204cm WAFL Ruckman

[WellardSaint]

25 y.o.
Has been playing well, apparently, in the WAFL comp.
Got 61 and 57 hitouts in 2 games.
Rumour is Cats and Saints looking at him.

Lachlan Blakiston.

Not sure if 25 y.o. is ok to draft in this upcoming draft, or did he have to nominate?
How does club pick him?
the way we picked Hayes or Sharman?

Tony74 might shed some light on this

[repta]

Probably first question would be ... is a 25 year old happy to move Perth to Melbourne to play for the Zebras?
Realistically if Rowan is fit he will have limited opportunities.

If he is all in then would be worth a go as big men come into their prime later.

[repta]

Probably first question would be ... is a 25 year old happy to move Perth to Melbourne to play for the Zebras?
Realistically if Rowan is fit he will have limited opportunities.

If he is all in then would be worth a go as big men come into their prime later.

[SteeleSaints]

A. He has to nominate for and taken in a draft as he hasnt been on an AFL list previously.

Hence the media highlighting our interest is not great if we wanted to grab him late. Geelong have also shown interest and have pick #45. Plenty of other clubs are also looking for ruckman, so dont hold your breath.

[B.M]

Players would move to Timbuktu to get on an AFL list

[WellardSaint]

he's studying maths at uni.

Would it be a big process to transfer his course credits to RMIT or Monash or similar?

And is 25 too old?
Look at J Hayes example

[B.M]

25 too old?

Shaun Mannagh was 26
Tim Kelly was 24
James Podsiadly was 28
Ian Callinan 27
Brody Mihocek was 25

25 is not old for a ruckman, we took Tom Campbell at 30

[samoht]

Blakiston sounds good.
Anyway, if we're casting our net wide, we should also seriously consider 18 year old WA draft prospect Kayle Gerreyn, at least as a later pick... who can play ruck and is also versatile enough to play key position.
He's like a bigger, taller version of Owens (he runs, uses his big body like Owens?), if the highlight reels are anything to go by.

[Yorkeys]

Any one of WAs opening bowlers or first and second change quicks should do the trick.

[saint6709]

Gerreyn looked good

[Moods]

Players would move to Timbuktu to get on an AFL list

That remains to be seen. Which I think the new Tasmanian franchise is about to find out. I know you’re from Tassie and you’re a proud Tasmanian but I can’t see many 18 year-old kids being thrilled about being drafted to go to Hobart. Let alone established AFL players with lots of money, wanting to go and live there. Will be very interesting.

Many Tasmanians turn 18 and get the hell out of there

[Templar]

Or Sandringham.

[Scollop]

Players would move to Timbuktu to get on an AFL list

That remains to be seen. Which I think the new Tasmanian franchise is about to find out. I know you’re from Tassie and you’re a proud Tasmanian but I can’t see many 18 year-old kids being thrilled about being drafted to go to Hobart. Let alone established AFL players with lots of money, wanting to go and live there. Will be very interesting.

Many Tasmanians turn 18 and get the hell out of there

18 year olds in Melbourne, Sydney, or Adelaide don't necessarily want to stay where they:ve grown up. A lot of them aren't afraid of moving away from their parents.

As you said, senior players with lots of money used to prefer the big smoke where there was fine dining and variety with restaurants, theatre and the arts, plus major sporting and cultural events... however that's not what everyone wants.

Tassie (especially Hobart) will be seen as a lifestyle destination... probably similar to Geelong. You'd be in a modern small city, without the hustle and bustle of the busier capitals on the mainland, and with the same appeal for those that enjoy the outdoors -fishing, surfing, boating etc.

In the 1990's or say 15-25 years ago, who would have thought getting recruited to Geelong was better than living in Melbourne or Sydney or perhaps Perth?

Geelong seems to have built the lifestyle appeal into their recruiting discussions. It's a major part of their marketing these days

[B.M]

Moods

Have you lived in Tassie before

I’d rather live in Hobart than Geelong or NW or West Melbourne

Hobart is an awesome city. Beautiful! Affordable!

It’s not a country town -
It has 250 000 population
Beaches
Mountain
Derwent River
No traffic jams
And is footy mad

Would you rather play at a packed indoor stadium in TAS or to 5000 fans in Western Sydney paying millions for a shitty house in the burbs. Or a river view inner city dwelling in Hobart.

Not everyone likes inner city or suburban Melbourne

I’ve lived in Coogee (Syd) Fremantle (WA) Bayside (Melb) and of course NW Tassie

There is NO place like home - would go back in a heartbeat

[1971]

I had one of the best holidays staying in and around Stanley in NW Tasmania. Recommend it to anyone.

[Nick DalSanto Claus]

Tasmania is a breathtakingly beautiful place. In and around Hobart will provide plenty of great places to live. I had the pleasure of working in Tassie for a few months a decade ago, based in Hobart.

Fortunately, I got around a bit, from Launceston, to Zeehan, Strahan and Queenstown on the west coast.

I fell in love with Smithton on the north coast and I've been back several times. Travel time to Melbourne is a cinch. Closer than any other capital city you may get stuck in, if you get homesick as a Victorian.

I think the location, physical beauty, lifestyle and proximity to Melbourne and Adelaide will be a major marketing factor when it comes to luring players.

If I was 18, offered a couple of hundred grand a year, a spot on an AFL list and all the onfield and off-field advantages and opportunities that it offers, I'd grab it and run like it was stolen.

The Devils represent a far greater risk to the 10 Victorian teams than some believe. Not just because of draft concessions, but the market for DFAs, FAs and uncontacted players.

[Moods]

In answer to your question BM, no I have never lived in Hobart. I did go on a footy trip there 30 years ago and had a great time

I went to Launceston this year to watch the Saints v Hawks. Stayed in the midlands after the game……

My mum lived in Hobart for 2 years. Hated it.

Most people commenting I would suggest are middle aged. Have years of maturity and developing interests. Young blokes are looking for nightlife, girls and the beach. Hobart is cold, even in summer. Yeah great fishing and wildlife and scenery and all that. GWS you can still live in eastern suburbs and commute.

Geelong is a terrific town for country boys. Has all the trappings of a bigger city but with a country feel. Melbourne is literally under an hour away. And the beaches are world class for surfing. I don’t think there’s a comparison personally.

I will be fascinated to see whether Hobart has trouble maintaining players

[B.M]

Do you reckon AFL footballers who are elite athletes

Are going to live somewhere for the nightlife?

Has Hobart got no nightlife?

Why is Geelong any different to Hobart?

[Yorkeys]

"Why is Geelong any different to Hobart?"

Geelong has a successful AFL side and a new stadium.
Geelong needs taxpayer support to survive but only from Victoria, Hobart is heavily subsidised by all Australia.
Geelong is a foundation club has strong roots; Tassie side will be the bastard child of the gambling industry.
There's a difference having pictures of Polly Farmer, the Abletts, Bartel, Crouch, Turner, Wade, Selwood and premiership cups in the halls and rooms to photos of no name grifter politicians, Gillon M, a Looney tunes cartoon character and a farmed salmon.
Tasmania is an island; Geelong is still attached to the mainland. Travel will be a factor.
Both dock the ferry, but Geelong planned well enough to have a berth that the ship can actually use.
Practice facilities conditions: Arctic v Siberia; Hobart is closer to the South Pole

[Sanctorum]

What's all this got to do with Lachlan Blakiston?????

[66Iwasthere]

Lived in Hobart for work in my early 20’s and travelled extensively over the island. It is a beautiful place, plenty to see and experience in the outdoors etc.Outgrew the place after about 18 months and the thing that got me the most, in the end, was the small mindedness of the people and how insular they were.

[saynta]

Players would move to Timbuktu to get on an AFL list

That remains to be seen. Which I think the new Tasmanian franchise is about to find out. I know you’re from Tassie and you’re a proud Tasmanian but I can’t see many 18 year-old kids being thrilled about being drafted to go to Hobart. Let alone established AFL players with lots of money, wanting to go and live there. Will be very interesting.

Many Tasmanians turn 18 and get the hell out of there

I was transported there by my family when I was 18 but escaped just after I turned 21. I hated the place.

[Saints58]

"Why is Geelong any different to Hobart?"

Geelong has a successful AFL side and a new stadium.
Geelong needs taxpayer support to survive but only from Victoria, Hobart is heavily subsidised by all Australia.
Geelong is a foundation club has strong roots; Tassie side will be the bastard child of the gambling industry.
There's a difference having pictures of Polly Farmer, the Abletts, Bartel, Crouch, Turner, Wade, Selwood and premiership cups in the halls and rooms to photos of no name grifter politicians, Gillon M, a Looney tunes cartoon character and a farmed salmon.
Tasmania is an island; Geelong is still attached to the mainland. Travel will be a factor.
Both dock the ferry, but Geelong planned well enough to have a berth that the ship can actually use.
Practice facilities conditions: Arctic v Siberia; Hobart is closer to the South Pole

Here are some Tasmanians that I can think off that you could pics of in Footy Iam sure it will be added to Baldock,Hudson,stewart,hart,Richardson,Lynch,croswell,Howell,eade,greening,Just that afl footballers what about the cricketers like Boon,ponting so iam sure there are many more.
Tassie has a rich history of sporting champions and with a lifestyle to boot.
Some of the best produce in Tasmanian and top restaurants are there so are some great night life.

[saynta]

Lived in Hobart for work in my early 20’s and travelled extensively over the island. It is a beautiful place, plenty to see and experience in the outdoors etc.Outgrew the place after about 18 months and the thing that got me the most, in the end, was the small mindedness of the people and how insular they were.

[B.M]

Do you honestly think the only happy people in Australia are those who live in metropolitan capitals

Big Mortgages - no view
Traffic
Living in the burbs or apartments with no land
Youth Crime, drug crime
Noise


Some people enjoy the quiet life, the relaxed atmosphere, the sense of community

Some people love the country, the coast, small towns, the hills, small cities, rugged forests, in the hills, near alpine areas.

Your naive to believe everyone want to live in a city

I’m from Stanley Tas

A more beautiful place would be hard to come across


As for Tas footy having no history
The Devils will be wearing the same jumper and representing the same state as
Baldock, Hart, Hudson, Stewart, Lawrence, Johnson, Richardson, Lynch, Eade, Fletcher, Wright, Febey, Gale, Paul Hudson, Pritchard, Creswell and a a fk load more…

Nothing wrong with Tassie FC history