We have to take Petracca at number one

[damienc]

I have been giving this a good deal of thought as you do when your team has just won the wooden spoon and no prospect of playing finals footy for at least three years.

We desperately need a quality midfielder or three. I would love to grab Tom Mitchell but realistically that ain't going to happen. In any case I don't think he wants to come to St Kilda.

The Blues have long held an interest in him and appear to be in the box seat. it's a shame because he'll be a gun. All he needs is opportunity.

But looking around at the other prospects, the more I look at Petracca the more I like him. He is a very mature, level headed kid who likes to work hard and improve his game. Tick.

He has explosive pace and agility.Tick. He is strong around the contest and likes to kick goals. Tick. He gathers lots of possessions in every game he plays and has good disposal. Tick.

Petracca is the goods. He is the best player available in the draft by a considerable margin, in my view. He will go number one, be ready to play in round one of 2015 and is exactly what we need in spades.

I don't know our strategy. I trust our leaders but I sincerely, sincerely hope they don't barter away the number one pick and that we grab this bloke with both hands. End of story.

[stinger]

I have been giving this a good deal of thought as you do when your team has just won the wooden spoon and no prospect of playing finals footy for at least three years.

We desperately need a quality midfielder or three. I would love to grab Tom Mitchell but realistically that ain't going to happen. In any case I don't think he wants to come to St Kilda.

The Blues have long held an interest in him and appear to be in the box seat. it's a shame because he'll be a gun. All he needs is opportunity.

But looking around at the other prospects, the more I look at Petracca the more I like him. He is a very mature, level headed kid who likes to work hard and improve his game. Tick.

He has explosive pace and agility.Tick. He is strong around the contest and likes to kick goals. Tick. He gathers lots of possessions in every game he plays and has good disposal. Tick.

Petracca is the goods. He is the best player available in the draft by a considerable margin, in my view. He will go number one, be ready to play in round one of 2015 and is exactly what we need in spades.

I don't know our strategy. I trust our leaders but I sincerely, sincerely hope they don't barter away the number one pick and that we grab this bloke with both hands. End of story.

yep.....but i fear the pelican might have other ideas....


we have lost high draft picks for not much under his watch already......

[darylcowie]

I haven't seen Petracca in action, but he sounds like just what we need right now. Although I have been checking out McCartin and Wright and I must say the latter has more strings to his bow, so unless we are desperate for a full-forward or bust, I think Wright should also be a priority choice for us with finals in view in three years time.

[Animal Enclosure]

yep.....but i fear the pelican might have other ideas....


we have lost high draft picks for not much under his watch already......

I don't buy this 'Pelchen loves to trade down for multiple picks' theory.

He did it during the tainted drafts when our pick position wasn't a true reflection of where it actually was (eg 2011- Pick 20 was actually closer to pick 30 when you consider GWS' pre selected players. 2012- pick 12 & 13 were also effected by the mini draft of the previous year). Given the accepted evenness of that draft, trading 12 & 13 out for what we got in return cannot be written off as a loss just yet. GWS have lost Jaksch already & Lonegan hasn't set the world on fire at GC.

I'm sure we have received offers for pick 3 last year but that was kept despite a reasonably even top 20.

Of course the club is happy to say, "We'll field offers for pick 1", just like GWS did last year despite them being 99% sure that they'd keep it & take Boyd. Unless there is an absolute cracker of an offer then we'll keep #1 & hopefully take Petracca.

[stinger]

not so sure...think we must have packed up a deal last year to gws for their no 1 pick which would have included our no3 pick....and he is hell bent this year on getting three picks under 20........to do that he has to either put the no1 pick on the table...as has been well published...or put players on the table...or a combination of both......i'm really not sold on the pelican...i have rellies who are hawks and who were glad to see the back of him....

[Kernal75]

Pretty sure that Pelchen played a massive role in building a list that ultimately netted the Hawks the 2008 premiership. There's many ways to skin a cat in order to get 3 inside 20 and if it doesn't happen then big deal. Richo would also have a fair say into the type of player we need and if Petracca fits that profile then we'll grab him. FWIW I think we'll take him with 1 and draft best available after that.

[stinger]

Pretty sure that Pelchen played a massive role in building a list that ultimately netted the Hawks the 2008 premiership. There's many ways to skin a cat in order to get 3 inside 20 and if it doesn't happen then big deal. Richo would also have a fair say into the type of player we need and if Petracca fits that profile then we'll grab him. FWIW I think we'll take him with 1 and draft best available after that.

i can only hope that you are right...

[borderbarry]

I am not so sure that we should be taking Petraca. He and Brayshaw were both born in January. That has put them among the oldest in the TAC Cup. Whereas Wright turned 18 last week. He would not have finished growing yet. How tall is he going to finish at? And he has a lot more upside than the two mids, who did so well because they were bigger than the other kids. I think a trade out of pick 0ne for Four or even Three from Melbourne should net us their 2nd round pick as well, and maybe GWS compensatory pick at end of 1st round.

[saint6709]

I am not so sure that we should be taking Petraca. He and Brayshaw were both born in January. That has put them among the oldest in the TAC Cup. Whereas Wright turned 18 last week. He would not have finished growing yet. How tall is he going to finish at? And he has a lot more upside than the two mids, who did so well because they were bigger than the other kids. I think a trade out of pick 0ne for Four or even Three from Melbourne should net us their 2nd round pick as well, and maybe GWS compensatory pick at end of 1st round.

this is a good point - hopefully the recruiters are on to it. My kid is born 28 December ( still only 9) and what he can do a year on each year is streets ahead of what he was doing the year before - he is pretty good but if he was born 4 days later he would be an absolute gun

[gringo]

I am not so sure that we should be taking Petraca. He and Brayshaw were both born in January. That has put them among the oldest in the TAC Cup. Whereas Wright turned 18 last week. He would not have finished growing yet. How tall is he going to finish at? And he has a lot more upside than the two mids, who did so well because they were bigger than the other kids. I think a trade out of pick 0ne for Four or even Three from Melbourne should net us their 2nd round pick as well, and maybe GWS compensatory pick at end of 1st round.

Wrights problem is he's already almost too big to be a capable KP. He's a ruck KPF more than a pure forward and he's already had stress fractures in his back due to his weight and growth. Petracca will be a player from his first game where Wright will be a 4 to 5 year project. To me it's Petracca or nothing now. Stuff trading out the pick for more picks.

[plugger66]

I am not so sure that we should be taking Petraca. He and Brayshaw were both born in January. That has put them among the oldest in the TAC Cup. Whereas Wright turned 18 last week. He would not have finished growing yet. How tall is he going to finish at? And he has a lot more upside than the two mids, who did so well because they were bigger than the other kids. I think a trade out of pick 0ne for Four or even Three from Melbourne should net us their 2nd round pick as well, and maybe GWS compensatory pick at end of 1st round.

Wrights problem is he's already almost too big to be a capable KP. He's a ruck KPF more than a pure forward and he's already had stress fractures in his back due to his weight and growth. Petracca will be a player from his first game where Wright will be a 4 to 5 year project. To me it's Petracca or nothing now. Stuff trading out the pick for more picks.

That's a new one. To big to be a KPP. Love to trade pick one for Mitchell and good pick. That would be excellent trading.

[gringo]

I am not so sure that we should be taking Petraca. He and Brayshaw were both born in January. That has put them among the oldest in the TAC Cup. Whereas Wright turned 18 last week. He would not have finished growing yet. How tall is he going to finish at? And he has a lot more upside than the two mids, who did so well because they were bigger than the other kids. I think a trade out of pick 0ne for Four or even Three from Melbourne should net us their 2nd round pick as well, and maybe GWS compensatory pick at end of 1st round.

Wrights problem is he's already almost too big to be a capable KP. He's a ruck KPF more than a pure forward and he's already had stress fractures in his back due to his weight and growth. Petracca will be a player from his first game where Wright will be a 4 to 5 year project. To me it's Petracca or nothing now. Stuff trading out the pick for more picks.

That's a new one. To big to be a KPP. Love to trade pick one for Mitchell and good pick. That would be excellent trading.

He's 200cm and they said he's growing. I'm not sure you are good for much but ruck if you get much bigger than that. Possibly he keeps a lot of his athletic prowess when he grows but usually you lose speed and an ability at ground level. Maybe Freo should forget looking for Mc Pharlin's replacement and put Sandilands at FB.

[plugger66]

I am not so sure that we should be taking Petraca. He and Brayshaw were both born in January. That has put them among the oldest in the TAC Cup. Whereas Wright turned 18 last week. He would not have finished growing yet. How tall is he going to finish at? And he has a lot more upside than the two mids, who did so well because they were bigger than the other kids. I think a trade out of pick 0ne for Four or even Three from Melbourne should net us their 2nd round pick as well, and maybe GWS compensatory pick at end of 1st round.

Wrights problem is he's already almost too big to be a capable KP. He's a ruck KPF more than a pure forward and he's already had stress fractures in his back due to his weight and growth. Petracca will be a player from his first game where Wright will be a 4 to 5 year project. To me it's Petracca or nothing now. Stuff trading out the pick for more picks.

That's a new one. To big to be a KPP. Love to trade pick one for Mitchell and good pick. That would be excellent trading.

He's 200cm and they said he's growing. I'm not sure you are good for much but ruck if you get much bigger than that. Possibly he keeps a lot of his athletic prowess when he grows but usually you lose speed and an ability at ground level. Maybe Freo should forget looking for Mc Pharlin's replacement and put Sandilands at FB.

Do you understand footy? Sandilands is a ruckman. Wright plays as a ruck and a forward. He knows how to play as a KPP. How tall is Carlisle by the way? You do have a think about people being to tall for positions as you said the same about Bont. If people thought like they did 40 years ago we would have the Doc sized player still as CHF, Paul Callery sized rovers and Alan Morrow sized ruckman. Players are getting bigger. At least if we get Petracca he has a little size but still not a huge mid

[citywest]

I reckon the best thing Pelican can do is trade pick 1 to GWS for pick 4 and there compensation pick (18ish?). The reason why they would do this is because they are desperate to get Petracca. If I had the choice between pick 1 or pick 4 and 18 I know which one I would take.

[plugger66]

I reckon the best thing Pelican can do is trade pick 1 to GWS for pick 4 and there compensation pick (18ish?). The reason why they would do this is because they are desperate to get Petracca. If I had the choice between pick 1 or pick 4 and 18 I know which one I would take.

Agreed. Pick one for sure.

[ctqs]

I haven't seen Petracca but like very much what I hear. But are we placing too much value on the number one pick given only three (Drew Banfield, Des Headland, and Luke Hodge) have played in a flag and of those, only one ended up being really worthy of that pick?

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Drew Banfield was a star !! i reckon you would be pretty happy to get a player like him with your first pick ... Des was a good player but he got lazy once he got to freo ..

[Hemi Baxter]

Tough call this year. No wonder the three bottom sides have all indicated that they're prepared to trade their round one pick. Watching the U18 Championships I found it hard to understand why Petracca is rated a clear number one by amateur pundits. His best asset is his unerring marking over smaller and lighter opponents. I'd rather take Jayden Laverde, the most exciting player in the draft, elusive, very quick, highly skilled and getting better.

[Old Mate]

Tough call this year. No wonder the three bottom sides have all indicated that they're prepared to trade their round one pick. Watching the U18 Championships I found it hard to understand why Petracca is rated a clear number one by amateur pundits. His best asset is his unerring marking over smaller and lighter opponents. I'd rather take Jayden Laverde, the most exciting player in the draft, elusive, very quick, highly skilled and getting better.

Laverde is a nice player but an outside and low production type. He needs others to get him into the game and would be a player easily tagged. I fear he would be inconsistent and frustrate supporters. I would much prefer a bull and sure thing like Petracca that wins his own footy.

[The Fireman]

I haven't seen Petracca but like very much what I hear. But are we placing too much value on the number one pick given only three (Drew Banfield, Des Headland, and Luke Hodge) have played in a flag and of those, only one ended up being really worthy of that pick?

I saw a link in another post showing him play a bit

[Con Gorozidis]

I think we should probably pick Petracca (based on what the experts are saying - i personally have nfi) but yeah as fans i think we shouldnt focus on the 'number one' pick too much. Lets just worry about getting 10-12 good young players up and running in the next 2-3 years.
What pick they are will probably not mean anything in 4-5 years.

[SideshowMilne]

But Con isn't that exactly why a two for one deal may be attractive to the pelch? Everyone thought the dees stuffed up initially, because it's hard to quantify numbers against a known, and also similar to the big boy trade. I want petrecca as much as anyone, but the option of say pick 4 and a young player must weigh on bains and pelch's minds.

[dragit]

Tricky isn't it?

In 4 years time petracca could be a Dustin Martin

Or if we traded 1 for 4 and a very good player like we could potentially have a key forward and an A grade mid.

I haven't heard of Cameron extending his contract yet either?

[Con Gorozidis]

But Con isn't that exactly why a two for one deal may be attractive to the pelch? Everyone thought the dees stuffed up initially, because it's hard to quantify numbers against a known, and also similar to the big boy trade. I want petrecca as much as anyone, but the option of say pick 4 and a young player must weigh on bains and pelch's minds.

No doubt it will weigh on them.

But there may be limited opportunities. Only really GC and GWS and maybe the Swans are able to do this kind of deal. I think it is a very hard year to be a recruiter - and they will weigh up different options you'd think. But if nothing actually eventuates - then we will just go conventional i guess.

e.g There are only so many GWS players we would consider - and that would be guys along the lines of Treloar, Shiel, Greene, Smith, Hoskin-Elliott and they simply may/will not be offered.

So if we go conventional the Italian Stallion may well be the lowest risk/best in show.

[dragit]

But Con isn't that exactly why a two for one deal may be attractive to the pelch? Everyone thought the dees stuffed up initially, because it's hard to quantify numbers against a known, and also similar to the big boy trade. I want petrecca as much as anyone, but the option of say pick 4 and a young player must weigh on bains and pelch's minds.

No doubt it will weigh on them.

But there may be limited opportunities. Only really GC and GWS and maybe the Swans are able to do this kind of deal. I think it is a very hard year to be a recruiter - and they will weigh up different options you'd think. But if nothing actually eventuates - then we will just go conventional i guess.

e.g There are only so many GWS players we would consider - and that would be guys along the lines of Treloar, Shiel, Greene, Smith, Hoskin-Elliott and they simply may/will not be offered.

So if we go conventional the Italian Stallion may well be the lowest risk/best in show.

I know you like them big and rough con, but isn't this guy from the burbs?

Maybe we could throw him down a coal mine for a years 'hardening' apprenticeship?