Picks 23 and 36

[St Ick]

I wonder if Mutch will get matched. He seems like the ideal candidate for our list. Perhaps GWS will do us a favour as surely they don't need more mids picked in the second round. Plus, imagine having two Kobes on our list?

[samuraisaint]

Got to be best available under 23 yo players.

[SMS]

So what happens if Mitch Macarthy is bid on??
I think hes an absolute JET!!!! He could do anything. CHB.
Hes only just picked up a footy?? Looks very natural massively athletic. If we can get him for 61 thats a steal!!
Dream Draft
23. Gulluci
36. W.Drew
61. M.Macarthy

[SMS]

So what happens if Mitch Macarthy is bid on??
I think hes an absolute JET!!!! He could do anything. CHB.
Hes only just picked up a footy?? Looks very natural massively athletic. If we can get him for 61 thats a steal!!
Dream Draft
23. Gulluci
36. W.Drew
61. M.Macarthy

[Impatient Sainter]

Be happy with that haul SMS...

[SMS]

I would too but thats entirely possible right?

[SMS]

JAXONS
Surely (being realistic) we want
23: Gulluci
36: Drew or Lyons
61: Macarthy

Gives us two clean pace kids and another tall whos very athletic and from what ive seen has natiral ability to become very good.

Who else? Maybe SPP, Rotham if theyvare there at 23 but Gullucis marking and vision with hands is fantastic. Kicking could be better but he looks like a real good kid who will get better and better.

Will Gulluci still be there though?? He blitzed the combine so much that others will be looking at him. Bloody melbourne would want him for that pace although they have a million mids and may be thinking ruckman/KPPs.

[saintbob]

Anyone 3 of the following will do me;

Berry
Drew
McCarthy
Gulluci
Powell-Pepper
Hayward

[Bluthy]

I would love if we took a risk on a guy who is super quick. Apart from Steven, we probably lack genuine toe. Freeman is looking an outside chance for speed after all his hammy problems, Mckenzie's got a bit or run, WRight is quick but very poor decision maker, White's not bad, Acres can motor when he gets his momentum going.

If you can land someone who is not bad in other attributes such as decision making and disposal, those super fast runners can come into their own in finals where the pace of the game starts to slow everyone down - line breakers who rip apart oppo presses. JJ in the grannie and all year was huge. Jetta for Sydney in 2012 was a great weapon with their slingshot.

I just get the feeling that the real extreme speed players will become more valuable in the future with full on presses in vogue. Being able to get in behind the oppo defensive line and get some easy goals is really important

[stonecold]

Pick#61 could be allocated to a kid from Gippsland Power called Keenan Hughes, played defence all year, but at 193cm and a 20m time of under 3secs, as well as a large tank, has a massive upside for any club that is willing to take a gamble.

Played defence all year to be taught how to defend, but, is a natural forward who can go through the midfield, massive, massive upside once into a more professional/fulltime system.

Will be competing with 3 or 4 clubs that have shown a lot of interest, will be worth the punt if your looking long-term prospect.

[White Winmar]

I think we might be a chance to get Jacob Allison from Aspley in Qld. He is a Lions Academy player and IF has him going at 45+. He was the quickest over 20 metres at the combine and his speed and overhead marking are said to be his strengths. At 194 cm and growing he needs physical development and was AA at U/17 level. Started as an inside midfielder, but this year was used as a swingman. Looks like the modern prototype, although will take time. Could do a lot worse with our third pick.

[SuperDuper]

Looks like GWS will get some sort of sanctions...

It is a wet blancket becasause they only need points for Setterfeld and Perryman..
But surely guys like McCreadie and Mutch come into contention around pick 36??
Or if either ends up going earlier without GWS having points tp match, more opitions slide to our pick

[borderbarry]

Not so. If they lose picks 15 and 37 as suggested in the media, where are they going to get points from? They would be left with 2, 39, 45, 55, 57,58, 59, 60, 77. Assuming they use 2 on a non academy player (Can they afford too now?), they would be left with low value picks to select their academy players with. They would use them all up very quickly.

The effect on our picks would probably be 23 to 22, 36 to 35, 61 to 52. 86 to 76.
Not much benifit to our early picks, but great for our later picks.

[SMS]

Cal Twomey reckons we after JOSH BATTLE.
Watched his video. Wow. Great skills would love to have him too.
Whoever we get Ill back our staff
IMO skillwise there are multiples better to categorize YES and NO.
Around 23 including sliders ...
YES
SPP, Bolton, Battle, Witherden or Gulluci

NO
S Fisher, Mutch, Simpkin, Marshall or Clarke

[Impatient Sainter]

I mentioned our lack of a backup developing key forward on BF. Thought we would fill the position next year, but if Battle is available I wouldnt be upset taking him.

Twomey has a great relationship with Trout and a lot of the draftees dont be surprised if he is on the money!

[SMS]

Yeah i agree josh battle is all class! A bigger membrey basically. God forbid mccartin keeps getting concussed we need another classy straight kicking forward which battle is. Him and witherden have great skills.
SPP BOTLTON BATTLE or WITHERDEN for me

[SMS]

I think we might be a chance to get Jacob Allison from Aspley in Qld. He is a Lions Academy player and IF has him going at 45+. He was the quickest over 20 metres at the combine and his speed and overhead marking are said to be his strengths. At 194 cm and growing he needs physical development and was AA at U/17 level. Started as an inside midfielder, but this year was used as a swingman. Looks like the modern prototype, although will take time. Could do a lot worse with our third pick.

Agree. He looks great prospect. Id be happy at 36 with him.

[Jacks Back]

Cal Twomey reckons we after JOSH BATTLE.
Watched his video. Wow. Great skills would love to have him too.
Whoever we get Ill back our staff
IMO skillwise there are multiples better to categorize YES and NO.
Around 23 including sliders ...
YES
SPP, Bolton, Battle, Witherden or Gulluci

NO
S Fisher, Mutch, Simpkin, Marshall or Clarke

I can just see the newpaper headlines now:
Battle Hardened (picture of him all toned up),
Battle Cry (picture of him if he hurts himself or gets poked in the eye),
Battle of Nerves (if he keeps missing goals),
Choose one's battles wisely (if we pick him in the draft).

Okay, I'm done, as I can see I'm fighting a losing battle.

[stonecold]

Pick#61 could be allocated to a kid from Gippsland Power called Keenan Hughes, played defence all year, but at 193cm and a 20m time of under 3secs, as well as a large tank, has a massive upside for any club that is willing to take a gamble.

Played defence all year to be taught how to defend, but, is a natural forward who can go through the midfield, massive, massive upside once into a more professional/fulltime system.

Will be competing with 3 or 4 clubs that have shown a lot of interest, will be worth the punt if your looking long-term prospect.

This kid cut Battle a new one early in the season, when he played on him!!!!!

[St Ick]

Looks like GWS will get some sort of sanctions...

It is a wet blancket becasause they only need points for Setterfeld and Perryman..
But surely guys like McCreadie and Mutch come into contention around pick 36??
Or if either ends up going earlier without GWS having points tp match, more opitions slide to our pick

Pretty sure they can just go into deficit for academy huys but with sanctions it will be interesting if they are allowed.

[Premium89]

Cal Twomey reckons we after JOSH BATTLE.
Watched his video. Wow. Great skills would love to have him too.
Whoever we get Ill back our staff
IMO skillwise there are multiples better to categorize YES and NO.
Around 23 including sliders ...
YES
SPP, Bolton, Battle, Witherden or Gulluci

NO
S Fisher, Mutch, Simpkin, Marshall or Clarke

I can just see the newpaper headlines now:
Battle Hardened (picture of him all toned up),
Battle Cry (picture of him if he hurts himself or gets poked in the eye),
Battle of Nerves (if he keeps missing goals),
Choose one's battles wisely (if we pick him in the draft).

Okay, I'm done, as I can see I'm fighting a losing battle.

"BATTLE AXED" -when he suffers a form slump and gets dropped.

[Impatient Sainter]

KM how is it you are the only ITK who mentions Ronke. From your description he sounds exactly what the Saints need/want. Why is he being overlooked by others?

If he is anywhere as near as good as mentioned, I hope Trout and Bains are all over him also!
.......................................................................
Knightmare

Only invited to the state combine. Being a top ager and not really mentioned much during the year, that has seen him go to the state rather than national combine.

Whether he gets picked or not is unclear, but I'm a big wrap for him. High % contested ball winner and one of the most explosive players in this draft. His game in my view can translate. He is one of this years semi-hidden gems, hiding in plain sight but little spoken about.
...........................................................................

I know its KM opinion but he (Ronke) sounds exactly what we need?

[Impatient Sainter]

BS on BF suggested we are with a tall with our first suugested Todd Marshall if he slides thru!

[samoht]

I skimmed through a Rohan Connolly article on the weekend at a cafe - the stats he cited clearly show that the game is getting more and more congested (average scores are down, number of possessions are up, tackles are up).

So we need to recruit players who can:
a. create space and time and can hold on to the ball and are good at maneuvering their way through the traffic and breaking lines - given this unprecedented level of congestion and tackling - these type of players are becoming more and more important -
.. along with ...
b. the fierce tacklers who can hold the ball in the forward line, etc..

So we should be looking for as many a. players as we can as well as a good spattering of b. players. The balance of the team is the important thing here - the Bulldogs got it right.

Acres, Gresham, Bontompelli, Johannisen are all a. players. We need more of this type - the more the merrier.

I hope our recruiters will be recruiting accordingly.

[avid]

Can we get players who can do both a. and b.?