Universal Love The Jason Taylor Appreciation Thread

[Bluelegs]

If I had to guess, I’d say that when he arrived key back was our only relatively strong position. We had Chip, TMac, Garland and Rivers when he joined. Maybe ruck as well given Jamar was still pretty good and there was some promise around Gawn and Fitzpatrick.

The Weideman pick was a massive bust, but I don’t for a moment hold Hulett or Oscar against him given they were late picks. Even clubs like the cats who draft a lot of key position players draft guys like Wylie Buzza.

The midfield was our biggest challenge, and he build the best one in the game almost entirely from the draft. It’s not like we’ve had heaps of key position players come in and fail, it’s obviously been a list management decision to target mids and smalls. Our last big haul was in 2019 and we went a ruck and a small forward in the first few picks, that’s highly unconventional, but both picks were huge successes.

With our midfield being stacked and our forward line a mess, im sure we will use the LJ picks on talls.

Stewart and Blitz were huge picks, but I guess that’s the benefit of the Geelong fishbowl. Not that we couldn’t have drafted them though, we could have and didn’t. The Cats and Swans are the best in the business when it comes to drafting and developing, but I think the other 15 clubs would be knocking on Taylor’s door.

Mostly agree with this. As seen in my earlier post the worst misses for key position players tended to be when we were drafting different types of players such as missing Barrass, Allir and Brown over Jay Kennedy Harris or picking Dion Johnstone over Nick Larkey. Only other absolute fail apart from Weid when it comes to drafting key players was missing out on Dougal Howard and Harris andrews over Omac. But even then we're talking about picks in the 50's.

 

[Tulip]

We wanted them because we had no key backs stupid. Wouldn't have had to pay them if we could find our own but we haven't taken any. I get it you think everyone at the clubs the greatest of all time except goody who week to week is a massive failure.

Your shtick is getting boring, Nick. You’re more than happy to call people out when you think they’re wrong. Take it as well as you give it. We lost Frawley in 14 and moved TMac forward in 17. That’s not a ton of time. We used those picks on our diabolical midfield. You can’t draft an entire damn list in three years. If Taylor had those picks in 17 and 18, who is to say he wouldn’t have taken key defenders? Why does it even matter?

 

[schmuttt]

Approaching ‘but what if we didn’t win the grand final’ territory again

 

[Tulip]

Disagree. Richmond, Sydney, Geelong for sure keep theirs. Then WC and Hawks arguably on par aswell.

Richmond yes fair point. The Hawks have had a long time out of the finals now and still look a couple of years away. They’re very good at drafting certain positions though - particularly small defenders. Explosive AF backline.

Eagles hard disagree. The covid issues are a long way gone. They’ve fallen off a cliff.

 

[Tulip]

Approaching ‘but what if we didn’t win the grand final’ territory again

Meanwhile the yearly home and away Premiers Geelong are favourites again. We’ll see if their boys can go one step further. How long is Cameron injured for?

 

[stEdy]

Also one of the reasons we paid up for Lever was that JT had a hard on for him in his draft year and kept in touch with him.

The trade for Lever looked expensive at the time, but the picks used netted some real dud players (although it's a complex trade to track down all the pieces)

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

I think JT is quite good at recruitment tbh.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Mostly agree with this. As seen in my earlier post the worst misses for key position players tended to be when we were drafting different types of players such as missing Barrass, Allir and Brown over Jay Kennedy Harris or picking Dion Johnstone over Nick Larkey. Only other absolute fail apart from Weid when it comes to drafting key players was missing out on Dougal Howard and Harris andrews over Omac. But even then we're talking about picks in the 50's.

I don’t think anyone other than GC or Brisbane was going to pluck Andrews from the obscurity of the NEAFL. I do like Dougal Howard but OMac was considered quite a slide when he got to the 50s, was expected to go in the first 25 picks IIRC.

Speaking of OMacs one of his biggest fails was letting Brisbane pick up Big O in the rookie draft before we could take him, because we thought he’d slide to the end probably not an individual decision and more a strategic fail by the department, but still quite annoying

 

[Topkent]

Approaching ‘but what if we didn’t win the grand final’ territory again

I understand that argument would go over your head smutty you're only able to form your opinion after you've heard what everyone else thinks

 

[Topkent]

Richmond yes fair point. The Hawks have had a long time out of the finals now and still look a couple of years away. They’re very good at drafting certain positions though - particularly small defenders. Explosive AF backline.

Eagles hard disagree. The covid issues are a long way gone. They’ve fallen off a cliff.

They still won a flag with the same list manager, gotten great small forwards and great key talls at either end.

 

[Topkent]

Your shtick is getting boring, Nick. You’re more than happy to call people out when you think they’re wrong. Take it as well as you give it. We lost Frawley in 14 and moved TMac forward in 17. That’s not a ton of time. We used those picks on our diabolical midfield. You can’t draft an entire damn list in three years. If Taylor had those picks in 17 and 18, who is to say he wouldn’t have taken key defenders? Why does it even matter?

14s not a tone of time? That's 8 years ago.
Taylors been very good at high picks, I don't think him and his team have had value with lower ones.

Harmes is our only rookie success in a decade.

 

[Bluelegs]

They still won a flag with the same list manager, gotten great small forwards and great key talls at either end.

The Tim Kelly trade totally ****ed their drafting too.

 

[schmuttt]

I understand that argument would go over your head smutty you're only able to form your opinion after you've heard what everyone else thinks

Mate I’m not the one obsessed with arguing every single minuscule point on here. I think you actually have some really solid insight into footy sometimes but geez you’re obsessed with arguing with campaigners.

 

[Meds]

Yeah not sure you're gonna like that stat in about 5 weeks.

When has anyone on this board every looked ahead 5 weeks, let alone 5 days.

 

[Topkent]

Mate I’m not the one obsessed with arguing every single minuscule point on here. I think you actually have some really solid insight into footy sometimes but geez you’re obsessed with arguing with campaigners.

Nah I just don't rate Taylor as a god

 

[KAYNE]

Mostly agree with this. As seen in my earlier post the worst misses for key position players tended to be when we were drafting different types of players such as missing Barrass, Allir and Brown over Jay Kennedy Harris or picking Dion Johnstone over Nick Larkey. Only other absolute fail apart from Weid when it comes to drafting key players was missing out on Dougal Howard and Harris andrews over Omac. But even then we're talking about picks in the 50's.

Harris Andrews was a Zone or academy selection so we didn't have access to him. As others have said Omac was a fair slide on draft night, which you can take it that others were aware of his shortcomings.

 

[KAYNE]

Also one of the reasons we paid up for Lever was that JT had a hard on for him in his draft year and kept in touch with him.

The trade for Lever looked expensive at the time, but the picks used netted some real dud players (although it's a complex trade to track down all the pieces)

One of the picks we got back from Adelaide we used on Petty too. That draft also netted us Spargo and Fritch, I know it might of been different but Carlton ended up with our Pick 10 and selected Lachie O'brien. (Naughton was the selection ahead at pick 9)

 

[The Dr]

I think JT is quite good at recruitment tbh.

Yeah but but but we missed out with the Weid pick tho


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[Gysberts2Bate]

Also Andrews was drafted as a KPF.

 

[Tulip]

14s not a tone of time? That's 8 years ago.
Taylors been very good at high picks, I don't think him and his team have had value with lower ones.

Harmes is our only rookie success in a decade.

Nah I meant between losing Chip and paying for Lever. I actually forgot about Frost too lol, plus Howe playing as a hybrid tall at times. I’d argue we’ve never been lacking decent tall backs but we had a seriously bad midfield for a long time. Just Jones and Viney with some help from Vince and Cross for a couple of years.

Taylor will have a big test this year between JVR and whoever we take with Freo’s picks. They’ll need to be talls is possible and we will need them to succeed. Personally, I’d be happy with Logue and a pick and to throw Petty forward.

 

[Topkent]

Nah I meant between losing Chip and paying for Lever. I actually forgot about Frost too lol, plus Howe playing as a hybrid tall at times. I’d argue we’ve never been lacking decent tall backs but we had a seriously bad midfield for a long time. Just Jones and Viney with some help from Vince and Cross for a couple of years.

Taylor will have a big test this year between JVR and whoever we take with Freo’s picks. They’ll need to be talls is possible and we will need them to succeed. Personally, I’d be happy with Logue and a pick and to throw Petty forward.

Which they added Gus, Trac and Oliver. 3 top 5 picks. Oliver was a great pick the others were unanimous. We haven't added another mid in-between who's been any good.
He's done a good not great job. The Pickett Jackson Rivers draft was a huge win, the rest are meh to me.
I want Petty forward but if May falls off a cliff Petty will need to go back quick fast. Truthfully I think Taylor and the list managers are on a hiding to nothing this year. There's nothing obviously available to trade in and Freos pick suck so most likely we end up drafting 2 more Laurie's who don't play next year anyway

 

[Tulip]

Which they added Gus, Trac and Oliver. 3 top 5 picks. Oliver was a great pick the others were unanimous. We haven't added another mid in-between who's been any good.
He's done a good not great job. The Pickett Jackson Rivers draft was a huge win, the rest are meh to me.
I want Petty forward but if May falls off a cliff Petty will need to go back quick fast. Truthfully I think Taylor and the list managers are on a hiding to nothing this year. There's nothing obviously available to trade in and Freos pick suck so most likely we end up drafting 2 more Laurie's who don't play next year anyway

Between those three, Harmes and Viney I’d be a bit disappointed if they spent good picks on a midfielder. 2016 our first pick was about 45 wasn’t it? 2017 was a great draft, Fritsch at 31 is the kind of steal any club would be proud of. Spargo having a down year but very good last year. Petty a gun. Jordon and Sparrow in the second round is a good 1/2 drafting punch even if neither ever becomes outstanding. Both Premiership players and both have played every game this year. Im expecting the faith the coaches have put into them this year to pay off in the future as they’re still very young. 2020 Bowey a great pick, Laurie we’ll see. Rosman at 34 a waste, seems he’ll be delisted and Lazarro and McCreery were taken just after and look like good players. Same now with JVR and Howes. When we were s**t, our kids got heaps of time to show their talent in the ones quickly. Now we have talented kids who can’t find their way in despite good form in the VFL. I’d get your POV if they were big ordinary at VFL level. Wait to judge the 20/21 picks until we get to see them play.

At the end of the day, they did a great job building a flag list and now we have to see whether they do a great job topping it up and keeping us there. Between Brown falling off a cliff and TMac’s foot falling off the same cliff, we need forwards. Weid is his only bust, so he’s no good either. A lot rests on Van Rooyen if we’re being honest.

 

[stEdy]

One of the picks we got back from Adelaide we used on Petty too. That draft also netted us Spargo and Fritch, I know it might of been different but Carlton ended up with our Pick 10 and selected Lachie O'brien. (Naughton was the selection ahead at pick 9)

Yeah, Lever and Petty for what more or less ended up with Lochie O'Brien and Liam Stocker for the Blues.

That was a huge off season for us.

 

[dazzledavey36]

Nah I meant between losing Chip and paying for Lever. I actually forgot about Frost too lol, plus Howe playing as a hybrid tall at times. I’d argue we’ve never been lacking decent tall backs but we had a seriously bad midfield for a long time. Just Jones and Viney with some help from Vince and Cross for a couple of years.

Taylor will have a big test this year between JVR and whoever we take with Freo’s picks. They’ll need to be talls is possible and we will need them to succeed. Personally, I’d be happy with Logue and a pick and to throw Petty forward.

If the coaching staff decide that Petty plays forward next year then bloke by the name of Daniel Turner is more then capable filling in down back which allows Petty forward.

Turner would have easily played more footy had he not been injured. No nonsense type footballer who attacks it in the air with ferocity. He's a big watch next and no surprise the club were happy to sign him to a 2 year deal.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Between those three, Harmes and Viney I’d be a bit disappointed if they spent good picks on a midfielder. 2016 our first pick was about 45 wasn’t it? 2017 was a great draft, Fritsch at 31 is the kind of steal any club would be proud of. Spargo having a down year but very good last year. Petty a gun. Jordon and Sparrow in the second round is a good 1/2 drafting punch even if neither ever becomes outstanding. Both Premiership players and both have played every game this year. Im expecting the faith the coaches have put into them this year to pay off in the future as they’re still very young. 2020 Bowey a great pick, Laurie we’ll see. Rosman at 34 a waste, seems he’ll be delisted and Lazarro and McCreery were taken just after and look like good players. Same now with JVR and Howes. When we were s**t, our kids got heaps of time to show their talent in the ones quickly. Now we have talented kids who can’t find their way in despite good form in the VFL. I’d get your POV if they were big ordinary at VFL level. Wait to judge the 20/21 picks until we get to see them play.

At the end of the day, they did a great job building a flag list and now we have to see whether they do a great job topping it up and keeping us there. Between Brown falling off a cliff and TMac’s foot falling off the same cliff, we need forwards. Weid is his only bust, so he’s no good either. A lot rests on Van Rooyen if we’re being honest.

If Geelong hadn’t poached Max Holmes we’d be singing JT’s praises