2014 Draft Prospect Thread

[Baltimore Jack]

In have not seen any U-18 Champs games yet.

OK mate, but when you do, we need full reports

 

[rand corp]

All I want this draft is a couple of picks who can actually get on the park!!!!

 

[Old Spice]

If we need back up rucks I'd still go Currie as a cheap option.

 

[sr36]

See now that is just a personal opinion of yours rather then what most good premiership sides have.

All the best teams have quality silk crumbers who can bring about momentum shifts, and it is most certainly a need of ours along with KPF talent and maybe another back up ruck.

How many quality silk crumbers are there in the league?

 

[UpTheMags]

How many quality silk crumbers are there in the league?

of the top sides id say steven motlop, christensen, ballantyne, walters, breust, maybe puopolo, cyril... id say theyre the cream of the crop. theyre invaluable when u have a good one. forward line is so much more dangerous

 

[TradeDraft]

If we need back up rucks I'd still go Currie as a cheap option.

If we get him as a De-Listed Free Agent or on the Rookie list he be worth thinking about

 

[sr36]

of the top sides id say steven motlop, christensen, ballantyne, walters, breust, maybe puopolo, cyril... id say theyre the cream of the crop. theyre invaluable when u have a good one. forward line is so much more dangerous

The way I see it, the best forward pockets and flankers don't play there - they play in the midfield. If I was picking a team to represent Australia none of those guys would be in it. I'd have guys like Swan, Dangerfield, Fyfe, and Stevie J in my forward line well above those guys.

I reckon you draft potential midfielders and those who can't crack the midfield play in the pockets and on the flanks.

 

[MyManLynch]

If we need back up rucks I'd still go Currie as a cheap option.

Yes, bit of Currie followed by Brown, Sidebottom down back.

 

[MagpieBat]

All I want this draft is a couple of picks who can actually get on the park!!!!

And I want an all-expenses-paid trip to the Caribbean, but we all have to temper our expectations at some point in our lives. Draftees who can actually get on the park? Santa is a champ, but he's not a miracle worker...

 

[UpTheMags]

The way I see it, the best forward pockets and flankers don't play there - they play in the midfield. If I was picking a team to represent Australia none of those guys would be in it. I'd have guys like Swan, Dangerfield, Fyfe, and Stevie J in my forward line well above those guys.

I reckon you draft potential midfielders and those who can't crack the midfield play in the pockets and on the flanks.

some players like bruest are specialised crumbers... stevey milne for example.. never played mid cos he was just a forward

 

[loki04]

of the top sides id say steven motlop, christensen, ballantyne, walters, breust, maybe puopolo, cyril... id say theyre the cream of the crop. theyre invaluable when u have a good one. forward line is so much more dangerous

Geelong also have Stokes and Varcoe who are capable crumbers who can break open play.
North L.Thomas
Port Kneed, a case could be made for Wingard too.
Sydney had Jetta before moving up field.

The way I see it, the best forward pockets and flankers don't play there - they play in the midfield. If I was picking a team to represent Australia none of those guys would be in it. I'd have guys like Swan, Dangerfield, Fyfe, and Stevie J in my forward line well above those guys.

I reckon you draft potential midfielders and those who can't crack the midfield play in the pockets and on the flanks.

Drafting potential mids to become small fwds is fine if the have the xfactor to break open play as I stated earlier both of our last 2 in Davis and Didak were under aged mids. Most small forwards rotate on ball now days anyway.

We really lack that spark type player forward.


Just about every premiership side has had one so to argue it isn't needed as part of the "mix" is an interesting view point.

 

[sr36]

some players like bruest are specialised crumbers... stevey milne for example.. never played mid cos he was just a forward

Yeah but they are becoming rarer. The way I see it, with crowded forward lines and the endurance necessary for the defensive expectations of the modern game the skills necessary to be succesful up forward are the same as the skills necessary to be an attacking midfielder. In fact you could make a case for having to be cleaner and better in the contest as a small forward than you have to be in other roles, which is why the fast highly skilled slightly flaky outside guys who would have previously been forward pockets are often found on the wings or back flank- eg Pearce, Jetta, Yarran, Wells, Varcoe, Hill.

I remember a while ago someone posted a photo of Hine's draft board. He seemed to have guys listed as either mid/forward or mid/defender. This is how I'd go to. Make sure that you draft a balance of potential mids - some who look like they could be dangerous forwards if they can't crack the midfield and some who look like they could be quality defenders if they can't crack the midfield. Eg Sharenberg has been drafted as a potential midfielder who projects as a very good defender if he can't crack the midfield. Whereas someone like Kennedy has been drafted as a potential midfielder who could end up as a decent forward.

 

[Lockyer24]

Find us a nippy magical forward pocket TradeDraft

 

[TradeDraft]

RD 1 EyeCatchers:

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-05-28/eyecatchers-round-one

 

[TradeDraft]

 

[wednesdaywarrior]

Very good VFL mid. Not AFL quality and certainly not Collingwood relevant with our midfield star studded.

If we look at adding another onballer at some point it needs to be someone who offers the team something really unique and unlike what we have. A tall, strong bodied monster of an onballer would be what I'd consider going after if a guy projects as a real difference maker at AFL level and as someone who could be a part of our best team to play alongside Pendlebury, Beams and Macaffer.

If they're not this then you'd want a midfielder who is particularly fast or skilled and capable in other positions, as one example overager Nathan Drummond is a guy who comes to mind with his ball winning ability through the midfield but then his explosive linebreakingpace and 1v1 strength also allowing him not only ability through the midfield but also the versatility to play a role down back.

Hey Knighta,

I've still got that gnawing feeling that our midfield is lacking one piece to be totally dominant. As good as they are they still get towelled up on occasion. I was thinking most recently of the Adelaide game second half when Sloane and Dangerfield really got going we just seemed to melt away for crucial periods of the game. I'm hoping Adams might add some bite when he really finds his best form. Other than that I feel we are still lacking some point of difference to really get the perfect balance.

I'm a huge fan of Mundy, just seems to do everything well and has great height (wrong thread I know). I would also look at building up Scahrenberg to play mid now that Langdon seems to be flourishing in the hb role. But yes I agree with your thoughts on mids, if there was a taller, stronger beast up for grabs in the draft that would be a great complement. I wonder if that was the attraction we allegedly had to Bontempelli last year. Hopefully Freeman is going to give us some much needed Shuey like pace.

 

[Knightmare]

Hey Knighta,

I've still got that gnawing feeling that our midfield is lacking one piece to be totally dominant. As good as they are they still get towelled up on occasion. I was thinking most recently of the Adelaide game second half when Sloane and Dangerfield really got going we just seemed to melt away for crucial periods of the game. I'm hoping Adams might add some bite when he really finds his best form. Other than that I feel we are still lacking some point of difference to really get the perfect balance.

I'm a huge fan of Mundy, just seems to do everything well and has great height (wrong thread I know). I would also look at building up Scahrenberg to play mid now that Langdon seems to be flourishing in the hb role. But yes I agree with your thoughts on mids, if there was a taller, stronger beast up for grabs in the draft that would be a great complement. I wonder if that was the attraction we allegedly had to Bontempelli last year. Hopefully Freeman is going to give us some much needed Shuey like pace.

There are some guys we haven't seen.

Freeman and Scharenberg haven't even played at VFL level. Freeman is a mid, Scharenberg may with some time make the transition from backman as may Langdon. Maybe Sidebottom could get more midfield minutes, he's certainly a quality two way runner and these past few years seems to have been starved of opportunity and he's someone I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss as a solution. Adams as you also mentioned hasn't received many opportunities and is another very good onballer and two way runner even if his footskills are lacking. Broomhead can go through the midfield and has some class. K.Martin is another guy not playing at the moment who can play some very, very good minutes on the ball. Karnezis may have some midfield potential in addition to what he's showing up forward. From those names there are some guys with real scope to develop.

So it's a situation I'd like time to assess first before concluding we need to go after another guy because there are just so many guys on our list who have a case to be part of our midfield long term.

My feel with our midfield and I agree particularly around centre bounces we just don't look right. I'd say remove Macaffer from those centre bounces. Around the ground he can take the oppositions best midfielder but I'm finding around stoppages he's not only giving away too many frees but he doesn't win his own ball so he doesn't really give us anything. So I'd prefer a four man centre square rotation of Pendlebury, Beams, Swan and Ball with some others playing minor midfield minutes as needed.

The real need for now and I'd make it a theme this draft. I think we need more and better talls. This year if I was to forgetting position name our 22 best players the only tall who would be a among those 22 best is Jack Frost with Cloke out of form, White inconsistent, Reid injured, Brown injured and Keeffe out of form. This year while we've missed Reid and getting him back would change things and almost certainly help Cloke recapture his 2013 form. It's what we miss as a list with strong depth and quality at all other positions and not as many very good - great talls as we'd probably like. It's a year where key position players are the real relative draft strength so we have an unusual opportunity to get some good bigs.


I'd be sticking by Marsh who is improving but I'd like to see as an example of a draft:
1st round: Darcy Moore (F/S - key forward)
2nd round: Caleb Marchbank (VIC - KPD) with Sean McLaren (VIC - KPD) a potential backup plan in the 3rd round if Marchbank's stocks rise.
... Various other selections and rookie upgrades..
Rookie round 1: Darcy Cameron (WA - Ruck)
... Various other rookie selections...
Category two rookie: Mason Cox (USA - Ruck)

 

[TradeDraft]

Caleb Marchbank suddenly would be a Great Pick in the 2nd Round now

 

[Seedsfan]

There are some guys we haven't seen.

Freeman and Scharenberg haven't even played at VFL level. Freeman is a mid, Scharenberg may with some time make the transition from backman as may Langdon. Maybe Sidebottom could get more midfield minutes, he's certainly a quality two way runner and these past few years seems to have been starved of opportunity and he's someone I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss as a solution. Adams as you also mentioned hasn't received many opportunities and is another very good onballer and two way runner even if his footskills are lacking. Broomhead can go through the midfield and has some class. K.Martin is another guy not playing at the moment who can play some very, very good minutes on the ball. Karnezis may have some midfield potential in addition to what he's showing up forward. From those names there are some guys with real scope to develop.

So it's a situation I'd like time to assess first before concluding we need to go after another guy because there are just so many guys on our list who have a case to be part of our midfield long term.

My feel with our midfield and I agree particularly around centre bounces we just don't look right. I'd say remove Macaffer from those centre bounces. Around the ground he can take the oppositions best midfielder but I'm finding around stoppages he's not only giving away too many frees but he doesn't win his own ball so he doesn't really give us anything. So I'd prefer a four man centre square rotation of Pendlebury, Beams, Swan and Ball with some others playing minor midfield minutes as needed.

The real need for now and I'd make it a theme this draft. I think we need more and better talls. This year if I was to forgetting position name our 22 best players the only tall who would be a among those 22 best is Jack Frost with Cloke out of form, White inconsistent, Reid injured, Brown injured and Keeffe out of form. This year while we've missed Reid and getting him back would change things and almost certainly help Cloke recapture his 2013 form. It's what we miss as a list with strong depth and quality at all other positions and not as many very good - great talls as we'd probably like. It's a year where key position players are the real relative draft strength so we have an unusual opportunity to get some good bigs.


I'd be sticking by Marsh who is improving but I'd like to see as an example of a draft:
1st round: Darcy Moore (F/S - key forward)
2nd round: Caleb Marchbank (VIC - KPD) with Sean McLaren (VIC - KPD) a potential backup plan in the 3rd round if Marchbank's stocks rise.
... Various other selections and rookie upgrades..
Rookie round 1: Darcy Cameron (WA - Ruck)
... Various other rookie selections...
Category two rookie: Mason Cox (USA - Ruck)

Not sure about 2 rucks on the rookie list, plus the more experienced back up we will have to meany rucks in the side a it will not be good for their development

 

[TradeDraft]

Not sure about 2 rucks on the rookie list, plus the more experienced back up we will have to meany rucks in the side a it will not be good for their development

Mason Cox would not be on the Rookie List - he be on another one

 

[Seedsfan]

Mason Cox would not be on the Rookie List - he be on another one

That is not the point, we will have a back up ruck Hudson if he wants to play another year and then Cox and Cameron then there is the chance we go with Cloke, Reid and White in the forward means Witts and Moore will also be in the VFL. How would that work with 4 rucks?

 

[TradeDraft]

That is not the point, we will have a back up ruck Hudson if he wants to play another year and then Cox and Cameron then there is the chance we go with Cloke, Reid and White in the forward means Witts and Moore will also be in the VFL. How would that work with 4 rucks?

Hey we have had 6 Rucks in the VFL a few years ago

 

[Seedsfan]

Hey we have had 6 Rucks in the VFL a few years ago

And it does not work, it would be good if we could loan them out to a stand alone club. My reason for that is we could form a side in the VFL 2's but the standard is not great there

 

[TradeDraft]

And it does not work, it would be good if we could loan them out to a stand alone club. My reason for that is we could form a side in the VFL 2's but the standard is not great there

Well you play the Best Talent and not just on Postion

 

[Seedsfan]

Well you play the Best Talent and not just on Postion

But they need to get ruck time to develop, hide one in the forward line a tall forward pocket and they will not develop as a ruck