2003 National Draft

[Falconer02]

Who are we going to pick
The players that maybe around when our pick comes up are:
Raph Clarke - Versatile 192 cm very skillful be our only aboriginal on our list though,

Farren Ray- Skillful good kick fast , maybe lacks a bit of desire would be good on the back flank or midfield left footer a bit like yze role.

Ryley Dunn- Hope this kid is around supposedly tough as nails, skillful and can kick a goal. Only problem we have alot of players like him eg: Chapman, Ablett,Kelly and Moloney.

Kane Tenace- see Ryley Dunn

Troy CHaplin- tall kpp player made all australian at U/18s championship (so did Ryley Dunn Kane Tenace and Farren Ray.)
193 cm 85 kg I think, good mark can play forward or back takes a good pack mark.

Fergus Watts: Same as Troy Chaplin but maybe a bit higher rated.

Who are we looking for I know it will depend on if N Ablett choses to play and S.Blake choses to play because they will help give us a few more Kpp players, I think Andrew Mackie could play at Full Forward next year and the great Mcarthy at CHF, so I think we should pick the best player no matter his position.

 

[BigCat1]

Just a few points

* Chaplain is probably a better bet than Watts because he is more flexible in that he could play forward or back. We need a developing CHB. Would be lucky if he lasted to pick 6.

* Some draft experts like Weaver doubt that Ray will go top 10. Yes he gets the ball alot but can he do that at AFL level. Does he have enough tricks?

* Brock McLean will be up there coz he is just so classy. Also great size for an onballer.

* Some kid called Gayfer whose a KPP (CHB) but has missed alot of this year with a shoulder. Weaver rates him a top 2 pick. Might slip coz of his injury.

* A kid called Luke Peel I think. Saw him for Vic metro and he is going to be a gun. Reads the play so well and has great skills. Heard someone say he only just scrapes into the draft this year by a couple of days. Another red head to keep Lingy company. Hopefully he lasts to a late pick.


NOTE And for the last time Mackie is not a KPP. He is to small and about 25 kilos light. He is a classy utility. Think of the way Hird plays at Essendon. Not saying he will be anywhere near that good but he will play those kind of roles. Bit on the ball, bit on the flank, occasionally one out in the square, or maybe sweeping across half back loose.

 

[Falconer02]

Originally posted by BigCat1
Just a few points

* Chaplain is probably a better bet than Watts because he is more flexible in that he could play forward or back. We need a developing CHB. Would be lucky if he lasted to pick 6.

* Some draft experts like Weaver doubt that Ray will go top 10. Yes he gets the ball alot but can he do that at AFL level. Does he have enough tricks?

* Brock McLean will be up there coz he is just so classy. Also great size for an onballer.

* Some kid called Gayfer whose a KPP (CHB) but has missed alot of this year with a shoulder. Weaver rates him a top 2 pick. Might slip coz of his injury.

* A kid called Luke Peel I think. Saw him for Vic metro and he is going to be a gun. Reads the play so well and has great skills. Heard someone say he only just scrapes into the draft this year by a couple of days. Another red head to keep Lingy company. Hopefully he lasts to a late pick.


NOTE And for the last time Mackie is not a KPP. He is to small and about 25 kilos light. He is a classy utility. Think of the way Hird plays at Essendon. Not saying he will be anywhere near that good but he will play those kind of roles. Bit on the ball, bit on the flank, occasionally one out in the square, or maybe sweeping across half back loose.

K sorry about that thought mackie was athletic enough enough to be a Kpp.

Would love Tenace Dunn or Mclean in the midfield.
That Gayfer guy sounds great any idea how big he is?

 

[Mattster]

Originally posted by Falconer02
K sorry about that thought mackie was athletic enough enough to be a Kpp.

i think Mackie is athletic enough to be a KPP, in fact he's probably too athletic. he just doesn't have the body to be a KPP. Perhaps in 5-7 years he'll be strong enough to play key position. When colbert was here, didn't he pinch-hit in the midfield? And now that he's approaching 30, he's playing centre-half back

 

[OldSchool]

Sorry to intrude but what type of player do you think the Cats will be targetting in this years draft ?
Given your good young playing list and your strong position within the salary cap I would have thought that targetting a big name player might be the best way to go but would still like to know what the supporters here believe to be the main weakness with the playing list.

 

[BigCat1]

We had a thread about the holes in our team a few weeks ago. These are the areas that we came up with that need addressing in order for us to be a top side.

1. A marking, goal kicking forward with a physical presence ie Whitnall/Rawlings/Thompson
2. Another tall flexible KPP. Forward/Back. Need some depth ie Croad/Bradshaw
3. An experienced 'outside midfielder' who can kick some goals and give our young midfielders a chop out ie Bowden/Notting
4. a small crumbing goalkicker. ie Milne/Harding/Davis/Green

Obviously it would be very hard to adresss all these areas in one year but here's hoping.

 

[OldSchool]

Originally posted by BigCat1
We had a thread about the holes in our team a few weeks ago. These are the areas that we came up with that need addressing in order for us to be a top side.

1. A marking, goal kicking forward with a physical presence ie Whitnall/Rawlings/Thompson
2. Another tall flexible KPP. Forward/Back. Need some depth ie Croad/Bradshaw
3. An experienced 'outside midfielder' who can kick some goals and give our young midfielders a chop out ie Bowden/Notting
4. a small crumbing goalkicker. ie Milne/Harding/Davis/Green

Obviously it would be very hard to adresss all these areas in one year but here's hoping.

I wouldn't have thought that a lack of talls was a concern at the club considering defensively you have Scarlett, Graham and Harley and in the forward line guys like Kingsley, McCarthy and Playfair but I know form and injuries come into it. The Cats never strike me as a small team.
I guess Bradshaw and Croad are the most likely talls that their clubs would trade for a reasonable offer. Most of the other talls would require a blockbuster trade to acquire them.
For the midfielders and small forwards you have nominated I believe that Notting will be available and I think he could be a very good player for the Cats. There is some talk that Heath Black might also be available.
I would stay away from Milne because the Saints best results are when he is not in the team and whilst he keeps the scoreboard ticking over he lacks defensive skills.
From the Doggies list I suppose Brown and Giansiracusa would have some appeal.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Originally posted by OldSchool
The Cats never strike me as a small team.

We are actually the tallest team in the league.

Most of our midfielders are pretty big as well, with Ling and Corey genuine 6'3" types.

If either Chaplin or Watts is available at our first pick, we'll take them, otherwise we'll be looking for utility types with good foot skills and some leg speed.

With Blake (who is 198cm) and perhaps Ablett coming, we don't need to be drafting talls outside the elite.

 

[Fall Out Boy]

Originally posted by OldSchool
I believe that Notting will be available and I think he could be a very good player for the Cats.

Last year Brisbane wanted Joel Corey and a draft pick for Notting.

No chance of us getting him.

 

[OldSchool]

Originally posted by phatandphreaky
If either Chaplin or Watts is available at our first pick, we'll take them, otherwise we'll be looking for utility types with good foot skills and some leg speed.

I'm a little surprised that Watts name keeps coming up as an early selection and was wondering what you see in him that makes him standout so much ?
From my perspective he has good height and can take a strong mark etc but has some fundamental flaws like his positional play and his decision making that I think that the club that grabs him will need to do a lot of work on with him. The Cats have a very good junior development process so it might be a good selection but for mine, there are better prospects.
Watts reminds me of a former Bulldog Daniel Hargreaves who had plenty of ability.

Chaplin would be a solid selection

 

[BigCat1]

Originally posted by OldSchool
I wouldn't have thought that a lack of talls was a concern at the club considering defensively you have Scarlett, Graham and Harley and in the forward line guys like Kingsley, McCarthy and Playfair but I know form and injuries come into it.
I guess Bradshaw and Croad are the most likely talls that their clubs would trade for a reasonable offer. Most of the other talls would require a blockbuster trade to acquire them.

Your right in the fact we are a tall team but we don't really have a lot of quality amongst them.There are alot of late draft long shots and second club discards amongst them. Players like Woolnough, White, Foster, and Girgic are likely to be turned over this year leaving our backs a bit thin. Kingsley, Street and Mooney should also be looked at as trade options. All of a sudden we could get rid of 7 players over 6.3.

If we could pull off a blockbuster trade involving some of our midfielders for say a Whitnall, then I think our second pick (assuming ablett doesnt come this year) + a fringe player would be good enough to land a Croad. We are already assured of Blake and could pick up another tall with pick 5-6.

Look I know a lot of things would have to go right but all of a sudden we have 4 talls that are quality. Not 7 or 8 guys that are battlers. Our list would be much better balanced and I think our results next year would improve accordingly. We've been promised dramatic changes and god damn we better get it!

 

[Falconer02]

If Ablett agrees to play I think we should just pick the best player lik a Ryley Dunn , Kane Tenace, Raph Clarke,Brock Mclean type player,but If not I think Chaplin ,Gayfer or Watts would be our best option.