Craig Bird in u18 Rams game

[liz]

Did anyone get along to Telstra Stadium early enough to watch the warm-up game?

I got there at half-time (after driving from the SCG to watch the reserves) and was quite impressed by Bird. He's now 'top-age' so probably was expected to dominate but he certainly commanded the Rams' midfield very well. I'd be interested to know how many clearances he got - would have to be comfortably double figures in the second half alone.

The bad news is that, apart from the clearance ability, many of his attributes are not those at the top of the shopping list - ie he's not quick and while his kicking looked better than the likes of Bolton and Mathews, it doesn't look top shelf either. He also looked a bit overweight to me, for an 18yo anyway, which was surprising because last year playing with the reserves he looked fairly skinny.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Was also impressed by the Rams' no 2 (Davies?) who I think is a Bombers' apprentice. Didn't dominate but showed a good turn of speed. And the guy playing at FF marked just about everything - I gather he's an Adelaide apprentice (Taylor something).

From the NT team, Cyril Rioli showed a lot of class. I gather he's touted as a fairly high draft pick for this year.

[ugg]

The Adelaide apprentice is Taylor Walker. Has been kicking bags for fun in their matches against TAC sides. The BF Adelaide board has been talking him up big time.

AFL.com.au results: http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=45868

[reigning premier]

Excellent... We might be able to recruit a young, gun midfielder...

But what are the chances we'll actually get him???

[Industrial Fan]

Isn't he already effectively ours? As far as I understood, we have to give a late draft pick to secure him if we so choose.

[Damien]

Isn't he already effectively ours? As far as I understood, we have to give a late draft pick to secure him if we so choose.

Yeah he is a dead cert if we want him.

[Justice]

Saw the whole game and he looks a really solid (skills and size) all round player. As stated by Liz, he had multiple ruck clearances where he gather the tap and burst into space delivering a kick into the forward 50. He also took a number of solid marks under pressure and racked up possessions by hand and foot. He kicked with either foot during the game with mixed results.

Given that he is 'apprenticed' to Sydney, they would be mad not to nominate thier last draft pick to ensure he is a listed player for 2008.

Cheers

Sean

[Ruda Wakening]

Was also impressed by the Rams' no 2 (Davies?) who I think is a Bombers' apprentice. Didn't dominate but showed a good turn of speed. And the guy playing at FF marked just about everything - I gather he's an Adelaide apprentice (Taylor something).



I was impressed by Scott Reed.

[liz]

I was impressed by Scott Reed.

I had a look out for him since Collingwood fans all seem to think he's the best thing since sliced bread (or at least, since Martin Clark). Found it very hard to spot him because he never seemed to be close to the ball.

Maybe he had a good first half?

[Northern_Swan]

Did I not read somewhere that Bird had been out for a few weeks with injury? That may go some way to explaining a possible 'heavyness' on the track??

[ugg]

Kevin Sheehan's report:

http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=45913

[ugg]

My spies tell me Craig Bird had another dominant game in the muddy Geelong today against Queensland. Kicked a few goals as well. NSW/ACT won by about 9 goals.

[liz]

Results are up on the AFL board but I've just closed the window and it takes so long to load that most frustating of websites that I can't be bothered to go back and get the link.

He kicked three goals and was named as the last of the best players - though one wonders whether he is marked according to expectations. Ranga was named as the Rams' best. Also noted Bruest named amongst the best - he's been one of the occasional top-ups for the twos this year.

[ugg]

Couldn't find anything on afl.com.au about today's game. Found this video with Kevin Sheehan and Andrew Maher on the first round of games. Has footage of Bird in action: http://bigpondguide.com/07u18sp1_1_

Other players that impressed my mate included Ranga, Bruce, McGregor, Davies and Davis.

[Bas]

I was impressed by Scott Reed.

Central Coast boy and WILL be future champion. Outstanding athlete and can play several different games and does.

How the knuckledraggers found him up here, I don't know.

[smasher]

In 2004 it was Jarred Moore who starred for the Victorian metro team,was all Australian and won an individual award as well.
Look where he is now.Languishing in a reserves team that gets no opposition so he just cruises around getting kicks.Many of his teamates from that Vic team are established AFL senior players now!
It is stories like this that make me non interested in what goes on in the under 18s as it seems to be luck of the draw at seasons end.

[sWAns63]

In 2004 it was Jarred Moore who starred for the Victorian metro team,was all Australian and won an individual award as well.
Look where he is now.Languishing in a reserves team that gets no opposition so he just cruises around getting kicks.Many of his teamates from that Vic team are established AFL senior players now!
It is stories like this that make me non interested in what goes on in the under 18s as it seems to be luck of the draw at seasons end.What we need is a Swans reserve side in a combined Qld-NSW league incorporating a NT side as well.

[Nico]

In 2004 it was Jarred Moore who starred for the Victorian metro team,was all Australian and won an individual award as well.
Look where he is now.Languishing in a reserves team that gets no opposition so he just cruises around getting kicks.Many of his teamates from that Vic team are established AFL senior players now!
It is stories like this that make me non interested in what goes on in the under 18s as it seems to be luck of the draw at seasons end.

We don't genuinely blood players. 20% game time on the isolated occasion in the ones does nothing for development, particularly in a game at Telsra Dome when the so called established midfield(Snail Brigade) were playing like dogs.

[ugg]

Article on Bird and NSW/ACT: http://realfooty.com.au/news/news/bird-one-of-many-sydney-kids-on-rise/2007/07/07/1183351514820.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1

[nomae]

What we need is a Swans reserve side in a combined Qld-NSW league incorporating a NT side as well.

thats a lot of travelling for players, many of them only part-timers.

[giant]

Bird was interviewed (very badly) by Rohan Smith at half time of one of the games yesterday. He's not big.

[liz]

The final round of the div 2 U18 Champs were played today and the Rams comfortably took care of Tasmania to finish on top, unbeaten.

Bird was named as the Rams' best and won the Div 2 B&F medal for the championships.

http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=47013

Great to see how much better NSW/ACT have done this year. Last year they were made to look ordinary by all their opponents.

Ranga was named as the second best, coming off a BOG performance against Queensland last week. Geelong obviously has first dibs on him, as he's a scholarship holder. Does anyone know how the scholarship system interacts with the Swans' NSW priority rookie selections? Geelong can put him on their senior list with their final pick in the draft but if they choose not to, do they still have first dibs on him as a rookie, or do the Swans then get first dibs under the priority system? Given how few NSW boys have been drafted in recent years, he'd still be a long shot to be considered worthy of a senior spot by Geelong but there was certainly something appealing about him in the early season games he played with our reserves team as a top-up.

Ruda will be pleased to see that Scott Reed was also named in the best for the Rams in today's game.

[DST]

From what I understand, if Geelong don't list him before the draft as their fourth round pick then he will be open to everyone at the draft and then if no one takes him then or at the pre season draft he will be available to be listed as priority rookie by the Swans before the Rookie Draft.

Will be very interesting to see if Geelong take him as you would think with their current list and no likely retirements (other than King) then they would be very unlikely to delist more than the minimum of three players and would probably re draft back one or so of those. Not to mention their senior rookie list as well regarding possible up grading to the senior list.

I was in the area today and almost got out of the car to have a look at the game today, just to see what Bird looked like on the field. From all reports he was tracking for a second rounder, possibly late first so he will be a good get for a fourth rounder.

DST
:D

[liz]

From all reports he was tracking for a second rounder, possibly late first so he will be a good get for a fourth rounder.

DST
:D

It's hard to know really. Although it's very encouraging the way he's been the dominant player in his team - and led the team to success - it must be borne in mind that

a) he's a solidly built young man, which can be a big advantage at underage level but others soon catch up

b) he's already left school and, as he told us in that article linked a few posts back, he's been training fulltime with the Swans for most of this season.

It is therefore to be expected that he would dominate at the level he's currently playing. If he wasn't, it would probably say more about his AFL likelihood than the fact he is.

Still, it would be exceedingly surprising if the Swans didn't pick him up. Maybe we'll see him and Schmidt together, bustling opposition midfielders around in the centre square in a few years time.

[DST]

Still, it would be exceedingly surprising if the Swans didn't pick him up. Maybe we'll see him and Schmidt together, bustling opposition midfielders around in the centre square in a few years time.

With all the work they have put into him, only chance he wouldn't be drafted is if he had a shocking carnival.

Reports suggest he has not only played well, but dominated the three games which shows he is willing to push himself even if he is finding it easy.

Other snipets of goss from the carnival also suggest that this years crop is very even and is probably top heavy with height. Will mean that good recruiters should be able to extract value later in the draft due to it's eveness.

DST
:D

[liz]

Just read that Ranga doesn't turn 17 until August of this year, meaning that he's next year's crop, not this year's. Makes his BOG and second on the best list in the last game even more impressive.

[bandwagon]

Maybe we'll see him and Schmidt together, bustling opposition midfielders around in the centre square in a few years time.

Would there be room on our list for Bird, Moore and Schmidt? It sounds as if they play very roles and have similar physical attributes.

[Jeffers1984]

Birdy was ranked 5th on the overall performances from June 23 to July 11

5 ? Craig Bird ? NSW/ACT

Born: 21 January 1989, Height: 178cm, Weight: 76kg, Club: Nelson Bay

Capped off a super carnival with the Harrison Medal for second division's best player, Bird racked up 33 possessions against Tasmania at Victoria Park. His clearance work was outstanding ? he won 13 ? and he also laid six tackles for the match.

Source: http://www.afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=47118

[DST]

Would there be room on our list for Bird, Moore and Schmidt? It sounds as if they play very roles and have similar physical attributes.

You could say that, but Bird will come to us the most highly rated of the three.

DST
:D

[Nico]

The small paper in Melbourne today they said that the midfielders in this draft were not in abundance as in past drafts, so if he has made the national under 18 team and B&F in Div 2 then has to have been close to the best midfielder in the carnival. That in turn puts him at the top of midfielders in the draft and rated at least in the top 15, which means we would be foolish not to take him.

Soundas almost ready made.

[chuckie]

We need key position players. It's no use drafting good midfielders cause all we do is turn them into taggers instead of letting them show abit of flair.
If we had of drafted Chris Judd back when he was first available by now he might be a reasonable back pocket player.

[Jeffers1984]

Birdy named U18 All Australian suprise suprise. Won the best and fairest for division 2 and captained NSW/ACT to the division 2 title.

Not bad.

Hopefully Tom Collier can last till our first round pick this year. Looks the goods as a KPP backman and is Tasmanian to boot for Satchmo.

[reigning premier]

We need key position players. It's no use drafting good midfielders cause all we do is turn them into taggers instead of letting them show abit of flair.
If we had of drafted Chris Judd back when he was first available by now he might be a reasonable back pocket player.


That, my friend... is dead set 24 carat RWO GOLD...... :D

[Nico]

We need key position players. It's no use drafting good midfielders cause all we do is turn them into taggers instead of letting them show abit of flair.
If we had of drafted Chris Judd back when he was first available by now he might be a reasonable back pocket player.


Where pray tell then, did we go wrong with Jude Bolton. He couldn't tag a shiela in the bedroom he is that slow. Even with his inability to tag he doesn't have any flair.