I would like us to start trading and drafting on more of a needs basis. The last two years I have been puzzled by our lack of interest in a couple of players who were very gettable.
One was Jeff Garlett two years ago, who had his issues at the time, but fitted the bill (and still does) for exactly what we need in our forward line. A super quick, goal kicking forward who can apply pressure and use the ball intelligently. We still are without a small forward who can do this and seem uninterested in finding one when it continues to be a glaring deficiency. Garlett went to Melbourne for a couple of very late draft picks.
The other was Suckling. He was the best available kicking half back. Exactly what we are bemoaning not having right now. The improvement and impact Sucking could have had is huge, from the kick outs to general ball movement out of half back. Arguably the best kick in the game. And we show no interest? Now I know we had our eyes and attention on Treloar and Aish and Howe trades that took a lot of working out, but Sucking was a free agent. Salary cap issues there may have been but I am pretty sure Aish & Howe are on very nice money. I saw him as an ideal fit.
I am aware we have a number of half backs including Maynard, Ramsay and Scharenburg and it was impossible to forsee two getting ACLs but nonetheless Suckling still would be the preferred ball user off half back and his experience would be invaluable. Pairing him with Reid and Scharenburg would have elevated our ball use to a first class level.
I just think we need to be more intelligent with the players we target, sometimes it may mean walking past a very good player to take a less credentialled player. The selection needs to be made based on their ability to influence the team not on their individual attributes. I think we have been in "best available" mode too long. The last time we targeted "needs basis" players we won a flag.
In a more general need sense we need to start putting a premium on player who can kick. Hawthorn as we know have done this for years. They do not take anyone who has poor foot skills period. Whether this be draft or trade. We need to do the same as the overall quality of out foot skills is a fail. Any new players coming in need to improve on this and out going players will be the ones that do not stack up.
I like Levi Greenwood but his foot skills are not good enough, it was an error to get him despite his ball winning ability. At the same time we swapped Varcoe for Harry and this is a perfect example of what we should do. Any first or second round draft picks need to have a decent kick on them as a prerequisite. Later picks the elite kicks are just not there and you pick them for other qualities, but those early picks need to be very good by foot. Maynard, DeGoey, Moore and Scharenburg are all fine in this regard, so I think this is happening anyway.
One was Jeff Garlett two years ago, who had his issues at the time, but fitted the bill (and still does) for exactly what we need in our forward line. A super quick, goal kicking forward who can apply pressure and use the ball intelligently. We still are without a small forward who can do this and seem uninterested in finding one when it continues to be a glaring deficiency. Garlett went to Melbourne for a couple of very late draft picks.
The other was Suckling. He was the best available kicking half back. Exactly what we are bemoaning not having right now. The improvement and impact Sucking could have had is huge, from the kick outs to general ball movement out of half back. Arguably the best kick in the game. And we show no interest? Now I know we had our eyes and attention on Treloar and Aish and Howe trades that took a lot of working out, but Sucking was a free agent. Salary cap issues there may have been but I am pretty sure Aish & Howe are on very nice money. I saw him as an ideal fit.
I am aware we have a number of half backs including Maynard, Ramsay and Scharenburg and it was impossible to forsee two getting ACLs but nonetheless Suckling still would be the preferred ball user off half back and his experience would be invaluable. Pairing him with Reid and Scharenburg would have elevated our ball use to a first class level.
I just think we need to be more intelligent with the players we target, sometimes it may mean walking past a very good player to take a less credentialled player. The selection needs to be made based on their ability to influence the team not on their individual attributes. I think we have been in "best available" mode too long. The last time we targeted "needs basis" players we won a flag.
In a more general need sense we need to start putting a premium on player who can kick. Hawthorn as we know have done this for years. They do not take anyone who has poor foot skills period. Whether this be draft or trade. We need to do the same as the overall quality of out foot skills is a fail. Any new players coming in need to improve on this and out going players will be the ones that do not stack up.
I like Levi Greenwood but his foot skills are not good enough, it was an error to get him despite his ball winning ability. At the same time we swapped Varcoe for Harry and this is a perfect example of what we should do. Any first or second round draft picks need to have a decent kick on them as a prerequisite. Later picks the elite kicks are just not there and you pick them for other qualities, but those early picks need to be very good by foot. Maynard, DeGoey, Moore and Scharenburg are all fine in this regard, so I think this is happening anyway.
