Cleve Hughes [merged]

[Captain__Blood]

Hughes playing style suits him to CHF and he is in competition with Patto for that spot

Hughes is purely a key forward whereas Patto is a ruckman/forward. I'm not comparing Hughes and Patto to these two but think Tredrea and Lade in terms of their playing positions.

I for one am abit concerned about the future of our KPP / teams side after the football life of Gaspar, Kellaway and of course, Richo. If Hughes turns out a superstar, A-Grade CHF I'd be over the hill. Realisticly if we finsh bottom 3/5 this season we should be gunning for a future Roughead/Kosi type.

Given the young talls we already have it would be good to pick up a future FB next in the 2006 draft. Go with a top young forward (CHF) who can also be played in the backline like as you said CB a Roughead.

You simply don't aim for Full Backs with top draft picks. You take the best there is whom are usually CHF. If they don't make the grade then you move them to lesser postions.

If we have a top, say 5 picks we should be aiming for a superstar prospect gun midfeilder (ie. Gybs sp?) or a CHF (Hansen).

FF: Limbach, Hughes
CHF: Hughes
"Third" tall forwards: Patto.
There's also Schulz and even Lids

Ruck: Patto and possibly Graham but it's early days for him.

FB:  ? 
CHB:  Schulz, McGuane (in the Chad Cornes mold)
"Third" tall defenders: Thursfield, Moore, McGuane 
Some people say Thursfield will be our future FB but I'm not so sure based on his height.

If a perfect world I'd love to see our spine for the next decade:

FB - Moore, Kelvin / Thursfield, Will / McGuane, Luke  (better 2 of the 3; one FB, one 3rd tall)
CHB - Schulz, Jay
CHF - Hughes, Cleve
FF - Limbach, Dean

Ruck/3rd tall - Pattison, Adam
Ruck - Graham, Angus

In reality that isn't going to happen. That is every young KPP on our list - not all of them are going to develop into gun players.

You can only feild so many players in a team, and only so many KPP yet sides tend to draft more because of the hit and miss nature of drafting.

[mightytiges]

Given the young talls we already have it would be good to pick up a future FB next in the 2006 draft. Go with a top young forward (CHF) who can also be played in the backline like as you said CB a Roughead.

You simply don't aim for Full Backs with top draft picks. You take the best there is whom are usually CHF. If they don't make the grade then you move them to lesser postions.

If we have a top, say 5 picks we should be aiming for a superstar prospect gun midfeilder (ie. Gybs sp?) or a CHF (Hansen).

Yes you always go with the best available and in terms of talls they are under-age CHFs. I agree with that. I was just saying another young key defender particularly a future FB is IMO what we need to find in the 2006 draft.

If we finish bottom 5 then picking up Hansen is a possibility. Gibbs will only be a show if we end up with the wooden spoon.   

[PuntRdRoar]

Why we didnt take Cameron Wood at 16 is beyond me. Chad Gibson should have been taken at 20 because Polo would most likely have been available at 36

[Captain__Blood]

Why we didnt take Cameron Wood at 16 is beyond me. Chad Gibson should have been taken at 20 because Polo would most likely have been available at 36

Couldn't agree more.

Would have really step up the future of the club.

[Captain__Blood]

Good read:

Cleve Hughes - Wiseby profile

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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.

[mightytiges]

Apart from whether he can kick well with both feet (I haven't paid enough attention to that aspect yet to judge myself), it's hard to disagree with any that summary based on what I've seen of Hughes so far.

[one-eyed]

Clever is next up. Hughes ended up playing in ever grade in his debut year. 3 AFL games on end between rounds 5-7, 12 Coburg seniors games where he kicked 17 goals and 5 Coburg ressie games for 23 goals.

How did we rate his first year and what expectations do you have for Clever in 2007?



Clever's 2006 AFL stats:

Round      Date          vs.      K H P M HO T FF FA G B
Round 5 28/04/2006 Carlton    3 3 6 2 0 1 2 0 0 1
Round 6 06/05/2006 Essendon 4 1 5 0 0 0 2 0 2 1
Round 7 13/05/2006 Sydney    1 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0
 
Clever's VFL stats:

http://www.sportingpulse.com/nf/team_info.cgi?player=Cleve%20Hughes&action=PSTATS&pID=124717329&client=1-3020-0-39626-4380378

[WilliamPowell]

Will take time

Shows massive potential and natural ability but I reckon is still learning when it comes to the amount of work that needs to be done and reading the play and working in tandem with other forwards.

Long-term see him as our FF with Schulz out at CHF

[mightytiges]

Another full preason building up his fitness and strength should help alot. He obviously struggled to get through his first year ending up in the VFL ressies.

[Mr Magic]

4

Knuckle down and do the work Cleve. No walk up starts.

[F0551L]

 needs to work harder both offensive and defensive also to compilment the other forwards
season journey reflected Clevers year
has a solid kicking action and not afraid to mark in the pack
3 seniors games taste will hopefully spur him on in 07

[one-eyed]

Craig McRae said during last week in EOTT that Clever is struggling with an illness which is affecting his energy levels.

Cleve Hughes

Played at full-forward before moving to full-back in the last quarter. Struggling with illness, he had limited energy and little impact on the game.  Showed his class in leading and goaling from a sharp angle.

A rumour on BF is claiming it is glandular fever and Hughes is being asked to play and train through it if he wants a game.

I would've thought glandular fever would stop you from playing altogether ???.

[letsgetiton!]

 cant be glandular feverm for starters if he did he would noyt have any energy at all and if if was crazy enough too it would lead to chronic fatigue syndrome.
he prob just has a flu or vitus but rumors says just like meyer he has no balls and wants out

[Ramps]

As Ive said previously Itd be a shame  to lose them but if theyre that desperate to leave then package them up and send them home for a decent deal.

[mightytiges]

Clever didn't train but he looked okay standing in the race watching training drinking from a cup.