Mega Thread 2014 Swans Board National and Rookie Draft Discussion Thread

Oct 5, 2009
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Just thinking about list balance etc for the next two or so years drafts, feel that we will be earmarking elite ball carriers/disposers and KPF through 2015/2016 crafts. Then probably KPD's again in 2017 to spread the KPD age group (hoping one of Reid, Davis, X or AA steps up in that position)
 
Jun 14, 2011
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Was fairly non committal with the selection of Rose, but come around to it as sounds like he has a lot of scope to be moulded into a medium utility.

So that makes the draft:

Heeney- in/out mid
Rose - mid size utility
Hiscox - HB/wing
Davis- KPP
Lloyd - mid
Naismith - Ruck
Robinson- big inside mid

If we get a mature KPD (22-24 bracket) in rookie and perhaps a raw tall utility (190cm-195cm) it is the most complete positional draft you could ask for.
Would be nice to pick up saad as a rookie. Still think he would make a good addition and fight it out with benny for the small forward/mif role.
 
Jun 16, 2012
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Would be nice to pick up saad as a rookie. Still think he would make a good addition and fight it out with benny for the small forward/mif role.
Could not agree more. Not only would he fill a need but also with buddy taking up every ounce of exposure for the afl in nsw, he could benefit from the anonymity of living in sydney considering his history
 
Oct 5, 2009
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Would be nice to pick up saad as a rookie. Still think he would make a good addition and fight it out with benny for the small forward/mif role.

Could be an astute pick up. No idea who he would replace out of the mid/fwd rotation of Jack, Parker and McGlynn. That would be the main trouble when selecting him. Good small forward but would he fit in best 22
 
Jun 14, 2011
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Could be an astute pick up. No idea who he would replace out of the mid/fwd rotation of Jack, Parker and McGlynn. That would be the main trouble when selecting him. Good small forward but would he fit in best 22
Thats why he would be the perfect rookie. No pressure on he to replace anyone but if he put in the hard yards I could see him potentially putting pressure on benny in a year or so. Perfect age bracket too. Hes a no risk pick really.
 
Oct 5, 2009
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C Hislop numbers were impressive , will be picked up via the rookie surely

Mm, he was good during championship but question marks over if he could step up next level. Disposal under pressure is shaky, would need a lot of work on that.
 
Oct 5, 2009
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He kicking is hit and miss yes but I think who ever takes him has something to work with , knows how to find the pill

At best he will be 'Priddis' like. Not the brownlow medal winning version. Like the Tassie boys as I am one myself but has good state leaguer like Sewell written all over him.

Just my opinion of what I've seen, could turn out to be good but just has the 'almost' feel to him.
 
Emma Quayle
SYDNEY

A lot of the Swans' work was done pre-draft. Isaac Heeney has all the qualities to become the best player from the draft, Jack Hiscox's running ability is made but Abe Davis is the one to keep an eye on, given his size and the way he can move. James Rose played at half-forward for South Australia in the national championships but is one who will be able to push up and back. A nice pick at 37.
 
We don't rate any of the remaining players. If we did we would have used pick 58 and had a smaller rookie list. Being willing to wait another 30 picks between 58 and our first rookie means we didn't worry about any of them being picked.
 
Sep 24, 2014
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I mentioned Wilson in the DFA/Experienced draft target thread in relation to RUNVS suggestion of selecting Tapscot as a "Shannon Hurn type player";
Actually if we were looking for a Shannon Hurn type player the 'lite' version in Blayne Wilson who West Coast delisted could be a rookie option.

Lovely kick (though not as long as Hurn), fine intercept mark, but like Hurn not really a true defender.
Too short (188cm) to play on the talls and too slow to play on the nippy smalls.

Think he'd be a good pick up for someone like Melbourne, but perhaps not for our game style.

Better user of the ball than Laidler and Rampe, but they are better defenders.
Not sure where he'd fit in. Not really a Malceski replacement as a run carry player.
 
Grade: B +
Sydney: The Swans already won the draft with Isaac Heeney at pick 18, who would have been a top five pick. Abe Davis at pick 70 was a great selection. The tall academy player showed he was a capable defender and could even be a rock solid key forward at AFL level. Jack Hiscox was an interesting academy selection at 38, but his athleticism could make him a real weapon. James Rose was their only live selection, and a gutsy one at that. Similar to James Sicily last year, Rose is a high half forward who plays taller than he is and kicks plenty of goals. Probably could have lasted until much later, or even been overlooked if Sydney did not take him so early.
The winners
Melbourne:
The Dees nailed every single selection. Angus Brayshaw and Christian Petracca are top inside midfield prospects who have versatility and can impact the game in a number of ways. Alex Neal-Bullen at 40 was an incredible steal, as most rated him as a possible top 25 pick. His inside work was already outstanding, but his second half of the year was impeccable. Melbourne snared outside midfielder Billy Stretch as a father-son pick with selection 42. The Demons added to the dream wishlist with key defender Oscar McDonald, brother of Tom, sliding all the way to pick 53, despite being heavily touted as a top 25 pick.
Grade: A+
Richmond: They stuck by their man Corey Ellis at pick 12, adding class on the inside and outside. Connor Menadue is a game changer, and his incredible speed will make pick 33 seem like a stroke of genius. Nathan Drummond is an all-round terrific footballer, who could push for selection early next year. Daniel Butler adds speed and a bit of class. Their best pick, though, was Reece McKenzie. The power forward already has an AFL body and looked to be a chance for the top 20 at times during the year.
Grade: A+
West Coast: The Eagles snared a bona fide star in Liam Duggan, then made a smart move on Tom Lamb at their second selection. Jackson Nelson and Damien Cavka both pushed for top 30 selections at certain points of the year, and both seem to be steals. The Eagles added a lot of run, but while all these picks can play midfield, they all provide different qualities. Alec Waterman is a great addition as a father-son pick, too.
Grade: A
St Kilda: The Saints ddressed needs with Patrick McCartin and Hugh Goddard. At this time last year, they were strongly considered to be pick one and two. Daniel McKenzie is a Luke Hodge type who seems to be an excellent pick at 22. Jack Lonie is an excitement machine and should add speed and goals at pick 41.
Grade: A
Collingwood: Jordan De Goey was a very solid choice at pick five. He is a Josh Caddy type who has great football intelligence. Darcy Moore at pick nine as a father-son selection will be the watermark of their draft. Brayden Maynard will take over Heretier Lumumba’s spot off a half back flank, with his skill and toughness a real tick for Derek Hine. Matthew Goodyear was a bit of a surprise considering how closely linked they were to Calder team mate Damien Cavka, but nonetheless, they got a really solid and balanced midfielder.
Grade: A -
Essendon – Adrian Dodoro’s giggle as he read out Jayden Laverde’s name sums up their draft well, so great that they couldn’t believe it. Laverde is a high flyer who kicks goals and has an incredible range of skills. At 189 centimetres he can play in a multitude of positions. Langford has incredible versatility too, playing as a key forward and defender at times to great effect at TAC Cup level. His speed and decision making, as well as pinpoint kicking, should see him play some time in the midfield. However, his elite marking and goal sense should make him a roaming half forward type.
Grade: A-
Solid drafts
Gold Coast:
Peter Wright could be a star, and he was the right choice at pick eight. Jarrod Garlett was a bit of a surprise at 15, but his speed and endurance is incredible, and if he turns out like Brad Hill, then that pick is completely justified. Touk Miller at 29 was a very good choice. His leadership, hardness and ability to change a game in several areas should see him as possible 200-game player.
Grade: B+
Greater Western Sydney: Jarrod Pickett adds speed and x-factor at pick four, and Paul Ahern compliments him at pick seven. Caleb Marchbank was an interesting call over Jake Lever and Hugh Goddard. Time will tell whether they got that one right. Jack Steele was a really solid academy selection at 24. Jeremy Finlayson has a bit of Jack Watts about him, and taking him so late as an academy pick was a win for them. The biggest surprise on the night was Patrick McKenna, from Gisborne. He was their last live selection, so disregard the fact that he was pick 23. They could have taken him with a much later pick if they had one, but they didn’t.
Grade: B +
Sydney: The Swans already won the draft with Isaac Heeney at pick 18, who would have been a top five pick. Abe Davis at pick 76 was a great selection. The tall academy player showed he was a capable defender and could even be a rock solid key forward at AFL level. Jack Hiscox was an interesting academy selection at 38, but his athleticism could make him a real weapon. James Rose was their only live selection, and a gutsy one at that. Similar to James Sicily last year, Rose is a high half forward who plays taller than he is and kicks plenty of goals. Probably could have lasted until much later, or even been overlooked if Sydney did not take him so early.
Grade: B
Adelaide: Jake Lever will prove to be as brilliant a pick as Daniel Talia was in 2008. Moving down the order was a really great idea for the Crows, as they added skillful halfback Harrison Wigg with their second pick. Mitch McGovern could be an interesting pick, adding a great leaping ability. Harry Dear was one of the better value picks at 59. The key forward wasn’t quite dominant during the year, but on his day he can be a real difference maker. His ability to play in the ruck has also improved a lot over this past year.
Grade: B
Fremantle: They’ve copped plenty of flack for not taking a key defender, but keep in mind Keenan Ramsay, Sean McLaren and Tyler Keitel are still rookie possibilities. Lachie Weller will be the next poster boy for Fremantle, and he is the fourth best pure midfielder in this draft. Connor Blakely adds hardness at 34. Ed Langdon and Josh Deluca-Cardillo add speed and a lot of excitement as late picks. They did well for best available picks.
Grade: B
Geelong: “Don’t put it past Wells to be ballsy and take a Langford or even Nakia Cockatoo ahead of a more highly rated prospect.” That was my prediction not too long ago in an article about the importance of pick 10. Stephen Wells did what he does most years, taking a bolter that turns to gold. Cockatoo showed wonderful potential in his only game this year, but at pick 10, he represents much more value than a Sam Durdin. They added Dean Gore as a solid inside midfielder, as speed and skill with Jordan Cunico and Cory Gregson.
Grade: B-
Brisbane: With Josh Clayton, Liam Dawson and Harris Andrews already locked in as selections, the Lions had already done fairly well. Jaden McGrath looked like a really promising AIS member before he got injured. McGrath adds a lot of x-factor, as his decision making and skill are top notch. Josh McGuinness had a wonderful championships for Tasmania, and he could evolve into a talented half back at AFL level.
Grade – B -
Western Bulldogs: The Dogs have some excellent picks on paper in Toby McLean, Lukas Webb, Caleb Daniel and Zaine Cordy. McLean was a surprise, but his ability to average 30 disposals and kick three goals per game for long stretches of time, as well as having a wonderful overhead mark, makes him a terrific selection. Webb adds class, as does Declan Hamilton. Daniel was a real surprise, and he is elite. Bailey Dale was an odd choice considering they’d already taken several similar types. It’s been well noted that the average height for their five live selections was 179 centimetres, yet all of those selections have wonderful capabilities and could be great at the next level.
Grade: B-
The losers
Carlton:
Who knows what Shane Rodgers was thinking taking Blaine Boekhurst at pick 19. The 21-year-old might have a great future, but the discussions between he and Laverde have already started. It seemed extremely likely Boekhurst would be still available at 28. Dillion Viojo-Rainbow was a solid choice at 28. A Heritier Lumumba type with his strength, speed and skill, he could eventually replace Kade Simpson. Clem Smith is a Byron Pickett type, and his poor kicking, skin folds and poor combine allowed him to slide to pick 61. However, on talent alone he could be a steal. Picking Jayden Foster over Reece McKenzie at 65 was a really interesting call. However, Foster’s ability to work as a secondary forward may be critical, as a forward line of McKenzie and Levi Casboult would have been one dimensional.
Grade: C+
Hawthorn: The Hawks went really early on Dan Howe, but his leaping and goal kicking just add to the great depth the Hawks have. Teia Miles at 49 was an okay selection, adding a bit more midfield depth. Marc Pittonet at 50 was a real surprise, considering they needed a key defender and Oscar McDonald was still on the board.
Grade: C+
North Melbourne: They would have been surprised Sam Durdin was still available at 16, and that was a good choice, although in retrospect, they probably should have taken Jayden Laverde. Daniel Nielson was a massive reach at 25. He would have still been around after pick 40. Ed Vickers-Willis is an undersized tall defender, but he is more of a smooth operator across halfback, rather than a key defender. Whilst individually all of North Melbourne’s players are good, they did not address outside speed at all, and choosing three tall defenders was just ridiculous.
Grade: C
Port Adelaide:The Power went surprisingly tall, and had some left field selections too. Dougal Howard was a great choice as a smart key forward, and Logan Austin was a solid pick. The two were both stolen from the GWS academy. Billy Frampton is a project ruckman, although most pegged him as a rookie option.
Shouldn't be assed now imo , wait a few years.
 
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Jun 14, 2011
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Id take any player that has previous afl experience in the rookie draft regardless of why they are no longer on an afl list (drug ban or delisted)

I trust our coaching staff to turn any of them around and into handy players. And if they dont, a rookie spot is a no risk option.

Considering our trade ban, any experience at afl level could fast track their development and provide the extra depth we were unable to attain in trade week.

Saad and Wilson certainty fit that mould for me.
 
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