Brad Sheppard (East Fremantle/WA) – Draft Profile

Height: 186cm
Weight: 81kg
Preferred foot: Right
Position: HBF/BP/Wing
Potential: 7.5-8/10

Video Footage

Strengths

> Quick ball carrier - both off the mark and over distance –typically runs hard and direct in straight lines, but has a handy sidestep if needed – also has a very good engine
> Very good user by foot that regularly makes good decisions and shows good vision – technically proficient, low trajectory, capable of good penetration although seems to primarily plays a short-medium game (with further scope to improve distance with added hip/leg strength), good reliability and precision – has the ability to gain significant metreage and hurt the opposition when combined with his run – right footed, rarely uses left, but is quite capable - entrusted with kicking out duties at U18 and WAFL level
> Effective spoiler
> Courageous – prepared to go back with the flight
> Works hard both ways – very committed, team orientated player that’s accountable to his direct opponent, willing to put in the 1%ers and also help out a teammate by peeling off his own man to spoil

Weaknesses

> Lacking in strength and has a ‘slimmish’ build – seems very thin through the legs (building them up will add a lot more strength/power to his game) – often gets pushed off the ball with relative ease in 1-1 duels at WAFL level

Other

> HBF (in particular) or wing both suit him very well, has also played as a half forward effectively in some games at WAFL level but haven’t seen him demonstrate the ability to play as an inside midfielder yet
> Decent reader of the play that can effectively 'sweep up', but his style is to play more as a running linkman rebounder from defence > Decent ball winning ability as a defender – averaged 15.8dpg at the 2009 U18 championships playing almost exclusively in defence and 15.2dpg at WAFL level playing more varied roles (HB/wing/HF)
> Generally shows clean hands, but not spectacular > Decent overhead mark for his height
> Came across as quite a dour footballer in last year’s championships, but showed this year that he has more to offer than just a stopper – the WA talent manager believes he has been the most improved in 2009 player out of the WA U18 squad - thrived on the step up to WAFL senior football immediately (unlike Kane Lucas who initially struggled, but got better as the season wore on) – he seems like the type of player who may have not started from as high a ground as others initially, but has continued to gain confidence and duly improved at a very good rate as his junior career has progressed and will continue to do so and thrive at AFL
> The way he embraced the challenge of playing senior WAFL footy (I actually thought he was much more impressive at WAFL level than he was at the championships – average 15.8d per game from 5 games at the championships and 15.2d per game from 15 games at a higher standard at WAFL League level), raising his game to the higher level, suggests to me that he even though he is physically not a ready as most, there is a strong possibility he can do the same with AFL next year
> Good cricketer (represented WA U17s) and only dropped it this year > Played in 2 U18 championships (2008 and 2009)

Stats

2009 U18 Championships
2009 WAFL Season

Overall

Sheppard has the ability to be a top quality medium defender that can rebound with pace and precision and also guard a small or medium forward (either marking or crumbing) effectively – he is also very capable of pushing further up the ground into a wing or even half forward role if needed. Asssuming he bulks up well he should at least be a serviceable player, that could develop into a player of top 100 AFL calibre. He’s worth a mid-late 1st round pick in this draft.