List Mgmt. 2014 Draft Discussion

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

You have pick #6 yeah? Laverde is my guess.

You're on the ball!

Write up coming shortly.

 

[Dogsman16]

You're on the ball!

Write up coming shortly.

Hypothetically if you had pick 5 like the current ladder order suggests, would you have stayed with Laverde or gone for Durdin.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Hypothetically if you had pick 5 like the current ladder order suggests, would you have stayed with Laverde or gone for Durdin.

Durdin, absolutely.

 

[doggies ftw]

If this is the Jake Lever you're all talking about, he'll do me. Tall, athletic, nice kicking action and can catch it. Perfect.

Starting to really like Lever a lot, especially now he's grown to 194cm and is genuine KPP height, who knows might still be growing too.

I sort of think that what Macca wants in the team is as few genuine KPPs as possible. Which sounds weird but it actually might work, as long as you get the right guys. I think thats why we've seen Young, Wood and Stringer trialled on talls down back, and Stringer, Bonts etc playing as talls up forward. If you can get guys like this who can break even with their taller opponents but also play like midfielders when the ball hits the ground, it really does suit Maccas mantra. This is why I think Lever would interest us, can play as a genuine tall down back but the way he moves and uses the footy, he really doesn't look like one.

Only problem I've got with Lever, is we will probably be getting Cordy at our 2nd or 3rd pick and our backline would be looking good (although probably even a little full) but we would have done nothing to suit our problems up forward.

A draft of Laverde, McKenzie and Cordy would be such a balanced draft

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

well there are the highlights on the AFL site as well
see some good intercept marks, apparently is 194cm now and was 191-192 at the start of the year
seems a very smart footballer

I've gone from Lever/Pickett to Duggan to Durdin to Marchbank to Laverde and back to Lever

as a KPD I think Lever has all the attributes you'd want and would form a nice trio with Rough & Talia
would probably mean Roberts goes up forward, but I like this

If you ask some people, Roberts is destined to be a key forward anyway.

I like Lever, but I like Laverde more

 

[Dogsman16]

I Like that mix of

1st pick: Outside run/skills
2nd pick: development KPF
3rd pick: Cordy - 3rd tall defender

We could also get Higgins compo hopefully as an end of first rounder, around pick 21 and maybe Keitel drops.

*KM has Keitel dropping to pick 42 in his phantom yet weeks ago he was pick 6, anybody know why the great drop. Would still take both Keitel and McKenzie with our potential 2nd rounders (pick 21, 27).

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Write-up done, I'll quote it here as well:

Bloody good timing, just got home.

Pick six - Western Bulldogs: Jayden Laverde
Height: 189cm
Weight: 82kg
Position: Utility

Y U NO GO KEY FORWARD?!

Yes, the Dogs need talls, and ideally we're in a position to take one of the likes of Durdin or Wright. However, with both of those already selected, there are no other key position players that I rate as top six talent. So I've selected who I deem to be best available - and luckily enough he suits the Dogs' needs for a big midfielder with pace and skill. Three boxes ticked in one was too good to refuse, especially with a player of Laverde's quality. I should also note that I'm keen for the Dogs to move this pick should it fall outside the top five.

Strengths: The biggest thing with Jayden is that he's truly versatile - short of the ruck, he can play anywhere on the ground to a high level. Laverde is a brilliant kick off both sides of the body, pulling off excellent passes and setting up his teammates more often than not. He has good defensive awareness without it necessarily being the best part of his game, which enables him to play in the back half and put his kicking skills to good use. He reads the play very well and peels off his man when necessary, taking intercept possessions and really hurting the opposition the other way. Complemented by this is his pace. Laverde is not a truly explosive runner, but he has some real breakaway pace that allows him to break the lines and gain an extra few metres for his side. This, combined with his agility and awareness, makes him quite a difficult player to catch. It also makes him effective on the lead, especially up forward. He creates separation on defenders with ease, especially if he is given a head start due to improper defensive positioning or poor awareness. He's also a good overhead mark with excellent ability one-on-one, putting his size to good use and allowing him to compete if he doesn't get out on a lead.

Through the midfield he plays predominantly as an outside receiver, and it is a role he does exceptionally well. His athleticism commonly allows him more time and space than you'd like to give such a good kick, and his awareness and footy IQ aid him to peel off and get in a position to do some real damage. His contested game isn't brilliant but I see it projecting as a real strength in the future, with both his ability at ground level and his bigger body contributing. He puts his height to good use and is able to grab those connecting marks, or to be a good option on the kick-out.

In short, it's his versatility - combined with his excellent skills - that puts him over the line for me.

What he needs to work on: His contested game is probably the first area of improvement. He's not terrible by any means but it's not at a level where you can consider it a genuine strength. He will win his own ball when he has to, but he's not the kind of player you would chuck on-ball in the dying stages of a close game. At the moment he's that pacy outside runner that gives you some creativity and flair going through the midfield, but for him to continue to progress his game you want him to become that sort of player that you can totally rely on inside and out. He has the tools, he just has to work at them.

Secondly, I imagine the club that selects him will be quick to reel in his flair. Not to drop it completely - as it's what makes his game unique - but as somebody that likely begins his career running off half back he can't take the dangerous option as often as he does. At the moment he can try to push past his limitations a bit too often and it can result in shanked kicks or poor decisions, which have left his team vulnerable to opposition scores off turnovers. You don't want to take that tendency to be dangerous with possession away from him - as, more often than not, his intentions work out - but it does need to be limited to fit more into team 'policy.'

Laverde is prone to inconsistency and fade outs during games, however this is something I see being ironed out relatively quickly. A lot of the time it just seems to be a lack of concentration however endurance may play a part. It will take some work but I can see him being able to improve this significantly over a period of time. The beauty with Laverde is that he is a reliable option defensively, meaning that even if he isn't at his best offensively, his opponent rarely gets totally off the leash.

Past that, for me, it is simply just continuing to put some muscle on that frame to aid him further inside and around the ground.

Where he fits: Short-term, I see Jayden playing a similar role to what Jake Stringer did mid-year for us: significant minutes down back, combined with some time on-ball, on the wings and up forward. He'll provide some drive from half-back - which the Dogs desperately crave - as well as continuing to develop other areas of his game. As he progressively develops that inside game and his endurance I see him moving into the midfield on a more permanent basis. With an inside quartet of Liberatore, Griffen, Wallis and Boyd (short-term; long-term Clay Smith), Laverde will be able to flourish in his natural outside role while also being given time at stoppages and really using his pace and athleticism to break through. As a player that can play most positions on the ground to a reasonable level, he will always be a genuine utility and somebody that is moved around as the game ebbs and flows. However, if he is to reach that level, he needs to maximise his minutes through the middle - and in my opinion, that will come with the development of an inside game and natural progression.

 

[True Dog]

Write-up done, I'll quote it here as well:

Great selection Dannnnnnnnnn, you made my day (not sure why but what the heck)

 

[Zephiisdaman]

Clem Smith

but seriously? probably Hugh Goddard or Jake Lever

still a bit tough to pick at this stage, its after the TAC Championships we'll really get to see which players step up in the big games

if most of them don't have as much of an impact, probably will go Lever though

Goddard

 

[Wizard17]

Who do you think Dannnnnnnnnn's second round pick will be?

My heart tells me he is in Kietel or McKenzie territory but my guts are wondering otherwise

 

[Wizard17]

What happened to McLaren he is hardly talked up anymore? Thought he could be a good KPD alongside Roughy wouldn't have to play undersized defenders either which has hurt us this year.

 

[TBOW]

Who do you think Dannnnnnnnnn's second round pick will be?
My heart tells me he is in Kietel or McKenzie territory but my guts are wondering otherwise

I reckon there will be a slider he can't resist. I'm tipping Ellis.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

I might go smokey with my second rounder. There's a guy I'm very keen on but I'm tossing up whether he'll be available third round or not.

No decision yet though. There are two smokies I'm keen on, plus another three or four that I think will be around who I like. Plus any sliders that fall through (one in particular I'm expecting to).

 

[Wizard17]

Of course not the thread hasn't done anything for ages still at the weagles pick last I checked. Anything could happen.

I might go smokey with my second rounder. There's a guy I'm very keen on but I'm tossing up whether he'll be available third round or not.

No decision yet though. There are two smokies I'm keen on, plus another three or four that I think will be around who I like. Plus any sliders that fall through (one in particular I'm expecting to).

 

[Dav1d]

I might go smokey with my second rounder. There's a guy I'm very keen on but I'm tossing up whether he'll be available third round or not.

No decision yet though. There are two smokies I'm keen on, plus another three or four that I think will be around who I like. Plus any sliders that fall through (one in particular I'm expecting to).

Tom Lamb?

I wouldn't know who to tip for second round, people might forget someone and let them slide through

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Tom Lamb?

I wouldn't know who to tip for second round, people might forget someone and let them slide through

You're unlikely to see me touch Tom Lamb - I'm not a fan at all.

 

[Dav1d]

You're unlikely to see me touch Tom Lamb - I'm not a fan at all.

Phew

Hope our recruiters feel the same, like the Laverde pick

I think he could be like a Nat Fyfe type if he is to move into the middle, with a better kick of course

go watch Fyfe footage as a junior, even looks a little similar how they play

 

[GrandBlue]

I'm starting to think Laverde is the right pick. Although we've picked that type of player with our first rounder in the last two draft, the prospect of having 3 superstar, A-Grade midfielders with bucketloads of flair & X-Factor is extremely extremely mouthwatering.

However, I think there's a good chance he'll be gone before our pick; I have a strong feeling he'll be in higher demand than Brayshaw because dynamic players like him are a lot harder to come by.

 

[Wizard17]

Kyle Langford? He, Kietel or McKenzie would be very good

You're unlikely to see me touch Tom Lamb - I'm not a fan at all.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Kyle Langford? He, Kietel or McKenzie would be very good

I do like Langford but not sure I'd take he and Laverde in the same draft. Would have to be clear best available.

He'd be in the mix at that pick if he's there though, absolutely.

 

[Sharkey66]

I do like Langford but not sure I'd take he and Laverde in the same draft. Would have to be clear best available.

He'd be in the mix at that pick if he's there though, absolutely.

Have been wondering, is Langford related to the Hawks Langfords in any way?

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Have been wondering, is Langford related to the Hawks Langfords in any way?

I don't think so but I'm not totally sure.

 

[Wizard17]

A little bit of a different type but if we lost Higgins could see us going with Laverde, Langford and McKenzie or another tall.

I do like Langford but not sure I'd take he and Laverde in the same draft. Would have to be clear best available.

He'd be in the mix at that pick if he's there though, absolutely.

 

[Super Hans]

Lever at 10, he and Duggan are the two I'm most interested to see where they go in the trial draft.

Still think Lever will be our man.

 

[Wizard17]

Well Dav1d Payne did play the other day. He had 26 disposal and had 13 marks must of been playing really high cause he didn't kick a goal.

http://www.foxsportspulse.com/round_info.cgi?a=MATCH&fixture=124158208&c=1-3020-0-294694-0&pool=1