(NO) Surprise! We pick 2 DEF

[terry smith rules]

Geez, this bloke is obsessed with me!

Pou is a mid/forward, that's what he was drafted as and currently listed as and played as, like I clearly say above...

He also averages just over 13 touches a game in his first 2 years, not really midfield numbers...

Wow, did you not watch his last 4 games this year (26,20,24 and 20 disposals)

He is going to be a mid field star, who will drift forward like the Bont

[terry smith rules]

As usual many of the Saints supporter 'experts' who have limited knowledge in what the inner sactions of the football departments development plans and tactics are, but continue to carry on like pork chops anyway.

The draft can be very frustrating for all of us supporters sitting on the edge of our seats as we have much more invested than many of the decision makers at the club, and with the clubs draft history of major stuff-ups in the past it's not too surprising that we are all nervious.

However there is still plenty of time to improve our midfield (both within the club and with new inclusions) and we have no idea what the club has planned, and if we did the opposition clubs would know as well. So what's the point of yelling and screaming now?

To your last point, I would think the club will be trialing plenty through the mid field over summer, Sinclair may play permanent mid, why not NWM, why not Owens, def the Pou

I’m excited that we have players who can make the adjustment and have the requisite ability

[D.B.Cooper]

The question is how many Top 10 Draft Picks since we were a basket case, hence Riewoldt and Koschitzke (then 62!!) then the immediate years post that period?

And the reasons you get Top 10 Picks (leaving aside the nonsense of Father/Son and Academy which distort) being that you are ordinary, at best?

Yes, we missed a period to re-establish on the back of McEvoy, McCartin and Billings.

Now we look to establish on the backs of Clark, King, Phillipou and the 2 from last night.

And we do not continue the Boom to Bust cycle

I think having no first round picks in 2019 & 2020 has really hurt us.

I would only ever trade out of round one for a proven gun 22 or under or for multiple first picks in the next year.

You can not afford to ignore bringing in talented youth like NWM, Philippi & Wilson EVERY draft year.

[The_Dud]

Geez, this bloke is obsessed with me!

Pou is a mid/forward, that's what he was drafted as and currently listed as and played as, like I clearly say above...

He also averages just over 13 touches a game in his first 2 years, not really midfield numbers...

Wow, did you not watch his last 4 games this year (26,20,24 and 20 disposals)

He is going to be a mid field star, who will drift forward like the Bont

Yes, that's why I said "Pou has shown signs"... But is he and out-and-out, 30+ possession a game mid? Or is he a hybrid forward/mid? Is he Bont? I'd bloody love it!

Steele, Crouch, Hayes, Dal Santo, Harvey, Burke etc are pure midfielders and ball winners that you build your club around, we need to be trying to get 2 or 3 of those kind of players in the door.

[Otiman]

We are not far from having a complete back 6 for the next 10 years. Just need another small defender.

??? Caminiti/Cole Stocker
Nas Tauru Arie

We learned the hard way with McCartin that picking for type doesn't work. Best available, always.

Opens up an opportunity - what would we get for Wilkie and Sinclair in trade?

[magnifisaint]

Well well well

Once again we grab 2 defenders ( though the AFL lists Tobie as a MID he's played 99% of his career thus far as a DEF).
Surely there's options with Tobie who could slot into the mid easily and the Flying Viking could take a foreward spot in a few years easily.

What were the alternatives?

[CURLY]

Mids

Steele
McCrae
Jones
Windhager
Pou
Garcia
Clark
Dow
Wilson
Hill
Wood
Byrnes
Stocker
NWM
Sinclair

[B.M]

Inside Mids
Steele
Macrae
Phillipou
Windhager (tag)
Clark
Jones
Stocker (tag)
Dow
Garcia
Carroll (inside/Outside)
Sinclair (rotation)

Outside mids (wing/HHF)
Hill
Wood
Wilson
Henry
Byrnes
Carroll (inside/outside)
Windhager (tag)
Travaglia
Hastie

[Sanctorum]

So far in the off-season St Kilda have brought in two midfielders - Jackson Macrae from Footscray and Jack Carroll from Carlton. Both are in my mind better prospects to add impact to St Kilda's midfield in 2025 than two untried 18 year old mids still on the table in last night's draft.

The two draftees from last night, Tobie Travaglia and Alixzander Tauru were considered in all of the phantom drafts by expert commentators, who have followed their prospects closely for a very long time, as the next best two available when St Kilda had to choose picks 8 and 10.

I am confident that with the remaining picks 32, 51, 76 and 84 Simon Dalrymple & Co will continue to bring in the best available talent.

The transformation of the players list in the past couple of years is nothing short of remarkable, a process that the club's board initiated at the end of the 2022 season that will culminate in signing at least one, maybe two elite free agents at the end of next season.

[DJ Higgins]

I am surprised that people are surprised by our picks. Yes we need a mid fielder to help out the team and the captain said it would be great to have help in the middle so we went defenders. Long year ahead

But they are saints now so I wish them well

[The Fireman]

I’m surprised that we have pick 2 potential stars for a change and one may be a mid

[magnifisaint]

I’m surprised that we have pick 2 potential stars for a change and one may be a mid

And one could be a superstar key forward.

[Killa]

And, to respond.

I seem to recall that Steele was a "tagger" until Rattan challenged him to be more than that.

Burke was a "small defender" who transitioned to a mid-field role

I recall Hayes and Dal Santo starting out as flankers and Crouch spent his first 12 months "hidden" in the SANFL because he was under age.

Harvey was something different, from Game 1, weaving his magic.

But the Harvey's of this world are few and far between.

I happen to think that we are assembling a very reasonable mid-field contingent with plenty of promise.

The problem remaining support for Marshall (Heath and Keeler as an all-field wild card), Howard (so last line tall defender still absent) and King (Caminiti, Sharman).

In regards the departure of Battle, with Schoenmaker and the lad now Drafted we would appear to have options capable of being developed at the level, the pressure remaining on Wilkie and Howard as core pending these kids coming of age.

Plus we lack a small lock-down defender to negate the class small forwards of the competition (Byrnes?)

[cwrcyn]

I can't see Byrnes as a defender. He doesn't have the ability to jump to spoil, nor the strength to out body an opponent.

[Killa]

The history of Drafting is interesting, and shows why we had a dysfunctional List resulting in Gallagher going to the State Leagues for mid-age, mature bodies as a makeshift strategy (noting Wilkie remains).
Going back to 2012, where you would expect players to still be contributing but toward the end of their careers:-
2011 - (Ross career now finished)
2012 - First pick was at 24
2013 - 3 - Billings (now at Melbourne with mixed success - then 17 Dunstan (Melbourne now retired) and 18 Acres (Fremantle now Carlton)
2014 - 1, 21 and 22 (Sinclair Rookied)
2015 - 18
2016 - 25 (Marshall Rookied)
2017 - 7 (Clark, remains and one of our class players absent injury. Coffield at 8 now elsewhere and still with the same injury profile)
2018 - 4 (King then 41)
2019 - 52 (Byrnes)
2020 - 26
2021 - 11 (Wanganeen-Milera, so not top 10)
2022 - 10 (Phillipou)
2023 - 18 (Wilson)
2024 - 8 and 10

The reason (s) for the lack of high Draft Picks would be down to a raft of factors, including the advent of Foundation sides etc. etc.

The one factor is that it was not the result of winning Premierships because we have hardly featured in Finals (1 year under Rattan and 1 year under Lyon)

Simply, in the normal course, once you get outside the top 10 or so the chances of a Wilson diminish so the Picks we have finished with over a contemporary playing career reflect that (noting Ross as the benchmark).

And by Draft currency, we are now led by Clark, King, Wanganeen-Milera, Phillipou, Wilson and now the players Drafted at 8 and 10, so 7 higher end Draft Picks.

So the best core we have had in a generation, hence our woes over the last decade.

[Killa]

And you must watch a different Byrnes from the one I see (noting jumping to spoil when matched up with an elite "small forward" is not a requisite).

Byrnes has the ability to hold position, to take a contested mark, has pace and has 2 sided very proficient disposal.

His running of the wings also denies space.

[B.M]

Webster and Stocker are our lock down defenders

McLennan developing

[St Dave]

How about Garcia as a small/lockdown defender? Unless he can really step up I feel like he might get squeezed out of our midfield with the crop already in front of him and any new free agents/recruits.

But he has pace, hates to be beaten and loves a tackle. Maybe a question on his overhead work, but might be worth a trial?

[Scollop]

....

2013 - 25 (Ross - career now ended)
....

.....

Your post is making a good point, but your 2013 year is both wrong and also has some glaring omissions

Our early picks in 2013 were pick 3 (Billings) 18 (Dunstan) and 19 (Acres).

Seb Ross was pick 25 in 2011

[Scollop]

Inside Mids
Steele
Macrae
Phillipou
Windhager (tag)
Clark
Jones
Stocker (tag)
Dow
Garcia
Carroll (inside/Outside)
Sinclair (rotation)

Outside mids (wing/HHF)
Hill
Wood
Wilson
Henry
Byrnes
Carroll (inside/outside)
Windhager (tag)
Travaglia
Hastie

Good competition for spots

Hopefully Max Hall remains injury free and also another mid in contention for Round 1.

Where do you see him playing? Inside or outside?

Thanks in advance B.M

[SAINT-LEE]

Well well well

Once again we grab 2 defenders ( though the AFL lists Tobie as a MID he's played 99% of his career thus far as a DEF).
Surely there's options with Tobie who could slot into the mid easily and the Flying Viking could take a foreward spot in a few years easily.

What were the alternatives?

Ummm 2 midfielders or at least 1. Its meant to be a once in a generation field of AAA Mids and everyone...you included, have said all year we desperately need midfielders. The coach said it.

But with pick 7 & 8 & future first rounds, we make zero effort to gain a premium mid. That's my point. It doesn't mean our picks aren't good or that one of them may be developed into a mid in 2-3 years, it simply means our greatest, glaring need was ignored...AGAIN.

Search mid/midfield/midfielder in this forum and look for yourself...every person shittin on at me said our greatest need was mids.
But as soon as I mention it suddenly everyone is like, "ffs, wake up, we have 43 midfielders already and we desperately needed 2 defenders, our hands were tied, we did the best we could with no draft power at 7 & 8."

[B.M]

Would you rather a mid who is a lesser player?

It’s funny

They are just DPs atm

Even the highly rated mids haven’t made it as players yet
Jagga Smith could be Paddy Dow, Smillie could be Riley Collier Dawkins and Lalor could be Jake Stringer or JDG
Or
They could be champions

Best players at 18 are not always the best at 22/23

[Killa]

Yes, left the year of Billings, Dunstan and Acres out, and put the year of Ross there by error!

But the point remains.

And in regards a "small defender", Webster is over 30 years of age and, in my view, Stocker does not have the leg speed relying therefore exclusively on denying space.

So there is a spot there up for grabs.

[The_Dud]

They could get creative.

If they don’t think any mids will be available, then trade up. If you don’t want to use a higher pick on a mid you can get later, then trade back, or out.

We could have still picked ‘best available’ and gotten the mids we need.