Pick 14

[Scham]

Would adelaide (or us) consider swapping 14, 31 and 45 for 16, 21 and 73?

We get Hill at 16 and a player like Mchenry, Sturt, Valente with 21. The move up and can potentailly package 13 and 14 for a top 6 pick and get value for their 21.

I’d be surprised if Sturt is there at 14 let alone 21. Valente I’m not fan of anywhere inside 40 and McHenry should be available to us at 31 if we want him. Just my take on it and I admit I’m always surprised at the end result because in general the Bigfooty talk is so much different to the thinking of the club recruiters.

For me if we had 16 and 21 I’d be trying to get two of;

Hill
Caldwell
Butters
RCD
Smith
Jones
Foley

 

[Joao]

Would adelaide (or us) consider swapping 14, 31 and 45 for 16, 21 and 73?

We get Hill at 16 and a player like Mchenry, Sturt, Valente with 21. The move up and can potentailly package 13 and 14 for a top 6 pick and get value for their 21.

We'd have to really rate whomever we think is there at 21 and note rate whomever we think might be there at 45 for that. Pick 73 is basically a rookie pick.

In theory we might but from the language that both Bell and Rosich have used, I fully expect us to use all 4 of our ND picks this year as they stand.

 

[Dockernut]

If Stocker is gone at our first pick, I wouldn’t mind Ely Smith. Big bull at the stoppages with beautiful hands. We could do a lot worse.

 

[heavho]

I think I’m on the Ely Smith train .big body ready to go. To me I want us to get the best inside mid with a big body and ready to go round one and with his physique Ely Smith looks like the guy for me. Wouldn’t be unhappy with someone else in the similar mold though.

 

[theGav56]

I'd go for inside mid with skill, endurance and speed above big body. Stocker over Smith for me.

 

[heavho]

This guy looks good at 14 too

 

[heavho]

Clip of Ely Smith

 

[heavho]

the local. other than Hill this guy could be a good addition to the rebound out of defense with Wilson and co.

 

[Danny82]

If Clark is somehow there at 14 would have to pick him, but I’m sure will be gone. Maybe he could be the slider.

Clark. Hamling. Ryan
Wilson. Pearce. Cox / logue

Hamling and Pearce on the falls, cox or logue and Ryan as the interceptors and Clark and Wilson running it out. Clark looks to have long kick on him.

 

[Unique Name]

I just don't think our stock of inside mids is as dire as some in the media are stating.

Neale is a loss for sure. Yes he is our biggest ball winner and clearance player... but that's his role. He's there to get first hands on the ball and then get it out. You put someone else in that role and they will get big disposal and clearance numbers. As many as Neale? maybe, maybe not. I'm really not worried about replacing his numbers. I'm confident we already have the players on our list to take his spot. Are they the same type of player as Neale, no. But just because we don't have that nugget-size inside mid on our list doesn't mean his numbers can't be replaced. We have plenty of others capable of the task.

Fyfe, Mundy, Blakely, Walters, S Hill, Conca, Brayshaw, Cerra, Banfield - Only Mundy due for retirement soon. Generally a team only has 3-4 main midfielders then the rest is supporting crew that rotates through.

Brayshaw and Cerra are only going to get better from here on out, they will start to take on a greater load as the seasons pass. Blakely showed in quite a few games over the last two years that he is more than handy in the centre. Walters and SHill have also proven themselves capable rotating through. Fyfe is Fyfe.

The Sandi/Darcy + Lobb combo should ensure that our midfield are getting first use on the majority of occasions. Or at least making it an even contest - We were leaking clearances when Tabs/Cox went into the ruck last year. Brayshaw getting another preseason, the addition of Conca and Blakely's apprenticeship in the backline should give us a more accountable midfield than last year.

Our forward line and our ability to score has been an issue for numerous years now. Hogan and Lobb are both great acquisitions, we need to keep building on that.

Ian Hill or Sturt for me.


Ryan - Hamling - Duman/Logue
Wilson - A Pearce - S Hill
Langdon - Blakely - B Hill
Walters - Hogan - I Hill/Sturt
Coyler - Cox/Tabs - Lobb

Sandi/Darcy - Fyfe - Mundy

Cerra - Brayshaw - Conca - Tucker



Depth
Backline: Logue, Hughes, Nyhuis, Kersten
Midfield: Banfield, North, Crowden, Giro
Fwd: Apeness, Matera, Ballas, Dixon, Switta
Wildcard: Bennell

 

[Monument Hills]

I believe you missed Michael Barlow 189cm and Connor Blakely (188cm, at least according that font of knowledge Wikipedia) from that list.
MH: yep, accidentally missed Blakely (should be there in bold). Barlow was a rookie though so not included in my list of national draftees.

Taking who is still on the list versus whonis not as a measure of success is not a useful assessment because some of those players who are no longer there have had high numbers of games; much higher that the average at which their draft position typically holds. Some are still playing for other clubs and one we even never wanted to let go.
MH: My point stated was: "Most of these players struggled to get on the ground, let alone be influential in a game." Aside from those still playing (and maybe Weller), which of these have been influential players for us or anyone else, rather than just bottom 6 or so players?

Additionally we had really poor picks (the average order of those picks you are complaining about is poor) through that period because of on field success and it's effect on draft order. When you have lower picks the "value" of the draft often materializes in smaller players (or oversized) because those players are ones that the teams (not just Fremantle) with the top picks will overlook in the early rounds. But if you have good picks you pick players without the weakness of being undersized.
MH: I agree except from my review of the past years drafting is that by pick 17 and a bit on, those kind of good mids are mostly gone. So my point was how many that will go at our first pick (about #17) have been really useful mids to date that fit into that standard mid 180s (180-189cm) size, and had good draft stats and performances at U18s? Best I can see around that pick and a bit beyond:
2010 - best mid/mid forward I can see around that was Luke Dahlhaus but he is 177cm
2011 - Sebastian Ross
2012 - ?
2013 - Matt Crouch, and Jarmen Impey but he is 178cm
2014 - Jack Steele?, Touk Miller but he is 178cm
2015 - ?
2016 - SPP (mature), Will Hayward?
(F/S and academy were excluded as guys like Heeney and Mitchell would have gone higher)
- so those names don't exactly instill excitement and I won't be sold on this until someone can show me some actual names to prove otherwise (happy to be enlightened with facts)

 

[Eski3]

Ian Hill hasn’t yet received invite to national draft. They usually invite 20 people who they expect to be drafted in the first round.

So that would suggest he’s not being looked at enough and that 14 won’t be going on Ian Hill.

Not sure he falls to 31. If he did that would be brilliant.

I may be wrong but I was under the impression they ask the clubs with top 10 picks for a shortlist of players they are considering with their first, and invite all the players on that list. So it means none of the clubs with a top 10 pick are looking at him with their first pick.

It's why that guy collingwood were looking at with pick 6 last year got an invite even though he went like pick 40 odd, because collingwood were the only club interested in him that high.

 

[yakamoto]

Pretty simple selection for Freo’s top pick. As all picks beyond 10 are purely speculative common sense would direct us to choose the best WA player available at our pick.

 

[eastfreo75]

I may be wrong but I was under the impression they ask the clubs with top 10 picks for a shortlist of players they are considering with their first, and invite all the players on that list. So it means none of the clubs with a top 10 pick are looking at him with their first pick.

It's why that guy collingwood were looking at with pick 6 last year got an invite even though he went like pick 40 odd, because collingwood were the only club interested in him that high.

murphy

 

[eastfreo75]

Pretty simple selection for Freo’s top pick. As all picks beyond 10 are purely speculative common sense would direct us to choose the best WA player available at our pick.

Clarke and Hill at pick 16

Foley at pick 33

Stack, Joyce, English pick 40

Carter or O'Reilly pick 59.

 

[Arcassius]

Pretty simple selection for Freo’s top pick. As all picks beyond 10 are purely speculative common sense would direct us to choose the best WA player available at our pick.

We've always selected best available regardless of home state - why would that change?

 

[Taylor]

If we draft Hill at our first pick I'm going to consider it two drafts that we have targeted a player with our pick and used the remaining currency to build the rest of the trade period and draft.

 

[Bicco]

We've always selected best available regardless of home state - why would that change?

We have different people doing the picking?

 

[Bastyy]

Don't see any need of drafting purely WA. Our retention rate is pretty great in all reality. Chris Mayne, Hayden Crozier, Lachie Weller, Harley Balic and Lachie Neale are the only real potential B22 players who have left. I back ourselves retaining someone like Sam Sturt as much as I do getting Ian Hill back in 4 years

 

[Arcassius]

We have different people doing the picking?

You expect Rosich to know what to pick? Our recruiters are still the same - I'd expect David Walls to have a larger influence than usual on who we go after

 

[Purpellian Anchor]

After do a fair bit of investigative study and watching. of possibles at our pick 14 and the probability that we select best available I think our pick will likely come out of this group of four, given what we need, the talent available firstly, what we need, and the typical "quality character/person" (however that is identified by the club). I think any of these four could go top ten but given the spread of talent in talls, kpp, mids and small forwards the top ten is really a top 15 thereabouts I suggest and one or two of these may be available at our pick.

Liam Stocker, Jordan Clark, Xavier Duursma, and Curtis Taylor. Of this group Curtis is a little unknown (like to know his pedigree etc) but watching him closely he is very much in the Cerra mould, a very good reader of the play and very clean and good when doing the inside work. He is the type of player that does things without being noticed, very smooth. Duursma reminds me a lot of a young James Hird.

The Hill factor is an unknown in terms of he is really a top 8 player most years but what clubs will see as their priority given the talent on offer.

With four players over 194cm likely to go by pick 8, two/three smaller nippy/forward semi mid types by 14, and with Bailey Williams a smokey to be picked up anywhere between 8 and 22(allowing for the extra picks) I think we stand a fair chance.

I am aware of Chris25 liking Sturt and many others thinking he is a good selection at 14....for me he is short of the top 16 (more early to mid second round) by way of being predominately one sided but exceptional on that side. As a medium high flying pacy half forward I think he is early to mid second round, mindful that coaches work out how to negate one sided players a lot more easily. No doubt he will and can develop his weaker side. (Worth listening to Stocker speaking of how he developed his left side from the age of 13).

 

[Alfonz]

I am aware of Chris25 liking Sturt and many others thinking he is a good selection at 14....for me he is short of the top 16 (more early to mid second round) by way of being predominately one sided but exceptional on that side. As a medium high flying pacy half forward I think he is early to mid second round, mindful that coaches work out how to negate one sided players a lot more easily. No doubt he will and can develop his weaker side. (Worth listening to Stocker speaking of how he developed his left side from the age of 13).

Almost every player in the comp is heavily one-sided. Barely anyone kicks properly/naturally on their wrong side. If they do, it might be once or twice a game. Pathetic as that may be, I doubt it is an issue when considering drafting someone who can kick well on their preferred side.

 

[Dale147]

Almost every player in the comp is heavily one-sided. Barely anyone kicks properly/naturally on their wrong side. If they do, it might be once or twice a game. Pathetic as that may be, I doubt it is an issue when considering drafting someone who can kick well on their preferred side.

That’s a shame, when I played, from a young age I taught myself to kick on both feet and I was going pretty well until I done my ACL back in 81 and then it was all over.

 

[Hazelsnuts]

After do a fair bit of investigative study and watching. of possibles at our pick 14 and the probability that we select best available I think our pick will likely come out of this group of four, given what we need, the talent available firstly, what we need, and the typical "quality character/person" (however that is identified by the club). I think any of these four could go top ten but given the spread of talent in talls, kpp, mids and small forwards the top ten is really a top 15 thereabouts I suggest and one or two of these may be available at our pick.

Liam Stocker, Jordan Clark, Xavier Duursma, and Curtis Taylor. Of this group Curtis is a little unknown (like to know his pedigree etc) but watching him closely he is very much in the Cerra mould, a very good reader of the play and very clean and good when doing the inside work. He is the type of player that does things without being noticed, very smooth. Duursma reminds me a lot of a young James Hird.

The Hill factor is an unknown in terms of he is really a top 8 player most years but what clubs will see as their priority given the talent on offer.

With four players over 194cm likely to go by pick 8, two/three smaller nippy/forward semi mid types by 14, and with Bailey Williams a smokey to be picked up anywhere between 8 and 22(allowing for the extra picks) I think we stand a fair chance.

I am aware of Chris25 liking Sturt and many others thinking he is a good selection at 14....for me he is short of the top 16 (more early to mid second round) by way of being predominately one sided but exceptional on that side. As a medium high flying pacy half forward I think he is early to mid second round, mindful that coaches work out how to negate one sided players a lot more easily. No doubt he will and can develop his weaker side. (Worth listening to Stocker speaking of how he developed his left side from the age of 13).

Great write up.
I don’t necessarily agree regarding the knock on Sturt being a one sided player to that of a player who is equally/more proficient on both sides of the body kicking.
Players like Mitchell and Peter Bell were excellent off both feet out of necessity due to being quite slow, I thought about it and I can’t really think of elite players being forced onto their non-preferred side very often.
The elite player usually have great size, strength and/or awareness and evasion that buys them the opportunity to use the ball most effectively.
A player who has quick, elite and pack clearing handball is a massive tick for an inside midfielder.

My picks from players I’ve seen live and highlights:
Jordan Clarke - penetrating kick/ great hands, good evasion and good off both sides. He will become a really good mid, he has played off HB in a league team because he uses the ball so well and breaks the ground up when he takes the chance with that elite kick.
If he is there we have to take him, but I really think he will be gone.

Ian Hill - If we are prioritising a small forward with bursts from a wing to half forward then we need to get him.
He is so creative, has both bullet and weighted disposal by foot. Elite, accurate and quick hands.
Quick and all buggery and can jump.
Yeah he’s a little light, but he makes up for this with evasiveness - oh and he loves a tackle.

Im being very WA biased but these two are not a reach at 14, far from it.
Both suit our needs depending on how the cards fall.

FWIW I also with all of your options you suggested, I just like the WA boys as they offer very different needs, just depends on which way we jump and after the players fall up to 14.

Carter - I hope is tanking his ability or I wouldn’t be too fussed, I suspect that he is already been assured a spot at Freo and this may well be the case.

Medhat, sure they have done some good things but rookie selections for me as I haven’t seen him live- only u18 highlights which were impressive without big numbers. This seems common to his appearances to date, even at Colts level.

 

[Cobbler]

I may be wrong but I was under the impression they ask the clubs with top 10 picks for a shortlist of players they are considering with their first, and invite all the players on that list. So it means none of the clubs with a top 10 pick are looking at him with their first pick.

It's why that guy collingwood were looking at with pick 6 last year got an invite even though he went like pick 40 odd, because collingwood were the only club interested in him that high.

It’s in Twomeys podcast. He mentioned 20 kids get invited and that Ian Hill hadn’t got an invite.

I’m assuming 20 as it’s roughly the first round. Or maybe it’s 20 to make sure the top 10 are present. I don’t actually know why 20 are invited.

Just reporting what’s stated in Twomeys podcast.

Either way Ian Hill seems to be slipping.