All you can really ask for is a set of players who fill the needs on the list and who have the attributes that we can develop into the sorts of players that really make a difference in an AFL match.
With that in mind you can't really fault the picks that were taken.
Hobbs is the style of mid we don't pick, that no frills inside work horse with the engine to go all day. Not every player of the future midfield needs to be able to do it all. What we should have learned by now is that having the pieces to fit together is more important than the ability of the individuals. He's also an extremely highly regarded player who is credited with the sort of intangibles that are a key ingredient in good teams. I wouldn't get caught up in arguing with the caricature of Dodoro when it comes to Hobbs 'being rated in the top 7'. Plenty of draft watchers had Hobbs in this range. It's not a big claim that needs to be rationalised.
Lord is another that fills a clear area of need. We lost Saad and McKenna and only replaced one of them. Admittedly, there has been a reshuffle which has addressed this loss in the best 22 but there is no depth of running defenders. Lord has all of the raw attributes to be the player we need.
I had an initial scepticism when it came to McDonagh because my fingers were crossed that Long would fall to us (Long clearly being another style of player who was a clear need). Physical, big engine, big kick and someone who can provide us with the depth the list doesn't have, particularly in terms of physicality around the ball. That all works.
Voss is the one who ties it all together. A big, aggressive brute of a kid who seems to have too many tricks for a player who wasn't looked at as more than a rookie. I don't think we should be fooled into thinking he can do it in 2022 or even 2023 but as a project he's essentially everything we would ask for when it comes to adding that big body and physical presence around the ball.
If you look at the next generation of midfielders, which would start with Caldwell it's shaping up quite nicely with a much better balance of options than we've had. You're looking at:
1. Caldwell, 183cm & 82kgs is a dynamic inside/out clearance player;
2. Perkins, 188cm & 87kgs, is another potentially dynamic inside/out clearance player with top level endurance;
3. Hobbs, 183cm & 79kgs, is the inside workhorse who seems to work hard both ways;
4. Voss, 194cm & 88kgs (I've rounded this number because there are conflicting reports), is a guy who it looks to me we will develop inside and I'd suggest that should be as more of a defensive player - at least initially - something like Yeobecause before he became a complete star.
I would really like to add Rantall as an SSP because you can't overestimate the benefit of that running power between the arcs.
Thrown in Durham and Cox on the wings and there is a really nice blend of midfield and wing options for the future. When the balance works by default it becomes very easy to manage from that point.
With that in mind you can't really fault the picks that were taken.
Hobbs is the style of mid we don't pick, that no frills inside work horse with the engine to go all day. Not every player of the future midfield needs to be able to do it all. What we should have learned by now is that having the pieces to fit together is more important than the ability of the individuals. He's also an extremely highly regarded player who is credited with the sort of intangibles that are a key ingredient in good teams. I wouldn't get caught up in arguing with the caricature of Dodoro when it comes to Hobbs 'being rated in the top 7'. Plenty of draft watchers had Hobbs in this range. It's not a big claim that needs to be rationalised.
Lord is another that fills a clear area of need. We lost Saad and McKenna and only replaced one of them. Admittedly, there has been a reshuffle which has addressed this loss in the best 22 but there is no depth of running defenders. Lord has all of the raw attributes to be the player we need.
I had an initial scepticism when it came to McDonagh because my fingers were crossed that Long would fall to us (Long clearly being another style of player who was a clear need). Physical, big engine, big kick and someone who can provide us with the depth the list doesn't have, particularly in terms of physicality around the ball. That all works.
Voss is the one who ties it all together. A big, aggressive brute of a kid who seems to have too many tricks for a player who wasn't looked at as more than a rookie. I don't think we should be fooled into thinking he can do it in 2022 or even 2023 but as a project he's essentially everything we would ask for when it comes to adding that big body and physical presence around the ball.
If you look at the next generation of midfielders, which would start with Caldwell it's shaping up quite nicely with a much better balance of options than we've had. You're looking at:
1. Caldwell, 183cm & 82kgs is a dynamic inside/out clearance player;
2. Perkins, 188cm & 87kgs, is another potentially dynamic inside/out clearance player with top level endurance;
3. Hobbs, 183cm & 79kgs, is the inside workhorse who seems to work hard both ways;
4. Voss, 194cm & 88kgs (I've rounded this number because there are conflicting reports), is a guy who it looks to me we will develop inside and I'd suggest that should be as more of a defensive player - at least initially - something like Yeo
I would really like to add Rantall as an SSP because you can't overestimate the benefit of that running power between the arcs.
Thrown in Durham and Cox on the wings and there is a really nice blend of midfield and wing options for the future. When the balance works by default it becomes very easy to manage from that point.
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