The 2011 draftees are starting to hit career best form, with Lachie Neale, Tommy Sheridan and Hayden Crozier performing well.
Lee Spurr, who was taken in the 2012 rookie draft, is also playing some of his best footy.
These players, ranging from the 45 game (Crozier) to the 96 game (Spurr) mark, have had a positive first half of 2016.
Lachie Neale
Neale has started well in the first half of the 2016 season. He currently leads the competition in disposals, with 459 from 14 games, averaging 32.8 per game.
The young midfielder has consistently improved over his four seasons.
Neale debuted in round four of the 2012 season, where he was used as a substitute midway through the third quarter. He went on to play 11 games that season, where he averaged 11.3 disposals, 2.1 tackles and 1.6 marks.
Cut to 2016, and Neale has played all 14 games of this season, averaging 32.8 disposals, 4.2 tackles, 4.2 marks and 3.1 inside 50s a game.
Career stats:
84 games, averaging 24 disposals, 3.8 marks, 3.2 tackles and 2.4 inside 50s a game.
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Tommy Sheridan
Sheridan has been a strong force in the backline for the first half of this season. His rebounding effort from the half-backline and his ability to intercept the ball, have been highlights of his 2016 season.
Like Neale, Sheridan has consistently improved over his four years at the senior level. Sheridan’s major breakthrough came in the 2015 season, where his average disposals per game jumped from 9.5 in the 2014 season, to 17.7 in 2015.
Sheridan played only one game in his debut year (2012), in round 23 against Melbourne, where he finished with five disposals and a tackle.
In 2016, Sheridan has played 13 of the 14 games this season, missing one game with illness. He’s averaging 18.5 disposals, 1.5 tackles, four marks and 2.2 rebound 50s.
Career stats:
51 games, averaging 15.2 disposals, 3.2 marks, 2.2 tackles and 1.7 rebound 50s a game.
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Hayden Crozier
After a change of position from half-forward to half-back, Crozier continues to improve with every game.
Crozier played three games in his debut year, his first coming in round 10 against Adelaide where he had three disposals and a tackle. Crozier finished the 2012 season averaging 10 disposals, a tackle and a mark.
So far in 2016, Crozier has played 11 games, averaging 16.1 disposals, 3.1 tackles and 5.1 marks per game.
The difference in his performance is drastic, with an incredible improvement in the second half of his season so far.
For the first six games Crozier played, he averaged 11 disposals, 3.8 tackles and 3.3 marks. In the past five games, Crozier has averaged 22.2 disposals, 2.2 tackles and 7.2 marks per game.
Career stats:
45 games, averaging 11.6 disposals, 2.8 tackles and 3.3 marks a game.
Lee Spurr
Spurr has been a very consistent player since he debuted in 2012, with his stats from 2013 – 2016 being almost identical. But his pressure around the contest and ability to intercept the ball in the opposition’s forward half is where Spurr is improving the most.
Spurr was picked up in the 2012 rookie draft, and played 13 games that season. He was placed on the senior list in round four and debuted in round six against Gold Coast at Metricon stadium, where he was used as the substitute in the third quarter. He finished the game with six disposals and three tackles, and averaged 14.9 disposals, 2.2 tackles, 5.5 marks and 2.3 rebound 50s in his debut season.
In 2016, Spurr has played all 14 games, averaging 17.8 disposals, 2.8 tackles, 6.6 marks and 3.3 rebound 50s per game, and has been a strong leader in an injury stricken backline.
Career stats:
96 games, averaging 17.4 disposals, 2.3 tackles, 5.8 marks and 2.8 rebound 50s a game.
