Preview 2012 AFL Draft

[StringyDog]

why is everyone so keen on mason shaw?, I just looked at a thread and Shaw was eligible for mini draft selection, if he was any good GWS would have selected him and auctioned him off to the highest bidder, yet GWS didnt even bother which means he isnt rated

just cause he wasn't picked in the mini draft doesn't mean he isn't rated, just that O'Meara and crouch were rated more, and rightfully so. Stringer was eligible for mini draft too and wasn't picked does that mean he isn't rated, one of the most gifted natural talents going around who will completely dominate games in coming years likely to go in top 2 this year.

 

[Doggy09]

Brad Crouch has a younger brother (Matt Crouch) at the North Ballarat Rebels.

I had a good look at him when we played our TAC Cup fixture up there a few weeks back. He is ineligible this year, though looks just as likely.

 

[King_snow]

Well one of Mason Shaw, Jake Stringer and Spencer White i would love

 

[Doggy09]

Well one of Mason Shaw, Jake Stringer and Spencer White i would love

Depends who finishes below the dogs and their needs, it is very unlikely Shaw and Stringer will be available. These 2 really would be top 4 comfortably, unless something dramatic transpired between now and November. Very unlikely.

Spencer White isn't any better than Tom Hill or Matthew Panos really, though he is more of a key forward than Panos.

 

[King_snow]

i think if we play Tom Hill i reckon he will surprise he is a natural FF

 

[Testekill]

i think if we play Tom Hill i reckon he will surprise he is a natural FF

We'd have to drop one of the rucks of course. Can't afford to go too top heavy into games and he can play as a second ruck.

 

[King_snow]

Yeah its a hard one and don't forget big Tommy Cam

 

[King_snow]

Id trade minson at the end of the year and try put him in a deal with a big draft pick for Cloke. Roughy takes number 1 ruck, Cordy still FF and Tom as resting and ruck

 

[Igloo]

I can't see us finishing any lower than we are placed right now, which im pretty happy about. Picks 7 and 8 are a good result. No tanking though, I just feel this is about where we are placed. I can't see the entire ladder changing a lot tbh.

Longwait made a good point before. Would we be interested in trading a pick and a player for an upgrade?

 

[josh the gent]

I can't see us finishing any lower than we are placed right now, which im pretty happy about. Picks 7 and 8 are a good result. No tanking though, I just feel this is about where we are placed. I can't see the entire ladder changing a lot tbh.

Longwait made a good point before. Would we be interested in trading a pick and a player for an upgrade?

For the rest of 2012, the only games we will be considered favourites for are rounds 12 and 13:

- vs Brisbane, and vs Port, both in Melbourne.

All the other games we will most likely start as the longer team, with exception of round 23, which we are away to Brisbane and will probably be 50/50...

We could easily finish as low as 15th.

 

[tonydean]

I also said this a few weeks ago, however, the way we are playing currently, I think we would push a few teams like, Sydney at home late season, Carlton at home, Norf again, Could get a few extra wins here. I think upto 8 wins is now possible.

 

[josh the gent]

I also said this a few weeks ago, however, the way we are playing currently, I think we would push a few teams like, Sydney at home late season, Carlton at home, Norf again, Could get a few extra wins here. I think upto 8 wins is now possible.

I hope we get to 8-9 wins too. The benefit of winning games for all our young players is surely worth dropping a pick or 2 in the draft.

I think we are definitely a chance in most of the games to come, however fact remains that unless something drastic happens, we will only start as faves in 2 more matches this season...

 

[Doggy09]

Unbelievable how many people want the club to win as few games as possible.

High draft picks does not equate to quality players. You only need to look at Melbourne as a case in point.

Later (even Rookie) picks could well yield quality / serviceable long term players. This club is an obvious example of that.

 

[Igloo]

Unbelievable how many people want the club to win as few games as possible.

High draft picks does not equate to quality players. You only need to look at Melbourne as a case in point.

Later (even Rookie) picks could well yield quality / serviceable long term players. This club is an obvious example of that.

I don't think it's a case of wanting to lose games, it's just being realistic as to where we are in our development. In all likelihood, some of the younger guys are going to tire towards the back end of the year, reducing their output, which has been excellent so far.

I'd love us to win as many as possible. I'd be ecstatic if we made the 8. But it's unlikely to happen. But it's fantastic to see us giving it a big crack every week. That's the most important thing.

 

[Mutt]

Unbelievable how many people want the club to win as few games as possible.

High draft picks does not equate to quality players. You only need to look at Melbourne as a case in point.

Later (even Rookie) picks could well yield quality / serviceable long term players. This club is an obvious example of that.

I think that only a couple of ppl have suggested tanking or would be happy to lose games. I think we'll miss the top 8 and, if so we'll get two high draft picks. If they are not high enough, we should trade to upgrade one or both.

If you think that having high picks (particularly in a strong draft) is no big deal then you won't find that many rushing to agree with you. High draft picks give you the best chance of improving your list - not the only way, but the best and most certain way.

 

[Doggy09]

I think that only a couple of ppl have suggested tanking or would be happy to lose games. I think we'll miss the top 8 and, if so we'll get two high draft picks. If they are not high enough, we should trade to upgrade one or both.

If you think that having high picks (particularly in a strong draft) is no big deal then you won't find that many rushing to agree with you. High draft picks give you the best chance of improving your list - not the only way, but the best and most certain way.

I'm speaking from experience. I am involved with the TAC Cup as many know, so I am quite familiar with a number of these kids.

This draft has an even spread of quality kids (and even VFL players) across the board (except for Ruckmen - there are only a few draftable). The draft is reasonably deep and you are sure to find quality midfielders well into the 3rd round of the draft.

As I said, it is irrelevant where a draftee is picked up, especially if they are not developed properly (see Melbourne)

 

[Zephiisdaman]

Id trade minson at the end of the year and try put him in a deal with a big draft pick for Cloke. Roughy takes number 1 ruck, Cordy still FF and Tom as resting and ruck

I am pretty surte Big Will is a free-agent at the end of the year, so he might decide to go anyway. As much as he has had a pretty average career so far, he is our one true ruckman. We would be far worse off without him.

 

[Morris Major]

I can't see us finishing any lower than we are placed right now, which im pretty happy about. Picks 7 and 8 are a good result. No tanking though, I just feel this is about where we are placed. I can't see the entire ladder changing a lot tbh.

Longwait made a good point before. Would we be interested in trading a pick and a player for an upgrade?

Can't agree more with this. For a team that have had so little recent success, tanking would be a step backwards in many ways. Sure, the prospect of having 2 picks in the top 5 is appealing, but realistically having 2 top 10 picks is just as good if used well.

And at the end of the day, we have our heads held high as a club because we've put in a fckn good effort for the season and we're confident about the next. Instead of knowing full well we didn't even try just to get some picks and not being sure where we'll be at the following season.

Too early to make a call on Minno, our young talls have shown good signs and if they continue to make improvement then it's worth considering. At the moment I think they'll definitely struggle without a senior player like Minno out there.

 

[Mutt]

I'm speaking from experience. I am involved with the TAC Cup as many know, so I am quite familiar with a number of these kids.

This draft has an even spread of quality kids (and even VFL players) across the board (except for Ruckmen - there are only a few draftable). The draft is reasonably deep and you are sure to find quality midfielders well into the 3rd round of the draft.

As I said, it is irrelevant where a draftee is picked up, especially if they are not developed properly (see Melbourne)

So, are you suggesting that getting a top 4 draft pick this year is no big deal? I think I understand your point about this being a deep draft and that quality will be found well into the third round, but surely having low picks means that we can choose whomever we want, rather than taking our eleventh best option and hoping they'll be as good as our first-best turns out when they star at another club.

There haven't been too many complete duds taken in the first ten picks when compared to those taken with picks 11 to 20. I think you'll find that a big proportion of the elite players in the competition were high draft picks - not all, but many.

 

[Morris Major]

I don't think you'll find too many who would disagree with top 4 picks are better than top 10 picks

we can get those top top picks, and sure they're fantastic - but at what cost?

 

[doggies ftw]

The way I see it is keep doing what we are doing, maybe even lean a little bit more to youth, but just develop our side and gameplan all year, if we win games? Hey we win games, our young players get experience in winning and we will get more supporters etc who can complain with that? But if we don't win games so be it we get 2 very good draft picks as long as we are competitive and our side is developing then I couldnt care less if we win by 50 or lose by 50, thats just the sort of year we are in at the moment.

Add 2 fast, line breaking, skilful mids to our side and we are going to be pretty damn good I'd say

 

[TimC]

For the rest of 2012, the only games we will be considered favourites for are rounds 12 and 13:

- vs Brisbane, and vs Port, both in Melbourne.

All the other games we will most likely start as the longer team, with exception of round 23, which we are away to Brisbane and will probably be 50/50...

We could easily finish as low as 15th.

Just had a look at the ladder. It gets pretty tough later in the year.

Realistic person would say we would win 7
Optimistic person would say we would 11
One eyed supporter would say we would win more than 11 and make finals. (Would love myself to be proved wrong here though).

 

[True Dog]

The way I see it is keep doing what we are doing, maybe even lean a little bit more to youth, but just develop our side and gameplan all year, if we win games? Hey we win games, our young players get experience in winning and we will get more supporters etc who can complain with that? But if we don't win games so be it we get 2 very good draft picks as long as we are competitive and our side is developing then I couldnt care less if we win by 50 or lose by 50, thats just the sort of year we are in at the moment.

Add 2 fast, line breaking, skilful mids to our side and we are going to be pretty damn good I'd say

Hard to argue with you We really do need to keep playing the kids because some tough decisions will need to be made at the end of the year. It's all well and good predicting where we'll finish and who or what we'll get but just as important is who goes??

I stand corrected but Moles, Addison, Hargrave, Gilbee, Skinner, Minson, Higgins, Hooper, Mulligan are all out of contract this season and I'm certain there's others... So who stays and who goes? How manny picks do we need? How many rookies do we elevate?

Get it right and we could get back up the ladder faster than some may think....get it wrong and we're in trouble....BIG TIME

 

[dogzrule]

Hard to argue with you We really do need to keep playing the kids because some tough decisions will need to be made at the end of the year. It's all well and good predicting where we'll finish and who or what we'll get but just as important is who goes??

I stand corrected but Moles, Addison, Hargrave, Gilbee, Skinner, Minson, Higgins, Hooper, Mulligan are all out of contract this season and I'm certain there's others... So who stays and who goes? How manny picks do we need? How many rookies do we elevate?

Get it right and we could get back up the ladder faster than some may think....get it wrong and we're in trouble....BIG TIME

I would say Minson is the only one of real trade value but then again he is at or approaching his career peak as a ruck man over the next couple of years, I would keep him.

Of Moles Hargrave, Gilbee, Skinner, Hooper, Mulligan maybe Hargrave will get a 1 year extension, Addison and Higgins will probably get re-contracted for depth I dont think they are worth that much in the trade market at the moment.

Moles, Gilbee, Hooper and Mulligan will all likely be gone unless there is a drastic improvement in the remainder of the year. Skinner, jury still out

 

[Sharkey66]

The only way Minson should be considered in trade is in a minidraft package for Jesse Hogan who looks like he may be a KP gun.