Pick 3- who will we take?

[Jimmy O'Dea]

Kelly is a risk at 3. He is an outside part time mid.

[Con Gorozidis]

I'm no expert but I thought Billings was closer to a Steven Motlop type?
Talented fwd who is building up the tank as a mid.
Gun player and proven goal kicker.
I figured Billings could play mid if he wanted but his coaches figure if hes kicking goals they want him down fwd?

[Dave McNamara]

As much as I'd love Boyd to get to us... and it's a possiblity... Billings really comes across as the bloke with the x-factor. I suspect this bloke will be an absolute star.

I'd be very very very happy to grab Billings..., and I like Mart's suggestion that we may well be able to get hold of Patton next time around when the Wogans work out that they don't need him as well as Boyd and Cameron.

Schazzzz-aarhhh should be pretty good also.

To all those Kelly and Asih fans, I'd say... have a look at them. They are very slight of build. I just can not see them ever being strong enough for the AFL. Skilled outside players at best... and we do not want outside players... ever(!) I will be very nervous if we draft either of those two blokes.

So for me, it's Boyd if available..., if not... Billings, and go for the Patton next year.

No skinny outside schoolboy stars though.



Exciting times Saintas!

[8856brother]

Kelly is a risk at 3. He is an outside part time mid.

What do you mean by "part time"?

[Jimmy O'Dea]

Kelly is an outside ball winner. He is good with ball in hand, do not expect him to do the grunt work as this is not his game. I think we need more for pick 3. Lots of hype based on his athleticism. Billings is your very clever forward and if this was a priority for us then he could go pick 3. He is not a genuine mid and is your Angus Monfries type forward. If we pass on Sheed who can win it on the inside and outside and is a goal kicking mid then I hope we take Scharenberg as he is a quality player and you have to take the best available talent.

[chook23]

I'm no expert but I thought Billings was closer to a Steven Motlop type?
Talented fwd who is building up the tank as a mid.
Gun player and proven goal kicker.
I figured Billings could play mid if he wanted but his coaches figure if hes kicking goals they want him down fwd?

closer to bartel type by some judges

[PJ]

Would love J Kelly but I think he may be gone at 3. Next best is Aish - don't worry about the go home, he may even like it here where there's actually less expectation because no one has ever heard of his dad.

[Con Gorozidis]

I'm no expert but I thought Billings was closer to a Steven Motlop type?
Talented fwd who is building up the tank as a mid.
Gun player and proven goal kicker.
I figured Billings could play mid if he wanted but his coaches figure if hes kicking goals they want him down fwd?

closer to bartel type by some judges

bloody hope so - but jimmy is bigger and most likely tougher and can mark overhead.

[Zed]

I don't get why many ppl here say 'no outside mids' . That's exactly why NM went after Dal - they needed some outside class. Both Dal and Joey have made their names as outside mids.

Yes we also need some inside mids, but if either Aish or Kelly are available and our recruiters believe they are more gifted than the best inside mid then we'd be crazy to overlook them. Personally I like the sound of either although it does sound like we may let Aish slide if Kelly is already gone.

I guess there is a stronger than usual go home factor associated with Aish. Hope we are lucky enough to snag his Norwood teammate in Dumont with pick 18, and his SA u/18 skipper and teammate Dunstan with 19 - I'd be very happy with that. Both those boys can play inside mid.

[WinnersOnly]

I am going to throw a curve ball and suggest we should take Dom SHEED at Pick #3 !

Obviously we want top class mids from this draft and for me he is the next Simon Black x Tyson Edwards. He was clearly the best midfielder at the Under 18 carnival and would slide into Lenny's position when required. The Go Home factor IMO is affecting peoples judgement regarding this kids in particular. If he was a Victorian boy he would go top #2, but because he is not too many are overlooking him. When you think about it - the majority of players who have left the Saints over the years have been mostly Victorians.

Perhaps with Watters and a number of other WA people at the club it would make his transition a lot easier? The other thing is we will be a developing club, so he will get opportunities he wouldn't get normally and by the time the 'home starts calling' perhaps the team will be building towards success. A number of St Kilda champions have had chances to move to other clubs and have stayed eg Lenny Hayes himself. IMO the Go Home factor should not be an over riding consideration in this kids case as he is that far ahead of the others.

Is it any wonder WCE were happy to give up Pick # 6 to move to #11 as they believe all the VIC clubs will go around him. People have concerns re his pace but from what I have seen he is not slow and has unbelievable evasive skills so never gets caught. Highly skilled on both sides and for me as a pure midfielder with inside and outside skills he is miles ahead of Kelly/Billings etc.

[Jiminy Wagga]

Kelly is an outside ball winner. He is good with ball in hand, do not expect him to do the grunt work as this is not his game. I think we need more for pick 3. Lots of hype based on his athleticism. Billings is your very clever forward and if this was a priority for us then he could go pick 3. He is not a genuine mid and is your Angus Monfries type forward. If we pass on Sheed who can win it on the inside and outside and is a goal kicking mid then I hope we take Scharenberg as he is a quality player and you have to take the best available talent.

Billings is not a part time mid . He played a majority of this year up forward due to managing a knee injury throughout the season. The year prior he spent a fair bit of time in the middle

[Jimmy O'Dea]

Kelly is an outside ball winner. He is good with ball in hand, do not expect him to do the grunt work as this is not his game. I think we need more for pick 3. Lots of hype based on his athleticism. Billings is your very clever forward and if this was a priority for us then he could go pick 3. He is not a genuine mid and is your Angus Monfries type forward. If we pass on Sheed who can win it on the inside and outside and is a goal kicking mid then I hope we take Scharenberg as he is a quality player and you have to take the best available talent.

Billings is not a part time mid . He played a majority of this year up forward due to managing a knee injury throughout the season. The year prior he spent a fair bit of time in the middle

Spent no time for Vic metro in 2012 or 2013 in the midfield.

[gringo]

I still want Scharenberg- I just feel he's the pick of the lot still and will slot straight in.

[Dave McNamara]

I don't get why many ppl here say 'no outside mids' . That's exactly why NM went after Dal - they needed some outside class. Both Dal and Joey have made their names as outside mids.

Yes we also need some inside mids, but if either Aish or Kelly are available and our recruiters believe they are more gifted than the best inside mid then we'd be crazy to overlook them. Personally I like the sound of either although it does sound like we may let Aish slide if Kelly is already gone.

Fair question Zed. My answer would be...

Look at these guys. Very lightly built. Can't see them ever being big enough. Will just get pushed aside and pummelled.

I don't ever want any receivers in any position for us. Every player must be able to go and win his own footy when required. (You mentioned Nicky Dal. Dal has always been able to go and get is own ball.)

It's easy to look good. Pretty much anyone can... if you don't have a bloke playing on you. Hell, leave me on my own on the MCG, and I'd look pretty damn good. (Ok, not so sure about the pinpoint left foot passing, though I can roost a torp'..., but you get my point. )

Look at the 2012 GF. It was tough man-on-man stuff. All those fleet-footed-pinpoint-passing-free-running Dawk left footers... disappeared.

The toxic gnome spotted that. Different game plan this year. They played in another tough man-on-man GF. Won. Based on the play... should have won by more.

It always happens. When the going gets tough (read finals, read..., especially GFs) the receivers... disappear. So for me, it's no outside-front-running-downhill-skiing-receivers... ever(!)

A good example. Diesel Williams was (good humoured) mocked by his team mates for being so slow. Yet come match day they were all running past and calling for to get an easy kick... and if Diesel was ever tagged out of it... about six other blokes also had a very quiet day... Stop one to stop half a dozen. Leaves a side pretty vulnerable.

Aish and Kelly have schoolboy champion written all over them. At AFL level though... I fear... more like Scully, Fiora, Tambling...

[gringo]

I don't get why many ppl here say 'no outside mids' . That's exactly why NM went after Dal - they needed some outside class. Both Dal and Joey have made their names as outside mids.

Yes we also need some inside mids, but if either Aish or Kelly are available and our recruiters believe they are more gifted than the best inside mid then we'd be crazy to overlook them. Personally I like the sound of either although it does sound like we may let Aish slide if Kelly is already gone.

Fair question Zed. My answer would be...

Look at these guys. Very lightly built. Can't see them ever being big enough. Will just get pushed aside and pummelled.

I don't ever want any receivers in any position for us. Every player must be able to go and win his own footy when required. (You mentioned Nicky Dal. Dal has always been able to go and get is own ball.)

It's easy to look good. Pretty much anyone can... if you don't have a bloke playing on you. Hell, leave me on my own on the MCG, and I'd look pretty damn good. (Ok, not so sure about the pinpoint left foot passing, though I can roost a torp'..., but you get my point. )

Look at the 2012 GF. It was tough man-on-man stuff. All those fleet-footed-pinpoint-passing-free-running Dawk left footers... disappeared.

The toxic gnome spotted that. Different game plan this year. They played in another tough man-on-man GF. Won. Based on the play... should have won by more.

It always happens. When the going gets tough (read finals, read..., especially GFs) the receivers... disappear. So for me, it's no outside-front-running-downhill-skiing-receivers... ever(!)

A good example. Diesel Williams was (good humoured) mocked by his team mates for being so slow. Yet come match day they were all running past and calling for to get an easy kick... and if Diesel was ever tagged out of it... about six other blokes also had a very quiet day... Stop one to stop half a dozen. Leaves a side pretty vulnerable.

Aish and Kelly have schoolboy champion written all over them. At AFL level though... I fear... more like Scully, Fiora, Tambling...

I'm with you on that they look one dimensional to me- no extra tricks in the bag. I want a guy who can extract the ball out of the middle and emerge with it not some lithe outside runner that is a nice kick.

[skeptic]

from what I've read, if Aish is at 3, he should be a minty unless Boyd is there too... but that prospect seems a tad mind blowing

[howlinwolf]

I still want Scharenberg- I just feel he's the pick of the lot still and will slot straight in.

I'm with you gringo.
Scharenberg looks like a BJ clone to me.
I know we need midfielders but considering we could be down the ladder for a while I say take THE best available player each time regardless of playing position.
Be very happy with Kelly too. Quality and above all work ethic.

Obviously I'd take Boyd if we could swing it. I reckon Rooey would love to take him under his wing and promote him as his replacement

[BigMart]

What about a 65kg Aussie Jones? 72kg Leigh Montage... Was recruited and considered outside... Dal was 75kg and outside... Ball was 74kg.... Goddard like a rake....Riewoldt 193cm/81kg

Loads of skinnyish kids develop into guns.... Whitfield, J.Martin are skinny as....

[savatage]

Billings will end up a gun midfielder.

[I Love Peter Kiel]

Josh Kelly.

[Kernal75]

Simply must take Kelly if available at 3. His profile by Emma Quayle on Twitter today was outstanding. Running machine, beautiful user, good overhead and the knockout punch............left footer (we know how Pelchen loves left footers)

[gringo]

What about a 65kg Aussie Jones? 72kg Leigh Montage... Was recruited and considered outside... Dal was 75kg and outside... Ball was 74kg.... Goddard like a rake....Riewoldt 193cm/81kg

Loads of skinnyish kids develop into guns.... Whitfield, J.Martin are skinny as....

They haven't actually become top line players yet but have time on their side. Martin by all reports is going to be a gun but maybe find us a 75 kgs player who has made it already.

Montagna was drafted late and took a long time to make the grade. I don't think we have 4 years for our number 3 pick to start showing something. That's why someone like Schazza will be a handy addition- he was looking ready at 17 and playing better than the top agers. For marketing and hope we need to have our high picks shine early so we have that same momentum we had when Riewoldt and Kosi came on board.

[maverick]

What about a 65kg Aussie Jones? 72kg Leigh Montage... Was recruited and considered outside... Dal was 75kg and outside... Ball was 74kg.... Goddard like a rake....Riewoldt 193cm/81kg

Loads of skinnyish kids develop into guns.... Whitfield, J.Martin are skinny as....

They haven't actually become top line players yet but have time on their side. Martin by all reports is going to be a gun but maybe find us a 75 kgs player who has made it already.

Montagna was drafted late and took a long time to make the grade. I don't think we have 4 years for our number 3 pick to start showing something. That's why someone like Schazza will be a handy addition- he was looking ready at 17 and playing better than the top agers. For marketing and hope we need to have our high picks shine early so we have that same momentum we had when Riewoldt and Kosi came on board.

I hope we don't pick the player that comes on the quickest, I hope we pick the best player.
Whose had a better career, Hodge or Judd, Judd was way out in front early, but now???
Very close I reckon.

[Ned Stark]

I hope we don't pick the player that comes on the quickest, I hope we pick the best player.
Whose had a better career, Hodge or Judd, Judd was way out in front early, but now???
Very close I reckon.[/quote]

Agree we should pick the best player, not get sucked in to taking someone who might have an immediate impact. Let's face it, we have time on our side to let the kid develop without the pressure of challenging for a flag.

I don't think it is that close between Judd and Hodge. Hodge has just been lucky enough to play in a very good team for a longer period than Judd. Judd is an all time great midfielder and deserves to be spoken about in the same breath as Sir Robert. Hodge is a very good utility and inspirational leader, but I don't see him as an all time great of the game.

Just my view. As much as I like Hodge, I sometimes think he gets a little overrated.

[maverick]

I hope we don't pick the player that comes on the quickest, I hope we pick the best player.
Whose had a better career, Hodge or Judd, Judd was way out in front early, but now???
Very close I reckon.

Agree we should pick the best player, not get sucked in to taking someone who might have an immediate impact. Let's face it, we have time on our side to let the kid develop without the pressure of challenging for a flag.

I don't think it is that close between Judd and Hodge. Hodge has just been lucky enough to play in a very good team for a longer period than Judd. Judd is an all time great midfielder and deserves to be spoken about in the same breath as Sir Robert. Hodge is a very good utility and inspirational leader, but I don't see him as an all time great of the game.

Just my view. As much as I like Hodge, I sometimes think he gets a little overrated.[/quote]

Funny, I rate Hodge higher.
He impacts the game at both ends and in the middle, when it counts.
He is often selfless for his own game in order to win.

Judd has been a jet, I wonder if he did it long enough to be rated as an all time great.
He had an opportunity at Carlton to lead them to something and fell a fair way short IMO.

Still, I can only imagine if we selected Judd instead of Ball....