Senior Hugh McCluggage (2016-)

[Elixuh]

Bio:

Former club: North Ballarat Rebels
Age: -
Height: 185cm
Weight: 75kg
Position: Midfielder

Little wonder the creative, goalkicking midfielder was a candidate for the No. 1 pick in the 2016 NAB AFL Draft given he won the TAC Cup's Morrish Medal and was Vic Country's MVP at the under-18 carnival, averaging 21 possessions (nine contested). The silky-skilled North Ballarat Rebel tallied 25 goals in 12 TAC Cup games, including nine multiple-goal efforts, and displays great poise and maturity. A quad injury ruled him out of the NAB AFL Draft Combine.

The Brisbane Lions have taken North Ballarat Rebels midfielder Hugh McCluggage at Pick No. 3 in tonight’s NAB AFL National Draft in Sydney.

McCluggage is an elite ball-winner with fantastic foot skills, but his forward-half efficiency makes him a truly special talent.

He can finish with precision both on the run and from set-shots, which led to him booting 25 goals from 12 games in the TAC Cup this season with an average of 27.9 disposals.

HUGH McCLUGGAGE: 186cm/76kg, 3/3/98

• Vic Country / North Ballarat Rebels
• Hybrid Mid – Hybrid Forward
• 2016 AA Midfielder, VC Most valuable Player, Morrish Medal Winner
• Long running, goal kicking mid – averaging 28p/2.1g per game at TAC Cup level this year.

http://www.lions.com.au/news/2016-11-25/pick-3-hugh-mccluggage

Articles:

Let's start with his North Ballarat Rebels form, where he averaged 27 disposals and six clearances in 12 games, and booted 25 goals. That's an exceptional return up forward for a midfielder, showing his attacking tendencies. This is what separates him from the pack: McCluggage hurts other teams. His possessions are meaningful.

He was Vic Country's most consistent player and judged its most valuable at the under-18 carnival, averaging 20 disposals and lifting when his side needed a burst of brilliance. His kicking is neat, tidy and effective, he's good above his head to take marks, and he is relatively quick without being explosive.

Plenty of McCluggage's best traits are hard to measure. But he creates space in congestion – for himself and teammates – his handballing is creative and top-shelf, and he doesn't panic under pressure. The best players make things happen without ever looking like they're going to be caught with the ball – McCluggage is in that company.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-11-09/tomorrows-heroes-hugh-mccluggage-a-deserving-no1-pick

AS the battle at the bottom of the AFL ladder reached its final stages in late August, one interested onlooker watched it unfold perhaps more nervously than most.

In the knowledge that one single game could decide the future of her son, Hugh McCluggage’s mother was busy doing the maths to determine who would receive the first draft selection.

Then the hot favourite to be claimed with Pick 1 in this Friday’s national draft, McCluggage saw it a bit differently.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/hug...t/news-story/16d87a7b3d3be308e287180cc46b48c0

When Hugh McCluggage was six he would spend hours out the back of his family's house near Warrnambool, working on the dairy farm. He had to be dragged inside for a bath at the end of every day and when his parents asked what he wanted to do when he grew up, he told them he would be more than happy to stay there driving the tractor. Then along came cricket. And football. And tennis. "I enjoyed the farm," he said. "But then I found out there were other things to do."

His world has kept expanding ever since. As a 15-year-old McCluggage played in the same cricket team as his father and an uncle, winning a one-day final with them. He made the local paper that year, for getting caught on 99. The next winter he got a phone call one night from the South Warrnambool football coach, asking if he was ready to play his first game for the senior team the next day. I want to, he said, but you'd better let me call mum and dad. "I was nervous, but I was keen to play. It took about an hour to convince them that I'd be OK."

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-ne...-to-top-after-solid-year-20161113-gsoa4q.html



Highlights:











https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkLK3JLIlMk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EItbvGW9rl4

 

[PaddleFoot]

McLovin

 

[HereIam86]

 

[lionshine]

You know you've drafted a gun when the guy you get at pick 3 is considered a steal. Another elite, top three draft prospect to add to Schache. This guys season was phenomenal. We've just added one of the best junior midfielders of all time to our list. Morrish Medalist despite only playing 12 TAC Cup games, MVP for Vic Country in the U18 Champs, 20 odd disposals and 4 goals in the All Stars match. This guy is a freak. Classy, goal kicking midfielders are a rare breed and Hugh McCluggage is one of the best to come through the junior system.

TAC Cup stats from his 12 games(Disposals and goals):

20 disposals 2 goals
25 disposals 1 goal
36 disposals 5 goals
30 disposals
27 disposals 2 goals
36 disposals 3 goals
25 disposals 2 goals
37 disposals 2 goals
25 disposals 4 goals
29 disposals 2 goals
20 disposals 2 goals
25 disposals

So as you can see he failed to kick a goal in just two games and in 9 games out of 12 he kicked 2 goals or more. The exciting thing about McCluggage is he makes those around him better. He puts teammates in space with a classy handball or kick, his delivery inside 50 is outstanding and he kicks goals so he probably only needs 20 disposals to have a big impact on the game and yet he has shown the ability to rack the disposals up.

Hopefully Beamsy can stay fit next year because I'd love to see two inside/outside midfielders who can find the footy and kick goals playing together in our midfield in Dayne Beams and Hugh McCluggage. The master and the apprentice.

 

[deklares]

2.37 - CLASS

 

[jjami15]

2.37 - CLASS

That's good but I'll raise ya with 3.37. Handpass up to his head, takes it in his left, swaps to his right and in 1/2 step goals from a tight angle and made it look easy. That's what he does, just makes the hard stuff look easy.

 

[Gibbo_88]

Knightmare

1. Hugh McCluggage (VIC)
Position: Outside midfield
Height, weight: 185cm, 75kg
Recruited from: North Ballarat Rebels
Plays like: Jason Akermanis
Projected draft range: top five
Rated last month: 1
Rationale behind ranking/change of ranking: Arguably this year's best performed under-18 prospect and only getting better. Scoreboard impact, ground-ball winning, precision ball use and production a rare combination. Ranked top three for North Ballarat Rebels in all 12 games played.
Strengths:
- Production
- Freakish cleanness at ground level
- Brilliant finisher from all angles both from set shots and general play
- Lowers eyes and by foot finds inside 50m targets
- Excellent crumber who gets to right positions, quickly and cleanly gaining possession
- Instant decision-maker with ball in hand
- Quick and efficient execution of skills by hand and foot
- Confidence to play on or move ball on quickly
- Keeps his feet and has natural balance
- Football smarts
- Reads ruck taps
- Strong, clean hands overhead
- Marking threat in the air and on the lead
- Tackling energy/pressure
- Works hard on outside to find space, creates option outside stoppages and provides overlap run
- Acceleration to break away from stoppages
- Outside run and carry
- Rapid rate of improvement
- Consistency
- Rate of performance this season given limited preseason suggest substantial upside
- Suited to playing both as a forward and as a midfielder
Weaknesses:
- Light-bodied and can get pushed around in the contest
- Attack on the ball
- More a ground-ball winner than a contested-ball winner, with the hard ball something he would benefit from winning more of

Quigley

4. Hugh McCluggage

I am actually tempted to drop him down further as I really do see some holes in his midfield game but at the end of the day I think you have to reward his performance over the year. He got a heap of the ball this year and just kept standing up time after time and when it counted as well. I like him up forward and think he could be really good as a half forward flank. It is just in the midfield that I have some concerns.

McCluggage came from the clouds a bit this year. He was not in many people's top 25 coming into the year and coming off a back injury he has been a bolter. He has continued to excel at every change in level over the course of the year right to the end of the year where he was very influential in the All Star game.

So what are my issues with him? First up, have a close look at his kicking. He looks really nice when he kicks the ball, he is very stylish, and he will make some nice kicks each game which causes many people to overlook the fact that he misses many targets you expect him to hit. Another thing which everyone raves about is his hands. I accept that he seems to do well up forward with the ball on the ground but when he is in the midfield he fumbles a lot. When under pressure, whether it is picking up a ball on the bounce or from handball receives, he double clutches very regularly and that is going to allow him to shut down when the players are so much quicker at AFL level and his options will be reduced.

McCluggage does not read the ball off ruck hands particularly well and a lot of the clearances he gets come from picking the ball up off the ground. I see him being useful at AFL level inside but I doubt he will ever be considered to be a specialist in that part of the ground. He gets buffeted around a fair bit in the contest and loses his feet a bit too easily. He also does not really mix it up physically and can shy away from committing his body on occasions. He doesn't need to throw himself stupidly into contests but when it is his turn he has to be willing to get involved and that is not always the case at the moment.

Defensively McCluggage does not work as hard at the moment as he will need to. He is one of those who just seems to cruise around the field at 3/4 pace most of the time anyway but too often he can be seen trailing behind the play when it is going the other way. He is a capable if not particularly willing tackler.

Okay that is plenty of negativity about a guy who really is a very good prospect. He is a very smart player who knows where to run and when especially up forward. He is elite when it comes to reading the play and interjecting himself at the right time and place. He finds space up forward and creates goal scoring options where others would not. When he has the ball he is composed and does not seem flustered even when he is in the grasp. He knows where everyone is around him and takes the right options. He is virtually always a participant in possession chains as his team moves forward, often more than once. He gets his team going in the right direction and he moves it on quickly and well and is capable of accumulating a lot of ball.

Up forward he is a very good mark and reads the ball in the air well. He is a guy who will float in from the side and mark the ball in front of the pack with him just reading it that bit better than others. He has very good goal sense and has all the tricks as far as the ability to finish around goals. His set shot is good although I would not say elite.

I do like McCluggage but I do worry that he might lack a few tools in his midfield kit bag. This is one where I could easily be wrong and he could end up a champion of the game. He certainly has done everything asked of him this year.

 

[Dom PC]

Watching those highlights, the way he moves with with ball reminds me of Trent Cotchin.

Hopefully he can have a solid preseason and have a good run at playing some senior games next year

 

[Dizzle]

Seems to have instinctive decision making qualities, gives the first option which more often than not is the right one rather than make something impossible happen. If nothing is there he slams it on the boot forward.

Look forward to Clugger being involved in chains that end with darts onto the chest of Schache and Hipwood, or quick hands that end with Rich, Zorks (and Allison?) slamming goals through from 60.

On the basis of those highlights doesn't bite off more than he can chew, but he looks like he can chew plenty.

 

[lionshine]

http://www.lions.com.au/video/2016-11-30/mccluggages-first-day

 

[BRAB]

Hugh will wear number 6 next year.

 

[lionshine]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-12-16/four-potential-skippers-emerge-as-lions-look-to-change-culture

Fagan also raved about the early signs shown by the club's draftees, highlighted by No.3 NAB AFL Draft selection Hugh McCluggage.

"McCluggage has special abilities," he said.

"He's one of those blokes with the footy chip inside him. He has that special ability, in all our competitive games where he seems to have his hands on the ball a lot and uses it pretty well."

 

[Dylan12]

 

[ZoBlitz]

 

[ZoBlitz]

Liked the look of: 12 eyecatchers from JLT week one

There's always pressure on high draft picks walking into lowly clubs and that's no different for McCluggage. The No.3 pick from last year's crop started his Lions career in fine fashion. It was more the quality – rather than quantity – of disposals that caught the eye with the young Victorian. He finished with 14 touches and whether it was a deft handball out of trouble in defence in the opening half or a second effort to get the ball inside 50 later in the match, McCluggage had composure many players his senior would envy. The teenager will play a variety of roles this season, but based on Sunday's evidence, should get plenty of opportunities.

 

[Milux]

I actually thought he struggled a little. Which probably shouldn't surprise any of us as alot of our players did. But there was definatly enough shown to hint he can be special. I liked his second effort to get the ball inside 50 in the second half. Shows he wants to make a difference and wants the ball in hand.

 

[Cockliff38]

Still going at $10 for Rising Star... just sayin'

 

[Nunez]

I actually thought he struggled a little. Which probably shouldn't surprise any of us as alot of our players did. But there was definatly enough shown to hint he can be special. I liked his second effort to get the ball inside 50 in the second half. Shows he wants to make a difference and wants the ball in hand.

I think in the first qtr he struggled due to the sheer speed difference in the firsts. Who wouldn't struggle? He got over that hurdle and was quite serviceable. To be quite serviceable in your very first afl game is huge and the reason people are hyping him up.

 

[Milux]

I think in the first qtr he struggled due to the sheer speed difference in the firsts. Who wouldn't struggle? He got over that hurdle and was quite serviceable. To be quite serviceable in your very first afl game is huge and the reason people are hyping him up.

Fair points. As I said i was pritty stoked with his second effort for the forward 50 entry (even though he sprayed both disposals).

I (like most lions fans) have really high hopes for this young fellow.

 

[chopperduck]

He still has a pretty young light body as well. His ability in the seniors will be restricted a little by that. But he has a good feel for the game and knows how to play. Will be managed this year but developed in the seniors for sure you'd think.

 

[Nunez]

He still has a pretty young light body as well. His ability in the seniors will be restricted a little by that. But he has a good feel for the game and knows how to play. Will be managed this year but developed in the seniors for sure you'd think.

That's what I love - he will be good and best 22 with a stick figure body - imagine when he gets an adults body?

 

[lionshine]

That's what I love - he will be good and best 22 with a stick figure body - imagine when he gets an adults body?

Can see him developing into a Robbie Gray type. A smooth moving classy midfielder who brings others into the game and yet has the ability to go forward and slot some goals as well.

 

[Nunez]

Can see him developing into a Robbie Gray type. A smooth moving classy midfielder who brings others into the game and yet has the ability to go forward and slot some goals as well.

I think he'll be similat to Lappin personally. Although I'd settle for either haha.

 

[Lace Out]

Will be a delight to watch,defo 200 gamer,top 10 Brownlow 2-3 times in my prognosticationary view.

 

[lionshine]

Will be a delight to watch,defo 200 gamer,top 10 Brownlow 2-3 times in my prognosticationary view.

That prediction is a little conservative for my liking.