Drafting coming up

[Clay Davis]

Sure but the river is less than 3km's from Homebush so there are plenty of nice suburbs a stones throw from Homebush. I could happily live in Concord for example.

If for some reason Freo started training in Hammy Hill no one would say what a shit hole, lets not play for Fremantle. The same applies to GWS.

If I was a kid from Mirrabooka I'd much rather be drafted by GWS and live in Sydney's inner west than be drafted by Port Adelaide.

The river? Come on. Freo is a couple of seconds away from a decent beach, same with Subi. I'd rather live in Sydney than Perth, but if I was going to have to choose between Freo and beyond Strathfield in Sydney, I'd choose Freo everyday.

 

[dominguez]

The river? Come on. Freo is a couple of seconds away from a decent beach, same with Subi. I'd rather live in Sydney than Perth, but if I was going to have to choose between Freo and beyond Strathfield in Sydney, I'd choose Freo everyday.

I agree with you, but people talk as if the players going to GWS are moving to Soweto or the slums of Rio which is far from accurate.

 

[Patty_Moz]

Drafting young talls just seems like such a lottery that I don't know if it is even worth bothering unless you have a top 10 pick and there is a clear standout option. I wouldn't mind a strategy that only looks at drafting young smalls (unless something obvious stands out), and get the talls from free agency, PSD, trading, rookie draft and mature age picks.

How many genuinely good KPP have we drafted over our existence in the main draft? I might be missing someone, but Pavlich is the only one I can think of, and he was a #4 pick. I would count J-Lo as well if injuries didn't wreck him, and he was a #2 pick I think.

Every year there are so many talls thrown up that various people rate ... and it is very rare that any of them make it. It is hard to get excited about guys like Kersten, Tomlinson, or whoever. It just sounds like the same things heard every year with a different crop of talls whom eventually turn out to be 90% full of duds. There are going to be lots of misses with smaller players as well, but it seems you have a better chance with drafting a young small than a tall.

The entire draft is a lottery but the higher your picks the better your chances are in winning, thats not something new.

Your right there are plenty of misses with smalls but they tend to be picks that are taken after 30, look at our drafting since 2006. Palmer, O'Brien, Hinkley, Collard, Hall, Ruffles, Bucovaz would all be considered as failures while the jury is still out on Walters, Bollenhagen, Crichton, Roberton, Mitchie and Mellington. All of those players except for Palmer and Hinkley were taken out of the top 30 and Palmer still has a chance to prove himself.

Our best successful small players (Hill, Fyfe, Suban, Ballas, Mora) were all picked inside the top 30 and this is traditionally were the best players get taken.

In the same time we have only drafted 2 KPP's Houghton (pick 36) who I thought deserved more time and Mourish (pick 77), both outside that top 30 where it becomes even more of a lottery. So its hardly like we've really been failing in this area, we havent even really given it a go. We definitely failed by taking Pitt over Darling last yr.

With three picks inside the top 30 this yr I think its time to bite the bullet and select 2 KPP's and see what happens. The only valid reason that I dont think we should follow this plan is if GWS take heaps of talls and let some good mids slide then I'd take 2 mids and a KPP.

 

[malpaso]

The river? Come on. Freo is a couple of seconds away from a decent beach, same with Subi. I'd rather live in Sydney than Perth, but if I was going to have to choose between Freo and beyond Strathfield in Sydney, I'd choose Freo everyday.

Have to agree with Clay. I've lived in Perth for 7 years, Sydney for 8 and Melbourne now for 4. Melbourne beats both however if in Sydney if your not living in the North Shore or the Eastern Suburbs may as well live in Perth.

 

[malpaso]

I agree with you, but people talk as if the players going to GWS are moving to Soweto or the slums of Rio which is far from accurate.

Yeah, it's pretty funny. You'd think young players these days would jump at a) the chance to join an AFL team and b) move to the big smoke..

 

[free at last]

GWS are going to have a massive fight on their hands in keeping their youngsters.

Not one bit of sympathy either.

 

[magnus34]

The entire draft is a lottery but the higher your picks the better your chances are in winning, thats not something new.

Your right there are plenty of misses with smalls but they tend to be picks that are taken after 30, look at our drafting since 2006. Palmer, O'Brien, Hinkley, Collard, Hall, Ruffles, Bucovaz would all be considered as failures while the jury is still out on Walters, Bollenhagen, Crichton, Roberton, Mitchie and Mellington. All of those players except for Palmer and Hinkley were taken out of the top 30 and Palmer still has a chance to prove himself.

Our best successful small players (Hill, Fyfe, Suban, Ballas, Mora) were all picked inside the top 30 and this is traditionally were the best players get taken.

In the same time we have only drafted 2 KPP's Houghton (pick 36) who I thought deserved more time and Mourish (pick 77), both outside that top 30 where it becomes even more of a lottery. So its hardly like we've really been failing in this area, we havent even really given it a go. We definitely failed by taking Pitt over Darling last yr.

With three picks inside the top 30 this yr I think its time to bite the bullet and select 2 KPP's and see what happens. The only valid reason that I dont think we should follow this plan is if GWS take heaps of talls and let some good mids slide then I'd take 2 mids and a KPP.

good post imo

 

[Notorious_29]

I'd say there's a good chance Kersten get's picked up before our first pick, seems to be very highly rated by the recruiters. I'd be happy to pick up two WA boys in Lockyer and Nelson with our first two picks, then target the best tall left with 29.

 

[free at last]

I'd say there's a good chance Kersten get's picked up before our first pick, seems to be very highly rated by the recruiters. I'd be happy to pick up two WA boys in Lockyer and Nelson with our first two picks, then target the best tall left with 29.

Lockyer testing 2nd overall for kicking at draft camp will have shot him up the draft order, you'd think. Fearless & skilled, handy combo.

 

[Fastwaters]

The same applies in Perth though. If a rookie is picked from Melbourne on $40,000 a year and moves to the west do you think he's living alone in Subiaco/Leederville/Wembley?

The players often mention that they live together, the same will apply in GWS down the track. Next year they're all living together at Breakfast Point apparently, but after that they'll rent a 2/3 bedroom apartment for $400-$600 a week which is what you'd pay in many parts of Perth/Fremantle. Then a couple of years later they'll either be de-listed or be earning $100,000+pa and be able to buy.
http://www.breakfastpoint.com/

For GWS they live at Breakfast Creek, in resort style living and Melissa Lambert (Craig's wife) is the house mother, who teaches them all how to live away from home...cooking, shopping, washing etc.

In Perth, most of the 17-18yos are 'Home-stayed' where they live with another family until they (player and club) feel ready to move out.

 

[Chris25]

Drafting young talls just seems like such a lottery that I don't know if it is even worth bothering unless you have a top 10 pick and there is a clear standout option. I wouldn't mind a strategy that only looks at drafting young smalls (unless something obvious stands out), and get the talls from free agency, PSD, trading, rookie draft and mature age picks.

Obviously things will change with free agency coming in, but really how often does a good KPP go in the PSD? And the rookie list has hardly been successful the last few years, over the last three years I would only take about three promoted rookie KPPs on our list - Jamison, Silvagni and Thompson.

And over that same time frame, it's no surprise that the best KPPs were taken in the first two rounds. Only Sam Reid and Alex Johnson have shown anything from those taken from the third round onwards.

Guys like Schoenmakers, Trengove, Roughead, Gillies, Gunston and Darling were all taken around where our picks will be this year too. So I'm definitely on the KPPs early bandwagon. Not to say we should just go early on a KPP, but at pick 20 we could realistically have the choice between the 5th best tall and the 15th best small.

 

[tofushark]

For GWS they live at Breakfast Creek, in resort style living and Melissa Lambert (Craig's wife) is the house mother, who teaches them all how to live away from home...cooking, shopping, washing etc.

In Perth, most of the 17-18yos are 'Home-stayed' where they live with another family until they (player and club) feel ready to move out.

It reminds me of the TV show the Prisoner. Palmer is going to try and escape and realise that Breakfast Point is actually a place in Sheedy's head.

 

[jedi mind tricks]

Lockyer testing 2nd overall for kicking at draft camp will have shot him up the draft order, you'd think. Fearless & skilled, handy combo.

Lockyer would be a great pick up for us, however I believe we should go for the best available mid with our first pick. Then look at Lockyer and other talls with our next few picks.

I honestly believe GWS will take a few KPP but will load up with premium mids and some outside players. With the majority of clubs only having 1 draft pick in the first round and most being before our first two pics they will also want to get a good mid. This will open the door for us to target other KPP in our next two pics 20 and 29. I believe in our position of aging KPP we need to take a chance and pick up a couple.

 

[mr.11]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...nds-on-big-stage/story-fn69a32t-1226171830671

Anyone know much??
Can he play?

 

[Nickos66]

It's been covered a couple of times already but, he's not a big chance. Late rookie selection at best, can't really play much at the moment but obviously upside. Stats for colts were dismal and he wouldn't play WAFL footy for at least 3 years.

 

[Kickett Punches Read]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...nds-on-big-stage/story-fn69a32t-1226171830671

Anyone know much??
Can he play?

another prime rookie list candidate. i'd take him even if he looks rubbish right now... aaron didnt look like even half a player until he was 24

 

[free at last]

Lockyer would be a great pick up for us, however I believe we should go for the best available mid with our first pick. Then look at Lockyer and other talls with our next few picks.

I honestly believe GWS will take a few KPP but will load up with premium mids and some outside players. With the majority of clubs only having 1 draft pick in the first round and most being before our first two pics they will also want to get a good mid. This will open the door for us to target other KPP in our next two pics 20 and 29. I believe in our position of aging KPP we need to take a chance and pick up a couple.

Yep I totally agree with best available mid.
Then have a crack at a couple of KPP players.

 

[tacopavlich]

Yep I totally agree with best available mid.
Then have a crack at a couple of KPP players.

I would like to see us use our two first picks on best mid + Kersten. Then at pick 29 best KPP, Lockyer if we're lucky.

 

[Wigarus]

another prime rookie list candidate. i'd take him even if he looks rubbish right now... aaron didnt look like even half a player until he was 24

I reckon we should pick up 'little' Sandi just for the potential father / son selections in 25 years...

It would be great to have a whole family of giants bleeding freo blood

 

[jedi mind tricks]

I reckon we should pick up 'little' Sandi just for the potential father / son selections in 25 years...

It would be great to have a whole family of giants bleeding freo blood

we would be breeding giants.