{"id":71358,"date":"2020-08-26T11:02:14","date_gmt":"2020-08-26T01:02:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/afl.draftcentral.localhost\/?p=71358"},"modified":"2020-08-26T11:02:14","modified_gmt":"2020-08-26T01:02:14","slug":"afl-draft-watch-patrick-walker-tasmania-devils-allies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2020\/08\/26\/afl-draft-watch-patrick-walker-tasmania-devils-allies\/","title":{"rendered":"AFL Draft Watch: Patrick Walker (Tasmania Devils\/Allies)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

IN the midst of football’s long-awaited return, Draft Central<\/em> takes a look at some of this year\u2019s brightest names who have already represented their state in some capacity leading into 2020. While plenty has changed between now and then, we will provide a bit of an insight into players, how they performed at pre-season testing,<\/em>\u00a0and some of our scouting notes on them from last year.<\/p>\n

Next under the microscope in our AFL Draft watch is Tasmanian prospect Patrick Walker<\/strong><\/a>, a classy half-back\/wingman who possesses sharp skills by foot. The North Hobart product earned AFL Academy recognition for 2020 after an eye-catching bottom-age campaign, where he played 16 games in Tasmania’s inaugural full-time NAB League season. While he was mainly utilised in defence, Walker has since adapted his efficient outside game slightly further afield to prosper on a wing for North Hobart in this year’s Tasmanian State League (TSL). He has shot in from slightly further back, but the 186cm prospect has become one of his state’s most promising draft hopefuls.<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

PLAYER PAGE:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Patrick Walker<\/strong><\/a>
\nNorth Hobart\/Tasmania Devils\/Allies
\n<\/b><\/p>\n

DOB:<\/strong> July 9, 2002<\/p>\n

Height:<\/strong> 186cm
\nWeight:<\/strong> 80kg<\/p>\n

Position:<\/strong> Wing\/Half-Back<\/p>\n

Strengths: <\/strong>Kicking, decision making\/efficiency, outside accumulation, rebound
\nImprovements:\u00a0<\/strong>Inside game<\/p>\n

2019 NAB League averages: <\/strong>16 games | 16.5 disposals | 3.8 marks | 2.2 tackles | 1.5 inside 50s | 5.4 rebound 50s | 0.3 goals (5)<\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

PRESEASON TESTING RESULTS:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Standing vertical leap:<\/strong> 59cm
\nRunning vertical leap (R\/L):<\/strong> 75cm\/67cm
\nSpeed (20m):<\/strong> 3.11 seconds
\nAgility:<\/strong> 8.34 seconds
\nEndurance (Yo-yo):<\/strong> 20.7<\/p>\n

>> Full Testing Results:<\/strong>
\nJumps<\/a>
\n20m Sprint<\/a>
\nAgility<\/a>
\nYo-yo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

2020 SCOUTING NOTES:<\/strong><\/h4>\n

TSL Round 7 vs. Clarence<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

By:\u00a0Peter Williams<\/em><\/p>\n

Started on a wing and was able to spend time inside 50 on a number of occasions, showing good pressure on\u00a0Josh Green<\/strong> to force a mistake for the Clarence player going inside 50. He started a play through hands in the middle then pushed forward, received it back after it spilled out, and quickly snapped for a great first quarter goal. He was quieter in the second term, but started to get back into it with a productive third quarter. He just finds space and uses it well, though on one occasion was a bit rushed after being surprised the tap on the wing fell to him. He had a late kick towards goal but was intercepted by the loose Clarence player in the final term. Nonetheless, Walker showed some promising signs with neat ball use around the ground and was creative enough to start plays off half-back or through the middle.<\/p>\n

TSL Round 6 vs. Glenorchy<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

By:\u00a0Peter Williams<\/em><\/p>\n

While many of his teammates were missing targets early in the wet conditions, Walker was using the ball well and showing clean hands off the deck. He was kicking long out of the back 50 and trying to provide run for his team against the flow with some one-twos on the wing. Walker showed composure under pressure and while he made the odd mistake in the wet conditions after the opening term, was still able to show good recovery on the wing when knocked off the ball at first in the third term, and then pressured an opponent off the ball to make a mistake in the last quarter. His hands in the wet conditions remained strong with a deep kick to the pocket important as the Demons continued to attack late.<\/p>\n

TSL Round 5 vs. Launceston<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

By: Eli Duxson<\/em><\/p>\n

The AFL Academy member played predominantly on the wing as his run-and-carry and penetrating kick were on display. He injected himself into the game with a strong first quarter, setting up well around stoppages to get clearances, while also finding himself free on transition plays to use his neat kicking to keep pushing it forward.<\/p>\n

Late in the opening quarter he drifted forward and took a mark in front of his opponent 45 metres out, but a 50-metre penalty put him on the goal line, and he put it straight through the middle. A quieter second quarter meant he almost got himself a second goal but fumbled at the wrong moment.<\/p>\n

His second half also started a bit quieter than his blistering start to the game, but his play picked up with the intensity of the game in the final quarter as he halved a big contest in his defensive half before receiving help from teammates. His work did not stop there as he received a handball 60 metres away to pump it deep inside his forward 50. He continued to pop up in important spots as he had another shot on goal which just missed and covered good ground to create options on rebounds and entries.<\/p>\n

Though he did have some quiet patches, he managed to maintain position and discipline as a wingman and more importantly, he played that linking role well with good ball use. He is a bit of a\u00a0Lachie Whitfield <\/strong>type with a lean build, but good disposal and still an ability to find and win his own ball.<\/p>\n

TSL Round 1 vs. North Launceston<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

By: Peter Williams<\/em><\/p>\n

Walker looked classy on the wing, winning plenty of the ba<\/span>ll and using it well by foot by often hitting long and <\/span>accurate passes, providing a good mix to his side. Walker <\/span>mostly played down back last year but looks just as comfortable up the ground in<\/span> what was an impressive senior debut.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014<\/p>\n

>> MORE TASMANIA DEVILS CONTENT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

>> 2020 Allies U18s Squad Prediction<\/a>
\n>> August 2020 Power Rankings<\/a>
\n>> July 2020 Power Rankings<\/a><\/p>\n

>> CATCH UP ON OUR DRAFT WATCH SERIES<\/strong><\/p>\n

Allies:<\/strong>
\nTahj Abberley<\/a>
\nCharlie Byrne<\/a>
\nJackson Callow<\/a>
\nBlake Coleman<\/a>
\nBraeden Campbell<\/a>
\nAlex Davies<\/a>
\nOliver Davis<\/a>
\nErrol Gulden<\/a><\/p>\n

South Australia:<\/strong>
\nKaine Baldwin<\/a>
\nBailey Chamberlain<\/a>
\nZac Dumesny<\/a>
\nCorey Durdin<\/a>
\nLuke Edwards<\/a>
\nLachlan Jones<\/a>
\nTariek Newchurch<\/a>
\nCaleb Poulter<\/a>
\nTom Powell<\/a>
\nTaj Schofield<\/a>
\nRiley Thilthorpe<\/a><\/p>\n

Vic Country:<\/strong>
\nSam Berry<\/a>
\nTanner Bruhn<\/a>
\nJack Ginnivan<\/a>
\nOliver Henry<\/a>
\nElijah Hollands<\/a>
\nZach Reid<\/a>
\nNick Stevens<\/a>
\nJamarra Ugle-Hagan<\/a><\/p>\n

Vic Metro:<\/strong>
\nJake Bowey<\/a>
\nJackson Cardillo<\/a>
\nNikolas Cox<\/a>
\nConnor Downie<\/a>
\nEddie Ford<\/a>
\nBailey Laurie<\/a>
\nFinlay Macrae<\/a>
\nReef McInnes<\/a>
\nArchie Perkins<\/a>
\nWill Phillips<\/a><\/p>\n

Western Australia:<\/strong>
\nHeath Chapman<\/a>
\nDenver Grainger-Barras<\/a>
\nLogan McDonald<\/a>
\nNathan O\u2019Driscoll<\/a>
\nBrandon Walker<\/a>
\nJoel Western<\/a>
\nIsiah Winder<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IN the midst of football’s long-awaited return, Draft Central takes a look at some of this year\u2019s brightest names who have already represented their state in some capacity leading into 2020. While plenty has changed between now and then, we will provide a bit of an insight into players, how they performed at pre-season testing,\u00a0and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":56087,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11774,7949,8,3133,11597],"tags":[12045,11813,24,156,12880,11809,369,10162,11953,7951,3269,5871,75,8246,3266],"class_list":["post-71358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-afl-draft-watch","category-nab-league","category-news","category-tasmania","category-tasmania-devils","tag-12045","tag-2020-afl-draft","tag-afl-academy","tag-afl-draft-central","tag-afl-draft-prospects","tag-afl-draft-watch","tag-allies","tag-draft-central","tag-draft-watch","tag-nab-league","tag-north-hobart","tag-patrick-walker","tag-tasmania","tag-tasmania-devils","tag-tsl"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71358","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71358"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71358\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56087"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71358"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71358"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71358"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}