at the top level of rugby.

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Nice little local article about Gunnedah recruit Sam Naismith. He knows he's now got more opportunity. And it says here, at 208 cm, he is still growing!

Just how high can Sam the Swan fly? | Namoi Valley Independent

Jesus Meg he has grown 5cm in a year. The Swans site says he is 203cm but I knew they were hedging 'cos he was 206cm last year. He is a big boy and very agile too for a big lad, more so than Sandilands.

[0918330512]

More worried this year than last year, less worried than when we had Mott, Chambers or Gavin Rose as primary ruck prospects (the latter being too short)

[Ludwig]

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Their footy is nothing like ours. Poinyty ends like a witch hat, rubber/plastic. bloody horrible thing no relation to a ball in my opinion. I kicked one 60 metres and I could only land a sherrin 45.

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Congratulations Wolfie on your new career as a NFL punter. Ben Graham could only average a bit over 50 metres in his NFL career, so you're way ahead of him already. I can hardly imagine what you might be capable of with a bit of practice. I think Ben Graham was getting around $3 mil a year. I'd hold out for $5 mil if I you were you.

And don't forget to wear your helmet! We don't want you sounding like a blubbering idiot when you rejoin RWO after your gridiron career comes to an end.

[0918330512]

Congratulations Wolfie on your new career as a NFL punter. Ben Graham could only average a bit over 50 metres in his NFL career, so you're way ahead of him already. I can hardly imagine what you might be capable of with a bit of practice.

Actually, Ben's career punting average was only 44,2 YARDS. Not even 44m

[aardvark]

I kicked one 60 metres and I could only land a sherrin 45.

What Wolfie neglected to mention was that he kicked it off the Harbor bridge at low tide!

[Ludwig]

Actually, Ben's career punting average was only 44,2 YARDS. Not even 44m

That's right, which comes out to around 40 metres. But that's the measurement from the line of scrimmage, so I added another 10 because they kick from about 10 metres behind the scrimmage line. In any case, Wolfie still can outkick Ben by 20%.

[goswannies]

That's right, which comes out to around 40 metres. But that's the measurement from the line of scrimmage, so I added another 10 because they kick from about 10 metres behind the scrimmage line. In any case, Wolfie still can outkick Ben by 20%.

Meh ... Ben Graham was ok, but he was no Mark Bayes or Mark Browning. As long as Wolfie doesn't claim he can out kick those two, he can claim whatever he likes

[Mug Punter]

If Mitchell can make it from US Basketball then that will be a way bigger story than Pyke IMO, rugby as a contact, kicking and tackling sport adapst a lot better IMO. Still, good on the Swans for having a go.

Naismith sounds like a real prospect though...

[Triple B]

If Mitchell can make it from US Basketball then that will be a way bigger story than Pyke IMO....

Massively bigger and it will make things VERY interesting in recruiting and talent scouting land because the pool of US basketballers is infinitely bigger than the pool of Canadian rugby players. Of course this was the point Reggi was making which prompted Captain Obvious' edition of 'Basketball for Dummies'...

[Industrial Fan]

My favourite is point 4.

I genuinely had no idea it was a foul if you tackled someone on the basketball field.

[stellation]

My favourite is point 4.

I genuinely had no idea it was a foul if you tackled someone on the basketball field.

Yep, pretty sure it's 50 metres if you do.