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Draft Primer - Essendon

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steele sidebottom performed very well in the beep test for endurance at the draft camp which proved he is capable of playing mid for long durations. yarran on the other hand didn't show up in any of these tests...

if i had to make comparisons i'd say:

sidebottom - j.bartel. great endurance, solid overhead, not overly quick.

yarran - adrian mcadam. great talent but not the endurance to play mid.

hartlett - craig bradley/d.jarman. awesome talent thru midfield who could be anything.

rich - drew banfield. solid midfielder who will make an impact immediately and be a great servant for any club.

That's a biased opinion if I ever saw one.

I'd never even heard of this Adrian McAdam bloke before but after looking him up he was a pick #98 in 1992 and ended up playing one game. Yarran will be a first round pick-up which suggests he has bucketloads more talent than Mr. McAdam. Also, Yarran has already shown that he can play well at WAFL level against men so I'd say that even if he doesn't develop into a midfielder we'd still get a decent player.
 
That's a biased opinion if I ever saw one.

I'd never even heard of this Adrian McAdam bloke before but after looking him up he was a pick #98 in 1992 and ended up playing one game. Yarran will be a first round pick-up which suggests he has bucketloads more talent than Mr. McAdam. Also, Yarran has already shown that he can play well at WAFL level against men so I'd say that even if he doesn't develop into a midfielder we'd still get a decent player.

McAdam was a freak forward - who like Allen Jakovich was a one hit (season) wonder. He played more than 1 game - I suggest you go check the stats. Check the 93 season - him Carey and Longmire tore most defences a new one.
 

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I would be more than happy with Steele, because he has already proved he can become a good midfielder at senior level with his beep test result. We have enough speed in our side, what we need is someone who will be able to run out games and keep up with the play. Im not calling our midfield unfit, im just saying it's ALOT easier to groom a new player into a midfielder if they already possess good endurance. Having a good tank mixed with a good footy nouse is what gets you a high possession count. Steele possesses both of these. Think Rhys Palmer, with a better kick.
 
McAdam was a freak forward - who like Allen Jakovich was a one hit (season) wonder. He played more than 1 game - I suggest you go check the stats. Check the 93 season - him Carey and Longmire tore most defences a new one.

Ahh my bad. When I looked him up it only showed the stats of his last season in which he played just the one game. :eek:
 
Ahh my bad. When I looked him up it only showed the stats of his last season in which he played just the one game. :eek:

a.mcadam (brother of gilbert) was one of the most naturally talented players i've ever seen so it was no insult to yarran. i am probably a bit older than you but as other posters have stated he was a gun in the early 90s before going awol in 95. he had more talent in his little finger than most players in the league. he was legendary at north melbourne for being able to kick a footy into a bin from long distances close to 9/10 times. adrian was a star at cricket, rugby and basketball also representing the NT in multiple codes. he quit footy to go back home and play cricket with his mates. i think it may have been collingwood that tried to lure him back (with a late draft pick as you stated) but it didn't work. when he left it was a waste of talent but he didn't like the hard work/training required so gave it up.

Adrian McAdam Career

SeasonNumMTTeamKHDAvgMAvgHOAvgTAvgFFFAGAvgBSCRatAvg1995411North Melbourne43771100000022113343419944118North Melbourne116511679.3281.610.1140.800221.22115374441.319934117North Melbourne1834222513.2633.710.170.40068443451130276.6Totals 36 3039639911.1922.620.1210.600922.665 617208057.8
 
it was a throw-away line - my point is why just draft an outside receiver/query mid when you can take a genuine midfielder with star potential? to answer your question the top three fitting this bill are hamish hartlett, daniel rich and steele sidebottom (in that order).
Hartlett and sidebottom asre very much outside recievers but genuine midfielders . I take the point that a fit yarran will be a very good midfieldere I liken him to collingwoods leon davis.
 
The weird thing is that by midday Saturday, everyone will be happy with who we pick, it was the same as last year. I have my preferences and most on here know them, but I'll trust the EFC to take best available at the picks. They are the experts not me or anyone on here. Can't wait till it is over on Saturday though!
 
The weird thing is that by midday Saturday, everyone will be happy with who we pick, it was the same as last year. I have my preferences and most on here know them, but I'll trust the EFC to take best available at the picks. They are the experts not me or anyone on here. Can't wait till it is over on Saturday though!

You obviously don't remember last year and the complaints of passing on Palmer.
 

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True but I do feel that this year it is HARDER to stuff up a first rounder as the top30 is top class and all have merits of being 1st rounders. Whilst I may not want Yarran and that has not changed, he is a 1st rounder and he is very talented. I'd be dissapointed at the time if we passed on Hartlett BUT I'd be more than happy with Yarran come Saturday afternoon. Luckily I do art classes on Saturday so I actually won't be able to comment till later on in the day so I will have "cooled down" so to speak if I am annoyed at one selection. I think I'll be happy with this draft though. Hartlett or Swift at 5 please!
 
True but I do feel that this year it is HARDER to stuff up a first rounder as the top30 is top class and all have merits of being 1st rounders. Whilst I may not want Yarran and that has not changed, he is a 1st rounder and he is very talented. I'd be dissapointed at the time if we passed on Hartlett BUT I'd be more than happy with Yarran come Saturday afternoon. Luckily I do art classes on Saturday so I actually won't be able to comment till later on in the day so I will have "cooled down" so to speak if I am annoyed at one selection. I think I'll be happy with this draft though. Hartlett or Swift at 5 please!

i got a feeling you will be disapointed.
 
Maybe but at least by 2pm I'll be a bit better. If I learnt one thing from last year it was to not come on the forums straight after the draft, I was annoyed (and hungover as well) and to be honest I do regret what I did last year. Luckily I have art most of the day on Saturday. I am hoping it is not Yarran, but if it is, I am sure I'll come around by mid afternoon.
 

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Draft Primer - Essendon

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