Toast Stephen Wells

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

Our top pick since Selwood is 10 and that went to Cockatoo, who unfortunately couldn’t get passed the injuries. Take your Geelong focus off and look at the top 20 picks in the last 12 years that haven’t gone on, there’s a lot! He gets it right more than most. Has been brilliant

 

[The Unforgiven]

He's done an outstanding job with later picks, and no doubt our development works hand in hand to get these guys to the level they've become.

That being said I've always scratched my head why he took Thurlow over Grundy, Cockatoo over Lever and to a lesser extent Stephens over Georgiades when all three that we overlooked were positions of need with fairly obvious choices staring us in the face on draft night (not hindsight).

I wouldn't for a second suggest that I could build a complete list better than Stephen Wells could. However, the one massive blunder for mine was Thurlow being chosen over Grundy.

There was no benefit of hindsight here - it was just a terribly baffling choice for mine.

Yes, at the time it was seen that Dawson Simpson would be our no. 1 ruckman for the forseeable future. However, Grundy was a prodigiously talented junior ruckman, and it wasn't just people here in S.A. who knew that.

I'm sure if Wells had his time again - knowing that Dawson Simpson's knee injury in 2013 was going to effectively end his career - and cost Geelong a flag in that same year - he would absolutely have chosen Grundy.

Still, when you have a kid as talented as Grundy still available after a dozen or so clubs overlooked him with their first rounder, you just bloody well take him.

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

I wouldn't for a second suggest that I could build a complete list better than Stephen Wells could. However, the one massive blunder for mine was Thurlow being chosen over Grundy.

There was no benefit of hindsight here - it was just a terribly baffling choice for mine.

Yes, at the time it was seen that Dawson Simpson would be our no. 1 ruckman for the forseeable future. However, Grundy was a prodigiously talented junior ruckman, and it wasn't just people here in S.A. who knew that.

I'm sure if Wells had his time again - knowing that Dawson Simpson's knee injury in 2013 was going to effectively end his career - and cost Geelong a flag in that same year - he would absolutely have chosen Grundy.

Still, when you have a kid as talented as Grundy still available after a dozen or so clubs overlooked him with their first rounder, you just bloody well take him.

This is absolutely a 20/20 hindsight call. Thurlow looked to be a very good player and a possible replacement for Enright. His 2015 season had everyone excited. His knee injury killed his career. Wells didn’t know Thurlow would do his knee, Simpson would do his knee and Vardy would keep getting injured. Wells got a full house of bad luck with those players

 

[The Unforgiven]

This is absolutely a 20/20 hindsight call. Thurlow looked to be a very good player and a possible replacement for Enright. His 2015 season had everyone excited. His knee injury killed his career. Wells didn’t know Thurlow would do his knee, Simpson would do his knee and Vardy would keep getting injured. Wells got a full house of bad luck with those players

I remember at the time of Thurlow being drafted, almost everyone thought it was a reach. Probably a bit like Andrew Mackie, except Mackie ended up being an extremely good player.

Perhaps I didn't know as much about Thurlow as Wells did. One thing I did know is that over here in Adelaide, a young kid called Brodie was absolutely killing it in the juniors and was being hailed as the next Dean Cox.

Had it been me, I would have pushed to have drafted him regardless of Simpson and Vardy (whom the latter was supposed to be our CHF) as the likeliehood was very high that he'd have been a much better footballer than both.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I remember at the time of Thurlow being drafted, almost everyone thought it was a reach.

And the likely same BigFooty draft experts were devastated we didn't draft Kemp or Devon Robertson but 'reached' for Sam De Koning.
Grundy wasn't expected to get to us so we brought in McIntosh. He was never getting drafted by us after that.

 

[4quarter_cat]

Disagree. We have a lot of players who were mature aged or developed at other clubs. Wells has been ahead of the game with mature aged recruits.

Can't both be true.

Good at finding mature aged recruits, and recruits younger players who seem more coachable than raw talent.

 

[Hinkley29]

Late picks can only find success if early picks are failures

that makes zero sense

the relative success of late picks vs relative success of early picks are mutually exclusive

 

[catempire]

I wouldn't for a second suggest that I could build a complete list better than Stephen Wells could. However, the one massive blunder for mine was Thurlow being chosen over Grundy.

There was no benefit of hindsight here - it was just a terribly baffling choice for mine.

Yes, at the time it was seen that Dawson Simpson would be our no. 1 ruckman for the forseeable future. However, Grundy was a prodigiously talented junior ruckman, and it wasn't just people here in S.A. who knew that.

I'm sure if Wells had his time again - knowing that Dawson Simpson's knee injury in 2013 was going to effectively end his career - and cost Geelong a flag in that same year - he would absolutely have chosen Grundy.

Still, when you have a kid as talented as Grundy still available after a dozen or so clubs overlooked him with their first rounder, you just bloody well take him.

This again?

It wasn’t just Simpson and Vardy. It was also West, Stephenson and ****ing McIntosh.

In no conceivable way was choosing Thurlow over McIntosh a Wells error. The errors were in stacking the list with other ruck duds, particularly McIntosh, which meant we were never in play for Grundy.

 

[Lana]

that makes zero sense

the relative success of late picks vs relative success of early picks are mutually exclusive

I thought about replying to this with more troll logic, but way too many people took me seriously the first time

 

[Hinkley29]

I thought about replying to this with more troll logic, but way too many people took me seriously the first time

Haha, I am clearly having gullible kind of day

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

I remember at the time of Thurlow being drafted, almost everyone thought it was a reach. Probably a bit like Andrew Mackie, except Mackie ended up being an extremely good player.

Perhaps I didn't know as much about Thurlow as Wells did. One thing I did know is that over here in Adelaide, a young kid called Brodie was absolutely killing it in the juniors and was being hailed as the next Dean Cox.

Had it been me, I would have pushed to have drafted him regardless of Simpson and Vardy (whom the latter was supposed to be our CHF) as the likeliehood was very high that he'd have been a much better footballer than both.

Thurlow had a breakout year in 2015 and got a rising star nomination. His precision kicking was a highlight and he looked set for a great career. An ACL ruined him.

Hindsight says you were right. But how many others have you got right?
It’s too easy and pointless with hindsight to say where Wells stuffed up.

The reality is, he is an exceptional talent scout, has never has access to a pick lower than 7 and has more wins than losses. He is a big reason why we have never bottomed out.

The draft is a gamble and here are some names that other clubs gambled on ahead of Grundy.

2. Jonathan O’Rourke GWS
3. Lachie Plowman GWS
4. Jimmy Toumpas GWS
8. Sam Mayes Brisbane
11. Troy Menzel Carlton
12. Kristian Jakech Carlton
13. Jesse Lonergan GWS
14. Aidan Corr GWS
15. Taylor Garner North
17. Josh Simpson Freo

 

[Warhorse]

Can't both be true.

Good at finding mature aged recruits, and recruits younger players who seem more coachable than raw talent.

Disagree about us being the best at developing talent.

 

[The_Koulouriotis_Fan]

I thought about replying to this with more troll logic, but way too many people took me seriously the first time

That’s the thing with big footy, too many people say that stuff seriously!

 

[The Unforgiven]

Thurlow had a breakout year in 2015 and got a rising star nomination. His precision kicking was a highlight and he looked set for a great career. An ACL ruined him.

Hindsight says you were right. But how many others have you got right?
It’s too easy and pointless with hindsight to say where Wells stuffed up.

The reality is, he is an exceptional talent scout, has never has access to a pick lower than 7 and has more wins than losses. He is a big reason why we have never bottomed out.

The draft is a gamble and here are some names that other clubs gambled on ahead of Grundy.

2. Jonathan O’Rourke GWS
3. Lachie Plowman GWS
4. Jimmy Toumpas GWS
8. Sam Mayes Brisbane
11. Troy Menzel Carlton
12. Kristian Jakech Carlton
13. Jesse Lonergan GWS
14. Aidan Corr GWS
15. Taylor Garner North
17. Josh Simpson Freo

No arguments from me. Wells has been excellent. However, I maintain without the benefit of hindsight that I wanted us to draft Grundy if he were still available, which surprisingly he was.

The only other draftee I can think of where I thought we should have gone for one over the other at the time was Luke Parker over George Horlin-Smith. That was really only a hunch, though. I liked what I'd heard about Parker.

In saying that, though, GHS was a very solid person and an outstanding cricketer to boot. People over in S.A. couldn't speak highly enough of him, his character and determination to become an elite footballer.

 

[The Unforgiven]

This again?

It wasn’t just Simpson and Vardy. It was also West, Stephenson and ******* McIntosh.

In no conceivable way was choosing Thurlow over McIntosh a Wells error. The errors were in stacking the list with other ruck duds, particularly McIntosh, which meant we were never in play for Grundy.

What do you mean again?

When was the last time you've heard me talk about this subject?

If others have said the same thing, I wouldn't have a clue, mate. I hardly ever read or post here.

Maybe there's something in it, though, if it's a sentiment that's been echoed ad nauseum.

 

[The Unforgiven]

And the likely same BigFooty draft experts were devastated we didn't draft Kemp or Devon Robertson but 'reached' for Sam De Koning.
Grundy wasn't expected to get to us so we brought in McIntosh. He was never getting drafted by us after that.

Agreed. I am sure you're correct. SDK, if he was considered a 'reach', was the most inspired reach in draft history.

 

[4quarter_cat]

Disagree about us being the best at developing talent.

Goodo, just pointing out that the two are not mutually exclusive. It is possible to be both even if neither are true

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

And the likely same BigFooty draft experts were devastated we didn't draft Kemp or Devon Robertson but 'reached' for Sam De Koning.
Grundy wasn't expected to get to us so we brought in McIntosh. He was never getting drafted by us after that.

This is one of the reasons I love talent scouting as a job.

You can do hours, days, months and years of work to make a call and get it completely wrong, while some moron sitting behind a computer who watched 5 minutes of one game and has done literally no other research can get it 100% right.

It's got to be a humbling gig sometimes.

 

[catempire]

It's got to be a humbling gig sometimes.

And so is talent scouting.

 

[Ricky Vaughn]

And so is talent scouting.

I was too descriptive of the bloke behind his computer. That was the giveaway.

 

[patmatcat]

I wouldn't for a second suggest that I could build a complete list better than Stephen Wells could. However, the one massive blunder for mine was Thurlow being chosen over Grundy.

There was no benefit of hindsight here - it was just a terribly baffling choice for mine.

Yes, at the time it was seen that Dawson Simpson would be our no. 1 ruckman for the forseeable future. However, Grundy was a prodigiously talented junior ruckman, and it wasn't just people here in S.A. who knew that.

I'm sure if Wells had his time again - knowing that Dawson Simpson's knee injury in 2013 was going to effectively end his career - and cost Geelong a flag in that same year - he would absolutely have chosen Grundy.

Still, when you have a kid as talented as Grundy still available after a dozen or so clubs overlooked him with their first rounder, you just bloody well take him.

It’s what my old man says every 3rd footy conversation, if only we had picked Grundy, still to this day

 

[The Unforgiven]

It’s what my old man says every 3rd footy conversation, if only we had picked Grundy, still to this day

I'd probably get along well with your old man.

 

[MacStradbroke]

How’s that statue looking?

 

[fpm84]

The masterstrokes involved in assembling our 2022 team are immense.

Close - rookie
Henry - rookie
Blicavs - cat B rookie
Stengle - DFA
Stewart - VFL
Atkins - VFL
De Koning - #19 who plays like he was drafted at #1

Yes, we paid up for Dangerfield and Cameron (both trades worth it every day of the week), but when you are adding players the quality of the above list for nothing, it works out substantially in our favour.

IWWT.

 

[goyoucatters]

The masterstrokes involved in assembling our 2022 team are immense.

Close - rookie
Henry - rookie
Blicavs - cat B rookie
Stengle - DFA
Stewart - VFL
Atkins - VFL
De Koning - #19 who plays like he was drafted at #1

Yes, we paid up for Dangerfield and Cameron (both trades worth it every day of the week), but when you are adding players the quality of the above list for nothing, it works out substantially in our favour.

IWWT.

All entirely true. It goes further than that, though, when you consider our current crop competing to make the best 22 each week.

Tuohy for a modest pick downgrade & Smedts
Parfitt for the Caddy pick
Smith for salary
Holmes for pick 20
Rohan for pick 61
Bews for pick 86 (F/S)
Menegola for pick 66
Miers for pick 57
Zuthrie from the rookie list
O'Connor from the Cat B rookie list

In the end, you'd have to say all those farms we sold off are looking a little less concerning in the light of this list's current level of performance.

IWWT.