He hasn’t performed an AFL recreation and was taken with the second final decide in final 12 months’s draft, however baby-faced West Coast draftee Noah Lengthy is already drawing comparisons to a membership nice.
Eagles celebrity Nic Naitanui likened to thrilling goalsneak to retired premiership hero Mark LeCras, the membership’s third-leading goal-kicker of all-time.
Ex-Bendigo Pioneers small ahead Lengthy, snapped up with decide 58, has been one of many shock packets of West Coast’s pre-season, even that includes within the “greatest” group in Friday’s intra-club recreation at Lathlain the place he kicked two objectives.
There’s at the least one spot in West Coast’s forward-line up for grabs as properly after the departure of Junior Rioli to Port Adelaide through the commerce interval.
“Longy is de facto good, he is acquired the smarts too,” Naitanui stated.
“He is acquired the abilities however he is acquired the smarts of a Mark LeCras sort. He is acquired that starvation to maintain it in there and lure it in there when we do not have the footy, he may hit the scoreboard too.
“All of our younger youngsters have come a great distance and the brand new ones which have come alongside this 12 months are thrilling guys to play alongside.”
Naitanui believes there are a number of draftees placing their hand up for an opening-round debut towards North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on March 19.
He additionally talked up the hopes of home-grown first-round picks Reuben Ginbey and Elijah Hewett who have not missed a beat thus far.
“I hope so,” Naitanui stated when requested if big-bodied midfielder Ginbey would play spherical one.
“Reubs is an thrilling younger expertise, him and Elijah Hewett and some of the opposite boys are actually showcasing what they’ll do.
“Reubs had one other good night time final night time, as he did final Friday, so I am wanting ahead to these guys taking part in the following few observe matches and in the event that they do what they do in the previous few weeks, they will positively be in there spherical one I hope.”
The Eagles have two observe matches to go within the subsequent fortnight earlier than the season correct, beginning with Port Adelaide at Mineral Assets Park on Friday night.
They’ve additionally acquired an official pre-season conflict towards Adelaide the next Friday on the similar venue.
