Review How do you rate our draft?

We get an:

  • A+

    Votes: 34 20.7%
  • A

    Votes: 81 49.4%
  • B+

    Votes: 28 17.1%
  • B

    Votes: 3 1.8%
  • C+

    Votes: 2 1.2%
  • C

    Votes: 3 1.8%
  • I don't care

    Votes: 13 7.9%

  • Total voters
    164

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Aug 1, 2008
15,149
25,674
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
In the most convoluted way it turned out perfect.
We always desperately needed some big arse defenders, it is by far our biggest and maybe our only weakness (depending on whether Roughy, Minson or Campbell can lift). Many of us were disappointed that we couldn't get Carlisle. Some of us had thought it was a no brainer done deal. As it turns out Carlisle has some serious behavioural issues. Fortunately for us the saints didn't care, they wanted a key defender and were determined to get Carlisle. Had the Saints not got their man, there was every chance they would have gone for Kieran Collins themselves.

At the end of the trade period, I and others were despairing that we had failed to rectify our key defensive weakness, which with the advent of our fire sale of Talia was now even a bigger hole.

I spat the dummy, because I thought even if we recruited some quality key defenders, I felt they would require 2-3 years of development before they could be of real value and our top 6 are going to be firing during that period and would be let down by a gapping hole in our defence.

To then pick up 2 guys, Adams & Collins, who are physically mature, who also possess a range of elite qualities superior to either Talia or Roberts is astounding. We have clutched victory from the jaws of defeat. Mark my words, even in 2016, Roberts will have to produce his best consistently to stay ahead of either of these two beasts. Yes they may take a little bit time to adjust but they have both have elite qualities.

So in my mind, if one of either Adams or Collins becomes an A grader - then this draft rates A+ anything more is a bonus. If neither than you still have to give the recruiting team credit for giving us a great shot at rectifying a dire need.
 
Aug 14, 2001
10,345
17,972
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
You can win a tactical battle in the draft and that is what we seem to have done. To trade down pick eleven and, as a result, draft two players that we rate much higher than 20/21 was a tactical win.

That those players slid only means that we rate them more highly than other clubs. Don't assume that that means we were wrong in our assessments. We seem to have had a pretty good recent track record of getting our ratings correct and I think we are among the very best clubs at assessing talent. I'd suggest that the odds are that the clubs that let Dunkley and Collins slide have made a mistake. We massively improved our list during very difficult times when most of the supposedly better kids went to the expansion clubs... and we did it without a raft of really high draft picks.
I don't doubt the tactic at all. I'm just having a dig at anyone who calls any club a 'winner' immediately after the draft.
 

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BRWB

Brownlow Medallist
10k Posts The Cult of Robbo
Oct 7, 2012
15,839
24,196
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I don't doubt the tactic at all. I'm just having a dig at anyone who calls any club a 'winner' immediately after the draft.

No-one has a crystal ball. But...if you don't buy a tall ticket you can never win the tall raffle.

Many are pleased we bought a tall ticket.

Let's hope we win the raffle!!
 

TBOW

Premiership Player
Aug 9, 2012
3,191
3,860
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
In the most convoluted way it turned out perfect.
We always desperately needed some big arse defenders, it is by far our biggest and maybe our only weakness (depending on whether Roughy, Minson or Campbell can lift). Many of us were disappointed that we couldn't get Carlisle. Some of us had thought it was a no brainer done deal. As it turns out Carlisle has some serious behavioural issues. Fortunately for us the saints didn't care, they wanted a key defender and were determined to get Carlisle. Had the Saints not got their man, there was every chance they would have gone for Kieran Collins themselves.

At the end of the trade period, I and others were despairing that we had failed to rectify our key defensive weakness, which with the advent of our fire sale of Talia was now even a bigger hole.

I spat the dummy, because I thought even if we recruited some quality key defenders, I felt they would require 2-3 years of development before they could be of real value and our top 6 are going to be firing during that period and would be let down by a gapping hole in our defence.

To then pick up 2 guys, Adams & Collins, who are physically mature, who also possess a range of elite qualities superior to either Talia or Roberts is astounding. We have clutched victory from the jaws of defeat. Mark my words, even in 2016, Roberts will have to produce his best consistently to stay ahead of either of these two beasts. Yes they may take a little bit time to adjust but they have both have elite qualities.

So in my mind, if one of either Adams or Collins becomes an A grader - then this draft rates A+ anything more is a bonus. If neither than you still have to give the recruiting team credit for giving us a great shot at rectifying a dire need.
On top of all that, physically these 2 guys really aren't that far behind guys that we could have drafted last year (Marchbank, Lever, Durdin) or even the year before (Gardiner). Obviously there are a lot of other areas they will need to get up to speed with, but physicality is probably the most common factor that slows a kpp's development.
 

BrisDog

Premiership Player
Dec 13, 2012
4,014
11,085
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
This makes interesting reading
Williams - Yep, gonna be a good player for a long time

Collins - Somewhat unknown. Tough initiation. Looked a little slow.

Dunkley - A+, Premiership rockstar. Look at his frame, he will be an inside monster. Had a great finals series.

Adams: A brilliant contributor when he was on the park. Let's home he finds a Melbourne version of Miranda Kerr this year, otherwise he's heading back to Perth.
 

murphy2bedabest

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 11, 2003
5,713
2,210
On the final table-ALL IN
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Man U and Melbourne Storm
I think with this draft you have to look at what we have added in our past 2 seasons, we have added Boyd hamling Cordy Collins and Adams that is our bookends right there for the next 10 years. We also added part players suck as Biggs suckling adcock?? (Maybe) then when you add Dunkley to McLean Webb Daniel dale and Williams that's starting to become a very good midfield group.
Its amazing looking back at these 2 draft/trade periods' and seeing that 7 guys who have come in have already won a premiership.

If you look at our bookends that I mentioned, you would take 3 out of 5 players being successful every day of the week.
Ok we have lost Hamling, but he helped us gain another pick in the top 30 and walks away as a premiership hero.

Adams may end up leaving, but if he stays fit he could be a big reason for us going back to back.

Both Boyd and cordy have added to their game, in the ruck and up forward. As for Collins seems to be impressing this offseason to get fitter.
 

stefoid

Brownlow Medallist
Mar 8, 2002
16,839
7,925
home
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
My favourite pick in this draft is Marcus Adams. Looks like a player who will be ready to play almost straight away with enormous potential and traits that will translate well to AFL level. Would anyone complain if he were used up forward with his power/speed/marking allowing Stringer more midfield time with possibly not much lost up forward? With Collins, Zordy and Hamling down back and Roberts, Morris still able to fill key posts I think our backline looks pretty strong anyway. It may not happen this year but I see it as a real possibility going forward. Adams just adds to our versatility.

My second favourite pick is our last one. Bailey Williams looks like he has huge upside and talent and has already some elite athletic traits (agility, maybe not elite but has good endurance). His stand out playing traits seem to be in tight where he has great hands and great decision making by hand under pressure but he can also get on the outside and link up by hand. He would not look out of place when we go on one of our lightning handball chains, you know the ones where it looks like we are going too fast for ourselves then magically someone bursts into the clear.

The Collins pick I feel was the most necessary. He has great size for his position which is something we haven't had a great run of in key backs lately. He is also terrific one on one which to be frank our key backs weren't great at either especially Talia. He needs some work on his kicking, in his highlights video he had some brian lake syndrome where his short kicks had a strange trajectory but his long kicks looked ok. He also appears to need improvement in his body shape but he's only 17 so he has time on his side. He is a lockdown defender though so if he can lockdown on the opposition's most dangerous, big forward say a Hawkins or Kennedy then he'd be worth every bit of this pick. I am confident he has the tools to do the job.

Finally the Dunkley pick, our first. This to me was our surprise pick of the draft not because of the name but because of his playing style. He is a low risk possibly high reward type of player where if he can improve in certain areas he could be a real unique asset to our team. He is the right size to be a modern inside mid so hopefully Bevo can get the absolute best out of him and he can become a Mick Barlow type - a good inside mid with height who is good defensively and can sneak forward and take a mark and kick a goal. Smart ball user so must be consistent with his ball use to really succeed.

Overall I have given us a B+ as I think we drafted well. We let a few skilled players slide but I am not too worried and I can see our list really taking shape if we have again nailed the draft. All the holes in the list seem to have been filled except the ruck position so hopefully our midfield can help make up for this and by next season we have an above average ruck who can get to marking contests around the ground. If we draft Nyuon in the rookie Draft I'd give our off season an A+.

Nailed it.
 

Mattdougie

Cancelled
10k Posts
Jun 29, 2013
19,344
19,584
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
F

Seriously the people that voted A are so laughable its beyond a joke.

We did donuts. Try and twist and pretend we ended up on top but if you think moving up a few picks and keeping Jong is a success then you truly are all still drunk from the GF.

Premiership team and we did bubcus is at best a C and in my opinion a fail.
 

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webbo

Club Legend
Feb 15, 2016
1,318
1,924
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
F

Seriously the people that voted A are so laughable its beyond a joke.

We did donuts. Try and twist and pretend we ended up on top but if you think moving up a few picks and keeping Jong is a success then you truly are all still drunk from the GF.

Premiership team and we did bubcus is at best a C and in my opinion a fail.
This thread is about the 2015 draft :drunk::drunk::drunk:
 

Boristown

Premiership Player
May 24, 2015
4,100
10,118
AFL Club
North Melbourne
That fact the draft hasn't happened yet this year might of given it away too...

image.jpeg
 

Pannalstaroz

Norm Smith Medallist
May 4, 2014
8,208
17,895
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
F

Seriously the people that voted A are so laughable its beyond a joke.

We did donuts. Try and twist and pretend we ended up on top but if you think moving up a few picks and keeping Jong is a success then you truly are all still drunk from the GF.

Premiership team and we did bubcus is at best a C and in my opinion a fail.
Dude come on....
 
May 30, 2016
9,404
13,954
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics
Even if Collins doesn't pan out which he definitely still could;

Williams - Looks like he'll be a very very classy footballer
Adams - Terrific Choice. Pity about the injuries and homesickness but he can get through that. Key defender if he stays.
Dunkley - Rising Star nominee, premiership player, amazing little snap at goal out of a pack, and solid overhead. Another amazing pick.
Collins - Drafted a position of need. Intriguing prospect. Definitely still a slow burner.

A+ Draft for where we picked. I'd like a word with someone who thinks otherwise.
 

TempleKelvington

Cancelled
Sep 23, 2009
6,096
5,130
Out searching for omens pointing to our next flag.
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Not sure if I commented on this last year, if I did I hope i was prophetic enough to say we nailed it. Lol.

Collins is still a bit unknown, but shows enough to be granted the time KP prospect can take. Suffers from the fact he looks 10 years older than he is and is built like brick shizenhuaser, when he's just a kid in his first year.
 

murphy2bedabest

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 11, 2003
5,713
2,210
On the final table-ALL IN
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Man U and Melbourne Storm
Not sure if I commented on this last year, if I did I hope i was prophetic enough to say we nailed it. Lol.

Collins is still a bit unknown, but shows enough to be granted the time KP prospect can take. Suffers from the fact he looks 10 years older than he is and is built like brick shizenhuaser, when he's just a kid in his first year.
With a December birthday if I'm not mistaken
 

McCraeBF

All Australian
Dec 23, 2014
760
563
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
We seem to pick late birthday kids.. meaning Nov and Dec draftees.

Collins is going to be a gun guys already dropped another 5kg of his already impressive frame and put on a heap off mussel :)

Williams is just class
Adams if we can get him settled will be all Australian next year
Dunkley well what do you say?? kid was back training on the Wednesday after the grand final just a delight for me we somehow got him..
 
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