2011 Draft Discussion

[Old Den]

Forgive my pessimism, but I'm a little doubtful about our recruitment processes, not matter what options might become available.

I give you: Polec v Heppell; Leuenberger v J Selwood; K Tippet v Proud; Banfield v M Robinson; and Karnezis v Darling. Perhaps a bit harsh on Banfield and Karnezis, and even Leuenberger, but I'd argue we'd be a better side with the alternatives.

Bit harsh on Banfield v Robinson seeing that Robinson was gone when we took Banfield....The real comparison for Robinson is Redden which shows that Hadley was spot on there.

I'm also in the wait and see camp with Polec v Heppell just as I was with the Redden,Beams and Robinson discussion in their first season...no regrets there.

I will just say that we are very fortunate that we have Leuenberger on the list looking to the future in the light of the current speculation re Clark.

 

[Haggis McHaggis]

Thanks for the info Haggis, sounds exactly like the type of player we need moving forward, actaully any chance he is a twin or has siblings cause we need two or three of them.

What are your thoughts on where he would go in the draft?

No idea mate. Like I said, I'd be comfortable with a 2nd or 3rd round pick, just judging on what I saw in the SA v WA game, and reading over his SANFL season to date. I don't know the rest of the crop overly well though, so couldn't really make an accurate comparison between he and the other lads available.

re: Simpson, liked his work too POBT, I think it was his second goal though, that was all down to Browns work off half back, and was the main bit of play that left me thinking "damn we need that kid". A round 4 or 5 speculator on Simpson would be well worth it though. Was creative, prepared to work both ways, and most importantly he kicked his goals.

 

[Quigley]

Its worth noting that of the football states SA is the one whose players often fall the most. I would expect a guy outside the top 10 to go maybe a half a round lower than they would if they were playing in the TAC for instance.

 

[Haggis McHaggis]

What # do you reckon someone like Brown will be likely to go Quigs?

 

[Quigley]

I haven't even started to think about slots just yet Haggis. Probably second round somewhere I would guess but plenty can change and I haven't had a close look at him just yet. I note knightmare has him at 47 in his mock which he did last week.

 

[Slattery_20]

Heppell major OP injury flags and we decided to go with Polec who maybe had a lesser ceiling but was a safer pick.

Heppell himself hadn't heard of these injuries. Wonder how that story got out.

EDIT - while I'm here - any actual read on the depth/strength of the draft, so far? Know it's early days yet.

 

[Haggis McHaggis]

Heppell himself hadn't heard of these injuries. Wonder how that story got out.

EDIT - while I'm here - any actual read on the depth/strength of the draft, so far? Know it's early days yet.

Strange one mate. I've seen people suggesting it's a weak draft after #30 and having a chuckle at GWS' fortunes in coming in this year, but if you look at the HUN website, Jon Ralph reckons it has all the hallmarks of the `01 super draft. Watching the u18 champs though, there looked to be plenty of good quality kids out there. If someone's ranking young Brown as a pick #47 though, it certainly doesn't strike me as a weak talent pool. I would've thought he'd be in the early 30's.

 

[whatboutbob]

Haggis, I suspect that q was directed at our resident draft specialist.

 

[_hyphy]

Would Ewing get much of a look in this year as a mature age?

 

[Quigley]

Personally I am inclined to agree with Emma Quayle on this one rather than John Ralph. Its been pegged for a fair while that this would be a very weak draft and I am thinking it it turning out that way. I am sure to get more excited by things as the day gets closer and I get to fall in love with various roughies but atm it looks pretty ordinary.

There were the 12 taken out of the draft class last year by GWS to start with and when I looked at the games last night at least half of the guys I was thinking looked good were underagers. Its usual to have 2 or 3 underage guys stand up and be in AA contention against their older counterparts. This year there will be 6 or more. That is an indicator of great top end quality next year for sure but also how weak this year's prospects are in comparison.

On Heppell he did have OP previously and both the Lions and Tigers very hugely keen on him. There was definately a reason for it and I know a Tigers insider who said it was the medical that made him too big a risk for them. I assume it was the same for the Lions.

 

[Quigley]

Would Ewing get much of a look in this year as a mature age?

Ewing just doesn't look like an AFL player. He is a 182cm FF who will be 25 before the start of next season. He also is carrying a bit around the midrift which wouldn't do his chances any good.

 

[Haggis McHaggis]

Haggis, I suspect that q was directed at our resident draft specialist.

Just creating a mediocrity baseline to highlight Quigs talents

 

[pauldrc]

Strange one mate. I've seen people suggesting it's a weak draft after #30 and having a chuckle at GWS' fortunes in coming in this year, but if you look at the HUN website, Jon Ralph reckons it has all the hallmarks of the `01 super draft. Watching the u18 champs though, there looked to be plenty of good quality kids out there. If someone's ranking young Brown as a pick #47 though, it certainly doesn't strike me as a weak talent pool. I would've thought he'd be in the early 30's.

Thought when I initially read that, that it was in reference to the 2012 draft, not this years....will have to go back and have a look again....

 

[acuguy]

A few things

I saw Polec do a couple of things in his few outings for me to suggest he has a higher ceiling than Heppell. It is a bit like the Steven Hill and Daniel Rich debate.

As for Proud well there are many blokes who burn their opportunities. From all reports(including the state clash) he is doing everything possible to show that he is worth another shot from a club.

Our recruiting this year will be interesting. With Clark more than likely to leave our once flourishing ruck stocks are pretty thin- i would prefer for us to try and get a ruckman from another club then go for a young bloke in the draft.

Our key forward stocks are also a little bare with potentialy Retzlaff and Brown as our only 2 key forward prospects (assuming Cornelius will move on)

We also suffer from a shortage of key defenders in the making. There is no way we can move Maguire on at the end of the season.


Personally i think we take the best available talent with our first pick (apart from a ruck)

from then we need to be completely list balance orientated

i hope we are scouring the local leagues for a 22-26 year old key defender, they would be there we need to find one!

 

[Sanchez365]

A few things

I saw Polec do a couple of things in his few outings for me to suggest he has a higher ceiling than Heppell. It is a bit like the Steven Hill and Daniel Rich debate.

As for Proud well there are many blokes who burn their opportunities. From all reports(including the state clash) he is doing everything possible to show that he is worth another shot from a club.

Our recruiting this year will be interesting. With Clark more than likely to leave our once flourishing ruck stocks are pretty thin- i would prefer for us to try and get a ruckman from another club then go for a young bloke in the draft.

Our key forward stocks are also a little bare with potentialy Retzlaff and Brown as our only 2 key forward prospects (assuming Cornelius will move on)

We also suffer from a shortage of key defenders in the making. There is no way we can move Maguire on at the end of the season.


Personally i think we take the best available talent with our first pick (apart from a ruck)

from then we need to be completely list balance orientated

i hope we are scouring the local leagues for a 22-26 year old key defender, they would be there we need to find one!

I have heard a few people say this and seems really bizarre to me. Is there anything anyone has heard or is it just speculation? I feel like he came into the team, didn't provide exactly what was asked of him and has been working on his game in the reserves. If Hawksley can break into the team I would expect to see Acorn at least once more before his passport will be stamped.

 

[dlanod]

Our recruiting this year will be interesting. With Clark more than likely to leave our once flourishing ruck stocks are pretty thin- i would prefer for us to try and get a ruckman from another club then go for a young bloke in the draft.

By the sounds of it, this year's draft is fairly thin on the ground for rucks. One stand out - Longer, who'll probably be GWS bound, and then a handful of mid-round prospects. It might be a good year to stock up on a couple in the rookie draft and just see how they develop.

 

[whatboutbob]

Bloody Collingwood's come up with another ripper in Witts via the NSW scholarship scheme.

 

[Quigley]

I am not really high on Longer although I don't mind him as a 2nd ruck / forward prospect. With that being said I would not want to burn a high pick on him.

Personally I would look at using a rookie spot on Cabrera. Raw Qld kid who I like the look of. With GC already stocked up on rucks we should be able to get him as a zone selection.

 

[whatboutbob]

I imagine you'd have been happy with Ben Brown's performance Quigley?

 

[Tassie4ever]

Watched Polec maybe 6 times this year- I agree he is a talented footballer, and that he probably will get a senior gig. Whether he is/will be better than Heppell is very problematical. He certainly isn't right now. My impression is that he is trying extremely hard to improve where he has to.

Watched Proud at Mt. Gravatt a couple of weeks ago. Tried hard and very hard at it. Minimal effective finishing, as per. Has put on a bit of condition. Nowhere near being picked up by another AFL side, IMHO, but it won't be the first time I've been wrong.

 

[Quigley]

I imagine you'd have been happy with Ben Brown's performance Quigley?

I would have picked him last year injury or not and I haven't changed my mind.

Good games against NSW and Witt and against Qld are certainly not going to hurt his cause and he is another 2nd ruck / forward who clubs will be looking at with the sub rule in place.

I would expect him to keep improving over the rest of the year and think he might go reasonably high (end of first, beginning of the second) if he does just because of the shortage of decent big guys this year. With a few picks around that area he might eb on our radar.

Warning: I am always shocking at picking where this type of player goes.

 

[whatboutbob]

That dearth of talls this year is a bit disconcerting. I has us pegged to take a couple this year (hell, I wanted them to grab at least one last year). Here's hoping Hadley finds a diamond or two in the rough.

 

[Slattery_20]

There were a couple of names mentioned last year who didn't go: Zac Fitzgerald, Ben Brown; Leif Cope, there was also a kid (Polish name, something-kowski) who sounded good as a 190-ish rebounding backline option as well. Tyler Chalwell, too.
Dunno how realistic chances they were but just names I heard (or misheard!)

Just creating a mediocrity baseline to highlight Quigs talents

Farbeit from me to criticise anyone for mediocrity!

 

[POBT]

i hope we are scouring the local leagues for a 22-26 year old key defender, they would be there we need to find one!

There is an interesting discussion about mature aged prospects on the Drafts and Trades board. Link

Hartigan is one name that gets mentioned every year. Was considered one of the better tall defenders in the 2009 draft year but failed to get a spot. I believe the knock on him is his ability to read the play but, at 20yo, he's got time to improve that. Injuries permitting, we don't necessarily need someone who is senior ready at round 1, 2012. Hartigan might be good insurance.

Thoolen is another one mentioned on the drafts board. Has been named in the best a few times this year for Frankston.

 

[thoselionslads]

I watched the games on TV the other night, mainly to try and develop a comparison and context to the QLD boys who I see quite a bit. Like most, I really liked the look of Tyson from Vic M and Grigg from SA. I can't remember names but #33 for Vic C and #13 from SA also really impressed me. Talia from Vic M also looked like he had a fair bit of ability playing at CHB.

On a side note, there is some serious talent floating around in next years draft, wow!