OVERVIEW

Angus Schumacher is certainly more of a footballer than an athlete, with plenty to like about his footballing attributes, but certainly much to work on from his physical attributes. He is one of the longer kicks in the draft crop with good penetration coming out of the defensive 50. He was a top rebounder in the TAC Cup, averaging almost four per game, while also being a renowned tackler in the back half. He showed quick hands and good decision making in close, but his kicking under pressure was suspect at times, while his endurance, speed, acceleration and vertical jump are all in need of improvement.

STRENGTHS

• Kicking penetration
• Rebounding
• Tackling
• Quick hands

Schumacher is one of those players that provides plenty of rebound from the back half and has a booming kick which can clear 60m. In 2017, he averaged almost four long kicks and rebounds per game, with the latter ranking him second overall for National Combine invitees. He earned Vic Country selection playing the same role off half-back and held his own, showing some great defensive attributes with tackling and pressure in defensive 50. Another aspect of Schumacher's game which highlighted his worth was his quick hands and ability to dispose of the ball under pressure. He often went in hard and won the ball then looked to handball into space for a teammate to run onto. Between his quick hands and penetrating kick, Schumacher had a couple of good tools he can adapt to the elite level.

IMPROVEMENTS

• Endurance
• Athleticism
• Kicking under pressure

Realistically, Schumacher is quite raw in a number of areas. Athletically, he is below average in speed, acceleration, endurance and vertical leap, but on game day it does not impact him that much. Occasionally he would get run down or he would fade out of games, but as a whole, he averaged 22 disposals and was one of the more important players for the Pioneers. While clubs will want to see marked improvement in his athleticism and endurance, his natural football traits help his case to be drafted. One area of concern though is his kicking under pressure, which sees him miss targets over short distances. He can sometimes overcook the kick or rush his disposal when trying to clear the area. While he is effective running out of the defensive 50 and having the play on his terms, when under pressure his kicking is not as effective and that lack of composure might be a concern for clubs. He average 55 per cent efficiency by foot, and while his long kicking is a highlight, he needs to further improve on his disposal over other shorter distances.

DRAFT PROJECTION: Late-rookie

SUMMARY

Angus Schumacher has a number of natural footballing traits and has been a prolific rebounder for the Bendigo Pioneers this season. He has become known for his penetrating kick coming off half-back and can break through zones with it. There is no question over his defensive attributes either, however he has a number of marked areas of improvement, specifically in the physical side of things, particularly building his endurance and athleticism. The other area of improvement is his kicking under pressure, but his hands in close are much better and as a whole he has attributes that will attract clubs, but is likely to go late as more of a project than a ready-made player.