magpies snap up tall soccer prodigy

[bigcarl]

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/p ... 66645.html

EVER willing to recruit from unconventional places, Collingwood has signed a super-tall, teenage soccer player from Gympie in Queensland who has barely played Australian football.

The AFL has just granted the Magpies permission to "pre-list" 202-centimetre Lachlan Keefe, a soccer midfielder, who will be placed on the club's rookie list — as Irish recruits are — at the end of 2008.

Having hit the jackpot with Irish prodigy Martin Clark — and with another Irishman, Kevin Dyas, also showing promise — Collingwood is confident that 17-year-old Keefe also has the capacity to learn how to play the game, virtually from scratch.

The Magpies hope they can teach Keefe to become a long-term ruckman, the position that the club has identified as a weakness in need of redress following the 2007 finals series, trading its first pick for Brisbane Lions' Cameron Wood.

Collingwood recruiting manager Derek Hine said Keefe, who is not a registered Australian footballer with any club, had played only "three or four games" with his school in Brisbane, and had not picked up an oval ball until this year.

The Magpies have taken advantage of an obscure AFL rule that allows clubs to sign a player, as if he were a free agent, provided he has not been registered in a (Australian rules) football competition for three years. The rule is almost never utilised by clubs.

It is understood that the aggressive Magpies fended off interest from other clubs, including Brisbane and Hawthorn, to sign Keefe. Their signing follows Sydney's securing, under the same rule, of a tall volleyballer/basketballer, Jake Oreal. Both Keefe and Oreal attended a Australian Institute of Sport-AFL camp in Canberra early this month.

AIS high performance coach and ex-Fitzroy coach and Geelong assistant Alan McConnell said Keefe was "absolutely" a genuine AFL prospect, despite starting from scratch.

While Keefe had been on Collingwood's radar for some months, the club was unable to sign him until the AFL was satisfied that he fitted the criteria established under the relevant recruiting rules.

So, Keefe will be listed by the Magpies in the rookie draft of 2008 and will be able to play for the club in 2009. Collingwood will have a program to develop his skills and understanding of the game before he officially becomes a Magpie.

At 202 centimetres, Keefe is freakishly tall for a soccer player — even taller than that game's best-known super-tall, Peter Crouch of Liverpool (200 centimetres) — and perhaps better suited to his new code, in which height is a greater advantage.

"He's got all the soccer traits in the way he's able to make a quick transition from attack to defence," said Hine. "We've chosen him on his potential to play the game. We've done a lot of profiling and researching on the boy, and looked at his capacity to be able to learn and develop.

"There is a certain amount of risk in it. But what we see with Lachlan is that he's very similar (to Clark and Dyas) in that he's got all the necessary physical traits."

[ausfatcat]

I just can't see this going anywhere.


And if it does the AFL is Farked. No lonher will people be drafted because they can play, or even have played before.

[borderbarry]

I cant see how or why the AFL approved the pre-drafting of a rookie from Queensland under a rule for Irish kids. Can the Saints do the same? I dont think so.

[fonz_#15]

the thought of peter crouch playing aussie football makes me snigger.. i would like this kid to make it so i can have a bit of a giggle.

[LTN16]

What ever happened do the days of drafting someone because of there football ability

This kid will be a dud

[st_Trav_ofWA]

so now we draft on height alone
how will this kid go when he get a bump to the shoulder from a player dives to the ground and rolls around grasping his ankle looking up to see if anyones paying attention

[LTN16]

so now we draft on height alone

I know he might be 202 centimetres tall but it doesn't mean sh*t if he can't play footy.

[vacuous space]

I cant see how or why the AFL approved the pre-drafting of a rookie from Queensland under a rule for Irish kids. Can the Saints do the same? I dont think so.

This isn't the same rule for Irish kids. It's a completely different rule. The Saints could have signed the kid under the same rule. Anybody could have. He's quite clearly got more going for him than just his height if multiple AFL teams thought him worthy of a chance with next to no football experience at all. Interesting that he opted for Collingwood over the local team. I wonder what they offered that Brisbane wouldn't.

[esaint66]

yes i agree entirely they may be collingwood but there cheif recruiter is a knowledgable guy like john beveridge and if more than one club was after him he must have shown something in the games he played for his school

[st_Trav_ofWA]

yes i agree entirely they may be collingwood but there cheif recruiter is a knowledgable guy like john beveridge and if more than one club was after him he must have shown something in the games he played for his school

or it collingwood being collingwood wanting to get more media exposure by being the club who can turn a bloke whos only player the game a handful of time into anf AFL player !!

[Armoooo]

Good luck to them, I admire them for exploring all avenues of recruiting, if we had the money I would hope we would be doing the exact same thing...

[plugger66]

What ever happened do the days of drafting someone because of there football ability

This kid will be a dud

But if we got him he would be a star.

[johnpeterbudgefanclub]

What ever happened do the days of drafting someone because of there football ability

This kid will be a dud

But if we got him he would be a star.

Well spot on Plugger66 couldnt have said it better myself. We found a loophole and exploited it. Nice work me thinks. I don't think a club as professional as ours would draft a guy on height alone. They also snaffled Kevin Dyas who had better credentials then Marty Clarke but is considered a real tough nut.

If the advantage is there you take it. 2-3 clubs were interested in the soccer player as well.

[my les foote]

Will they give him Darren Millane's old number? That seems to work wonders on any young kid's career.

[johnpeterbudgefanclub]

Left Foot.......low blow that.....even the mods would be appalled with that crap and most of the forum that would be considered to have normal morals and ethics.

In fact it's a losers' comment....... I know his brother well, maybe I should send him around and u guys can discuss it???

[esaint66]

just out of curiousity was he a goalie cause if so he would be a good jump and mark.

[my les foote]

Left Foot.......low blow that.....even the mods would be appalled with that crap and most of the forum that would be considered to have normal morals and ethics.

In fact it's a losers' comment....... I know his brother well, maybe I should send him around and u guys can discuss it???

What's your problem?

They made a big deal about giving their first draft choice number 42. (Billy Morrison?) He never played a game and the Millane family were appalled.

Don't come here expecting everybody to kowtow to a filth supporter. For some reason the moderators tolerate idiots like you who come on and abuse Saints supporters. But apparently your a "good bloke" so you can do what you like.

[RBnW]

if he ends up being no good Carlton will take him and pay him too much to partner Ackland

[johnpeterbudgefanclub]

Left Foot.......low blow that.....even the mods would be appalled with that crap and most of the forum that would be considered to have normal morals and ethics.

In fact it's a losers' comment....... I know his brother well, maybe I should send him around and u guys can discuss it???

What's your problem?

They made a big deal about giving their first draft choice number 42. (Billy Morrison?) He never played a game and the Millane family were appalled.

Don't come here expecting everybody to kowtow to a filth supporter. For some reason the moderators tolerate idiots like you who come on and abuse Saints supporters. But apparently your a "good bloke" so you can do what you like.

Yep sure am a good bloke ....Billy Morrison was given 42 was he??? From what I recall it was discussed to bring the jumper out of retirement. Morrison wore 31. Get your facts right. Not sure where you pulled that from.

[my les foote]

Wit, intelligence, charm, I'm sure your good looking by Collingwood standards as well.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/ ... m=storyrhs

[johnpeterbudgefanclub]

Wit, intelligence, charm, I'm sure your good looking by Collingwood standards as well.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/ ... m=storyrhs

Ahhhh was he given his number?? Noooooooo. The way you implied above was that he had been issued his number. Strange post Les.....thought u would have more concerns then having to dig up an article from 2003.......*pfft* And you have to feel for young Billy Morrison (the club's first selection at the 2003 draft), who MAY inherit a weighty legacy if given the No. 42.

[my les foote]

They announced he would have 42 as I recalled correctly. Did he ever wear it? I don't know, he never played a senior game.

And get YOUR facts right champ. Luke Shackleton wore 31 for the filth in 2004. Morrison wore 31 for Williamstown

[LTN16]

What ever happened do the days of drafting someone because of there football ability

This kid will be a dud

But if we got him he would be a star.

But we haven't so I'm hoping he's a dud.

[Huzzad]

just out of curiousity was he a goalie cause if so he would be a good jump and mark.

Read the article, he is a midfielder.

[Dustings of Burwood]

If this kid is a 'soccer prodigy' he would not been signing up for Collingwood Football Club - a 'soccer prodigy' has a lot more earning potential than an AFL player.