The God-Draft Trade

[TheGreatZacsby]

This is what we should do…

We got picks 7 and 8.

We trade Pick 8 to GWS for their 15 and 16.

We now got 7, 15 and 16.

We then trade 7 and 15 for North Melbourne’s pick 2.

We get Sam Lalor. He’s a bloody unicorn. I reckon he’s honestly the best player in the draft. Richmond obviously going for Finn O’Sullivan or Jagga Smith.

We then take 16 to pick up Trainor. Fill the hole Josh Battle left.

Walk away pretty chuffed.

With 7 and 8 I can only see us getting Smilie and Harvey Langford .

Tell me I got mental issues because I can’t see us getting a good player.

[Otiman]

We should be active on draft night with a bunch of strategies ready to go.

Depending who is left on the table, there are a huge range of possible trades available.

All it would take is a player to slide to pick 7, for someone to bite.

You won't see these deals done other than in live trading during the draft.

What it means is that I don't think we'll get pick 2 because the ship has already sailed, but might be able to turn 8 into 15 and 16, then turn 15 into another 2 picks.

[Beno88]

Wait, so we won't get a good player at 7 or 8, but we will at 16?

[Otiman]

Wait, so we won't get a good player at 7 or 8, but we will at 16?

I can't predict draft night, but if we believe a player we're going to take at 8 would slide deeper, or if we had a particular player in mind that was taken before our pick, then expect some trades.

I think this year will be the most active live trades ever.

I reckon we can snag a few future 2nd rounders along the way.

[B.M]

You want as many picks in this draft in the top 30 as possible

Splitting picks - yes

Package picks - no

I’d do the trade pick 8 for picks 15/16 if the 8 mids are gone by our pick
It’d also trade next years first rounder for a Richmond pick

Take
Pick 7, 15, 16, 23, 32, 47 to the draft

[Killa]

Followed by the usual bitch on this site that we should have/ could have Drafted X

And our recruiters are crap - as is the Administration, as are the Coaches and as are the players we have recruited

As an assessment you would put that a player drafted at 8 in these days of analysis would carry a premium over a player drafted at 15

So there is a better chance of a “gun” at 8 versus 15 - and then when we trade out 8 imagine the response on here

[Killa]

Interrupted

But I would say 2 birds in the hand in the top 10 is a preferable position to having one bird in the hand in the top 10

And given what we are adding to is a positive in terms of team (being the 23 players you need on the park on Grand Final day)

[Killa]

St Kilda of all Clubs should know that legends do not lead to premierships - so think Lockett, Harvey and Riewoldt

The bottom 6 are the critical element when it comes to the ultimate success

[Yorkeys]

Who are our current "bottom " 6? Noting we took some big scalps late so these players are still pretty good:
Quick guess: Membrey (gone), Butler, Webster (still a damn good player), Bonner (gone), Ryan Burns (just getting better and better), can't even think of a 6th. So we are pretty well placed. Really, in context, we only had a bottom 2.
Of course in any final any 6 players will possibly under perform.

[Scollop]

In last year's Elimination Final our bottom 6 were Caminiti, Cordy, Butler, Phillipou, Windhager and Stocker. Crouch got 21 touches but he was as bad as the bottom 6. Only 2 clearances and 2 tackles for the day and he was left in his wake by the speedier GWS mids.

Marshall was voted best on (for the Saints) by most here on Saintsational, but unfortunately he was well beaten by his opponent on the day. It wasn't just on hitouts (which Briggs won 35-18) but GWS got cleaner exits out of stoppages. While Marshall had 22 contested and 9 clearances, his disposal efficiency was a liability at times.

Justifiably, we still need to improve our clearance efficiency and our overall midfield connection between rucks and midfielders. Hopefully we find an experienced ruckman to bring in to the team

Crouch will be gone in 2025 and Cordy is in the last year of his contract. The others have upside and we saw glimpses this year from our youngsters in Pou and Windy that they can be key to our climb up the ladder.

Gresh and Battle and Seb Ross were all playing that day too. None of them were outstanding. Battle was probably serviceable, but I think Arie Shoenmaker will be able to fill that spot by 2026.

I think Butler is the one that might need to hit the scoreboard a little more if he doesn't want to spend 2026 in the magoos

[Dave McNamara]

[quote=TheGreatZacsby post_id=2081094 time=1729568848 user_id=23837... Walk away pretty chuffed.

With 7 and 8 I can only see us getting Smilie and Harvey Langford. [/quote]

Zac. Do you really think we can get Smillie and Langford??? The Wolfman thinks you're right.
https://themongrelpunt.com/afl-drafts-a ... aft-v-2-0/

I'd be way more than chuffed. That'd be my aboslute dream draft!

Somehow, land those two, and we start winning flags in a few years. And here's why I say that...

Powerful inside and outside mids.


With the added bonus of being a marking forward threat, like this...


And the rest of his highlights package...


Btw, these higlights are from their state championship campaigns. In other words, playing against the best.


I agree with you that Sam Lalor would also be a great get, but most phantom drafts would give us zero chance of that happening.

As for Trainor. A huge no from me. He's only 1cm taller than Battle. (Battle? Does anyone remember him? ) But doesn't seem to have a solid build. In other words, with key forwards getting ever bigger, I reckon Trainor is your third tall defender type. We need a key defender.

Also, when I checked the bloke's highlights package... a bit underwhelming I thought. I'm not saying he's a dud. But I reckon there'd have to be better players to spend a hypotheitcal pick 16(ish) on.

[TheGreatZacsby]

I’ve watched all the highlights of all the top 10.

My favourite is Lalor.

The next one I like is Josh Smillie he reminds me of a blend of Bont / P.Cripps/ Tom Green type. He moves well for a large guy. But would we be too big with Macrae, Phillipou and Steele in the guts? I feel like we need that De Goey burst type like Lalor?

Murphy Reid is another one that catches my eye, I know B.M loves him. Reid gives me Sheezel vibes. There’s a video on YouTube drawing comparisons I can link if needed. But I’m getting PTSD that he will turn out like Hunter Clark. He is a small frame. So I don’t know. Probably gone before our pick.

Harvey Langford and now with Cal Twomey’s phantom form draft out, Ali’s Tauru is around our pick. Tauru is getting hear hunted by North but he will fill the hole that Josh Battle left. It would be almost Josh Battle for Tauru and Macrae (in a round about way) and I’m chuffed with that. He might be gone. Langford is like a discount Lalor for me. He runs distance quicker but Lalor has got that De Goey breaks tackles that I think we desperately need. Langford would be good doing rotations with Sinclair as he can float half back as reported.

Have to wait and see until draft night.

[Brunswicksainter]

This is what we should do…

We got picks 7 and 8.

We trade Pick 8 to GWS for their 15 and 16.

We now got 7, 15 and 16.

We then trade 7 and 15 for North Melbourne’s pick 2.

We get Sam Lalor. He’s a bloody unicorn. I reckon he’s honestly the best player in the draft. Richmond obviously going for Finn O’Sullivan or Jagga Smith.

We then take 16 to pick up Trainor. Fill the hole Josh Battle left.

Walk away pretty chuffed.

With 7 and 8 I can only see us getting Smilie and Harvey Langford .

Tell me I got mental issues because I can’t see us getting a good player.

Just pointing out 7 and 8 for smilie and Langford would be a great hall. Both would easily be rated in top 3 in other years. Large, powerful midfields who are both great by hand/foot and can potentially roll forward. Both are prototype modern afl players.

[Brunswicksainter]

Also the slander Smilie has copped by AFL media because of a few bad games in the championships is crazy. This guy was a unanimous pick 1 a few months ago, he was by far the best under age 17 year old last year and has so much upside.

O’Sullivan who has been anointed as the second coming of Patrick Cripps barely played a game this year.

I still think where a serious chance at getting Jagga Smith who will slide on the night, not sure how I feel about that.

[TheGreatZacsby]

If we don’t take Smillie I’ll be pissed. The bloke is a unicorn.

My dream draft would be Lalor and Smilie.

[Banger9798]

Likely to be Reid and Smilie as long as one of the picks below us is for a tall.

Otherwise we'd get either Reid or Smilie, in which case we do a trade with GWS for 16, or we take Tauru....I like him.

Definitely need to trade F1 for a late first this year.

Reid
Tauru
Hotton
Hynes
Cole

Good haul

[B.M]

Not sure what Tauru is

He’s not a key, he’s not a runner???

He’s a mid size - similar to Owens

Got Aaron Francis written all over him

[TheGreatZacsby]

Let’s bloody hope North takes him with pick 2.

Demons screw up and take Reid and or Harvey the Key Forward and we get Smilie and langford

[spert]

In last year's Elimination Final our bottom 6 were Caminiti, Cordy, Butler, Phillipou, Windhager and Stocker. Crouch got 21 touches but he was as bad as the bottom 6. Only 2 clearances and 2 tackles for the day and he was left in his wake by the speedier GWS mids.

Marshall was voted best on (for the Saints) by most here on Saintsational, but unfortunately he was well beaten by his opponent on the day. It wasn't just on hitouts (which Briggs won 35-18) but GWS got cleaner exits out of stoppages. While Marshall had 22 contested and 9 clearances, his disposal efficiency was a liability at times.

Justifiably, we still need to improve our clearance efficiency and our overall midfield connection between rucks and midfielders. Hopefully we find an experienced ruckman to bring in to the team

Crouch will be gone in 2025 and Cordy is in the last year of his contract. The others have upside and we saw glimpses this year from our youngsters in Pou and Windy that they can be key to our climb up the ladder.

Gresh and Battle and Seb Ross were all playing that day too. None of them were outstanding. Battle was probably serviceable, but I think Arie Shoenmaker will be able to fill that spot by 2026.

I think Butler is the one that might need to hit the scoreboard a little more if he doesn't want to spend 2026 in the magoos

Yeah that final showed how we need to get a better midfield basically, and do much work on our disposal by foot- the GF this year showed how elite ball use by foot, by the Lions, has set a pretty high standard- no up and under, shank across the body merchants there

[Killa]

My recollection of that Final includes that, in the absence of Howard, Cordy guarded space and was irrelevant, in fact absolutely irrelevant

Past that the sheer size of the GWS players and their run and carry from behind the ball

And there was a learning lesson for our kids - who, I would put, have learned and are progressing nicely

It is also noted that we beat GWS during that season, in Sydney and lost the final by 4 goals (and 4 scoring shots) which was the margin thru the game and which we could not close down

So we were not blown away

The overall summary was an improvement to our midfield plus support for Marshall, Howard (who was absent) and King (who performed well)

Nothing has changed much noting the improvements of our young brigade, the return of Howard half way thru 2024 seeing Cordy in the VFL and the addition of Wilson and Henry along with (now) selections 7 and 8

Plus the kids who showed a bit in their brief exposures to AFL football - and we look for them to show a thirst to succeed at the level and establishing at the level

So whose places do they take?

Because some will fall from favour to make room

At this stage a hell of a lot sits on the shoulders of Caminiti and, to a lesser extent, Sharman

Both can jump

And I do not recall if Clark played, because he is significant to our evolving midfield

Plus we have added the big bodied mid from WB, so competition for the GWS player of similar size

They are not quick but they are where the ball is which makes them the players they are

Our leg speed as a side should further improve by our Drafting noting the comments of Lyon ahead of drafting Wilson

[Rubyjo]

Xavier Lindsay good footballer. https://x.com/StKFootball/status/184893 ... 75458?s=19

[TheGreatZacsby]

Haven’t watched Lindsay until now. I’ve been focusing too much on the top 10 and who will slide to us.

I still think we split pick 8.

Pick 7 - Josh Smillie

On Smillie he was touted in 17s to be the best player of this draft and he moves well for a big lad. Would be grab and drop player right from the start.

GWS Pick 15 - Xavier Lindsay (looks like LDU with a foot like Nick Dal Santo)

On Lindsay he looks the goods.

GWS Pick 16 - Luke Trainor (I still think we need a defender for depth)

On Trainor was touted better than Tauru all year and suddenly missed the combine and he’s dropped like 5 spots?

[SaintDippa]

Absolute steal if Smil still available at 7. Caught up last week at friars y12 breakfast. Still growing, every bit 196. Inside bull but wouldn't surprise if slides into the f50 as 2nd tall. Footy smarts, loewe like mits and radar boot. Might get on for the 2025 Norm.

[Dave McNamara]

The way the game is going, big strong mids who can also go forward and take a mark is the way to go. So, no little blokes Saintas!

Whilst no guarantees (ever), we're looking a pretty good chance to secure at least one of Smillie/ Langford. And both, would remain my dream draft.

Should one of those blokes not reach us, then I'd go for Martin's man, Cooper Hynes. Big, tough, quick, extracts ball, kicks goals. Besides, Vortex needs another Cooper for whose cause he can champion.

In fact, if we did somehow get the dream run and land both Smillie and Langford, I'd (very) seriously be looking at doing some draft trading to get a second pick in the teens, to try and nab Cooper H also. (Do it for our Vortex, Saintas!)

And should we successfully trade for that extra pick, only for someone to pip us on Coops, then I'd go for Kayle Gerryn.

I'm developing increasing doubts that Heath will make the grade. He's had 3.5 seasons now at AFL level. Yet there remains serious questions over his ability to develop the necessary strength (97kg isn't enough) and endurance to compete against AFL ruckmen. (Not sure that he can jump much either?)

Should we draft the likes of a Kayle Gerryn, then that's say to me that our club shares those concerns. Gerryn is still only 18, but is already 199cm and 99kg. And, he can run. And, he can jump.