2019 AFL draft - Jackson at 3, Pickett at 12 and Rivers at 32

[Topkent]

I read that he spent some more time playing forward in colts, but I obviously could be wrong because I've never watched a game of colts in my life.

This whole 'we think he's the 3rd best player in the draft thing' is all well and good but if you've already got arguably the best ruckman in the game playing in your first 22 then there doesn't leave much scope for a 19 year old ruckman to develop his game.

You have to take into account how much game time they're going to play in their preferred position. Not that he might not be the 3rd most talented player in the pool, he might be, but i'm arguing at Melbourne in 2020 and beyond, given what our list already has (Gawn and Preuss), there's not much of a chance that he's going to develop into the player we picked. Plonking him at FF as a 19 year old with our ball use isn't going to help him develop either. The thing with rucks is they need to get physically mature and then just first ruck all day and normally it kind of clicks or it doesn't. Remember Gawn at FF as a 20 year old? Aside from a few nice grabs, usually **** on a bull useless. We pretty much gifted him games for lols when we were trash. Then he got fit and had to ruck all day and it clicked, against Geelong down at Kardinia. It's all well and good to say Jackson has some 'flexibility' in his game and can play forward, but I don't see how he becomes a dominant player worth pick 3 unless he's able to play significant minutes as first ruck - I can't think of many other junior first rucks that became dominant KPF?

Now, with the state of affairs we're in, we need some players that can add a spark next year. They don't need to be complete packages from Day 1 2020, but i'm thinking the fleet-footed group of players from Port this year, skillfull, quick players is what we need (Rozee, Butters, Duursma). I think a Serong/Flanders/Kemp could give us something different in the forward half, although Kemp not till 2021 obviously.

Add in the fact that he might be stuck behind Gawn and with the go home factor of WA looming over his career it just makes me think we're foxing, given Jackson is exactly what GWS need as a talented first ruck that looks to have the game to run with Gawn/Grundy.

Our forward half needs talented smalls more than it needs a raw 199cm ruckman lumbering around in it

Is that the same Port who won 11 games @ 105.4 %, which was less than the 12 games @ 107.6% the previous year?

 

[Topkent]

To be fair no one is saying Jackson will be no good, I just said it doesn’t matter if he’s as good as Gawn it won’t improve our side at all.

Yeah but what if we do actually rate him as a forward? Hogan was a CHB as an underage footballer. I'd be very shocked if we traded up to 3 to grab a Ruckman to play in the reserves.

 

[stEdy]

Port have many, many problems. They're a trash team for a number of reasons, however the players they drafted last year aren't the problem.

We just poached one of their data analysts - does that mean he must be rubbish because Port were bad last year?

 

[schmuttt]

Yeah but what if we do actually rate him as a forward? Hogan was a CHB as an underage footballer. I'd be very shocked if we traded up to 3 to grab a Ruckman to play in the reserves.

I’m kinda hesitant to recruit anyone from WA at this point.

 

[GatesOfHell]

This is one of the most nuts threads I've ever read.
People melting over who we have and haven't selected on a draft in the ******* future. Apparently off a 30s clip half of you know who the 3rd best player in the draft is and the rest of you have already written off another bloke because he played as ruck.

Ease up. I’ve seen 3 minute clips of some of them.

 

[matsta1975]

I don’t expect perfection from the recruiters ... but 50% is not a good enough strike rate in the first round of the draft, particularly the top ten. Oliver was a master stroke, Weideman was a howler. We bypassed DeGoey for Brayshaw and Petracca.

We have shelled out an premium to get pick 8 to go with pick 3 in this draft. We absolutely must go 2 for 2 with these picks ... no excuses accepted.

In regards to drafting over the last few years the recruiting department was given a clear mandate by the board to draft players with an emphasis on their character but there has been a shift this year when the recruiting staff was questioned about skill level and ball use so you will find things structured differently.

 

[matsta1975]

According to the JT podcast if we draft Jackson he'll be training with the forwards at least early in his career.

 

[schmuttt]

In regards to drafting over the last few years the recruiting department was given a clear mandate by the board to draft players with an emphasis on their character but there has been a shift this year when the recruiting staff was questioned about skill level and ball use so you will find things structured differently.

Fair play to you, if we draft Jackson you’ve certainly gotten good info from somewhere.

 

[matsta1975]

Fair play to you, if we draft Jackson you’ve certainly gotten good info from somewhere.

The more perplexing thing is the board pulling rank on a football department then pointing the finger

 

[schmuttt]

The more perplexing thing is the board pulling rank on a football department then pointing the finger

Unfortunately can’t say I’m surprised

 

[harry000]

Even if Jackson is as good as Gawn it doesn’t improve us for 5 years.

Exactly, if he couldn't get a senior WAFL game last year he is going to take a long time to be AFL standard.

Probably VFL reserves next year followed by a couple of years at VFL senior level.

 

[schmuttt]

Exactly, if he couldn't get a senior WAFL game last year he is going to take a long time to be AFL standard.

Probably VFL reserves next year followed by a couple of years at VFL senior level.

VFL reserves are gone it’s only VFL then amateur level

 

[harry000]

VFL reserves are gone it’s only VFL then amateur level

Ah true! Forgot about that.

 

[Northernsoul74]

Hi, I have you guys in our mock draft. What are your plans after picks 3 and 8? Upgrading a rookie? What are your late picks?

 

[CWaffles]

Hi, I have you guys in our mock draft. What are your plans after picks 3 and 8? Upgrading a rookie? What are your late picks?

Jackson at 3

 

[Northernsoul74]

Jackson at 3

I’ve listened to the road to the draft podcast. I don’t buy it. I think your just messing with GWS as you know they’ll likely want him before the Green bid.

 

[stEdy]

******* hell it's like a month until the draft

kill me

 

[Cobwebs]

Hi, I have you guys in our mock draft. What are your plans after picks 3 and 8? Upgrading a rookie? What are your late picks?

We have pick 97, hoping Kemp slides otherwise some random small forward that we hope will ease the tension on here.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

We have pick 97, hoping Kemp slides otherwise some random small forward that we hope will ease the tension on here.

Big decision to be made if Jackson slides to 97. Even if we rate him as in the 97 best players in the draft it’s hard to say if it’s worth picking him when we already have Gawn and Preuss.

 

[Demon 16]

Hi, I have you guys in our mock draft. What are your plans after picks 3 and 8? Upgrading a rookie? What are your late picks?

Young at 3 and Kemp at 8 if he’s still there.

If Kemp is gone then we’d look at Jackson, Serong, or Ash.

 

[Proper Gander]

Is that the same Port who won 11 games @ 105.4 %, which was less than the 12 games @ 107.6% the previous year?

*fewer than

 

[Marc_Remillard]

This is one of the most nuts threads I've ever read.
People melting over who we have and haven't selected on a draft in the ******* future. Apparently off a 30s clip half of you know who the 3rd best player in the draft is and the rest of you have already written off another bloke because he played as ruck.

That's a fair melt

 

[schmuttt]

Only reason we'd take Jackson is if we think he can be a legit KPF.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Only reason we'd take Jackson is if we think he can be a legit KPF.

I can think of another reason

 

[Marc_Remillard]

Only reason we'd take Jackson is if we think he can be a legit KPF.

This, or alternatively as an inside, contested ball winning beast