All those premium draft picks

[Toy Saint]

It breaks my heart to see all the quality kids from the past few drafts, and none of them are at St Kilda. Oh, correction, in 2016 we drafted Josh Battle at 39.

Last October we decided to draft an injured giant, and we could have had Rozee, Baliey Smith, Jordon Clark, Xavier Duursma, Taryn Thomas .... etc...most of these guys have played well in the majority of games this year.

And the previous year we drafted Coffield & Clark, neither spending much time on the park.

With all due respect, our mature age recurits are not exactly the quality juniors that dynasties are built upon.

It's easy to blame the coach, but if we're just not getting the cattle even the great Alan Jeans would struggle to win with these players. And if Richo is replaced, as expected, I expect his replacement will struggle to develop a quality squad with a void of premium talent.

We desperately need to draft premium midfielders, but I'm afraid we've traded our 2nd & 3rd draft picks.

Perhaps we need to replace our recruiting staff.

[Premium89]

What of my draft picks??

[HighettMan]

It breaks my heart to see all the quality kids from the past few drafts, and none of them are at St Kilda. Oh, correction, in 2016 we drafted Josh Battle at 39.

Last October we decided to draft an injured giant, and we could have had Rozee, Baliey Smith, Jordon Clark, Xavier Duursma, Taryn Thomas .... etc...most of these guys have played well in the majority of games this year.

And the previous year we drafted Coffield & Clark, neither spending much time on the park.

With all due respect, our mature age recurits are not exactly the quality juniors that dynasties are built upon.

It's easy to blame the coach, but if we're just not getting the cattle even the great Alan Jeans would struggle to win with these players. And if Richo is replaced, as expected, I expect his replacement will struggle to develop a quality squad with a void of premium talent.

We desperately need to draft premium midfielders, but I'm afraid we've traded our 2nd & 3rd draft picks.

Perhaps we need to replace our recruiting staff.

This years trade period is probably the clubs most important since the rebuild started in 2014.

One of the last peaces in the puzzle is to get midfielders, really good ones that can come straight into the best 22. We are fully stocked in all other areas of the ground.

Get this trade period wrong and it might prove to be problematic because as you rightly point out, it might not matter who the coach is.

And here is a another thing we need to happen. Wins before the season ends. We have to get some belief happening with a winning culture to go into the preseason with encouragement.

[Ghost Like]

I feel your pain Toy Saint. Sadly though, when we have not won a flag for 53 years and spent more time in the bottom half we are skilled in "What ifs". We've been crying out for skilled mids, X factor and a recruiting plan we can all see take shape.
It takes a genuine plan, some skilled talent identification and a bit of luck.
The luck comes in the form of who's available in a given year and our decision making.
Sadly a player such as Walsh was not available when we had Pick 1. We needed a midfielder back then but panicked. Panicked to the point we had to make amends in 2018, disregarding another opportunity to be pick up a midfielder.
King may be good, he may be very good. How good is still 5 years away.
By choosing King, we admitted we got it wrong with Paddy but we have also said we've faith in Clark & Coffield. Neither are a write off & I'm not sure who we missed that was spoken about at the time.
HM is correct, recruiting is crucial more than ever for the next two years. It has to be mids, quick skilful mids & a ruck or two (FA). No more HBFs, no more small forwards, no more one paced inside midfielders.
Our chance is now, get our recruiting right, please!

[BarryGrogan]

What would Sam Walsh look like right now in our midfield? Firstly, he'd probably have barely played anyway - because Cho would't think he's ready yet. Not 'strong' enough.

And before Saints fans go on their usual 'woe is us' rant about these guys blitzing the comp and whining about them not playing for us....here are some stats on Sam Walsh:

• Ranked 1st among rising stars in Total Clangers

• Ranked 3rd among rising stars in Clangers Per Game

• Ranked 1st among rising stars in Total Turnovers

• Ranked 1st among rising stars in Turnovers Per Game

And Bailey Smith:

• Ranked 10th among rising stars in Effective Disposals % Per Game

So although Saints fans love to wallow in self pity and pine for everything and everyone that the other clubs have, do we think that more guys shanking the pill is going to save us?


FWIW, Ben King is in the top 40 in the entire comp for Marks Inside 50. And, he plays for the team is 17th for Inside 50s! Big guys are oddly underrated still.



And I completely disagree about getting Paddy wrong. The only players that in hindsight we should have picked in that Draft over him (and I stress, in hindsight) were De Goey and Lever. No one else would have changed our current predicament. Neither are mids. The only half decent midfielder was Brayshaw - and he's not a world beater by any stretch.

Concussion is what stitched up McCartin. Concussion and poor coaching.

[Linton Lodger]

Is Bailey Smith been compared to Max King? You gotta be joking!

Didn't know Sam Walsh was available at pick 4.

The best players in last years draft, in no particular order, were Sam Walsh, Max and Ben King. By some distance to the others.

We got one of them.

[Ghost Like]

I don't think anyone is comparing the two, completely different players. My point was choice. At some point in some year we need best available for our needs.

Nothing hindsight about the McCartin decision. Petracca & Brayshaw were the standouts come draft time. Collingwood had the good fortune of not having to choose, meaning De Goey fell to them.

Good on Walsh for ranking where he is in all those stats you mentioned, I'm sure he also ranks quite highly in the positive stats which aren't quoted and those bad stats will become less and less over the years.

How are some of our experienced players ranking in clangers and turnovers. I'd much rather pick a Walsh than a McCartin if they'd been available in the same draft.

Yes, it's a woe is me tune but sadly a familiar one of late which is why I said the upcoming drafts are crucial and crucial we nail them. At least whoever we choose won't be developed under the current regime.

[tedtheodorelogan2018]

Billings?
Gresham?
They are going pretty good.

[BarryGrogan]

I don't think anyone is comparing the two, completely different players. My point was choice. At some point in some year we need best available for our needs.

Nothing hindsight about the McCartin decision. Petracca & Brayshaw were the standouts come draft time. Collingwood had the good fortune of not having to choose, meaning De Goey fell to them.

Good on Walsh for ranking where he is in all those stats you mentioned, I'm sure he also ranks quite highly in the positive stats which aren't quoted and those bad stats will become less and less over the years.

How are some of our experienced players ranking in clangers and turnovers. I'd much rather pick a Walsh than a McCartin if they'd been available in the same draft.

Yes, it's a woe is me tune but sadly a familiar one of late which is why I said the upcoming drafts are crucial and crucial we nail them. At least whoever we choose won't be developed under the current regime.

But Walsh wasn't available in the 2013 Draft.

The only reason I would pick euther Brayshaw or Petracca over McCartin is because Concussion has forced him out.

But prior to that, I'd still picknhim over those two. Petracca cant even play midfield, and Brayshaw is an underwhelming midfielder with no speed.

The only 3 from that draft that I'd select over McCartin (in terms of ability) are De Goey, Lever and Steele.

As for the 'bad stats', Ross rates awesone in some areas too, but we're still waiting for the bad ones to improve.

[Sanctorum]

Fact is that selecting the early round draft picks is a lottery, St Kilda is not the only team that has failed to identify a draftee that has slipped through to a later pick and become a champion player - it is just that we are so focused on our own players that we ignore that this is also true for every other team in the AFL....if only we'd gone for Chris Judd ahead of Luke Ball in 2001, or Jimmy Bartel instead of Xavier Clarke in the same draft!!

Last year's early selections, Max King and Jack Bytel have both missed their 1st year through long term injuries and that's unfortunate, but interestingly enough, very few 2nd round picks have played many, if any games this year, and the Saints 3rd round pick Matty Parker has played 13 games, by far the most of that group. Both Hunter Clark and Nick Coffield in 2017 were OK and I'm confident they will become regular players from 2020 onward.

Yes, the 2016 drafting of Ben Long (22 games) ahead of Brandon Parfitt (47) Zac Fisher (47) and Tom Stewart (57) was certainly a misjudgement and more the pity! Then again, we're all agreed that Josh Battle at pick 39 who was still at school and missed the 1st year is going to be a great key position player either forward or back for the team.

In essence next year the playing group will be well poised to have a strong blend of experienced and new talent and with the right coach and attacking game plan should see the team climb up the ladder.

[Otiman]

I think it's more about our ability to develop than draft.

[axcellence]

I think it's more about our ability to develop than draft.

[saintsRrising]

I think it's more about our ability to develop than draft.

Exactly.

Take Gresham.

He could be a star, but instead he allowed to play to try and build a highlights real each game.

He kicks around his body way too often and too many way too clever handballs that do not work.

His poor games now outweigh his good game when his highlights actually work.

He needs to be polished and not patted on the back for almost doing incredible stuff.