Priority Picks

[Schopp]

I would be pleased if we lost every game for the rest of the year and nabbed the priority pick. For me losing a couple of meaningless games (against Pies, Blues and Hawks - the rest we would probably lose even if we gave 100%) is well justified given that we could pick up an extra future superstar (for example we could end up with both an Ellis and a Hurn). What are other Bomber Fans thinking. Do you think the culture of the club may be hurt long term by losing the rest of the year, ie adopting a losers mentality and long term does this outweigh the extra talent which could come on board. Do we have enough young talent to not worry about priority picks.

Given that in future years priority picks will most likely be given to those clubs that havent won more than five games in a year for 2 years consecutive i reckon this year is the year to do it. Only a few games of pain for lots of gain IMO.Unfortunately I couldnt see Sheeds doing this - to me he appears too stubborn and hellbent on winning, a thing which has made him a legendary coach, but then again with Sheeds you never know he is cagy and unpredictable.

 

[whirl]

Whatever will be, will be. The extra pick would be handy but I don't think we should go looking for it.

 

[Funkalicous]

There is no f***ing way Carlton are gonna let either Collingwood or Essendon get a priority pick.

 

[Schopp]

Another aspect is if we were to get the pick not to blow it. Apart from the last couple of years, our top picks have been very avg in general.

 

[Longy413]

The simple answer is - We don't do that at Essendon.

I'd be happy to find another Brent Stanton rather than a Farran Ray, a Jason Laycock rather than a Tim Walsh, another Angus Monfries etc and continue to develop the group of kids we have with a win at all costs attitude.

There is no Judd, Ball, Hodge in this draft, the benifits of having two picks in the top 6 are pretty minimal this season.

 

[Lance Uppercut]

The simple answer is - We don't do that at Essendon.

I'd be happy to find another Brent Stanton rather than a Farran Ray, a Jason Laycock rather than a Tim Walsh, another Angus Monfries etc and continue to develop the group of kids we have with a win at all costs attitude.

There is no Judd, Ball, Hodge in this draft, the benifits of having two picks in the top 6 are pretty minimal this season.

'Nuff said

 

[Daytripper]

What do Brendan Goddard, Andrew Walker, Farren Ray, Tim Walsh and Jarred McVeigh all have in common ?

Each was a top 5 draft pick in the last 3 years.

I haven't even bothered rating the 2004 crop yet as its too early to tell.

Would having one of Goddard, Walker, Ray, Walsh or J McVeigh help us win a premiership ?
No.

Priority picks are nice to have but they are terribly overated.

They also help keep footy journos active during the non AFL season in October/November so its in their interest to talk them up a little.

 

[Longy413]

Priority picks are nice to have but they are terribly overated.

Priority picks are great to have in years that there are stand out players at the top of the draft.

I speak of Riewoldt, Judd, Hodge, Ball, Cooney etc.
There is no indication that any of this years crop will be in that league.

I'd be more than happy for us to draft another Kepler Bradley, Brent Stanton and Henry Slattery.

 

[Schopp]

What do Brendan Goddard, Andrew Walker, Farren Ray, Tim Walsh and Jarred McVeigh all have in common ?

Probably early to judge some of those players. Look how Hodge has come of age this year. Luke Brennan is another one who looks the goods for the Hawks in the near future. If you use a priority pick correctly then you may win a flag. I honestly felt if the Saints selected Wells instead of Goddard they would have won the flag last year.

If a priority pick is used correctly then you may end up with outstanding talents, but admittedly, not necessarily outstanding results, as the x factor - competitive club culture may be sacrificed. A factor such as this is difficult to quantify.

But i cant help but get excited at what we may get if we did get an extra early pick - this is where the question - what do Nick Reiwoldt, Chris Judd, Luke Ball, Brock McLean, Colin Silvia and Ashley Sampi have in common - they were top 6 picks.

Look at what Brisbane have achieved with Lappin, Leppitsch, Voss and Akermanis (the last were automatic pre draft selections but you cant help but feel that they would have been priority picks).

Dowler, Ellis, Clarke, Hurn and Murphy (if he doesnt go father son) appear outstanding talents and wont be around pick 18 or so. I would be excited if we could get two of these.

I suppose the beauty of it is that if we dont get the picks, other clubs do IMO stuff up with their early picks and still appear to go for real fast gun athletes early rather than footballers with solid athletic talents ( allowing Black and Monfries scenarios to occur). But i take your points that club culture could be sacrificed and perhaps the football gods dont smile down on the freeloaders and losing for the picks may be of great detriment to the club.

 

[Longy413]

Probably early to judge some of those players. Look how Hodge has come of age this year. Luke Brennan is another one who looks the goods for the Hawks in the near future. If you use a priority pick correctly then you may win a flag.

Luke Hodge was always going to be a gun. Injury and maturity were all that held him back from being the player his is in 2005.

Luke Brennan was taken with about pick 7 from memory.

what do Nick Reiwoldt, Chris Judd, Luke Ball, Brock McLean, Colin Silvia and Ashley Sampi have in common - they were top 6 picks.

They won't be in this year's draft?
I don't know if I'd be overly happy with Ashley Sampi (Cupido, Rioli, Lovett). But I'm pretty confidence we won't find a Riewoldt, Judd, Ball or Sylvia type in this draft. The best of this years batch don't compete.

Dowler, Ellis, Clarke, Hurn and Murphy (if he doesnt go father son) appear outstanding talents and wont be around pick 18 or so. I would be excited if we could get two of these.

I'd be excited with two of those as well. But I'd rather beat Hawthorn, Collingwood, Carlton, Melbourne, Sydney and Geelong (I'm giving Brissie the 4 points now) and have our current young group play in a team that demands success.

This year, more than any in recent memory, there isn't an outstanding batch of top youngsters destined to become automatic stars. Usually by the end of the carnival we all have a fair idea of who will be the top 2 picks in the draft, if not the top 5. Right now it's still anyones guess.

It's an even draft, we just have to back in the recruiting staff to do what they have done in the past two years. I'd be happy with a another Dyson and Slattery to go with a top 5-6 pick. And stress to our current group that it's win at all costs.

 

[Schopp]

They won't be in this year's draft?
I don't know if I'd be overly happy with Ashley Sampi (Cupido, Rioli, Lovett). But I'm pretty confidence we won't find a Riewoldt, Judd, Ball or Sylvia type in this draft. The best of this years batch don't compete.


.

I understand that they wont be in this years draft, but what I meant is that the higher your picks the better your chances of getting talent like that, particularly as clubs are getting smarter with the art of drafting.

Looking at the club and its current raw talent it appears there, the only question I have is attitude and this is where your win at all costs basis becomes very pertinent, Longy413.

Out squad has lots of natural talent compared to other clubs, if we can get guys like Laycock, Cupido and Dyson with the right attitude (that is giving an honest contest very consistently) they will add the dynamic pace and power element necessary to be a power team.

I was impressed with what i saw from Johns on the weekend even though others may laugh at this statement. Moved well was in the thick of the action and has the right attitude 110% plus, just needs time and confidence. If his body is right then we have a great power forward on our hands. Doesnt seem the type to become demoralised you can see by the look in his eyes - he is tough as all round.

If guys like Lovett, Slattery and Stanton continue to build on what they have done this year we then have enough talent to not worry about priority picks.

My only concern is that because we havent had the best picks in recent times, that we have had to gamble on guys that have bucketloads of natural talent yet may not have the real killer instinct to want to win every contest, but are happy after a couple of good performances drop off, then continue the cycle. I will put my head on the block and come up with a couple of groups:

Talent plus 100% Effort given
Bradley, Mcphee, Johns, Winderlich (not realised yet but will come good if given opportunity), Slattery, Stanton, Monfries

Big talents but questionable efforts given based on what i've seen and or heard:
Cupido, Laycock, Dyson and Lovett

Lovett i include in this group only based on what i've heard. What i've seen of him he does give his all (ie on ground contests, tackling much bigger bodied players) despite noticing that he drops his head a couple of times when in marking contests (i dont mind this given his size and role in the team) . But my concern is that he has burst on the scene but may struggle to maintain this form as he gets more heavily tagged. Remember he walked out of the 17's because he wasnt giving his all and i remember last year some people raising questions about his efforts. I get concerned that he may not be able to maintain this, but if he does maintain and build on what he has done this year we have someone of the natural talent of a McLeod or Akermanis on our hands.

If we really build on these guys mental attitudes in the second group so that they are extremely hungry and obsessed with winning and teamwork then we are poised very well for the future. The guys in the top group i have no concerns about, as long as they remain relatively unaffected by injury they will serve EFC well.