Collingwood News
Collingwood added four new players to its list in Thursday night's 2013 National Draft.
Using two top 10 selections for the first time since 2006, the Magpies chose South Australian defender Matthew Scharenberg at pick No. 6 and hard-running Sandringham on-baller Nathan Freeman with pick No. 10.
Later in the draft, the Pies swooped on over-age Sandringham utility Tom Langdon at pick No. 65 and nabbed explosive West Australian forward Jonathon Marsh with selection No. 77.
The Magpies also formally promoted rookies Sam Dwyer and Adam Oxley onto their senior list later in the draft.
What the club says: "(It was) pretty well-documented that Matt Scharenberg or James Aish were going to be there and there was really a feather between both of those players and we went for the taller utility type that can fill a need right away and Nathan Freeman comes into the system with extraordinary power inside and outside. We went into with an open mind that if there were players at the back end of the draft that we had a shine for we would take them." -
Derek Hine, General Manager of List Management.
Selection No. 6 - Matthew Scharenberg
Position: Tall defender
Height: 190cm
Weight: 87kg
Born: 18/9/95
Recruited from: Glenelg (SANFL)
Profile: Once described by Mark Williams as the best schoolboy talent he had seen since Wayne Carey, the South Australian is extremely composed in his disposal and shows great temperament in heavy traffic. Scharenberg is a 190cm key position player who is equally comfortable forward or back. Had an outstanding NAB AFL Under-18 Championships which saw him collect back-to-back All Australian selections in 2012-13. Scharenberg came runner-up in the Larke Medal for the best player in Division One and his ability to read the play and strong hands make him an unstoppable force in the air. Is considered a strong chance to be selected in the top-five in this year's draft.
Derek Hine says: "We went for the taller utility type who could have an impact straight away. We have no issue with his feet. He may or may not have a late start, but if he turns out like the last player with injury concerns, Joel Selwood, we'll be happy."
What they say: "Scharenberg's club won't have to find a position for him, just choose which position suits him best on any given day. He's proven himself mostly in defence, where he reads the play incredibly well. He's looked better out in space than he does locking down on a player, because he's so good at setting things up. Just keeps getting the ball. Doesn't get ruffled, and calms the players around him." -
Emma Quayle,
The Age, 17 November.
"Dual all-Australian and intercept king who some clubs rate the second-best player in the draft." -
Sam Landsberger and
Jay Clark,
Herald Sun, 21 November.
"Scharenberg is a dependable, smart utility who can play almost anywhere on the ground. For most of this year, though, the South Australian has been stationed across half-back, where he tends to have the most influence. The 190cm prospect played his best footy of the year through the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships, when he was a joint winner of the most valuable player award for his side. Scharenberg was a former high-level baseballer through his teenage years before moving solely onto his footy. His SANFL season for Glenelg was cut short by a foot injury, which came about through overuse, and he was not able to test at the NAB AFL Draft Combine."
- Callum Twomey, AFL.com.au, 20 November
.
"An elite player. It was unfortunate that he hurt his foot and didn't play a lot of football late in the year after playing a great Under 18s National Carnival. Just finds the footy really well, read the game brilliantly playing as a key defender in the Under 18s and played in the back pocket in the seniors for us. He is elusive, doesn't get caught often and makes great decisions. His skill is improving and he's a long kick but needs to keep working on his short options and hitting those regularly. A great ability to know when to defend and when to attack and is just clever with what he does. He's a great size for his position and he understands where he's at with his footy in terms of not getting ahead of himself. Keen in the gym and keen on the track - he's going to be a beauty. After what he did at the carnival the feeling was he is a top five selection." - Glenelg Football Manager
Ken Applegarth, Inside Football Magazine.
Selection No. 10 - Nathan Freeman
Position: Midfielder
Height: 182cm
Weight: 85kg
Born: 16/6/95
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons U18
Profile: Another genuine clearance specialist with elite endurance and pace, Freeman tested impressively at the NAB AFL Draft Combine. The youngster from the Sandringham Dragons took out the repeat sprint event and came second in the 20m sprint testing, while also recording a top 10 result in the beep test and 3km time trial. An accomplished ball-user on the outside with an explosive change of direction, Freeman also has the ability to find his own ball with his strong build and ability to read the contest. He improved the defensive aspect of his game in 2013 and will be a tantalising prospect for any club looking for a line-breaking midfielder.
Derek Hine says: "Coming into the system he has shown extraordinary power inside and outside and he helps with our succession plans. He has really strong leadership attributes and is his own man."
Nathan Freeman says: "I've been blessed with a bit of pace. I try to exploit it as much as I can because it's something that I do have, but in saying that I don't try to rely on it too much because you need other weapons. I've always been naturally pretty quick, but I've seen it a bit now and it's starting to impact my footy. I'm all attack and go, go, go, but running backwards was a bit lacking, so I tried to get more two-way work going this year." -
Nathan Freeman speaks to
Sam Landsberger in the
Herald Sun on 6 November 2013.
What they say: "There's not a lot of explosive speed in this draft, but Freeman has it. He likes to take off with a shake of his hips, and attack. His challenge this year was been to pick up his disposal efficiency, to handball a little more and to improve the defensive side of his game, and he's worked hard in all areas. He's strong, keeps his feet, plays like he loves it and is always looking to get involved." -
Emma Quayle, The Age, 17 November.
"Inside midfielder is exhilarating to watch, using his top-line speed to burst away from danger or cut apart stoppages, in the same vein as Patrick Dangerfield." -
Sam Landsberger and Jay Clark, Herald Sun, 27 October.
"Like Josh Kelly, he took the combine by storm not only with his testing but with his personality - he was up and about all week. His personality is a bit like the way he plays - it's up and about and sometimes a bit in your face, but in a good way, but I think he's exciting and we are going to be talking about him in the next few years at AFL level taking the game on and doing really well. He's got that electric burst of speed but has also worked very hard on his endurance and firmed right into a possible first round pick chance as he plays football for the current day AFL like a Luke Shuey or even a Daniel Kerr."
- Sandringham region manager Ryan O'Connor, Inside Football Magazine.
"The draft gets some speed with Freeman, who is the quickest player at the top end. He can win his own disposals, tuck the ball under an arm and burst away, and then boot the ball long. He loves to run forward and kick goals, too. Freeman tested exceptionally well at the combine and the Magpies might be keen to add some more speed to their midfield."
- Callum Twomey, AFL.com.au, 19 November.
Selection No. 65 - Tom Langdon
Position: Medium defender/midfielder
Height: 189cm
Weight: 85kg
Born: 9/6/94
Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons (TAC Cup)
Profile: Medium defender/midfielder who has come of age in 2013. His balance, game sense and ability to read the ball in flight give him a significant advantage when the ball is in the air. A strong overhead mark and fluent kick of the football on his preferred right foot, his ball use is smart and consistently finds its target.
Derek Hine says: "He is a utility type player who plays forward and back. He's played very well at VFL level as a 19-year-old."
Tom Langdon says: "At the end of the day, not getting drafted forces you to have a strong hard look at your desire to play football at AFL level because if your answer isn't a resounding yes, then you're wasting your own and other people's time. You have to really take that negative experience of not getting drafted and learn from it, because it is such a large disappointment in your life and if your let it get the better of you, then you really won't have the confidence to give it another crack." I
nterview with truezebras.net.
What they say: "Tommy came back as a 19-year-old and had an outstanding season after missing out last year as an outside tall midfielder who can really push forward and hit scoreboard. He's grown quite a bit from last year and put on a bit of size so that has helped him enormously against the bodies. He's right in the mix to get his opportunity that he missed out on last year and we couldn't be happier with what he was able to do with us this season."
- Sandringham Region Manager Ryan O'Connor, Inside Football Magazine.
"Tall athletic type who whilst has played all over the place this year he is your half back type who could probably jump onto a wing and he can certainly go forward as has demonstrated. Improved his ball winning which I think was a big thing for recruiters but still more suited to half back or half forward I reckon." -
Snoop Dogg, respected draft watcher on BigFooty.com.
Other Notes: Ranked ninth in the repeat sprints with a time of 24.45 in the AFL Draft Combine in October.
Selection No. 77 - Jonathon Marsh
Position: Tall forward
Height: 192cm
Weight: 87kg
Born: 17/10/95
Recruited from: East Fremantle
Profile: Marsh threw himself into contention after a great NAB AFL Under-18 Championships with Western Australia. His performance against the Northern Territory, where he gathered 22 possessions and kicked four goals, raised eyebrows from talent scouts around the country. The younger brother of Sydney Swan Harry Marsh, who was taken with pick No.46 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft, Marsh offers plenty of upside for clubs looking for a forward. At the Draft Combine, Marsh won the 20m sprint with a time of 2.78s and finished third in the repeat sprints in a time of 24.18s.
Derek Hine says: "He is a 194-cm forward from Margaret River who played for East Fremantle for one year. He has a lot of work to do but he has extraordinary speed, has really good size and really good power in his game."
Jonathon Marsh says: "I see myself as a tall midfielder, even though they're saying I'm a half forward. I'm just pretty explosive with my speed and yeah, I like to think I'm pretty exciting, but everyone's got their opinions." -
Jonathon Marsh, collingwoodfc.com.au, 22 November.
What they say: "Jonathon ran the second fasted 20-metre sprint at the combine history so he's got speed as well as power, explosiveness and agility. Outside of that he's played primarily key position for us up forward at Colts level and there was some debate as to whether we should have played him in the seniors late in the year. He's pretty raw in terms of his game sense so that's a developing area for him but ideally I think he could play as a wingman/high half forward where he could use his chasing and tackling, which is outstanding. His kicking still needs work so that's an area of development...just a classic x-factor sort of player with enormous are talent and the potential to be phenomenal, it's just a matter of harnessing that talent and energy. That'll be the challenge for the club that picks him up. If you had asked me early in the year I would have said he'd be a top 10 pick."
- East Fremantle Football Manager Darren Fry, Inside Football Magazine
"The West Australian is one of this year's most compelling draft prospects...Marsh had played most of his junior footy through the wing and midfield before this season, when he took on a key-position role up forward. His best game of the championships came against Vic Metro at Patersons Stadium, when he almost singlehandedly turned the game Western Australia's way with three goals and a blistering final term. He is not quite a modern-day key-position height (192cm), but is probably too big to play as a full-time midfielder." -
Callum Twomey, AFL.com.au, 4 November.
"Freakishly athletic forward. Right in the top 10 mix."
- Sam Landsberger, Herald Sun, 3 July.
Pick No. 87: Sam Dwyer (promoted rookie)
Pick No. 92: Adam Oxley (promoted rookie)
