Pick 58: Jasper Alger

[ajGreen]

From the guys who played in the middle last season, only really TT, Hopper, Prestia and Mcauliffe remain that I can think of. Bolton and baker gone (both mainly used fwd anyway), Graham gone. Sonsie isn’t used in midfield for whatever reason, Ross gets played on the wing. Dow, well jury well and truly out on his long term prospects.

So think we have heaps of room for top end talent mids. Especially when you consider Lalor and Hotton are very capable to play forward aswell as the question marks on Prestia and Hoppers continued fitness issues.

Don't know how the jury could possibly still be out on this guy? I suspect they only signed him knowing that the other blokes were leaving.

Been on the list 5 years and could have close to 100 games under his belt by now if he was going to be a good player. Yeah you could argue he was drafted by a premiership team etc but still if he was showing any signs you'd see at least 50-75 games and some Brownlow votes etc.

As things stand he's at 34 games, no votes, and his best year was 2024 when we were ravaged by injury and he managed 17 games averaging 15.6 touches a game, only a third of which are kicks, and about 2 tackles. No scoreboard impact. Not once has he turned a game or hurt an opposition team.


I'd be playing any of the draftees ahead of him from R1 tbh. He's on the list as depth, surely.

Dow has only just turned 23. Stranger things have happened than him turning into an asset. He has shown some good glimpses at times imo.

We are short of small defenders too. Maybe he can slot in there

Dow hasn't got a defensive bone in his scrawny body - he'd be even worse than he is now, which is already diabolical enough ...

I'm not sure if judson Clarke has either and he has been rumored to be filling the hbf void.

Each of the options appears flawed; Campbell. Mansell. Etc

Maybe banks goes backline

[Tiger Khosh]

Yeah jury well and truly being out was a kind way of saying he almost certainly won’t be on the list this time next year.

[MintOnLamb]

Personally I have a lot of faith in Yze, this is his first go at it and I have heard so many good things about him I have 99% faith.
Feeling very positive

[Andyy]

From the guys who played in the middle last season, only really TT, Hopper, Prestia and Mcauliffe remain that I can think of. Bolton and baker gone (both mainly used fwd anyway), Graham gone. Sonsie isn’t used in midfield for whatever reason, Ross gets played on the wing. Dow, well jury well and truly out on his long term prospects.

So think we have heaps of room for top end talent mids. Especially when you consider Lalor and Hotton are very capable to play forward aswell as the question marks on Prestia and Hoppers continued fitness issues.

Don't know how the jury could possibly still be out on this guy? I suspect they only signed him knowing that the other blokes were leaving.

Been on the list 5 years and could have close to 100 games under his belt by now if he was going to be a good player. Yeah you could argue he was drafted by a premiership team etc but still if he was showing any signs you'd see at least 50-75 games and some Brownlow votes etc.

As things stand he's at 34 games, no votes, and his best year was 2024 when we were ravaged by injury and he managed 17 games averaging 15.6 touches a game, only a third of which are kicks, and about 2 tackles. No scoreboard impact. Not once has he turned a game or hurt an opposition team.


I'd be playing any of the draftees ahead of him from R1 tbh. He's on the list as depth, surely.

Dow has only just turned 23. Stranger things have happened than him turning into an asset. He has shown some good glimpses at times imo.

We are short of small defenders too. Maybe he can slot in there 

Can you think of many players in the modern era, of similar physique and position, that have come good after 5 unremarkable years on a list?

I can't.

The following year we traded our pick to Geelong who took Max Holmes at #20. He's played 75 odd games in a year shorter career, just won a B&F, and just missed out on a premiership medal due to injury IIRC.

Dow won't make it. We've seen nothing to suggest he will ever be a good player imo.

[Hard Roar Tiger]

My main knock on Dow is that he can’t kick. Unless your a super fit Clarry, that cannot be carried in the modern game.

[one-eyed]

Alger alert

Oakleigh Chargers coach Ash Close has a warning for defenders at 17 AFL clubs when they line up on talented, young Richmond forward Jasper Alger down the track . . .

“He’s going to kick goals on you in different ways. If you’re going to man up on him, you’ve got to be able to get it done in the air and on the ground. He’s fast, so he can get you on a hit-up, but he can also turn you around and get you on a ‘crumb’ or get you out the back,” Close said.

“That’s what’s really intriguing about Jasper.

“I think to be a good forward you want to have many different ways to kick goals, which Jasper has, which is pretty exciting.”

Alger, who turns 18 on December 17, was taken by the Tigers with their last of eight picks (No. 58 overall) at the 2024 national draft.

He debuted with Oakleigh Chargers this year, having previously played in the Coates Talent League for Gippsland Power.

Alger also made his senior debut with Warragul at just 15 years of age.

For the past couple of years, Alger played school football at Caulfield Grammar as well.

 “It was obvious to us pretty quickly that this kid had something special,” Close said.

“We didn’t know Jasper 12 months ago, so we were trying to figure out where his best position was . . . We put him up on a wing, which I think he has the physical attributes to play. But what we probably didn’t showcase was his ability to kick goals, and the ways that he can do that.

“I remember going to a Caulfield game once and seeing him play in front of the ball and thought, oh, he’s a forward.

“I just think that understanding Jasper, and starting to build that coach/player relationship, went a long way for his development . . . And once we found out that was really in front of the ball, we were pretty excited with what he did for the rest of the year.”

https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1702374/alger-alert

[ajGreen]

From the guys who played in the middle last season, only really TT, Hopper, Prestia and Mcauliffe remain that I can think of. Bolton and baker gone (both mainly used fwd anyway), Graham gone. Sonsie isn’t used in midfield for whatever reason, Ross gets played on the wing. Dow, well jury well and truly out on his long term prospects.

So think we have heaps of room for top end talent mids. Especially when you consider Lalor and Hotton are very capable to play forward aswell as the question marks on Prestia and Hoppers continued fitness issues.

Don't know how the jury could possibly still be out on this guy? I suspect they only signed him knowing that the other blokes were leaving.

Been on the list 5 years and could have close to 100 games under his belt by now if he was going to be a good player. Yeah you could argue he was drafted by a premiership team etc but still if he was showing any signs you'd see at least 50-75 games and some Brownlow votes etc.

As things stand he's at 34 games, no votes, and his best year was 2024 when we were ravaged by injury and he managed 17 games averaging 15.6 touches a game, only a third of which are kicks, and about 2 tackles. No scoreboard impact. Not once has he turned a game or hurt an opposition team.


I'd be playing any of the draftees ahead of him from R1 tbh. He's on the list as depth, surely.

Dow has only just turned 23. Stranger things have happened than him turning into an asset. He has shown some good glimpses at times imo.

We are short of small defenders too. Maybe he can slot in there 

Can you think of many players in the modern era, of similar physique and position, that have come good after 5 unremarkable years on a list?

I can't.

The following year we traded our pick to Geelong who took Max Holmes at #20. He's played 75 odd games in a year shorter career, just won a B&F, and just missed out on a premiership medal due to injury IIRC.

Dow won't make it. We've seen nothing to suggest he will ever be a good player imo.

Houi?
Grigg?
Nank?

[ajGreen]

So I don't want to get too ahead of my self but what is the ceiling for this guy?

Nathan brown would be nice but the best player in the league is probably a bridge too far. (Pre injury)

Iirc some draft profiles had toby green as the comparison player. That'd be acceptable too

[Andyy]

From the guys who played in the middle last season, only really TT, Hopper, Prestia and Mcauliffe remain that I can think of. Bolton and baker gone (both mainly used fwd anyway), Graham gone. Sonsie isn’t used in midfield for whatever reason, Ross gets played on the wing. Dow, well jury well and truly out on his long term prospects.

So think we have heaps of room for top end talent mids. Especially when you consider Lalor and Hotton are very capable to play forward aswell as the question marks on Prestia and Hoppers continued fitness issues.

Don't know how the jury could possibly still be out on this guy? I suspect they only signed him knowing that the other blokes were leaving.

Been on the list 5 years and could have close to 100 games under his belt by now if he was going to be a good player. Yeah you could argue he was drafted by a premiership team etc but still if he was showing any signs you'd see at least 50-75 games and some Brownlow votes etc.

As things stand he's at 34 games, no votes, and his best year was 2024 when we were ravaged by injury and he managed 17 games averaging 15.6 touches a game, only a third of which are kicks, and about 2 tackles. No scoreboard impact. Not once has he turned a game or hurt an opposition team.


I'd be playing any of the draftees ahead of him from R1 tbh. He's on the list as depth, surely.

Dow has only just turned 23. Stranger things have happened than him turning into an asset. He has shown some good glimpses at times imo.

We are short of small defenders too. Maybe he can slot in there 

Can you think of many players in the modern era, of similar physique and position, that have come good after 5 unremarkable years on a list?

I can't.

The following year we traded our pick to Geelong who took Max Holmes at #20. He's played 75 odd games in a year shorter career, just won a B&F, and just missed out on a premiership medal due to injury IIRC.

Dow won't make it. We've seen nothing to suggest he will ever be a good player imo.

Houi?
Grigg?
Nank?

Houli 4 years.

Grigg showed plenty and also 4 years.

Bank starved of opportunity and only 2 years.

So all established themselves or showed plenty of talent in 4 or less years.

Dow has had a full 5 years already and showed diddly IMO.

[ajGreen]

Got some information. Apparently Alger played midfield this season.

And was missed when he was out iirc in finals.

[one-eyed]

Yze's tiger cub watch - Jasper Alger

“Jasper had a bit of a hiccup, he tweaked his knee in our first intra-club game, but since then he hasn’t missed a beat. He’s a clever forward. I saw him first-hand last year. He played for Caulfield (Grammar) with my young fella. He’s highly talented. Can mark it, can ‘crumb’, and he’s got a big tank . . . He’ll get an opportunity at some stage, but right now, based on his training load, he’d more likely be at VFL to start.”


https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1728155/yzes-tiger-cub-watch

[one-eyed]

The last part of this video gives the impression that Alger could be debuting this week (?).

VIDEO: https://x.com/Richmond_FC/status/1909803455968923694

[one-eyed]

Jasper Alger will be set to debut for the Tigers this weekend. With an injury concern looming for Maurice it seems like he’ll be the culprit.

https://x.com/CameronHicks__/status/1919965849383010494

[Simonator]

Hope he does. The suggestions that he isn't ready are regardless imo because it's certainly not as though Armstrong and Faull have been ready.
Also he looks to have class and knows where the goals are, something we lack completely from our small fwds.

[Andyy]

Good news.

What's wrong with MRJ from an injury perspective? Form we are well aware of.