Rhys Stanley

[BackFromUSA]

Based on the two videos on YouTube ... he is the best ruck prospect the club has had in at least a decade ... perhaps more. Can jump, can tap, can mark, can run (fast), can tackle, can kick, quick hands in traffic, has strong first, second and third efforts, has some mongrel in summary he can play footy and it seriously would not surprise me if within 3 to 5 years he is not only one of our best players but one of the best ruckmen in the competition.

[Eastern]

I think he is from a basketball background too. That means that he could be good in close and gets his own ball !!

[kosifantutti23]

McEvoy?

[Batnoe]

i like the look of him, i think his only down factor is he doesnt get a lot of the ball, i would love a Dean Cox, 20 possessions as a ruckmen

i guess if you have a ruckmen that gives a contest and not jump too early and gives your mids first use of the ball thats all you can ask for...


Natuni will be the best player or most exciting, a 200cm player with a vertical leap of 103cm is magnificent plus an arm span of 2m. he should never lose a tap out, plus he has skills.... i think he will be one of those players that everyone wishes they had in 3 or 4 years, can he win a brownlow before Cox?

i beat Seaby wishes he got traded now!!

[boneless23]

He looks a lot more multi-dimensional than McEvoy. I was also extremely impressed by the videos on You Tube.

He seems to read the play really well, can tap well to advantage and looks equally as comfortable in the air as he does on the ground.

We all know this was a tall draft so I think he would have gone a lot earlier in the last few years where they have been predominantly midfield orientated drafts.

[Armoooo]

Seaby could be in the bargain bin in 2009, wouldn't mind trading a 5th rounder for him...

[SaintWodonga]

Based on the two videos on YouTube ... he is the best ruck prospect the club has had in at least a decade ... perhaps more. Can jump, can tap, can mark, can run (fast), can tackle, can kick, quick hands in traffic, has strong first, second and third efforts, has some mongrel in summary he can play footy and it seriously would not surprise me if within 3 to 5 years he is not only one of our best players but one of the best ruckmen in the competition.

Agree!

[Bernard Shakey]

McEvoy?

Ben has his chance this year and hopefully he will take it.

This new boy will take a couple of years to develop.

With a bit of luck the 2 of them will sew up our ruck problems for the next 10 years.

[sainter35]

McEvoy?

How quickly they forget?

McEvoy was rated the second best tall in the 2007 draft and has had one season on an AFL list and suddenly #47 is our best ruck prospect in at least a decade.

That being said the video of Stanley was exciting. It's all the rage to pick athletic players so there's always an element of risk going for a kid who has only recently started playing the game. I hope our supporters keep that in mind, the kid will most likely need a lot of time to develop.

By the way have we ever had this many ruckman at the club? We've now got King, Gardiner, McEvoy, Stanley, Haretuku, McGrath. I think it's encouraging. Hopefuly by the time King and Gardiner hang up the boots a couple of those will be ready to take over the mantle.

[saintspremiers]

McEvoy?

How quickly they forget?

McEvoy was rated the second best tall in the 2007 draft and has had one season on an AFL list and suddenly #47 is our best ruck prospect in at least a decade.

That being said the video of Stanley was exciting. It's all the rage to pick athletic players so there's always an element of risk going for a kid who has only recently started playing the game. I hope our supporters keep that in mind, the kid will most likely need a lot of time to develop.

By the way have we ever had this many ruckman at the club? We've now got King, Gardiner, McEvoy, Stanley, Haretuku, McGrath. I think it's encouraging. Hopefuly by the time King and Gardiner hang up the boots a couple of those will be ready to take over the mantle.

Clearly, you need plenty of ruckmen on your list, as most them end up being duds....just the unco nature of freakishly tall footballers IMO!

If you get one out 6 or 7 that ends up being decent, it's a huge bonus.....a good ruckmen can play on into his early 30's, play 200+ games etc....

[sainter35]

Clearly, you need plenty of ruckmen on your list, as most them end up being duds....just the unco nature of freakishly tall footballers IMO!

If you get one out 6 or 7 that ends up being decent, it's a huge bonus.....a good ruckmen can play on into his early 30's, play 200+ games etc....

I agree.

It's a really positive move having a group of them. The only problem I can forsee is it's important for them to get match time in the ruck and that will be hard if they are all fit at the same time but then again they'll get a chance to play forward or back and add another string to their bows.

You're right though, they won't all make it and especially ruckmen as it is such a specialist area.

Isn't the average career of an AFL football only 3 years anyway?

The odds are a few of today's draftees won't make it either.

It just shows how well we did in 2001 with Ball at 2, X at 5, Dal at 13, Goose at 21 and Joey at 37. Only Houlihan at 49 isn't still with us.

[saintly_safes]

To be honest I dont think that Mc Evoy will make it. I know its only early days but he just doesnt seem to have the poise or the coordination to be a genuine key position player or a quality ruckman at afl level.

[Armoooo]

To be honest I dont think that Mc Evoy will make it. I know its only early days but he just doesnt seem to have the poise or the coordination to be a genuine key position player or a quality ruckman at afl level.

I think he will definitely make it, not only because of his talent but because of his attitude and work ethic.

I think he may become one of those players who don't really have a position though, I don't see him being a good enough ruckman to take the number 1 spot or becoming strong enough to play KPF, I see him being a bench starting player who comes on to fill wholes where they're needed.. This isn't a bad thing because he can add some real versatility to our lineup, I'm hoping he can become a better version of Blake.

[St Fidelius]

McEvoy?

How quickly they forget?

McEvoy was rated the second best tall in the 2007 draft and has had one season on an AFL list and suddenly #47 is our best ruck prospect in at least a decade.

That being said the video of Stanley was exciting. It's all the rage to pick athletic players so there's always an element of risk going for a kid who has only recently started playing the game. I hope our supporters keep that in mind, the kid will most likely need a lot of time to develop.

By the way have we ever had this many ruckman at the club? We've now got King, Gardiner, McEvoy, Stanley, Haretuku, McGrath. I think it's encouraging. Hopefuly by the time King and Gardiner hang up the boots a couple of those will be ready to take over the mantle.

Clearly, you need plenty of ruckmen on your list, as most them end up being duds....just the unco nature of freakishly tall footballers IMO!

If you get one out 6 or 7 that ends up being decent, it's a huge bonus.....a good ruckmen can play on into his early 30's, play 200+ games etc....

Yeah, that's why the Hawks have about 6 on their list ATM...

Missed the chance on Jordan Roughead (our second round pick drafted for Farren Ray), which would have been an extra one, we have limited stock compared to the reigning premiers, but having said that Farren Ray was a decent pick up...

[Legendary]

I see McEvoy as being the classic "good ordinary ruckman" ... your Darren Jolly/Jason Ball/Clark Keating/Dean Brogan type ... not a star by any means, but a solid, 150-200 game ruckman who competes strongly and puts in consistently each week.

The sort of output Steven King gave us this year.


Don't forget he's barely 19 and most ruckman (like all the ones i listed above) need 4-5 years of footy before they come good.


Anyone see Dean Cox's first 20 games? They were horrible.