List Mgmt. 2014 Draft

[Clems Knee]

I'm still keen on Clem Smith for a later pick, with a good preseason he can lose the fat arse, and Cockatoo looked great in the Grand Final curtain raiser (so did Weller). According to astute watchers (Chris ), Cockatoo was highly rated before he got injured, so the recent hype is just returning him to his original level. Is our first round draft pick too high?
I know we may need another tall, but I'm hopeful that we will have two or more long careers from A. Pearce, T. Smith, Apeness, Taberner or Hurley. Last one is a long shot, admittedly. Even so, I'd be happy with someone like Hugh Goddard. Just no more Ruckmen.

At least I mentioned our first draft pick...
The quote was from Oct 16

 

[Clems Knee]

Yep. I would be happy with midfielders rather than a kpp in this draft. We have some young talls on the list already. We should back in some of A. Pearce, T. Smith, M. Apeness, M. Taberner, C. Moller, J. Hannath, and now S. Hurley to become good talls.

We are light on for smaller players coming through the ranks. A fast small defender such as Clem Smith would be great, and I would like a midfielder to serve an apprenticeship for Peel in his first year.

We had a lot of talls playing for Peel this year, but not that many smalls. Peel have lost Gumbleton and Bradley, while Brady, Grey, Duffy and maybe Simpson should get more game time at Peel and the team may be more balanced.

And this from October 6. Nailed it.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

I was clearly exaggerating. He has probably had 5 good games.

Like I said ......

 

[Wee Jessies]

Having had some time to dwell on this I feel we should have gone tall with that first pick, even if Weller was rated an 80% chance of making the grade vs the talls at 50% I just feel it was the right option in terms of our list and in the context of the mids that were going to be available at our next two picks.

 

[Agenfrida]

Having had some time to dwell on this I feel we should have gone tall with that first pick, even if Weller was rated an 80% chance of making the grade vs the talls at 50% I just feel it was the right option in terms of our list and in the context of the mids that were going to be available at our next two picks.

If and it's a very big 'if' given our recent attempts, but if we get Rance as a FA next year and/or rookie Brown, Grimley or a decent state league KPP the recruiters will look like geniuses. Initially I was pretty astounded we didn't grab a tall, but slowly but surely I'm coming around to being pretty happy with the guys we ended up drafting.

 

[blue shark]

Having had some time to dwell on this I feel we should have gone tall with that first pick, even if Weller was rated an 80% chance of making the grade vs the talls at 50% I just feel it was the right option in terms of our list and in the context of the mids that were going to be available at our next two picks.

If you look at what GWS are doing, picking up more Talls than required, why? I think they are banking these guys for
future deals, They know it will take roughly five years for that window to open, and their team will be cherry ripe. Quality tall picks
wanting to go home creates bidding wars with the Victorian clubs.
Us on the other hand are so close to premiership glory, and I dont know when we will have players of the caliber of Pav, Elvis.
Mids take less time to develop, some will be ready next year, and others will want out, go home, traded, we have covered for
injury, free agency deal, and have improved the skill, speed of the list.
If we are brutally honest their are too many foot soldiers in the team to lift the cup.

 

[eastfreo75]

If and it's a very big 'if' given our recent attempts, but if we get Rance as a FA next year and/or rookie Brown, Grimley or a decent state league KPP the recruiters will look like geniuses. Initially I was pretty astounded we didn't grab a tall, but slowly but surely I'm coming around to being pretty happy with the guys we ended up drafting.

I agree. If we get Rance, then all will be forgiven. Richmond like us have salary cap space, but have both Rance and Cotchin. We need to put a deal to good to refuse in front of Rance. 4m over 5 years.

 

[Bucking Bronco]

If you look at what GWS are doing, picking up more Talls than required, why? I think they are banking these guys for
future deals, They know it will take roughly five years for that window to open, and their team will be cherry ripe. Quality tall picks
wanting to go home creates bidding wars with the Victorian clubs.
Us on the other hand are so close to premiership glory, and I dont know when we will have players of the caliber of Pav, Elvis.
Mids take less time to develop, some will be ready next year, and others will want out, go home, traded, we have covered for
injury, free agency deal, and have improved the skill, speed of the list.
If we are brutally honest their are too many foot soldiers in the team to lift the cup.

So pretty much what happened at St Kilda with Ross Lyon is happening again at Fremantle. The long-term future is being compromised in the hope that we can have short-term success.

Drafting midfielders like Weller who can have an impact next year instead of drafting someone like Lever/ Goddard who will be there to take the reigns when Pav and McPharlin retire and be the cornerstone of our next era.

If and it's a very big 'if' given our recent attempts, but if we get Rance as a FA next year and/or rookie Brown, Grimley or a decent state league KPP the recruiters will look like geniuses. Initially I was pretty astounded we didn't grab a tall, but slowly but surely I'm coming around to being pretty happy with the guys we ended up drafting.

Relying on signing a free agent who comes out of contract next year and - going by the law of averages - is unlikely to exercise their free agency option to make this draft period a success is fool's hope.

And, as far as using the rookie draft as an avenue to address our KPP needs - The players are available in the rookie draft for a reason, they are about 1 in 50 chance of making it as A-grade players. If it was that easy to just draft an A-grade KPP in the rookie draft then every club would have that mindset.

The reality is that pretty much 9/10 elite KPP's come in the first round of the national draft.

 

[Harry Reems]

"Phew, for a minute there I thought I was going to the Eagles." - Nakia Cockatoo.

 

[Unique Name]

So pretty much what happened at St Kilda with Ross Lyon is happening again at Fremantle. The long-term future is being compromised in the hope that we can have short-term success.

Drafting midfielders like Weller who can have an impact next year instead of drafting someone like Lever/ Goddard who will be there to take the reigns when Pav and McPharlin retire and be the cornerstone of our next era.



Relying on signing a free agent who comes out of contract next year and - going by the law of averages - is unlikely to exercise their free agency option to make this draft period a success is fool's hope.

And, as far as using the rookie draft as an avenue to address our KPP needs - The players are available in the rookie draft for a reason, they are about 1 in 50 chance of making it as A-grade players. If it was that easy to just draft an A-grade KPP in the rookie draft then every club would have that mindset.

The reality is that pretty much 9/10 elite KPP's come in the first round of the national draft.

What makes you think any of these kids we've drafted this year will be lining up in our best 22 in 2015, has anyone from the club said anyyhing of the sort. Barring major injuries, mass resting of a few gimme games none of them will get a game. Just like Sherro, Crozier, Duffy, Tabs, Grey, Apeness etc they will play the vast majority of there first years for Peel until they are ready to break into the 22.

We're not a s**t club and we don't gift games to 18years old who have highlights against other kids.

Stop recyling these bullshit myths about the way Freo run things.

 

[simpsonwillo]

So pretty much what happened at St Kilda with Ross Lyon is happening again at Fremantle. The long-term future is being compromised in the hope that we can have short-term success.

Drafting midfielders like Weller who can have an impact next year instead of drafting someone like Lever/ Goddard who will be there to take the reigns when Pav and McPharlin retire and be the cornerstone of our next era.



Relying on signing a free agent who comes out of contract next year and - going by the law of averages - is unlikely to exercise their free agency option to make this draft period a success is fool's hope.

And, as far as using the rookie draft as an avenue to address our KPP needs - The players are available in the rookie draft for a reason, they are about 1 in 50 chance of making it as A-grade players. If it was that easy to just draft an A-grade KPP in the rookie draft then every club would have that mindset.

The reality is that pretty much 9/10 elite KPP's come in the first round of the national draft.

I think the idea of the draft is to pick the best available players isn't it. Fremantle concentrated on drafting talls last year. I think Weller was an awesome first round pick and we were never going to knock back Blakely, a West Aussie who was touted as a first round pick(absolute steal and future Mundy replacement). And so after that the talented talls fell away and I love our picks in Langden

 

[simpsonwillo]

And Deluca. We will probably concentrate on some talls in the rookie draft.

 

[Bucking Bronco]

What makes you think any of these kids we've drafted this year will be lining up in our best 22 in 2015, has anyone from the club said anyyhing of the sort. Barring major injuries, mass resting of a few gimme games none of them will get a game. Just like Sherro, Crozier, Duffy, Tabs, Grey, Apeness etc they will play the vast majority of there first years for Peel until they are ready to break into the 22.

We're not a s**t club and we don't gift games to 18years old who have highlights against other kids.

Stop recyling these bullshit myths about the way Freo run things.

Are you not reading the post that I quoted. The poster said "Mids take less time to develop, some will be ready next year", it is not the first time that I have heard this rationale on this board.

I think the idea of the draft is to pick the best available players isn't it. Fremantle concentrated on drafting talls last year. I think Weller was an awesome first round pick and we were never going to knock back Blakely, a West Aussie who was touted as a first round pick(absolute steal and future Mundy replacement). And so after that the talented talls fell away and I love our picks in Langden

I like the selection of Blakely as well, I only have a problem with not selecting a KPD at our first pick when arguably the best two of the draft in Lever and Goddard were available.

 

[simpsonwillo]

Are you not reading the post that I quoted. The poster said "Mids take less time to develop, some will be ready next year", it is not the first time that I have heard this rationale on this board.



I like the selection of Blakely as well, I only have a problem with not selecting a KPD at our first pick when arguably the best two of the draft in Lever and Goddard were available.

Gotta go best available and I reckon we did that. Weller could end up being the best of the lot. Got massive upside

 

[free at last]

I agree. If we get Rance, then all will be forgiven. Richmond like us have salary cap space, but have both Rance and Cotchin. We need to put a deal to good to refuse in front of Rance. 4m over 5 years.

You'd think this will probably happen too.**** it,I'd offer Rance a deal of 5m over 6 years.

 

[rgauci]

Fear not, Apeness and A.Pearce seem superb. They are the succession plan. No-one player is going to replicate the superb players we've had in those positions. If we can get someone serviceable, improve people around them we'll be well served.

 

[Taylor]

I wish I had the faith you guys do in tall players we didn't draft to live up to their reputations.

 

[Mr Peabody]

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/11/29/fremantle-and-big-picture-drafting/

Worth the time to read as it is a good synopsis of what the List Committee's thinking largely is:-

• "Being hunted did not treat Fremantle kindly, in 2015 they go back to being the hunters."
• "Experts keep talking about the need for Fremantle to replace veteran stalwarts Luke McPharlin, Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands but with Smith down back, Apeness in the ruck and Taberner up forward the replacements are already there."
• "Instead of looking at Pavlich, Sandilands and McPharlin it appears Fremantle are looking next level at David Mundy, Ryan Crowley and Paul Duffield and their approaching retirements."
• "With these things considered Fremantle did an outstanding job of picking the best available player at the time of their picks. A lot of teams consider this the best strategy, however it really is only a team that is in Fremantle’s position of production from the existing and talent coming through that the best available pick works."
• "The two later picks on forward prospects indicate that Fremantle believe a small forward line is the key to the future. They used a four-pronged small attack to differing degrees of effect last year, but appear to be in a position where pace and defensive pressure will be the ongoing benchmarks of their forward group."
• "As Fremantle have done, big picture is the key. If they can get the right breaks next year they will again contend, and now courtesy of the 2014 draft they are set to keep the big picture bright."

Kudos to this guy for pinning what the List Committee's philosophies are. Whether the List Committee has got it right or not will be known in due course but at least someone in the media (a punter on The Roar) has taken the time to understand the approach the Club is taking which is a precursor to critically analysing it. There are many critics baying at the Club's direction with drafting but the List Committee do have the advantage of knowing the players and where they are at with their development intimately. That they are backing the list I see as really exciting. Others may see it as stubborn, stupid or misguided. We'll know soon enough.

 

[blue shark]

So Sydney, Hawks, model of using recycled Talls, to cover holes in the list is okay, yet we should draft Talls and wait how many years
for them to show something? In four years time expansion clubs will have one hand on the cup.

 

[rodney hoo]

http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/11/29/fremantle-and-big-picture-drafting/

Worth the time to read as it is a good synopsis of what the List Committee's thinking largely is:-

• "Being hunted did not treat Fremantle kindly, in 2015 they go back to being the hunters."
• "Experts keep talking about the need for Fremantle to replace veteran stalwarts Luke McPharlin, Matthew Pavlich and Aaron Sandilands but with Smith down back, Apeness in the ruck and Taberner up forward the replacements are already there."
• "Instead of looking at Pavlich, Sandilands and McPharlin it appears Fremantle are looking next level at David Mundy, Ryan Crowley and Paul Duffield and their approaching retirements."
• "With these things considered Fremantle did an outstanding job of picking the best available player at the time of their picks. A lot of teams consider this the best strategy, however it really is only a team that is in Fremantle’s position of production from the existing and talent coming through that the best available pick works."
• "The two later picks on forward prospects indicate that Fremantle believe a small forward line is the key to the future. They used a four-pronged small attack to differing degrees of effect last year, but appear to be in a position where pace and defensive pressure will be the ongoing benchmarks of their forward group."
• "As Fremantle have done, big picture is the key. If they can get the right breaks next year they will again contend, and now courtesy of the 2014 draft they are set to keep the big picture bright."

Kudos to this guy for pinning what the List Committee's philosophies are. Whether the List Committee has got it right or not will be known in due course but at least someone in the media (a punter on The Roar) has taken the time to understand the approach the Club is taking which is a precursor to critically analysing it. There are many critics baying at the Club's direction with drafting but the List Committee do have the advantage of knowing the players and where they are at with their development intimately. That they are backing the list I see as really exciting. Others may see it as stubborn, stupid or misguided. We'll know soon enough.

I'm not certain apeness is going to be a ruckman, was very average in the ruck at wafl level, he is going to be a good forward, reckon Clarke got the ruck covered.

 

[yyou]

I agree. If we get Rance, then all will be forgiven. Richmond like us have salary cap space, but have both Rance and Cotchin. We need to put a deal to good to refuse in front of Rance. 4m over 5 years.

just warning you guys
I had drinks with a richmond board member not long ago & he let it slip that the Tigers are preparing a war chest aimed at your superstar, Fyfe
but, I'm that is expected.

 

[Grape Bear]

just warning you guys
I had drinks with a richmond board member not long ago & he let it slip that the Tigers are preparing a war chest aimed at your superstar, Fyfe
but, I'm that is expected.

If we got Pav, who had no family in WA and strong ties to SA to stay while being a s**t club when he was in his prime, there is no way Fyfe, who is a WA country boy with strong family ties and a partner who is a WA girl, will be hankering to go to Melbourne. Besides, Freo will definitely have an eye to the future where Fyfe is concerned and will already be planning for his next contract.

 

[sherrif]

I just read the Inside Football draft write-up and checked out the players we drafted. Unsurprisingly Deluca-Cardillo and Langdon both run elite 20metre sprints with the Deluca running 2.90 sprint (during the year) and Langdon running a 2.92 sprint at draft camp. Blakely was projected to go either late in the first round or early in the second. He was also listed at 189cm and described as the ultimate professional. Weller was described as a truly elite disposal of the football with an awesome ability to get out of traffic. Like most here I take what the Worst says with a grain of salt, but they did say our recruiting team rated Wellar in the top handful of players in the entire draft.

Obviously it is way too early to tell how we did in this draft, but I really like the fact that we have recruited a player that our recruiting team thought was simply too good to pass up with our first pick as well, as two players who have already shown they can compete at WAFL level in to of the top WAFL teams. I am also very confident if Langdon had played the whole of the underage champs he would have gone a lot higher in the draft.

Only time will tell, but Im really confident we have done really well in this draft.

 

[Bucking Bronco]

So Sydney, Hawks, model of using recycled Talls, to cover holes in the list is okay, yet we should draft Talls and wait how many years
for them to show something? In four years time expansion clubs will have one hand on the cup.

Hawthorn had the advantage of being one of the leading Victorian clubs in the league when they lured Gunston & Lake, as well as being situated in the sporting capital of Australia and arguably the most desirable state in the country for a footy player. Sydney had an extra 1M in their cap to lure high profile recruits in Tippett and Franklin, we have none of those things.

All the way along the company line has been "It's difficult to lure non-Western Australian players across to Fremantle, so we will have to grow our own". And yet after all this rhetoric we don't seem to be honouring these statements.

Obviously we see the need to add a high quality key defender to the list otherwise we wouldn't have chased Frawley so hard during the free agency period.

I just can't fathom how the club could pass up the opportunity to get a high quality KPP into the club with our first pick and "grow them". Hopefully they do have something like signing Rance as a free agent in the pipeline otherwise it could be the difference between us winning and losing games in a couple of years time.

 

[ilikepotatoes]

I'm sorry, but who the * would go to Richmond?