Draft Review 2017 - Revisit the 2017 AFL draft

[Chaisa]

Interesting that this draft was spoken of having a very good (if short of 2018) top end but not much depth, yet there's plenty of late picks who look good but the Top 5 have been pretty underwhelming.

 

[GWS Goose]

Interesting that this draft was spoken of having a very good (if short of 2018) top end but not much depth, yet there's plenty of late picks who look good but the Top 5 have been pretty underwhelming.

Just shows, it is not as straight forward to predict as many think it is.

 

[Chaisa]

Just shows, it is not as straight forward to predict as many think it is.

Yeah true, but looking at how other drafts were hyped up pre-draft:

2013 - was talked up as a weakish draft with a strong top-end but not much depth. Actually quite a few early pick failures (though mostly down to bad luck than misjudged talent) but the depth is genuinely excellent. This was the other one in recent times the draft watchers got it wrong.
2014 - was mentioned as a weaker draft; the depth was supposed to be good but there wasn't much top-tier talent. Here the draft watchers were bang on; the Top 20 is close to the weakest in living history but there's excellent value to be had - in particular the rookie draft this year was excellent.
2015 - was supposed to be weak but the top-end was better than the depth. Again hard to complain too much - very few top-end failures (if not that many who are genuine stars) but not that much worth considering after the first round (though as always gems did stand out - but a lot of the hits were mature-aged).
2016 - was supposed to be excellent with fantastic depth all the way through the draft. There's a lot of late picks who look the goods and the top-end remains decent.
2018 - hyped up as potentially the best Top 10/20 of all-time. Signs look promising in this regard.

Way too early to talk about 2019 but from memory most of the watchers thought it was a fairly stock standard draft.

So only really 2013 in terms of the draft watchers getting it wrong in recent history as well as 2017.

 

[GWS Goose]

Yeah true, but looking at how other drafts were hyped up pre-draft:

2013 - was talked up as a weakish draft with a strong top-end but not much depth. Actually quite a few early pick failures (though mostly down to bad luck than misjudged talent) but the depth is genuinely excellent. This was the other one in recent times the draft watchers got it wrong.
2014 - was mentioned as a weaker draft; the depth was supposed to be good but there wasn't much top-tier talent. Here the draft watchers were bang on; the Top 20 is close to the weakest in living history but there's excellent value to be had - in particular the rookie draft this year was excellent.
2015 - was supposed to be weak but the top-end was better than the depth. Again hard to complain too much - very few top-end failures (if not that many who are genuine stars) but not that much worth considering after the first round (though as always gems did stand out - but a lot of the hits were mature-aged).
2016 - was supposed to be excellent with fantastic depth all the way through the draft. There's a lot of late picks who look the goods and the top-end remains decent.
2018 - hyped up as potentially the best Top 10/20 of all-time. Signs look promising in this regard.

Way too early to talk about 2019 but from memory most of the watchers thought it was a fairly stock standard draft.

So only really 2013 in terms of the draft watchers getting it wrong in recent history as well as 2017.

Bringing back a few wasted drafts for a giants fan. SOS was great at the trade table for us, however didnt select real well. 2012 (Whitfield aside) and 2014 were the real wasteful drafts, so many early selections for not much return.

 

[bungalow_bill]

We (Lions fans) are hoping Rayner does a Petracca.

He can dominate the intraclub matches, but is struggling to impact AFL games consistently.

When he does get the ball, he can do some good things, but he just struggles to get his hands on it enough.

Zac Bailey has currently cemented a spot in our best 22.

And it look likes Brandon Starcevich has gone ahead of Alex Witherden. He looked good on the weekend.

Rayner is on track to being a dominant player just a matter of time.

Rayner
Bailey
Starcevich
Big O

That's a solid draft for the Lions

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Rayner is on track to being a dominant player just a matter of time.

Rayner
Bailey
Starcevich
Big O

That's a solid draft for the Lions

Hopefully Wooller and Ballenden can join them in senior debuts.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Article in HeraldSun today featuring a lot of commentary on this draft from Simon Dalrymple (ex-Dogs recruiter, current Sydney recruiter). He has arguably the best eye for talent of any recruiter in the AFL.

He rated Naughton and Stephenson as top 3/4 in this draft (although ruled out drafting Stephenson thanks to his medical background). Rated these two ahead of Dow and LDU, which is interesting considering exposed form would suggest Dow and LDU have been the weakest of the top 5, with Stephenson (6), Clark (7) and Naughton (9) outperforming them so far.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Great to see Nick Coffield finally starting to get back the flair, dare and skill he showed in the U18's. Was particularly enjoyable seeing him burn past and away from Sam Walsh last night, like he was a traffic cone!

Has really been building in the last few weeks and last night was his best game at AFL level.

Started off really well in his first year, but then I think Richo got a hold of him and sucked all that flair and dare out of him, to the point where he looked a shadow of his former self, and completely befeft of confidence. Seems to finally be getting it back now.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Allen looks like he could end up the 2nd best KPF behind Naughton or maybe even the best KPF from this draft

 

[Wild Bill]

Allen looks like he could end up the 2nd best KPF behind Naughton or maybe even the best KPF from this draft

Getting the 3rd best back each week. Naughton doesn’t have the quality of Kennedy and Darling in his forward line.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Getting the 3rd best back each week. Naughton doesn’t have the quality of Kennedy and Darling in his forward line.

He also spends half his time in the ruck and has played KPD as well. It wont be long before Kennedy is "rested" I reckon unless he pulls his finger out and Allen will be FF

 

[richoatthedisco]

Allen's promising but not a patch on Naughton.

Balta back in the side for Richmond this week, we're expecting big things from him and Coleman-Jones. Naish deserves a shot soon too.

 

[Virgin Dog]

Allen's promising but not a patch on Naughton.

Balta back in the side for Richmond this week, we're expecting big things from him and Coleman-Jones. Naish deserves a shot soon too.

Shocks me that Balta hasn't been getting games previously. Has he been injured, or just not favoured?

Great to see Nick Coffield finally starting to get back the flair, dare and skill he showed in the U18's. Was particularly enjoyable seeing him burn past and away from Sam Walsh last night, like he was a traffic cone!

Has really been building in the last few weeks and last night was his best game at AFL level.

Started off really well in his first year, but then I think Richo got a hold of him and sucked all that flair and dare out of him, to the point where he looked a shadow of his former self, and completely befeft of confidence. Seems to finally be getting it back now.

I wanted Coffield in 2017, was gutted when your lot took him and we had to settle for Naughton. Obviously pretty happy with how it turned out in hindsight, but Coffield is really starting to look like the player I thought he'd become. There's a lot of young guys to be excited about at the Saints right now (Long, King, Clark, Coffield, etc.)

 

[M Malice]

Rayner is on track to being a dominant player just a matter of time.

Rayner
Bailey
Starcevich
Big O

That's a solid draft for the Lions

Yep, confident given time this will be looked back on as a very good draft haul by the Lions, all 4 playing good regular senior footy this season.

 

[richoatthedisco]

Shocks me that Balta hasn't been getting games previously. Has he been injured, or just not favoured?

He played 13 games last year, mostly as second ruck, which I think is his best and natural position. We want him to be a key back, but it's almost his worst spot for mine because he's so instinctive. Naughton killed him last year, for example, but as a ruck against Hawthorn he had 16 contested possessions, and he was fantastic rucking solo against Freo after Nank went down early.

We're well covered for ruck though, with Nank, Soldo, Chol, and CJ looking our most exciting ruck prospect since Ottens, so we figure we'll use Noah elsewhere. He's been good down back in the scratchies, and with Astbury out for a month or more, will get his chance there now.

 

[richoatthedisco]

Balta outstanding today. 20 disposals, 8 marks - 5 of them intercepts - and a few other intercept possessions as well. I had him our second-best player, after Lambert.

 

[richoatthedisco]

Balta outstanding today. 20 disposals, 8 marks - 5 of them intercepts - and a few other intercept possessions as well. I had him our second-best player, after Lambert.

In fact it was 6 intercept marks, 10 intercept possessions total, 7 rebound 50s, and 409 metres gained, the second-most on the ground. This bloke could be anything.

 

[Slysh]

Rayner is on track to being a dominant player just a matter of time.

Rayner
Bailey
Starcevich
Big O

That's a solid draft for the Lions

Massive stretch to say he is on track to be a dominant player, still has all the potential in the world and i hope he reaches it.

But half a goal a game and 11 touches in his 3rd year is far from tracking to be dominant.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Rayner is on track to being a dominant player just a matter of time.

Rayner
Bailey
Starcevich
Big O

That's a solid draft for the Lions

Another comment.

The Big O was taken the year prior.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Another comment.

The Big O was taken the year prior.

This time you are correct

 

[nahnah]

Stevo still first by a mile

 

[Marcel Proust]

Stevo still first by a mile

Stephenson?

I'm not sure I'd swap Balta for two stevos

Balta has crazy ceiling and iirc got coaches votes last week.

Obviously no promise he will be there or anywhere near but it's looking alright Currently.

To continue on the Richmond theme id love to see ccj get a game this week

 

[nahnah]

Stephenson?

I'm not sure I'd swap Balta for two stevos

Balta has crazy ceiling and iirc got coaches votes last week.

Obviously no promise he will be there or anywhere near but it's looking alright Currently.

To continue on the Richmond theme id love to see ccj get a game this week

You do you mate

 

[richoatthedisco]

I'd have Stephenson for the first 10 minutes of games.

Stevo still first by a mile

Your club would swap him for Naughton in a heartbeat.

 

[nahnah]

I'd have Stephenson for the first 10 minutes of games.


Your club would swap him for Naughton in a heartbeat.

No they wouldn’t, firstly because pies don’t like key forwards for some reason and secondly because Stevo is better