Brad Helbig [merged]

[one-eyed]

Brad Helbig

Player statistics

    * Former club:West Adelaide / Waikerie
    * DOB:28/02/1992
    * Height:185cm
    * Weight:79kg
    * Position:Midfielder

Video:

http://bigpondvideo.com/RichmondTV/314425/richmond-pick-47-brad-helbig/

http://bigpondvideo.com/AFL/305454/bradley-helbig/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0xdMlKg2f8



Player assessment

Average-sized midfielder who finds his own ball and uses it well. Won the Corey Siemers Memorial Award (Riverland Player of the Year) in 2010 while playing for West Adelaide.

[TigerLand]

Can play!!

[pmac21]

Looks more like a small forward from video

[one-eyed]

Here's video of Helbig

http://bigpondvideo.com/RichmondTV/314425/richmond-pick-47-brad-helbig/

http://bigpondvideo.com/AFL/305454/bradley-helbig/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0xdMlKg2f8

[Stripes]

Another tough, good ball user.

[one-eyed]

2010 National Draft - Brad Helbig Pick 47

DOB: 28/02/1992
H: 185.1cm
W: 85.1kg
Club: West Adelaide FC (SANFL)
Type: Inside Midfielder, Half forward

WATCH BRAD HELBIG HIGHLIGHTS: http://www.richmondfc.com.au/roarvisionarchive/tabid/11454/contentid/314425/default.aspx

What the RFC recruiters say:
Brad hails from the strong football nursery of the Riverland in South Australia, the recruiting zone for the West Adelaide Bloods. In 2009, Brad moved from Waikerie to Adelaide to further his football and schooling, taking up a position at the Henley High School. Henley is renowned for its AFL curriculum and also hosted fellow 2010 draftees Scott Lycett and Jared Polec.

Brad played the majority of 2010 season with the West Adelaide U18 side that ultimately went down to Glenelg in the Grand Final. Brad was named 2nd best player for his side in the final after bravely playing through the final series with a fractured rib suffered in a few weeks earlier. He played 14 U18 games in 2010 through the midfield kicking 18 goals as he pushed forward. He was named in his sides best players 9 times and was rewarded with 4 reserves games later in the year and his league debut in round 22.

Brad displayed tremendous ball winning ability and had a high clearance rate when playing in the midfield but also shone with his strong overhead marking when pushing forward. Brad is already developing a strong body that will cope with the rigours of AFL while has also been identified as having the kicking skill and penetration coach Hardwick demands.

The club will give Brad the time he needs to develop his body and game under the guidance of our midfield coaches. His ability to mark strongly and kick the ball with depth will also allow him to play off half back or half forward.


In his own words:

What type of player are you?
I am an in-and-under player who loves to run with the ball.

Which AFL player do you feel you resemble and why?
Joel Selwood. I can win my own ball but also run and take on the game.

What are your strengths as a footballer?
I feel my strengths are my execution (kicking, handballing), ball-winning ability and my workrate eachway - forward and defensively.

What parts of your game would you like to improve?
I would like to improve my fitness and also my reading of the play.

Which AFL team do you support and how did you come to barrack for them?
Adelaide Crows. My whole family does so I was brought up also following them .

Who has been the biggest influence on your career so far, and why
West Adelaide senior coach Andrew Collins. He has pushed me and worked me hard to make me a better player and a better person.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/News/2010NationalDraftNews/BradHelbig/tabid/15519/Default.aspx

[eliminator]

Someone who can get the hard ball. Good. Good luck to him

[Mopsy]

Nice to see that Andrew Collins has had some impact here

[one-eyed]

From Dominos to Punt Rd

    * Kym Morgan
    * From: The Messenger
    * November 18, 2010 9:09PM

WHILE the nation's best young footballers sat nervously in front of their TVs watching the AFL national draft tonight, West Adelaide utility Bradley Helbig was at Dominos, Arndale, eating a pizza with his girlfriend.

That was where Helbig, 18, was when he received a call from the Bloods' under-18 assistant coach Andrew Marks to say he'd been picked up by Richmond with pick No. 47.

"I decided not to watch it to try to ease the nerves a little bit. I was with my girlfriend eating a pizza at Dominos Arndale and I got a phone call halfway through," Helbig said.

"Andrew Marks called me before the draft and told me he was going to watch it and that he would contact me as soon as he heard anything. He called me and gave me the news.

"It couldn't have happened in a weirder place I guess."

An in-and-under onballer, Helbig grew up in Waikerie on the Riverland and came down to Richmond three years ago.

He attended Henley High last year and was one of four players from the school - along with Jared Polec, Brodie Smith and Scott Lycett - taken in the draft.

Helbig said it was a surreal moment learning he had been drafted and receiving a phone call from Richmond coach and former Power premiership player Damian Hardwick.

"They spoke to me on Monday and said they were interested but there were no guarantees ...

"He (Damian Hardwick) called me about 15 minutes ago. It was all just surreal."

Helbig, who spent the past year working in the kitchen at the Bloods' function room, The Venue, will speak to the Tigers tomorrow to discuss the logistics of his move to Melbourne.

The ball-finder, who idolises Geelong star Joel Selwood, said he couldn't wait to enter the AFL system.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/from-dominos-to-punt-rd/story-fn525un5-1225955966161

WELCOME to the Henley production line.

A school where talented young footballers arrive pimply-faced and starry-eyed and leave as polished performers with the world at their feet.

In what looms as an Australian first, SA's Henley High School could deliver an extraordinary 10 players to AFL clubs this year.

Brad Helbig
Age: 18. Height: 186cm. Weight: 78kg. Position: Midfielder/forward. Club: West Adelaide. Origin: Waikerie.
Draft projection: Rookie draft, 2010

Paul Whaley (Hawthorn scout): "Has an outstanding workrate and has shown a lot of improvement late in the season in being able to win the footy and use it with precision. Goes hard for four quarters and would be a nice development prospect.''

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/a-sea-of-talent/story-e6freckc-1225907479052

[one-eyed]

Another pre-draft article .....

Brad’s shot at the big time
Sport|Wednesday, Nov 17 2010
By NICK DILLON
Murray Pioneer



Helbig is a strong chance to be selected in Thursday’s AFL draft after a standout season with West Adelaide.

The former Magpie was one of the Bloods’ best under 18 players this year, and made his league debut against South Adelaide in August.

West Adelaide Football Club country zone co-ordinator Allan Brand said Helbig was "flying at the moment".

"Most of the clubs have spoken to and interviewed ‘Helbs’," Mr Brand said. "Freo flew Brad over there last week so there’s quite a bit of interest in him.

"He’s played centre half forward, down back and had a run on the ball so he’s pretty versatile.

"He’s in immaculate nick and his second half of the year was sensational.

"We’re pretty hopeful that he’ll get picked up."

http://www.murray-pioneer.com.au/sport/7797-bradE28099s-shot-at-the-big-time/

[one-eyed]

Summary from Inside Football...

BRAD HELBIG
midfield
West Adelaide, SA
Born: 18yo
Ht: 186cm
Wt: 82kg

"Brad did state screening and is an elite kick of the footy with both feet. Good pace, played one game of league footy this year and is very good overhead. Can play through the midfield and also go forward and be damaging. A powerful player." -West Adelaide football manager Scott Turner


Helbig's stats for 2010

SANFL U18s:     14 games, 19 goals, 9 times in bests
SANFL ressies:    4 games, 1 goal, 3 times in bests
SANFL seniors:    1 game, 0 goals

http://www.sportingpulse.com/team_info.cgi?action=PSTATS&pID=190801586&client=1-3289-35002-113897-5123172&ocompID=103283

[Owl]

He looks alright doesn't he? Helyeah!  big discrepancy in weights reported, 79 kg-85.1 kg lol

[gerkin greg]

Just found out Helbs has been given the number 32.

[one-eyed]

Hell of a big talent
richmondfc.com.au
By Tony Greenberg
Mon 22 Nov, 2010

Andy Collins has been a well-credentialled, much-respected figure in the football world over the past quarter of a century . . . 200-plus games of league football, triple Hawthorn premiership player, Hawk Best and Fairest winner, All-Australian representative, Box Hill coach, Coburg coach, and coach of SANFL club West Adelaide for the past three years.

When Collins speaks publicly, those in the industry listen intently.  So, his glowing assessment of Richmond’s third pick in last week’s 2010 National Draft, Brad Helbig, certainly carries a good deal of weight.

Helbig is an 18-year-old, 185cm, 85kg, industrious, inside midfielder, with the capacity to push forward and be productive.  He worked his way impressively through the ranks at West Adelaide in 2010, starting the season in the under-18s, before earning promotion to the reserves, and then making his senior debut in round 22.

“He’s from Waikerie, where the famous Mark Ricciuto is from.  The people in and around Waikerie are very excited about the talent of young Brad Helbig coming through the AFL system, and they think that he is an absolute steal at draft pick No. 47,” Collins said.

“I first saw him as a 15-year-old and was impressed straight away . . . He’s unbelievably balanced right and left-sided, has great natural aggression, likes the physical side of the game, is a good kick, and terrific overhead. He also can play a role as a medium forward because of his marking strength and the fact he enjoys kicking a goal.

“Brad’s a bit of a larrikin - but in a really nice way.  He’s a beauty . . . a really teachable kid and always respectful.

“He reminds me very much, personality-wise, of a young Luke Hodge . . . his team-mates just like being around him.

“He was the only under-18 that came into our senior program this year to play senior footy.

“Obviously, we tried to keep him here for selfish reasons.  But he’s a really nice talent going forward.  He’ll play AFL footy - no doubt!”

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/105517/default.aspx

[Mr Magic]

Think we have a beauty on our hands here.