Autopsy Rate Our 2014 Draft Class

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Coming into a National Draft at #56 is always going to be difficult as we have to deal with a reduced pool. All of the lads picked up look OK on tape but as has been posted the tapes are highlights and can be misleading. Sometimes I would like to see a few of the 'lowlights' just so I can get a more balanced impression. We had some glaring needs and look to have taken the first step in addressing those needs long term. As for rating this draft effort I am with Mr Fairlane, ask me in a couple of years time.
 

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Our draft was better than Controversial Capel's call that Port would be drafting a fleet of hard runners.

Yes, I noted that as I mentioned that Capel article in a pre draft post. He was quoting Geoff Parker in part so he was obviously fed a line to put some smoke around our Draft strategy.
 
Yes, I noted that as I mentioned that Capel article in a pre draft post. He was quoting Geoff Parker in part so he was obviously fed a line to put some smoke around our Draft strategy.

Given the wall of secrecy around Port these days I'm begininning to think KT is ex-KGB. Next time RussellEbertHandball talks to him he should drop in a random 'comrade' and see if KT says 'da?'. ;)
 
I recorded a game from each of the state teams in the U18 comp.
Frampton's game was unfortunately against Peter Wright so he was outshone quite a bit.
Interested to see the NSW/ACT games over the weekend to gauge the others.

I trust our recruiters - they're not scouting players all year for nothing.
 
We had already picked a big key forward when we came to our second pick so I'm not convinced we were interested in McKenzie. There has to be a problem there, the guy slid from top 10 in the amateur phantoms to the 70s in the real thing (and the back end of where Cal Twomey who talks to the clubs nominated him landing). No one was into him but Richmond were prepared to take the risk with a very late pick.

If we wanted McKenzie we would have taken him at 56.

We didn't rate him as worth 56. But if Richmond rated him at the pick before ours...that was his level. No big deal.
 
The only time there was hesitation was the Palmer pick - we were definitely into McKenzie because we were all ready to say his name but Richmond pipped us. Other than that, I'm pretty happy with the selections. Two years is enough to see whether any of these guys are gonna make it, and it's not like there's a lot of space in our midfield to develop.

To be honest there was not a great deal of hesitation all round, no requests for extra time at all.

That was probably a reflection of the evenness in the draft after the first round.
 
neddy36 posted a month ago

Expect Reece McKenzie to be the big slider and won't go anywhere near where Phantom Drafters have projected him. His medical will scare off most teams.

He was spot on. If there's a chronic injury concern - especially one that affects his running ability - Port would have had zero interest.
 
Any draft is a lottery, and with the club's first pick not until 56 obviously even more so.
If one of the 4 blokes makes it, everyone will be very happy, 2 or more and we will be ecstatic.
The good news is the club has added some height to the list, plus with a settled team, and with the addition of Ryder, there is absolutely no need to rush any of them.

Dare I say it :rolleyes: there may be a diamond in the rough, or all 4 could just as easily be a topaz in the turf.
 

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I remember something missionpossible said on the podcast last year in regards to sliders etc. in that the media and the amateur phantomers drum up support for some players but in reality the clubs never rated them that highly to begin with. So a player sliding (think David Gourdis, Jonathan Marsh, James Battersby and now McKenzie) may look like a big surprise on the outside, in reality they just went at their natural level.

Im not fussed we missed out on McKenzie.
 
I recorded a game from each of the state teams in the U18 comp.
Frampton's game was unfortunately against Peter Wright so he was outshone quite a bit.
Interested to see the NSW/ACT games over the weekend to gauge the others.

I trust our recruiters - they're not scouting players all year for nothing.
I would have liked to have seen the U18 final which SA won.. not b posted anywhere
 
We could have had gorringe, yet we got frampton instead. Nuff said for this off season.
How would you have made that happen? The club tried and wasn't prepared to give away our current players. Ryder deal was important and we paid a fair price.
 

our coach's quote (paraphrased). one man wont win a premiership.

yet we have placed our entire offseason's eggs in one basket. Paddy Ryder. You want to see how the great teams do it. look at what the hawks achieved this off season.

i would have swapped gorringe for our second rounder as soon as they agreed to it. then let the ryder deal play with what we had left. i woudnt have released newton either. even if we go a pick in the 50's for him that would have been us getting Oscar mcdonald instead of some unknown guy. all these little things could have accumulated into it being a real good off season. insead for me its just meh. yeah, the paddy one was a super get, but i think our team is far to loaded up with project players now. last year i thought we had too many players on our list that really wouldnt be considered fora power call up. this year we most likely wont have any more than last year. maybe harvey and shaw...but anyone else? possible amon at a stretch.

dont even get me started on our free agent targets. nil...zilch...nada
 
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our coach's quote (paraphrased). one man wont win a premiership.

yet we have placed our entire offseason's eggs in one basket. Paddy Ryder. You want to see how the great teams do it. look at what the hawks achieved this off season.

i would have swapped gorringe for our second rounder as soon as they agreed to it. then let the ryder deal play with what we had left. i woudnt have released newton either. even if we go a pick in the 50's for him that would have been us getting Oscar mcdonald instead of some unknown guy. all these little things could have accumulated into it being a real good off season. insead for me its just meh. yeah, the paddy one was a super get, but i think our team is far to loaded up with project players now. last year i thought we had too many players on our list that really wouldnt be considered fora power call up. this year we most likely wont have any more than last year. maybe harvey and shaw...but anyone else? possible amon at a stretch.

dont even get me started on our free agent targets. nil...zilch...nada
Who was on the FA list we should have gone for...or got? We were not after Frawley, and did not need/want, so who was left? I actually don't know, hence why I ask.
 
I'm not sure of the entire free agency list. But when I say going after a free agent, I don't mean a month ago. You gotta groom these guys 12 months in advance. I'm not saying I'm right, but this is how it feels to me. Maybe it's just due to the other off seasons of late.

This Paddy Ryder guy better be worth it
 
i would have swapped gorringe for our second rounder as soon as they agreed to it.

They never agreed to it, said all along they wouldn't accept our 2nd rounder. In the end we missed out on a player that at no stage in the last 4 years has looked likely to have a lengthy AFL career, or possibly be on an AFL list this time next year.

this year we most likely wont have any more than last year. maybe harvey and shaw...but anyone else? possible amon at a stretch.

Redden, Shaw, Amon, AhChee, Colquhoun, Clurey will be pushing for selection. And these are guys that are 29-34th on our list, not including others like Mitchell, Moore, Butcher, Neade, Young, Impey who hold that 23-28 spot on our list. How much depth do you need? If you are regularly pushing into guys that are 29-34th on our list or further, our season will be shot regardless.

dont even get me started on our free agent targets. nil...zilch...nada

Who was available that was a) achievable and b) would suit our side?

It was by far the worst free agency crop so far.
 

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