recruiting staff note well

This unofficial St Kilda Saints fan forum is for people of all ages to chat Saints Footy and all posts must be respectful.

Moderators: Saintsational Administrators, Saintsational Moderators

Post Reply
bigcarl
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 18350
Joined: Thu 11 Mar 2004 1:36am
Has thanked: 1706 times
Been thanked: 792 times

recruiting staff note well

Post: # 461487Post bigcarl »

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/ ... 42,00.html

how did this kid slip through the net. we should be on the lookout for late developers like westhoff

HERALD SUN

IT'S hard to imagine how a young forward almost two metres tall, who can run all day, take a big mark and rarely misses a shot at goal could have escaped the attention of almost all AFL clubs last year.

And given how Justin Westhoff has burst on to the scene this year, helping Port Adelaide into today's preliminary final against the Kangaroos at AAMI Stadium, the oversight is even more surprising.

The skinny, quietly spoken 20-year-old, who stands at 199cm, was taken at pick No. 71 in last year's national draft.

But his instant impact has belied that ranking.

Despite not making his debut until Round 10, Westhoff has climbed to fourth in the club's goalkicking tally, with 33 goals from 14 games and quickly attained cult hero status.

AFL national talent manager Kevin Sheehan says the other 15 clubs will be left wondering how they ignored a player who seems a star in the making.

"To be taken at 71 and turn it around to have a remarkable year is one of the great ironies of the draft process," Sheehan said.

"You look back now and wonder why it should be that everyone missed him.

"Even Port taking him at 71, they wouldn't have had any inkling he would do this well, (or) they would have taken him earlier."

Sheehan said Westhoff had not been hidden away. He attended a state screening before the draft, at which about 20 South Australian hopefuls were tested in front of recruiters from all 16 clubs.

Only one club other than Port expressed any interest.

Sheehan, who noted retired Essendon champion James Hird was taken at No. 79 in the 1990 national draft, said Westhoff's status as a late-bloomer offers some explanation.

It was only last year that his performances for SANFL club Central District began to attract any attention.

"He wasn't on the national stage at under-16 and under-18 level," Sheehan said.

"I suppose because he's a late developer, they've got no history of being able to measure him against kids from other states.

"It's a bit of a subjective thing, how would he go against one of the players who were early picks, let's say Lachlan Hansen (selected by the Kangaroos at pick No. 3).

"It's hard to get a line through a 20-year-old compared to a 17 or 18-year-old from another state.

"There's not many 19 or 20-year-olds that have been taken in the first round."


Central District coach Roy Laird said Westhoff, who came through the club's juniors and reserves, did not blossom until given his senior SANFL debut in Round 5 last year. He booted four goals and kept his place en route to a grand final.

"Before that he played reserves footy probably for a year and, to be honest, was only just languishing in the reserves," Laird said.

"The moment we put him up to league level last year he was pretty exciting for us."

Laird described Westhoff, from the Barossa Valley town of Tanunda, as a "laconic" country lad, who was perceived as lazy until he lifted his workrate heavily last year at his teammates' urging.

"He probably would be the first one to admit that he didn't get the best out of himself at a younger age, that every grade that he's stepped up to he's taken his game to another level," Laird said.

"I think he's just one of those lads who needed the challenge of a genuine contest from an opponent and that extra level, that higher level, has brought the best out of him."

He has also displayed superb goalkicking accuracy. He started his SANFL career with 20-straight goals and has booted 33.12 in the AFL.

And once Westhoff adds some muscle to his height and endurance, Laird believes "the sky's the limit".


krabb
Club Player
Posts: 1598
Joined: Tue 09 Mar 2004 12:05am
Location: On any beach.
Contact:

Post: # 461582Post krabb »

To give credit where credit's due...

Mick Moylan picked this Kid for Port...he never gets a mention.

He later got the sack from Port and is now a recruiter with West Coast.


User avatar
Saints Premiers 2008
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 4335
Joined: Thu 27 Oct 2005 11:21pm
Location: Brisbane

Post: # 461608Post Saints Premiers 2008 »

how can we look for late bloomers??

its nye on impossible to pick as they...haven't 'bloomed' and shown that they are potentially good afl footballers...

silly suggestion


"It's a work in progress," Lyon said.
User avatar
Otiman
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 7892
Joined: Thu 28 Jul 2005 11:09pm
Location: Elsewhere
Has thanked: 131 times
Been thanked: 476 times

Post: # 461647Post Otiman »

Westhoff was just luck. If port really rated him, they'd have taken him with their second round pick.

As for the Saints and late bloomers, you have to look no further than Andrew Thompson, Clint Jones and Michael Rix. Obviously only 1/3 has been successful (so far), but it shows we aren't afraid to go there.


User avatar
Solar
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 8144
Joined: Wed 10 Mar 2004 12:43pm

Post: # 461709Post Solar »

how about sam fisher, leigh montagna? Both were taken late in the draft. In fact sam is a very good example of what you can find out there. But of course for every late pick smookie you pick up 2-3 others can be flops.


FQF
loyal in the good times and bad
In richo I trust

2013 trade/draft best ever?
Billings - future brownlow medallist Longer - future best ruck
Dunstan - future captain Eli - future cult hero
Acres - future norm smith
spert
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 8817
Joined: Wed 29 Jun 2005 10:39pm
Location: A distant beach
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 380 times

Post: # 461730Post spert »

Williams is a top coach and he has a great eye for what his team needs.


bigcarl
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 18350
Joined: Thu 11 Mar 2004 1:36am
Has thanked: 1706 times
Been thanked: 792 times

Post: # 461773Post bigcarl »

Saints Premiers 2006 wrote:how can we look for late bloomers??

its nye on impossible to pick as they...haven't 'bloomed' and shown that they are potentially good afl footballers...

silly suggestion
as the article suggests you look at how the 19 and 20 year olds are playing rather than purely focusing exclusively on the usual 17-year-olds that every other club is looking at.

try to find the rare player who slips through the cracks like westhoff.

and look for the ones who weren't necessarily on the national stage at 16 or 17 ... as the article also suggests

can't hurt if it turns up a player


User avatar
Oh When the Saints
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 5621
Joined: Wed 29 Mar 2006 4:25pm
Location: QLD
Contact:

Post: # 461779Post Oh When the Saints »

The point is, how many Westhoff's are there in the AFL? 3 or 4?


We have one ... Sam Fisher drafted as a 21-year old. Gun.


They should only play AFL games now when it's raining. Slow games of footy are so much better to watch.
User avatar
stinger
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 38126
Joined: Tue 09 Mar 2004 9:06pm
Location: Australia.

Post: # 461785Post stinger »

well if i had been recruiting for the saints, roden would be now in saints colours ...as well as andrew carrazzo, who just won the blues best and fairest.......

..roden wasn't drafted until the year after i suggested we pick him up....everyone one here said he was too small.......went on to win his second best and fairest before the tigers drafted him...i think he went pick 80 something this time around.......

...carrazzo was overlooked in the draft of his year before the cats rookie listed him......you could tell he could play...too slow posters on here yelled......


.....i would have kept our 6th pick too and drafted salopek......


...how do you think we would have gone this year with those three added to our mid-field......


...it ain't rocket surgery...... :roll: :roll: :roll:


.everybody still loves lenny....and we always will

"Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of a free society,"

However, freedom of expression is not encouraged in certain forums.
bigcarl
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 18350
Joined: Thu 11 Mar 2004 1:36am
Has thanked: 1706 times
Been thanked: 792 times

Post: # 462013Post bigcarl »

Oh When the Saints wrote:The point is, how many Westhoff's are there in the AFL? 3 or 4?


We have one ... Sam Fisher drafted as a 21-year old. Gun.
yeah, exactly. some guys just take a little longer to hit their straps.


GrumpyOne

Post: # 462073Post GrumpyOne »

Choco at Port does not get the credit he deserves as a keen judge of potential talent. Who have Port delisted during his reign there who have made the grade elsewhere?


User avatar
Bernard Shakey
Saintsational Legend
Posts: 11213
Joined: Sun 18 Mar 2007 11:22pm
Location: Down By The River 1989, 2003, 2009 & 2013
Has thanked: 111 times
Been thanked: 130 times

Post: # 462158Post Bernard Shakey »

It aint Choco, it's thetalent scouts.

Maybe Mr Beveridge hasn't been up to it lately.


Old enough to repaint, but young enough to sell
TimeToShineFellas
SS Hall of Fame
Posts: 2007
Joined: Wed 10 Aug 2005 8:01pm
Has thanked: 45 times
Been thanked: 17 times

Post: # 462160Post TimeToShineFellas »

GrumpyOne wrote:Choco at Port does not get the credit he deserves as a keen judge of potential talent. Who have Port delisted during his reign there who have made the grade elsewhere?
Tom Harley ?????


Bono
Club Player
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue 14 Nov 2006 3:35pm

Post: # 462163Post Bono »

Mick Moylan didnt get sacked from Port. He chose to go back to Perth as thats where his family is.


Post Reply