Essendon's list, post-draft

[GoldenboyHird_5]

The thing about big Hurley is that... well, he just looks so BIG and MEAN.

Honestly, he looks like a dog chewing a wasp, there is some serious mean streak in this kid.

I like it. A lot.

 

[essendon2008]

For anyone that is interested.

Assuming we pick up Skipworth our average age at round 1 next year will be 22.73 with an average games played of 58.35

We will have 55% of our list in the 18-22 bracket (22), 37% in the 23-28 bracket (15) and 8% in the 29+ bracket (3)

And say we pick up an 18 year old, yet to play a game obviously. Will this affect these values much?

 

[Gus2Gumby]

Next year we better ****in draft midfielders with our first two rounders though.... or heads should roll...

The thing people need to understand is that the KPPs take longer to develop than the midfielder.

That's why you draft your spine first and then draft your gun on-ballers at the end of the rebuilding phase. This way they are all reaching their peaks at a similar time.

Now that the KPP players are set (bar perhaps another ruckman?) i think 2009 and '10 will be much more midfield focused. The supporting cast is there, we just lack a superstar or 2... which we have a good shot of snaggin next year .

...Also, by drafting bigs first, you're going to suck the first few years because none of your new players are having much impact yet and you get solid 1st round picks for the next couple of years.

 

[essendon2008]

...Also, by drafting bigs first, you're going to suck the first few years because none of your new players are having much impact yet and you get solid 1st round picks for the next couple of years.

I would be hoping for a mid-late first round pick next year.

 

[H2F]

Ordinary.

You do the midfield last ...

Gee I like your list. Don't think I'll be buying a membership or anything but I think you guys are in good hands.

Your coach is a gun ...

 

[H2F]

For anyone that is interested.

Assuming we pick up Skipworth our average age at round 1 next year will be 22.73 with an average games played of 58.35

We will have 55% of our list in the 18-22 bracket (22), 37% in the 23-28 bracket (15) and 8% in the 29+ bracket (3)

and ..................

I reckon you will make the 8 in year 2 of your rebuild.

 

[Smyth94]

The spread looks okay to me.

As for the midfield debate, people seem to have forgotten that we have plenty of opportunity to add to it to next year. There's no doubt that Rich or Sidebottom would've been excellent additions, but there are top midfielders in every draft, top defenders are far more scarce and we nabbed one today.

Having taken Hurley this year, we're free to take a midfielder from next year's pool, and whilst there aren't the bottom agers to choose from, guys like Kane Lucas, Tom Scully, Koby Stevens, Anthony Morabito, Mitchell Duncan, Jordan Gysberts and Jesse Crichton have all shown a lot to date, and as the year progresses, I'm sure we'll see plenty more emerge.

Taking Hurley hasn't doomed our midfield. We've already got a few gems, David Myers probably being the shiniest, and by the time our Premiership window opens, there could well be another from the 2009 Draft.

No need for the pessimism today, because the bloke we grabbed at 5's going to be a very good player for us.

Spot on.

Obviously Essendon rated Hurley to be the best defender not only in this draft, but next year too.

We will most likely gain a pick in the #6-#10 region next season so there will still be an opportunity to nab a quality prospect next year.

 

[Kaan]

I don't think Houli has the potential to be elite to be honest, Jetta does have the potential but I also really doubt he will ever be elite. Myers seems the most likely whilst dempsey will probably never get over his injuries and reimers is a bit of a wildcard.

Excuse me mate

 

[Merv]

and ..................

I reckon you will make the 8 in year 2 of your rebuild.

Get on us next year mate, on the proviso that injuries don't cripple us once again.

BTW, i am so jealous of you getting Schoenmakers, i think he's going to be pretty special.

 

[Sigmund]

still doesn't change that we need more quality midfield options.

it's all well and good to select midfielders at picks 50 onwards but the likelihood is that the majority will be solid at best. We have plenty that will be like that. But with a top 20 pick, the chances of picking up dominating midfield become more and more likely. No doubt that a Rich would have been great in deleoping the engine room.

What needs to be taken into account is that the recruiters might have felt that Hurley was the best KP option when compared to next year's draft as well as this years. perhaps they felt that KP strength, especially backline, was rather bare and that midfielders were plentiful next year with Scully, Kane Lucas etc. After next year's draft, then it would have been highly unlikely we would have been able to pick a Hurley type with GC and WS coming in.

Next year we better ****in draft midfielders with our first two rounders though.... or heads should roll...

We didn't though

 

[reimersyoubeauty]

I reckon this is our best team for round 1, 2009. 100% healthy and no injuries taken into consideration.





FB

Michael Hurley Dustin Fletcher Andrew Welsh



HB

Andrew Lovett Patrick Ryder Sam Lonergan



C

Kyle Reimers Jobe Watson Jay Nash



HF

Angus Monfries Scott Lucas Adam Mcphee


FF

Scott Gumbleton Matthew Lloyd Alwyn Davey


R

David Hille Mark Mcveigh Brent Stanton


I

Brent Prismall Jason Laycock David Myers Bachar Houli



Note: Jason Laycock only in the team because we need a back up ruckman and Bellchambers might not be ready to step up yet. I still think he is a hack and should have been delisted. Also Welsh is better than a back pocket and I would probably like to see him used in the midfield for the majority of the game.



Unlucky ones(could slot into the team at later stage, due to injuries etc.):



Nathan Lovrett Murray, Jason Winderlich, Henry Slattery, Courtenay Dempsey, Jay Neagle, Tom Bellchambers, Darcy Daniher, Michael Still, David Zaharakis, Tayte Pears, Tyson Slattery
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Zaharakis&action=edit&redlink=1

Cya later:


Ricky Dyson – not good enough to be an afl midfielder, doesn’t deserve game time against our other midfielders

Jarrod Atkinson – hasn’t shown anything special, doesn’t quite fit into our team


Leroy Jetta – davey will replace the role he played last season and better his performances considerably, leaving jetta not able to fit into our team


Big chance of playing finals this year

Will be a let down if we dont.

 

[Sigmund]

^^^^^^

One may argue that Pears has more claim to a round one position than Hurley... interesting team though...I also do not like the look of that HB line. Lonergan is not a backman IMO. Prismal will not be there either...

 

[reimersyoubeauty]

^^^^^^

One may argue that Pears has more claim to a round one position than Hurley... interesting team though...I also do not like the look of that HB line. Lonergan is not a backman IMO. Prismal will not be there either...

yeh i definetly think lonergan is more suited to the midfield but couldnt fit him in. lovett would be good to give some run off the half back. and with prismall out the lonergan problem could be worked out freeing up that midfield spot.

 

[B-Bomber]

I reckon this is our best team for round 1, 2009. 100% healthy and no injuries taken into consideration.

Big chance of playing finals this year

Will be a let down if we dont.

Sorry to be so blunt but not with that team!

Lovett hasn't got the tenacity to play a defensive role. He needs to be on the Wing. I would rather Dempsey -- but even Reimers would give more of a go on half-back then Lovett.

Pears would definitely get a shot before Hurley, till then you couldn't really argue otherwise.

You did say that Welsh doesn't suit the back pocket which is true. On ball (tagger).

I think that if Lucas, Lloyd, Neagle and Gumby are all fit we'll see McPhee move back to half-back. Hopefully the boost in quality through the midfield will allow him to play with more confidence from there. Honestly, if Neagle and Gumby were both 100% I would put in Neagle first if you don't think they can both play at the same time as Lucas/Lloyd. He's shown a bit more then Gumby to date despite not being 100% himself.

Leroy Jetta see ya later?! We need one of Jetta/Davey on the ball as much as possible rotating out of the forward pocket. He's young and needs to improve sure but he's shown the potential to be every bit as damaging as Davey and with time on his side(5 years) I would probably put my money on him to have the better career. One Davey was good but two is even better.

If Prissa was fit I agree he would get a shot early on.

Nash? ahh, fully fit gut running down the wing I would have Winderlich over Nash every single day of the week.

It's hard to pick a team with a full available list that is in our position as we have many players that are still unknown and unproven.

I also think you've ruled out Atkinson a bit early. He's shown he's willing to put in the hard work and might be able to fill a need like back pocket. I think he's got the determination to do this.

 

[Big Blow Hard]

^^^^^^

One may argue that Pears has more claim to a round one position than Hurley... interesting team though...I also do not like the look of that HB line. Lonergan is not a backman IMO. Prismal will not be there either...

But what a nice problem it will be to have guys earning their positions and fighting for spots. err Hopefully.

 

[Bombers1234]

Leroy Jetta – davey will replace the role he played last season and better his performances considerably, leaving jetta not able to fit into our team

Jetta is definetly in our starting 22. he can replace Jay Nash for all im concerned. Jet is a key player in our future.

 

[Big Blow Hard]

Too much hatred for Nash on this board IMO. He will be vital rebounding off half back. People are willing to cut slack for other developing players, but seemingly not Nash. I don't get it.

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Why three key defenders, and no small shut down defenders against Port, who have Ebert and Motlop? Not our best 22, and not the best 22 to play Port. With Prismall the only one unavailable, taking into account that it's Port:

B: Slattery - Fletcher - Slattery
HB: Reimers - Ryder - Nash
C: Winderlich - Lonergan - Lovett
HF: McPhee - Lloyd - Gumbleton
F: Monfries - Lucas - Davey
R: Hille - McVeigh - Watson
I: Laycock - Stanton - Houli - Welsh

E: Neagle - Pears - Dempsey

Probably forgotten a certain starter, but that's close enough.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I think the KPP positions are well covered. We did get a classy mid in Brent Prismall but we still lact 2-3 A grade mids and this will again be the problem in 2009. I'll be happy with getting some games into our young side with a view of making the 8 in 2010. Hope we get a pick 5 or there abouts in 2009, and grab a midfielder please!

 

[Ben the Gooner]

I'd rather a pick between 10 and 17, given Melbourne will get picks 1 and 2.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I am not so sure on Melbourne, I think they will win more than you think. I'd take pick 5-6 next year, grab a gun midfielder though. No more KPP first rounders. Not only did we not get Rich..WCE got my man Swift..to say it was a depressing day was an understatement!

 

[Ben the Gooner]

Melbourne has an exciting list, but not next year.

We are ready for finals. Bring on 09.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yes, but I think they are better than Calton and don't cheat for the sake of it. They should win enough games to avoid having picks 1 and 2. I think we are still 12 months away. We will not play finals with Stanton as our no1 midfielder. We need Houli or someone else to be our no1 mid..ideally I would have rather Rich..but that is in the past (unfortunate as it is)

 

[Ben the Gooner]

McVeigh and Watson are ahead of Stanton, with Houli and Lonergan coming fast.

We'll be fine.

 

[H2F]

Get on us next year mate, on the proviso that injuries don't cripple us once again.

BTW, i am so jealous of you getting Schoenmakers, i think he's going to be pretty special.

It must be so exciting for you guys knowing that you have such a great coach and are building for something special. At about this time in Clarksons tenure I personally was so pumped in what he was doing to my club that I was thinking Hawthorn nearly every second of the day. In terms of making the 8 we took till year three, but it was because of the rigid long-term strategy in place. Realistically you would expect that it won't be until next year that you guys will start to make your finals assault, but as I felt with my club at the same time, the when wasn't as important as the journey and the inevitably of it all.

Enjoy the ride, because on Grand Final day when I was screaming for the Hawks, being on them and believing from the beginning made it all the more incredible.