In comparison to Franklin or Roughead (both out & out Champions), Deledio was a bust. He's a nice/polished good player at best, he isn't a champion. Richmond haven't won a final since and don't look like winning a final or indeed playing in one for a while. Richmond won their last Premiership in 1980 (I was a teenager then) and they've won 2 finals matches since (in 36 years!) and about 15 years ago.saint64 wrote:The sad thing is I am jealous of the Richmond FC Linton Lodger. They have 9 more premiership cups than we do. You make a point re Tambling, but I wouldn't call Deledio a bust. Petracca is a goal kicking midfielder/forward who would have complimented players like Bruce and Membrey. Our policy going in to that draft should have been to secure the best player possible. All the reputable scribes at the time were saying that Petracca was the best player available. We decided differently, so we have to wear the consequences if what I fear is correct - which is that we were wrong.Linton Lodger wrote:saint64 we may as well rename you the Richmond FC.saint64 wrote:I realise people have already posted about this in other topics, but it deserves its own thread.
We have screwed up.
Petracca is a gun who will be a superstar of the competition for the next dozen years. McCartin is an injury-prone, under-sized key forward who doesn't kick goals. He can take a great grab, but does little else. We are having to try to turn him into a lead-up forward because he isn't good enough in the goalsquare.
I know hind sight is a beautiful thing, but there have been few more important decisions that the club has had to make over the last 6-7 years. It was crucial that we picked well at the 2014 draft. With the number one pick it was our biggest opportunity to pick up a star for the next generation: our next Riewoldt, Goddard or (dare I say it) Judd.
From the media reports at the time Petracca was the clear number one choice in the lead up to that draft. If we were drafting on ability instead of perceived need it was a no-brainer. I understand our logic - we thought we needed a key forward - but McCartin is no Tony Lockett.
I say this with all due respect to McCartin himself who seems a great young guy, and to our recruiting team who has generally done a great job over the last five years, but sometimes mistakes are made, and when they are we have to recognise them, deal with them, and only then can we move on.
I think McCartin can and probably will be a really good player for us, but he won't give us what Petracca would have.
As ever, I am happy to be proven wrong.
When a club is building its list, good KPP are a priority and you lock those away first. Midfielders are more abundant than good KPP particularly key forwards.
So if there's a good key forward available you must take them and not be tempted by possible gun midfielders. The Western Bulldogs built their last list (Eade's) without a key forward and that's why they didn't even get to a Grand Final. I'm sure they are aware that this was a fatal flaw in the building of their last list and is probably the reason they paid way overs for Tom Boyd and drove up the market value of key forwards. In fact if Ryan Griffen had not walked out on the Club, they wouldn't be Premiers now.
Then there is of course those fools the Richmond FC who took Brett Deledio and Tambling ahead of Buddy Franklin and J Roughhead. A spectacular piece of folly and they still haven't recovered from that decision. If we had taken Petracca ahead of McCartin, I personally would have lost all confidence in our list management team. Remember Melbourne already had Hogan, if they didn't they would've taken McCartin ahead of Petracca given the opportunity.
McCartin will be a gun, he plays a more difficult position than Petracca. Petracca is a gun, don't worry about that, but I think Jade Gresham is going to be better.
If we had drafted Petracca, I'm sure we'd all be excited now, but we'd still be wondering who would fill Riewoldt's large shoes and I don't think there are any really good key forwards that will be up for trade or free agency next year. Bruce & Membrey are good, but they're never going to be Nick Riewoldt. McCartin could very well be and possibly better.
If you are building a list and need KPP you don't get too clever by half by ignoring a highly rated key forward and taking a midfielder. Don't worry Billings and Gresham are goal kicking mids, I reckon Acres will be too. Then of course we may pick up Fyfe, Martin or a midfield jet from GWS next year, instead of having to try and lure a gun key forward at a greatly inflated price.
You don't win Premierships without a gun key forward, particularly these days. Petracca wouldn't have made any difference to us yesterday.
