Brett's dream finally comes true

[froars]

By Tim Rowe

February 21 2005
Shepparton News


Kyabram teenager Brett Deledio could not believe his dream of playing AFL football had finally come true.
Deledio, 17, made his debut for Richmond against Collingwood in the Wizard Cup on Friday night in front of more than 33 000 fans, including family and friends.

"I loved every minute," Deledio said yesterday.

But it was the sheer size and speed of his opponents that made Deledio realise he was finally in the big league.

"It is just the step up in pace - that was the biggest thing," he said.

"The size of the guys, too, is unbelievable."

Last year's number one draft pick, Deledio gathered 13 possessions and kicked a goal in a promising start.

"It was the best feeling ever," he said of that goal.

"It was good to just see it sail through the middle."

But things did not start as planned for Deledio when his first kick turned out to be a clanger when trying to clear the ball from the backline.

"I didn't take enough steps when I was preparing to kick," he said.

Playing in the midfield and up forward, Deledio said he felt the effects of his first game.

"We had a recovery session on Saturday and I'm a bit sore," he said.

"But it's not too bad, nothing to worry about."

Deledio said the atmosphere at Telstra Dome when the side ran out onto the ground was electric.

"It was too hard to describe," he said.

"But it sent a shiver up my spine."

Following the game, Deledio said there was no time to celebrate his achievements.

"I went home to bed - I was stuffed," he said.

Richmond narrowly went down to the fast-finishing Pies at the Telstra Dome by seven points 5.9.9 (108) to 3.12.16 (115).

Richmond will play a practice match against Essendon at Morwell this weekend.

"I'd hope I would get to play in Morwell," he said.

But Tigers players were yet to receive any feedback from coaching staff after Friday's season opener.

http://news.mcmedia.com.au/story.asp?TakeNo=200502214719998

[mightytiges]

Brett ain't doing to badly off-field either reading that MX article last week. Clothing deal, Puma fit-out, personal hair-stylist, etc.... Not bad going for a 17 year old  .

Appears he loves playing for the Tiges already  .

[Hammerfire]

But Tigers players were yet to receive any feedback from coaching staff after Friday's season opener.

 ??? ??? ???

 

[Tiger Spirit]

To be fair Hammerfire, that report would probably have been done over the weekend.

The players usually have a review of the game on Monday, which they did.

[Hammerfire]

My mistake, i thought the article was for today! 

[Harry]

Watching the replay again and pausing on Brett's play, I was amazed at how in and under he is.  I heard early reports that he's an outside receiver, but Friday night dispelled this.  For a 17 year old kid, and a kid is all he is at the moment, it's very impressive to see him dive into packs the way he did.  And he didn't just dive in on top of others in a pack, like a Chaffey but he was actually almost alway first to the ball at the bottom of the pack.  He showed no fear and great clean hands in the congestion.  There was a centre clearance he won where he virtually ripped the ball out of Licuria's hads, then pushed him over and got a kick forward.  He made Licuria look second rate.  His strength is also very impressive for a kid.  It's rumoured that he benches 110kg, and had the biggest hands at draft camp.  He'll grow into a monster IMO.  Coughlan, Deledio and Jackson in the centre square in a few years time will be quite good to see.

[Tiger Spirit]

Watching the replay again and pausing on Brett's play, I was amazed at how in and under he is. I heard early reports that he's an outside receiver, but Friday night dispelled this. For a 17 year old kid, and a kid is all he is at the moment, it's very impressive to see him dive into packs the way he did.

We must have got different reports Harry.  I thought he was mentioned as an inside player.  As you alluded to though, he doesn’t play like an outside player.

Anyway, one piece of play that stuck in my mind was in the 3rd quarter I think, where he was not far out from the top of the goal square and there were a few players around him, he had a quick look at the goals and got the ball onto his boot before he was tackled.  He managed to get the ball to Richo in the goal square, but he wasn’t able to take the mark.  That was when Richo played on from the boundary line.

Deledio’s presence of mind under that sort of pressure left an impression on me, apart from a few other things he did.

Coughlan, Deledio and Jackson in the centre square in a few years time will be quite good to see.

Coughlan and Deledio in the same team, that’s something I want to see.

[Harry]

Anyway, one piece of play that stuck in my mind was in the 3rd quarter I think, where he was not far out from the top of the goal square and there were a few players around him, he had a quick look at the goals and got the ball onto his boot before he was tackled.  He managed to get the ball to Richo in the goal square, but he wasn’t able to take the mark.  That was when Richo played on from the boundary line.

Yeah I know which passage of play you're talking about spirit.  Deledio actually followed up and plucked the ball out of the air after Richo played on and miss kicked and the ball went about 10 meters high and 8 meters long.  Brett beat 2 players in the marking duel then tried to get a quck kick but was gang tackled.

By watching a taped replay, stopping, rewinding and pausing certain passages of play you get a better feel of a players abilities.  This is why i've been very impressed with Deledio to this point, much more so than Tambling as Tambling just seems to rush and overun the ball and isn't as composed and aware as Lids at this early stage.  There's alot of early Maxfield in Tambling IMO.

Previous to this in the same quarter, Lids roved a handball off Richo in the forward pocket and then fell over running at 100km per hour.  If you have a closer look he was actually legged and the free wasn't paid.  However, what was more impressive was how he composed himself while falling over, not losing sight of the ball then successfully gathered and gave off a handball to Campbell, who fluffed a lollypop kick to no-one in particular.  If this had of been most other players they would have lost total awareness of where the ball was in that situation and would not have got the second opportunity to gather.  This (awareness of the balls whereabouts and awareness of what's around you) is what differs good players from great players.  Brett definately has awareness.  I can just imagine a Chaffey in that passage of play LMAO.

[mightytiges]

He had some knockers who were claiming he would only be an outside midfielder in the AFL. Seemed to come from fans of other Clubs envious that we had first crack at him and got him. The spiel on him before the draftt was he could play mostly anywhere (a la Hird) - inside mid, outside mid, HF and HB.

Your spot on about his awareness Harry. In both the intra-club game and the Wiz cup he just shows he knows what's around him and just as importantly he can back it up with clean skills.

I would say Tambling is ahead of where Maxfield was at the same age but I agree Harry he just needs to learn when to best use his explosive pace and not be on full throttle all the time as you've mentioned before. He was a bit lost early in the game on Friday night but by the second half he had picked up the pace of this level.

[WilliamPowell]

One of the most pleasing things about Deledio was that he just didn't look nervous when he came on. Now maybe that had sometihng to do with starting on the bench but he looked so relaxed out there which was great. Tambling started the game on the ground and he looked (and his first couple of touches reflected this) very nervous.

Your spot on about his awareness Harry. In both the intra-club game and the Wiz cup he just shows he knows what's around him and just as importantly he can back it up with clean skills.

His poise under pressure for a 17 y.o. was extremely good, granted his first kick was a shocker but he didn't drop his head, he just went after the ball in the next contest. Confidence is a wonderful thing .

I have to admit his strength when he was laying tackles surprised me. Maybe I am just so used to seeing our players being brushed aside that I'm getting ahead of myself on this one but it was just pleasing to see a young player tackle an opposition player (I think Lucuria was one Lids got on a effective tackle on) and not get brushed away like some facewasher flapping on a clothesline

[Tiger Spirit]

By watching a taped replay, stopping, rewinding and pausing certain passages of play you get a better feel of a players abilities.  This is why i've been very impressed with Deledio to this point, much more so than Tambling …

Totally agree Harry.  Watching at the game live you may not have thought he did that much, but you really appreciate some of his efforts watching a taped replay.  As you say, he just impresses with his awareness and total footy smarts.  Where’s he been all our lives?

Previous to this in the same quarter, Lids roved a handball off Richo in the forward pocket and then fell over running at 100km per hour.  If you have a closer look he was actually legged and the free wasn't paid.

I noticed that as well.  Too bad the orange jaffas didn’t.

However, what was more impressive was how he composed himself while falling over, not losing sight of the ball then successfully gathered and gave off a handball to Campbell, who fluffed a lollypop kick to no-one in particular.  If this had of been most other players they would have lost total awareness of where the ball was in that situation and would not have got the second opportunity to gather.  This (awareness of the balls whereabouts and awareness of what's around you) is what differs good players from great players.  Brett definately has awareness.  I can just imagine a Chaffey in that passage of play LMAO.

I’ve had the same thoughts Harry.  When you see a real footballer, you really start to notice the difference between footballers and those who think they are footballers.

[Tiger Spirit]

Anyway, one piece of play that stuck in my mind was in the 3rd quarter I think, where he was not far out from the top of the goal square and there were a few players around him, he had a quick look at the goals and got the ball onto his boot before he was tackled.

I might’ve done Brett an injustice there.   For anyone who watches a replay, they’ll see he doesn’t actually look at the goals first, he obviously had the awareness of where to kick to.