While I fully agree that we need quality over quantity, in practice one cannot just get quality. Plus the AFL' unequal Academy Field is hamstringing us if we do end up with early picks reducing that quality.
Well unless you are blessed like the Suns where they can bundle points for top end Academy picks.
One can try and trade to improve the quality of our picks. But as this is by trade, how successful you can be is problematic. St Kilda tried to trade up to Top 4 last year but were outbid by other Clubs.
One thing the Saints have done quite well at his live trades during the draft to either improve our draft hand with more picks ( 2023 ) or last year where we live traded to gain Dodson (looks like a winner) and (said, jury is out but so far has been underwhelming).
We will still have other picks, including rookie picks, and so with these you can either choose to pick players who you think are more likely to make it but will most likely be average players or you can also, or as well pick some players who if they make it could be quality players (ie Collard who looks book or bust to me).
In the last draft with our first two picks we looked to have taken both approaches. Trav who looked like (at selection) being the player more likely to have a long AFL career, and The Viking who was seen to be a much more speculative pick.
