Toast Fremantle's 2nd 2018 National Draft Pick: Luke Valente [Pick #32]

Scham

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Sep 19, 2004
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Pick 32 averages around 63 games.

I do think Valente dropped due to his lack speed and teams filling more pressing needs.

Melbourne and West Coast went for more outside run. Between they had 3 picks.

Hopefully we won’t look back and think we should’ve gone for more outside run.
 
You'll see the impact of combine results on the band of player Valente fits in with. He wasn't in the group of players who would be drafted injured or not but when you're looking for a running player, which all mids are, and he doesn't test at the combine but you have another choice who has shown the high result then you're safety pick is the second player.

Eventually the second player starts to become less advantageous so you take the higher ranked player even with his question marks.

I won't be able to demonstrate the impact of injury at the combine because the risk profile of a player like that is entirely club dependent. Take the expansion clubs when they came in and had a whole draft worth of first round picks - those teams can afford to take the risk on a player with unknowns when the knowns are good enough. A mythical side called the Scarborough Waves can't risk taking a player at #10 when their next selection is #80, that first guy has to be a winner.

It's one of the unspoken wins of our trade period, not because we wouldn't have had the pick to select Sturt at #17 but because even if we did and didn't have another choice until #81 we probably wouldn't have taken the high potential but project player option.

We have also paired up our prospective junior picks of Sturt and Valente with two far more known mature bodies. Historically the mature bodies start at a higher level and finish at a lower level but if we get nothing out of Sturt or Valente we should get some games out this draft from our mature guys.
 

Scham

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Personally I think some clubs under value solid ball getters with decent skills. Yes he may not be quick but he has a good all round game, far above many taken before him.
His peak will never be A grade but you can’t have a side full of A graders.

Very unfashionable these days, especially if they lack pace. Winning stoppages isn’t the be all and end all as it once was, in fact it’s not considered vital at all.
 

Scham

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We have plenty; Hilly, Billy, Langdon, Colyer, Giro, Wilson. We lost Neale and got smashed at the contest last season. Inside mid depth is what we need to build.

I hope you’re right but other than Colyer, we had all of those guys on our list this year and Ross said our need was for more pace.

We’ve also got plenty of inside mids too btw.

I’m not knocking the pick just playing devils advocate. He dropped for a reason while other clubs stock up on pace, hurt factor and X factor.
 

FD2646

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I hope you’re right but other than Colyer, we had all of those guys on our list this year and Ross said our need was for more pace.

We’ve also got plenty of inside mids too btw.

I’m not knocking the pick just playing devils advocate. He dropped for a reason while other clubs stock up on pace, hurt factor and X factor.
Know what you are saying but I watched Valente in the 18s and was very impressed. You can have all the x factor and pace in the world but if you can't get the pill, those attributes are useless - this kid can both get the pill and distribute it effectively off either leg or by hand.....I'm very happy with the pick.
 
Sep 30, 2005
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Know what you are saying but I watched Valente in the 18s and was very impressed. You can have all the x factor and pace in the world but if you can't get the pill, those attributes are useless - this kid can both get the pill and distribute it effectively off either leg or by hand.....I'm very happy with the pick.

Personally I think we have more issues with ball movement than leg speed.

We have more than enough speed. I mean Langdon can run anybody off their feet, then turn the ball over with the best of them


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yyou

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Know what you are saying but I watched Valente in the 18s and was very impressed. You can have all the x factor and pace in the world but if you can't get the pill, those attributes are useless - this kid can both get the pill and distribute it effectively off either leg or by hand.....I'm very happy with the pick.
i agree
kind of the reverse of a Gary Rohan type player.
all speed & x-factor, but low on production.
 

theGav56

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Valente looks to be the best available player at that pick by a significant margin, and the club trading up for the opportunity to draft him confirms that. The debate about about outside run is silly. Valente is a high production inside mid. At pick 32 we drafted a player quite likely to be a part of our best 22 sooner rather than never!
 
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