2015 Draft Discussion

[cotter101]

Compromised drafts didn't exactly help us either. Club has the ability to find talent all through the draft, retention and furthering player development after their first two years at the club is my main concern.

 

[Quigley]

If Brisbane have any picks left later on in the draft and Theo Thompson is still available we should not hesitate to pick him up. Browny suggested that we look to draft leaders and theo has leadership in his skin. Probably hasn't had the year he would have liked however I think he could be a steal. In regards to leadership School captain, school football skip, Sandringham dragons co-captain and was vic metro captain enough said. http://m.afl.com.au/news/2015-06-05/faith-focus-and-footy-draft-prospect-theo-thompson-a-leading-contender

Don't mind Thompson. Needs a bit more consistency in his application but he flashed some decent talent at the Champs.

 

[Kevvo]

Compromised drafts didn't exactly help us either. Club has the ability to find talent all through the draft, retention and furthering player development after their first two years at the club is my main concern.

I agree with this. My impression is that our recruiting team would be well better than average across the league, but it's hard to judge how well we develop players because so many have left. I don't think it is so much evident in single players, given guys like Rocky, Hanley and Stef have developed exceptionally well. It's more the aggregate level of improvement in the guys outside our top 5 or so. If we're only getting 5-10 per cent less improvement than the better sides it translates pretty quickly to entrenched shortcomings.

If the facilities get sorted out soon, as appears likely, that should hopefully help a bit.

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

Don't mind Thompson. Needs a bit more consistency in his application but he flashed some decent talent at the Champs.

Seen a bit of Theo at APS level as he plays with my nephew. Quality person and player definitely worthy of a late pick. Knee injury late in the season and still on crutches last week - hopefully won't affect his testing at the state combine.

 

[cotter101]

I agree with this. My impression is that our recruiting team would be well better than average across the league, but it's hard to judge how well we develop players because so many have left. I don't think it is so much evident in single players, given guys like Rocky, Hanley and Stef have developed exceptionally well. It's more the aggregate level of improvement in the guys outside our top 5 or so. If we're only getting 5-10 per cent less improvement than the better sides it translates pretty quickly to entrenched shortcomings.

If the facilities get sorted out soon, as appears likely, that should hopefully help a bit.

Below you should see a post of mine that I've quoted. There should be a list and hypothetical best 22 made up of the players we have drafted since 2008. Have not included players we have traded into the club over that period.

I Feel it backs up the whole retention and development argument and proves the clubs ability to find talented players. I agree, I feel the new facilities should help us with some of that, a couple more experienced development coaches would go a long way too.

Yeah, since 2008 we've drafted Rich, Redden, Rockliff, Beams(Claye), Harwood, Polec, Green, Lester, Longer, Docherty, Yeo, Clarke, Crisp, Mayes, Paparone, O'Brien, Aish, Gardiner, McStay, Taylor, Cutler, Robertson, Dawson, Andrews, McGrath, Freeman and Close.

Team with those players would look like:

Harwood Clarke Gardiner
Docherty Andrews Paparone

Yeo Rockliff Polec

Mayes Close Taylor
McStay Freeman Green

Foll: Longer, Redden, Crisp
INT: Rich, Beams, Lester, Robertson

With O'Bren, Aish, Cutler, Dawson and McGrath as the immediate depth.

Wouldn't exactly be a dynamite team right now, but it'd sure become a good team.

Pretty handy young group that. Our retention, facilities and development is what's holding us back. As well as a whole other bunch of stuff. Not our ability to identify talent.

 

[scoman]

If we somehow manage pick 1 and 2 in this draft and if Weitering gives us a strong indication he wants nothing to do with us at draft camp, what then?

Do we just go for Francis or even the best mid? Or do we get tricky and trade down to say position 4,5 or 6 (hoping to nab Francis there) with something like a late 1st rounder or player coming our way. Swapping pick 2 for Gold Coast's 4 and their end of first round springs to mind.

Just a thought

 

[Morgs_]

I'm hoping we beat Carlton and end up coming second last and Carlton take Weitering and we get Schache. Would be my ideal scenario. Don't want the spoon and I don't want the Lions to lose just to get pick 1.

 

[Panthera]

I'm hoping we beat Carlton and end up coming second last and Carlton take Weitering and we get Schache. Would be my ideal scenario. Don't want the spoon and I don't want the Lions to lose just to get pick 1.

Finishing last removes a PSD draft threat from Carlton in their attempt to draft Aish

 

[luthor]

I'm hoping we beat Carlton and end up coming second last and Carlton take Weitering and we get Schache. Would be my ideal scenario. Don't want the spoon and I don't want the Lions to lose just to get pick 1.

I hear you.

I just can't cop the concept of hoping we lose so we can get the mythical Great White Hope draft pick.

Like the suns game. Even though logic and rationality told me we needed to lose for the greater good, I was screaming my lungs out to the bitter end, booing umpires and urging our boys on to the death in the vain hope we might pull off an unlikely victory.

 

[xplo]

If we somehow manage pick 1 and 2 in this draft and if Weitering gives us a strong indication he wants nothing to do with us at draft camp, what then?

I doubt you'll see any strong anti-Brisbane signals from Weitering before the draft. He spent time with the club last summer via the AFL, bunked with some of the young blokes (Paps I think) and really enjoyed his time.

That doesn't make him a 10 year lock, but he's unlikely to do a 'Chad WhingeHard' and dismiss himself from calculations.

 

[BrizzyBandit]

I want us to win. I'd rather pick 2.

Either Schache or Weitering would be awesome.

Prefer Schache.... But if he takes 4-5 years like Hawkins then maybe Weitering is the better option.

If we get him let's hope he's more like Hogan.

 

[bhys16]

Has anyone watched these top prospects closely? any of the top 3 at the moment would do me.. Francis is a gun.
It would be silly to want to lose to Carlton, young fellas need a confidence boost and any of the top 3 prospects would improve our team in the long run.. call me optimistic but my biggest concern is that in a few years we wont have room for all of our talls... I see Clarke, Andrews, Mcstay, Freeman, Gardiner and Close having decent careers with us. and then there is Archie Smith coming on, Hipwood from the academy and whoever we take with our first pick.. GWS talls depth coming i reckon.

 

[Kevvo]

Has anyone watched these top prospects closely? any of the top 3 at the moment would do me.. Francis is a gun.
It would be silly to want to lose to Carlton, young fellas need a confidence boost and any of the top 3 prospects would improve our team in the long run.. call me optimistic but my biggest concern is that in a few years we wont have room for all of our talls... I see Clarke, Andrews, Mcstay, Freeman, Gardiner and Close having decent careers with us. and then there is Archie Smith coming on, Hipwood from the academy and whoever we take with our first pick.. GWS talls depth coming i reckon.

I think that's a valid perspective and I'm pretty optimistic about our young talls, especially the backs.

On the other hand, I think it's fair to say that most really successful tall forwards go very high in the draft or as F/S players. High quality half backs are maybe a little easier to pick from the rough. I feel torn about it, but I think it is a rare opportunity for us to pick a good KPF prospect in Schache.

I'm against the idea of tanking and I'm not totally sure how to reconcile it, but I would empathise if people felt disappointed with 3 wins instead of 2 and that costing us a (potential) long term centrepiece KPF.

 

[jackess]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...ick-josh-schache/story-fnb7bats-1227478813666

This John Anderson is a moron isn't he?

Forgetting we drafted Mitch Clark who'd be playing full forward if we still had him
Not planning for Brown's retirement? We've been going after just about every mature key forward available.
Schache as far as I'm aware really isn't going to be rucking.

 

[John_Proctor]

I definitely would rather avoid the spoon even if it means we end up with Weitering.

Merritt isn't getting any younger so Weitering would be a natural replacement for him.

Still have as pointed out above Freeman, McStay, Close, and potentially some swingmen in Andrews, Hipwood, Weitering himself (??) to become decent forwards.

didn't Leppitsch say after Weitering spent a few weeks with us in pre-season that if he was on our list he would have played Round 1 this year (after seeing him as a 17yo non-professional!).

 

[Bucking Beads]

With Hipwood coming in as another young defender it is obvious that we need to take the best KPF in the draft.

 

[Schache It Off]

I definitely would rather avoid the spoon even if it means we end up with Weitering.

Merritt isn't getting any younger so Weitering would be a natural replacement for him.

Still have as pointed out above Freeman, McStay, Close, and potentially some swingmen in Andrews, Hipwood, Weitering himself (??) to become decent forwards.

didn't Leppitsch say after Weitering spent a few weeks with us in pre-season that if he was on our list he would have played Round 1 this year (after seeing him as a 17yo non-professional!).

Just him being managed by Pickers is a huge turn off.

If pick 2 got 'homesick'...Seriously **** AFL.

 

[dlanod]

Just him being managed by Pickers is a huge turn off.

If pick 2 got homesick...Seriously **** AFL.

O'Rourke.

Apparently it hurts less if you've got 30-odd first round picks and he's just not setting the world alight.

 

[Tassie4ever]

Does anyone have an actual reference to Schache saying he would be happy, or whatever expression he used, to be drafted to the Lions?

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

I know they do pigeon hole young players very early these days but there is a chance neither of them will be permanent defenders at AFL level. Weitering is an extremely good contested mark - I wouldn't rule out him becoming a forward and Hipwood has shown he can kick multiple goals at U18 and NEAFL level.

 

[Schache It Off]

O'Rourke.

Apparently it hurts less if you've got 30-odd first round picks and he's just not setting the world alight.

True I immediately thought of him after my comment but I don't think we are in a position to take that risk

 

[pulpdriver]

Does anyone have an actual reference to Schache saying he would be happy, or whatever expression he used, to be drafted to the Lions?

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-06-...-keen-to-finish-off-his-dads-work-at-brisbane

"I think that'd be pretty cool if I ended up at Brisbane. I could go back to where dad was and finish off what he did there," Schache said.

 

[Tassie4ever]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-06-...-keen-to-finish-off-his-dads-work-at-brisbane

Cheers. These day it's like the old song: believe half of what you see and none of what you hear. Or however it goes.

 

[Leemas]

I was under the impression that Harris would ideally be played forward in a couple years time after he Bulks up. I swear I heard leppa say it in a presser in

 

[Groo2]

I'm hoping we beat Carlton and end up coming second last and Carlton take Weitering and we get Schache. Would be my ideal scenario. Don't want the spoon and I don't want the Lions to lose just to get pick 1.

Finishing 2nd last might be better from a pure draft position anyway. Just a perception thing obviously, but (Ironmonger look away now) we might be more a chance to get pick 3 compo for Leuy than pick 2 if he was to leave.