Game Day 2022 AFL Draft

[Tonga Bob]

While you're here, take a few minutes out of your Draft Day(s) to cast a vote on the 2022 Game Previews poll.

Win Prizes - Season 2022 Game Previews

Welcome back everyone. So I finally found my To Do list from a while ago, and written in red between "Mow the back yard" and "Get your act together" is "Wrap up the Game Preview thread" which I must have overlooked. Boy is there egg on my face! We ended up having ten game previews this season...

www.bigfooty.com

 

[Superkoops]

2 main rucks. 2 back up rucks - only one of which is ready to go. Makes perfect sense

A couple of clubs this season were left with no rucks for a game or two - from memory GCS and Hawks. Riedy is the backup while Knobel will take a couple of years development. Sound recruiting.

Roy Benning not tall enough to be an AFL ruck.

Yep - Roy is only 195cm. So I’m guessing he has moved away from that option of being Ruck and into KPD/KPF like Josh Draper.

Also we have a few that can pinch but can focus on Treacy playing KPF. He played a fair bit of ruck for Peel.

I don’t have a problem with Knobel as a long term developing ruck. Reidy is your back-up (Meek style). No way Knobel is replacement for Meek.

Also Wagener to me is replacement for Tucker. HBF and Wing. Same age and similar size. Wagner quicker on the spread.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Pretty sure Walls explicity said they wanted a developing ruck. Not sure why though when Darcy and Jackson are still young.

Yeah, rightly or wrongly, the only club that values rucks as much as us is Melbourne. I like that both Knobel and Reidy look like they go forward for stints as well - gives that little bit more depth up front over the next few years.

2 main rucks. 2 back up rucks - only one of which is ready to go. Makes perfect sense

A couple of clubs this season were left with no rucks for a game or two - from memory GCS and Hawks. Riedy is the backup while Knobel will take a couple of years development. Sound recruiting.

Roy Benning not tall enough to be an AFL ruck.

We are just in a weird spot where we have basically the best 2 rucks under 25 in the country so there's an argument to be had that another two under 22 is overkill. I think the club probably prefers Jackson to play wherever we want him on the ground and not pigeonholed as a ruck if Darcy goes down so it still makes sense

 

[Tonga Bob]

What? No welcome threads for the NGA boys?

I'd do them but bloody Snuffaluphagus will post them 5 seconds before mine. Bloody overmodding!!!

 

[Taylor]

Pretty sure Walls explicity said they wanted a developing ruck. Not sure why though when Darcy and Jackson are still young.

Darcy is a free agent end of 2024, anything could happen.

 

[Arcassius]

Nobody picked up Jed Hagan. What happened there?

Low ceiling?

 

[Square Peg]

From the start of 2022, we have seen the exit of 7 midfield types (Mundy, Acres, Crowden, Western, Tucker, Blakely, Valente) and only brought in 2 midfielders (O'Meara, Wagner).

Along with these ruck moves, I can't help but think we are committed to Jackson playing as some kind of hybrid mid.

I think it's just a list rebalancing to some extent. Plus Chapman, Young, Clark could all be in the mix for moving up the field. Although it's an exciting thought to contemplate Jackson in the midfield, I suspect he will play ruck forward.

 

[Tonga Bob]

Low ceiling?

He's short if that's what you mean

 

[Taylor]

#12, #16, #18, #22, #29, #34, #37, #42

By my count these are the available numbers after the additions from the trade period of:
#2 - O'Meara
#9 - Jackson
#19 - Corbett

Possible number changes from the likes of Johnson etc.

 

[Arcassius]

He's short if that's what you mean

Sorry - that was a lazy comment by me. Was referring to this write up on him - Jed Hagan that suggested that while he was a solid player, the main question marks were around his hurt factor. I wonder if what clubs saw lines up with this analysis. Whether he'll end up as a Connor Blakely / Darcy Tucker style player. Solid, but not standout. Being short just compounds this

There is perhaps a question mark on what Hagan’s ceiling could be at the top level, given he is not the most athletically gifted player in terms of speed and size. Coupled with the fact that he is a neat, but not penetrating or line-breaking kick, Hagan’s ability to hurt the opposition with each of his possessions is also something he will continue to work on.

 

[Lach72]

What’s our situation with spots now?
we have one left for a train on spot?

 

[Taylor]

What’s our situation with spots now?
we have one left for a train on spot?

I believe we are at:
37 primary
4 cat-A rookie
2 cat-B rookie

1 spot on the rookie list remaining.

 

[Ge3ks]

A Frangastani!!!

Not sure if that's a good or bad thing, so you can choose the comment that applies;

a) Oh noooooo!

b) Oh yessssss!

 

[freo_leo29]

2 rucks tells me that we are willing to let Darcy go in a couple years if he commands too much $$

Bold move and I don't agree with it, reckon he will be the best ruck in the comp for a 5 year stretch

Let's see how it all plays out

 

[Taylor]

Two rucks says to me that there might be a crazy offer for Darcy, but there might also be a role for a ruck forward who isn't Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

24

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

because he's playing midfield.

 

[Joao]

I reckon Reidy (or another more mature ruckman) will be kept on until Knobby gets to 21/22 when he can be the backup. Then we can get by with just 3.

Two rucks says to me that there might be a crazy offer for Darcy, but there might also be a role for a ruck forward who isn't Luke Jackson because he's playing midfield.

Even if Jackson does play mid, can't see us playing 2 ruckman and him when he can relieve.

 

[BettercallSaul]

2 rucks tells me that we are willing to let Darcy go in a couple years if he commands too much $$

Bold move and I don't agree with it, reckon he will be the best ruck in the comp for a 5 year stretch

Let's see how it all plays out

Hmm, I don’t see that myself. I mean you can have half a dozen ruckman on our list but doesn’t mean any would be nearly as good as Darcy. I reckon Reidy is back up and Knoble is a long developer. Remember Darcy’s injury record too.

 

[Tonga Bob]

Sorry - that was a lazy comment by me. Was referring to this write up on him - Jed Hagan that suggested that while he was a solid player, the main question marks were around his hurt factor. I wonder if what clubs saw lines up with this analysis. Whether he'll end up as a Connor Blakely / Darcy Tucker style player. Solid, but not standout. Being short just compounds this

I knew what you mean mate, I was being a smartarse

 

[Ge3ks]

So many new names to learn;

AFL Draft
33. Hugh Davies
41. Tom Emmett
42. Max Knobel
57. Corey Wagner

Pre-listed rookies
Joshua Draper (NGA)
Conrad Williams (NGA)

Rookie Draft
13. Liam Reidy (Frankston VFL)

 

[Joao]

Now we have all the defenders with Draper apparently a KPD in the club's eyes.

Think Sebit and Conrad need to hit up roids protein shakes over summer.

 

[Taylor]

Even if Jackson does play mid, can't see us playing 2 ruckman and him when he can relieve.

I can, I think Jackson would "rest" forward or on the bench, he won't run midfield and also fill in at ruck contests in my opinion. I think that's too hard.

I think we can play Jackson as a tall mid with a ruck forward like Lobb in the side - in time. It will take time for Jackson to build up the fitness to play middle alone, if he is to play ruck too in the breaks then he will need to be the most athletic freak on our list.

All rests on him being a gun clearance mid though, no point playing Jackson at 75% output of an Erasmus - just like there's no point playing him in the ruck if he is performing at 125% of an Erasmus.

 

[Eski3]

Bit strange we didn't just nab Scaife too with the third Cat B spot if we're not taking the Irishman

 

[Joao]

Bit strange we didn't just nab Scaife too with the third Cat B spot if we're not taking the Irishman

Keep hearing conflicting info on whether you can have 2 or 3.

To be fair, don't see how we fit all the forwards/rucks in if we also had Scaife.

 

[Superkoops]

I like the strategy of train on players for that final spot.

Liam Serong - Fwd/Utility, very raw around 192cm
Sam Gilbey - Def/Utility, played very little in 2022 due to Glandular Fev and broken leg, around 188cm.

I’m sure there will be a couple of others.

When we’re getting that late into drafts why not trial a few players.

 

[Superkoops]

Keep hearing conflicting info on whether you can have 2 or 3.

To be fair, don't see how we fit all the forwards/rucks in if we also had Scaife.

My understanding is that there is 2 Cat B. Maybe 3 if go one less cat-A. Not 100% sure.

It really sounds like our final list spot (rookie) will come down to some train-on players.

 

[Lach72]

snort