2014 Draft Discussion

[Skoob]

Maybe we should abstain from this draft and start work;

So why don't you stay for the night? Or maybe a bite?
I could show you my favourite boy, Derryn.
I've been making a forward with blond hair and a tan
And he's good for kicking the shit out of a Sherrin.

So come up to the lab. And see what's on the slab.
I see you shiver with disbelieving frowns
But maybe the draft isn't really so daft
So take your Wrights while I build my own Brown.

 

[chopperduck]

The only hesitation I have with Wright, is that I want to know he can play as a genuine KPF. It doesnt matter if he is a ruck/forward, the ruck part is a bonus as long as he can actually play forward. If he is like Tippett, then that is fine. Even Mitch Clark, fine. But he needs to be able to play KPF, maybe pinch hit in the ruck is handy, but I would not draft him with a view of being Bergs back up. West and Martin can fill that void.

My preference is still McCartin as a genuine fwd option. Im not fussed with him being undersized. I think a forward line of Close and Paparone playing high at CHF with McCartin and a ruck fwd deeper would be good. When both your deeper options are part time forwards I think you lose a bit. You need at least 1 to be a true forward, be able to take good grabs and know when and where to lead etc. Sprinkle the likes of Green and Taylor around them with Mayes and Zorko and you have some marking power.

The only other way I would go is to get a strong natural medium forward. Go with Wright and say Martin deep forward, Close and Paps leading up amongst the wings with a 3rd medium marking option. A natural smart player that can lead well and find space, kick 2 or 3 goals a game.

 

[chopperduck]

If Wright can finish the season strong in the forward line im fine with him. Otherwise I agree that if we cant get our choice of tall forwards, hit up a mid, because we do need another high quality ball winning mid.

Freeman and Hammelmann will likely be on our list next year, both are right up near that 200 mark, so nice tall forward prospects. I think with players like these 2 you need to assume they wont make it until they do, I dont think we can change our drafting because of these guys. Realisticly, we only need 1 of these 2 to become best 22 and we've done well. But all together, these 2 plus Archie, Michael, Martin, West and Bergs is a lot of talls on our list.

 

[POBT]

My bet is that Wright will play forward in the TAC Cup, kick a few bags, have an ok draft camp and the bandwagoners will be back on board as though Wright was always the #1.

 

[Eons]

If Wright can finish the season strong in the forward line im fine with him. Otherwise I agree that if we cant get our choice of tall forwards, hit up a mid, because we do need another high quality ball winning mid.

Freeman and Hammelmann will likely be on our list next year, both are right up near that 200 mark, so nice tall forward prospects. I think with players like these 2 you need to assume they wont make it until they do, I dont think we can change our drafting because of these guys. Realisticly, we only need 1 of these 2 to become best 22 and we've done well. But all together, these 2 plus Archie, Michael, Martin, West and Bergs is a lot of talls on our list.

Freeman is already on our list, you mean Uebergang. Depends how highly they rate Hammelmann and Uebergang if McCartin goes before our pick. I'd be more than happy to get best mid if they think Hammelman is as good as Wright.

 

[carnthemlions]

My bet is that Wright will play forward in the TAC Cup, kick a few bags, have an ok draft camp and the bandwagoners will be back on board as though Wright was always the #1.

That's what I find to be so odd about all this- he's already been kicking bags in the TAC Cup

 

[Dylan12]

After reading the past few pages, one would seriously question whether this was even a draft flush with KPF talent as had been mooted for over 18 months now. Aside from McCartin, it's almost as it the cupboards are bare for top end KPF talent.

 

[Billy Puller]

Wright has been real good as a forward in the tac cup. His game against SA was pretty remarkable. Not sure why everyone is so against him all of a sudden. You guys realise if we win a few more games we will end up with pick 4+ meaning these guys probably won't even come into contention. Dunno why your all arguing about who to take at pick two when there is still half a season of footy to be played. Based on last weeks performance I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up with pick 6

 

[Hollow Knight]

Wouldn't be a draft thread without people making grand definitive statements based on a few u18 champs games.

Happens every year. Our recruiters follow these guys for years.

 

[Caiphus]

I am totally ok with Wright. My main fear with a genuine ruck sized forward is that our ruck attrition rate means that he will undoubtedly end up spending too much time on the Gabba cricket pitch eventually as he will be our only ruck sized player left - subsequently he will join the injury list just like every other ruck we have.

 

[Panthera]

That's what I find to be so odd about all this- he's already been kicking bags in the TAC Cup

He's been very good in the TAC Cup, looking at the below stats:



Hitting the scoreboard every single game

Most of his marking is uncontested so that points to leading and making space for himself.

 

[Dan12]

After reading the past few pages, one would seriously question whether this was even a draft flush with KPF talent as had been mooted for over 18 months now. Aside from McCartin, it's almost as it the cupboards are bare for top end KPF talent.

I think Durdin and Wright played a lot in the ruck, so they have not caused jaws to drop, tongues to wag or heads to spin. Before it didn't matter much whether we got McCartin, Wright or Durdin, they'd all be great in the eyes of the Bigfooty collective.

There also seems to be a lot of tall players who aren't necessarily no. 1 key forwards. When a draft watcher says 'there's a stack of gun key position players available', I'd imagine many including myself immediately assume 'there's a stack of 50 goal KPFs available' which isn't really the case. Then the collective is let down and the view shifts to the other extreme that there are no good KPPs bar McCartin available and we should draft a midfielder.

 

[acuguy]

Wouldn't be a draft thread without people making grand definitive statements based on a few u18 champs games.

Happens every year. Our recruiters follow these guys for years.

And they nail it year after year after year! ha

 

[lionwatcher]

McCartin and Wright are still probably #1 and 2# at the moment. What Wright lacks in being a pure full forward he probably makes up for with his elite kicking and conversion. And having another string to your bow in the form of rucking ability is a hardly a weakness provided he can still play that 75% KPF. Which I think he can.

Petracca is the really interesting one for me. His draft range is currently between #1 and #30. Up until recently was primarily a big bodied medium forward who could take a great mark but doesn't have the height to play true tall. One of those guys that gets drafted a bit lower than their actual ability on the account of the fact they don't clearly fill an in-demand position.

The last couple months has changed that view though. He's gone into the midfield and shown he has the strength to play the role of a big bodied mid. He isn't an elite clearance player (yet) but he is very strong and tends to react quicker than others. Think this probably comes from his basketball background. He's behind a couple others in pure midfield ability... BUT he's only just starting out his midfield journey. In a way he's only a few years into his football journey he's spent so much time in basketball, where he wasn't that far off elite. It's hard to know what his ceiling is.

So... a big bodied midfielder with great awareness and speed, very good all-round skills and can go forward, crash packs, do the business at ground level and take exceptionally strong marks. Some sort of unique combination of a dusty's strength, danger's speed, pendelbury's awareness and rocky's marking ability.

He's not our number one priority (KPF) but he does fill another need. We need guys who can mark the ball inside 50, we need size and we need a big bodied inside mid type. Our other core mids are either all-rounders like redden and rockliffe or more outside types like rich, aish, hanley and taylor. Petracca could finish that midfield off nicely.

Will be very ineresting to watch his next couple months...

 

[BuntonRules]

Assuming we have pick 3-5, I would be more than happy with Petracca.

 

[jackess]

Assuming we have pick 3-5, I would be more than happy with Petracca.

Me too. From what I've read about him.

 

[Fatcat08]

Who is head drafter come draft time? Wasn't it Kerr or some bloke named Hadley? Kerr has left already for Essendon?

Conole. Same guy as the last 2 years. Kerr was never head of recruitment

 

[Big Lion]

Whether we draft one, trade for one, produce our own or make one out of clay, today's match showed how much we need a good key forward.

 

[jackess]

Leppa in his press conference talking about finding a 'monster' key forward makes me think we wouldn't pass over Wright given the opportunity.

 

[Swanny10]

Leppa in his press conference talking about finding a 'monster' key forward makes me think we wouldn't pass over Wright given the opportunity.

He would be hard to pass up given our needs and his potential. I still hold out hope Freeman could be that monster too though albeit he's currently along way off. Given that we can't make the finals and Brown has retired I would like to see him given a couple of games just to see how he goes and give him a taste of what he has to work towards. May be the inspiration he needs for a big pre-season.

 

[rusty08]

Brad Johnson just gave McCartin a decent wrap on foxtel. Saying he has probably the best hands he's seen on a kid at that age. Pity i can't see saints looking past him if they finish below us.

 

[PTizzle]

I wouldn't at all mind Wright at 3 if McCartin is gone. Strikes me as a bit of a cross between Kruezer and Daniher (not a well educated opinion by any means), which isn't ideal but it'll certainly be a good option for us. If he puts a bit of bulk on and can avoid the back niggles he seems to have the potential to be the target we need and I want the club to go for it this draft personally. Get whomever we choose as a big tall developing ASAP.

To be honest I have favourites each year but I don't really have a clue like 99% of BF so I'm willing to trust the club with whoever they go for in the end. I do think we'll go tall though.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Whether we draft one, trade for one, produce our own or make one out of clay, today's match showed how much we need a good key forward.

To me what this game showed us is what we already knew - we must use our pick on the best available key forward. Petracca would be great if we had two high picks but we don't and as much as we need another high class mid, its not nearly as big a need as a key forward.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Leppa in his press conference talking about finding a 'monster' key forward makes me think we wouldn't pass over Wright given the opportunity.

Yeah, he had a steely resolve on that score I thought. Wright, McCartin or whoever.

 

[blueiris]

Brad Johnson just gave McCartin a decent wrap on foxtel. Saying he has probably the best hands he's seen on a kid at that age. Pity i can't see saints looking past him if they finish below us.

The problem was he said other key forward was Darcy Moore and he's aligned to Collingwood he did talk about Petracca and Lamb as medium forwards
and Brayshaw and Leaver as the next best players