Matthew McLeod-Allison

[fugazi]

I see we have reverted to taking players with our first pick that other clubs rate as Rookies

Which clubs rated him as a Rookie?? I’ve heard he will be a Cripps type mid when he develops.

He also tested VERY well apparently.....

Extremely well. Has grown 10cm in the last two years as well.

Rated: late -Rookie
Not that it matters really, it is something we have done before with Brad Howard.
But then again, Ben Long was the same, and he has worked out ok and Battle was the slider with our next pick.

[Special]

Gags must watch a lot of MMA and liked the initials.

[CURLY]

I see we have reverted to taking players with our first pick that other clubs rate as Rookies

Which clubs rated him as a Rookie?? I’ve heard he will be a Cripps type mid when he develops.

He also tested VERY well apparently.....

Extremely well. Has grown 10cm in the last two years as well.

Rated: late -Rookie
Not that it matters really, it is something we have done before with Brad Howard.
But then again, Ben Long was the same, and he has worked out ok and Battle was the slider with our next pick.

Wilkie Marshall Paton how are they going?

[fugazi]

I see we have reverted to taking players with our first pick that other clubs rate as Rookies

Which clubs rated him as a Rookie?? I’ve heard he will be a Cripps type mid when he develops.

He also tested VERY well apparently.....

Extremely well. Has grown 10cm in the last two years as well.

Rated: late -Rookie
Not that it matters really, it is something we have done before with Brad Howard.
But then again, Ben Long was the same, and he has worked out ok and Battle was the slider with our next pick.

Wilkie Marshall Paton how are they going?

Yep none of them taken earlier than expected which was my only point

[Devilhead]

The way some are carrying on sounds like we took him with Pick 7

Sounds like we have plenty to work with and he has footy in his blood given his father played at a high standard

From highlights I have seen he looks dual sided and has a bit of campaigner in him

Looked genuinely excited in the Ratts phone call and comes across as a bit of a character

Welcome aboard Matt!!

[CQ SAINT]

I see we have reverted to taking players with our first pick that other clubs rate as Rookies

Which clubs rated him as a Rookie?? I’ve heard he will be a Cripps type mid when he develops.

He also tested VERY well apparently.....

Extremely well. Has grown 10cm in the last two years as well.

Rated: late -Rookie
Not that it matters really, it is something we have done before with Brad Howard.
But then again, Ben Long was the same, and he has worked out ok and Battle was the slider with our next pick.

Wilkie Marshall Paton how are they going?

Yep none of them taken earlier than expected which was my only point

All of them taken on a second chance after they missed the draft and all of them showed immense improvement after being overlooked. There is a pattern in Liberatore's prowess for spotting the right characteristics for upside. Looks like he has made the most of the growth spurt and the year off. He will develop at Sandy and I reckon we heard another club was going to late second round him.

[perfectionist]

He's taller (194cm) than Bruce McMaster-Smith, who was a previous hyphen, who was 169cm tall, and the smallest player in the VFL at the time. He played in the 65 GF. He died in 2017.

I note that our other pick, Tom Highmore, lives up to his name as well, being 193cm tall.

[bakes]

any footage?

[damienc]

The 2020 draft came and went. It was a marathon instead of a sprint which made the draw much less of a spectacle than it normally is.

2020 is the strangest year I can remember, in every way, which makes everything the new normal.

But I’m pretty happy with who we picked and I reckon you should be as well.

Two extremely mobile high marking talls rather than choosing from a selection of rated midfield talent.

To me it says two things. Firstly, the club is pretty happy with our list and believes we are well stocked for midfield talent and secondly, the Saints went to the draft and recruited specifically on need.

Interesting that a genuine ITK on this forum described Alison as the “best steal since Dal”. Really like the sound of that. The club did its homework and rates him highly.

So, I decided to do my own homework and this my takeaway.

What impresses me about Alison is his work ethic. The kid is a self starter. He recognised the need to improve aspects of his game and worked on them until he did. He tested well at the combine improving his running noticeably.

He says he admires players like Petrie and our Roo who used their exceptional endurance to work over their opponent.

This kid can play as a high forward or in the midfield. His signature traits are his high marking and his mobility to try to be that link between offence and defence.

I like the fact we’ve gone for that type of player.

Our second choice, Tom Highmore is a player I really, really like.

I reckon he slipped to us under the radar. Interesting that we traded up to get him so it wasn’t a case of simply choosing the best available at our turn to pick.

He was a Giants academy product from Canberra just like Jack Steele, and like Steelo was a star in the NEAFL but wasn’t rated by Western Sydney.

Highmore decided to improve his prospects by moving from Canberra to Adelaide and testing himself in the strong SANFL competition and again rose to the occasion to be a dominant force in that competition.

Both Alison and Highmore are competitive beasts, strong overhead, extremely mobile and great readers of the play. They provide cover in areas where we need it, with lots of upside for improvement.

We done good.

[skeptic]

The interesting thing with McLeod-Allison positioning.

One has to wonder what we have in mind for him given he’s touted as both a forward and a mid.
The comparison with Tim Membrey seems to be apt... a forward that pushes into the middle.

Alternatively maybe he could be a good midfielder that uses his contested marking as an elite weapon.
Could be the player I always hoped Alan Murray would be if anybody still remembers him

[bakes]

The 2020 draft came and went. It was a marathon instead of a sprint which made the draw much less of a spectacle than it normally is.

2020 is the strangest year I can remember, in every way, which makes everything the new normal.

But I’m pretty happy with who we picked and I reckon you should be as well.

Two extremely mobile high marking talls rather than choosing from a selection of rated midfield talent.

To me it says two things. Firstly, the club is pretty happy with our list and believes we are well stocked for midfield talent and secondly, the Saints went to the draft and recruited specifically on need.

Interesting that a genuine ITK on this forum described Alison as the “best steal since Dal”. Really like the sound of that. The club did its homework and rates him highly.

So, I decided to do my own homework and this my takeaway.

What impresses me about Alison is his work ethic. The kid is a self starter. He recognised the need to improve aspects of his game and worked on them until he did. He tested well at the combine improving his running noticeably.

He says he admires players like Petrie and our Roo who used their exceptional endurance to work over their opponent.

This kid can play as a high forward or in the midfield. His signature traits are his high marking and his mobility to try to be that link between offence and defence.

I like the fact we’ve gone for that type of player.

Our second choice, Tom Highmore is a player I really, really like.

I reckon he slipped to us under the radar. Interesting that we traded up to get him so it wasn’t a case of simply choosing the best available at our turn to pick.

He was a Giants academy product from Canberra just like Jack Steele, and like Steelo was a star in the NEAFL but wasn’t rated by Western Sydney.

Highmore decided to improve his prospects by moving from Canberra to Adelaide and testing himself in the strong SANFL competition and again rose to the occasion to be a dominant force in that competition.

Both Alison and Highmore are competitive beasts, strong overhead, extremely mobile and great readers of the play. They provide cover in areas where we need it, with lots of upside for improvement.

We done good.

Thanks damien, good post, things are looking promising.

I see it a little different .. I think this tells me that the hierarchy think we are still 2-3 years from being inside the "window", which is why they stocked up on talls now because they take longer to develop.

I still think our midfield is a weakness but I reckon the 2021 draft will see us go for quality mids. Perhaps a big fish FA (Merrett, Cripps). I'm guessing we will have another go at getting Taranto before his contract expires in 2022. And we go for quality mids in next years draft which should be stronger.

[skeptic]

IMO we’ll target another elite mid and pay for it.

We actually have a pretty deep midfield but we lack elite level talent. At this point it’s pbly just best to buy what we need

[cwrcyn]

With Carlisle getting to his last couple of years, Frawley as a 32 year old back up, and McKernan as a 32 year old back up, it makes sense to go for two talls

[avid]

He's taller (194cm) than Bruce McMaster-Smith, who was a previous hyphen, who was 169cm tall, and the smallest player in the VFL at the time. He played in the 65 GF. He died in 2017.

I note that our other pick, Tom Highmore, lives up to his name as well, being 193cm tall.

Don't forget John Peter-Budge.
He was such an unpredictable kick, I once saw him kick under the man on the mark.

Don't even mention Lovett-Murray

[older saint]

with no footy in 2020 those that have big last years in under age footy never got to show their talents. Hoping that we saw this guys as one who would have climbed the charts had he played and therefore got him as a steal. He is also young for this draft . Need to trust the guys as have got it correct in n the last couple years.

[Gershwin]

The 2020 draft came and went. It was a marathon instead of a sprint which made the draw much less of a spectacle than it normally is.

2020 is the strangest year I can remember, in every way, which makes everything the new normal.

But I’m pretty happy with who we picked and I reckon you should be as well.

Two extremely mobile high marking talls rather than choosing from a selection of rated midfield talent.

To me it says two things. Firstly, the club is pretty happy with our list and believes we are well stocked for midfield talent and secondly, the Saints went to the draft and recruited specifically on need.

Interesting that a genuine ITK on this forum described Alison as the “best steal since Dal”. Really like the sound of that. The club did its homework and rates him highly.

So, I decided to do my own homework and this my takeaway.

What impresses me about Alison is his work ethic. The kid is a self starter. He recognised the need to improve aspects of his game and worked on them until he did. He tested well at the combine improving his running noticeably.

He says he admires players like Petrie and our Roo who used their exceptional endurance to work over their opponent.

This kid can play as a high forward or in the midfield. His signature traits are his high marking and his mobility to try to be that link between offence and defence.

I like the fact we’ve gone for that type of player.

Our second choice, Tom Highmore is a player I really, really like.

I reckon he slipped to us under the radar. Interesting that we traded up to get him so it wasn’t a case of simply choosing the best available at our turn to pick.

He was a Giants academy product from Canberra just like Jack Steele, and like Steelo was a star in the NEAFL but wasn’t rated by Western Sydney.

Highmore decided to improve his prospects by moving from Canberra to Adelaide and testing himself in the strong SANFL competition and again rose to the occasion to be a dominant force in that competition.

Both Alison and Highmore are competitive beasts, strong overhead, extremely mobile and great readers of the play. They provide cover in areas where we need it, with lots of upside for improvement.

We done good.

We didn’t necessarily trade up to get Highmore. We traded up 8 picks before it got to us so we may have been after someone who unfortunately went in those 8 picks and then we ended up with Highmore.

[magnifisaint]

I love the conspiracy theories on this site.
Does he go by his hyphen? This could impact on his performance!

[shanegrambeau]

Could be that the lads and fans call him simply, “The Hyphen”....maybe Cyphen if he is a good mark. Is he a good mark?

[IluvHarvey]

He's taller (194cm) than Bruce McMaster-Smith, who was a previous hyphen, who was 169cm tall, and the smallest player in the VFL at the time. He played in the 65 GF. He died in 2017.

I note that our other pick, Tom Highmore, lives up to his name as well, being 193cm tall.

Don't forget John Peter-Budge.
He was such an unpredictable kick, I once saw him kick under the man on the mark.

Don't even mention Lovett-Murray

Don't forget Sean Ralph-Smith........ just joking

[IluvHarvey]

With a name like McLeod - Allison, one thing is for certain, he better wear long sleeves like his namesakes.

[magnifisaint]

Imagine if his name was Dick Cork-Sucker?

[diddley]

The thing I have been really happy with, is just how ecstatic he has been about being drafted. Makes me think of Mike Hussey the cricketer, always exited to be playing the sport he loves. So many of the top rated draftees have been practicing their media approach, and they come across with all the cliches, but he looks like a kid in a candy shop. That should go a long way.

[BadRossco]

I trust our current recruiters have done their homework and we don’t have another Bont vs Billing’s situation with O’Driscoll or Poulter burning it up

[Joffa Burns]

Imagine if his name was Dick Cork-Sucker?

Harry Kent?

[saynta]

Imagine if his name was Dick Cork-Sucker?

Harry Kent?

There is an Indian cricketer whose first name is Hardik.

Mates call him Chubby.