2008 AFL Draft - How good?

[chinggis77]

How good was the 2008 draft? The draft that keeps giving and giving!

Pick 3: Stephen Hill (gun)
Pick 21: Ballantyne (gun)
Pick 24: Suban (serviceable, bad tonight)
Pick 37: Zac Clarke (going to be a superstar)
Rookie Draft Pick 19: De Boer (gun)
Rookie Draft Pick 48: Pearce (how good is this kid now!)
Rookie Draft Pick 74: Broughton (gun)

7 first 18 players from the one draft. JVB and Walters good depth.

2009 wasn´t bad either with Mora, Fyfe, Robbo, Barlow and Silvagni.

 

[Chops_a_must]

Suban needs to do something in a hurry, because he's in free fall towards delist material and he's playing like he's already there at the moment.

 

[Sman-21]

This is why we applauded Harvey
Thx to him turning over so much of the playing list we were finally able to use the draft an give our recruiters a chance to deliver us some players.

Takes balls to do that but he did it.
Im very thankful for what Harvs did with our playing list.

Strongly believe he wasnt a good enough coach to get us near the top though.
Great assistant coach, just not cut out for senior coach.

 

[FreoRicci]

He needs a 'walters' type wake up call, seems unfit and lazy. He knows he can play much better and his kicks are usually the best in the side.

 

[chinggis77]

Meh, shouldn´t have put Sube´s in my list, this is going to turn into a Sube hate thread now when it was more about Pearce and Clarke.

Once again - How good is Pearce now! The draft that keeps giving and giving!!!!

 

[E Shed]

I'm actually worried that Suban might have peaked in U18's. Just doesn't look to have enough weapons for this level. Not fast, not great endurance, not a strong mark. His kicking is good but not elite & most worrying his decision making shows no sign of improvement. Perhaps he's just not a back. Can't see him getting a look in the midfield. We will see what Ross thinks next week if he gets dropped.
On topic it was an excellent draft. I do worry a little that we goofed 2010 though not taking Darling & Fasolo. Mitchie might be a jet but he looks injury cursed at this point.

 

[E Shed]

Sorry Chingis I fulfilled your prophecy. Yes you are right. Pearce & Clarke are really becoming good players.

 

[Zbeezy]

Suban is perfect for a three-way rotation between MID, HFF and bench. For bursts he can really add something to the midfield, as in the last quarter of the Geelong game. From the Forward flank he can hit up a lead nicely or take a long shot from outside the 50. Throw in a short rest on the bench and he'll do quite nicely in my opinion.

On the rest of the topic - that draft year is going to be to Freo what 2001 was to Geelong, possibly coming about quicker than Geelongs rise on the back of Ablett, Bartel, etc...

 

[Outshined]

Broughton at 74 is almost the best of the lot.

 

[Nickos66]

It was the greatest draft we've probably ever had, bar maybe the 2000? draft? Haze, Pav etc.

Subes lot looking great either, Jury's out on Walters still too.

 

[free at last]

I can see suban getting offered as trade-bait.

 

[strobe00]

I can see suban getting offered as trade-bait.

It's a funny world innit?

I was thinking the exact same thing about MJ and Crowley last year, but they seem to have lifted several notches this year. Could be that they're getting to play the positions they're best suited to.

As has been said though, could be that Suban is more suited to a mid role. His kicking and ball winning ability doesn't suggest that at the moment. Could be trade-bait, but I don't see us trying to trade him this year though.

 

[chinggis77]

Yeah, nah. Had a rethink. Looking back at it now, the 2008 draft is a good "depth" draft for us and provided quite a few best 22. But we really missed out on picking up some A graders/leaders for our midfield which is killing us now, particularly when you look at what was on offer.

I would probably rank Hartlett, Sloane, Sidebottom, Shuey, Zaharakis, Redden, Beams, maybe Hannebery and even Robinson ahead of Hill, Ballas and Suban (our first three picks) from that draft only one of which is a midfielder really.

 

[Scham]

Yeah, nah. Had a rethink. Looking back at it now, the 2008 draft is a good "depth" draft for us and provided quite a few best 22. But we really missed out on picking up some A graders/leaders for our midfield which is killing us now, particularly when you look at what was on offer.

I would probably rank Hartlett, Sloane, Sidebottom, Shuey, Zaharakis, Redden, Beams, maybe Hannebery and even Robinson ahead of Hill, Ballas and Suban (our first three picks) from that draft only one of which is a midfielder really.

How good are Sloane and Sidebottom atm!

Sloane was awesome yesterday against us, particularly when we challenged them and the game was on the line, he went to another level and left poor Clancee behind. That's what we so desperately need, a pure midfielder with a mix of strength, speed and endurance and a massive heart!

 

[Bradesmaen]

Yeah, nah. Had a rethink. Looking back at it now, the 2008 draft is a good "depth" draft for us and provided quite a few best 22. But we really missed out on picking up some A graders/leaders for our midfield which is killing us now, particularly when you look at what was on offer.

I would probably rank Hartlett, Sloane, Sidebottom, Shuey, Zaharakis, Redden, Beams, maybe Hannebery and even Robinson ahead of Hill, Ballas and Suban (our first three picks) from that draft only one of which is a midfielder really.

The bold are average plodders who will never be game breakers.. just additions. Good depth players as you say, no where near stars in their own right.

 

[Nickos66]

Yeah, they're honest toilers but they just lack the talent..




..

 

[FD2646]

The bold are average plodders who will never be game breakers.. just additions. Good depth players as you say, no where near stars in their own right.

Zaharakis won the B&F at Essendon in 2011 and would be up in the top 5 again this year....good player.

 

[Freomaniac]

How good are Sloane and Sidebottom atm!

Sloane was awesome yesterday against us, particularly when we challenged them and the game was on the line, he went to another level and left poor Clancee behind. That's what we so desperately need, a pure midfielder with a mix of strength, speed and endurance and a massive heart!

Sloane was pick 44 in the 2008 draft. Looking back at it. I would of taken him over suban. You cant win them all.

 

[Freomaniac]

Yeah, nah. Had a rethink. Looking back at it now, the 2008 draft is a good "depth" draft for us and provided quite a few best 22. But we really missed out on picking up some A graders/leaders for our midfield which is killing us now, particularly when you look at what was on offer.

I would probably rank Hartlett, Sloane, Sidebottom, Shuey, Zaharakis, Redden, Beams, maybe Hannebery and even Robinson ahead of Hill, Ballas and Suban (our first three picks) from that draft only one of which is a midfielder really.

Funny thing was we took Hill over Darren Rich. I would of prefered rich at the time as we needed another inside mid. I would be happy if Hill Became a 200-250 game player for us.

 

[Freo_4eva]

Yeah, nah. Had a rethink. Looking back at it now, the 2008 draft is a good "depth" draft for us and provided quite a few best 22. But we really missed out on picking up some A graders/leaders for our midfield which is killing us now, particularly when you look at what was on offer.

I would probably rank Hartlett, Sloane, Sidebottom, Shuey, Zaharakis, Redden, Beams, maybe Hannebery and even Robinson ahead of Hill, Ballas and Suban (our first three picks) from that draft only one of which is a midfielder really.

I dont entirely disagree.. but its a bit hard to compare blokes who are 4/5th in line in elite midfields and basically get to do whatever they like each game (Hartlett excluded)

Would swap Suban for any of the above, but happy with Hill and Ballas in the long run.

 

[Sigwald]

Is it the draft pick or the development of the player that makes the difference, though?

I worry about the development of our players in the last couple of years.

 

[chinggis77]

^^Suban´s dropoff has been a big worry. He played some fantastic games in his first two years and people on here were talking of him as a future captain.

Hill would be much better if we had Fyfe and another 2 gun mids feeding him the ball and taking the pressure off him.

 

[Arcassius]

Hill would be, but having to will himself into the game and burn off his taggers week-in week-out with limited support will help his development

 

[chinggis77]

Think we stuffed up Pick 3.

Hartlett is not only going to be an A-grader but a leader who will rise up when the chips are down. Complete opposite of the front running, scared as a crow Hill.

Hurley would of solved a few problems up front.

Heck there are a whole heap of players who I would of preferred to have taken at pick 3. Davis, Sidebottom.....

Lets face it. Hill doesn´t have the ticker to become an A-grade midfielder who will rise up when the chips are down. He is a front runner.

 

[whiteoak]

Think we stuffed up Pick 3.

Hartlett is not only going to be an A-grader but a leader who will rise up when the chips are down. Complete opposite of the front running, scared as a crow Hill.

Hurley would of solved a few problems up front.

Heck there are a whole heap of players who I would of preferred to have taken at pick 3. Davis, Sidebottom.....

Lets face it. Hill doesn´t have the ticker to become an A-grade midfielder who will rise up when the chips are down. He is a front runner.

Who you labelled as a gun in your OP.


But hey, it's whipping boy time.

Carry on.