CALDER Cannons talent manager Ian Kyte says he expects dynamic on-baller Ben Ronke to become an Essendon player if he remains available as a rookie selection at November’s draft.
Ronke, the favourite to win Calder’s best-and-fairest award, was one of six multicultural or indigenous players nominated by the Bombers under the Next Generation Academy system.
Another brilliant recruiting move !!!
This kid played for St Bernards. How the hell did we not rookie list him. Oh I know, the kid can run, kick, tackle and has a strong midfielder's body. I guess they are all attributes we dont want. In the meanwhile he has kicked 5 in a half in his 3rd game.
Don't worry MH, if he was rookie listed to EFC, he would have been left languishing in the ressies learning how to butcher the ball.
We could have ruined any chance he would have had of making an AFL career so good luck to him...
Exactly to both the above.
When was he available for us? Last year's draft?
If it was last year, just adds to my point elsewhere about sometimes throwing guys in there instead of forcing them through an "apprenticeship" in the ressies.
But what shocks me the most is that it wasn't V EFC that some complete unknown has the game of their life and wins the match.
Swans rookied him with their first rookie pick (pick 17)
So we had multiple opportunities to draft him, but didn't. Mind the crop selected: McGrath,Ridley, Begley, Mutch, Clarke and Draper (rookie), isn't too bad.
Where the real f***-up occurred is that EFC could have directly nominated him for a Category B rookie under the Next Generation System (sidestepping the Draft completely). Though we nominated McNiece, we could have selected two more.
The fact that Ronke fell to so late in the draft/rookie draft indicates that there was thought to be some knock on him by 18 clubs. Also he spent a year playing seconds.
Finally, Sydney are bloody good at nurturing talent from both recycled "crap" players and their later draft picks. EFC have been bloody hopeless at this for some time now.