2007-2009 Drafts

[CURLY]

Correct

Sorry, but while it is correct that that there was a foundation in place, Ross did:

* help engineer some deft trades
* importantly innovated a gameplan that game us an edge
* most importantly had the team working with such blind obedience, and at such an intense workrate that it was almost perfection.

2009 was a wonder to behold, and anyone who believes that 2009 was not due to great coaching seriously has little idea about football IMO.

Correct. Although Id say Lyons coaching in 2010 was even better after Roo went down to still draw rhe GF with all thst went wrong was amazing.

[Terrance80]

IMO the drafting in the Thomas years was just as bad if not worse... Raph Clarke pick 8..? Please.. Barry brooks for pick 6 and pick 30 odd...? Really...? Andrew maqualter pick 17.. First round.. He's a pick 50 at best.. Ferguson watts traded for a first rd selection...? The last decade of recruiting has been deplorable..

[CURLY]

IMO the drafting in the Thomas years was just as bad if not worse... Raph Clarke pick 8..? Please.. Barry brooks for pick 6 and pick 30 odd...? Really...? Andrew maqualter pick 17.. First round.. He's a pick 50 at best.. Ferguson watts traded for a first rd selection...? The last decade of recruiting has been deplorable..

Watts and Brooks would have been great players if they didnt suffer serious career ending injuries. Clarke and Mini where both highly rated juniors no issue with either.

[Terrance80]

I'm pretty sure both those players went on to play local football and had injuries that other players have had before... Injuries happen.. Facts are they didn't deliver... I think mini would have been a good choice in the 3rd or 4th rd .. Not quick enough or enough tricks for his size...

[mad saint guy]

IMO the drafting in the Thomas years was just as bad if not worse... Raph Clarke pick 8..? Please.. Barry brooks for pick 6 and pick 30 odd...? Really...? Andrew maqualter pick 17.. First round.. He's a pick 50 at best.. Ferguson watts traded for a first rd selection...? The last decade of recruiting has been deplorable..

Watts and Brooks would have been great players if they didnt suffer serious career ending injuries. Clarke and Mini where both highly rated juniors no issue with either.

Agreed. Sometimes talented juniors just don't work out, there's no avoiding that. What you can avoid is recruiting known quantities that other clubs have decided aren't good enough and drafting smokeys from nowhere when there are still decent players from the TAC cup available.

Since 2004 I can think of Ackland, McGough, Mullins, Raymond, Sweeney, Howard, Wall, Connors, Begley, Pattison, Gamble, Polo, Birss, Attard, Fiora, M.Clarke and C.Gardiner that have been given spots on the list ahead of young talent out of the major national systems, with 12 of them not wanted by their previous AFL club. Occasionally you do get an unexpected gem - ie Dempster, but that is very rare. Our recruiting just hasn't been playing the percentages and we're going to pay for that in a big way over the next four or five years, perhaps longer.

[skeptic]

2009

Geelong won the GF

As Mini, Schneider and many others missed sitters that they would normally kick blindfolded....game should have all been over at half -time.

but it wasn't... it was on the line against Geelong, a side that have a knack for coming back as seen earlier that season

i love this argument... the players playing well is RL's master coaching, but not winning the game well that's their own fault

[BigMart]

Couple of things

Mini, Brooks, Watts, Clarke were all taken about where they were expected to go.... For various reasons they didn't work out.
Some were though of as bargains at the time.... Clarke and Watts

Some of those other picks were very late or rookies ... And speculative... Like Mullins... So no issue

WRT getting players from other clubs
Always be wary of drafting recycled players delisted... Clubs rarely delist players if the don't have issues and have something to offer. They really need to have an upside, that can overcome any weaknesses they have.
Trading for a player is different, often that is the player wanting to go or the club wanting a different type of player. Some players improve after trading, just because they get opportunity, because they were targeted.

[St Ick]

Re the 09 draft, we just picked up Roberton. When was TDL recruited? Tried our best to get Brown. All just to please the supporters who arent happy that we dont have any 09 recruits anymore.