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Inside St Kilda: Why the Saints drafted Paddy McCartin
Emma Quayle sat in on St Kilda's recruiting meetings throughout 2014 for her book The Draftees. In this edited extract, the recruiting team of Tony Elshaug, Ameet Bains and Chris Liberatore tell coach Alan Richardson and CEO Matt Finnis why they settled on Paddy McCartin as the No. 1 draft pick over Christian Petracca, Angus Brayshaw and Peter Wright.
"Paddy McCartin's the player we're going to pick," Tony Elshaug began. "After much deliberation and debate about who's going to be the best player for the next 12 years and the best player for St Kilda, Paddy's the man. He ticks all the boxes, we feel. He has power, he's aggressive, he has strong character and he's a natural forward. He knows where to lead and when to lead. He splits packs open and brings the ball to ground when he doesn't mark it. He's a great team player and he's unselfish when he gets the ball. He used to be an inconsistent set shot but he's worked hard and improved that and it's just going to keep getting better. His kicking in the field is very good. He has strong character. Everything about him stands up, so he's the one we're going with."
"What's he been doing in the last few weeks?" Richardson asked. "We've obviously spoken a bit about Paddy and his ability to get into elite shape. What have you noticed since the season ended?"
"He's had a personal trainer, and he's the one who instigated that," Elshaug said. "He's done a really good job and he looks in terrific shape. You can see he's really leaned up – he kept working through his exams and in the last month he's dropped a couple of kilos, dropped 11 on the skinfolds. You can see the definition in his arms and his body. He looks the part. He's been flipping tyres, doing all that sort of stuff, and from what everyone says he's really sucked up the work."
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"Paddy's personality − and you know him much better than I do, Trout – but his personality and the way his teammates talk about him reminds me a lot of Luke Hodge," said Richardson. "He's a forward so he's obviously a very different type of player, but what Hodge has done for Hawthorn has been incredible, really. I see a bit of that in Luke Dunstan and I mention it because I see McCartin as being a bit similar. He's probably not as blunt as Luke, but he comes across to me as someone who's honest in what he says and does."
"That's his style," said Elshaug. "He's aware of his and other people's feelings, but he's earthy and straight to the point. His teammates will love him. They'll want to be around him."
Yeah great read, I'm surprised (happily) at the input of Finnis, at a distance he appears the really diligent type. Could be one of the best signings in the last decade!
Fantastic insight into the thinking of the management team and gives great confidence.
"I think, 'You kick a footy mate, you kick a footy. It's not like you've got a cure for cancer. You kick a footy, stop thinking you are so special'." - Samantha Black
After meeting Paddy Trout nailed it with him. He got that old fashioned Aussie knock about bloke. He wouldn't bulls*** anyone and a really good guy and just a nice presence. He's the kind of guy you get in and he is just no trouble, no fuss and draws people to him. He has that nice country openness that Kosi had for those that met him.
The most important part of the article is, fundamentally, they thought Paddy was the best player in the draft.
All the other stuff is great insight, and will hold Paddy & the club in good shape, but that one aspect is the only non negotiable.
Sobraz wrote:The most important part of the article is, fundamentally, they thought Paddy was the best player in the draft.
All the other stuff is great insight, and will hold Paddy & the club in good shape, but that one aspect is the only non negotiable.
I still think Tom Boyds ridiculous pay packet sent the fear of god into the teams wanting elite KPFs. We might have had a better midfield if we had gone with the mids but in 5 years time we should be seeing a bit of the reasoning showing why we chose the KPF over a mid who should be easier to dislodge cheaper under FA.
Sobraz wrote:The most important part of the article is, fundamentally, they thought Paddy was the best player in the draft. All the other stuff is great insight, and will hold Paddy & the club in good shape, but that one aspect is the only non negotiable.
Well they got that wrong. I can tell that Goddard at pick 21 will be a better player than McCartin. This is not a sledge on McCartin so you can all settle down however at this early stage Goddard > than McCartin.
Goddard has certainly showed the most of the 2014 class so far from what I've seen but McCartin has a far harder position.
ROBERT HARVEY A.K.A The Great Man, Banger, Harves, Ol' Man River...
384 games, 4 B&F's, 3 EJ Whitten Medals, St.Kilda Captain, 2 Time Brownlow Medalist, 8 Time All Australian, 2nd Highest Brownlow votes poller.... The greatest of ALL TIME!!
Sobraz wrote:The most important part of the article is, fundamentally, they thought Paddy was the best player in the draft. All the other stuff is great insight, and will hold Paddy & the club in good shape, but that one aspect is the only non negotiable.
Well they got that wrong. I can tell that Goddard at pick 21 will be a better player than McCartin. This is not a sledge on McCartin so you can all settle down however at this early stage Goddard > than McCartin.
But you said we were definitely going to choose Petracca because AR was good family friends of his!?
Sobraz wrote:The most important part of the article is, fundamentally, they thought Paddy was the best player in the draft. All the other stuff is great insight, and will hold Paddy & the club in good shape, but that one aspect is the only non negotiable.
Well they got that wrong. I can tell that Goddard at pick 21 will be a better player than McCartin. This is not a sledge on McCartin so you can all settle down however at this early stage Goddard > than McCartin.
So will he be better or at this early stage he is better?
Sobraz wrote:The most important part of the article is, fundamentally, they thought Paddy was the best player in the draft. All the other stuff is great insight, and will hold Paddy & the club in good shape, but that one aspect is the only non negotiable.
Well they got that wrong. I can tell that Goddard at pick 21 will be a better player than McCartin. This is not a sledge on McCartin so you can all settle down however at this early stage Goddard > than McCartin.
So will he be better or at this early stage he is better?
Kosi was better than Riewoldt after their first year. Kosi was Rising Star.
Citywest would have said Saints got it wrong picking Riewoldt over Kosi and Kosi was miles better.
Sobraz wrote:The most important part of the article is, fundamentally, they thought Paddy was the best player in the draft. All the other stuff is great insight, and will hold Paddy & the club in good shape, but that one aspect is the only non negotiable.
Well they got that wrong. I can tell that Goddard at pick 21 will be a better player than McCartin. This is not a sledge on McCartin so you can all settle down however at this early stage Goddard > than McCartin.
So does that mean we should've taken Goddard at pick 1?
Cos I'm not sure enough other teams would've passed on Paddy to allow us to grab him at pick 21.
Then again, maybe Carlton would've taken McCartin and we could've swooped on Boekhurst
I think it's a bit concerning that the recruiter (not sure who) said as a side note to taking McCartin was that there wasn't a good KPF in this years draft.
What about Shaky (I know that's spelt wrong but that's how its pronounced)?
I know we won't be able to get him as he is expected to go number 1 but surely he hasn't fallen from the sky.
Goose is king wrote:I think it's a bit concerning that the recruiter (not sure who) said as a side note to taking McCartin was that there wasn't a good KPF in this years draft.
What about Shaky (I know that's spelt wrong but that's how its pronounced)?
I know we won't be able to get him as he is expected to go number 1 but surely he hasn't fallen from the sky.
Schache wasn't expected to have such a good year. Weideman was seen as the best key forward in this years crop but a level below Paddy.
This is an extract from Emma Quayle's recently published book The Draftees. It details the journeys of five 2015 Draft aspirants and delves into the inner sanctum of St Kilda's selection process. You can purchase the book HERE.
Paddy McCartin loved to throw himself around but had had a disrupted championships. Back from a finger injury in time for the first game, he had strained a quad muscle in the next one then come back in for the final two rounds, played just five days apart. He’d had some good moments, said Elshaug, without completely nailing a game like he had as a seventeen-year-old, when he had kicked five goals and (accidentally) broken the collarbone of West Australian midfielder Dom Sheed while diving for a low ball.
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‘The only thing I want to be convinced of is that he won’t leave any stone unturned to be the best he can be,’ said Pelchen.
‘We’ve never questioned that,’ said Ameet Bains. ‘His family is very grounded, he’s driven, he has a lot of support behind him, he’s immensely likeable. He’s selfless.’
‘I’d agree with all that,’ said Liberatore. ‘He had the finger injury when he went to Europe, so all he could do was the running. Paddy and Sam Durdin ran laps together and they didn’t need a coach there telling them what to do – they just went and did it and pushed each other along. I think he’s going to do whatever he needs to.’
Its all speculation, pure and simple speculation. I dont rate McCartin as highly as some do and this year has proven that there is still a bit for him to work on. He is lucky we found a few other avenues to goal this year but if McCartin doesnt play at least 10 games next year and kick at least 20 goals he was a mistake. On what I have seen and read from him in 2015 I am a tad dissapointed. Plugger played 5 games and we all new he was gonna be a gun. McCartin looks like a third tall at best atm. Sorry.
CQ SAINT wrote:Its all speculation, pure and simple speculation. I dont rate McCartin as highly as some do and this year has proven that there is still a bit for him to work on. He is lucky we found a few other avenues to goal this year but if McCartin doesnt play at least 10 games next year and kick at least 20 goals he was a mistake. On what I have seen and read from him in 2015 I am a tad dissapointed. Plugger played 5 games and we all new he was gonna be a gun. McCartin looks like a third tall at best atm. Sorry.
If you or anyone else was thinking we were getting the next plugger well its you who was overating McCartin. Firstly the way footy is played today there will never be the next plugger and secondly it was obvious he was going to need 2 to 3 years to see if he is a good pick or not. To early next year IMO.
