JON

[mat073]

I cant believe that JON got picked up by West Coast.......I almost choked on my breakfast.

Good luck to him.

[Infamy]

I cant believe that JON got picked up by West Coast.......I almost choked on my breakfast.

Good luck to him.

believe it or not eagles rate him 

good luck to the kid i reckon

Agreed, I hope he makes plenty of people eat their words

[Harro80]

Yeah, Lets hope its not another Roden FK Up. LOL.

[cub]

Have this gut feel about JON that nags away.

His time was well and duly up at Tigerland, but all the same 

[mightytiges]

We can't be concerned about delisting players and other clubs picking them up. Better to let them go than hang onto them for years for zero return as we've done in the past. JON has too many deficiencies and flaws in his game to make it at AFL. Sheesh he even struggled at VFL level. 4 years was way more than enough to know he had to go.

[1965]

We can't be concerned about delisting players and other clubs picking them up. Better to let them go than hang onto them for years for zero return as we've done in the past. JON has too many deficiencies and flaws in his game to make it at AFL. Sheesh he even struggled at VFL level. 4 years was way more than enough to know he had to go.

Let's hope this statement doesn't come back to haunt us.

 ???

[mightytiges]

We can't be concerned about delisting players and other clubs picking them up. Better to let them go than hang onto them for years for zero return as we've done in the past. JON has too many deficiencies and flaws in his game to make it at AFL. Sheesh he even struggled at VFL level. 4 years was way more than enough to know he had to go.

Let's hope this statement doesn't come back to haunt us.

 ???

JON's kicking technique is seriously flawed. He has a far too open technique which means the ball takes too long to get from hand to foot and he always kicks with a bent knee. Under pressure it falls apart. Even under no pressure it isn't that reliable either. What you saw during games was no different to what we saw at training as far as missing targets regularly under no pressure. He also lacked awareness and as a result his decision making was terrible. He totally lacked the know-how that natural footballers have. JON is one of the nicest blokes you'll ever meet '65 and I wish him the best for the future in whatever he does but he simply isn't an AFL standard footballer. The Club made the right call on this one. He was only picked up late in the rookie draft.

[1965]

We can't be concerned about delisting players and other clubs picking them up. Better to let them go than hang onto them for years for zero return as we've done in the past. JON has too many deficiencies and flaws in his game to make it at AFL. Sheesh he even struggled at VFL level. 4 years was way more than enough to know he had to go.

Let's hope this statement doesn't come back to haunt us.

 ???

JON's kicking technique is seriously flawed. He has a far too open technique which means the ball takes too long to get from hand to foot and he always kicks with a bent knee. Under pressure it falls apart. Even under no pressure it isn't that reliable either. What you saw during games was no different to what we saw at training as far as missing targets regularly under no pressure. He also lacked awareness and as a result his decision making was terrible. He totally lacked the know-how that natural footballers have. JON is one of the nicest blokes you'll ever meet '65 and I wish him the best for the future in whatever he does but he simply isn't an AFL standard footballer. The Club made the right call on this one. He was only picked up late in the rookie draft.

I only met him once, a school visit with Patrica Bowden, and found him a very likable young man.

Hope he does well.

[one-eyed]

From JON's press conference yesterday.......

Oakley-Nicholls happy to be home
westcoasteagles.com.au
Anna Carew-Reid | Tue 15 December, 2009


The powerful link between the West Coast Eagles and one of its greatest ever players was rekindled today with the club’s final pick in the AFL rookie draft.

The club secured Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, a nephew of dual premiership hero Chris Lewis with selection 53. The 21-year-old is finally at the club he supported so fervently as a kid, adorning his bedroom walls with posters of his uncle and football hero who played 215 games after joining the club’s inaugural list in 1987.

Oakley-Nicholls could not have been happier with his second chance after being delisted by Richmond at the end of this season.

Originally from East Perth, he was snared by the Tigers at selection eight in the national ballot of 2005, but the fast-paced midfielder managed just 13 games after his 2006 debut, ravaged by injuries over the ensuing four years.

The new Eagle is thrilled to be back in WA and believes his best footy is ahead of him.

“It’s good to get another opportunity. I was disappointed with my run at Richmond and I was hoping that someone would give me another crack and thankfully West Coast has given me another opportunity, so it’s good,” Oakley-Nicholls said.

“A few injuries troubled me and I just found that I didn’t get as much opportunity as I would hope for. You can make up excuses, but I wasn’t playing the footy I knew I could play over there.

“It’s good to be back, I’ve been over there (Melbourne) for four years now, so I’m back home and around family and friends and I reckon I’ll play my best footy now. Just being around family and I’ve played all my junior footy over here so I know the grounds. They’re nice big open grounds that suit my strengths so it’s good.

“I’m probably more happy and excited now than I was when I first got drafted because I thought I was gone, but now I know that I’m right and I’ve just got to knuckle down and play some good footy, put my hand up I suppose, and just show other people what I can do.”

Oakley-Nicholls has been talking regularly to his childhood hero and sees Lewis as an important football role model as he reignites his career.

“I’ve been back home for three months now so I’ve been over to see Chris and chatted to him. I look up to him, I’ve always looked up to him as a footy player.

“The club has always been in my heart, even when I got drafted by Richmond I always watched out for the Eagles because my whole family goes for them and they’re always in your ear about them. Now I’ve finally got the chance to pull on an Eagles jumper and I’m just going to put my head down and work hard.”

http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/tabid/7155/default.aspx?newsid=88196

[one-eyed]

PUNCHLINES
By SCOT PALMER
SUN 27 DEC 2009, Page S14

Tiger on the loose

AMONG the Tiger throng there appears to be a growing fear the delisting of the club's pick eight in the 2005 national draft, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, might come back to hurt them. Some obviously have been be fazed by what ``JON'' has been saying back in Perth where he has been given a second chance by West Coast. He claims he is happier now than when he was first drafted; he is ready to knuckle down, put his hand up and show other people what he can do. Oakley-Nicholls, who is 21, has also been talking to his long-time mentor, uncle Chris Lewis, about reigniting his career that stalled after 13 games.

[Chuck17]

Even if he shines at the Weagles which is highly unlikely, he was never going to be a decent player at the Tiges.

And as for Rodan biting us, what a load of crap.

[mightytiges]

AMONG the Tiger throng there appears to be a growing fear the delisting of the club's pick eight in the 2005 national draft, Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, might come back to hurt them.

Funny stuff Scotty Palmer

Who says the media doesn't deliberately stir to gain attention from Tiger supporters 

[Mr Magic]

West Coast supporters are the ones who will be having 'growing fear'.

[Chuck17]

Ur on the money there MM

[one-eyed]

West Coast Eagle learns to fly

    * Jay Clark
    * From: Herald Sun
    * March 17, 2010

RICHMOND'S dumped former first-round draft pick Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls is thriving at West Coast after the Eagles discovered he had profound learning difficulties that were holding him back on the field.

The maligned former Tiger has received intensive literacy and comprehension tutoring under a league-first program led by West Coast's indigenous liaison officer Phil Narkle.

West Coast is the first club to appoint a full-time staff member to work with Aboriginal players.

The Eagles were unaware of the literacy problem when they drafted the 22-year-old, but have since watched the utility flourish in recent months.

Narkle said Oakley-Nicholls, who played 13 games during four unproductive years at Punt Rd, was feeling comfortable and enjoying his footy again and is in line for promotion to the senior list this season.

The Eagles stunned many when they took a punt on Oakley-Nicholls with their final selection in last year's rookie draft.

"I sensed that Jarrad was not right when he first came to the club," Narkle said.

"With academic problems some people, and not just indigenous people, can close up shop and not put their hand up and explain what issues they may have.

"It's an embarrassment for them and there's a shame factor involved. The fact is that some kids, indigenous and non-indigenous, need help with literacy and numeracy skills sometimes.

"But he's on top of it and I'm explaining to coaches within our program that sometimes when you show young players graphs and game styles or whatever, it might mean nothing to them. You might have to draw what you are trying to explain."

Narkle said Oakley-Nicholls was "tense" upon arriving at the Eagles.

But the skilful flanker, drafted to Richmond with pick No. 8 in 2005, has since relished the move back home to WA.

The childhood West Coast fan is a nephew of dual-premiership player Chris Lewis.

The 186cm speedster finished up his time at Richmond in disappointing fashion playing VFL and was criticised for his on-field demeanour.

"One of the things I said was that you need to loosen up a bit brother, smile a little bit," Narkle said. "And he is."

Oakley-Nicholls also had a plate removed from his arm pre-Christmas which is said to have caused him serious aggravation at Richmond.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/west-coast-eagle-learns-to-fly/story-e6frf7jo-1225841587962