Nathan Freeman

[damienc]

Can anyone enlighten us on how Nathan Freeman is progressing?

He's played a couple of VFL games without injury.

But he's hardly set the world on fire from what I gather. Not trying to be harsh or mean spirited.

He missed a lot of footy with his injuries. Having repeated hamstring problems in both legs must dent the confidence.

I guess what I am trying to say is that I would have liked to have seen him have a greater impact in the twos than he appears to be having.

But I haven't seen him play. Hence the question.

[whiskers3614]

Not since Tommy Walsh have so many words been spoken and written about a bloke who has yet to play a game!

Fingers and everything else crossed for the young fellow and the club.

[freely]

I notice he's been dropped to the development team this week. Although I've never seen the development team play. Is that the way to see it? That he's been 'dropped'? I recall early in the piece he ripped it up at that level, so maybe we're trying to coax him back up to speed.

[shrodes]

I don't care if he gets 5 possessions a game at VFL, so long as he doesn't ping that hammy again. He needs to develop his game sense and re-learn the speed of footy (at all levels).

[To the top]

No doubt the re-introduction to actually playing footy comes after performances on the training track, so he will have a level of fitness.

That said, having to wait until the end of the season to actually play a game means he is well behind the match day fitness of other players - and that is what you would expect.

So his recovery is a process - and I would accept that that process sees his return to the playing field this season (and where a succession of weeks would be a bonus, including mentally) with the ultimate result that he fully joins in pre-season training for 2017 - and is in contention for AFL selection for Round One 2017 and in keeping with the Top 10 Draft Pick he is.

So, to me, the fact that he is playing regular footy at the back end of the 2016 Season is a bonus.

As is the fact that the Club are selecting him.

[scuttleShake]

I'm not very optimistic about Nathan. I sincerely hope he makes it onto the park and can contribute to our seniors, but if he's taking steps back to the dev squad then the game will leave him behind. It's a huge ask for a bloke who's played just a handful of VFL matches at 21 years old to take it to the big boys at AFL standard.

Still wishing the best for him. From all reports he's a stand up guy who anyone would love to have on their team.

[minneapolis]

Two weeks.

[Bluthy]

It's a step forward that he'll get four or five games under his belt - that will be good for him mentally in the off season to be able to to swap some war stories and feel like a footy player.

The worry though is that the 5 possies reflects that he is not running very well. That could be under instructions or it could be lack of confidence or it could be *gulp* that he just can't. When he was on tv he looked liked he knew where to be in packs which was a good sign but I was looking forward to see if he could open up the throttle a bit and he didn't. You can see the heavy scarring from the surgeries. Hammies power is based on elasticness and when they get sewn back together you can lose that. And the multiple surgeries leaves scar tissue that complicates the issue. That is the concern.

In a bad case scenario, perhaps he ends up a bit hobbled like Luke Ball but is still able to contribute inside with his grunt and smarts and play reading. Whether he would be good enough to make our senior midfield in that condition is the question - might depend how well he can deliver the ball.

Obviously we all dreamed of another Steven type mid with that thrilling burst speed but I would suggest we start managing our expectations down as that is starting to look an outside chance now.

[spert]

I reckon one more hammy issue and that will be it for the young fella- and I speak from a lot of hammy experiences. I do hope he goes ok though

[st.byron]

Reckon we've wasted a second round pick there. It was a big risk. Happy to be proven wrong. On the same basis we would IMO be crazy to try and get O'Meara.

[Wombat15]

Reckon we've wasted a second round pick there. It was a big risk. Happy to be proven wrong. On the same basis we would IMO be crazy to try and get O'Meara.

I think its worth gambling with a second round pick for a bloke who was a top 10 pick and showed flashes during his youth as being the next luke shuey. collingwood stuffed him up and overloaded him during his first 2 seasons which was too much for his body and if you look at their list over the last few years the training staff arent very good at keeping their players on the park. Ive spoken to a friend and former staffer for him and they told me even he was questioning their methods but being a young and impressionable teenager what are you meant to do?
from what ive heard saints are doing everything right and simply for the fact hes played 4-5 games in a row now and could potentially get that up to 10 is a win. Id give him until end of next year to make any judgements. Im still on Freeman island and when this kid gets his body right we could see the perfect partner for Jack Steven #NOTSTEVENS in midfield. But i do agree with the earlier statement of Game sense. but i do think hes quite rusty and just trying to get through 80 minutes. When they let him loose earlier in the year dont forget he collected 40 touches in 3 quarters of footy!

[Stian]

I notice he's been dropped to the development team this week. Although I've never seen the development team play. Is that the way to see it? That he's been 'dropped'? I recall early in the piece he ripped it up at that level, so maybe we're trying to coax him back up to speed.

One of the Zebras Watchers can give a definitive answer on this but I understand that there is a limit on the number of StK listed players that can be selected in the Sandy 1st team. So, Freeman might not have been "dropped" on form. It could just be that (at the business end of the season) they need to get games into players who are likely to either (1) be selected in StK's senior team or (2) play in Sandy's finals team.

Freeman just needs to get lots of stress running into his legs and it probably doesn't matter whether that is in the development squad or the seniors.

So, I think this is likely to be a false alarm.

[BringBackMadDog]

I notice he's been dropped to the development team this week. Although I've never seen the development team play. Is that the way to see it? That he's been 'dropped'? I recall early in the piece he ripped it up at that level, so maybe we're trying to coax him back up to speed.

One of the Zebras Watchers can give a definitive answer on this but I understand that there is a limit on the number of StK listed players that can be selected in the Sandy 1st team. So, Freeman might not have been "dropped" on form. It could just be that (at the business end of the season) they need to get games into players who are likely to either (1) be selected in StK's senior team or (2) play in Sandy's finals team.

Freeman just needs to get lots of stress running into his legs and it probably doesn't matter whether that is in the development squad or the seniors.

So, I think this is likely to be a false alarm.

I think he's been named in both teams as they do every week, Him and NOK are on the bench in the seniors and in the Dev team as well.

[George27]

Correct Mad Dog. We have 21 players available for Sandy this weekend, but only 16 can play in the Seniors. Payne and Joe Baker-Thomas are definitely in the development team, but not clear yet who the others will be.

[The Fireman]

Reckon we've wasted a second round pick there. It was a big risk. Happy to be proven wrong. On the same basis we would IMO be crazy to try and get O'Meara.

agreed

[Winmar]

I'm just happy if he's out on the park. If he's playing at a lower level it means he'll be more in control of his running and less likely to be required to suddenly take off on a sprint.

[st.byron]

Reckon we've wasted a second round pick there. It was a big risk. Happy to be proven wrong. On the same basis we would IMO be crazy to try and get O'Meara.

I think its worth gambling with a second round pick for a bloke who was a top 10 pick and showed flashes during his youth as being the next luke shuey. collingwood stuffed him up and overloaded him during his first 2 seasons which was too much for his body and if you look at their list over the last few years the training staff arent very good at keeping their players on the park. Ive spoken to a friend and former staffer for him and they told me even he was questioning their methods but being a young and impressionable teenager what are you meant to do?
from what ive heard saints are doing everything right and simply for the fact hes played 4-5 games in a row now and could potentially get that up to 10 is a win. Id give him until end of next year to make any judgements. Im still on Freeman island and when this kid gets his body right we could see the perfect partner for Jack Steven #NOTSTEVENS in midfield. But i do agree with the earlier statement of Game sense. but i do think hes quite rusty and just trying to get through 80 minutes. When they let him loose earlier in the year dont forget he collected 40 touches in 3 quarters of footy!

I hope you're right Wombat. Will be very happy for him to show his selection wasn't a mistake. Still think it was a risk we'd have been better off not taking. Would rather have a second rounder this year to draft or trade with.

[Playon]

I notice he's been dropped to the development team this week. Although I've never seen the development team play. Is that the way to see it? That he's been 'dropped'? I recall early in the piece he ripped it up at that level, so maybe we're trying to coax him back up to speed.

One of the Zebras Watchers can give a definitive answer on this but I understand that there is a limit on the number of StK listed players that can be selected in the Sandy 1st team. So, Freeman might not have been "dropped" on form. It could just be that (at the business end of the season) they need to get games into players who are likely to either (1) be selected in StK's senior team or (2) play in Sandy's finals team.

Freeman just needs to get lots of stress running into his legs and it probably doesn't matter whether that is in the development squad or the seniors.

So, I think this is likely to be a false alarm.

+1
Not to mention he'd be playing under limits of what he should and shouldnt do

[Linton Lodger]

If he plays for the rest of the season, even in the Development league, has no further setbacks and ticks all the boxes. Then regardless of his form, it will have been a success and a good step forward.

[saintbob]

Continuity is the key to this kid, don't stress he CAN play and I'm sure over the next month we'll get a few glimpses of just what he'll bring to the table next year.

Go Freezer

[damienc]

Continuity is the key to this kid, don't stress he CAN play and I'm sure over the next month we'll get a few glimpses of just what he'll bring to the table next year.

Go Freezer

I agree with you. I really rate him and hope his injuries won't prevent us from seeing what he can do.

[Spud]

It was tweeted that he got 25 possies on the weekend, not too shabby.

[WellardSaint]

It was tweeted that he got 25 possies on the weekend, not too shabby.

That was in Dev team that lost 178-70 to Box Hill.
O'Kearney got 24 by the way

[Con Gorozidis]

It was tweeted that he got 25 possies on the weekend, not too shabby.

Some perspective. It was in the VFL dev league which is a looooong way down from AFL.

But heck. He is playing and isnt injured. Has to be a huge positive all things considered.

[WellardSaint]

It was tweeted that he got 25 possies on the weekend, not too shabby.

Will his game get a mention in Paul Hudson's news?