Cleve Hughes (Norwood)
192/84 top-age right foot (dual-sided) CHF/FF.
*STYLE LIKE: early Tredrea
*MY RANKING (not meant to reflect appropriate draft pick to use): 13
*PROBABILITY OF AFL CAREER: Likely. Ready year 2.
- Within an AFL team list, could prove capable of SUSTAINING a ranking of 5-15.
*HURT FACTORS (Offensive/Defensive/Negative): MH / LM / L
*TRADEMARK:
- Strong high mark on a very well-timed, purposeful lead up the corridor. Then long straight shot for goal.
*SUMMARY ASSESSMENT, RECOMMENDATION:
- Fast-lead marking key forward. Very top-age but intensity, an historic issue with him, is very much on the up ... and his potency with it.
Not the most consistent type around (is a bit of a confidence player) but on his day (and that's now often) he
Is agile
Is clean at all levell
Times his leads extremely well and straightens his team up
Shows good judgement overhead
Has nice kicking style and is usually an accurate kick.
Generally makes the right decisions.
Improvement trend line is very encouraging, including in intensity. When his confidence is up, he leads with purpose and up the corridor whenever possible.
- Even though he is 11 months older than Dowler, I have him a bit ahead of Dowler in my rankings:-
1. Although Dowler is 3cm taller, I am confident (unconfirmed) he has a few cm reach disadvantage (compared to the average player of his height) that at least cancels out the height difference.
2. Dowler can use his non-preferred foot to some extent in an emergency. Hughes doesn't often need to but is genuinely dual-sided.
3. Hughes is better below-the-knee ability IMHO and, although others would disagree, has better agility, especially recovery agility and ability to quickly make multiple leads for the same play
4. I suspect that, although a natural leading forward, he may have greater potential versatility, even though Dowler has played both ends.
5. Both are slim but Hughes is proven against men.
(Dowler's injury did not factor into my ranking of Dowler). I just think Hughes has more tricks.
- I could imagine Hughes might be the top name on the Christmas card list of some coaches or some team-mates and that his intensity and efforts until recently have sometimes looked dodgy, even seemingly sulky or a bit spoilt brattish. And he is very top-age. However he has recently given every indication on-field that things have just clicked with him. I thought he was useful some earlier games this year, good in the U18 Champs, and very good and sensational (respectively) in 2 SANFL Reserves games later in the year.
I think he looks as good a leading forward prospect as we've seen for some time. Because he is slim build and has to prove he can maintain his current intensity and ethic, I can't call him "definite" AFL long -termer but I do think it likely. I would take him around my ranking number of 13 and even a few picks earlier, depending on need.
*DISPOSAL:
- Very accurate set kick. Generally accurate non-set kick. Good at kicking a weighted pass to a lead.
- Terrific set kick for goal, regardless of angle. Also good on the run, even outside 40m
- Consistently handy depth. Comfortable range seems to be about 55m.
- Excellent kicking style for set kicks.
- Genuinely dual-sided.
- Good by hand - accurate, good power, quick hands, good hurt factor.
*DECISION-MAKING, SMARTS:
- Generally good decision-maker. (Makes the occasion mistake eg trying to bump instead of laying a tackle, but he is usually solid). Good vision. Often thinks quickly.
- Regularly displays good poise under pressure.
- As a leading forward, regularly tries to lead up the corridor. This not only straightens his team up but means that a high percentage of Hughes' set shots for goal are from a comfortable angle. Excellent judgement of when, where and how to lead, Great timing. His leads demand to be honoured.
- I'd like to see him feed off a bit more often.
*HANDS:
- Very clean hands - all levels.
- Extra clean off the carpet on the run, even under medium-great pressure.
*OVERHEAD MARKING:
- Routinely one-grab overhead, even under great pressure.
- Excellent judgement.
- Usually attacks a contested mark situation.
- Can take a big grab from behind but, pleasingly, prefers to play from the front (not only, but especially, from a lead)
- Holds his ground.
*ATHLETICISM:
- Big leap. (He is also handy as 3rd man up at stop plays).
- Very good pace overall - better than his handy DC times. Very good acceleration and speed on a lead, even against a smaller quick opponent like Josh Eddy.
- Very good agility. Excellent recovery agility for his size.
- Very good reflexes.
- Nice height but only 84kg. Is athletic enough that he doesn't need to become a 100+kg build. I can see no reason why he'll not manage to hit the mid-high 90s but it will take time.
*INTENSITY, ETHIC:
- Seems to be a bit of a confidence player but has significantly lifted his work-rate and hardness at the ball throughout the past year to the extent that it is now (as in latter part of this season) usually at least OK, sometimes very commendable. I
Due to the inconsistency of intensity/ethic prior to recently, its a bit hard to say he is now "good"/"very good" etc. What I can say is that, although I can't recall a smother or a huge number of chases, he has shown recently (even if not routinely), that he is prepared to show desperation, attack the ground ball, get the hard ball, attack the spoil, put in 2nd efforts, etc. He still has to work a bit on his attack on the man but he is usually an effective tackler.
*CONSISTENCY:
- Improving. I had concerns a while back but I ma fairly comfortable now.
*AFL VERSATILITY:
- Options will depend on how he goes with bulking up. Assuming no problems there (not that its really a given):-
- Natural FF or CHF.
- Could certainly play FP, or even HFF on the right opponent.
- If he gets his strength right and, more importantly, his intensity and ethic, he would have the skill set to play CHB, FB, 3rd tall defender, or perhaps even HBF on the right opponent. That list is a long way off being realistic at this stage but all are potential possibilities. You would waste his goal-kicking value and his ability on a lead though.
Bottom line is that I see him as a very appealing forward.
*CSI (COMPARATIVE SCOPE for IMPROVEMENT):
- No special factors.
*QUERY:
- Intensity / maintenance.
*SOME STATS:
- Stats summary '05 U18 Champs:
Averaged 11 disposals and 7.3 marks in his 3 games. (Best TD 13).
Kicks per 20 disp: 18.
Kicks long vs short: 15-8 (7 long per 10 kicks).
Ineffective kicks: 5/28 (1.8 per 10 kicks), incl 1 clangers (0.4 per 10 kicks).
Ineffective handballs: 0/4 (0.0 per 10 handballs), incl 0 clangers (0.0 per 10 handballs).
Ineffective disposals: 5/32 (3.1 per 20 disp), incl 1 clangers (0.6 per 20 disp).
HandBall Receives: 3/32 (2 per 20 disp).
Hardball gets: 1/32 (1 per 20 disp).
S.P. clearances: 0/32 (0 per 20 disp), incl 0 BU (0 per 20 disp), incl 0 CBC (0 per 20 disp).
Tackles: 2 (Avg 0.7 per game).
Marks: 22 (14 per 20 disp), incl 4 contested (1.8 per 10 marks).
*OTHER STUFF:
- All Aust TY.
- Promising SANFL Res form '05.
http://www.voy.com/51976/44539.html
