Autopsy 2018 NAB AFL Draft

[VDS66]

O e potential star, another potential star with a few shop floor dents... Then some ready-to-go front half speed and pressure.

Plenty to work with next year.

 

[Brains Trust66]

If you think these young guys have it easy getting drafted, check out the full nomination list on the AFL site, there are so many players who haven't been drafted. I never realised the numbers of potential players there are in the draft.


Go Saints

 

[bird_man]

We now have 4 indigenous kids from 4 different states

 

[StCicatriz]

just on parker, i'm happy our recruiters took the punt. they got in early rather than doing what clubs have done to date and wanted to see a 2nd season to show the first wasn't a one off. they tend to want to see 24 months of consistency before pulling the trigger. so i'm glad we pulled the trigger. i'll back them in, they get to speak to these players, the club staff and watch every passage of play in detail. access to stats etc.

having said that i'm not convinced he is the guy we should have taken. having watched him for two years now. he tends to struggle against the more professional opposition. if you look at his stats against subi who train like an AFL side (as close as they can) and drive a very strong brand built on defence, he really struggled against them. he played them 4 times in the seniors and was held goal-less and was much down on his usual output. his tackle count was also down. basically he went into his shell. he didn't trouble them and was easily shut down.

so whilst he has some very special attributes my worry here is how he will go at the next level up in a side like ours which has struggled at times. he's either going to be a bit like terry milera and find it all a bit too hard or he could become a serviceable type that's amazing in the home and away season when we are going well and the pressure is off.

for cost? probably worth the punt.

what i would say, is i hope we provide him the support he needs. going from reserves last year, to a full season of WAFL this year was a big enough step. going to a full time AFL environment now will be a big step up. remembering he is a young father. kelly is the poster child now of a guy who got his life together. he did the hard yards. but he still found it tough at geelong with a young family. lets hope we can help him in that regard.

 

[Cornish]

We now have 4 indigenous kids from 4 different states

Ben Long and Mathew Parker are both Melville, Tiwi island boys, the plot thickens

Edit for correctness: why? coz i stuffed up.

Parker played for Melville a footy club from South Fremantle and earlier bio i found on him said he was from Melville

 

[borderbarry]

That leaves NSW, Qld, and Tassy to go, then we will have the country covered.

 

[bird_man]

Ben Long and Mathew Parker are both Melville, Tiwi island boys, the plot thickens

Didn't know that, just presumed he was a WA boy.

 

[bird_man]

That leaves NSW, Qld, and Tassy to go, then we will have the country covered.

You'd be happy to see a few indigenous boys come into the club Baz?

Hopefully they bring plenty of excitement.

 

[Joffaboy]

Robert Young looks extremely quick but very very leftsided.

Bananas a goal when in front of it because of no right foot. Another time runs about to get on to his left.
Our lefties have been getting corralled for years because of their left sidedness.
That's why Hunter Clark was so exciting, kicks it both feet like Leon Cameron.
Still he is on a list, has lightning speed and kicks goals.
All good strengths


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[L_W_P]

Fairly happy with how the day went.

Bytel was the best slider and if his underage year is anything to go by he could be anything.

Really happy with the Hind selection. Could fit straight into our 22 on a wing I think and finally give us the break away speed we are desperate for.

Young looks a good prospect. I like that he has speed but is also a real campaigner.

Only pick I'm a bit iffy about is Parker. I reckon there were some really good kids still available around that pick. Hopefully he proves me wrong.

Interesting because Hind is the only one I am not sold on!

Looking at who else went in that range, and knowing we wanted pace, Zac Foot is probably the only kid that could be seen as an option. The club clearly wanted senior bodies though and waiting for a 17yo to be ready vs a 22/23yo who can play round 1 is a big call.

I think we are going to see a significantly different line up to start this season. All of Parker, Long, Hind, Kent, Gresham and Steven in the one side. All forward of centre. Going with that Travolta style setup...

 

[CursingFijian]

We now have 4 indigenous kids from 4 different states

I was thinking about this today. I reckon this reflects an understanding within the club of the leadership potential that Long can provide.

 

[Cornish]

Didn't know that, just presumed he was a WA boy.

He may of only played for Melville in the Ammos in W.A, i may have cocked that up, you are probably correct.

 

[StCicatriz]

He may of only played for Melville in the Ammos in W.A, i may have cocked that up, you are probably correct.

melville from memory is in south freos zone. its south of the river in perth. 20 mins east of fremantle oval where he played for south fremantle.

 

[gy027]

To me it looks like we had a draft plan and we stuck to it.
We identified the type of players we needed and drafted accordingly.
Previously we seemed to just take the next on our list regardless of what sort of player they were.

 

[lewdogs]

Fascinating draft day from us. Gallagher obviously took a different approach, targeting 3 quick mature age players to address our lack of pace. Can't wait to see which of these new guys plays next year.

On top of that we picked up a nice midfield slider in Bytel to go with Max.

It seems we are making a big effort to be a welcome club for indigenous players from all over the country.

Our forward line is going to be quite different next year.

 

[Drake Huggins]

The Cafe style raisin toast is just the best , you should try some

I have, Captain Risky. Too often. Hence I move like The Statue of Liberty. Someone posted on a saints' fan forum that it was tasty and made you train like a champion. Just shows to go 'ya, you can't believe everything you read on those interweb thingies.

 

[StCicatriz]

i have to say, putting the picks aside for a moment, i am absolutely wrapped with the strategy here. people can debate the selections all they like but the strategy is absolutely bang on here.

select best available
select best young mid
select 3x mature players with leg speed

i think we need the mature guys now to help support the kids coming through. i think we need to everything we can to climb the ladder now. i think leg speed is big area of concern along with disposal. more so than positional need.

 

[AaronSCHQ]

Happy with King and Bytel at 4 and 41. Both slipped because of injuries, but I’d rather the club take the risk with them. Anyone know much about the 3 state league fellas? Any a standout to be in our best 22 at this stage, prior to them doing a preseason?

I just like to get my head around what we have, and I also have a running 22 that I constantly update.

 

[AaronSCHQ]

Also... once we traded 75 and the fourth for 67, I realised we no longer had a pick to upgrade Marshall. Does anyone know what happened there? Can we sign him as a rookie again or did we just use a later pick as upgrade they didn’t show during the draft?

 

[bird_man]

Happy with King and Bytel at 4 and 41. Both slipped because of injuries, but I’d rather the club take the risk with them. Anyone know much about the 3 state league fellas? Any a standout to be in our best 22 at this stage, prior to them doing a preseason?

I just like to get my head around what we have, and I also have a running 22 that I constantly update.

My opinion is that Hind will fit into our 22 nicely, hopefully on a wing.

I don't know enough about the other two. Neither find a lot of the footy bit obviously have talent.

I think Young will be looked at as a pressure forward and Parker more of a goal kicking half forward.

 

[st_trav_ofWA]

just on parker, i'm happy our recruiters took the punt. they got in early rather than doing what clubs have done to date and wanted to see a 2nd season to show the first wasn't a one off. they tend to want to see 24 months of consistency before pulling the trigger. so i'm glad we pulled the trigger. i'll back them in, they get to speak to these players, the club staff and watch every passage of play in detail. access to stats etc.

having said that i'm not convinced he is the guy we should have taken. having watched him for two years now. he tends to struggle against the more professional opposition. if you look at his stats against subi who train like an AFL side (as close as they can) and drive a very strong brand built on defence, he really struggled against them. he played them 4 times in the seniors and was held goal-less and was much down on his usual output. his tackle count was also down. basically he went into his shell. he didn't trouble them and was easily shut down.

so whilst he has some very special attributes my worry here is how he will go at the next level up in a side like ours which has struggled at times. he's either going to be a bit like terry milera and find it all a bit too hard or he could become a serviceable type that's amazing in the home and away season when we are going well and the pressure is off.

for cost? probably worth the punt.

what i would say, is i hope we provide him the support he needs. going from reserves last year, to a full season of WAFL this year was a big enough step. going to a full time AFL environment now will be a big step up. remembering he is a young father. kelly is the poster child now of a guy who got his life together. he did the hard yards. but he still found it tough at geelong with a young family. lets hope we can help him in that regard.

to be fair Subi did go undefeated last year and won the g/f without breaking a sweat ... not many players played great games against them hence their dominance

 

[Joffaboy]

Couple of observations

The two trades and the first two dp's all have injury concerns.
Big risk.
Went from pick 3 and 4 late 4th rounders, to having a 1st, second, 3rd, and fourth round dp.
Great work recruiting team.

Trading 28 for 36 and 46 worked out well. Bytel was a slider and could have gone @ 28 so 46 was a free hit.
Again great recruiting.
Ended up with
Hanners future 2nd
Kent Pick 63
King 4
Bytel 40
Parker 43
Hind 54
Young 67

Pretty fair effort


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[saintbatty]

Also... once we traded 75 and the fourth for 67, I realised we no longer had a pick to upgrade Marshall. Does anyone know what happened there? Can we sign him as a rookie again or did we just use a later pick as upgrade they didn’t show during the draft?

Pretty sure they just get upgraded, don't need to use a pick anymore.

 

[VDS66]

Interesting because Hind is the only one I am not sold on!

Looking at who else went in that range, and knowing we wanted pace, Zac Foot is probably the only kid that could be seen as an option. The club clearly wanted senior bodies though and waiting for a 17yo to be ready vs a 22/23yo who can play round 1 is a big call.

I think we are going to see a significantly different line up to start this season. All of Parker, Long, Hind, Kent, Gresham and Steven in the one side. All forward of centre. Going with that Travolta style setup...

I think it certainly signals our intention regarding the game plan.

We have been killed in the spread fit the last 3 years, so hopefully we can address it.

Should also help keep the ball inside 50 a bit longer.

 

[aussierulesrules]

Well we got another Jack and two guys with significant injuries with our main two picks, so anything after that is a bonus really!