Live Event 2021 AFL Draft live discussion

[Marcel Proust]

IMO there's little doubt we required at least one genuine backman considering Grimes and Tarrant only have a couple of years left. When we went all out on #1 pick and didn't get it the decision was obviously made by the club to look to the future. So we got in two players to fill future needs. We had the best backline in the League when we won those 3 flags and three of the best are already retired!

Of the rest of our selections, we may well also (future) need mids but the only mids left by our picks were far from the best in the draft, which means our midfield would still be rated as poor regardless. At our first pick, a mid would have been 5th or 6th in line. We didn't have #1 or #2 pick to find a new Cotch or Dusty.

So would we rather have two of the best KPD's available and put some work into the young mids we already have before our remaining guns retire or would we just throw our hands up and say our current young crop is no good and hope the ones we draft improve and overtake them? The former is the far better option.

And for those that think Balta can go forward, maybe now you'll get your wish.

Some people in here should be ashamed of themselves for not supporting our players and club.

------------Gibcus.
Brown Nyuon. Banks.

Drafting the new backline

 

[G String]

Some people in here should be ashamed of themselves for not supporting our players and club.

It'd be a pretty boring forum if we all had the same opinions!

 

[sprockets]

It'd be a pretty boring forum if we all had the same opinions!

We're still meant to be supporters.

 

[rado]

RCD is 191cm & 90kg
Jack Ross is 187cm & 85kg
They still just need time to develop and I expect will get a lot more game time in 2022
If anything, our draft haul this year shows signs of confidence in what's already on our list

Couldn’t agree more, we’ve taken a number of diverse and quality mids over the last couple of drafts and time to give more opportunity. It makes no sense to load up on another 5 mids, yet the 2021 haul seems well balanced and more than anything quite versatile.

 

[Roksman]

We're still meant to be supporters.

I'm very happy with our draft haul - no complaints for me but dont agree with the above.

The worst thing you can do is support with blind faith regardless just because its the club you support - otherwise you just become an Essendon supporter.

 

[G String]

We're still meant to be supporters.

Absolutely but I'll often not agree with what the RFC does (not to mention half the posters on here) and this is my outlet. Doesn't mean I wont support the club and players.

 

[Nick Daffy 10]

Don’t get the melts at all.. I’m not saying I can predict the future like some on here but surely what a guy like Will Martyn was doing at VFL level this year is more impressive than what some of these kids are doing in a 2 minute highlight reel against 17 year old boys. Same can be said for Dow, Ross, RCD. Personally I’m pretty happy with our haul, pick two similar players like Brown/Banks would have been my only query but maybe we see banks as a wingman.

No point drafting 190cm+ mids if they can't run out a quarter or are one dimensional players. Stoppages are only one part of the game.

Given all our players are ranked elite or above average for athleticism and disposal, I daresay Hobbs was never on the radar.

It can't be a coincidence that all 5 players share the same athletic attributes - we clearly had a criteria for this draft so they can come through together and build the next wave.

It would seem like next offseason will be the trading for established needs approach.

We rarely win it out of the midfield any more and its put us on the backfoot each time play starts. Brown, Clarke and Banks weakness were all listed as contested possessions, strength and tackling. Sonsie will get stronger and may have some speed but maybe outmuscled by the bigger mids. So I'm concerned that haven't improved on this area and there is every chance Hobbs could have helped. It will be interesting to see how Hobbs goes at Essendon as their midfield was crying out for a contested bull midfielder as well.

I'm not confident RCD & Ross will be good enough against the petraccas and bontempellis in the future as dusty gets older. There's no guarantee Hobbs could matched it with those guys either but there is also no guaranteed we can bring in a tarranto or green from GWS as others are hopeful of. Of course I hope RCD & Ross prove me wrong and get better next year with more game time.

 

[Noidnadroj]

I dont get what point you are trying to make here. Maybe we shouldn't partake in the draft at all because players can bust?

There are also heaps of midfield, ruck, defender busts in the top 10. It doesn't mean you don't draft them....

My point is that drafting a KPF in the top-30 just because we ‘need one’ would be a mistake. History shows KPF are very hard to get right even in the top-10, so unless we were very confident we were getting a good one we should not select someone just because they are ‘big’ and cross our fingers. We should trade for one, try and get one as a free agent, re-deploy someone on our list already or wait until next years draft when the big man stocks are more plentiful.


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[SleepingGiant]

Most of the draftees are utility types which can play multiple positions. That is as good as you will get with rule changes. I love the picks, two big sliders in there and depending on how the youth go this year potentially just load up on a free agent and trade picks for a two A graders. You can only have a 2-3 years down the bottom before your culture is shot.

 

[captain blood 17]

With Caracella, Leppitch and Rutten well and truly gone.

It means we will well and truly go back to the Dimma 2016 model. Enjoy.

If only Dimma hadn't of won a flag without those guys. And how did you view the injury toll during last year? And what about shorter pre seasons. 4 in a row? Do you think that impacts a playing group. And what about Essendon crapping out in the first week of finals? And no VFL played for 2 years setting back all development programs. Does this have any influence? And do you think Hardwick (the longest serving servant of all of them) shaped the list well before any of the other coaches arrived? Or was that all someone else? Can Damien actually be attributed to any success in your eyes?

 

[Noidnadroj]

For those who suggest we should have drafted more midfielders …. if we have a fully fit list Round 1 next year, none of RCD, Ross, Dow, Martyn or Sonsie will get a game. (Maybe one as the sub). Yet people want more unproven mids? This draft haul was outstanding (on paper)…. we can revisit this thread in 3-years as we won’t have the answer until then.


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[bc27]

Yeah, drafting players specifically for rules changes is not smart given how often the AFL changes the rules.

Let's hope we did not actually plan to do that.

It Cleary states that their kicking skills are a huge part of their selection.
Kicking the ball isn’t a skill that will be going out fashion anytime soon matey.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

when is rookie draft.
when is psd draft.

Rookie draftvat 3pm today.

 

[Grrr]

No worries.
It seems that the club prioritised kicking and speed this draft. Knevitt and Goater had knocks on their kicking so I’m ok with that decision.

My view is whether we pick players that will actually make our side better.

Goater may be better than RCD long term but only marginally (and perhaps cost us RCD leaving the club as he doesn’t get games). Cotchin, Dusty and Prestia replacements were rare in this draft. They were all gone by the time we hit our second pick. Johnson was the one for me open at 17, but I’m not sure the knock on him that we didn’t rank him as highly. Perhaps they didn’t project him to be that starting three mid they wanted from a first rounder? Not sure.

All five players have the potential to come in and replace older players over time and be a core of the new team.

Gibcus- Grimes
Brown - Houli (but better defensively)
Sonsie - Lambert (but more ball winning). Maybe he turns into a transition mid to take Prestias role but I think Dow is earmarked for that.
Banks- Pickett (better with the ball but less physical).
Clarke- Aarts.

There’s no Cotchin replacement, or a Jack replacement. If we wanted to go down that route I think Hobbs or Amiss would have been our pick (although the later was unavailable there anyway).
Definitely something we need to address next year through free agency and trade.

Good summary. Perhaps the Cotchin replacement is already there, Ross, RCD, Dow. Obviously not the same quality, that would be unrealistic unless you had drafted this year Horne Francis or Callaghan. No one else in this draft looks in that class. Martin, Cotchin, Delidio types are only in the top few in the draft in general.

 

[Barnzy]

It Cleary states that their kicking skills are a huge part of their selection.
Kicking the ball isn’t a skill that will be going out fashion anytime soon matey.

It actually clearly states Clarke quoting rules changes having some influence in their selection of players, matey.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

How are we meant to know who to draft when Hocking and Brad Scott keep changing the rules year by year.
Geelong would have inside knowledge, twins tell each other everything.
This stand the mark rule will be axed next year probably ,but only Geelong fc knows for sure.

 

[lumpinee]

For those who suggest we should have drafted more midfielders …. if we have a fully fit list Round 1 next year, none of RCD, Ross, Dow, Martyn or Sonsie will get a game. (Maybe one as the sub). Yet people want more unproven mids? This draft haul was outstanding (on paper)…. we can revisit this thread in 3-years as we won’t have the answer until then.


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i disagree on one aspect,think all 5 are capable of kicking off in rd 1
brown & gibcus off HB...sonsie on the ball,banks on a wing & clarke in place of aarts...its a relief for a change to have elite talent available and not just rookie
listed role players,3rd rounders & MSD filling 4-6 positions across the park,no disrespect intended as i know we've been lucky in picking up discarded
or forgotten talent thru the rookie system in the past and turning them into premiership stars and terrific ppl but that kinda luck can only last so long i feel
you only have too look at aarts

 

[fargothegreat]

How are we meant to know who to draft when Hocking and Brad Scott keep changing the rules year by year.
Geelong would have inside knowledge, twins tell each other everything.
This stand the mark rule will be axed next year probably ,but only Geelong fc knows for sure.

Yeah I'd say they give it another year and then it will be gone. But I suppose we have to draft for the rules that are in play right now.

I think they need to do one big overhaul of the rules with a focus on removing rules and making things less complicated and then after that just stop bloody changing them and adding new rules to try and engineer certain gamestyles.

 

[Aristotle Pickett]

Yeah I'd say they give it another year and then it will be gone. But I suppose we have to draft for the rules that are in play right now.

I think they need to do one big overhaul of the rules with a focus on removing rules and making things less complicated and then after that just stop bloody changing them and adding new rules to try and engineer certain gamestyles.

Clark said we've traded in players with elite kicking skills and running half-back types because of the rule change, so who knows if they will suited to the game when they've developed.

 

[Meteoric Rise]

i disagree on one aspect,think all 5 are capable of kicking off in rd 1
brown & gibcus off HB...sonsie on the ball,banks on a wing & clarke in place of aarts...its a relief for a change to have elite talent available and not just rookie
listed role players,3rd rounders & MSD filling 4-6 positions across the park,no disrespect intended as i know we've been lucky in picking up discarded
or forgotten talent thru the rookie system in the past and turning them into premiership stars and terrific ppl but that kinda luck can only last so long i feel
you only have too look at aarts

Generally I think the first year players need to be used very sparingly early if you want them to be of any use when the whips are cracking in the finals. We saw last year some youngsters who started brilliantly like Warner for Swans, Cox for Bombers, Powell for Roos and even Jordon for the Dees, were all struggling late season.

 

[AstuteTiger]

So how did we all go? From my draft options, I got 3 picked.

9 – Gibcus - Key defender (196cm/87kg)
17 – Sonsie – Midfielder (181cm/77kg)
28 - Taylor - Midfielder (180cm/74kg)
29 - Knevitt – Midfielder (193cm/81kg)
30 – Clarke – Small Forward (179cm/70kg)

 

[bc27]

It actually clearly states Clarke quoting rules changes having some influence in their selection of players, matey.

…by choosing players with elite kicking skills.
Not really a new thing…being able to kick the ball

 

[Stevi_Tigers]

looking back at our selections

Gibcus the club apparently think he’s naughton like so can play either end. Definitely would of preferred a mid but addressing your spine makes sense

Brown talented and hard working should be a good player

Sonsie one of the steals of the draft elite skills but can drift in and out. Dealt with injuries which could be a risk but one worth taking top 5 on talent

Banks I’ll be honest Id never heard of him before but looks a player dealt with injuries but has great leadership qualities

Clarke the typical Richmond player will be a fan favourite

Drafted two players with high ability but injury history which could be dangerous but all Gibcus aside have pace to burn

Best of luck to all 5

 

[tigs2010]

Looking at the 2010 draft to see how much we don't know.

Carlton - A+ (WOW! I love all of their selections - boosted their tall talent big time - very good players and great fits relative to need)
Matthew Watson (18), Patrick McCarthy (34), Luke Mitchell (43), Andrew McInnes (67), Nick Duigan (70)

West Coast - B (decent overall effort, but being overrated ATM)
Andrew Gaff (4), Jack Darling (26), Scott Lycett (29)

Richmond - B (Conca is a good player and very underrated - not sure about the rest!)

Reece Conca (6), Jake Batchelor (30), Bradley Helbig (47), Dean MacDonald (51), Tom Dericx (63)

who wrote that about Carlton? lol

 

[Sir_Loin]

Quote from Matty Clarke

We addressed our needs with Gibcus and we don’t just see him as a back, we believe he and Noah Balta

21

Noah Balta

Age

24

Ht

194cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.8

2star

K

6.7

3star

HB

3.1

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.9

4star

MG

236.3

4star

D

12.0

3star

K

6.7

3star

HB

5.3

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

0.3

1star

MG

233.0

4star

D

7.0

2star

K

5.0

2star

HB

2.0

2star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.8

4star

MG

217.4

4star

can be swingmen and Brown and Banks have genuine running power with aerial ability. We are really excited to fill some needs early and then get some good players in the 20s.”

tigs2010 the prophecy has come true. Balta forward