Good for both of them.
Jones - I started out as a fan, but he lost me after the collarbone with his disposal. While I hope an extra year to adapt to the pace of the game will see him relax a bit more and think it through rather than just bang and hope ala park footy, I don't hold
much hope. However, he's good enough to challenge for selection, so he improves the depth over a Raymond. Really in competition with Armitage, McQualter, and possibly the next draftee's and rookies (thx to Attard) for gametime, so he's got to keep working. Solid move if not inspiring.
Attard - Feelgood story. Shown enough to make one think it's worth putting the resources and income at his disposal to let him come back from what was a very unfortunate injury. Likely never more that a GOP and tagger, but again, worth having on the list. I'm really pleased for him.
This is what the rookie list is really for - folks trot out Cox, Kirk, or Sandilands often, but given the high turnover of players, what the rookie list really does is increase the competition for spots at the bottom end of the list. If Jones can't keep his spot and is gone 12 months from now, no big loss, and Attard at the least provides hope to others trying to make the AFL the hard way at St. Kilda. Development's an art, and drafting is like throwing **** at a wall - the more you throw, the more likely some is to stick... and maybe produce a Cox along the way