jon anderson's top 20 draft picks..and now emma's

[Zed]

After watching both games yersterday, all the top 20 and phantom drafts are obsolete. Disappointed in so many of the top kids. I thought the tiny S.A. captain was brilliant. Also that the new Garlett kid was by far the best of the indigenous boys on offer, unless Paul Ahern is indigenous. The S.A> lad was the best of the big boys by far.

Yep - best value talent may in fact be from SA this year. Durdin with our first pick provides a great tall forward option - bit hard to judge Mcartin because he had rubbish delivery field. Johansen with our 2nd round pick provides great outside run and great delivery. Peter Bampton with our 3rd round pick is another Luke Dunstan type. Would have featured heavily in the carnival and was a likely SA captain - but got injured. Made his Senior sanfl debut last year. Fourth pick Caleb Daniel - ball magnet with great outside run and carry. Will be overlooked by most clubs due to his height. All SA boys have played senior footy as 16 or 17 year olds and it seems to be a pretty good barometer of whether they can get a game at AFL level.

[Con Gorozidis]

Great to hear your opinions Zed and BB. And the others who have actually watched some games.
If you leave it to the Herald Sun they will only ever pump up Victorian players.
If you believe the HS and even Emma Quayle it is only Wright, McCartin, Goddard, Petracca, Brayshaw.

Change of subject - pisses me off how the Swans get zone players. Why cant we get Tom Lynch back from the Gold Coast? Blairgowrie kid.

[maverick]

From what I saw of the first half Wright played ruck... Played well but hard to impress forward when you're not.

If that happened he is the last player we need.

Why not, you can never have enough

[plugger66]

From what I saw of the first half Wright played ruck... Played well but hard to impress forward when you're not.

If that happened he is the last player we need.

Why not, you can never have enough

Is that a joke? We have to many ruckmen as it is especially now that only one pure ruckman works in a game. Longer will get dropped this week if Hickey plays.

[stinger]

emma's take on the draft....worth the read...she always is.....


http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/t ... zskft.html


"For the first time ever, the national under-18 championships have been played over six, home-and-away rounds. All four first division sides - Vic Country, Vic Metro, South Australia and Western Australia - have had to give 32 players at least two games throughout the series, making for unsettled sides but giving recruiters the chance to look at more players than usual. Five months out from a draft that looks likely to be dominated by Victorians, here are 25 players to watch for in the final two rounds of first and second division games to be played in Geelong and Melbourne on Friday, Saturday and next Wednesday and Thursday."

[oldie60]

I've watched Paul Ahern growing up and he has a touch of the Chad Wingard about him. Played basketball since very young age playing rep and excelled at athletics and of more recent times football. Probably a good pick up from 40 onwards. Great kid from a fantastic family.Watch him.

[stevie]

Liam Duggan is a blood relative of mine. His grandmother and my mum are first cousins

[borderbarry]

Oldie60, I read somewhere that Paul Ahearn is indigenous. He does not look it. Do you know if he is or not? Great little player. Love to have him at the Saints.

[Con Gorozidis]

Ill reserve judgement until after this next bunch of matches.

lt does seem unfair that the swans will get two top 30 prospects when they will be top 4 again.

On the other hand if we end up with 3 top 20 picks through a priority pick I wont be saying a word about fairness as we probably dont deserve it. I'll just shut up and take it politely .

[oldie60]

Oldie60, I read somewhere that Paul Ahearn is indigenous. He does not look it. Do you know if he is or not? Great little player. Love to have him at the Saints.

Yes, Mum is indigenous and dad is anglo. Really great people and of high morals. As i said Paul has played heaps of basketball combining rep basketball with his junior footy and its beginning to show. Actually spoke to his mum last Sunday and i congratulated her on Paul's potential future and she's just so down to earth about it. Basically the old Mum and Dad doing everything for their kids and the kids understanding the sacrifices parents make.He also has a younger brother who currently plays under 16's and is part of the Cannons set up as well.Mum would be stoked as she's a diehard Saints member.

[saintbrat]

Under 18's game/s on Fox now- wed 3pm >>

Weller the younger is in the Qld team

[Goose is king]

Webb and McCartin looking good for Vic country.
On now

[bigred]

We need a standout David Strooper type.

All headbands and sunglasses.

THAT is the kind of footballer you blow a number one pick on.

[White Winmar]

Lukas Webb from Gippsland Power would've done his chances no harm. A taller version of Jack Billings. Clean hands, beautiful left foot kick, and bagged four in the loss to WA. Definitely one to watch.

[saintbrat]

Lachie Weller is going to be on SEN during the next hour or so.

[saintbrat]

on now 7.15

[Rosco]

Don't know anything about the kids coming thru, haven't seen any games

But

I'm nervous about taking a big bloke, ruck/fwd type with pick 1, when they aren't a clear standout like Patton and Boyd were. Will be nervous for years as well, waiting for him to develop.

Best mid available?

[St Ick]

I don't disagree about any of the big boys. Boyd, Hogan, Cameron and Patton all sitting above the talls in this years comp imo. But there aren't any standout mids either. I know Brayshaw, Petracca, Ahern etc might be wonderful players but not standouts yet.

It's not doom and gloom, but drafting pick one is fraught with danger this year, give me two chances in the top 10 or the more preferable option, one of Shiel, Treloar, Lynch, Cameron, Boyd or Patton for pick 1 any day of the week.

[Con Gorozidis]

Im no expert but it seems like picks 1 to 5 are an absolute raffle this year.
No advantage at all being bottom 5.

Same for last year really where the top 5 or 6 were all very good but this year not as good overall.

[chook23]

the little bloke from S.A. with the helmet.............a real goer

very small

but so is Harvey

not a traditional 1st/2nd pick

but CAN PLAY

[Dave McNamara]

I don't disagree about any of the big boys. Boyd, Hogan, Cameron and Patton all sitting above the talls in this years comp imo. But there aren't any standout mids either. I know Brayshaw, Petracca, Ahern etc might be wonderful players but not standouts yet.

It's not doom and gloom, but drafting pick one is fraught with danger this year, give me two chances in the top 10 or the more preferable option, one of Shiel, Treloar, Lynch, Cameron, Boyd or Patton for pick 1 any day of the week.

What Ickster said!

And as several have pointed out, we have sorted our salary cap so we will be in a position to go raiding to fill holes in a season or two.

[Dave McNamara]

I also agree with Pluggs re not using a high draft pick on a ruckman unless he's John McIntosh. Just get an older mobile bloke who is good enough to prevent his opponents from winning too many hit-outs to advantage.

I also agree with Pluggs re the importance of a killer midfield...
Look at the E-girl's last premeirship team... they basically had the killer midfield (including Cox), and... not much else.

However, I believe we also need key position players.
Look at the Teddy's... four GFs in a row for three flags in a row.

So that's E-girls... killer midfield and little else... one flag.
Teddy's... killer midfield and top notch key forwards and defenders... three flags.

(Lack of quality key position players is why the Poodles didn't win a flag recently... they got BBBB one year too late.
Lack of quality key position players is why it's obvious that Carlscum and the Tuggers won't win a flag with their current plethora of high draft picks.
And similarly, it's why Nuff Nuff won't.)


That said, the 'order' in which we recruit certain types of player doesn't matter, as the Pelican has positioned us to be able to recruit top quality from the national and preseason drafts, and from Free Agency.

[ROLS-LEE]

I also agree with Pluggs re not using a high draft pick on a ruckman unless he's John McIntosh. Just get an older mobile bloke who is good enough to prevent his opponents from winning too many hit-outs to advantage.

I also agree with Pluggs re the importance of a killer midfield...
Look at the E-girl's last premeirship team... they basically had the killer midfield (including Cox), and... not much else.

However, I believe we also need key position players.
Look at the Teddy's... four GFs in a row for three flags in a row.

So that's E-girls... killer midfield and little else... one flag.
Teddy's... killer midfield and top notch key forwards and defenders... three flags.

(Lack of quality key position players is why the Poodles didn't win a flag recently... they got BBBB one year too late.
Lack of quality key position players is why it's obvious that Carlscum and the Tuggers won't win a flag with their current plethora of high draft picks.
And similarly, it's why Nuff Nuff won't.)


That said, the 'order' in which we recruit certain types of player doesn't matter, as the Pelican has positioned us to be able to recruit top quality from the national and preseason drafts, and from Free Agency.

I agree with all of that as well but Geelong won 3 premierships on the back of elite mids with a young Hawkins and Mooney, that weren't great. Their mids made Mooney better and Hawkins was too young.
WCE would have won two premierships if BBBB got rubbed out.


We just need luck and hope our recruiters don't pick smokeys.
Just keep getting best available mids. Especially aggressive ones. (That's why Lamb and Patrecca appeal to me)


Snag a kpf through free agency / preseason draft. Doent have to be special if our mids are elite.

[plugger66]

I also agree with Pluggs re not using a high draft pick on a ruckman unless he's John McIntosh. Just get an older mobile bloke who is good enough to prevent his opponents from winning too many hit-outs to advantage.

I also agree with Pluggs re the importance of a killer midfield...
Look at the E-girl's last premeirship team... they basically had the killer midfield (including Cox), and... not much else.

However, I believe we also need key position players.
Look at the Teddy's... four GFs in a row for three flags in a row.

So that's E-girls... killer midfield and little else... one flag.
Teddy's... killer midfield and top notch key forwards and defenders... three flags.

(Lack of quality key position players is why the Poodles didn't win a flag recently... they got BBBB one year too late.
Lack of quality key position players is why it's obvious that Carlscum and the Tuggers won't win a flag with their current plethora of high draft picks.
And similarly, it's why Nuff Nuff won't.)


That said, the 'order' in which we recruit certain types of player doesn't matter, as the Pelican has positioned us to be able to recruit top quality from the national and preseason drafts, and from Free Agency.

I will comment but I have no idea at all who the Teddys are. Lets guess its Brisbane or the Lions as they are known by 99.9% of the population. Firstly the game has changed so much since they played. Its all about big sized mids now. Some are close to the height of KPP. I cant go on with anymore comments because I really have no idea who these clubs are. Dave just a little tip that maybe completely wrong. I reckon people would rather see real names for teams especially as it isnt even slightly funny IMO of course.

[bergholt]

Snag a kpf through free agency / preseason draft. Doent have to be special if our mids are elite.

Agreed. Look at the last fifteen premiership sides and their big forwards:

2013: Franklin, Roughead, Gunston
2012: Goodes, Reid
2011: Hawkins, Podsiadly
2010: Cloke, Dawes, L Brown
2009: Hawkins, Mooney
2008: Franklin, Roughead
2007: Mooney, N Ablett
2006: Q Lynch, Hansen
2005: Hall, Goodes
2004: Tredrea, Thurstans
2003: Lynch, Brown
2002: Lynch, Brown
2001: Lynch, Brown
2000: Lloyd, Alessio, Barnard
1999: Carey, McKernan, Welsh

Which of those guys were early picks who developed at one club for years? Hawkins, Franklin, Roughead. That's about it. There's a lot of late picks there.

But also a lot who changed clubs. Gunston, Franklin, Reid (maybe), Podsiadly, Dawes, L Brown, Mooney, N Ablett, Q Lynch, Hansen, Hall... Looks like there's no need to use an early pick on a tall forward and develop them for five years, you can just pick them up down the line.

And that's even more the case with free agency.

Mids, mids and more mids. If we've got a quality midfield then finding a tall forward who can get on the end of a few is going to be the least of our worries. If we haven't got a quality midfield then we just won't win, regardless of our talls.