Rookie Draft #11 - Ben Jakobi

[Penelope]

Another one of Hardwick's foot soldiers - good size, good skills, good decision making and if like the other young draftees a good mark as well.

In three or four years time we will have a legion of this type of player and as one goes down we will have another another to step into the firing line.

You can really see Hardwick's influence in this year's drafting.

[Smokey]

He was on our permission to train list on Nov 9th and again on Nov 23rd.  He appeared on Melbourne's on Nov 30th and back on ours on Dec 6th.  Methinks the AFL stuffed the Nov 30th one up.

I think Melbourne were interested, so he probably would have trained with them so they could check him out.

Possibly Wayne but my money's on an AFL mistake.  If we went to the trouble of 'hiding' him mid season then it's hard to imagine them risking all that by allowing him to train with Melbourne, especially when we intended to take him all along.

[wayne]

He was on our permission to train list on Nov 9th and again on Nov 23rd.  He appeared on Melbourne's on Nov 30th and back on ours on Dec 6th.  Methinks the AFL stuffed the Nov 30th one up.

I think Melbourne were interested, so he probably would have trained with them so they could check him out.

Possibly Wayne but my money's on an AFL mistake.  If we went to the trouble of 'hiding' him mid season then it's hard to imagine them risking all that by allowing him to train with Melbourne, especially when we intended to take him all along.

I saw it in this article.

He heads into the 2011 pre-season with a fit body for the first time in several years, and the knowledge that Melbourne were interested enough to apply to have him train with them in the lead-up to the draft.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/default.aspx?newsid=105994

[Smokey]

He was on our permission to train list on Nov 9th and again on Nov 23rd.  He appeared on Melbourne's on Nov 30th and back on ours on Dec 6th.  Methinks the AFL stuffed the Nov 30th one up.

I think Melbourne were interested, so he probably would have trained with them so they could check him out.

Possibly Wayne but my money's on an AFL mistake.  If we went to the trouble of 'hiding' him mid season then it's hard to imagine them risking all that by allowing him to train with Melbourne, especially when we intended to take him all along.

I saw it in this article.

He heads into the 2011 pre-season with a fit body for the first time in several years, and the knowledge that Melbourne were interested enough to apply to have him train with them in the lead-up to the draft.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/default.aspx?newsid=105994

Yep, fair enough.  I wonder if they just applied and received permission or if he actually went down and trained with them?

[Oiafi]

Possibly Wayne but my money's on an AFL mistake.  If we went to the trouble of 'hiding' him mid season then it's hard to imagine them risking all that by allowing him to train with Melbourne, especially when we intended to take him all along.

We took him rookie draft 1st pick, Melbourne could not get their mits on him. If we decided not to take him it's only fair to allow him to present himself elsewhere. Not much of a risk unless he was taken in the PSD.

[one-eyed]

Tigers have kept eyes on Jakobi
By Mic Cullen
Tue 07 Dec, 2010

BEN JAKOBI might be an unknown to most of the football world, but Richmond has been monitoring his progress for years.

The Tigers took Jakobi with their first pick in the 2011 NAB AFL Rookie Draft (pick 11 overall), and even the AFL web site was caught out, with no photo and few statistics on the 186cm rebounding defender.

But Tigers recruiting manager Francis Jackson said that the 19-year-old had been on his radar for years.

"I've known Ben since he was 12 when he shifted from NSW to Brighton Grammar, where I was a teacher," Jackson told richmondfc.com.au. "He played a bit of footy in New South Wales, and then played footy down here to the extent that he represented Victoria at under-15 level.

"Then, unfortunately, he had a stress fracture of his foot, which plagued him for about 18 months, so he only played a few games for those two years.

"He played only two games for the Sandringham Dragons, but I knew he had ability from watching him at school.

"So I was keen to get him to Coburg so that we could just guide him in the right direction."

Jakobi kicked 11 goals in a school game while playing out of the goalsquare, but has been at the other end of the ground in the VFL.

He heads into the 2011 pre-season with a fit body for the first time in several years, and the knowledge that Melbourne were interested enough to apply to have him train with them in the lead-up to the draft.

"He played at Coburg in the reserves this year - he had a knee injury at the start of the year which slowed him up, but after that he played an entire season, which is the first time in three or four years that he's had some continuity in his footy," Jackson said.

"He played some really good footy towards the end of the year, and this is the second year he's been training with us.

"The coaches have been very pleased with his skill level and his ability to kick the footy.

"We certainly didn't pluck him, we've been well and truly aware of his ability for a long time."

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/105994/default.aspx

[10 FLAGS]

Reads like a good selection to me! Good luck to him and hopefully he does real well for us!

[bojangles17]

still pinching myself we nabbed this guy, would have gone top 10 had not been for a foot injury that cruelled a decorated junior career

[Loui Tufga]

still pinching myself we nabbed this guy, would have gone top 10 had not been for a foot injury that cruelled a decorated junior career

Big call Bo, sounds like we were lucky enough to get him as low as a rookie pick then.
Seems to have had a bad run with injury over the years, lets hope he is over the worst of it and his bad luck doesn't continue.

[TFL]

still pinching myself we nabbed this guy, would have gone top 10 had not been for a foot injury that cruelled a decorated junior career

I like your optimism Bojangles.........

[Owl]

Hardwick has a plan to build a side that will be playing together for many seasons for the ultimate prize

the samsung flat screen tv?
lol

[Penelope]

found this on a cab-sav sippers forum.

This about Ben Jakobi off the SMS from Pringle who was on Coburg's staff for the past couple of seasons:-

He's a midfielder. Not quick, moves well, good skills, strong body, usually clever with the ball. Not an inside mid nor particularly an outside mid but good in traffic. Does some classy things in tight spaces. Doesn't dominate.

He previously had some injury problems and a pre season operation causing him to miss the entire pre season and the first few rounds. Gained promotion to the seniors after only a couple of reserves games but only played a few senior games for Coburg so it's hard to comment how he might go.

When he was back in the twos he was pretty good - you could tell he has class but the tank wasn't there.

Richmond hold him in high regard and had been courting him for a while and has done some pre season training with  them.

He has yet to show his full potential but if he remains injury free would be worth putting on the rookie list. Nice guy too. Pretty shy/unassuming.

http://demonland.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=23597&view=findpost&p=386864

[one-eyed]

The Coburg Football Club are pleased to announce that Ben Jakobi was taken No.11 in the 2010 AFL Rookie draft this morning by our aligned partner Richmond.

Ben progressed to Coburg from the Sandringham Dragons and despite some setbacks with injuries impressed with his ball winning ability and skill level throughout the 2010 season.

Ben has participated in the Richmond pre-season training program and has impressed  with his work ethic and skills, which has led to him being placed on an AFL LIST. We wish Ben all the best with the Richmond Football Club & look forward to watching his progress throughout the 2011 VFL Season.

http://www.sportingpulse.com/club_info.cgi?client=1-118-10471-0-0&sID=56260&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=14125242&sectionID=56260

[Smokey]

He needs to shave the mo - looks a little too much like McMahon for my liking! 

[Loui Tufga]

He needs to shave the mo - looks a little too much like McMahon for my liking! 

It is Mcmahon No wonder the tigers have been trying to hide him, a month in Thailand for a bit of surgery and he is back with a new identity Long live Jordy..........