Ok let's keep this rolling.
Hawthorn Pick 31:- Alex Neal-Bullen
Height: 183cm
Weight: 80kg
From: Glenelg, South Australia
Position: Midfielder
The reigning premiers weakness if any is it's slightly ageing inside midfield. Whilst he was tipped to go slightly later than late second round, the hawks have done their homework with this ready made mid.
Alex led all of his peers at the U18 Championships for total clearances.
After a 2013 season spent in the SANFL reserves, Neal-Bullen made his SANFL league debut for Glenelg in the opening round of the 2014 season and remained there until a minor foot injury kept him out in Round 4. For Glenelg, Neal-Bullen played primarily across half back with the occasional stint in the midfield. For an 18 year old against much more senior opposition, he performed really quite well - 15 disposals a match, along with 5 marks, 2 tackles and 2 clearances a game. He quickly established himself as a small defender, but playing for South Australia in the U18 Championships he would go back to his customary midfield position - where he went on to average 20 disposals, 5 clearances and 4 tackles a game and was arguably South Australia's #1 midfielder. And by ticking off defender and midfielder this year, Neal-Bullen can now lay claim to being a true utility - having also spent time in past seasons as a small forward.
From a purely athletics standpoint, endurance is Neal-Bullen's obvious strength. However, it's his football brain which is perhaps his biggest advantage. In the midfield, he is a really smart player and he is one of those players who looks better in close and under pressure. He can read the gaps better than most, and just has that knack of getting the ball through to one of his outside receivers, which suits the hawks style of play.
