1. Hodge 2. Ball 3. Judd

[Mr Magic]

Barks, as I have posted on numerous occasions (every time this topic arises) over the last 12 months, I was at an evening 'meeting' at Moorabbin where GT, Rendell, Bailey and others were in attendance.
It was part of a group called 'The Thommo Club' and it was a night where abot 60 people got to discuss a topic with GT and his team.

The topic of the night was RECRUITING and John Beveridge was there.

The inevitable question about Ball/Judd arose and Beveridge ansered that teh Club wanted both players - it did not rate either higher than the other.
Hawthorn had pick 1 - took Hodge well before draft day.
We had picks 2 & 5
WCE had picks 3 & 6
Freo had pick 4.

WCE indicated they were going to take Ball with pick 3 because Judd was of no ionterest to them - bad shoulders.

Freo had indicated they were going to take neither Ball nor Judd with their pick.

We therfore took Ball with pick 2, thinking we would then get Judd with pick 5, under the assumption that neither WCE nor Freo would pick him.

WCE conned us out of Judd.

It had nothing to do with GT or RB or JB or anybody else.

By all means blame GT for things he did, but don't blame him for things he had nothing to do with.

[Spinner]

Barks, as I have posted on numerous occasions (every time this topic arises) over the last 12 months, I was at an evening 'meeting' at Moorabbin where GT, Rendell, Bailey and others were in attendance.
It was part of a group called 'The Thommo Club' and it was a night where abot 60 people got to discuss a topic with GT and his team.

The topic of the night was RECRUITING and John Beveridge was there.

The inevitable question about Ball/Judd arose and Beveridge ansered that teh Club wanted both players - it did not rate either higher than the other.
Hawthorn had pick 1 - took Hodge well before draft day.
We had picks 2 & 5
WCE had picks 3 & 6
Freo had pick 4.

WCE indicated they were going to take Ball with pick 3 because Judd was of no ionterest to them - bad shoulders.

Freo had indicated they were going to take neither Ball nor Judd with their pick.

We therfore took Ball with pick 2, thinking we would then get Judd with pick 5, under the assumption that neither WCE nor Freo would pick him.

WCE conned us out of Judd.

It had nothing to do with GT or RB or JB or anybody else.

By all means blame GT for things he did, but don't blame him for things he had nothing to do with.

Is that serious?

About the club and questions and all?

[spert]

Ball actually kicks longer than you think, but our forwards keep running away from the direction the football is going in, so it looks like our midfielders aren't hitting targets.
Ball (OP issues)
Judd (shoulder issues)
Hodge (intelligence issues)

[plugger66]

Ball actually kicks longer than you think, but our forwards keep running away from the direction the football is going in, so it looks like our midfielders aren't hitting targets.
Ball (OP issues)
Judd (shoulder issues)
Hodge (intelligence issues)

You could be right because I think he kicks 15 metres.

[Mr Magic]

Barks, as I have posted on numerous occasions (every time this topic arises) over the last 12 months, I was at an evening 'meeting' at Moorabbin where GT, Rendell, Bailey and others were in attendance.
It was part of a group called 'The Thommo Club' and it was a night where abot 60 people got to discuss a topic with GT and his team.

The topic of the night was RECRUITING and John Beveridge was there.

The inevitable question about Ball/Judd arose and Beveridge ansered that teh Club wanted both players - it did not rate either higher than the other.
Hawthorn had pick 1 - took Hodge well before draft day.
We had picks 2 & 5
WCE had picks 3 & 6
Freo had pick 4.

WCE indicated they were going to take Ball with pick 3 because Judd was of no ionterest to them - bad shoulders.

Freo had indicated they were going to take neither Ball nor Judd with their pick.

We therfore took Ball with pick 2, thinking we would then get Judd with pick 5, under the assumption that neither WCE nor Freo would pick him.

WCE conned us out of Judd.

It had nothing to do with GT or RB or JB or anybody else.

By all means blame GT for things he did, but don't blame him for things he had nothing to do with.

Is that serious?

About the club and questions and all?

!00% serious and accurate.

We had 2 meetings that year, the second (the recruiting one) being after the season was over. Whilst they didn't divulge exactly who they were looking at, they went through the 'process' they used to determine who to pick.

From discussions I had with JB after the meeting closed, I got the impression we would take Raph at pick 8 if he was still available.

All the other Clubs knew we wanted him. It was no secret amongst recruiters. He had been a guest in teh rooms on match days during the year.

One really interesting part of the night was the 'challenge' we were given by GT and his team.

We had just played Geelong in the last game of the year and we were challenged to select the side for the opening round of the following year, assuming all the same players were avaialble (fit) and that we would be playing Geelong again.

They (GT and the coaching team) then wehnt through our various selections and explained why they agreed/disagreed with them.

It certainly made me aware that only those with inside knowledge could possibly undersdtand why certain players were picked for certain roles.

[perfectionist]

Barks, as I have posted on numerous occasions (every time this topic arises) over the last 12 months, I was at an evening 'meeting' at Moorabbin where GT, Rendell, Bailey and others were in attendance....topic of the night was RECRUITING and John Beveridge was there... WCE indicated they were going to take Ball with pick 3 because Judd was of no ionterest to them - bad shoulders.
We therfore took Ball with pick 2, thinking we would then get Judd with pick 5, under the assumption that neither WCE nor Freo would pick him.
WCE conned us out of Judd.

Sounds right, although whether WCE were so smart or not all boiled down to one kick in 2006 as did our choice boil down to one kick ( I reckon) in 2004. Had both of these gone the other way, this thread might have been on a WCE supporters board. Then again as they say, if my aunty had been a man she be my uncle - either way they are both dead - so get on with it!

[ace]

Yep I have seen Ball kick further than 15 metres.
It had to be at least 15 metres because the umpires can't pay marks unless the ball travels at least 15 metres.

[Dan Warna]

mr magic has no sense of humour so I would be inclined to believe him

[saintbrat]

Yep I have seen Ball kick further than 15 metres.
It had to be at least 15 metres because the umpires can't pay marks unless the ball travels at least 15 metres.

he's working up to Harves 20 metres

[ace]

So we lost out on Judd because we were tricked into taking Ball first at pick No2 expecting to Judd at pick 5, we then got Dal Santo at pick 13.

Does anyone seriously think we could have contained Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Ball, Judd, Dal Santo and Goddard within the salary cap.
With Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon making offers over an above their own salary caps. We would have had the same chance Brisbane had with (Nathan) - Buckleys chance of keeping them all.

[plugger66]

So we lost out on Judd because we were tricked into taking Ball first at pick No2 expecting to Judd at pick 5, we then got Dal Santo at pick 13.

Does anyone seriously think we could have contained Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Ball, Judd, Dal Santo and Goddard within the salary cap.
With Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon making offers over an above their own salary caps. We would have had the same chance Brisbane had with (Nathan) - Buckleys chance of keeping them all.

Good point but I think we would have won a flag before we lost a couple.

[Richter]

So we lost out on Judd because we were tricked into taking Ball first at pick No2 expecting to Judd at pick 5, we then got Dal Santo at pick 13.

Does anyone seriously think we could have contained Riewoldt, Koschitzke, Ball, Judd, Dal Santo and Goddard within the salary cap.
With Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon making offers over an above their own salary caps. We would have had the same chance Brisbane had with (Nathan) - Buckleys chance of keeping them all.

Who cares we'd have had a flag........

[SENsei]

And with Judd in the team, it is unlikely we would've been in a position to get Goddard the following year in any case. Doubt we would've finished 14th even with him in his first year.

[Richter]

And we wouldn't have had X. Probably not Raph either.

Harvey and G-train would have retired after our 2004-5 double premiership years...........

Bloody pointless speculating really - just makes you sigh and wonder.....

[Munga]

If we recruited Judd, he probably would've got OP after 12 months and still be struggling with it. Just a hunch.

[remboy]

I recall Kevin Sheedy saying at the time of the 2001 draft that if Essendon had had the no 1 pick they would have taken Ball. All pre draft guesstimates had Ball and Hodge as the first two picks. Judd was never considered a potential no1 because of his shoulder problems.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I'm sure all recruiters would love to have their picks again 3 or 5 years down the track.

[perfectionist]

Yes, you are correct.

[Shaggy]

Wow, explosive thread.

Don't know anything about Raph Clarke's recruitment.

Do know about the draft in 2001 though when Ball & Judd & Hodge were up for it. Grant Thomas did not make the call on his own. Brian Waldron was actually gung ho for Luke Ball and had dismissed Judd due to his shoulders.

I know. I was at the table. Decision went BW first, JB second, GT third.

Oh and I also remember RB making his Judd comments a few months before that draft.

At least this puts to end some of the nonsense written about who has been responsible for our recruitment.

If we recruited Judd, he probably would've got OP after 12 months and still be struggling with it. Just a hunch.

Exactly which is why this is a stupid thread.

Ball has been playing injured the last 3 years. If Judd or Hodge joined us there is no guarantee they similarly may not have suffered terrible injuries affecting their football.

Ball was a deserved number 2 draft pick who was already one of the best midfielders in the comp before OP struck.

[n1ck]

I remember tose nights at the club, MM. I think they did it a few times, up in the Trevor Barker room at Moorabbin.


I certainly remember that conversation about the WCE conning us into not taking Judd... I remember being blown away by that.

[Rooy_coin]

judd before ball

[Mr Magic]

I remember tose nights at the club, MM. I think they did it a few times, up in the Trevor Barker room at Moorabbin.


I certainly remember that conversation about the WCE conning us into not taking Judd... I remember being blown away by that.

I was only a member the first year, but my mate went the second year as well. I'm not sure how long it carried on for.

I definitely remember Boffa (the guy responsible for Plugger's SCG pig) being there.

[n1ck]

They did it about 7-8 times in the first year but attendance went down in the 2nd year... i think they only did it twice after that.

[vacuous space]

All pre draft guesstimates had Ball and Hodge as the first two picks.

http://www.afl.com.au/News/NewsArticle/ ... ewsId=3662

Not Matt Burgen. He had Judd at 2, Hodge at 5, Sam Power at 13 (*shudder*), Steve Johnson at 21, Rod Crowe at 37 (who?) and Joey at 51 (right player, wrong pick).

Most of the stuff I've read had Ball 1 and Judd 2. After that it was really every which way. Some people had Hodge going as low as 8.

EDIT: duh... 51 wasn't our pick. He had us taking Trent Hentschel at 49.

[stinger]

i assume this message is a joke.

un bally already plays like an old man. cant run. cant kick. only thing he has is his nous.

and i can only asssume your reply is a joke...either that or you don't know much about football.......ball had major surgery ffs......

[Beej]

If it is true that Butterss advised GT to select Judd, therein lay the problem with Butterss.

Presidents should never get involved in footballing matters and there wouldn't be a single senior coach who wouldn't tell his president to mind their place.

Thank God he's been outed. I'm sure the players are rapt - they get to kick brand new footy's around at training!

All that's left now from the Butterss regime is Ross "yes man" Lyon. Once he's gone we can begin to build a competitive outfit again and compete in finals for three consecutive years like we did in the good old days. *sigh*

Hopefully by the time Lyon's gone Roo, Dal, S.Fisher, Lenny, Joey etc haven't pissed off elsewhere to win their medallions.