Drafting- How Could it go so Wrong?

[Drummond]

We all make mistakes, and it’s clear recruiters certainly make their fair share. Their job is to search the nation to find the best talents for their football club but sometimes it can all go so wrong.

In the 2005 AFL Draft the Crows took Alan Obst with their 3rd round selection (48th overall). Less than 12 months after drafting the 19 year old, 192cm defender, Obst found himself delisted by the Crows. It is extremely uncommon for a club to delist a teenager after only one year in the system, and even more so for someone who doesn’t have any behavioral issues.

What I’m asking is how could the club draft a young tall with the hope of them developing into a KPP and suddenly dump them less than a year into their time with the club? We obviously saw certain qualities in him that led us to believe he was good enough to make it as an AFL player, so how then could it all go so wrong in less than 12 months? I’m not implying that it was a mistake to release him, and as a matter of fact he’s still playing SANFL reserves, but I find it odd you can be an AFL hopeful one minute and not on the list the next.

 

[tribey]

Clubs have made greater mistakes higher up with even greater clay than Obst though.

In the same vein the one that really intrigues me is Chad Gibson.

Read a lot of reports and Phantom Drafts that labelled him Jon Brownesque with a massive future. Was very low age from memory as well. Was surprised we pulled the pin so early when you consider how long we persisted with the likes of Matthew Smith.

I guess though it comes down to internal talent identification.

It's all well and good to scout them, interview them and watch them during testing at Draft Camp, but until they're actually in your own system and you can measure them every which way you can't get a proper feel for how good their potential actually is.

Something was obviously amiss and we punted them both.

Similar case recently was Brayden Shaw. Son of Tony and Vic Metro captain, was rated very very highly - but was delisted within 5 minutes without playing a game.

Shit happens?

 

[Drummond]

Great post dyertribe.

To me Gibson was the typical ‘project player’. Sure that term gets tossed around too often, but in his case I think it’s adequate. He was a bottom age draftee and was always going to take a while to develop into the player he is capable of. This season he’s actually been able to string together 7 consecutive games, something he didn’t get close to achieving with the Crows. A few people on this board suggested Gibson’s attempts to recuperate from his injuries weren’t always up to scratch, and maybe this was a big reason he was let go. Perhaps playing 7 games on the trot is a sign that he has listened to the advice of the Crows medical staff and to me he isn’t without a chance of being re-drafted.

What I’m saying is that IF the rumours were true and he didn’t take proper care of his body, then that is one reason the Crows dumped him. However all I heard (mainly from macca23) was that Obst wasn’t developing as well as they would’ve liked. Even if that was the case, there must not have been too much to work with in the first place if they delisted him after less than 12 months. It’s admitting a pretty big fault IMO.

 

[James23]

to be honest i couldnt believe it when i found out the crows drafted obst.

he was never really any good.. even out in country league in u17s he was just average. the crows were desperate for KPP and there was little left.. after 1 year in his contract he was let go because the superdraft was coming up and there were alot better options available

 

[MickyCrow]

Hes a mate of a mate, and he is sitting at home getting paid for this year of his contract even though hes not on the list, so the only thing I can think is they wanted to free up room on the list for the Superdraft

 

[macca23]

However all I heard (mainly from macca23) was that Obst wasn’t developing as well as they would’ve liked. Even if that was the case, there must not have been too much to work with in the first place if they delisted him after less than 12 months. It’s admitting a pretty big fault IMO.

Correct.

That came directly from the inner cabinet at Crowland. They were very disappointed at his lack of development in that first year.

What compounded Obst's problem is that it co-incided with the year of the strong draft.

You'd have to question the selection in the first place to some degree as well, though.

 

[Drummond]

Correct.

That came directly from the inner cabinet at Crowland. They were very disappointed at his lack of development in that first year.

What compounded Obst's problem is that it co-incided with the year of the strong draft.

You'd have to question the selection in the first place to some degree as well, though.

Indeed. As everyone knows KPP generally take longer to develop so for the Crows to write him off after one season it doesn't say much for his ability. I just find it odd that with all the options available come draft day you pick one that doesn’t last more than one season.

If the draft pool wasn’t as strong as it was last year do you believe he would've remained on the list?

 

[pjcrows]

Nathan Van Berlo
Chris Knights
Richard Douglas
Jonothan Griffin
Jason Porplyzia

We've done OK.

 

[macca23]

Indeed. As everyone knows KPP generally take longer to develop so for the Crows to write him off after one season it doesn't say much for his ability. I just find it odd that with all the options available come draft day you pick one that doesn’t last more than one season.

If the draft pool wasn’t as strong as it was last year do you believe he would've remained on the list?

Ultimately no.

IMO he was almost a token KPP - the best that was left of a poor batch after it had already been picked over.

Just an average selection really.

 

[jo172]

A drafting system by nature is always going to be hit and miss. If all your able to judge players your handing contracts to on perhaps 20 games of football you see them play along with athletic test results your always going to get some blokes not up to the cut of AFL level. What makes me think if blokes like Obst were allowed to train with clubs before making it onto an AFL list would they still get picked up?

This may be one reason we've had more sucess with the rookie draft as we used to hold those little rookie camps which allowed the coaches to monitor players under AFL training conditions.

 

[Drummond]

This may be one reason we've had more sucess with the rookie draft as we used to hold those little rookie camps which allowed the coaches to monitor players under AFL training conditions.

Except for last year which was a complete disaster.

However our rookie list this year is much more promising and I'm confident at least 2 of the 4 will make it at AFL level.

 

[Damp Squarie]

Clubs have made greater mistakes higher up with even greater clay than Obst though.

In the same vein the one that really intrigues me is Chad Gibson.

Read a lot of reports and Phantom Drafts that labelled him Jon Brownesque with a massive future. Was very low age from memory as well. Was surprised we pulled the pin so early when you consider how long we persisted with the likes of Matthew Smith.

I guess though it comes down to internal talent identification.

It's all well and good to scout them, interview them and watch them during testing at Draft Camp, but until they're actually in your own system and you can measure them every which way you can't get a proper feel for how good their potential actually is.

Something was obviously amiss and we punted them both.

Similar case recently was Brayden Shaw. Son of Tony and Vic Metro captain, was rated very very highly - but was delisted within 5 minutes without playing a game.

Shit happens?

Superb post...

It is odd....he must've had a problem not to have cut the mustard in terms of development

 

[Dandy_GO]

I still say Sam Elliot should get another go. Does anyone know how he's going these days?

 

[Drummond]

I still say Sam Elliot should get another go. Does anyone know how he's going these days?

I rated him very highly; in fact you could bump a number of threads where I made some pretty outrageous comments. Unfortunately he’s still languishing in the SANFL reserves. I haven’t completely given up on him but it’s looking bleak.

 

[RoosterLad]

who does he play for?

 

[Drummond]

who does he play for?

Who? Obst plays for Centrals, Elliot for South.

 

[Dandy_GO]

I rated him very highly; in fact you could bump a number of threads where I made some pretty outrageous comments. Unfortunately he’s still languishing in the SANFL reserves. I haven’t completely given up on him but it’s looking bleak.

That's a real shame. I suppose the club knows better than us, but he certainly looked to have talent.

 

[RoosterLad]

Who? Obst plays for Centrals, Elliot for South.

I wasn't sure who Elliot plays for. If he can't get a game in South's As he won't get back on an AFL list.

 

[bus24]

Didn't one of our rookies kick 12 goals or something in the SANFL Ressies?

 

[RoosterLad]

when?

 

[Drummond]

Didn't one of our rookies kick 12 goals or something in the SANFL Ressies?

Sugars kicked 10 last year for the Bays. Still can't make the league team though.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

to be honest i couldnt believe it when i found out the crows drafted obst.

he was never really any good.. even out in country league in u17s he was just average. the crows were desperate for KPP and there was little left.. after 1 year in his contract he was let go because the superdraft was coming up and there were alot better options available

Weak draft ....only really went to rounds deep .....also none of the rookies survived.

Last years draft strong ....and we'll probably see half our rookie list survive

So really ...the Crows had to pick a player ...gambled ...and lost ...all clubs get similar results

 

[Stiffy_18]

Weak draft ....only really went to rounds deep .....also none of the rookies survived.

Last years draft strong ....and we'll probably see half our rookie list survive

So really ...the Crows had to pick a player ...gambled ...and lost ...all clubs get similar results

And you are right. It was a very weak draft. We needed to make 3 selections, the last one being Obst. Our rookies were very average which further suggests that the depth quality in the draft pool was poor.

I think when we analyse these things, then the strength of the draft shoud be taken into account. If nothing good is there, then you can't magically create something.

 

[bus24]

Did we have to take a KPP in that situation though? Was a couple of smaller guys that would've been handy additions to our squad.

 

[CrowMagnum]

Did we have to take a KPP in that situation though? Was a couple of smaller guys that would've been handy additions to our squad.

48 Adelaide: Alan Obst (Central Districts)
49 St Kilda: Michael Rix (Coburg)
50 Essendon: Samuel Lonergan (Tassie Mariners)
51 Sydney: Matthew Laidlaw (Oakleigh Chargers)
52 Collingwood: Pass
53 Melbourne: Simon Buckley (Sandringham Dragons)
54 Sydney: Kristin Thornton (Peel Thunder)
55 Western Bulldogs: Brett Montgomery (Port Adelaide)
56 Brisbane: Joel Patfull (Port Adelaide rookie)
57 Western Bulldogs: Michael West (Redlands)
58 Power Adelaide: Hugh Minson (Norwood)
59 Sydney: Ryan Brabazon (Claremont - WAFL)
60 Melbourne: Clint Bartram (Geelong Falcons)
61 Geelong: Mathew Stokes (Woodville West Torrens)
62 Adelaide: Pass
63 St Kilda: Phillip Raymond (Glenelg)
64 Carlton: Pass
65 Hawthorn: Pass
66 Essendon: Austin Lucy (Suncoast Lions)
67 Richmond: Pass
68 Melbourne: Heath Neville (Tassie Mariners)
69 Kangaroos: Timothy Hutchison (Port Adelaide Magpies)
70 Power Adelaide: Jonathan Giles (Central Districts)
71 St Kilda: Justin Sweeney (Tyabb)
72 Essendon: Pass
73 Kangaroos: Pass
74 Power Adelaide: Pass
75 St Kilda: Pass

This was what was left after Obst. Patfull and Stokes have been good but the rest are mainly mediocre or already delisted.