We will most likely take Thompson with our second third rounder (pick 49 over all) and we already have Egan on the list. That's two young KP players ready to take over from Scarlo/Harley/Milburn when they retire, Thompson will be approaching his peak by this time and Egan obviously is on the verge of peaking and will be around for quite a while)
We should be looking to take the best available ruckman with pick 17 as we only have three on our list. Pick 34 and 44 should be used for a project KPB and project Ruckman respectively, while pick 59 (last pick) will be used for Adam Donohue.
Pick 17: Best Ruckman (Tom Bellchambers/Dawson Simpson - both will most likely be gone but would be rapt if one of them was still available at Pick 17)
Pick 34: KPB
Pick 44: Project Ruckman
Pick 49: Scott Thompson
Pick 59: Adam Donohue
That would add two ruckman and two key backs to the list as well as a small back flanker in Donohue.
Alternatively id like to pick up Rhyce Prismall with one of pick 34 or 44 or Scott Selwood should he still be available.
Thoughts..?
Have heard that we are only considering Thompson for the rookie draft, which I think is the right call. He was very good in the VFL this year, but he's not a superstar yet. And as someone else has pointed out, he does come across as probably more of a third tall than a KP prospect (although he is tall enough and good overhead, so maybe with a heap of development he could fill a KP role).
I would be absolutely flabbergasted if both Bellchambers and Simpson went before our first pick, and in fact I think it likely that neither will. I also doubt that either of them are worth our first rounder, although you could argue that Bellchambers might be worth the stretch. However, I'm not sure he's THAT much better than the half dozen or so project ruckmen that will be available later on - Mulligan, Sullivan, Putt, Renton, Smouha, Connelly, etc - so given this is our fourth ruckman we're talking about I'd be leaning towards one of those guys with a later pick. I also wouldn't be taking two ruckmen in the main draft - we have more pressing needs - although although I wouldn't be averse to taking a second one in the rookie draft.
And why Prismall or Selwood?? Prismall is a medium forward and Selwood is a bulldozing midfielder, and really we don't need any more of either. Is it just because we have their brothers already on the list (which by itself is a dumb reason)?
I think Pears would be a good pick at #17. He is a very solid 192cm, 90kg key defender who is quick (2.92s for 20m at draft camp), strong, very good overhead particularly with his spoiling, and provides plenty of run out of the backline - which is exactly what we like in our defenders. I could definitely see him being the key defender to replace Harley/Scarlett when their time is finished.
In terms of overall draft priorities, our top 25-30 are probably the best in the competition at the moment, so we should be thinking about succession planning. We have just got rid of eight talls and our five oldest players are also talls (Milburn, Harley, Ottens, Scarlett, Mooney), so we desperately need to get some tall timber. My thoughts:
- At least one key defender - Pears would be ideal
- A project ruckman such as the ones I mentioned above with pick 44 or 49
- A developing tall forward, such as a Tony Notte - a 194cm, 70kg CHF from WA who is very mobile, has a great set of hands and overall has a shedload of talent, but will need 3-4 years to bulk up and develop (precisely in time to take over from Mooney)
- A Dangerfield or McNamara - tallish (188-189cm), talented, quick, running wing/defender types, who could provide a lot of run up and down the wings and potentially take over from Milburn as the fourth tall defender when he retires