Tiger cubs coming through (AFL)

[richmondrules]

Tiger cubs coming through

RICHMOND development coach Craig McRae gives richmondfc.com.au the low down on the young guns at Punt Road.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/Default.aspx?newsid=58057

[Judge Roughneck]

Trent Cotchin:
He missed all the pre-season through the ankle injury. He came to us with complications with that, so he had a lot of trouble overcoming that. It took a lot longer than expected but after all that rehab he played his first game for Coburg reserves on the weekend. He’s available for selection this week and he is in a really good position to play seniors for Coburg. He played two fifteen minute quarters last week and should be available to play a lot longer. He’s still got to go through the process and absolutely has a chance to play seniors this year. We believe Trent has got a lot to offer the Tigers both in the short term and the long term.

Travis Casserly:
He had a great pre-season and was up and flying until he had a hamstring complaint which put him out for three weeks. Travis has been playing in the reserves at VFL level and is pushing for senior Coburg selection. He is a player we need in the senior team with his dynamics. He missed the whole first year with injury. Now it is time for Travis to show us what he can do.

Andrew Collins:
Unfortunately Andy missed all of last year with osteitis pubis. But he has had a terrific pre-season and impressed everyone the way he’s gone about it. He’s played every game so far with Coburg’s senior team. He played an NAB Cup Challenge game against Sydney in Narranderah and held his own. He is going to develop as best he can.

Daniel Connors:
Daniel showed last year he has got terrific talent. He had a real setback in the pre-season with a stress fracture in his foot that kept him out for eight weeks plus. He’s getting himself as fit as he can and once he has done that, we’re looking forward to him playing AFL footy.

Clayton Collard:
He is just going about re-developing himself. He was with Fremantle for a year and didn’t really apply himself the way he would have liked. He learnt some good lessons from that and it’s starting to show. Clayton has an enormous amount of talent and it’s just a question of balancing that with hard work. He is certainly a player that can play AFL, but time will tell.

Dean Putt:
He is a first-year player and has shown some terrific signs at VFL level. He is capable of taking marks and kicking goals. He hasn’t played much ruck in recent times at Under 18 level so we’re developing him with ruck coach Damian Monkhurst and Troy Simmonds as well. He is definitely someone that we are excited about for the future but right now he is developing.

David Gourdis:
David was drafted as a Centre Half Forward and we are seeing if he is capable of playing as a key defender. He’s got enormous speed - he was equal with Brett Deledio in the 20m sprint test in the pre-season and his athletic ability is enormous. David King and others are teaching him how to be a defender and he is certainly improving. His kicking has come along enormously from when he first arrived at the club.

Alex Rance:
He’s knocking down the door and wants to improve as much as he can every day. He wants to play AFL footy and the way he’s going about it he will certainly do that. It was his first VFL game on the weekend and in his own words he thought he struggled but he’s not far away from having an impact at that level. He’s a terrific young lad.

Cotchin - rated top 2
Rance, Gourdis, Collard, Connors - all consitered 1st rounders

[richmondrules]

Rance, Gourdis, Collard, Connors - all consitered 1st rounders

lol. Except by the people who actually do the picking. Hope they were all wrong. 

[Judge Roughneck]

Rance, Gourdis, Collard, Connors - all consitered 1st rounders

lol. Except by the people who actually do the picking. Hope they were all wrong. 

I think how highly a player is rated pre-draft by alot of people in the know is important. For example - both Andrew Swallow and Dan Connors were said to be some of the better mid in their draft crops. They dropped to the 40s/50s, but both has shown why the were originally highly rated, and hence good pick ups.

I remember the like of Edwards, Proud, Jetta types being rated at about the same level as Collard. I'm still stoked about picking him up.

Gourdis dropped but he was talked about as one of the better KPP prospects.

Pretty happy with 06/07 drafts.

[richmondrules]

I'm happy too Bents, We'll have to see how it all pans out 

[TFL]

I hope McCrae is right about Collard. He certainly has the talent he just needs to get his attitude and commitment right.

Has every trick in the book and is a pleasure to watch when he is on song.

I remember bumping into Richie Tambling and his brother at one of out practise matches, they were running late and didnt realise that the seniors and reserves had swapped times. They wanted to see as much of Collard early as they could coz he tends to dominate the first qtr or two.

I think his mental and physical state contribute towards this.

[mightytiges]

Rance, Gourdis, Collard, Connors - all consitered 1st rounders

lol. Except by the people who actually do the picking. Hope they were all wrong. 

Gourdis may have been rated highly by some on the net but he isn't a first rounder IMO. I'm not saying he's a dud but he's more a project type. Lots of attributes that would excite recruiters - young KPP with good size and speed already which is what you want in a modern KPP. However his kicking especially over longer distances and his endurance needs working on. Getting him with a late pick (PSD pick in our case) was about right IMO.

I reckon McRae's summary of each is pretty spot on.

[Mr Magic]

JON is conspicuously absent from that list.

[mightytiges]

JON is conspicuously absent from that list.

Stands out like a neon sign doesn't it although Gus isn't mentioned either.

[cub]

2011 Coburg / Richmond Premiership double - could be a huge weekend, stay in shape OERites