Height: 194cm
Weight: 82kg
Preferred foot: Right
Role: CHF/FF/CHB
Potential: 5.5-7.5/10
Strengths
> Good right foot field kick for his size – technically efficient, good control and depth – good, efficient set shot approach and routine
> Smooth all-round mover with good agility and mobility at ground level for his size - good recovery skills and very capable of kicking goals from ground level crumbs
Weaknesses
> Lightly built at present
> Needs to improve consistency throughout a game and game to game (and consistency of attributes)
> Yet to prove himself against good quality opposition/opponents
Other
> Generally makes decent decisions with the football with good vision
> Needs to improve work-ethic to match running capacity - tested with an outstanding running capacity but it isn’t consistently evident in games IMO and I think he could do a fair bit more with it.
> Capable of good intensity at times and shows some good aggression, but didn’t see it at U18 Championship level (I thought he was found a bit wanting at times)
> Didn't lead with enough purpose, regularity or confidence at U18 Championships
> Seems to have decent pace off the mark and decent over a stretch (again didn’t show either it at U18 championships), OK vertical leap
> Marking ability – generally reads the flight very well and capable of taking pack and contested marks mainly due to his height advantage and better reading on smaller defenders at colts rather than leap or strength – not sold he has the same ability against stronger defensive opposition yet - plays from behind too much
> Can chase and pressures well on occasions, but needs to do so much more consistently
> Seems to be a confidence player
> Seems best at FF ATM
> Played all 5 games for WA at the 2009 U18 Championships – was played mostly deep in the forward line as the 2nd or 3rd tall, with some assistance in the ruck – kicked 8 goals total (1.6g per game – highest of 4 goals vs NT)
> 2009 WAFL Colts form was solid - decent consistency spent time at CHF/FF/ruck/HB and kicked 4 or more goals on 6 occassions and finished with 45.26 from 18 games (2.5g per game)
> WAFL Colts TOTY FF
Stats
Overall
Houghton is a decent project key position prospect with some upside and handy attributes to work with – it’s hard to get a good read on him as he hasn’t displayed many consistent traits in the games I’ve seen - he’s been mostly very good at WAFL colts level, but had limited impact and didn’t seem to showcase his attributes well at U18 Championships level despite WA’s dominance through the midfield (TBF Matera and Darling were the greater focal points – it would have been interesting to see how he’d gone without one or both). He may be worth a go with a 3rd round pick or beyond (most likely a late draft pick to early rookie).
Posts
Good Player
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