The Recruit

Attempt at power ratings:

1. Johann Wagner - looks the most ready for AFL right now. Quite talented, seems pretty together as a person, and probably fits in a forward line better. More 'westernised' than Manson so that's why he's first here, probably should win it on paper but it is reality TV.
2. Waylon Manson - on raw talent has everyone else beat. Seems to be growing a lot more than how he started, so the 'go-home'/maturity factors are becoming less relevant. Voss and Burgess are fans. Seems to be a good bloke, his decision to take responsibility for Moreland's indiscretions was pretty brave and selfless. Seemed to struggle with captaincy pressure though.....also you get the feeling that the show could be rigged for him.
3. Reece Maxwell - very athletic, and seems to be getting the game more. Bolting, if he keeps up his improvement I can see some club taking the punt. It's a shame he's 24 though rather than 21-22.
4. Brendan Goss - has a strong VAFA track record and you've seen his team-mate Ambrose make it at AFL level, so he should at least have some impact at AFL level. The betting markets though worried me. Not shown much in the games...which is interesting.
5. Ryan Semmel - good player but at 26 you'd question his upside and he seems a tad vanilla for his role. He'll be a good VFL player but I question his AFL ability.
6. Nathan Jackal - see above, except he seems less skilled.
7. Bradie Foster - was better but how much of that was due to a mismatch? Still have question marks over his assertion in the ruck, though he is at least athletic and he may not be far away from something big.
8. Chris Moreland - what I wrote about Semmel and Jackal applies here, although in his favour he's a bit younger. Curfew breaching was not a good look though, which is why he's down here (as well as skipping a recovery session), but given it's reality TV it might have been scripted.
9. Mark Cisco - utter spud. I don't really think his athleticism is great either, and he seems to be a bit of a tool. Should go soon.

Can't really rate the Irishman as we haven't really seen anything of him. Out of the eliminated guys, Johncock had some AFL quality skills (endurance, kicking), but he seemed soft and was an utter wanker. Hutchinson looked meh and was an ordinary decision marke but does seem to go good in the NEAFL (yeah yeah I know but it's at least something), Armitage was unskilled and small - not the type recruiters want, Smith just seem to lack true footy smarts and didn't stand out against mediocre opposition and I didn't really see anything about Brackin.

Overall I don't mind the show. Yes it is reality TV, but meh, at least early on I can get sucked into watching "competition" reality TV. Plus I'm a footy fan, so it's interesting to see who's good on the next level down.

As for the hosts, Leigh Russell is irrelevant, Ben Dixon seems cringeworthy, and Vossy has his failings. I like Burgess's role though.

 

Personality, perhaps?

 

Jackal?