Autopsy 2018 NAB AFL Draft

[OxSaint]

To me it looks like we are trying to find other options forward of centre that are a goal threat and provide elite pressure to free up Billings and Gresh to play more midfield (neither we’re great pressure players in the forward line).

In terms of mature age recruits I can understand their strategy. With late picks they are a lottery, most of the time you develop them for 2 years to find out they aren’t cut out for it and the club gets zero value from it. At least these guys are ready to contribute if needed. If our development matches that of Sydney or Adelaide we might have a different strategy as they turn rock into diamond more often then anyone.

 

[_Maximus_12]

The recruiting, at the very least will increase the intensity on the track which will improve our ability to play under pressure of a weekend.
Phrases such as “hard at it” “attacks the footy hard” and so on have been used in many of the articles describing each of our recruits after Max.
I think Hind & Young will play a fair bit.

 

[Coconut_twirl]

Other clubs have had success with mature aged recruits and it's about time Saints got in on the act. Robbie Young has more chance of playing senior football than some 18 year old that gets picked at pick 67.

 

[gringo2011]

Other clubs have had success with mature aged recruits and it's about time Saints got in on the act. Robbie Young has more chance of playing senior football than some 18 year old that gets picked at pick 67.

There are a heap of guys that should be sending Christmas cards to Tim Kelly. He's just turned the eyes on to the state leagues. WC winning a GF with a few state league boys helped too.

 

[Coconut_twirl]

There are a heap of guys that should be sending Christmas cards to Tim Kelly. He's just turned the eyes on to the state leagues. WC winning a GF with a few state league boys helped too.

There have always been gems. Podsiadaly and Barlow, etc. Clubs have been too scared to give them a go. Yet there has been so many flunk picks.

If you think about it, it's a big ask to expect an 18 year old bloke to become super professional with their diet, grog, fitness and leaving mates behind. Many people are simply not ready at 18. Stack may be an example of this from this year's draft cohort.

 

[hayes]

Richmond’s 2017 team small forward averages:

Rioli - 10 disposals 1 goal
Castagna - 10 disposals 1 goal
Butler - 11 disposals 1.3 goals
Caddy - higher possessions but still 1 goal average.

Hardly earth shattering numbers. WC and the Hawks flag teams did have a couple of smalls who averaged around 1.5 goals a game but they don’t have to, they just have to lock the ball in. Including Kent if 2-3 of these guys can come in it can really transform a team like it did with the Tigers. Just on Richo now to actually play some forwards in the forward line and get rid of that Sydney crap.

 

[plugger66]

Richmond’s 2017 team small forward averages:

Rioli - 10 disposals 1 goal
Castagna - 10 disposals 1 goal
Butler - 11 disposals 1.3 goals
Caddy - higher possessions but still 1 goal average.

Hardly earth shattering numbers. WC and the Hawks flag teams did have a couple of smalls who averaged around 1.5 goals a game but they don’t have to, they just have to lock the ball in. Including Kent if 2-3 of these guys can come in it can really transform a team like it did with the Tigers. Just on Richo now to actually play some forwards in the forward line and get rid of that Sydney crap.

Our problems starts with the midfield. because they are poor we require more and more players to get up the ground to defend. If out forwards sat back we would all be whinging that they should get up the ground to get in the play. The midfield should be slightly better this year but still pretty ordinary.

 

[sammm]

We need pace and he looks like a slingshot at VFL level. I watched one of their VFL games during the year on TV and he stood out for pace. I honestly can't remember if he did anything good but he was fun to watch because he was lightening, it just makes footy fun to watch when someone has a party trick.

We desperately needed pace. Hope they go well.

 

[Moral Decay]

I'm really pleased with this draft.
With the addition of ready to go mature ager players filling definite needs, the list now looks much more balanced in the centre and forward of centre.
The addition of Kent, Parker and Young, with Long returning it means no more patching or gifting games at small forward roles, and this pushes guys further back down the ground, Newnes, Acres, Geary, Paton, Lonie, Dunstan, Phillips and Armitage all have to be good enough and fit enough to play significant midfield minutes to get a game which puts more pressure on Clark, Ross, Hanners, Billings, Sinclair.

Wilkie is ready to go as an intercept backman as well, with a lovely left foot.
No more guys getting 30+ touches in the VFL midfield and getting a promotion only to have to play defensive forward in the AFL.
We were expose all over the ground last year for lack of appropriate depth except at HBF and thus my only question mark, the only choice I'm not happy with is Hind, another HBF? Ok he's got some pace but another HBF???? When we've been using our excess of HBF to fill in every where and still having spares. Oh well.

Significant improvement in coaching and the addition of the full time stats guy, (I've forgotten his name) from Hawthorn, just the need to get him suggests that our breakdown of match day performances has been deeply deficient, when the eye test of so many watches has left us all confused about what has been selection criteria. Hopefully this is someone who can cast a light in some dark places.

I still have question marks round health care for players, with so many being played obviously unfit or under done it will be another area that needs major improvement.

Wrapt to get King and Bytel but with so many players in their positions and coming of age I hope they barely play this year, the addition of mature agers, plus Hanners, Kent and the natural improvement in Acres, Clark, Coffield, Billings, Sinclair, and Lonie could transform us this year.

 

[Mighty_sainter]

I'm really pleased with this draft.
With the addition of ready to go mature ager players filling definite needs, the list now looks much more balanced in the centre and forward of centre.
The addition of Kent, Parker and Young, with Long returning it means no more patching or gifting games at small forward roles, and this pushes guys further back down the ground, Newnes, Acres, Geary, Paton, Lonie, Dunstan, Phillips and Armitage all have to be good enough and fit enough to play significant midfield minutes to get a game which puts more pressure on Clark, Ross, Hanners, Billings, Sinclair.

Wilkie is ready to go as an intercept backman as well, with a lovely left foot.
No more guys getting 30+ touches in the VFL midfield and getting a promotion only to have to play defensive forward in the AFL.
We were expose all over the ground last year for lack of appropriate depth except at HBF and thus my only question mark, the only choice I'm not happy with is Hind, another HBF? Ok he's got some pace but another HBF???? When we've been using our excess of HBF to fill in every where and still having spares. Oh well.

Significant improvement in coaching and the addition of the full time stats guy, (I've forgotten his name) from Hawthorn, just the need to get him suggests that our breakdown of match day performances has been deeply deficient, when the eye test of so many watches has left us all confused about what has been selection criteria. Hopefully this is someone who can cast a light in some dark places.

I still have question marks round health care for players, with so many being played obviously unfit or under done it will be another area that needs major improvement.

Wrapt to get King and Bytel but with so many players in their positions and coming of age I hope they barely play this year, the addition of mature agers, plus Hanners, Kent and the natural improvement in Acres, Clark, Coffield, Billings, Sinclair, and Lonie could transform us this year.

Hind will play wing, pretty obvious I would’ve thought

 

[StCicatriz]

There are a heap of guys that should be sending Christmas cards to Tim Kelly. He's just turned the eyes on to the state leagues. WC winning a GF with a few state league boys helped too.

this

i think the strategy we went with this year is spot on. we needed some leg speed ASAP and we need some mature players to surround the kids with ASAP.

however i dont think we should repeat this every year. we shouldnt always load up on state league talent.

 

[bird_man]

I actually think that of the lot, Wilkie looks the most ready to go footballer of the lot of them.

Unfortunately for him he'll have a lot more competition for a spot where as for the other three there is a real need for them if they can play well.

 

[gringo2011]

I actually think that of the lot, Wilkie looks the most ready to go footballer of the lot of them.

Unfortunately for him he'll have a lot more competition for a spot where as for the other three there is a real need for them if they can play well.

Looks like he could play wing too IMO. Has good attributes.

 

[StCicatriz]

I actually think that of the lot, Wilkie looks the most ready to go footballer of the lot of them.

Unfortunately for him he'll have a lot more competition for a spot where as for the other three there is a real need for them if they can play well.

i agree mate!!!

the fact he can do it in a grand final and win a B&F speaks volumes!

 

[bennymc7]

For future reference:

- I’m very happy with Bytel but would have been just as happy with Curtis Taylor

- I was hoping Jacob Kennerley at the Matthew Parker pick

- I was hoping for Fraser Turner at the Nick Hind pick

- with our last pick, if we wanted a mature ager, surely you pick Michael Gibbons....?

- Rookie pick, my preference would have been Tom McKenzie

Anyways, good luck to our new boys. Go you mighty Saints in 2019

I reckon Michael Gibbons is a deadset no brainer

 

[bird_man]

I reckon Michael Gibbons is a deadset no brainer

I'd say then only reason he continues to miss out is that he's an absolute loose unit outside of footy.

Can obviously play.

 

[Stewart66]

There have always been gems. Podsiadaly and Barlow, etc. Clubs have been too scared to give them a go. Yet there has been so many flunk picks.

If you think about it, it's a big ask to expect an 18 year old bloke to become super professional with their diet, grog, fitness and leaving mates behind. Many people are simply not ready at 18. Stack may be an example of this from this year's draft cohort.

Think a bloke called Lambert goes ok myself another bloke called Stewart at Geelong.

There are plenty of guys around all of the leagues , still many more out there .

 

[bennymc7]

I'd say then only reason he continues to miss out is that he's an absolute loose unit outside of footy.

Can obviously play.

Is he? I don't know him

 

[gringo2011]

Think a bloke called Lambert goes ok myself another bloke called Stewart at Geelong.

There are plenty of guys around all of the leagues , still many more out there .

Didn't Brodie Mihocek come from VFL too?

 

[bird_man]

Is he? I don't know him

He lives life to the full

 

[Stewart66]

Didn't Brodie Mihocek come from VFL too?

Port Melbourne

 

[Stewart66]

Port Melbourne

Dane Rampe played 3 years at Williamstown

 

[Rors]

For future reference:

- I’m very happy with Bytel but would have been just as happy with Curtis Taylor

- I was hoping Jacob Kennerley at the Matthew Parker pick

- I was hoping for Fraser Turner at the Nick Hind pick

- with our last pick, if we wanted a mature ager, surely you pick Michael Gibbons....?

- Rookie pick, my preference would have been Tom McKenzie

Anyways, good luck to our new boys. Go you mighty Saints in 2019

Quoting myself here I know but just wanted to clarify that the points I made above were based purely on my initial instincts post-draft without having seen any footage of our new draftees.

Upon reflection, I’m very comfortable with the players we have chosen as all have extreme pace, an area in which we are lacking, and are footballers before athletes.

Going forward, to Parker, Hind & Young, I hope you have long & successful careers in the RW&B

 

[JG22]

Think today will be the first day for the new draftees

 

[SAIINT]

What’s the word on Parker’s past off field issues? That nuffy buckenara makes him sound like an ex con. Did he just love a party...