Opinion Post here if disappointed with your clubs draft picks

Richo83

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Oct 2, 2005
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On the Saints board someone brought up a great point about Oliver v Gresham.

Gresham finished 2nd in the Morrish medal by a single vote. In one game he had 33 touches and kicked a goal but was only given 1 vote. If he had've been given 2 votes then he would have been a co-winner. If he picked up all 3 then he would have won it outright and Oliver probably doesn't get anywhere near the same level of hype.

From reports Gresham is basically a poor man's Heppell though. My friend saw him against Oakleigh and he basically said: "run around a bit, kicked the ball to his teammates, recycled the ball, reminds me of Busquets, wont win you games of football".
 
From reports Gresham is basically a poor man's Heppell though. My friend saw him against Oakleigh and he basically said: "run around a bit, kicked the ball to his teammates, recycled the ball, reminds me of Busquets, wont win you games of football".

That's interesting. My friend also saw him against Oakleigh and said: "Gresham is possibly the best u/18 in the history of football. If he was an inch taller people would be talking him up as the second coming of Jason Akermanis or Paul Chapman but with the inside game of Chris Judd and that he has the ability to not just win games of football but to win ALL the games of football and carry a team to a flag."

Guess we will just have to see which of our friends was right ;)
 

Canyouhearthedrums

Premiership Player
Aug 28, 2008
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From reports Gresham is basically a poor man's Heppell though. My friend saw him against Oakleigh and he basically said: "run around a bit, kicked the ball to his teammates, recycled the ball, reminds me of Busquets, wont win you games of football".

With all due respect to your friend, he doesn't know much about football if he thinks comparing someone to Busquets is a negative or suggestion of a vanilla-type footballer. Busquets is one of the best midfielders in world football, one fo the few "complete' players. I reckon he's close to Barcelona's most important player.
 

Richo83

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Oct 2, 2005
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That's interesting. My friend also saw him against Oakleigh and said: "Gresham is possibly the best u/18 in the history of football. If he was an inch taller people would be talking him up as the second coming of Jason Akermanis or Paul Chapman but with the inside game of Chris Judd and that he has the ability to not just win games of football but to win ALL the games of football and carry a team to a flag."

Guess we will just have to see which of our friends was right ;)

Oh really, they said that did they? :p

I think my friend might be a bit jaded :p He's just seen a lot of juniors who are ball hogs. And the fact that the knights got destroyed didn't help things. He doesn't rate many of the knights boys much. Says they got beaten by everyone for a reason. It's hard to know whether that was poor coaching or maybe it was the other players on the team not doing much.
 

Richo83

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Oct 2, 2005
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With all due respect to your friend, he doesn't know much about football if he thinks comparing someone to Busquets is a negative or suggestion of a vanilla-type footballer. Busquets is one of the best midfielders in world football, one fo the few "complete' players. I reckon he's close to Barcelona's most important player.

At the start of his career, Busquets was a bit of recycler though, all he'd do is pass the ball to the next guy and they'd start the 30 pass game again. I think that's what he means, Greshman maintains possession, but doesn't do that much with it. Busquets has gotten better though.

It might change, clubs can teach players to play with more dare and ambition and work on their decision making skills. Gresham may have been under instructions to keep the footy, especially as the knights' forwards weren't that great this year. Gresham has a lot of tools, he's not tall or damaging and when I watched him against the falcons, I didn't think he was as quick as some people claim. But the rest is largely there. I think he's a good pick for a saints side who needs more runners and is light on for midfield depth.
 
May 6, 2007
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Came in here to see who was genuinely disappointed in there picks only to trawl through page after page of trash talking of other teams picks and lists..!


I for one am a tad disappointed in our picks.

Happy with Parish and Francis at 4/5 (6/7) but the middle rounds were somewhat of a surprise.

Redman, Morgan in the second round could be steals or real bust ups, especially when guys who fit our needs criteria were still left on the board and selected in the same range (Ryan Clarke for one).

Yeastin Eades was somewhat of a surprise but will back in Dodoro to work his magic on that one.

The selections of Brown (likely) and then Hartley falling into our lap so late set us up perfectly.


The rookie draft went pretty much according to script. Would have taken Parella if Gach was taken whilst Tippa being a surprise to some is justification for the hardest working guy at our AFL/VFL club and just reward for his perseverance.

Hams, despite his injury history projects as a handy inside midfielder. Should we have taken an inside midfielder in the ND draft, he may have been overlooked but the coaches love him.

Tom Wallis as aF/S was always going to happen.
 
Dec 10, 2003
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Newtown
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Geelong
For the picks Geelong had I feel they have done reasonably as on could expect... of course one really does know till we seem them playing but..

Gardner..seems a like KPD... another tas kid who we have done well of recent times. Will take time...2-3 years min.
Menegola....... probably the most likely to get a game should be ready, good enough is another question
Buzza...if nothing else he presents as cult type player..but to be honest I feel he more to offer than just being a circus act. Another who will need 2years
Hayball.... a real Wells type name from nowhere... but highlights give one the impression of a flexible type..again time as he is thin as a post.

As Rookies
Cornell... I really do like the look of this kid... I suspect he may be one that is better than where picked GWS couldn't keep them all. I would be surprised if he plays a bit earlier. Depends on form
Parsons...not sure , some on our website know him from TAC and are confident he is a bargain
Ruggles...VFL kid gets his chance...

Overall although I was disappointed in the draft night as a media product... I think Geelong did reasonable considering the picks..obviously we did most of our list work in the trade period.
 
Apr 6, 2008
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Really?

No one would take Francis over Oliver now.

No one? You wait and see. I said "I still think that Francis will edge him out now." The reason I said "now" was that he is clearly over the issues of dealing with his brother dying and moving away from home at the age of 18. What we saw at the end of last season.I think he'll be our best player soon.
 
Apr 22, 2007
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Bentleigh
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Geelong
No one? You wait and see. I said "I still think that Francis will edge him out now." The reason I said "now" was that he is clearly over the issues of dealing with his brother dying and moving away from home at the age of 18. What we saw at the end of last season.I think he'll be our best player soon.
Agree he finished the year off well and is a good prospect.
Oliver is elite.
 

markm106

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Mar 29, 2006
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No one? You wait and see. I said "I still think that Francis will edge him out now." The reason I said "now" was that he is clearly over the issues of dealing with his brother dying and moving away from home at the age of 18. What we saw at the end of last season.I think he'll be our best player soon.
I think Francis can be a very good player. But thinking he’ll be a better player than Oliver is pushing it. Oliver is miles in front. Oliver will also improve so he’ll take some catching.
 
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