Rumour Isaac Smith

[Claude Balls]

pick 15 is part of our ablett compensation. i'd be wanting more than this guy

In the sense that Ablett's loss hurt us most because he was in his prime and we are arguably still in the closing stages of a premiership window, the only way to get true compensation is to draft a mature age player who can make a realistic impact immediately.

Just saying.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

I'm warming to this idea but it would be hard to pass up a KP player like Watson if he is still available. Would either of them be available for our second pick?

Highly unlikely.

Given their list needs, and the fact that he had to present to the board to explain picking mids last year, Carlton's recruiting guy will probably get the sack if he passes on Watson. And even then if he does, I reckon Hawthorn or Sydney will bite. GC might take Watson before 15 anyway.

ISmith, on the other hand, may make it to 23, but if Wells really rates him, he probably won't risk it.

How dare u say that about PO's man! He been walking around hard for weeks talking about Watson, I dare say once he wakes up he will unleash his Watson Love on u!

Damn straight I will!

From the vision I have seen of Watson he does not look a top 20 selection. Not agile or good enough on the ground. He'll drop like a stone on draft day.

A poor man's Tom Hawkins would be my assesment.

If you want a tall like that, wait for a later pick and take Mitchell.

I'd say we'll take Smith, unless someone like Billie Smedts falls.

Fair enough, you're entitled to that opinion. Doubts about agility or not (and he did better than expected in testing) too many teams need a good key defender for him to drop. Will go top 20.

Personally, I think he's just such a pure natural footballer, reads it so well, uses it so well, that this more than makes up for other concerns. Just as not everyone needs to be a gun natural footballer, not everyone has to be a super athlete either...there's room for all different types, so long as you have enough abilities to work with, which Watson surely has.

On other options, no to Mitchell. With only 4 picks, we must target defenders, not forwards. While I love Watson, I am open minded to other options...to me they are Watson, McCarthy (GC bound), Tape, Litherland, Delaney, Chalwell and so on. Whether we get Watson or not it is an absolute must that we get one, if not two, of these players.

Oh and Asty, re Varcoe, I didn't mean he was completely raw, I simply meant he was the classic high ceiling, but a long way from finished article type player...as comparison to your Caddy or Hallahan/Parket etc type....really solid finished well rounded players now who will have more immediate impact, but a lower ceiling for improvement in the long term because of the higher base (not saying one or the other is better, just trying to make the comparison as it relates to Smith).

 

[Nankervis brothers]

Isaac Smith's VFL GF highlights.

[YOUTUBE]JRAnvngB1ag[/YOUTUBE]

Great pace and penetrating kick. I would be happy if the club took him at 15. He might not last until pick 23, as an article today inferred that Hawthorn or Sydney are also keen and may grab him prior. At 21 he is still young.

 

[vinum coupe]

Hmm not sure from that footage.
Obviously a very good runner. He doesn't seem to think it through when he has the ball though, that's a worry.

But what really worries me is the way he holds the ball. It makes bouncing the ball difficult and can produce floaters off the foot.

See how when he bounces the ball he has to gather it and readjust before trying to kick. Not good when under pressure.

All fixable though.
But combining average disposal (on occasion) with indecisive disposal will lead to plenty of turnovers the way the game is played now.

 

[Claude Balls]

Yeah, interesting. Looks great when in space running down the wing, however gives me the impression he would turn it over in the AFL. Lacks composure maybe.

 

[Nankervis brothers]

Not good under pressure? Check 1.15 in video. Good composure i would say.

His technique with regards holding the ball and kicking is really not that bad. I have seen worse from elite players (Joel Corey being one).

He will turn the ball over and make bad decisions. ALL young and inexperienced players do. That will improve with experience.

Also had the composure to drill the sealer on the run and from 45 out (see 2.35 of video).

Looks well worth getting to me. We really do need some pace.

 

[vinum coupe]

I saw all of that. Did you really think he was going to kick it?
I was doubting him.
And, it was a ****teenth off being another floater.
I recall he missed a similar shot earlier in the clip. (and it didn't just miss)

I didn't use the word composure though.

He kicks like Wojo used to. Only that was due to wojo not learning how to kick at full tilt. It wasn't because of a poor kicking style.

We'll just have to disagree.

 

[Nankervis brothers]

Was referring to Claude Bell's post re: composure. Should have made that clearer.

Sure there was a bad shot on goal (a floater), but he nailed another at full tilt and his disposal otherwise was solid (is a very long kick as well).

But happy to agree to disagree.

 

[Claude Balls]

Perhaps composure isn't the word I'm looking for. As VC says (based on that vid), kicking is long but not necessarily accurate or well weighted, pace is great but was running around unchecked and only got 10 or so possessions.

I'll be happy if Wells takes him at 15 because he knows more than me, obviously. I just get the impression from that video he might be one of those players who can carve up the VFL but doesn't have the class to excel in the AFL.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

The discussion you guys are having about ball drop and kicking technique, while fair enough, is not a huge issue, because it's something 12 months in a professional environment with a good skills coach will fix that (neither of which he's had before since he's just come with a bolt from the country), because it's purely technique in terms of how he drops it etc. He certainly has a penetrating kick, he just needs our coaches to iron out those issues so it can be more consistently used.

The bigger issue for me is that a guy with his speed and endurance should be absolutely running people off their legs (seriously, who could tag him all game?) and dominating consistently, whereas he doesn't seem to do that...more does 5 or 6 passages every game that are absolutely fantastic, but doesn't do that across the whole game like he should. Look at that passage in the 3rd where he spoils at half back, follows up the play and sets the goal up from 50...just need to get him doing that all the time. To me that is the real risk in picking a guy like him, do you back your development environment to turn him into a consistent 4 quarter footballer, or do you take a 'safer' pick. From what I've seen, I don't this lack of consistency is a attitude/lack of work rate thing, for he's prepared to go back into defence, and put his head over the footy, I just think it's how raw he is both in terms of physical development (never done a proper pre season you have to remember) and mentally playing at the level.

There is no doubt though that his run and carry is exactly the need we need to fill, as he's one of the best run and carry guys in the draft, and what he can do is absolutely brutal and would be lethal on the back of our quality inside midfielders. It's just a matter of as I said, risk or not, and whether we can further develop him, which I think we can.

I won't be by any means unhappy if we take him at 15 (although I can understand if other posters here are) but I won't be unhappy if we take someone else (especially if it's Watson ). At the end of the day, Wells knows best.

 

[hamG]

A 190cm legit winger is a wet dream for recruiters.

Although ... one Kane Tenace had a great pre draft video package of elite pace.

Shit, drafting must be a piece of cake when you have top 5 and top 3 picks. Get the best player of any position on the ground, whatever you need.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

A 190cm legit winger is a wet dream for recruiters.

Although ... one Kane Tenace had a great pre draft video package of elite pace.

Shit, drafting must be a piece of cake when you have top 5 and top 3 picks. Get the best player of any position on the ground, whatever you need.

Agree, and that will help him get drafted high.

Has a much more long loping stride (the running style is very Hill like, even if the rest of his game is far too raw for a Hill comparison) that makes him quicker than Tenace, and the kicking is far less spudly. Having said that, there's risk involved with him for sure.

Wells never has top 5 picks, and yet he drafts as good as if he does

 

[Pure_Ownage]

A 190cm legit winger is a wet dream for recruiters.

Although ... one Kane Tenace had a great pre draft video package of elite pace.

Shit, drafting must be a piece of cake when you have top 5 and top 3 picks. Get the best player of any position on the ground, whatever you need.

Agree, and that will help him get drafted high.

Has a much more long loping stride (the running style is very Hill like, even if the rest of his game is far too raw for a Hill comparison) that makes him quicker than Tenace, and the kicking is far less spudly. Having said that, there's risk involved with him for sure.

Wells never has top 5 picks, and yet he drafts as good as if he does

 

[Claude Balls]

The discussion you guys are having about ball drop and kicking technique, while fair enough, is not a huge issue, because it's something 12 months in a professional environment with a good skills coach will fix that (neither of which he's had before since he's just come with a bolt from the country), because it's purely technique in terms of how he drops it etc. He certainly has a penetrating kick, he just needs our coaches to iron out those issues so it can be more consistently used.

The bigger issue for me is that a guy with his speed and endurance should be absolutely running people off their legs (seriously, who could tag him all game?) and dominating consistently, whereas he doesn't seem to do that...more does 5 or 6 passages every game that are absolutely fantastic, but doesn't do that across the whole game like he should. Look at that passage in the 3rd where he spoils at half back, follows up the play and sets the goal up from 50...just need to get him doing that all the time. To me that is the real risk in picking a guy like him, do you back your development environment to turn him into a consistent 4 quarter footballer, or do you take a 'safer' pick. From what I've seen, I don't this lack of consistency is a attitude/lack of work rate thing, for he's prepared to go back into defence, and put his head over the footy, I just think it's how raw he is both in terms of physical development (never done a proper pre season you have to remember) and mentally playing at the level.

I touched on that when I said he only got it 10 or so times for the match. This adds to the impression that while he has a few great sounding attributes, he also appears to lack a bit of class/composure.

But again, he's raw, and if Wells is willing to use pick 15 on him it will mean there's more too him than I can see, in which case I'll be perfectly happy.

 

[Asty]

Oh and Asty, re Varcoe, I didn't mean he was completely raw, I simply meant he was the classic high ceiling, but a long way from finished article type player...as comparison to your Caddy or Hallahan/Parket etc type....really solid finished well rounded players now who will have more immediate impact, but a lower ceiling for improvement in the long term because of the higher base (not saying one or the other is better, just trying to make the comparison as it relates to Smith).

Ok. Sorry must have just misinterpreted a little. We were reasonably lucky with both Varcoe and Selwood as they both slipped down to us through injury concerns. So far neither of their injuries have been major concerns.

Selwood - Knee no issue at moment but maybe in later years will need to be managed more ... Mcleod carried his knee for years once managed.

Varcoe - Foot no return of problem. His shoulder would be more of a concern for medicos as has had recurring minor issues.

I wonder if there are any more gems in the draft that may slip because they have had an injury during the 2010 season?