AFL Player # 2: Sam Draper

[Dave]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2025
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 20, TheUnicorn

 

[EnolaGay]

The article suggests that we'll be demanding a first round pick for him which is totally unrealistic. The hidden meaning to that is the offer he is getting from St Kilda is too good to refuse and we cannot get anywhere near close as we have mismanaged our salary cap by paying two backmen close to a million dollars.

The fact that we didn't play him in a few games this year is a disaster and it looks as though we have a promising young ruck on the way out.

Only saving grace is we can use the second/third round pick on someone like Ryder and then try and grab another promising ruck in a year or so but if we can't pay Draper then we won't be able to fit in someone like Ryder. Zac Clarke 3 year contract is our saving grace.

OK Chicken Little.

Does Drapes even want to entertain leaving EFC?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

You match it because by the end we'll be paying unders. Sometimes you have to pay overs to keep an asset.

Why didn’t you tell us you have a crystal ball?

We’ve wasted all this time arguing!

 

[eDPS]

Why didn’t you tell us you have a crystal ball?

We’ve wasted all this time arguing!

Welcome to Bigfooty

 

[carnthedons]

Why didn’t you tell us you have a crystal ball?

We’ve wasted all this time arguing!

Ethan rates a VFL footballer highly, stop the presses




Yes, I’m aware many are high on Draper. Did see the Saints fan suggesting Ross for Draper and Parish, how magnanimous.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

*Walks in, skim reads the last few pages*
*Immediately leaves*

 

[Doss]

*Walks in, skim reads the last few pages*
*Immediately leaves*

I do believe...



...is more succinct.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

I do believe...

View attachment 701328

...is more succinct.

And just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in

 

[eth-dog]

Why didn’t you tell us you have a crystal ball?

We’ve wasted all this time arguing!

Now you're just being a dickhead. I'd sooner pay overs for a guy that I firmly believe will be the #1 ruck at the club in 2021 than risk losing him. We won't get fair price for him on the trade table. As you say he's an uncapped 21 year old coming off a knee reco. However he's very important to our future so yeah, I'd match the offer

 

[BrunoV]

Ethan rates a VFL footballer highly, stop the presses


Yes, I’m aware many are high on Draper. Did see the Saints fan suggesting Ross for Draper and Parish, how magnanimous.

How unrealistic is this trade if you're not an EFC fan who knows something about Draper?

If it was Lloyd Meek and Parish for Ross for example?

Probably needs a pick going back the other way, maybe 40 to 50.

Fans here have been pining for Ross for year. He's definitely a better player than Parish. He's a more prolific better contested player and they are both poor to horrendous by foot.

 

[Maddogm]

idk Worsfold will get asked about it at his weekly presser?

Not saying the club should release a full blown statement just a little message via social media saying that's it not true

Woosha would dismiss the question with the straightest of bats.

It doesn't matter whether it's true or not. It's good news for us fans that want to keep him - all it tells us is the club are negotiating a new contract with him.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Now you're just being a dickhead. I'd sooner pay overs for a guy that I firmly believe will be the #1 ruck at the club in 2021 than risk losing him. We won't get fair price for him on the trade table. As you say he's an uncapped 21 year old coming off a knee reco. However he's very important to our future so yeah, I'd match the offer

It’s FOMO. People get too hung up. There’s not many players you pay well overs for because of the ramifications it can have on the rest of the list.

A bloke who’s never played a game - who is laid up with a knee reco - is certainly not one of them.

You can’t possibly say “oh it’ll be unders in a few years”. The less a bloke has played, the less evidence you have of that. With a bloke who’s never played senior footy, you have next to no way of knowing that. You don’t have a crystal ball and as much as you might think VFL footy is the be-all and end-all of everything, it’s not. It’s littered with players who can’t take the step up, that’s the nature of any second-tier competition.

The only reason it would happen is because St Kilda have deemed he’s “worth” that. Let’s be clear, St Kilda have arguably the worst list in the competition and their recent history is littered with very poor list decisions.

Draper has shown a bit in the reserves but is far from a proven article, especially with the injury.

If St Kilda get a solid player they’ll have done well and pulled one off for once. If they get a superstar - which is highly unlikely - well them’s the breaks. It’s hardly going to be the difference between us winning a flag and not. No one player is. A chaotic list management approach that fires off ridiculous contracts in panic though, that’s something that could seriously derail a club.

 

[eth-dog]

It’s FOMO. People get too hung up. There’s not many players you pay well overs for because of the ramifications it can have on the rest of the list.

A bloke who’s never played a game - who is laid up with a knee reco - is certainly not one of them.

You can’t possibly say “oh it’ll be unders in a few years”. The less a bloke has played, the less evidence you have of that. With a bloke who’s never played senior footy, you have next to no way of knowing that. You don’t have a crystal ball and as much as you might think VFL footy is the be-all and end-all of everything, it’s not. ItI ’s littered with players who can’t take the step up, that’s the nature of any second-tier competition.

The only reason it would happen is because St Kilda have deemed he’s “worth” that. Let’s be clear, St Kilda have arguably the worst list in the competition and their recent history is littered with very poor list decisions.

Draper has shown a bit in the reserves but is far from a proven article, especially with the injury.

If St Kilda get a solid player they’ll have done well and pulled one off for once. If they get a superstar - which is highly unlikely - well them’s the breaks. It’s hardly going to be the difference between us winning a flag and not. No one player is. A chaotic list management approach that fires off ridiculous contracts in panic though, that’s something that could seriously derail a club.

The fact you dismiss me with "You think that the VFL is be all and end all" when I have repeatedly said that the AFL takes precedence shows how serious anybody should take your inane argument.

Draper is an extremely promising player in a position where we have two injury phone players approaching 30, an inconsistant forward/ruck who gives away free kicks a lot when forced in the ruck and, um, him.

Just because you disagree doesn't necessarily mean that those of us think we should match are wrong.

 

[Doss]

You can settle a tad please, Ethan. Thanks.

 

[carnthedons]

How unrealistic is this trade if you're not an EFC fan who knows something about Draper?

If it was Lloyd Meek and Parish for Ross for example?

Probably needs a pick going back the other way, maybe 40 to 50.

Fans here have been pining for Ross for year. He's definitely a better player than Parish. He's a more prolific better contested player and they are both poor to horrendous by foot.

Maybe I just don’t rate him and given how much they’re desperate to get rid of him that says something to me. Parish is 4 drafts later than Ross and delivering more than Ross was at the same point in his career and given the relative upside and what we know Ross is (in 2019 not the 2017 version) I’d be hard pressed to do a straight swap. Call me a homer or whatever but I’m higher on Darcy. Then you talk about including our only young ruck? No dice.

 

[DERO]

Quod vulgus absolutum esse a eu clava.

ooohhhh classy!

Non conpos mentis.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Draper has struggled against half decent talent in the VFL. Tom Campbell handed him a thrashing. He has some potential no doubt but that really is a ridiculous offer from the Saints when they have so many other holes in that list.

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

Fans here have been pining for Ross for year. He's definitely a better player than Parish. He's a more prolific better contested player and they are both poor to horrendous by foot.

I’d say Ross is worse by foot. Parish isn’t going anywhere after his last month. Not sure who’s been pining for Ross.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The fact you dismiss me with "You think that the VFL is be all and end all" when I have repeatedly said that the AFL takes precedence shows how serious anybody should take your inane argument.

Draper is an extremely promising player in a position where we have two injury phone players approaching 30, an inconsistant forward/ruck who gives away free kicks a lot when forced in the ruck and, um, him.

Just because you disagree doesn't necessarily mean that those of us think we should match are wrong.

I don’t even see it as a borderline decision where you can see both sides... handing a kid who’s never played a game and is injured $450k a year is absolute craziness. St Kilda-level craziness, funnily enough.

He’s a ruckman. Yes we have few options next year but that’s still the case even with him at the club - he won’t be playing due to his knee. We’re going to need one anyway (two if TBC retires, which is a real possibility) so there’ll be new rucks at the club beyond our current dwindling stocks.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

No way the club willingly parts with Parish. And if he wants to go, it sure as * won’t be to St Kilda lol.

 

[boncer34]

Draper has struggled against half decent talent in the VFL. Tom Campbell handed him a thrashing. He has some potential no doubt but that really is a ridiculous offer from the Saints when they have so many other holes in that list.

Oh boy, now you've done it.

 

[Darealrath]

Draper would be nuts to leave significant $ on the table. Unproven at senior level and there's always a worry with big men re injuring their knees.

If the reports of St Kilda's offer are true I can't see him staying.

I'm all for farming rookie rucks into ND picks just quietly.

 

[BrunoV]

I’d say Ross is worse by foot. Parish isn’t going anywhere after his last month. Not sure who’s been pining for Ross.

My estimate of Parish by foot is literally 1/3 kicks is marked by a team mate.

It may be padded by Stringer, for example, taking a slips catch against Hawthorn for a kick that fell about 5m short (called by Bruce as a wonderful kick).

He's an outside midfielder who cant kick. At least Ross is inside.

 

[DapperJong]

HEY! BRUNO! stoooop... give me that bone. DROP. DROP IT.

bad dog

 

[TheGreatBarryB]

My estimate of Parish by foot is literally 1/3 kicks is marked by a team mate.

It may be padded by Stringer, for example, taking a slips catch against Hawthorn for a kick that fell about 5m short (called by Bruce as a wonderful kick).

He's an outside midfielder who cant kick. At least Ross is inside.

He’s our only real natural inside mid who’s kicking has improved this season. Unlike Ross can also play outside and forward and can kick a goal

 

[Beerfish]

Literally!