Mitch Clark - The SQL

[Clay Davis]

More than reasonable stats to have 5 goals on debut as a 202cm ruckman who is 16 and skinny.

Yes, but you don't know how shit the Sydney League is. In the 90s their most dominant side went down to the ACT league and was routinely belted by 10+ goals, finishing bottom each year.

I see a lot of AFL Sydney games on Main Event. My general rule of thumb is that the quality of a league is inversely proportional to the number of players you see with long shorts on. By this measure the Sydney league's not much better quality than AFL 9s.

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

The point is, playing well in a few u 18's matches isn't enough to warrant the expectation that he is the second coming of Jesus.

You would assume every kid that gets drafted plays well in the under 18's.

 

[Alfonz]

The RAMS were led from the front by their two talls, 202-centimetre Craig Moller, who kicked five goals, and 208-centimetre ruckman Jarrod Witts.

RAMS 16.7.103 defeated Northern Knights 13.14.92
NSW/ACT RAMS
GOALS: C. Moller 5, A. Flagg 3, J. Potter 3, T. Head , H. Cunningham , B. Guthrie , J. Harper , O. Tweeddale
BEST: C. Moller, M. Lodge, H. Cunningham, J. Witts, M. Hartley, J. Potter, J. Gourlay, O. Tweeddale

This was against the team with the best ruck in this year's draft in Billy Longer.

Also compares favourably with Witts, whom I think Collingwood are drafting this year and rate quite highly.

 

[Wee Jessies]

Agree that it's great to keep Griffin, however if we are able to get a Top 35 pick for a player that we picked up with pick 61 a year ago then it's worth looking at esp. if we land M.Clark beforehand.

It's a compromised draft so picks near the top 30 are valuable.

It's all about weighing up the benefit of a draft pick versus a year of backup ruck services.

Was in the best 15 rucks in the league last year, it was just that he was behind Sandi, Freo wanted to develop Zac, hip injury and the sub rule meant we weren't prepared to play two rucks.

With a pre season to develop a game plan that accomodates both Griffin and Sandi by developing their forward skills, Griffin is very valuable and worth a top 30 pick much more than Brad Ebert is IMHO.

 

[Alfonz]

The point is, playing well in a few u 18's matches isn't enough to warrant the expectation that he is the second coming of Jesus.

You would assume every kid that gets drafted plays well in the under 18's.

I don't think people are saying he is the second coming. More that he has some results on the board which show he is capable of matching the likes of Witts and Longer, who are rated two of the best rucks in this year's draft ... and Moeller is much younger than them. It doesn't take much to see that the kid has a lot of talent, and easy to have high hopes for him in the future.

 

[Clay Davis]

I don't think people are saying he is the second coming. More that he has some results on the board which show he is capable of matching the likes of Witts and Longer, who are rated two of the best rucks in this year's draft ... and Moeller is much younger than them. It doesn't take much to see that the kid has a lot of talent, and easy to have high hopes for him in the future.

Yes, but we shouldn't base our current list management strategy around him.

 

[Wee Jessies]

The point is, playing well in a few u 18's matches isn't enough to warrant the expectation that he is the second coming of Jesus.

You would assume every kid that gets drafted plays well in the under 18's.

So what do you suggest we use to rate players then? I think most people are just excited that Freo have identified, on face value, a talented tall kid that will fill a future need and our recruiters have done so from the other side of the country; and the acquisition of this player will cost us nothing.

 

[Wee Jessies]

Yes, but we shouldn't base our current list management strategy around him.

I would have thought that the two biggest impacts on list management is the picks you use to build your list and the $ that you pay to the players on the list.

This guy will cost no picks and come at a base rookie price???

Clark will cost at least pick 16 and $400k a year from the cap.

How are we basing our list management around Moller other than giving up a list spot.

 

[Bradesmaen]

Yes, but you don't know how shit the Sydney League is. In the 90s their most dominant side went down to the ACT league and was routinely belted by 10+ goals, finishing bottom each year.

I see a lot of AFL Sydney games on Main Event. My general rule of thumb is that the quality of a league is inversely proportional to the number of players you see with long shorts on. By this measure the Sydney league's not much better quality than AFL 9s.

I understand, it is a shit league. But to kick 5 goals as a 16 year old means he is definitely talented. How talented you can't completely tell, but tell me how many 17 year olds come in and dominate as a ruckman in SANFL/WAFL level. None that I can think of. It would be interesting to see him play a game against one of them, that way we can tell how good he is.


EDIT: Just reading an article from Nov 24 last year, his dad says that he can run a 20 in under 3 seconds. Not bad for a 202 cm player.

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

So what do you suggest we use to rate players then? I think most people are just excited that Freo have identified, on face value, a talented tall kid that will fill a future need and our recruiters have done so from the other side of the country; and the acquisition of this player will cost us nothing.

I suggest you rate players however you want, but perhaps don't go as far as pencil a 16 year old kid in as our starting ruckman for the next 15 years.

Alot of folks are taking it as given that he will be a gun AFL ruckman. That's ****ing nuts.

Counting your chickens before you've made an omlette what?

 

[prattsta]

Yes, but we shouldn't base our current list management strategy around him.

Especially given he won't be playing at a decent level until about 2016, if at all.

 

[Arcassius]

Moller should be coming into his own around the same time that Coniglio and OMeara are 27 and have been at freo for 3 years, with Captain Fyfe 30, and in his final year before retiring as a club legend.

By that time, mini-Pav should be around 4 years old and already showing good skills.

 

[Clay Davis]

I understand, it is a shit league. But to kick 5 goals as a 16 year old means he is definitely talented. How talented you can't completely tell, but tell me how many 17 year olds come in and dominate as a ruckman in SANFL/WAFL level. None that I can think of. It would be interesting to see him play a game against one of them, that way we can tell how good he is.


EDIT: Just reading an article from Nov 24 last year, his dad says that he can run a 20 in under 3 seconds. Not bad for a 202 cm player.

It's that athleticism that helps him in a league that is devoid of athletes and has its fair share of fat blokes. Anyone who ran a 13 beep test could probably carve it up in that league.

Not dismissing him outright, but the curve from SANFL/WAFL to AFL is huge. Take that out to the nth magnitude from AFL Sydney to any other serious state league in the country.

Basically, we shouldn't be trading ruckmen in and out with Moeller in mind as a backup. If the club thinks retaining Griffin while getting Clark is sensible, then they should go for it. Moeller shouldn't even enter discussions.

 

[prattsta]

Brisbane have knocked back #16 and #20. We need to walk the **** away from this deal right now.

 

[ilpiantissimo]

TWR are saying that Brisbane have rejected a Freo offer of 16 and 20. Screw that, we shouldn't even be offering that much, let alone any more.

EDIT: SNAP! Too damn quick prattsta!

 

[malpaso]

Walk away Freo!!

 

[prattsta]

I have no freaking idea who will be available in the draft at #16 and #20 but seriously?

 

[apuchar]

Surely that has to be the end of it. Otherwise we are going to be back to the bad old days of paying overs. I hope we pull out and Melbourne only offer 12

 

[prattsta]

Surely that has to be the end of it. Otherwise we are going to be back to the bad old days of paying overs. I hope we pull out and Melbourne only offer 12

I hope we pull out and Clark says no to Melbourne.

 

[Nothing]

Has Bondy said that on TWR or has one of the sports 'journalists' stated it?

 

[Lach72]

Pull up stumps and GTFO

 

[apuchar]

I hope we pull out and Clark says no to Melbourne.

Even better Prattsta

 

[Bradesmaen]

Well given that there had been reports Brisbane had rejected our offer of 16.. and then Brisbane has said we haven't offered anything.. you'd think that they are making this shit up, just to have a story. Hutchy likes to make lots of things up about us, he hates us with a passion for some reason.

 

[malpaso]

Well given that there had been reports Brisbane had rejected our offer of 16.. and then Brisbane has said we haven't offered anything.. you'd think that they are making this shit up, just to have a story. Hutchy likes to make lots of things up about us, he hates us with a passion for some reason.

Actually I've not heard or read anything from a Fremantle official regarding what we've offered. Kerr has publicly stated that we had yet to offer anything a day or so ago.

 

[ImperialPurple]

Brisbane have knocked back #16 and #20. We need to walk the **** away from this deal right now.

TWR are saying that Brisbane have rejected a Freo offer of 16 and 20. Screw that, we shouldn't even be offering that much, let alone any more.

EDIT: SNAP! Too damn quick prattsta!

Walk away Freo!!

Pull up stumps and GTFO

+1

**** 'em.