Petracca or McCartin?

[boneless23]

It seems it's down to two.

Who will we take and why?

Petracca seems like a lock but do we take the best key forward at 1 and use 21 and 22 for Mids?

[Scoop]

Petracca!

[Con Gorozidis]

Nakers!

I think we will take Pet.Man.

We will give Lee and White every opportunity to make it as fwds this year.

[St Ick]

I think Petracca because we simply cannot afford not to, best player with very few question marks

[Vazelos]

We will be taking Petracca. That's the inside word.

[boneless23]

The question mark on Petracca is whether he is a man child who has been dominating less developed kids?

I'm not saying that's true but that is always the concern when you draft a player whose key traits are strength and power who has only ever been tested at U/18 level.

[boneless23]

Brayshaw has fewer question marks than Petracca IMO but less upside.

[gringo]

Petracca

[St Ick]

The question mark on Petracca is whether he is a man child who has been dominating less developed kids?

I'm not saying that's true but that is always the concern when you draft a player whose key traits are strength and power who has only ever been tested at U/18 level.

I think the recent success/transition of bigger mids like Dunstan and Wines dispels that theory.

Remember Petracca has only really concentrated full time on footy for a couple of years and he is still developing his midfield game. His ceiling is probably as high as any mid drafted in recent history.

The fact that he has lost his puppy fat and just smashed his PB in the beep test to a shade under 15 means he is well on the way to building a tank built for AFL. He isn't just a big body, he has an elite burst of speed which would translate to AFL.

I also love the fact he has a basketball background, Pendles is probably the biggest name to have a similar background but these types of kids tend to excel in close at AFL level having more time than others.

His forward presence can only be a good thing, especially with the rotation cap. Think Martin, Wingard, all of those guys, we have screamed out for this type of midfielder for as long as I've been alive.

[Con Gorozidis]

The question mark on Petracca is whether he is a man child who has been dominating less developed kids?

I'm not saying that's true but that is always the concern when you draft a player whose key traits are strength and power who has only ever been tested at U/18 level.

Totally Agree with that risk/concern. But some man-childs just keep going business as usual at the higher level. e.g Judd ,Robbie Gray, Rich, Wines. And others just cant fully step up (Anthony Banik, Chris Masten).
So hopefully Pet Man just keeps going as he is going. I guess thats what the recruitment staff need to determine. Does he have skills/attributes that will hold up at the top level? I think with Pet his agility and other attributes mean he has a decent chance at making the transition. I supposes this is why they run combine style testing.

[older saint]

Petracca has plenty of upside still. Only really moved mid this year and with basketball background the peripheral vision and awareness will be good , as with most midfielders with basketball back grounds

[Gershwin]

We need a mid that can kick goals - Petracca.

[evo]

Heard from someone who is generally on the ball that they want to take McCartin but are don't want to make a mistake by not picking Petracca. Been studying both players U17 footage apparently.

[WinnersOnly]

Heard from someone who is generally on the ball that they want to take McCartin but are don't want to make a mistake by not picking Petracca. Been studying both players U17 footage apparently.

I havent seen enough of either of them but wouldnt like to be the one making the decision?

I dont trust Muchael Turner's recommendations regarding McCartin, but if he is anywhere near as good as Roughead, you wished we had picks 1 & 2. Having said that I think Petracca is more of a safer bet and his personality would really light up Seaford, McCartin reported as more reserved...

[kosifantutti]

Vote here
http://saintsational.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=87170

[ace]

Heard from someone who is generally on the ball that they want to take McCartin but are don't want to make a mistake by not picking Petracca. Been studying both players U17 footage apparently.

Tell Gillon we want both. I'm sure he will agree to that.

[saintbob]

It definitely looks like we're taking Petracca @ No. 1, especially with Roo about to sign a new 2yr deal.

[boneless23]

Historically mids are less likely to be a bust than key forwards so from a PR/confidence in the management team perspective I think Baines will be driving them down the Petracca path.

At this stage of the rebuild the club can ill afford a Jack Watts scenario to play out for all sorts of reasons both on and off the field.

So based on exposed form and potential upside I think Petracca is the choice to make. I then think the coaching/list management staff need to take a concerted sink or swim approach with Lee and White and be prepared to aggressively go after an established KPF (Cameron, Lynch, Day) when Roo retires.

[SuperDuper]

The question mark on Petracca is whether he is a man child who has been dominating less developed kids?

I'm not saying that's true but that is always the concern when you draft a player whose key traits are strength and power who has only ever been tested at U/18 level.

Yes, but he was also dominant as an under-ager in 2013. Basically won the semi final in the TAC cup off his own boot, by all reports.. so he was dominant even when a year younger than his opponents.

Am hoping he is the next Marc Ricciuto.
i.e big bodied midfielder with Italian heritage... who can take his man forward and outmark them

Absolute gun was Riccuito IMO, stood right along side Voss and Buckley and Harvey in that era..

He also was a man child.. played SANFL at age 16.. was 184cm compared to Petracca 186... similar weight of 92 kgs

Riccuito simply progressed from man-child to beast....

Played 312 games.... absolute gun...

we gotta take Petracca.... no guarantees... but he looks as good a chance as you get

[kosifantutti]

Could be the next John Georgiou.

[Wayne42]

Could be the next John Georgiou.

We don't want another John Georgiou, the first one didn't cut it at the top level..

[Sobraz]

The question mark on Petracca is whether he is a man child who has been dominating less developed kids?

I'm not saying that's true but that is always the concern when you draft a player whose key traits are strength and power who has only ever been tested at U/18 level.

Yes, but he was also dominant as an under-ager in 2013. Basically won the semi final in the TAC cup off his own boot, by all reports.. so he was dominant even when a year younger than his opponents.

Am hoping he is the next Marc Ricciuto.
i.e big bodied midfielder with Italian heritage... who can take his man forward and outmark them

Absolute gun was Riccuito IMO, stood right along side Voss and Buckley and Harvey in that era..

He also was a man child.. played SANFL at age 16.. was 184cm compared to Petracca 186... similar weight of 92 kgs

Riccuito simply progressed from man-child to beast....

Played 312 games.... absolute gun...

we gotta take Petracca.... no guarantees... but he looks as good a chance as you get

great comparison. The crows Roo was an absolute superstar. We will have hit the jackpot if we can land a player of that quality.

[borderbarry]

Emma Quale in The Age, has published her top 30 in order (Note, not phantom draft).
She has put the Sydney boy at No.1, saying he is the besgt player in the draft.
At 2 she has Peter Wright.
3. Is Patraca
4. McCarti5. Moore.
6 Brayshaw.

The rest about as expected

[Con Gorozidis]

Interesting Barry.
certainly seems that there are some minor question marks over petracca.
Hes not a unanimous number 1.

I guess one alternative option is we could get Wright now and then move heaven and earth for Shiel at the end of the year. But i think we rate Hickey too highly to do that and it might be too risky.

Yet more gifts from the afl to the swans.
Heeney looks like a dead set gun and they get him for pick 18.
Just seems unfair or lucky.

On a side note one key thing under the current system is to do is lose a good player to FA when u finish bottom and get pick 1 and 2.
Melbourne have gamed the system superbly this year.

[Dave McNamara]

Emma Quale in The Age, has published her top 30 in order (Note, not phantom draft).
She has put the Sydney boy at No.1, saying he is the besgt player in the draft.
At 2 she has Peter Wright.
3. Is Patraca
4. McCarti5. Moore.
6 Brayshaw.

The rest about as expected

That's interesting BB.

The 'sydney boy' is irrelevant, in that he's not available, so every other club just has to 'grin and bear it' re him. Same re Moore.

Peter Wright, eh? For a bloke his size (he's already at an AFL-ready weight), and who is currently only competing against kids, to have the knock on him that he doesn't hold enough contested marks, and can be too easily pushed out of a marking contest... surely the red flashing light is coming on there(?)

As I've posted before, McCartin mainly gets his goals on the lead (won't happen much in the AFL), might crunch a few packs, but doesn't actually take pack marks... and can only play the one position...!
I simply don't get the love.
I can't see him playing in the AFL to a level you'd want from such a high pick. I can see him not even making it at all.
Also, looking at our list, and looking at blokes we can liberate from other sides in the next year or so via the various drafts... we don't need McCartin.

On attributes displayed, Petracca is the clear stand out. Then Dai Light (who isn't in the draft). I really like that comparison of Petracca with Riccutto... all I'd add is if that's the case, when Petracca's great career is finally over... don't let him onto the Board Saintas(!)

The Cockatoo is next and making up ground... blokes with talent who drift and/or go under the radar due to badly timed injuries, have in the past been a great source of picking up a gun at a 'bargain price'. I'd be absolutely over-the-moon-rapt if he slid to us. Will be the type of player who people go to the footy just to watch him play IMHO.

Rose simply looks a natural footballer (41), and Daniel in the PSD would also be a steal... though I don't know enough about what other options are likely to be available around our picks. I'd like Ahmed, but just get a feeling it's not gonna happen.

Anyway, it all makes for great forum discussions.