A summary of Gibbs, Hansen, Gumbleton, Sellar and Selwood in the Age today.
By Emma Quayle
May 16, 2006
BRYCE GIBBS (Glenelg, SA) The midfield playmaker the Bombers are desperate to have. He reads the play brilliantly, plays with poise and composure, and is a good size at 188 centimetres. Gibbs has played senior footy for Glenelg for more than a year, was named third-best at the weekend and beat former Bomber Damian Cupido in a recent match. The day after he found out Adelaide wouldn't get him as a father-son selection last month, he was best-on-ground for the Australian under-17s who beat Ireland in international rules. The sort of player who decides what he wants to happen in a game and has the anticipation, speed and skill to back it up.
LACHLAN HANSEN (Gippsland Power) A genuine key-position player. 198 centimetres tall and looks comfortable forward or back. He played for the Australian Institute of Sport-AFL Academy team that toured Ireland in 2005, and was prominent for Vic Country last year, when he was too young to be drafted, and has improved again in the early part of this year. Hansen runs hard, plays with some aggression, reads the play well and can mark. Essendon already has a good bunch of ruck prospects, but Hansen could spare one of them from having to adapt themselves to a key defensive post.
SCOTT GUMBLETON (Peel Thunder, WA) Gumbleton, a distant relative of North Melbourne 1975 and 1977 premiership defender Frank, is the big, strong and bubbly pack-marking forward. He took seven contested marks in the opening game of the 2004 under-16 carnival. This year, at 195 centimetres, he has kicked four goals for Peel Thunder in his senior debut and been named in the initial West Australian state squad to play South Australia next week. He's a big, energetic leaper who has great hands.
JAMES SELLAR (Glenelg, SA) A slightly different option to Hansen and Gumbleton. He has played most of his junior footy in the ruck but, at 195 centimetres, probably will develop into a key forward or defender. He's smart, composed and can mar an opponent's work. Sellar kicked four goals in the first half of his debut senior game for Glenelg this year, and took 10 marks at the weekend. He's a future leader, wherever he goes. Some clubs would have him as their current No. 1, but the Bombers have so many young ruckmen, they may look at others.
JOEL SELWOOD (Bendigo Pioneers, Vic) Had he been old enough for last year's draft, Selwood would have been one of the very first picked. The younger brother of Troy and Adam, he's a hard-at-it midfielder who can find the ball, rip it out of congestion and create play. He uses his hands a lot to set the play up for others and wins the ball constantly. Selwood captained last year's AIS-AFL Academy team.
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/05/15/1147545265056.html
