Rookie Draft

[ugg]

I have a sneaky suspicion that we would have taken Wilson had Newman not been available for our second pick. We probably took the one we thought was the better prospect of the two.

I have heard we were also looking at Luke Thompson recently of Adelaide. If true, it's obvious we were looking for a mature defender to fill one of the spots and once we nabbed Newman, then Wilson was superfluous to our list needs

[YvonneH]

Seems to be a lot of hair amongst our new players, especially Rookies and no blondes either.

[ScottH]

Seems to be a lot of hair amongst our new players, especially Rookies and no blondes either.

That would have been high up on the recruiters list of key assets!!

[dimelb]

We have quite enough blonds without adding blondes!

[111431]

Rose couldn't fill Mal's shoes. even though I don't believe Mals was as good at disposal as everyone thinks he was still pretty good. All indications from the footage around Rose is that his kicking is ordinary at best.

Newman on the other hand is very poised and has been playing in the VFL which is highly competitive and very strong. I have been given the oil by a guy on Swans FB who works for another VFL side that he is a really good player. his stats are really good on disposal 79%. He kicks out or provides options for the kicker. So he plays the Mal role.

Impressed we got two KD. Like the footage of McLaren. For a 197cm bloke he sure is mobile. Very good mark and kick.

I wonder what Melican is like? There is no footage of him at all. The interesting thing is the one article about him is from his local paper in his home-town. I wonder if he gets called 'Pellican' Melican? Good size at 193cm. Harley seems to think he is ok and he was a Geelong player and would have contacts in the area.

jordan Foote is interesting too. very tough inside mid.

i agree Newman looks like a Malceski jnr clone and McLaren looks far better than our liver pick in dft - i am encouraged

[stevoswan]

i agree Newman looks like a Malceski jnr clone and McLaren looks far better than our liver pick in dft - i am encouraged

Agree. I'm very pleased with the rookie pick up's, nicely filling some gaps, assuming they deliver. Hopefully of course, they will, but the potential is there.

[Ampersand]

Am I seeing things or does Newman have a slightly unusual kicking style (almost kicks across his body and very low on the drop)? Regardless, you can't fault the results, at least as shown in the footage.

[Auntie.Gerald]

kicks a little like buddy
nice and low and flat like a goal keeper in soccer almost
part of the hawks success certain has been their exiting out of their defensive arc with penetrating kickers of the ball

[magic.merkin]

Cut him some slack. He was coming off a badly busted leg!

- - - Updated - - -

I thought that's what i was doing

[rojo]

From the Sandringham Dragons web site:

Sean McLaren: Pick 17 (Rookie Draft), Sydney Swans

Sean along with Angus was a member of the AIS-AFL Academy and with his unique skillset at his height has been given an opportunity by the Sydney Swans.

In 2014, he managed 9 games with the Dragons, and a further 4 for Vic Metro in the U18 National Championships.

His best performance of the year came in the crucial win against the Calder Cannons, where he was named Best on Ground after amassing 15 disposals, 29 hitouts and 3 clearances whilst being unlucky not to impact the scoreboard with 2 behinds.

What Ryan O'Connor has to say: ?This year, he?s taken on some key defensive roles and the good thing for Sean is his ability to impact in the ruck and even swing to the other end of the ground as well.?

?I also think that Sean is another young player who doesn?t realise how much impact he can have on the game just yet. Look out when he does, as I think he?s going to be a very exciting footballer. He has taken some really good marks late in games and kicked crucial goals to get us over the line. It has been really good to see a young fella get his chance and really stake a claim.?

TAC Cup Averages: 12.2 Disposals, 17.1 Hitouts, 2.2 Clearances, 2.3 Inside 50's.

U18 National Championships Averages: 7 Disposals, 2 Tackles, 3 Marks, 1 Clearance.

[Auntie.Gerald]

Swan Melican fits the bill

geee he reminds me of one of our guys............ AJ


It?s hard to look past the three chefs hats of Brae restaurant and the celebrated dog jumping at the annual show, but thankfully Swans recruiters stayed focused when scouring the small township of Birregurra, 130 kilometres south-west of Melbourne, to unearth key position prospect, Lewis Melican.

A young talent, having only turned 18 just last month, Melican came to the club via Wednesday morning?s Rookie Draft and arrived at Swans training on Friday morning.

Happy to go into an extra year as a top-aged player at the Geelong Falcons next year, while commencing his studies at Deakin University, Melican?s selection by the Swans certainly altered his 2015 plans ? not that he minds too much.

?I?m still trying to get it through my head that (being rookie listed) actually happened,? Melican told sydneyswans.com.au.

?It came as a massive surprise and I really wasn?t expecting anything to happen this year, but it?s happened now!

?I?m pretty excited about the move, but I am a bit nervous because I have always lived at home.

?It will be a big change for me, but I?m still really excited.?

Competing against drafted defenders Hugh Goddard and Zaine Cordy for a spot in the Falcons side this year, opportunities were hard to come by for Melican, but regional manager Michael Turner ? a proven judge of a player ? knew that the 193-centimetre backman had the talent to get a look in at the AFL level.

?I actually tried hard to get him to the state screening because I rate him as a fantastic prospect ? he?s big and tall and he?s getting stronger every week,? Turner told the Colac Herald earlier this year.

?He played really well with us this season and played well on some really good players, AFL clubs don?t forget that sort of thing.

?I don?t think Lewie is a big risk; he?ll develop into a really good player.?

While competition was fierce in the Falcons side, Melican played all 19 games in the TAC Cup competition and averaged nine disposals a game playing on a variety of different opponents.

A feather in his cap was the job he was able to do on Dandenong Stingrays forward and elite runner, Tom Lamb, who has since been picked as a second round selection by West Coast.

?This year I either played on quick forwards or smaller forwards, so I?ve got a bit of speed,? Melican said.

?My speed sort of surprises some people and that works in my favour.?

Like all the other youngsters taken by the club over the last few weeks, Melican now gets his chance to take part in pre-season training and impress in the lead up to the beginning of the 2015 season.

?I?m just looking forward to meeting everyone and getting to know some people,? he said.

?Hopefully I?ll get my fitness right up and aim to have a big year.?

- with Tanya Paolucci

[Auntie.Gerald]

2010 AFL Draft Prospect Alex Johnson - YouTube AJ 2010

[wolftone57]

Yes AG Melican seems very quick for a 193cm defender. I liked his competitive work and he is very good on the ground by the looks of that. His disposal seemed pretty good even though his kicking style looks a little awkward. Hands will need to get a bit softer and stickier but other than that he looks good and is quite built already so a good solid base to build on.

I think the Rookie Draft might just be a winner again. Newman has heaps of positives with his disposal, hardness, ability to get free and tight checking.

McLaren is a really versatile and mobile big man. He is very handy as he can play on the resting rucks with very little height disadvantage.

Jordan Foote has lots of up side too. He is hard in and under and a strong mark. We are developing some very strong hard players at the moment with Jones, Heeney, Foote, to join Parker, Mitchell, Kennedy, Jack, McGlinn, Smith & Lloyd.

We have also stocked up on running players with Hiscox, Rose, Robinson, Perris, Towers joining Hannaberry, Jetta, Cunningham, B. Jack, Rohan. These guys would be the fastest with K. Jack in two mixes.

Lots of up side in all of that. Add a player like Hewett who doesn't fit into either category but has a category with Macca. The elite disposal both sides category. I can see George getting games next season. Mainly because disposal under pressure let us down on many occasions last year. Even though we won most games we did it the hard way, rebound footy after poor disposal turned over. That takes it's toll and I think the coaches will be looking to improve the disposal skills and if the disposal does not improve then the guilty will be crucified. They won't really be crucified just dropped. We need to develop a simpler game that relies more on elite or controlled disposal and marking. A fast play on style that does not rely almost 75% on rebound footy but clearances and stoppage wins. It would help our defence no end if we improved at least 30% in those areas and falied to cough the ball up in the forward line with 'pie floaters' or crap passes. A lack of Benny first quarter clangers would also help. wonderful player, Benny, but gee he takes a while to get his rhythm.

[sharp9]

In the Age....would you believe. Melican's mum a Hawks supporter!
A giving family gets something unexpected back

[Auntie.Gerald]

Schoolies surprise for district's new AFL rookie - colacherald.com.aucolacherald.com.au

The talented defender, who had a breakout season with the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup in 2014, said he had little expectation heading into this year?s draft period until the night before the draft.

He had failed to receive enough interest from AFL clubs to receive an invitation to train in front of selectors at the national or state combines.

But the Swans requested a special individual screening session with Melican in October.

?I did the testing a little while ago ? we did the beep test, 20-metre sprint, vertical jump and an interview ? but I didn?t think I went that strongly so I wasn?t expecting too much,? Melican said.