Willem Drew was one of the most prominent Power midfielders in last week's win over Richmond, roaming the wide expanses of the MCG off a wing in a role to which in previous years he had looked unsuited. His early career was highlighted by inside work, especially some effective tagging roles, and one might have been forgiven as a fantasy coach for pigeon holing him as a stopper. Has Drew unlocked a new skill in positioning to accumulate on the outside, or was this just one of his uncommon blue moon games? Draft league coaches watch with interest.
Willem Drew was one of the most prominent Power midfielders in last week's win over Richmond, roaming the wide expanses of the MCG off a wing in a role to which in previous years he had looked unsuited. His early career was highlighted by inside work, especially some effective tagging roles, and one might have been forgiven as a fantasy coach for pigeon holing him as a stopper. Has Drew unlocked a new skill in positioning to accumulate on the outside, or was this just one of his uncommon blue moon games? Draft league coaches watch with interest.
Willem Drew is now best 22 at Port Adelaide, replacing Tom Rockliff as a purely inside mid with not much else in the toolbox. He has to live or die by his work at the coalface, which means he had better be good... and he may not quite be there just yet. His presence in the rotations may be a reason that Port have dropped away in their previous clearance dominance, and while you can see that he has potential he probably needs another year or two in the gym to bulk up to the level required to match it with mature bodies. For fantasy, he's not there yet at all.
Willem Drew is ready for the big time in his third season at the top level, as evidenced by his 32-disposal effort in the loss away to Brisbane. He has the misfortune to be at a club at the top of its premiership clock with one of the most productive engine room corps in the league. Perhaps the injury to Dan Houston will open up more opportunity for his inside game and he can build on that fantasy ton to be more like his regular scoring level instead of the 70s and 80s he is posting now. If Travis Boak ever moves forward like Brad Ebert did late in his career, Drew should prosper.
Redhead bursts into flame
Making a successful transition from wing to inside mid, Willem Drew played ten senior games with variable results but went much better in SANFL action, averaging 27 touches, eight marks and 107 fantasy points at the lower level. For the second off season running he went in for foot surgery, this time for a stress fracture though it was on the other side to his previous heel problem. It is a great sign that Drew dominates the SANFL at such an early age, meaning that of Port was serious about building for the future they should give the bloodnut a golden ticket to the senior side for 2020. That is on the proviso that he has a full recovery from that surgery, as every footy fan with a long memory gets the heebie-jeebies when they hear about foot stress fractures. Definitely worth a flier, if not a reach a bit earlier.
Drew drew short straw
After struggling with a heel injury that restricted his movement starting in late 2017 when he averaged 15 touches playing off a wing, Port eventually sent Willem Drew for season-ending surgery last May as he continued to struggle. Drew's numbers from his last full SANFL season are not great, but the club wants to convert him to an inside mid anyway so perhaps they can be disregarded. He is a smoky for your JLT watchlist as a longshot Ollie Wines replacement, no more.
Willem draws short straw
Though he managed to breech 20 disposals in a few SANFL games during his first listed season, Willem Drew fell away towards the end and only once made the senior emergencies. Drew is likely to be one of the young blokes pushed aside in Port's push for top four based on trade-ins, in his case Tom Rockliff playing much the same role at a much higher rate. Undraftable.
