Dragga to be promoted to the senior list

[mightytiges]

Dragga set to fill Tiger need
2:27:31 PM Mon 19 July, 2004
Tony Greenberg
richmondfc.com.au

In a remarkable twist of irony, Marc Dragicevic’s league career at Richmond could be resurrected through a knee reconstruction . . .

Dragicevic, who has undergone two knee reconstructions himself, may find himself given another senior opportunity due to the serious knee injury suffered by Rory Hilton in the Round 15 clash with Essendon at the MCG.

Hilton tore his anterior cruciate ligament and he had knee reconstructive surgery early last week. His season-ending injury has opened the way for Dragicevic to be promoted from Richmond’s rookie list to the senior list.

“Out of adversity and bad luck, I guess, comes opportunity,” said Richmond’s Director of Football, Greg Miller.

“As painful as it is for Rory Hilton, there’s one guy that’s been through plenty of pain himself who may well this week find himself on the positive side of the ledger – and that’s Marc Dragicevic.

“Two knee reconstructions and a delisting at the end of 2003 would be as low as any young footballer could go.

“But all credit to ‘Dragga’ – he stuck at it, he did the pre-season with us, and the Club honored its word to pick him up through the rookie draft.

“To go from a senior list back to a rookie list is not an easy task and it requires a strong mental strength and a real desire to make the grade.”

Dragicevic, 23, has been in superb touch in the midfield for Richmond’s VFL affiliate, the Coburg Tigers, this year and is one of the favorites for the competition’s Best and Fairest award, the Liston Trophy.

“Mark’s form in the VFL this year has been outstanding. He was selected in the VFL squad (for the match against the WAFL) and he’s regularly been in the best players for Coburg.

“After another B.O.G. performance against Springvale last Sunday, this may be the week that the Club decides to give him another opportunity. I’d suspect that the match committee would be considering Marc very closely.

“The AFL rules allow you to put players on the long-term injury list and upgrade rookies up until after Round 18, so we certainly have the opportunity to do that with Dragga. And, there’d be no-one more deserving with all the hard work that he’s put in . . .”

• Meanwhile, reigning Jack Dyer Medallist, Mark Coughlan, emerged unscatched from his comeback match with the Coburg Tigers yesterday.

Coughlan, who has been sidelined since Round 5 this season with a groin injury, played a half and gathered eight possessions.

“I’m yet to see how he pulled up, but he certainly got through the game okay,” Miller said.

“He was puffing and blowing as you’d expect after so much footy off.”

The Tigers plan to give Coughlan a couple more runs in the VFL before considering him for AFL selection.

“In AFL football today, it’s just too hard to come in after such a long lay-off as Mark’s had.

“But at least we had him back out there yesterday and that was a good sign,” Miller said.

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=161104

[WilliamPowell]

Good news!

Dragga has been outstanding all season for Coburg. Has not favoured his knee at all - in actual fact he has probably shown more confidence in his knee this time round than he did after his reco.

He deserves a chance and I hope he takes it and makes the most of it.

[Harry]

Good move I say.

The more players we move through the team the better.  We are in an experimental stage and changes to the team should come thick and fast.  Team stability shouldn't be looked at until enough players are given a go.

Let him play the rest of the season.  Also somehow promote Foley and give him a run as he's also played well for Coburg lately.  Also give Gilmour and Raines a run.

Even though I don't think Dragga has what it takes to tear games apart, I'd rather see him given a go than see duds like Chaffey, Gaspar, Fiora, Kellaway, Fleming, Rodan etc constantly named.

[Ox]

Yebemti Miko Pitchku Dragacevic !!!
 

Good luck Mark and welcome back.

[JohnF]

roflmfaoooooooooOOOOOx

[Bulluss]

Its all credit to Dragga that he has worked his way back to the seniors.

He needed a kick in the arse and got that pre-season. i spoke to him just before the season started and  he was very focused on winning a spot back on the senior list.

If he does well and continues his career over the next few years it will be a great story. He can play and is very good at taking the ball away from stopages which we really are lacking at the moment.

[one-eyed]

Dragaicevic set to rewrite ending
20 July 2004   
Herald Sun
Mark Stevens

RICHMOND is on the brink of reviving the career of Marc Dragicevic – just eight months after seemingly killing it off.

The Tigers match committee will meet today to consider elevating the 23-year-old off the rookie list.

After a string of consistent performances in the VFL, Dragicevic has left the club with no choice but to consider him for Sunday's clash with Melbourne at the MCG.

It would be an amazing comeback considering Dragicevic has had two knee reconstructions and was axed by the Tigers in November.

Richmond football manager Greg Hutchison confirmed last night Dragicevic was in the mix after a best-on-ground performance for Coburg against the St Kilda-aligned Springvale on Sunday.

"The match committee has had a brief look at the team today and they'll have another look tomorrow and make a decision then whether or not to promote `Draga' off the rookie list," Hutchison said.

"His form's been really good in the VFL all year and he was outstanding at the weekend.

"He's been playing onball and with (Wayne) Campbell out of the side at the moment we're a bit devoid of another midfielder."

If Dragicevic is promoted and plays the final six matches in the seniors, it will cost the Tigers almost $16,000.

As a rookie, Dragicevic's weekly pay is $480. If he is reborn as a senior-listed player for the next six weeks, his weekly pay will double to $961.

The Tigers would also have to fork out $2150 for every game Dragicevic plays in the seniors.

"There is a financial cost, but it's not a hugely significant one," Hutchison said.

"I know we are struggling for money, but if the player concerned is playing well enough to warrant a promotion, the match committee will put it to me and see where we go with it."

The Tigers would have to place a player on the long-term injury list to make room for Dragicevic, with knee victim Rory Hilton the prime candidate.

Dragicevic has been so hot this season he is considered a strong chance for the VFL's Liston Trophy.

If he gets the nod this week, he will have six weeks to prove he can cut it or will again face the chop.

"Sometimes the form in the VFL can be a little bit misleading by virtue of the fact they play on smaller grounds," Hutchison said. "Once you see them again out on the bigger ground, that's when you're able to make up your mind again."

Dragicevic, a hugely popular player, missed most of the 2001 season and all of 2002 with serious injuries to his left knee.

He avoided injury in 2003, but could manage only three senior games despite the Tigers' woes.

Coach Danny Frawley delivered the news he would be delisted, hitting him like a sledgehammer. His career stalled at 46 games.

Dragicevic swallowed his pride and took up an offer to train through the pre-season with the Tigers. He was rewarded when the club picked him up in the rookie draft.

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,10186522%255E19771,00.html

[Harry]

In a weird sort of way, having the knee reco's and being delisted was probably the best thing that could have happened to Dragga during a period where the tigers have slumped to an all time low.

This has forced Dragga to re-invent himself to the type of player that he had the best chance of becoming successful as - an inside, in and under midfielder. 

People might remember that Frawley was using Dragga as an outside midfielder/forward flanker/pocket type impact player before his knee injury.  His lack of pace and lack of precise disposal would have ensured he didn't last in this role, especially under the guidance of Frawley where many others have failed.

A break away from the Frawley controlled inner sanctum, and a new lease of life as Coburgs main inside midfielder was the best thing that could have happened to Dragga, as he could slowly gain confidence and momentum in a position completely compatible to his physical make-up.

If he remained injury free under the guidance of Frawley, he would have become an ineffectual bench impact player that would have spent alot of time going up and down from Richmond and Coburg, slowly losing confidence, unable to settle down and not having the opportunity to play enough game time in his optimal position.

[WilliamPowell]

In a weird sort of way, having the knee reco's and being delisted was probably the best thing that could have happened to Dragga during a period where the tigers have slumped to an all time low.

This has forced Dragga to re-invent himself to the type of player that he had the best chance of becoming successful as - an inside, in and under midfielder. 

People might remember that Frawley was using Dragga as an outside midfielder/forward flanker/pocket type impact player before his knee injury.  His lack of pace and lack of precise disposal would have ensured he didn't last in this role, especially under the guidance of Frawley where many others have failed.

A break away from the Frawley controlled inner sanctum, and a new lease of life as Coburgs main inside midfielder was the best thing that could have happened to Dragga, as he could slowly gain confidence and momentum in a position completely compatible to his physical make-up.

If he remained injury free under the guidance of Frawley, he would have become an ineffectual bench impact player that would have spent alot of time going up and down from Richmond and Coburg, unable to settle down and not having enough opportunity to play enough game time in his optimal position.

Excellent post Harry H - you raise some great points.

In particular regarding being a bench player. I really do wonder at times how much effect this constant sitting on the bench for long periods has had and has on the confidence of our younger players.  In so many cases it appears to have done more harm than good.

A lot of credit should go to Dragga too - he has worked bloody hard to get back.

[JohnF]

It's a great story for him to work his way back, but let's not kid ourselves, we all know that he's not up to it. But hey, more than haf our list isn't up to it, so I wish him all the best and hope he gain's a spot on the list next year after we rid ourselves of about 10 drongos.

[om21]

Good luck to the guy....

I personally dont rate him....

I still cant get that Adelaide game out of my head.

[gustiger12]

Yebemti Miko Pitchku Dragacevic !!!
 

Good luck Mark and welcome back.

Hey Ox I actually understand that..........Didn't realise you had that blood in you

[gustiger12]

JohnF good to see you are still king of the Avatars ROFLMAO at that one.

[JohnF]

lmfaoooooo gus, I'd like to take the credit for it, but it was due to Ox's depraved mind that I landed that little jiggling plumpster.  He actually found it for me.

lmfaooooooo@giving credit to Ox for being depraved

[mightytiges]

Tiger given a new chance
By Peter Ker
realfooty.theage.com.au
July 22, 2004

Forgotten Richmond player Marc Dragicevic is almost certain to make a fairytale return to AFL football on Sunday when the Tigers tackle Melbourne at the MCG.

However, Nathan Brown is expected to miss the match after failing to train at Punt Road Oval yesterday.

Dragicevic's stop-start career took a turn for the better this week when he was promoted from the Tigers' rookie list to replace the seriously injured Rory Hilton.

Coach Danny Frawley said yesterday that a solid training session would almost guarantee Dragicevic a place in Sunday's side.

"If he trains well today, he is just about a certainty," he said. "His form has been very good, so we will see how it goes at AFL level. If it's not this week, it will be next week."

Dragicevic, who was drafted in November 1998, has had his budding career stalled by two knee reconstructions.

He was delisted at the end of last season after 46 games of senior football, but thrown a lifeline by the Tigers in the form of a place on the rookie list.

If he takes to the field on Sunday, it will be his first AFL game since round 16 last year against Collingwood.

"It would be a terrific story, probably me more than most have been really patient with him after coming off two horrible knees," Frawley said.

"He has been dealt some really cruel blows with his knees and hopefully he gets an opportunity to play some league football, which probably after two (reconstructions) you would have thought would be fairly slim."

With a clean-out of the playing list likely at Punt Road Oval after this season, Dragicevic will effectively be playing for his career if given a chance in coming weeks.

Frawley said the 23-year-old could take inspiration from the recent form of Port Adelaide's Michael Wilson and Richmond's own Darren Gaspar, who have both returned from serious knee troubles.

"Look at Michael Wilson's form, he has come back and played some really good footy now and it's probably where Darren Gaspar is at, too. He is going to be playing some great footy next year so it does take a while," he said.

Despite the fact that the lowly Tigers could still claim a priority draft pick this season, Frawley said he was not convinced that the present system of awarding priority picks was the best.

"I think it makes sense to probably do it over a two-year period," he said.

"It's different if you win the premiership, but it seems hard if you finish fourth, fifth or ninth - basically in the middle of nowhere - and the team on the bottom gets two picks before you even get one."

http://realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2004/07/21/1090089217138.html