2014 Draft Discussion

[whatboutbob]

Is Cian Hanley related to Pearce?

Brothers.

 

[Haso]

Is Cian Hanley related to Pearce?

Quite.

 

[juzzo]

Nice, hope he turns out as well.

 

[Haso]

Nice, hope he turns out as well.

Will be a slow start for him - he did his ACL in the last game of gaelic football that he played. It's not likely that we'll see him on the pitch for a while.

 

[POBT]

Feels like the list is really well balanced now, in a structural/positional sense.

 

[Alan Smithee]

http://www.lions.com.au/news/2014-12-03/meet-the-rookies

"Evans has an invaluable tool at his disposal". Watch out the ladies of Brisbane!

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

I don't want to quibble, and much depends on how these guys develop, but to me the gaps are another key defender (i.e. 194cm+) to replace Merrett and Maguire and a speedy wing type. We now have a few 190-192cm defenders and Watts but by all reports he isn't KPD material. And apart from our small fellas and Hanley we don't have a lot of pace do we?
P.S. I'm not fixated like some on getting the next John Brown because as far as I can tell he isn't out there and maybe our style of play doesn't require him anyway.

 

[Eons]

Evans and Beasley look pretty solid already. Polar opposites in terms of physique to our draftees.

 

[SizeMatters]

If all these defenders cement themselves as best 22 we are going to have the fastest backline in the games history. Watts, Beasley are elite for height, Gardiner and Clarke are faster than your average tall defender and then we might see Hanley, McStay, Rich etc rotating through... Might lack a bit in pure bulk to keep a super power forward like Hawkins quite but nonetheless a very flexible, rebounding unit at our disposal. Leppa revolutionizing the game as we speak if all these blokes develop well with 3 talls having the ability to play tall and small. Leppa loved playing 4 talls last season and imo it worked well.

 

[Eons]

Interesteing about Hammelmann from Conole. Very happy for him that he slipped through to the rookie draft and we picked him up.

“We were actually very close to using one of our National Draft selections on Matty (Hammelmann), but he ended up missing out given we had already committed to taking Dawson, Andrews, and Clayton so far out from the Draft. So we were ecstatic that he got through to the Rookie Draft and obviously had no hesitation in nominating him as a priority Academy rookie selection.”

 

[POBT]

I don't want to quibble, and much depends on how these guys develop, but to me the gaps are another key defender (i.e. 194cm+) to replace Merrett and Maguire and a speedy wing type. We now have a few 190-192cm defenders and Watts but by all reports he isn't KPD material. And apart from our small fellas and Hanley we don't have a lot of pace do we?

On key defenders, I think we've got Clarke and Andrews as the really big guys, Gardiner, McStay, Watts and now Beasley as slightly smaller. I personally think Gardiner will only be a year or two away from being able to play on the biggest key forwards and so I put him in that genuine key defender group. And I have said previously that I think we shouldn't limit our thinking on McStay who I believe has the athletic gifts to play any number of roles on a footy field. That's a fair bit of coverage to have been taken in just a few years.

In terms of outside pace, I think that we've got some long runners such as Paparone, Cutler and we've added the likes of Dawson, Clayton as well. I also think someone like Aish plays quick - a bit like Luke Power who managed to speed the game up without necessarily moving fast. And I suspect we'll see a bit more of Zorko and Taylor pushing up and using their speed around the midfield.

 

[Tairy Greene]

Get around 'em.

 

[blynd_freddie]

On key defenders, I think we've got Clarke and Andrews as the really big guys, Gardiner, McStay, Watts and now Beasley as slightly smaller. I personally think Gardiner will only be a year or two away from being able to play on the biggest key forwards and so I put him in that genuine key defender group. And I have said previously that I think we shouldn't limit our thinking on McStay who I believe has the athletic gifts to play any number of roles on a footy field. That's a fair bit of coverage to have been taken in just a few years.

In terms of outside pace, I think that we've got some long runners such as Paparone, Cutler and we've added the likes of Dawson, Clayton as well. I also think someone like Aish plays quick - a bit like Luke Power who managed to speed the game up without necessarily moving. And I suspect we'll see a bit more of Zorko and Taylor pushing up and using their speed around the midfield.

I think I must have borrowed that same library book on McStay straight after you, not sure if we are totally same page so I better add to my thoughts of young Daniel being a Defender/Forward and suggest in print that… I would not be surprised to see him play head to head/run with the Bontempelli types down the track!

 

[Panthera]

I don't want to quibble, and much depends on how these guys develop, but to me the gaps are another key defender (i.e. 194cm+) to replace Merrett and Maguire and a speedy wing type. We now have a few 190-192cm defenders and Watts but by all reports he isn't KPD material. And apart from our small fellas and Hanley we don't have a lot of pace do we?
P.S. I'm not fixated like some on getting the next John Brown because as far as I can tell he isn't out there and maybe our style of play doesn't require him anyway.

I feel we've got enough of both on the list with Clarke (195cm), Gardiner (194cm), McStay (196cm) and Andrews (199cm). And training reports suggest Paparone (194cm) is being used in the back half. That's plenty when you consider that if any of the below turn out to be solid senior players, we'll have even more options:

Bourke (193cm)
Watts (194 cm)

These days, teams usually only use the two lock down defenders with a floater if needed. Anyway, with our midfield, the ball shouldn't get down there all too often

And with the speedy winger; Hanley, Zorko, Green and Taylor running around is more than enough - they all usually end up on a wing during games

 

[Quigley]

Newcastle?

Its great here. Not exactly an AFL powerhouse although Heeney is from the club just down the road from me.

 

[Fatcat08]

Get around 'em.

What about if they like parma's?

 

[POBT]

Get around 'em.

Must be their birthdays.

 

[Tairy Greene]

What about if they like parma's?

They can get ****ed then.

 

[POBT]

I think I must have borrowed that same library book on McStay straight after you, not sure if we are totally same page so I better add to my thoughts of young Daniel being a Defender/Forward and suggest in print that… I would not be surprised to see him play head to head/run with the Bontempelli types down the track!

Yeah, I reckon that's a possibility. I think he could also project to a genuine KPP but one who relies on athleticism/mobility more than size. Looking at our list, we're probably more likely to need a KPP than a mid long term so the club might initially focus on that side of his game first.

Super exciting prospect.

 

[Quigley]

Guys who I see as young tall defenders on our team:

Andrews - 201cm - he is the guy for the ruck sized blokes. True KPD.
Clarke - 195cm - the rock at the back. True KPD.
Gardiner - 194cm - good size and aggressive defensive attitude. True KPD
McStay - 196cm - attacking option capable at both ends. I like him better in defense. Capable of being a true KPD but I see him more as third tall.
Bourke - 193cm - pretty good attacking wise. Third tall.
Beasley - 191cm (that is what he officially measured) - strong defensive option who can play tall. Likely third tall who can do a job if needed.

Could end up down back:

Close - 196cm - I have said for a while I like him as a defender long term. Nice size and running ability for a CHB. Might be another utility.
Hammelmann - 198cm - pretty much always played as a fwd but he was the best KPD for the AIS against Collingwood earlier in the year.

Running talls
Cutler - 192cm - hopefully could become a McKenzie / Drummond type player with his kicking.
Watts - 194cm - I see him as a Mackie / Birchall type.
Paparone - 194cm - apparently playing down back. Will run all day and has the height and marking ability to worry. Bit light but Darryl White like hopefully.
Lester - 191cm - apparently gone back. Could be a hard nut ball winner at the back much like Harwood is now except bigger.

All up I think we are covered for talls in defense. I think it would be safe to give it a couple of years and focus on other areas and see what we have.

 

[SizeMatters]

Good analysis but personally would move McStay into the running talls. His awareness in traffic and handballing is Black like (maybe a slight stretch). If you bear with me I think he could win a Brownlow, he certainly has the tools. Goodes is someone who I think he should model is game on won't be as powerful as Goodes but possibly more athletically rounded (if that makes sense).

 

[Haso]

Good analysis but personally would move McStay into the running talls. His awareness in traffic and handballing is Black like. If you bear with me I think he could win a Brownlow, he certainly has the tools. Goodes is someone who I think he should model is game on won't be as powerful as Goodes but possibly more athletically rounded (if that makes sense).

Well I'm on board.

 

[jackess]

I'm assuming Paparone is training with the backs to improve his defensive game and not to actually play there.

 

[Judge]

Just noticed on the D&T board that Colin Wisbey rated Billy Evans at 15 in his ND ratings, FWIW.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Guys who I see as young tall defenders on our team:

Gardiner - 194cm - good size and aggressive defensive attitude. True KPD
McStay - 196cm - attacking option capable at both ends. I like him better in defense. Capable of being a true KPD
Running talls
Cutler - 192cm - hopefully could become a McKenzie / Drummond type player with his kicking.
.

Have they all grown this year? Seem to recall they were 192, 194 and 190 respectively when drafted. Sounds like Beasley is a Gardiner type lock down defender.