We can't fall into the trap

[vicpride99]

Of drafting older players to add depth our list. I know it is tempting but i can tell you right now it just doesen't work. This post comes after speaking with fans who say we are close to a flag and that a few mature age recruits would not go wrong in adding depth. But we must continue to draft 18 year olds and not 25 year olds from other clubs. Richmond, Hawthorn and Adelaide tryed it and it hasn't worked. And with the club likely to make the top 4 it is the 20-22 year olds who have to create the depth. 4 picks in the draft must all be 18 year olds and maybe 1 recycled player for the PS Draft. But one is enough.....

Thoughts

 

[GeeCat]

Thoughts

Pick Matt Egan

 

[Rodion]

We've seen Gary Ayres make that mistake. He comes to a club that's reasonably successful and ruins it by drafting old players that he hopes will give him some short-term success. With Bomber Thompson the situation is different. He's gone through the heard slog of building a team instead of inheriting it from the previous coach and now all his hard work seems to be paying off. Not to mention the faith that the Geelong administration and the fans gave him when things looked to be going nowhere.

At this stage of Geelong's progress we can afford to maintain two or three mature-aged fringe players on the list. I've argued this on another thread, but I feel that we would be well off with guys like Koula, Rahilly and Egan on the list even if they only play seven or eight games a year. If Geelong were cellar dwellers they'd be guys you'd look at delisting because they're not the ten-year projects you need when you're rebuilding. They have a value to teams looking to win a flag though, because they can come straight in and play senior footy which is a great boon if you suddenly start losing players to injury and suspension.

For example, I have no doubt that Luke Buckland will be a gun in years to come but if Geelong were playing a grand final tomorrow and the last spot in defence was a choice between him and James Rahilly, I'd pick Rahilly.

If Geelong don't pick up Matty Egan, I'll be very disappointed.

 

[nananana catman]

We've seen Gary Ayres make that mistake. He comes to a club that's reasonably successful and ruins it by drafting old players that he hopes will give him some short-term success. With Bomber Thompson the situation is different. He's gone through the heard slog of building a team instead of inheriting it from the previous coach and now all his hard work seems to be paying off. Not to mention the faith that the Geelong administration and the fans gave him when things looked to be going nowhere.

At this stage of Geelong's progress we can afford to maintain two or three mature-aged fringe players on the list. I've argued this on another thread, but I feel that we would be well off with guys like Koula, Rahilly and Egan on the list even if they only play seven or eight games a year. If Geelong were cellar dwellers they'd be guys you'd look at delisting because they're not the ten-year projects you need when you're rebuilding. They have a value to teams looking to win a flag though, because they can come straight in and play senior footy which is a great boon if you suddenly start losing players to injury and suspension.

For example, I have no doubt that Luke Buckland will be a gun in years to come but if Geelong were playing a grand final tomorrow and the last spot in defence was a choice between him and James Rahilly, I'd pick Rahilly.

If Geelong don't pick up Matty Egan, I'll be very disappointed.

Doing it once or twice when you think you have found a likely type, E.G Koula and David Johnson is fine, but using it as your main way to recruit players is wrong, usually they have been delisted for a reason. I think Egan should be drafted

 

[Turbocat]

We've seen Gary Ayres make that mistake. He comes to a club that's reasonably successful and ruins it by drafting old players that he hopes will give him some short-term success. With Bomber Thompson the situation is different. He's gone through the heard slog of building a team instead of inheriting it from the previous coach and now all his hard work seems to be paying off. Not to mention the faith that the Geelong administration and the fans gave him when things looked to be going nowhere.

At this stage of Geelong's progress we can afford to maintain two or three mature-aged fringe players on the list. I've argued this on another thread, but I feel that we would be well off with guys like Koula, Rahilly and Egan on the list even if they only play seven or eight games a year. If Geelong were cellar dwellers they'd be guys you'd look at delisting because they're not the ten-year projects you need when you're rebuilding. They have a value to teams looking to win a flag though, because they can come straight in and play senior footy which is a great boon if you suddenly start losing players to injury and suspension.

For example, I have no doubt that Luke Buckland will be a gun in years to come but if Geelong were playing a grand final tomorrow and the last spot in defence was a choice between him and James Rahilly, I'd pick Rahilly.

If Geelong don't pick up Matty Egan, I'll be very disappointed.

Rodion, the thing to remember is what did Koola cost us.A Preseason pick that was just an unused late pick in the Nat draft. If we could pick up a player a first round draftee four of five years later for P50 plus, like we have with him, we would be mad not do do it. Shoulds we swap our #1 pick for that type of player, probably not unless hes quality because your #1 pick give you the backbone of the clubs future.I would have been so unhappy to trade a Tenace for Rawlings however a Kozinsi or a player like that etc is a different matter.Tim Walsh or a Ryan Murphy or Stephen Gilham, sombody that was picked first round will give us a better standard of rough material to work with than our current talls, would boost our list and have a chance to be an immediate impact like Koola has had this year and have more long term value than a 26 year old with wonky knees or what ever.
I agree about Egan but I would prefer us to pick him as late as possible.