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Preview 2020 AFL National Draft thread

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Luke Pedlar rising up
Twomey again stating Perkins to Roos at pick 11 is as far as he'll go.

 
Pykie said:
Balmer mentioned he thinks Eddie Ford is a "late" draft chance, possibly even rookie.

Would be a great get at our 4th pick.
Click to expand...
Solid highlights
 
Pykie said:
Balmer mentioned he thinks Eddie Ford is a "late" draft chance, possibly even rookie.

Would be a great get at our 4th pick.
Click to expand...
Seems like the recruiters will trust the Sandy and Oakleigh system and some good prospects from the lesser junior clubs might be great value.
 
So all of Perkins,Cox, Reid, Macrae and Chapman are taken before our second pick.




PICK 3: NORTH MELBOURNE – RILEY THILTHORPE

Clubs: West Adelaide/South Australia

Position: Key Forward

Size: 201cm/100kg

Bio: The key forward is certainly a contender for the Crows with the first pick, with the South Australian showing his ability throughout the year. A groin injury ended his season early, but there was enough signs throughout the season to suggest he deserves to be one of the first few talls picked. He can also play as a ruck, with the athletic tall having good running ability. His work at ground level is very good and he certainly knows where the goals are when roaming inside 50.

In the mix: The Roos have a number of options depending on how the Crows go, but it seems the same players in the conversation for Pick 1 will be considered here. They have done plenty of work on Archie Perkins, but it might be more in the hope of him getting to their other selection.



PICK 14: NORTH MELBOURNE – TOM POWELL

Clubs: Sturt/South Australia

Position: Midfielder

Size: 183cm/74kg

Bio: Powell has hardly put a foot wrong this year as he racked up disposal after disposal. His work at the stoppages is very good where he looks to find a teammate by hand. Powell’s footy IQ is elite, making him one of the smarter players through the middle. For Sturt this season, Powell averaged 157 Champion Data ranking points, 34.1 disposals and 8.4 clearances. He claimed the league’s McCallum-Tomkins Medal after a starring year.

In the mix: The Roos haven’t firmly been linked with many players at their second selection, bar Perkins. But it’s unlikely he reaches Pick 14. Midfielder Tanner Bruhn is one such player who will be considered.
 
Last edited:

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Thilthorpe good
 
giantroo said:


PICK 3: NORTH MELBOURNE – RILEY THILTHORPE

Clubs: West Adelaide/South Australia

Position: Key Forward

Size: 201cm/100kg

Bio: The key forward is certainly a contender for the Crows with the first pick, with the South Australian showing his ability throughout the year. A groin injury ended his season early, but there was enough signs throughout the season to suggest he deserves to be one of the first few talls picked. He can also play as a ruck, with the athletic tall having good running ability. His work at ground level is very good and he certainly knows where the goals are when roaming inside 50.

In the mix: The Roos have a number of options depending on how the Crows go, but it seems the same players in the conversation for Pick 1 will be considered here. They have done plenty of work on Archie Perkins, but it might be more in the hope of him getting to their other selection.



PICK 14: NORTH MELBOURNE – TOM POWELL

Clubs: Sturt/South Australia

Position: Midfielder

Size: 183cm/74kg

Bio: Powell has hardly put a foot wrong this year as he racked up disposal after disposal. His work at the stoppages is very good where he looks to find a teammate by hand. Powell’s footy IQ is elite, making him one of the smarter players through the middle. For Sturt this season, Powell averaged 157 Champion Data ranking points, 34.1 disposals and 8.4 clearances. He claimed the league’s McCallum-Tomkins Medal after a starring year.

In the mix: The Roos haven’t firmly been linked with many players at their second selection, bar Perkins. But it’s unlikely he reaches Pick 14. Midfielder Tanner Bruhn is one such player who will be considered.
Click to expand...


This is about my dream scenario that might realistically occur.

I'd love any of Perkins, Macrae, Bruhn and Cox at our 2nd pick too.
 
Flawed Genius said:
Is the bloke taking the piss or just a hopeless judge of footy?
Click to expand...

Drinks his own bong water and is a lazy "analyst", loves the accolades but barely has an original thought of his own let alone carries out much actual analysis beyond plugging stats into a spreadsheet.
 
I'm surprised people on this site still bother with KM after he admitted he didn't watch the draftees this year and when there's an outstanding resource like eDPS's thread. Despite being a fan of the scum, he's comfortably the most informative, knowledgeable and engaging of all the draft watchers/posters.
 
outwecome2play said:
The media love the bolters.
Click to expand...

show_image.php
 
giantroo said:
So all of Perkins,Cox, Reid, Macrae and Chapman are taken before our second pick.




PICK 3: NORTH MELBOURNE – RILEY THILTHORPE

Clubs: West Adelaide/South Australia

Position: Key Forward

Size: 201cm/100kg

Bio: The key forward is certainly a contender for the Crows with the first pick, with the South Australian showing his ability throughout the year. A groin injury ended his season early, but there was enough signs throughout the season to suggest he deserves to be one of the first few talls picked. He can also play as a ruck, with the athletic tall having good running ability. His work at ground level is very good and he certainly knows where the goals are when roaming inside 50.

In the mix: The Roos have a number of options depending on how the Crows go, but it seems the same players in the conversation for Pick 1 will be considered here. They have done plenty of work on Archie Perkins, but it might be more in the hope of him getting to their other selection.



PICK 14: NORTH MELBOURNE – TOM POWELL

Clubs: Sturt/South Australia

Position: Midfielder

Size: 183cm/74kg

Bio: Powell has hardly put a foot wrong this year as he racked up disposal after disposal. His work at the stoppages is very good where he looks to find a teammate by hand. Powell’s footy IQ is elite, making him one of the smarter players through the middle. For Sturt this season, Powell averaged 157 Champion Data ranking points, 34.1 disposals and 8.4 clearances. He claimed the league’s McCallum-Tomkins Medal after a starring year.

In the mix: The Roos haven’t firmly been linked with many players at their second selection, bar Perkins. But it’s unlikely he reaches Pick 14. Midfielder Tanner Bruhn is one such player who will be considered.
Click to expand...


I reckon all the mock's I've seen have us taking Thilthorpe. All the so called expert copying you?
 

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Merlin007 said:
Umm, to build a list that produces a better finish than second last on percentage?
Click to expand...

that‘s a bold strategy

maybe revisit the question, I.e., you seemed to cut a lot more players than you have good draft picks. What’s your list strategy here?
 
Deaneus! said:
that‘s a bold strategy

maybe revisit the question, I.e., you seemed to cut a lot more players than you have good draft picks. What’s your list strategy here?
Click to expand...

We are taking 5 selections.

2 x first rounds and 2 x second rounders + a late pick

We picked up a 21 year old former top 5 pick in the trade period.

What would you prefer we did?
 
How Port Adelaide pulled off bold plan to secure dynamic trio Rozee, Butters and Duursma in 2018 draft
Scott Gullan
@gullanHeraldSun
December 4, 2020 - 12:25PM

Port Adelaide hatched an intricate plan to land three of the best young guns in the 2018 draft and it involved providing false intel to another club.

Jason Cripps only had 12 names on the piece of paper in front of him.

Port Adelaide had found themselves in a unique position coming into the 2018 national draft after months of planning had resulted in their goal of having three first-round picks.

You needed a PHD and a whiteboard to understand how Port’s list manager had pulled it off but now the final part of the plan had to be executed.

It was ambitious in a number of ways but his recruiting team, led by Geoff Parker, had come up with 12 players they felt were worthy of going in the opening round.

Port had picks 5, 10 and 15 and the decision was made that if the selected 12 were gone by the time of their third selection then they would take advantage of a new AFL rule of live trading on draft night.

It had already been a busy day for the Port contingent when they settled into their seats in the super boxes at Marvel Stadium.

They’d been forced to launch a misinformation campaign in order to save the “expected” draft order which would ensure a livewire from Bacchus Marsh named Zak Butters was available at their second selection.

The Western Bulldogs had pick No.7 and were all over Bailey Smith, a gun midfielder from the Sandringham Dragons, who had made it known he didn’t want to move interstate.

But Port had got wind of a plan for the Dogs to do a deal with the GWS Giants and slide down the draft because they were confident Smith’s stance had scared off the interstate clubs.

The Giants already had the pick before Port which they were going to use on Bendigo midfielder Jye Caldwell at No.9 but if they gained another pick inside that then word was it had Butters name on it.

So Port went to work with coach Ken Hinkley getting on the phone to Smith’s manager Paul Connors.

It was a simple message: if the Dogs dropped down, then he’d take Smith and back in his club’s system to settle the kid in Adelaide.

It was a bold move — Smith wasn’t really in their plans — but one they hoped forced the Dogs’ hand.

Port had already instigated two separate trades with Fremantle and Brisbane to improve their draft position from No.11 to No.5.

They knew they had to get to the pointy end of the draft with three South Australians in the top five rankings along with the highly rated King twins — Max and Ben — from Melbourne.

Any one of them would do for Cripps but as he looked down at his piece of paper the name of a kid who’d starred with North Adelaide in the SANFL finals kept staring back at him.

PLAN IN MOTION

The first seed was sewn in Chad Wingard’s exit interview.

The two-time All-Australian and best-and-fairest winner was told by Hinkley that he needed to improve his attitude around training.

It was a shock to the system for Wingard. He left suddenly feeling unsure about his standing at Alberton Oval.

Port had decided to get on the front foot given Wingard was coming out of contract the following year where he would become a free agent.

If they moved on him now they could get into the early part of what they called a “jackpot” draft in 2018 rather than wait for a compensation pick in 12 months time.

“To get something good you’ve got to give something good up,” was Cripps’ philosophy.

Hawthorn coach Alistair Clarkson had previously publicly expressed his love for Wingard so Port happily steered the two together.

They’d already orchestrated a separate plan to get another first-round pick which they pulled the trigger on early in trade week.

Jared Polec and Jasper Pittard were both regulars in the Power team, more than handy foot soldiers but they weren’t seen as being a part of Port’s next premiership side.

The shake-up was on and the pair were packaged up and sent to North Melbourne in exchange for pick No.11.

Twenty-four hours later pick No.11 was headed to Fremantle in an inspired move by Cripps.

The Dockers needed picks as they were trying to get in Jesse Hogan from Melbourne and Rory Lobb from the Giants.

Port had plenty of second-round picks which were superfluous to requirements so they sent No.11, 23, 30 and 49 to Fremantle in exchange for pick No.6.

Now it was a waiting game.

Hawthorn were taking their time to come up with something acceptable. The asking price was a first-round pick and a quality player for Wingard but who that would be was taking Clarkson a little while to figure out.

Ryan Burton was as shocked as anyone to answer the phone on his overseas holiday and find his coach on the line telling him he was no longer part of Hawthorn’s best 22.

Port was more than happy with the scenario. Burton was an Adelaide boy whose partner was SA legend Bruce Abernethy’s daughter so returning home was an attractive option.

Twelve months earlier he’d finished runner-up in the Rising Star Award behind Essendon’s Andrew McGrath with Port’s Sam Powell-Pepper third.

On the final day of trade week the deal was done, Wingard and a future third round to Hawthorn in exchange for Burton, picks 15, 35 and a future fourth round.

But Cripps wasn’t done yet.

He was still hell bent on getting into the top five so he orchestrated a trade with Brisbane swapping pick 6, which he’d got from Fremantle six days earlier, for the Lions No.5.

Midfielder Sam Mayes, who wanted to return home to Adelaide, was a part of the deal with Brisbane also getting pick No.35 and a future third round selection.

Port had already lured ruckman Scott Lycett, fresh from a premiership with West Coast, back to Alberton — he’d played juniors there — as a restricted free agent on a lucrative five-year deal.

They’d had some concerns about incumbent ruckman Paddy Ryder’s body and youngster Peter Ladhams was still raw.

And Lycett wanted a shot at being the No.1 man given he was sitting behind one of the best in the business, Nic Naitanui.

Another senior list spot had also been allocated to rookie Dan Houston who’d played all 22 games in 2018 and become a fixture in defence, a fact that amused Cripps.

“He is a classic case of drafting a player to play what you think is his best position at AFL level and he hasn’t played one game there,” Cripps said of the former Camberwell Grammar key forward who’d the Port secured at pick No.45 in rookie draft a couple of years earlier.

LATE DRAFT DRAMA

Dynamic was the buzz word in the Port Adelaide camp.

Their mission statement for the type of player they wanted to take in the next hour was dynamic matchwinners with good character.

Connor Rozee had starred at under-16 level, he was named best player in the national championships to put himself high on every recruiter’s draft board.

But throughout the national under-18 championships he’d been thrown around a bit in the SA team, playing forward and midfield.

There were some brilliant moments but the domination of a couple of years earlier wasn’t there which threw up the theory that he may now be sliding out closer to 10 in the draft.

That theory was short-lived as the SANFL finals series kicked into gear.

The 18-year-old played across half-back for North Adelaide, which upset Norwood in the Grand Final.

It was Rozee’s 12th senior game and his spring-heeled athleticism had recruiters again salivating.

“He got elevated again just off the back of playing SANFL seniors and the finals series he had,” Cripps said.

“He was very good off half-back but you could see he could play through the midfield down the track.”

The Hinkley phone call had worked.

There was no late shuffle at the top with Sam Walsh going to Carlton at No.1 and SA pair Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine both going to Gold Coast as expected next.

St Kilda were always going to take Max King at No.4 which left Port free to take Rozee as planned with their first selection.

The next priority was the Western Jets forward Zak Butters who’d won the Port recruiting team over with a memorable house visit.

He’d injured his shoulder in the pre-season but had put off having surgery until after the national championships which gave an insight into what made him tick.

“To be able to play like he did with the shoulder, knowing he had that injury, you have to be mentally tough to do that,” Cripps said.

“His vision and awareness to see things was something not many kids have and that ability to make the right decision and then execute. He had real class.”

As the Port contingent drove down the driveway of the Butters’ property in Bacchus Marsh they were struck by the mini-oval with goal posts which had been built next to the house.

Butters explained how he would spend all day and night kicking the football on the oval with his passion and love of the game overwhelming.

The kid was a footy addict and when Cripps left he looked back through the front window of the house and smiled at what he saw.

“I remember driving out and we looked back through the window and here he was, he still had his arm in a sling from the operation at this stage and he was throwing the footy up with his other hand while he was sitting on the couch,” Cripps said.

“It was very clear his passion for the game and the strong drive and work ethic he had to get better.”

There had been a couple of academy bids which meant the Butters pick shifted out to No.12. but now things got very interesting.

Cripps’ list was quickly getting very thin.

The infamous 12 were quickly getting crossed off and as the draft arrived at Fremantle who had the pick before Port which was now 17, there were fingers and toes being crossed in the Port box.

The only remaining name on the list was a country Victorian kid named Xavier Duursma.

He was an elite runner, courageous, a good size at 186cm who could play wing or half-back.

But the problem was the intel was telling them that Fremantle were also interested in him and had certainly spent time interviewing and researching the Gippsland Power gun.

Cripps’ phone was running hot. The word was out that Port were thinking of trading out pick 18 and at least three clubs had shown interest in doing a deal.

There were notes being scribbled everywhere with potential outcomes before everything went quiet as notification of the Dockers selection arrived on the screen.

“Sam Sturt, Dandenong Stingrays”

The Port Adelaide box erupted. They couldn’t contain themselves with cheers and high fives all around, the ruckus reverberating throughout Marvel Stadium.

Cripps’ phone beeped again. It was a text from his Richmond mates next door with some lighthearted advice: “Shut the f--- up will you.”

Port were in no mood to be quiet because they’d just made the biggest statement of the 2018 draft.

Two years later and they’re still making noise.

Rozee, Butters and Duursma have exceeded all expectations, playing crucial roles in Port Adelaide’s top four resurrection with the rest of the competition fully aware things are going to get even louder at Alberton in years to come.
 

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Deaneus! said:
that‘s a bold strategy

maybe revisit the question, I.e., you seemed to cut a lot more players than you have good draft picks. What’s your list strategy here?
Click to expand...

14 cut, list size changes, 5 in via draft, 4 in via trade/FA, 2 in via rookie, any deficit via DFA or SSP.
 
Deaneus! said:
Buongiorno

Was just looking at Lore’s s/s, I’m trying to reconcile how many players I vaguely remember you cutting this off-season against how many picks you have. What’s your strategy here?
Click to expand...

Analysis - How many live picks will your club take to the draft?

I've done this in past years, there's an extra degree of difficulty this year with the changes to list sizes but let's give it a go anyway. Please let me know of any errors. Senior list size in 2021: maximum of 38 (minimum of 36). Clubs are only required to take one live pick this year...
www.bigfooty.com www.bigfooty.com

the above is handy and you will note some clubs have the same or less contracted than us atm
 
Last edited:
giantroo said:
How Port Adelaide pulled off bold plan to secure dynamic trio Rozee, Butters and Duursma in 2018 draft
Scott Gullan
@gullanHeraldSun
December 4, 2020 - 12:25PM

Port Adelaide hatched an intricate plan to land three of the best young guns in the 2018 draft and it involved providing false intel to another club.

Jason Cripps only had 12 names on the piece of paper in front of him.

Port Adelaide had found themselves in a unique position coming into the 2018 national draft after months of planning had resulted in their goal of having three first-round picks.

You needed a PHD and a whiteboard to understand how Port’s list manager had pulled it off but now the final part of the plan had to be executed.

It was ambitious in a number of ways but his recruiting team, led by Geoff Parker, had come up with 12 players they felt were worthy of going in the opening round.

Port had picks 5, 10 and 15 and the decision was made that if the selected 12 were gone by the time of their third selection then they would take advantage of a new AFL rule of live trading on draft night.

It had already been a busy day for the Port contingent when they settled into their seats in the super boxes at Marvel Stadium.

They’d been forced to launch a misinformation campaign in order to save the “expected” draft order which would ensure a livewire from Bacchus Marsh named Zak Butters was available at their second selection.

The Western Bulldogs had pick No.7 and were all over Bailey Smith, a gun midfielder from the Sandringham Dragons, who had made it known he didn’t want to move interstate.

But Port had got wind of a plan for the Dogs to do a deal with the GWS Giants and slide down the draft because they were confident Smith’s stance had scared off the interstate clubs.

The Giants already had the pick before Port which they were going to use on Bendigo midfielder Jye Caldwell at No.9 but if they gained another pick inside that then word was it had Butters name on it.

So Port went to work with coach Ken Hinkley getting on the phone to Smith’s manager Paul Connors.

It was a simple message: if the Dogs dropped down, then he’d take Smith and back in his club’s system to settle the kid in Adelaide.

It was a bold move — Smith wasn’t really in their plans — but one they hoped forced the Dogs’ hand.

Port had already instigated two separate trades with Fremantle and Brisbane to improve their draft position from No.11 to No.5.

They knew they had to get to the pointy end of the draft with three South Australians in the top five rankings along with the highly rated King twins — Max and Ben — from Melbourne.

Any one of them would do for Cripps but as he looked down at his piece of paper the name of a kid who’d starred with North Adelaide in the SANFL finals kept staring back at him.

PLAN IN MOTION

The first seed was sewn in Chad Wingard’s exit interview.

The two-time All-Australian and best-and-fairest winner was told by Hinkley that he needed to improve his attitude around training.

It was a shock to the system for Wingard. He left suddenly feeling unsure about his standing at Alberton Oval.

Port had decided to get on the front foot given Wingard was coming out of contract the following year where he would become a free agent.

If they moved on him now they could get into the early part of what they called a “jackpot” draft in 2018 rather than wait for a compensation pick in 12 months time.

“To get something good you’ve got to give something good up,” was Cripps’ philosophy.

Hawthorn coach Alistair Clarkson had previously publicly expressed his love for Wingard so Port happily steered the two together.

They’d already orchestrated a separate plan to get another first-round pick which they pulled the trigger on early in trade week.

Jared Polec and Jasper Pittard were both regulars in the Power team, more than handy foot soldiers but they weren’t seen as being a part of Port’s next premiership side.

The shake-up was on and the pair were packaged up and sent to North Melbourne in exchange for pick No.11.

Twenty-four hours later pick No.11 was headed to Fremantle in an inspired move by Cripps.

The Dockers needed picks as they were trying to get in Jesse Hogan from Melbourne and Rory Lobb from the Giants.

Port had plenty of second-round picks which were superfluous to requirements so they sent No.11, 23, 30 and 49 to Fremantle in exchange for pick No.6.

Now it was a waiting game.

Hawthorn were taking their time to come up with something acceptable. The asking price was a first-round pick and a quality player for Wingard but who that would be was taking Clarkson a little while to figure out.

Ryan Burton was as shocked as anyone to answer the phone on his overseas holiday and find his coach on the line telling him he was no longer part of Hawthorn’s best 22.

Port was more than happy with the scenario. Burton was an Adelaide boy whose partner was SA legend Bruce Abernethy’s daughter so returning home was an attractive option.

Twelve months earlier he’d finished runner-up in the Rising Star Award behind Essendon’s Andrew McGrath with Port’s Sam Powell-Pepper third.

On the final day of trade week the deal was done, Wingard and a future third round to Hawthorn in exchange for Burton, picks 15, 35 and a future fourth round.

But Cripps wasn’t done yet.

He was still hell bent on getting into the top five so he orchestrated a trade with Brisbane swapping pick 6, which he’d got from Fremantle six days earlier, for the Lions No.5.

Midfielder Sam Mayes, who wanted to return home to Adelaide, was a part of the deal with Brisbane also getting pick No.35 and a future third round selection.

Port had already lured ruckman Scott Lycett, fresh from a premiership with West Coast, back to Alberton — he’d played juniors there — as a restricted free agent on a lucrative five-year deal.

They’d had some concerns about incumbent ruckman Paddy Ryder’s body and youngster Peter Ladhams was still raw.

And Lycett wanted a shot at being the No.1 man given he was sitting behind one of the best in the business, Nic Naitanui.

Another senior list spot had also been allocated to rookie Dan Houston who’d played all 22 games in 2018 and become a fixture in defence, a fact that amused Cripps.

“He is a classic case of drafting a player to play what you think is his best position at AFL level and he hasn’t played one game there,” Cripps said of the former Camberwell Grammar key forward who’d the Port secured at pick No.45 in rookie draft a couple of years earlier.

LATE DRAFT DRAMA

Dynamic was the buzz word in the Port Adelaide camp.

Their mission statement for the type of player they wanted to take in the next hour was dynamic matchwinners with good character.

Connor Rozee had starred at under-16 level, he was named best player in the national championships to put himself high on every recruiter’s draft board.

But throughout the national under-18 championships he’d been thrown around a bit in the SA team, playing forward and midfield.

There were some brilliant moments but the domination of a couple of years earlier wasn’t there which threw up the theory that he may now be sliding out closer to 10 in the draft.

That theory was short-lived as the SANFL finals series kicked into gear.

The 18-year-old played across half-back for North Adelaide, which upset Norwood in the Grand Final.

It was Rozee’s 12th senior game and his spring-heeled athleticism had recruiters again salivating.

“He got elevated again just off the back of playing SANFL seniors and the finals series he had,” Cripps said.

“He was very good off half-back but you could see he could play through the midfield down the track.”

The Hinkley phone call had worked.

There was no late shuffle at the top with Sam Walsh going to Carlton at No.1 and SA pair Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine both going to Gold Coast as expected next.

St Kilda were always going to take Max King at No.4 which left Port free to take Rozee as planned with their first selection.

The next priority was the Western Jets forward Zak Butters who’d won the Port recruiting team over with a memorable house visit.

He’d injured his shoulder in the pre-season but had put off having surgery until after the national championships which gave an insight into what made him tick.

“To be able to play like he did with the shoulder, knowing he had that injury, you have to be mentally tough to do that,” Cripps said.

“His vision and awareness to see things was something not many kids have and that ability to make the right decision and then execute. He had real class.”

As the Port contingent drove down the driveway of the Butters’ property in Bacchus Marsh they were struck by the mini-oval with goal posts which had been built next to the house.

Butters explained how he would spend all day and night kicking the football on the oval with his passion and love of the game overwhelming.

The kid was a footy addict and when Cripps left he looked back through the front window of the house and smiled at what he saw.

“I remember driving out and we looked back through the window and here he was, he still had his arm in a sling from the operation at this stage and he was throwing the footy up with his other hand while he was sitting on the couch,” Cripps said.

“It was very clear his passion for the game and the strong drive and work ethic he had to get better.”

There had been a couple of academy bids which meant the Butters pick shifted out to No.12. but now things got very interesting.

Cripps’ list was quickly getting very thin.

The infamous 12 were quickly getting crossed off and as the draft arrived at Fremantle who had the pick before Port which was now 17, there were fingers and toes being crossed in the Port box.

The only remaining name on the list was a country Victorian kid named Xavier Duursma.

He was an elite runner, courageous, a good size at 186cm who could play wing or half-back.

But the problem was the intel was telling them that Fremantle were also interested in him and had certainly spent time interviewing and researching the Gippsland Power gun.

Cripps’ phone was running hot. The word was out that Port were thinking of trading out pick 18 and at least three clubs had shown interest in doing a deal.

There were notes being scribbled everywhere with potential outcomes before everything went quiet as notification of the Dockers selection arrived on the screen.

“Sam Sturt, Dandenong Stingrays”

The Port Adelaide box erupted. They couldn’t contain themselves with cheers and high fives all around, the ruckus reverberating throughout Marvel Stadium.

Cripps’ phone beeped again. It was a text from his Richmond mates next door with some lighthearted advice: “Shut the f--- up will you.”

Port were in no mood to be quiet because they’d just made the biggest statement of the 2018 draft.

Two years later and they’re still making noise.

Rozee, Butters and Duursma have exceeded all expectations, playing crucial roles in Port Adelaide’s top four resurrection with the rest of the competition fully aware things are going to get even louder at Alberton in years to come.
Click to expand...

Yeah alright. You'd think Port had won the last 2 flags and these kids had finished 1,2 & 3 in the Brownlow the amount of smoke that is being blown up Ports arse in this article.
 
giantroo said:
How Port Adelaide pulled off bold plan to secure dynamic trio Rozee, Butters and Duursma in 2018 draft
Scott Gullan
@gullanHeraldSun
December 4, 2020 - 12:25PM

Port Adelaide hatched an intricate plan to land three of the best young guns in the 2018 draft and it involved providing false intel to another club.

Jason Cripps only had 12 names on the piece of paper in front of him.

Port Adelaide had found themselves in a unique position coming into the 2018 national draft after months of planning had resulted in their goal of having three first-round picks.

You needed a PHD and a whiteboard to understand how Port’s list manager had pulled it off but now the final part of the plan had to be executed.

It was ambitious in a number of ways but his recruiting team, led by Geoff Parker, had come up with 12 players they felt were worthy of going in the opening round.

Port had picks 5, 10 and 15 and the decision was made that if the selected 12 were gone by the time of their third selection then they would take advantage of a new AFL rule of live trading on draft night.

It had already been a busy day for the Port contingent when they settled into their seats in the super boxes at Marvel Stadium.

They’d been forced to launch a misinformation campaign in order to save the “expected” draft order which would ensure a livewire from Bacchus Marsh named Zak Butters was available at their second selection.

The Western Bulldogs had pick No.7 and were all over Bailey Smith, a gun midfielder from the Sandringham Dragons, who had made it known he didn’t want to move interstate.

But Port had got wind of a plan for the Dogs to do a deal with the GWS Giants and slide down the draft because they were confident Smith’s stance had scared off the interstate clubs.

The Giants already had the pick before Port which they were going to use on Bendigo midfielder Jye Caldwell at No.9 but if they gained another pick inside that then word was it had Butters name on it.

So Port went to work with coach Ken Hinkley getting on the phone to Smith’s manager Paul Connors.

It was a simple message: if the Dogs dropped down, then he’d take Smith and back in his club’s system to settle the kid in Adelaide.

It was a bold move — Smith wasn’t really in their plans — but one they hoped forced the Dogs’ hand.

Port had already instigated two separate trades with Fremantle and Brisbane to improve their draft position from No.11 to No.5.

They knew they had to get to the pointy end of the draft with three South Australians in the top five rankings along with the highly rated King twins — Max and Ben — from Melbourne.

Any one of them would do for Cripps but as he looked down at his piece of paper the name of a kid who’d starred with North Adelaide in the SANFL finals kept staring back at him.

PLAN IN MOTION

The first seed was sewn in Chad Wingard’s exit interview.

The two-time All-Australian and best-and-fairest winner was told by Hinkley that he needed to improve his attitude around training.

It was a shock to the system for Wingard. He left suddenly feeling unsure about his standing at Alberton Oval.

Port had decided to get on the front foot given Wingard was coming out of contract the following year where he would become a free agent.

If they moved on him now they could get into the early part of what they called a “jackpot” draft in 2018 rather than wait for a compensation pick in 12 months time.

“To get something good you’ve got to give something good up,” was Cripps’ philosophy.

Hawthorn coach Alistair Clarkson had previously publicly expressed his love for Wingard so Port happily steered the two together.

They’d already orchestrated a separate plan to get another first-round pick which they pulled the trigger on early in trade week.

Jared Polec and Jasper Pittard were both regulars in the Power team, more than handy foot soldiers but they weren’t seen as being a part of Port’s next premiership side.

The shake-up was on and the pair were packaged up and sent to North Melbourne in exchange for pick No.11.

Twenty-four hours later pick No.11 was headed to Fremantle in an inspired move by Cripps.

The Dockers needed picks as they were trying to get in Jesse Hogan from Melbourne and Rory Lobb from the Giants.

Port had plenty of second-round picks which were superfluous to requirements so they sent No.11, 23, 30 and 49 to Fremantle in exchange for pick No.6.

Now it was a waiting game.

Hawthorn were taking their time to come up with something acceptable. The asking price was a first-round pick and a quality player for Wingard but who that would be was taking Clarkson a little while to figure out.

Ryan Burton was as shocked as anyone to answer the phone on his overseas holiday and find his coach on the line telling him he was no longer part of Hawthorn’s best 22.

Port was more than happy with the scenario. Burton was an Adelaide boy whose partner was SA legend Bruce Abernethy’s daughter so returning home was an attractive option.

Twelve months earlier he’d finished runner-up in the Rising Star Award behind Essendon’s Andrew McGrath with Port’s Sam Powell-Pepper third.

On the final day of trade week the deal was done, Wingard and a future third round to Hawthorn in exchange for Burton, picks 15, 35 and a future fourth round.

But Cripps wasn’t done yet.

He was still hell bent on getting into the top five so he orchestrated a trade with Brisbane swapping pick 6, which he’d got from Fremantle six days earlier, for the Lions No.5.

Midfielder Sam Mayes, who wanted to return home to Adelaide, was a part of the deal with Brisbane also getting pick No.35 and a future third round selection.

Port had already lured ruckman Scott Lycett, fresh from a premiership with West Coast, back to Alberton — he’d played juniors there — as a restricted free agent on a lucrative five-year deal.

They’d had some concerns about incumbent ruckman Paddy Ryder’s body and youngster Peter Ladhams was still raw.

And Lycett wanted a shot at being the No.1 man given he was sitting behind one of the best in the business, Nic Naitanui.

Another senior list spot had also been allocated to rookie Dan Houston who’d played all 22 games in 2018 and become a fixture in defence, a fact that amused Cripps.

“He is a classic case of drafting a player to play what you think is his best position at AFL level and he hasn’t played one game there,” Cripps said of the former Camberwell Grammar key forward who’d the Port secured at pick No.45 in rookie draft a couple of years earlier.

LATE DRAFT DRAMA

Dynamic was the buzz word in the Port Adelaide camp.

Their mission statement for the type of player they wanted to take in the next hour was dynamic matchwinners with good character.

Connor Rozee had starred at under-16 level, he was named best player in the national championships to put himself high on every recruiter’s draft board.

But throughout the national under-18 championships he’d been thrown around a bit in the SA team, playing forward and midfield.

There were some brilliant moments but the domination of a couple of years earlier wasn’t there which threw up the theory that he may now be sliding out closer to 10 in the draft.

That theory was short-lived as the SANFL finals series kicked into gear.

The 18-year-old played across half-back for North Adelaide, which upset Norwood in the Grand Final.

It was Rozee’s 12th senior game and his spring-heeled athleticism had recruiters again salivating.

“He got elevated again just off the back of playing SANFL seniors and the finals series he had,” Cripps said.

“He was very good off half-back but you could see he could play through the midfield down the track.”

The Hinkley phone call had worked.

There was no late shuffle at the top with Sam Walsh going to Carlton at No.1 and SA pair Jack Lukosius and Izak Rankine both going to Gold Coast as expected next.

St Kilda were always going to take Max King at No.4 which left Port free to take Rozee as planned with their first selection.

The next priority was the Western Jets forward Zak Butters who’d won the Port recruiting team over with a memorable house visit.

He’d injured his shoulder in the pre-season but had put off having surgery until after the national championships which gave an insight into what made him tick.

“To be able to play like he did with the shoulder, knowing he had that injury, you have to be mentally tough to do that,” Cripps said.

“His vision and awareness to see things was something not many kids have and that ability to make the right decision and then execute. He had real class.”

As the Port contingent drove down the driveway of the Butters’ property in Bacchus Marsh they were struck by the mini-oval with goal posts which had been built next to the house.

Butters explained how he would spend all day and night kicking the football on the oval with his passion and love of the game overwhelming.

The kid was a footy addict and when Cripps left he looked back through the front window of the house and smiled at what he saw.

“I remember driving out and we looked back through the window and here he was, he still had his arm in a sling from the operation at this stage and he was throwing the footy up with his other hand while he was sitting on the couch,” Cripps said.

“It was very clear his passion for the game and the strong drive and work ethic he had to get better.”

There had been a couple of academy bids which meant the Butters pick shifted out to No.12. but now things got very interesting.

Cripps’ list was quickly getting very thin.

The infamous 12 were quickly getting crossed off and as the draft arrived at Fremantle who had the pick before Port which was now 17, there were fingers and toes being crossed in the Port box.

The only remaining name on the list was a country Victorian kid named Xavier Duursma.

He was an elite runner, courageous, a good size at 186cm who could play wing or half-back.

But the problem was the intel was telling them that Fremantle were also interested in him and had certainly spent time interviewing and researching the Gippsland Power gun.

Cripps’ phone was running hot. The word was out that Port were thinking of trading out pick 18 and at least three clubs had shown interest in doing a deal.

There were notes being scribbled everywhere with potential outcomes before everything went quiet as notification of the Dockers selection arrived on the screen.

“Sam Sturt, Dandenong Stingrays”

The Port Adelaide box erupted. They couldn’t contain themselves with cheers and high fives all around, the ruckus reverberating throughout Marvel Stadium.

Cripps’ phone beeped again. It was a text from his Richmond mates next door with some lighthearted advice: “Shut the f--- up will you.”

Port were in no mood to be quiet because they’d just made the biggest statement of the 2018 draft.

Two years later and they’re still making noise.

Rozee, Butters and Duursma have exceeded all expectations, playing crucial roles in Port Adelaide’s top four resurrection with the rest of the competition fully aware things are going to get even louder at Alberton in years to come.
Click to expand...

They executed a plan well.
 
DrZaius said:
Yeah alright. You'd think Port had won the last 2 flags and these kids had finished 1,2 & 3 in the Brownlow the amount of smoke that is being blown up Ports arse in this article.
Click to expand...

They all made contributions in a prelim final where their team got screwed by the officiators.

Imagine us playing in a prelim and 3x 2nd year players being contributors.
 
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