Review 2019 AFL National Draft

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Dec 18, 2014
3,971
10,868
Victoria
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Pierce & Pierce, Stratton Oakmont
How the hell is he getting paid to do this?

"Will walk away thinking they've done as well as they could with their picks"

No s**t idiot, they picked who they thought was best on their board at their picks.

Literally the most useless analysis I've ever seen.
Wasn’t this the w***er that said North should try to draft star players? Wow, I wonder if it ever occurred to our recruiting department to try and recruit star players. It must be so easy to get into journalism these days.
 

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North Melbourne

North Melbourne through their exchange of picks with Essendon slightly worsened their draft hand but improved their draft hand for 2020 by securing Essendon's 2020 second round choice. Charlie Comben with the club's first selection is a speculative choice given the attributes he possesses as a 199cm, strong marking key forward, but with his injury history and averaging less than one goal per game in the NAB League and Under-18 Championships it is a hard sell taking him so early. Jack Mahony is the more solid of North Melbourne's selections as a ready-to-go small forward who can crumb and play a role from season one. Flynn Perez is a second speculative selection and a second prospect arguably taken too early. Perez missed 2019 having torn his ACL during the preseason and while quick and a good ball user he plays a very outside game and struggles to win his own ball.

Grade: C

 
Jun 7, 2019
5,138
17,626
AFL Club
North Melbourne
So my two cents worth.... a curate's egg, good in parts, and concerning in others. First off, like Groin Guru I hope Comben, Mahony and Perez each play 200 games, and leave me regretting ever making this post, but! I just don't like some of the decision-making...

The Good:

1. The trade with Essendon - gave up little this year, given we were taking Walker as DFA and therefore 47 was no loss, and the shift back to 35 didn't have any material downside
2. Mahony at 34 - he might not have pace, but Champion Data has him ranked 14 (third highest rank player at the 2019 national champs), so at 34, he has to be considered a good deal, an obviously fills a structural gap.

The Maybe:

3. Comben - had a good year, but injury prone and still needs to grow a tad for genuine ruck height. However, even if you wanted him, why take him as our first pick - Melbourne (next in line) were never going to take him having opted for Jackson, and the Brisbane list doesn't need a ruck (Martin, McInerney and two ruck rookies).

The Inexplicable:

4. Perez - I hope the kid brains it, I really do. The issue here isn't the boy, but the club's decision-making; they've passed on a known quantity - Elijah Taylor, an All Australian - on someone who no-one can be sure of, because he hasn't been seen in 12 months, and the 'vibe' on which the hunch is based is one celebrity game (his stats for Bendigo as an under-ager don't leap out). I know all about recruiter's instincts etc etc, but it's also a business and I can't see any serious business taking a risk on an unknown quantity when a known product is the alternative.

And I'm not sure about others, but watching the North room in action had a whiff of panic about it
 
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the flying ham

Cancelled
Dec 12, 2006
7,403
16,059
AFL Club
North Melbourne
So my two cents worth.... a curate's egg, good in parts, and concerning in others. First off, like Groin Guru I hope Comben, Mahony and Perez each play 200 games, and leave me regretting ever making this post, but! I just don't like some of the decision-making...

The Good:

1. The trade with Essendon - gave up little this year, given we were taking Walker as DFA and therefore 47 was no loss, and the shift back to 35 didn't have any material downside
2. Mahony at 34 - he might not have pace, but Champion Data has him ranked 14 (third highest rank player at the 2019 national champs), so at 34, he has to be considered a good deal, an obviously fills a structural gap.

The Maybe:

3. Comben - had a good year, but injury prone and still needs to grow a tad for genuine ruck height. However, even if you wanted him, why take him as our first pick - Melbourne (next in line) were never going to take him having opted for Jackson, and the Brisbane list doesn't need a ruck (Martin, McInerney and two ruck rookies).

The Inexplicable:

4. Perez - I hope the kid brains it, I really do. The issue here isn't the boy, but the club's decision-making; they've passed on a known quantity - Elijah Taylor, an All Australian - on someone who no-one can be sure of, because he hasn't been seen in 12 months, and the 'vibe' on which the hunch is based is one celebrity game (his stats for Bendigo as an under-ager don't leap out). I know all about recruiter's instincts etc etc, but it's also a business and I can't see any serious business taking a risk on an unknown quantity when a known product is the alternative.

And I'm not sure about others, but watching the North room in action had a whiff of panic about it
They are all maybes merlin

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It is a shame we didn't have this recruitment team last year, not afraid to move picks around. I felt we could have done a lot more last year given we had a better hand, were chasing academy/father-son players and were moving on a couple of players that had some value.
 
Feb 1, 2008
12,317
15,133
Thailand
AFL Club
North Melbourne
It is a shame we didn't have this recruitment team last year, not afraid to move picks around. I felt we could have done a lot more last year given we had a better hand, were chasing academy/father-son players and were moving on a couple of players that had some value.

We need to set up a team to spend the next 12 months figuring out various ways to get around and generally scam the whole draft process.
 

Pykie

Cancelled
10k Posts A Star Wars Fan Pokemon is Life North Melbourne - North 2007 Player Sponsor North Melbourne - 2013 Daw, Black and Gibson Player Sponsorship
Sep 17, 2006
20,605
45,615
Lord's
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
North Melbourne

North Melbourne through their exchange of picks with Essendon slightly worsened their draft hand but improved their draft hand for 2020 by securing Essendon's 2020 second round choice. Charlie Comben with the club's first selection is a speculative choice given the attributes he possesses as a 199cm, strong marking key forward, but with his injury history and averaging less than one goal per game in the NAB League and Under-18 Championships it is a hard sell taking him so early. Jack Mahony is the more solid of North Melbourne's selections as a ready-to-go small forward who can crumb and play a role from season one. Flynn Perez is a second speculative selection and a second prospect arguably taken too early. Perez missed 2019 having torn his ACL during the preseason and while quick and a good ball user he plays a very outside game and struggles to win his own ball.

Grade: C


I promise you knightmare has never seen Perez play.

After berating him last year we found out he’d never seen Thomas in any game other than the ones he played for the Allies.

He only watches the championships, bullshits his way through the rest.
 
Jul 26, 2007
93,513
161,901
The Tree
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Arsenal, Coney Island Warriors
So my two cents worth.... a curate's egg, good in parts, and concerning in others. First off, like Groin Guru I hope Comben, Mahony and Perez each play 200 games, and leave me regretting ever making this post, but! I just don't like some of the decision-making...

The Good:

1. The trade with Essendon - gave up little this year, given we were taking Walker as DFA and therefore 47 was no loss, and the shift back to 35 didn't have any material downside
2. Mahony at 34 - he might not have pace, but Champion Data has him ranked 14 (third highest rank player at the 2019 national champs), so at 34, he has to be considered a good deal, an obviously fills a structural gap.

The Maybe:

3. Comben - had a good year, but injury prone and still needs to grow a tad for genuine ruck height. However, even if you wanted him, why take him as our first pick - Melbourne (next in line) were never going to take him having opted for Jackson, and the Brisbane list doesn't need a ruck (Martin, McInerney and two ruck rookies).

The Inexplicable:

4. Perez - I hope the kid brains it, I really do. The issue here isn't the boy, but the club's decision-making; they've passed on a known quantity - Elijah Taylor, an All Australian - on someone who no-one can be sure of, because he hasn't been seen in 12 months, and the 'vibe' on which the hunch is based is one celebrity game (his stats for Bendigo as an under-ager don't leap out). I know all about recruiter's instincts etc etc, but it's also a business and I can't see any serious business taking a risk on an unknown quantity when a known product is the alternative.

And I'm not sure about others, but watching the North room in action had a whiff of panic about it

In fairness mate there are no known quantities, there's prospects and once you hit picks in the thirties every player there has the same prospects.

For me, and seeing/hearing some of the stuff afterwards, North knew exactly what players they were going to draft and that probably would have only changed with a Gould or the like still on the board unexpectedly (in the end, they weren't).
 

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Pykie

Cancelled
10k Posts A Star Wars Fan Pokemon is Life North Melbourne - North 2007 Player Sponsor North Melbourne - 2013 Daw, Black and Gibson Player Sponsorship
Sep 17, 2006
20,605
45,615
Lord's
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
Wells turned back the clock.

Turned Kelly into Cooper Stephens, Sam De Koning and Cam Taheney.

They also hold 3 x first rounders next year including a locked in #11, which may end up better than the Melbourne pick.
 
Apr 1, 2008
57,382
100,846
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Liverpool, Raiders, GSW, QPR, NYM
Wells turned back the clock.

Turned Kelly into Cooper Stephens, Sam De Koning and Cam Taheney.

They also hold 3 x first rounders next year including a locked in #11, which may end up better than the Melbourne pick.

Genuinely farcical that that trade went through.
 

hilly

Brownlow Medallist
Nov 27, 2000
15,644
31,363
Frank Grey Smith Bar
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Triple M commentary team
So my two cents worth.... a curate's egg, good in parts, and concerning in others. First off, like Groin Guru I hope Comben, Mahony and Perez each play 200 games, and leave me regretting ever making this post, but! I just don't like some of the decision-making...

The Good:

1. The trade with Essendon - gave up little this year, given we were taking Walker as DFA and therefore 47 was no loss, and the shift back to 35 didn't have any material downside
2. Mahony at 34 - he might not have pace, but Champion Data has him ranked 14 (third highest rank player at the 2019 national champs), so at 34, he has to be considered a good deal, an obviously fills a structural gap.

The Maybe:

3. Comben - had a good year, but injury prone and still needs to grow a tad for genuine ruck height. However, even if you wanted him, why take him as our first pick - Melbourne (next in line) were never going to take him having opted for Jackson, and the Brisbane list doesn't need a ruck (Martin, McInerney and two ruck rookies).

The Inexplicable:

4. Perez - I hope the kid brains it, I really do. The issue here isn't the boy, but the club's decision-making; they've passed on a known quantity - Elijah Taylor, an All Australian - on someone who no-one can be sure of, because he hasn't been seen in 12 months, and the 'vibe' on which the hunch is based is one celebrity game (his stats for Bendigo as an under-ager don't leap out). I know all about recruiter's instincts etc etc, but it's also a business and I can't see any serious business taking a risk on an unknown quantity when a known product is the alternative.

And I'm not sure about others, but watching the North room in action had a whiff of panic about it
Lol E.Taylor known quantity. Some real concerns about his application.

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Sep 21, 2008
27,964
64,587
Vic
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Quick questioncan we have non-listed players train at the club over the pre-season with thought to take them in the SPP if one of our players was to go down with a long term injury?

There was a bit of talent left on the shelf last night....it would be good if we could get any of the following talented youngsters down to the club to either train with the senior side or perhaps get listed with the VFL side.

I’m talking about kids like: Darcy Cassar, Lachlan Stapleton, Daniel Mott, Darcy Chirgwin, Dyson Hilder, Ben Kelly or Karl Finlay.

Tyrone Thorne or Jai Jackson could be raw recruits for the VFL who could develop in that small forward role.

Considering our losses in the VFL side it would be ideal if we could get someone like Partington to the club. A player who genuinely could get picked up in the SPP or mid season draft and have an immediate impact.
 

Pykie

Cancelled
10k Posts A Star Wars Fan Pokemon is Life North Melbourne - North 2007 Player Sponsor North Melbourne - 2013 Daw, Black and Gibson Player Sponsorship
Sep 17, 2006
20,605
45,615
Lord's
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Leeds United
Here's hoping we only need 3 or 4 VFL players each week this year, rather than 14.
 
Dec 18, 2014
3,971
10,868
Victoria
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Pierce & Pierce, Stratton Oakmont
In all honesty, I think people get way to hyped up over high draft picks. 2 of our most promising young forwards, ‘Larkey’ (Pick 73) and ‘Zurhaar’ (Rookie Draft) prove that there is plenty of talent to be found. That being said, if Melbourne could do us a favour and suck ass again, that would be splendid.

On a side note;
In regards to the “Journalist” who rated us a C, how can you rate a draft before the players have even stepped foot on the field? For all we know, Matt Rowell might turn out to be the next Jack Watts.
 
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In all honesty, I think people get way to hyped up over high draft picks. 2 of our most promising young forwards, ‘Larkey’ (Pick 73) and ‘Zurhaar’ (Rookie Draft) prove that there is plenty of talent to be found. That being said, if Melbourne could do us a favour and suck ass again, that would be splendid.

On a side note;
In regards to the “Journalist” who rated us a C, how can you rate a draft before the players have even stepped foot on the field? For all we know, Matt Rowell might turn out to be the next Jack Watts.
Ben Brown missed 2 drafts and went in the 40s. Your namesake went in the 40s. LT went in the 50s.
 
Mar 16, 2001
23,964
55,788
Melbourne VIC
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Wales, Eastwood, West Ham
He was taken by Sydney with application issues? .......yeah, maybe
Pretty sure the point being made is that no draftees are known quantities when it comes to how they will go in AFL, and that every player who has dropped to the 30s and been overlooked by many clubs had identified shortcomings.
 
Feb 19, 2016
29,260
36,587
AFL Club
North Melbourne
I promise you knightmare has never seen Perez play.

After berating him last year we found out he’d never seen Thomas in any game other than the ones he played for the Allies.

He only watches the championships, bullshits his way through the rest.
Perfect fit for mainstream media then.
 

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