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Yeah the Sheldrick one is the biggest surprise for me, goes against the high potential pick as well. Honestly even if he hits his ceiling I'm not convinced I'm taking him first round.
I still worry about what his path to best 22 would be, as I do with all talls this year, but at least with Amiss he offers us something different to what we have right now. He seems more like a Jack Gunston than a Joe Daniher.
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To be honest, not really and I can see someone like Johnson getting selected from Pick 10 to Pick 25 so there really isn't a hard knock about his ability and if anything, he was going to be selected by Fremantle (Pick 22) next pick anyhow. I just don't think our club needs another pure-based midfielder given the stacked midfield we already have and that Ashcroft/Fletcher will be coming as well in 2023+, although if CEY & E.Smith do get delisted, I can see us possibly getting him this year (for an eye for the future) although we can always trade for one. Regardless, I think the club is nicely balanced up with quality depth in most areas of the field (besides KPP) so I feel like unless Amiss, Bazzo or Van Rooyen are still on the board, I can see us just selecting the best available talent we think is still on the board at that last pick of the first round.
As much as he seems like a good pickup, I can see GWS selecting him at Pick 15, given the fact that Callaghan is best mates with Howes and would help avoid the go-home factor between the two at the club in the long-term.
Fair enough, I have Johnson's ability and versatility as best available from our first pick, I think he can play off a flank to start his career and assuming CEY and Ely are leaving next season his height and class is a point of difference to our other young mids coming through.
Not entirely sure I agree with that, just from last season neither Sharp or B. Coleman were contested players and it was probably something for them to work on. It may have been important at the start of the rebuild because you need to be able to win the ball but at this stage I think we should be looking for players who compliment the contested mids we already have.
Don't get me wrong though, I wouldn't be disappointed in selecting Johnson with that pick and wouldn't be surprised if he isn't selected at West Coast's Pick 10 (12) tbh, I just selected Motlop as the sort of bolter we would select in this situation, not just on his on-field ability but his personality & traits off-field as well (which is vital these days) and would be a great opportunity to finally get some decent social media content from the club again as well with Motlop at hand to help, if needed.
I may be wrong but it does feel as though the club puts a lot of weight into the off-field and personality of players, would be interesting to know to what extent this is.
I like Chesser, but I'd be disappointed if we didn't pick Johnson if he's available at 16, and even more disappointed if we passed on him at 20 for Motlop. I don't think it's sensible drafting based on where we're weak in our VFL team, because we should be drafting for our AFL team, at least in the first round. At 41 we can get a player like Ronald Fejo Jr who is almost as good as Motlop, but there's no chance of finding anyone nearly as good as Johnson in midfield there.
We draft for talent and trade for need. Talents like Johnson aren't available at our picks often these days. We could equally trade for a small forward. That's how we got Cameron and McCarthy after all.
Like I mentioned to before though, there are about 5-10 players (which includes Johnson) that has the same long-term potential and I would be happy us selecting any of those players at our Pick 18 (20-21). After Pick 10, the draft is very even (in terms of talent) up to I say Pick 30 this year as well, so there will always be some tough decisions to make regarding our picks of 14 (16) & 18 (20-21).
I believe no matter at what stage of team development, a so called re-build or contending stage to possess some contested game skills is essential when we draft or recruit players. The players you mentioned, such as Sharp or Coleman, I don't ever remember both not having contested game skills. In fact Coleman's tackling game was one area that was a strength and his first few debut games certainly demonstrated that. Sharps two games so far also provided a glimpse that he has a contested game to bring.
Matt Rendell’s scouting notes, when he was still employed by Collingwood, of Campbell Chesser from the U16 Championships.
Of course.
Is this because your primary targets will likely be gone by our selections?
