Draft Strategy

[foj1]

I am sure there were a lot of Essendon supporters paying special attention to the U/18 championship on the weekend. I am going buck the trend and state that if we finish last I think I would draft Scott Gumbleton instead of Bryce Gibbs. I know the media and a large amount of our supporters would want a midfielder but I think Gumbleton is the best player in the draft (watching Sat, Nat u/16, WAFL) and we should take him. IF we get two picks at 17 & 18 we would get two midfielders such as Colbung, Collard, Jetta, Moss, Scmidt and Hislop which would give us extra midfield options. What way would you go?

 

[Longy413]

I'm going to sit on the fence a little for the moment, at least until after the Championships.

I do believe Hawkins to be the best player in the draft, although that is redundant with him going F/S.

I really like Gumbleton and wouldn't be unhappy if we had the first pick and drafted him, but there is something about Gibbs. He got 30 plus yesterday and just didn't look to try. He's a footballer, a pure footballer. He has Joe Misiti smarts but much more class.

If Lee comes into our side in the next few weeks and shows promise, I think it will make it an easier decision to go with Gibbs first up.

 

[ant555]

I am sure there were a lot of Essendon supporters paying special attention to the U/18 championship on the weekend. I am going buck the trend and state that if we finish last I think I would draft Scott Gumbleton instead of Bryce Gibbs. I know the media and a large amount of our supporters would want a midfielder but I think Gumbleton is the best player in the draft (watching Sat, Nat u/16, WAFL) and we should take him. IF we get two picks at 17 & 18 we would get two midfielders such as Colbung, Collard, Jetta, Moss, Scmidt and Hislop which would give us extra midfield options. What way would you go?

Tend to agree , i had a close look at a few of the interstate boys i hadnt see play and i thought that Gumbleton looked good . I was reasonably impressed with Hansen (i had seen him play already), he was beaten by Gumbleton on the day but he shows enough and can play forward or back.
Sellar didnt have a great game , got a lot of cheap kicks from the kick ins. He looks like a Laycock / Hille type of player anyway so he may not be at the top of our list.
Watched Gibbs closely , he has great skills and reads the play very well. Pace isnt brilliant. He played more of a Hird style game without pushing forward as much.He was pretty much out of the game when he was moved to half back but i think he may have a cold the way he was coughing at 3/4 time.
Shaun Grigg was pretty good for Vic Country as was Moss for WA. I didnt get a real good look at the Vic metro boys on the day as i was watching a few of the SA players closely.

I am leaning towards drafting a quality KP player and drafting a midfielder second.

 

[mbosca]

i think we should get gibbs with our first pick if he is there. He is a safe bet to be a very good footballer. If he isnt available i would get hansen. Can play all key positions including even ruck. He is also a victorian.

With our likely two picks in the 20 i would get another midfielder. I like the looks of Collard, Hislop, Houli, Grigg. The other pick should be used on a quality player that has slipped through or even another tall such as everitt who would be a project key position player.

 

[thebigboy]

Has to be Gibbs at pick 1. He is a genuine Superstar and these types of players dont come around as often as the KPP. Gibbs is simply once in a generation.

Maybe we have to take a massive risk and trade for another pick high inside the top 10 in order to try and secure both

 

[Lingsface]

Essendon take Bryce Gibbs I think you lack someone who can get big numbers and this kid can he also can kick goals and uses the ball well, dont think this is a time were you should be taking risks on talls with your first pick and should take Bryce because hes going to perform in the afl.

Although is a good assesment by the thread starter as this year does have alot of good midfielders around the 10-20 mark and could be a year where you could take a risk on a tall because of that reason.

 

[topdon]

Bryce Gibbs all the way. Essendon NEEDS a gun midfielder. We haven't had one for a very long time.

Get Gibbs, then concentrate on netting ourselves a key defender.

 

[mcphee_is_a_gun]

I'd take Gibbs at our first pick then maybe use one of our next pick on Everitt as i think he could be quite a handy rebounding CHB who can do the job on his player and be damaging as well with the way he sets up the play.

 

[Jaymin]

We need Gibbs.

Now we'll probably do something stupid like win games and miss out on him....

 

[Nt Bomber]

You would probably take Gibbs but you wouldnt be unhappy with Gumbleton who looks as though he can play Centre half back as well as up forward.

Could rotate with Lucas through both positions.

 

[ant555]

How many people have seen Gibbs play? I am not going to judge him on the one game i have seen him in but on the weekend there where several other midfielders who had more impact.
I have no doubt he will be a great midfielder but he isnt the explosive Chris Judd type player.
If the quality of talls is going to be that much better then we may be silly to pass on them given a) other clubs may go for them as well pushing some better midfielders futher into the draft and b) most years produce a number good midfielders but not as many good talls.

 

[dave_27]

Carlton will get Gibbs.

We'll just have to settle for the next best talent which will likely be the best KPP in the draft.

Geez we are going to have a decent group of talls coming through in the next few years.

 

[foj1]

How many people have seen Gibbs play? I am not going to judge him on the one game i have seen him in but on the weekend there where several other midfielders who had more impact.
I have no doubt he will be a great midfielder but he isnt the explosive Chris Judd type player.
If the quality of talls is going to be that much better then we may be silly to pass on them given a) other clubs may go for them as well pushing some better midfielders futher into the draft and b) most years produce a number good midfielders but not as many good talls.

I totally agree. Gibbs is going to be an awesome player but the one area he is not super in is speed- which is something we lack. I really believe Gumbleton looks similar to Reiwoldt and I think we would have to grab him. With our picks 17- 21 I would wish for Collard and Moss. Also recruiting Gibbs would mean that our most improved mf in Watson is superseeded somewhat IMO. By the end of the season we would have a better idea which free agents we could secure through the PSD- that would also shape our strategy. I would probably draft hansen before Gibbs as well following the same theory.

 

[Longy413]

Fair point on Gibbs' speed. But would a player of his quality make Winderlich, Dyson, Lovett, Dempsey, Stanton and the like better footballers?

A bit in the way Misiti, Williams etc made the players around them better footballers.

If you've got a bloke that is almost a dead cert to make it as an AFL midfielder and has that must class, I don't think speed is important. He isn't slow.

We are developing some footballers with leg speed, lets add a bloke that can compliment them rather than add to them.

 

[carn_the_dons]

I think getting Gumbleton with our first pick would be a mistake. He could be a quality KPP, but then we picked the likes of Bolton at no.4 in 97 so he may have been touted as being a quality player, can't remember. Gibbs has the potential to be the next Hird. Also, if we draft Gumbleton IMO it would undermine the work we've been doing with the likes of Lee and Bradley, who also can play the same role as him.

 

[dave_27]

We can hardly afford to be picky about a player not having real pace (he aint slow mind you) when you look at the medicore state of our list atm.

We need some quality midfielders in the side full stop.

 

[Crave]

Id simply say that our 'strategy' would be to take the 'best' kid available...regardless of what position he plays. Be it even a 'full forward' we've shown this year that without a backup, we arent capable of kicking a winning score. B, HB, CHB, C, W, HF, CHF, FF...cant afford to be choosy with the prospect of several years in the bottom 4 to endure.

 

[Dr Moose]

We can hardly afford to be picky about a player not having real pace (he aint slow mind you) when you look at the medicore state of our list atm.

We need some quality midfielders in the side full stop.

Can't argue there. Not only is our current midfield weak, it's the next area of our team that will be ageing over the next 5 years.

 

[eastaugh36]

How many people have seen Gibbs play?

I have seen him week in and week out live in the flesh for 2 years. He is an amazing talent. You guys might have been impressed with him against kids his own age but if you'd seen him dominating against men like I have, then you would be even more impressed. If we have #1 pick and don't take him then Dodoro and Sheeds can run off to retirement together and that's saying something because I am a massive Sheedy supporter.

 

[carn_the_dons]

I think with if we get some of our younger players already listed (Lovett, Winderlich etc) playing a more predominant midfield/wing role rather than goal-sneak this could help lessen the problem our side has with speed, but i agree we do need more quality midfielders.

 

[Don77]

Can't argue there. Not only is our current midfield weak, it's the next area of our team that will be ageing over the next 5 years.

Sorry Dr Moose, have to disagree there- I think that the midfield (although not yet) is a definite future strength of ours and certainly not aging. Of our current midfield regulars, only JJ and Campo are 'old'. Hird has hardly played there this year anyway (forward or out injured) and MJ in my opinion is more of a 'utility' rather than a pure midfielder (and will certainly be beyond this year). Pev in my opinion is no longer up to it so I don't include him in any plans beyond this year.

Our list of young midfielders include the like of Watson, Stanton, Monfries, Dyson, Winderlich, Dempsey. The first 3 are 'definites' in my opinion whilst the other 3 still have plenty to prove, however have all shown ability at senior level. I haven't included the likes of Slattery, Nash, Lovett and even Reynolds, all of whom have the potential to make contributions to an Essendon midfield over the next 5-10 years (however are best suited elsewhere, I believe).

That, in my opinion is a pretty good midfield going forward when you add the likes of McVeigh and Heff, both of whom have plenty of footy ahead of them. Having said that, adding a Bryce Gibbs to that list would be sensational and could be just what we need to ensure the 'blue chip' quality of our midfield over the next 5-10 years, but again, the old furfy (sp?) that Essendon has an aging midfield would have, I would have thought, gone with the retirements of Misiti and Mercuri.

 

[Crave]

Have to agree with some opinions in that we have to remind ourselves that it was our 'slow' midfield that helped us have an incredible period between 99-01. Sure, age and inconsistency has caught up with some of them in recent years, but I find it hard to believe one early drafted midfielder will turn our fortunes around. Campo, Watson, JJ, Monfries Wines n some of the kids like Jolley will help shape our future.
I actually think a glaring weakness is our 190cm type players...after Fletcher n with losing Wellman...the gap is enourmous in terms of consistent contesting week in, week out. If we can gain one or 2 more capable backline/half back KP players, imagine the likes of Bradley, Lucas and McPhee receiving n screaming down towards the forward 50 like the seasons mentioned above. Sure, we'll take the first available gun midfielder, but I seriously hope we look at taking a KP backman also to help even up our backline against these current versatile forward structures like the Pies, Dogs and Crows.

 

[Philzsay]

Some might say I'm a little optimistic but I would take the best player available with Pick 2. I dont want the spoon! I will be very happy with Pick 2 in this draft.

 

[boms]

I reckon we should go for Gibbs do remember this is more of a KPP draft so we can pick up a KPP with our 17 and 18th picks (if we finsh 16th)

 

[ant555]

I have seen him week in and week out live in the flesh for 2 years. He is an amazing talent. You guys might have been impressed with him against kids his own age but if you'd seen him dominating against men like I have, then you would be even more impressed. If we have #1 pick and don't take him then Dodoro and Sheeds can run off to retirement together and that's saying something because I am a massive Sheedy supporter.

I was waiting for your view I have no doubt he is a star in the making but then so are a few of the talls and some of the other midfielders. At the end of the day i would be very happy if we get him but i like to think about all the options