AFL Player # 2: Sam Draper - Not playing this weekend due to "knee soreness" - 3/5

[Dave]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2025
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 20, TheUnicorn

 

[brain taylor]

he's a rascal

 

[yodellinhank]

View attachment 1964256

Anyone know if we can buy this jacket?

Everyone has their price, but i doubt it fits you

 

[yodellinhank]

I love a solid dose of campaigner, but sometimes Drapes crosses the line into full on flog territory.

View attachment 1964418

Flogs convention.

 

[eth-dog]

Flogs convention.

Where's your ticket?

 

[nipst@r]

Had a absolute mare last night and probably deserves a week or two in the vfl.

Unfortunately that unpredictability and big personality cult hero status is great when it pays off offensively but last night showed can be a double edged sword when it doesn't come off.

Will bounce back, and goldy needs a rest soon anyway so I think only a week or two in the vfl and should be right to have a go as the no.1 ruck whilst goldy rests.

I hope the umpires dont give him the ginnivan treatment as drapers antics afterwards make the missed htb a bit more embarrassing for them.

They don't like having it rubbed in there faces.

In saying that, the draper hate is way over the top. Yes, he almost cost us the game 3 times and yes deserves to be dropped. However, is still a good yound ruckman, was bound to be a few big bumps on the way. just needs to improve basics.

3 huge moments
50
Bad miss
HTB

maybe next time 3 big moments will be in our favour.

Is Wright guaranteed next week?

 

[Bombers36]

Make him SUB on Anzac day - 2MP might struggle to run out a full game at high intensity so we could just bring him off in the 2nd half or one of our other talls and it wont affect things too much

 

[Zach Package]

I reckon he probably needs to go back to the twos and just ruck whole games out to get a bit of a feel for it and get his motor going. Right now he feels like a bit of a sideshow, and not just because he acts like a clown.

All sizzle, no steak at the moment. Which is annoying because when he’s locked in he’s shown he’s capable of absolutely monstering the best rucks going around.

 

[Call Me Cake]

He is an absolute spud.

I wouldn't go as far as to say he's an absolute spud, just has severe discipline issues on-field and never gets checked for it, which is inhibiting him from taking that next step to being the #1 ruck like he should be.

The fact that we have Goldy around makes it more glaringly obvious now because you can see how a ruckman is supposed to be. Hopefully Goldy can accomplish the other goal he was brought in to do and that's to teach Drapes and Bryan by example in due time.

For now it seems most agree he's in need of a drop for a week or so to drive home the seriousness of competing and to make him fear his spot.

 

[Falcon27]

Needs to get back to basics. Clunking marks, tapping to advantage, kicking the occasional goals. Way too often trying to create a highlight reel. Becomes unpredictable to his teammates. Can't remember a more undisciplined Essendon player. His immaturity drives me crazy

Get back to basics? He’s never demonstrated he can execute the basics. Ever.

 

[nipst@r]

It's interesting with draper that his greatest asset has been physicality and presence.

Durham, caldwell and others have picked this up in the last few weeks around the ball so we probably haven't noticed the good draper does as much.

Has a lot to work on but still brings attributes others can't. Definitely needs some vfl time to work on fundamentals.

Think with many x factors there good and bad is really wide, it's just not usually a ruckman who brings the x factor.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

He is turning into the ruckman equivalent of Sam Frost

8

Sam Frost

Age

30

Ht

194cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.4

3star

K

7.1

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

3.7

4star

T

1.9

4star

MG

191.6

3star

D

10.5

3star

K

6.3

3star

HB

4.3

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.5

2star

MG

191.6

3star

D

11.2

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.4

4star

.

It's tougher for him when he's spending as much time forward as he is. But at some point he needs to switch on and reduce the number of dumb plays he creates from nothing.

 

[Burzum]

He's a massive spud and his spudness almost cost us at the end but he got lucky.

 

[dank420_]

In saying that, the draper hate is way over the top.

He’s not had a great year imo. Wasn’t just about last night. Last night was a demonstration of when it all goes wrong.

 

[JayJ20]

He's not doing enough to carry all of the dumb s**t he does every game. Of all the dumb s**t he's done this year, last night takes the cake. Almost cost us the game because of the momentum-swinging 50 and laying on the ball with 5 seconds to go.

 

[Vander18]

Not as down on Draper as many seem to be.

BUT……he has to make way for Wright IMO. There is no need to play 2 rucks and Goldy is miles ahead.

Diving on the footy was idiotic and the post-game stuff doubly so. Not writing him off by any stretch but the reality check of playing VFL may be timely and helpful on a few levels.

 

[mxett]

His mistakes and sheer lairising outnumber his contribution and highlights. Either he turns this around or he shouldnt be our ruck for much longer

 

[iDon]

I enjoy that he looks like he enjoys playing but his big dumb grin when he stuffs up or has been beaten grinds me too.

Needs a good month in the twos. Fitness, ruck work and learning to impact the play as a forward if we go down this path

 

[Nicholas61]

Didn't look too explosive and the trainer was rubbing his groin later in the match - wonder if those issues are resurfacing.

Couldn't believe he went into the dead pose when laying on the ball was thinking at the time just make it look like you are trying to slap it out or move your head up and down just do something.

 

[bommer16]

He’s got physical presence but too much focus on being a personality in the game. I like him a lot and he’s got potential with an opp to be mentored by one of the best rucks I’ve seen but there’s a time and place to be funny and game day isn’t it. Maybe some time in the vfl will help him refocus, find form and appreciate senior selection. Thank goodness for Goldy’s maturity and experience. He’s contribution has been and will be amazing.

 

[jmoo wan]

it was dumb to flop on the ball but it should’ve been in the back anyway

 

[EnolaGay]

He’s not getting an invite to join MENSA anytime soon.

My love for him has died game by game this season but I’m not writing him off just yet.

I agree with the calls to give him an extended run in the reserves as #1 ruck and let Goldy and Wright ruck in the firsts.

The dumb s**t last night was next level.


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[ant555]

Scotty knows what hes doing. Only Draper would have been able to miss a kick from 30m out directly in front and then seduce the umpire into not giving away a HTB to offer the crows a chance to kick for the win






Id still drop him if Wright is ready to return

I am with you.
His footy IQ is rubbish. Gives away dumb free kicks. Gave away a stupid 50. Almost gave the Crows a chance to win it with his road kill impersonation on the footy and several times after giving away the dumb free kicks he just stood around watching while someone else was on the mark and gave the opposition an extra link player. Then to top it off the only time he does mark it inside 50 he misses the goal by a mile.
Right now he has gone backwards.

 

[ant555]

he needs to be The Man in the ruck imo. goldstein is not helping him at all. and two rucks is not a balanced football team.

I doubt we win 4 games with him in the ruck.

 

[VelvetSledge]

Hoo boy that was a tough watch

 

[srobbo]

Get back to basics? He’s never demonstrated he can execute the basics. Ever.

This.

Can’t kick, doesn’t know what a contested mark is, zero ruck craft, just runs around beating his chest.

I’d drop him for 2MP next week & only use him if he or Goldy need a rest/injured.