2007 Draftees

[Maestro15]

Do any of you think that Craig Bird will get a game next year? I really hope he does.

 

[bloods01]

We also have around 16 players on our senior list that are sub-184cm (and a high proportion of our younger players being so) and most of which are small defenders/midfielders. We have also drafted 6 players that are mediums in the first two rounds since 2002, and none of which had turned out to be the top level midfielder (yet) we seem to be forever searching for.

We already have trouble finding a senior place for the likes of Schmidt, Jack and Moore in the side, with Thornton and Brabazon yet to get a game. If Crouch is fully fit and with LRT going back to CHB and Craig Bolton going back to playing on medium forwards, Bevan is in the mix as well and of course we have Daniel O'Keefe who we drafted in the super-draft. Bird is practically a second-year player for us and we need to give him some playing time sooner rather than later.

With Kirk being outstanding. J.Bolton sighing a new contract and Fosdike and Matthews being seemingly undroppables. Where do we find space to play these players? How about Buchanan who is in and out of the side last year, but one of our best players in the past few years?

What Otten can offer us is flexibility. If he is as Pendlebury like as reported, than obviously we don't need to argue much. But at the very least, he's tall enough and can hold down a flanker spot and free up Malceski to go up forward more in the bigger grounds and if good enough, provide us with some marking ability in midfield.

Last year we played J.Bolton a lot in the forward flank which I thought was an utter disaster. Fosdike also ends up there a lot and I have severe questions about his disposal skills. Somewhere down the track, we might want to trial Barlow at FF, which might be the spot that can fully utilise his skills - creativity, a good lead, and a good set shot.

No, Otten probably doesn't solve or address our needs right now, but offers us more flexibility than another small/medium will at this moment in time.

FMO226 you make some outstanding observations. It's pretty much along my train of thought. I'm not that dissapointed about Veszpremi. I would've preffered a Rance becuase we have no key backman. But I can live with his selection. But at least level things out with a tall at 26 considering we already had Bird with 59. I think some serious questions have to be asked about our recruting policies.

 

[RUNVS]

Do any of you think that Craig Bird will get a game next year? I really hope he does.

I think he will.

 

[bloods01]

I saw Veszpremi play a bit in 2006 and he was very good. Coming into the year he would generally have been seen as a top 5 draft candidate, but he had a few injuries (shoulder & thumb) and the WA guys went past him.

No problems with him @11, although he doesn't fill a need.

Meredith I know nothing about, but as everybody else has said another small.

If the belief was that no tall was going to be good enough @ selection 26, given our dearth of talls then we should have swooped @ 11.

Veszpremi is certainly a good player and Meredith may be (according to the AFL's draft guru Burgan, one recruiter likened Meredith to Nick Stevens*), but Barry, Everitt, Hall, & O'Loughlin are KPP/Rucks in our best 22, who may well all be gone by the end of next season.

In truth I am more pissed off that we passed up Mitch Brown or Chris Dawes last year. Last year was seen as arguably the best KPP draft ever and we chose an outside midfielder.




* Wonder if it was one of our guys?

Spot on. Neither of these two player's fill a need. I also was hoping that we picked up either of the Brown brothers last year also. We missed the boat with Rance though. He's a Darren Glass type defender and the Tigers would be rapt with him.

 

[bloods01]

I think he will.

He's no chance if we go by our "a year in the reserves" policy. Not many play the next year anyway.

 

[bloods01]

15 other clubs didn't seem to think they warranted a spot either. Maybe that is because they are not as good as BF "opinion" suggests.

I'm not going on BF opinion. It's based on expert analyisis, not conjecture.

 

[Quigley]

Murphy and Bird in the one year is a fantastic result for you guys. Anything else is gravy.

 

[SamSwan]

Schneider + Dempster = Brett Meredith - Not a great result.

Should of kept Schneider if we are not replacing him with KPP.
In reality Meredith needs to be a 100 Gamer for this deal to have benefitted the Swannies.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Can someone tell me why we passed on Rance?

 

[RUNVS]

Schneider + Dempster = Brett Meredith - Not a great result.

Should of kept Schneider if we are not replacing him with KPP.
In reality Meredith needs to be a 100 Gamer for this deal to have benefitted the Swannies.

True. Also could Meredith have a girlier last name?

 

[bloods01]

Schneider + Dempster = Brett Meredith - Not a great result.

Should of kept Schneider if we are not replacing him with KPP.
In reality Meredith needs to be a 100 Gamer for this deal to have benefitted the Swannies.

It's early to call but that pick should have been used on a KP player. It's only logical.

 

[bloods01]

Can someone tell me why we passed on Rance?

I have been asking myself the same question all day. Big, strong, tall defenders dont grow on trees. Where as small, medium sized players do, and we have an abundance of them.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I have been asking myself the same question all day. Big, strong, tall defenders dont grow on trees. Where as small, medium sized players do, and we have an abundance of them.

I was thinking, there's no way he'll be available at pick 11, but if he is we should definitely take him. Instead we go for another medium. Let's hope he turns out to be the next Chris Judd lol.

 

[is2SWaNz]

He's no chance if we go by our "a year in the reserves" policy. Not many play the next year anyway.

I never knew we had such a policy. Phillips, if i remember correctly, played 4 senior games in his first year with us? I also think that Bird may have a stab at the senior level next year.

I was thinking, there's no way he'll be available at pick 11, but if he is we should definitely take him. Instead we go for another medium. Let's hope he turns out to be the next Chris Judd lol.

Murphy will be the next Chris Judd, well according to Tadhg.

 

[Corpuscles]

Can someone tell me why we passed on Rance?

The only things I can think of to justify our short selections.

1. Maybe the key question these days is "are you prepared to relocate and settle in Sydney"?
- Maybe Rance had indicated a "Rocca like" stance?
- There were as someone pointed out some WA lads (KP back) that missed altogether

2. Maybe they had set their hopes on Tom Collier snatched at 25?

3. Maybe they think they have got future KP's covered in the existing group?
- doesn't seem to be though

4. Maybe " The Vesper" is the next superstar and couldn't resist taking him?


I wish there was a decent journalist and/or decent Swans publicity focus in Sydney who would ask the hard questions or tell us all why they draft the way they do and give some indication of how the replacements of the future is planned!

 

[ssfc0203]

The only things I can think of to justify our short selections.

1. Maybe the key question these days is "are you prepared to relocate and settle in Sydney"?
- Maybe Rance had indicated a "Rocca like" stance?
- There were as someone pointed out some WA lads (KP back) that missed altogether

2. Maybe they had set their hopes on Tom Collier snatched at 25?

3. Maybe they think they have got future KP's covered in the existing group?
- doesn't seem to be though

4. Maybe " The Vesper" is the next superstar and couldn't resist taking him?


I wish there was a decent journalist and/or decent Swans publicity focus in Sydney who would ask the hard questions or tell us all why they draft the way they do and give some indication of how the replacements of the future is planned!

Unless we're stacking up on midfielders in the midfielder strong drafts and putting our eggs in a couple of baskets of drafts in the future that (through monitoring by the recruitment department) may be KPP rich.

 

[ssfc0203]

True. Also could Meredith have a girlier last name?

Henrietta? Georgia?

 

[liz]

I'm not going on BF opinion. It's based on expert analyisis, not conjecture.

How can it be based on expert analysis if no other club thought he was worth a spot on a senior list. There are only 16 groups of experts whose opinions count and none of them agreed today with this so-called "expert analysis".

 

[Jizza9]

Patrick Veszpremi – Northern Knights
Ht: 181 cm Wt: 83 kg
Junior position – Midfield/ Utility
AFL position – Midfield/ Utility
A footballer’s footballer. Tough, smart, hard, skilled and extremely determined. Injuries curtailed his output this year. Firstly a thumb injury and secondly a bad shoulder which he played with till the end of the year.
Strengths: Strong body who attacks each contest with fierce desire. Good kick and mark for his size. Pace is good enough and could play back, forward or midfield in the AFL. Think of a bigger, quicker Gary Moorcroft and you are on the right track.
Weaknesses: Hard to rate where his endurance fitness is at because he has had such an interrupted year. If he tests lower than he should (may not test at all because of shoulder surgery) I wouldn’t be concerned. Veszpremi will work and work until he improves. Veszpremi also has a tendency to break tackles and packs (and mostly succeeds) however against AFL bodies he will find it a tougher ask.
Question marks: Has he been a man playing against boys?
Draft Prediction: 15-35
Stats: TAC 2007. Must be remembered that Veszpremi played many games hurt and deep forward. However, Veszpremi’s disposal by foot is elite. 130 effective kicks with only 36 ineffective kicks. He was less efficient by hand with 35 effective handballs compared to 23 ineffective handballs. Veszpremi kicked 34 goals from 11 games which included 8 goals in a wonderful solo performance.

I have highlighted the reasons I think he was selected. While he may not be the hight we needed. He apparently has the foot disposal and ability to break up play that we needed in the midfield.

 

[ssfc0203]

I have highlighted the reasons I think he was selected. While he may not be the hight we needed. He apparently has the foot disposal and ability to break up play that we needed in the midfield.

speed? saw his name in a couple of the sprints

 

[Jizza9]

speed? saw his name in a couple of the sprints

Well thats another positive. He sounds like a Judd clone to me.

 

[ssfc0203]

Yeah, go look up couch coach's consolidated draft profile's.
Opinions and comments on vesz on the second page.

Btw, it says he has great acceleration but can't maintain it for long, so will be great to burst out of packs. Did well in the 20m sprint, i think.

 

[Gun Barrel Straight]

4. Maybe " The Vesper" is the next superstar and couldn't resist taking him?

I'm hoping this was the decision why.

2 clubs passed up on Judd because of troubling injuries and they both must be thinking of what could have been. Let's hope this time it's 10 clubs thinking about what could have been.

 

[bloods01]

I'm hoping this was the decision why.

2 clubs passed up on Judd because of troubling injuries and they both must be thinking of what could have been. Let's hope this time it's 10 clubs thinking about what could have been.

I hope your right. I was fortunate enough to speak to a guy who is well knowledged in the TAC Cup competition. He was full of praise for Veszpremi. He said he could be a gun and if it wasn't for the fact that he played all year with a dodgy shoulder and that Trent Cotchin was his teammate at the Northern Knights, he would have been seen much differently by the recruiters. His foot skills are exceptional and he can play anywhere.

 

[ssfc0203]

Still, we need to either get a KPP in the rookie draft, or wait until next years draft. If we don't, it'll be players not suited to the position filling in.