Hickey

[SaintTom]

There have been a few threads on Caddy, and even one on Chip Frawley...but the one trade that has been consistently claimed to be all but formalised is our second rounder for Hickey. I haven't watched a huge amount of the Gold Coast, who can tell me about this guy? Is he worthwhile? Going to be a great gain for us/big loss for the Gold Coast, or is it going to be a run of the mill fringe player who does his part but doesn't realistically amount to much.

Would like people who have watched the kid play to let us know, is he already a good player? Is he going to come in and make an impact? Is he a long term project that looks likely to end up a great player? Or is he just another fringe player?

[savatage]

Good tap ruckman, excellent contested mark. Seems to be a good size & always improving. I'd be happier with him than most other ruckman mentioned.

[magnifisaint]

could be the smokey amongst them. A better tap ruckman than Big Boy

[PJ]

I think this trade fits our needs, is realistic and at the right price (if 2nd round pick).

[saintDal]

I remember seeing Hickey play and recall being very impressed with him. Like savatage said he is pretty good at contested marking. Would be stoked if we got him.

[gringo]

He stretched our defence when he ran forward and seems to mark well. Can't remember what his tap work was like but his height makes him a bit like a young Kosi in the forward line. hopefully he can get better with game time and is at an age where he should only get better.

[Legendary]

Very agile for his size and can find a lot of the footy - like Dean Cox.

[Dr Spaceman]

A Queensland native who apparently wants to move to a Melbourne based club. Sounds strange.

However I read somewhere that his girlfriend is relocating to Melbourne to pursue an acting career. So it actually makes some sense.

I just hope that if we snare Tom and his girl later lands an acting job in Sydney or something, that we don't then lose him.

[Thinline]

MASSIVE upside.

The Cox comparison is reasonable IMO.

Very athletic and keen to improve.

Would be an awesome get.

[matrix]

rumor is we will offer 3 year deal and are keen and he does want to go back to vic

[mad saint guy]

He was the first opponent Blake ever scored Brownlow votes against. He may have talent, but he's a long way from being a competitive AFL ruckman at the moment.

[savatage]

I hear what you're saying MSG, but Blake probably deserved to poll votes against Sandilands too & he's supposedly a gun. I've seen a bit of Hickey & I think he could do very well in the seniors next year.

[bigred]

Qld native.

Recruited from Morningside. Was one of the Gold Coast Zone free hit picks.

A move to melbourne is not a move home.

Word around the bong last night was a three year deal was on the cards.

Now, he is still somewhat of a project. 201cm tap ruckman and we all know how long that can take.

What would this mean for Benny Mac? You could see him resting forward a heap more...a HEAP more.

We gotta keep Kosi away from the ruck......

[Megamaguire]

Bigred i like your last 2 points - McAboy resting and with the real potential of causing havoc for opposition teams is a nice scenario indeed. When Ben marks and steps up to kick 4 goal i always feel confident he can kick the pill right. Another truely talented and focused young ruckman could partner up beautifully with McAboy.
I agree reg: keep Kosi out of the ruck - way to important to fwd. structures. Glad to see Kosi have a good impact in 2012. However he must know many in the umpiring club will crucify him and of coarse the Saints if he is cheeky enough to open his mouth to them . The Sydney game where the umpires blew the whistle repeatedly against Kosi and his comments(?) sunk our chances on the day.
Please Kossi S A Y N O T H I N G !

GO KOSI!
GO SAINTS!

[samuraisaint]

Played very well against the Pies at the G. Dropped back and rested up forward, kicking two or three nice goals. Played a lone hand up forward as well as rucking that day. Fair to say he got good supply form Ablett that day, but could be a missing link for us. A ruckman who can play forward. Haven't had one of those since Everitt.

[Zed]

Facts are we dont have replacement for Big Ben if he goes down. Hickey would be gold. Stanley for mine should be playing HFF next year as the 3rd tall that takes the ruck (think Leigh Brown), and groomed as either a FF or CHF replacement. Next year may well be Kosi's last, Roo probably the year after. I'll be interested to see if young Lever can establish himself in Sandy 1sts next year and exactly what position he plays. Would be a real bonus if he can be good enough to push for senior selection in 2013. Is there anyone who watches Sandy and/or knows the kid that can give us an opinion if the kid will make it ?

[borderbarry]

I dont know how Lever is doing, but apparently he is being groomed as a CHB.

[samuraisaint]

Facts are we dont have replacement for Big Ben if he goes down. Hickey would be gold. Stanley for mine should be playing HFF next year as the 3rd tall that takes the ruck (think Leigh Brown), and groomed as either a FF or CHF replacement. Next year may well be Kosi's last, Roo probably the year after. I'll be interested to see if young Lever can establish himself in Sandy 1sts next year and exactly what position he plays. Would be a real bonus if he can be good enough to push for senior selection in 2013. Is there anyone who watches Sandy and/or knows the kid that can give us an opinion if the kid will make it ?

Yep, Stanley at CHF, probably rotating this position with Kosi next year. Roo at FF for mine.

[BigMart]

Nice comparison with Dean Cox.... Just one of the best ruck men ever and the best in the last decade..... Just a bit of wishful thinking.... If he was that promising, not sure a 2nd rounder would seal the deal????

And Lever..... Well....

[plugger66]

Nice comparison with Dean Cox.... Just one of the best ruck men ever and the best in the last decade..... Just a bit of wishful thinking.... If he was that promising, not sure a 2nd rounder would seal the deal????

And Lever..... Well....

How many games have you seen Lever play?

[bergholt]

Nice comparison with Dean Cox.... Just one of the best ruck men ever and the best in the last decade..... Just a bit of wishful thinking.... If he was that promising, not sure a 2nd rounder would seal the deal????

If Dean Cox was that promising when he was younger then I'm not sure every club would have passed on him at least four times in the 1999 draft.

[Dave McNamara]

Nice comparison with Dean Cox.... Just one of the best ruck men ever and the best in the last decade..... Just a bit of wishful thinking.... If he was that promising, not sure a 2nd rounder would seal the deal????

If Dean Cox was that promising when he was younger then I'm not sure every club would have passed on him at least four times in the 1999 draft.

Help me out here please guys and grrrrls, but from memory...

E-girrrrrls had Cox 'hidden away' in some obscure league up the WA coast (from where he hailed).
They picked him in the Rookie Draft.
For his first few years he was 'amazingly' un-co', unfit, un-talented... height was his only asset.
Wasn't getting a game behind the then (arguably) number one ruck in the league... Michael Gadiner.
Was as good as signed and sealed to come to us... then... down went Gardi (knee?)... and the rest became history.

As for Hickey... from the little I've seen/heard, I really like the look of him. Good ruck, plus mobile and kicks goals down forward. Perfect fit for us (or any club in today's game.) Factor in that he's a youth playing against 'seasoned AFL men', and odds are pretty good that he has a huge upside. Furthemore, if we could get him for something in the region of a second rounder...a steal... go-for-it!


Bonus reason: he's the sorta' ruckman that even GT would approve of... so one less thing for him to pot us on.

[joffaboy]

Nice comparison with Dean Cox.... Just one of the best ruck men ever and the best in the last decade..... Just a bit of wishful thinking.... If he was that promising, not sure a 2nd rounder would seal the deal????

If Dean Cox was that promising when he was younger then I'm not sure every club would have passed on him at least four times in the 1999 draft.

Also was on the outer at WCE with gardiner dominating. Was about to be let go by WCE to the Saints but Gardiner did his knee and the WCE kept him as they were a big man short.

Rest is history. Again a comparision is made at the end of a career not when both players were at the same time of there career.

[magnifisaint]

Looks like Norda Melburn is looking at picking up Hickey if McIntosh goes to Geelong

[St Ick]

Looks like Norda Melburn is looking at picking up Hickey if McIntosh goes to Geelong

I think that was just pathetic reporting on HS's part. I mean, if legit they would at least have mentioned us considering our 3 year deal which is widely understood to be on the table. They have just looked at North and guessed... I wish they'd guessed using Giles' or Martins name though.

Anyway, if there is a speck of truth to it, I'd be dirty if they got both Caddy and Hickey from us. They finished 1 spot above us and copped a 100 point flogging in a final, they arent that far ahead of us...