True, however; some drafts are also talked down during their year yet turn out to have been brimming with talent.Relax.
Deep breath.
You're on a forum, if you post an opinion or piece of information there will be those who disagree or choose to dissect what you post. It's not an attack, it's not a vendetta, it's discussion. Sometimes (like now) it gets a little heated, but ranting at folks online never got anyone anywhere.
On the draft speculation - we hear similar things each year. "Next year is going to be a really strong draft". Then next year rolls around and it's "If you think this year's players are good, wait til you see the next batch". Deep, shallow, even, strong - all vague terms that can be interpreted or re-interpreted in plenty of ways. I can say a draft is deep, and in years to come, as long as a few late picks come along, I can justify my point. I can say a draft is strong, and as long as a few players at the top end turn out to be quality, I can justify my point.
The professional journos who cover the TAC players have a vested interest in building hype as early as possible They start talking now about next year's draft so they can churn out an article or two a month over the next year to pad out their wallet. Realistically, it would be very difficult to gauge the depth or strength of a draft while players are still 16 years old and therefore still growing and developing. But the experts will continue to do just that because it's their job.
That's my view, others may disagree. Guys like Cal Twomey would have a better handle on the up and coming juniors than I would, I just avoid putting too much faith in their earliest impressions.
My point regarding trading away high future draft picks would be that you dismiss the unknown at your own peril. And, by your own argument, it's still easier to judge this year's crop than it is next year's.
We have to maximise our chances of getting as many quality players as possible; not just depth players but players competing to be in the best 22 of a finals worthy side. If we are to trade for quality players from other clubs, there should be none of that stuff where our first draft pick is something like pick 43 (or there about) in the draft - that kind of rubbish really hurts clubs when you know that the players you get will really be struggling to make the side if not de-listed altogether in 2 years time. We need to trade back into the draft and be downgrading rather than trading our first pick outright.
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