- Banned
- #1
I have always been fascinated with the OTT carry-on about the national draft.
The fact is, most of these names mean nothing to me. I don't care what any of these kids have done in their junior footy. They are no-names, who have proven nothing.
Sure, there might be many future superstars come out of it. But there could also be some average players, and some spuds too.
People like Kevin Sheahan wax lyrical about every player in the draft. Their credentials are listed, and we are told how good this player is. Sheahan is like a used-car salesman, who won't tell you if you are being sold a lemon.
Even if a player is a superstar, it doesn't mean that they will make it in the AFL. They might get lots of injuries, and rarely ever play.
When I spoke to my brother on this subject, he brought up Nathan Freeman. Freeman was a top-ten pick, who got drafted by Collingwood. He played 0 games in two years there, because of constant injuries. He then went to St. Kilda, and is still yet to play a senior game, because of one injury or another. So a player may be the world's greatest player, but be injury prone.
Also, some players are lazy, may run like the wind and get a lot of the ball, but their disposal is terrible etc. There are a number of factors which may hold back a "potential superstar" from becoming a real superstar.
Conversely, some players get overlooked early, despite having talent, because of prejudice by recruiters. Caleb Daniel got overlooked by a lot of teams, because he was deemed "too small". Daniel Hannebury slipped down in the draft, because he was involved in a muck-up day incident, but hasn't had any indiscretions since. In these cases, prejudice has cost clubs star players, because they are too blinkered to look past certain things.
I am more interested in hearing about players swapping clubs, because you know what you are getting. I remember being far more excited when my team recruited Patrick Dangerfield, Lachie Henderson, Zac Smith and Scott Selwood than some no-name player in the draft the same year. Because a player in the draft MAY be a superstar, but I knew Dangerfield IS a superstar. You don't waste as much time developing them, and get them to deliver straight away.
What is to stop a team just drafting in free agents and trading draft picks for players, to beef up their list each year, provided you can fit them in the salary cap. Just keep trading in and out name players, and replace them with other name players, and ignore the draft. I think if you bring in the right players, you can pull this off for longer than people think.
The fact is, most of these names mean nothing to me. I don't care what any of these kids have done in their junior footy. They are no-names, who have proven nothing.
Sure, there might be many future superstars come out of it. But there could also be some average players, and some spuds too.
People like Kevin Sheahan wax lyrical about every player in the draft. Their credentials are listed, and we are told how good this player is. Sheahan is like a used-car salesman, who won't tell you if you are being sold a lemon.
Even if a player is a superstar, it doesn't mean that they will make it in the AFL. They might get lots of injuries, and rarely ever play.
When I spoke to my brother on this subject, he brought up Nathan Freeman. Freeman was a top-ten pick, who got drafted by Collingwood. He played 0 games in two years there, because of constant injuries. He then went to St. Kilda, and is still yet to play a senior game, because of one injury or another. So a player may be the world's greatest player, but be injury prone.
Also, some players are lazy, may run like the wind and get a lot of the ball, but their disposal is terrible etc. There are a number of factors which may hold back a "potential superstar" from becoming a real superstar.
Conversely, some players get overlooked early, despite having talent, because of prejudice by recruiters. Caleb Daniel got overlooked by a lot of teams, because he was deemed "too small". Daniel Hannebury slipped down in the draft, because he was involved in a muck-up day incident, but hasn't had any indiscretions since. In these cases, prejudice has cost clubs star players, because they are too blinkered to look past certain things.
I am more interested in hearing about players swapping clubs, because you know what you are getting. I remember being far more excited when my team recruited Patrick Dangerfield, Lachie Henderson, Zac Smith and Scott Selwood than some no-name player in the draft the same year. Because a player in the draft MAY be a superstar, but I knew Dangerfield IS a superstar. You don't waste as much time developing them, and get them to deliver straight away.
What is to stop a team just drafting in free agents and trading draft picks for players, to beef up their list each year, provided you can fit them in the salary cap. Just keep trading in and out name players, and replace them with other name players, and ignore the draft. I think if you bring in the right players, you can pull this off for longer than people think.
