What are the question marks over your team in 2022?

[Strapping Young Lad]

Kane Cornes doesn't rate him but Garry Lyon loves him. Take from that what you will. Do you honestly believe these guys give a fu** what dickheads like Cornes say about them?

Do you think Hodge or Clarko gave two shits about what anyone in the media said early on in Hodge's career? Wouldn't have thought so.

The pressure always builds on early draft picks, and yes, Hodge copped it early too, as did the club when Judd hit the ground running.
Tambling folded under the pressure of being taken before Franklin.

Phillips and North may be equipped to shut it out, but let’s be honest, if North have a poor year and Phillips doesn’t come on until 2023/24 like was suggested there will undoubtedly be lots of comments both in here, on social media and in the AFL media about that pick because it was judged as an odd selection the moment it was taken.

 

[Bojan KantKick]

The pressure always builds on early draft picks, and yes, Hodge copped it early too, as did the club when Judd hit the ground running.
Tambling folded under the pressure of being taken before Franklin.

Phillips and North may be equipped to shut it out, but let’s be honest, if North have a poor year and Phillips doesn’t come on until 2023/24 like was suggested there will undoubtedly be lots of comments both in here, on social media and in the AFL media about that pick because it was judged as an odd selection the moment it was taken.

Unless the key position players picked after him become stars before him then I don't see why there would be much pressure. I don't expect anyone taken last year to come good until they hit 50+ games. Sam Walsh, Chris Judd, etc are outliers.

 

[Nutjob]

For sure they are. In 2001 a couple of clubs said they'd have taken Polak at Pick 1.

So why was picking Phillips so ‘odd’? Especially after a year of half the kids not playing. Every clubs draft order would have been vastly different.


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[Nutjob]

I agree, but in December of 2020 when the draft was held, you had Larkey and an injured Comben on the list, and you weren't to know that you'd have Pick 1 in the mid season draft, nor did you know who would be there at that pick when you took Phillips at 3. So your original point of "we have 4 talls on the list NOW" is pretty much redundant to the discussion about who you took in 2020.

Not saying it's wrong, or that he won't be any good, but North had two talls staring them in the face, and they went for a small no one had seen play for 12 months.

Rightly or wrongly, there's a lot of pressure on Phillips, because North took him before the two WA talls.

I still don’t understand why you keep referring back to 2020. Yes we needed to add forward stocks at that time, but we had plenty of other holes to fill as well. We shouldn’t be looking back now thinking we should have taken McDonald because we have addressed our forward stocks since then. It’s all a pointless discussion now. As I said earlier you need to look at the hole picture not just one pick. Yes, we were fortunate to get Edwards but we have him. You win some, you lose some.

We seem to be just going around in circles here, but your views are contradictory. You agree that we should have gone best available, but you also think we should have gone tall. How do we tick both boxes when we rated a mid best available?

I also don’t see why he is going to carry anymore pressure than any other top pick. We are not going to regret taking the tall in that draft because we have added talls since.


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[Strapping Young Lad]

I still don’t understand why you keep referring back to 2020. Yes we needed to add forward stocks at that time

Not sure how you’re not getting it.

You just said it yourself. You needed key talls.

There were two up for grabs with very good exposed form in WA, and North took a midfielder that hadn’t played all year.

 

[Toump Ass]

Luke dunstan

27

Luke Dunstan

Age

29

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.7

5star

K

10.1

4star

HB

10.6

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

4.8

5star

CL

4.4

5star

D

21.0

5star

K

13.0

5star

HB

8.0

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

9.0

5star

CL

2.0

4star

D

18.2

5star

K

6.0

3star

HB

12.2

5star

M

2.4

3star

T

6.2

5star

CL

4.2

5star

. How good can he be once we wash the saint kildas off him? Get him nice and clean and free from those saint kilda germs, could he be a starting mid?

 

[Nutjob]

Not sure how you’re not getting it.

You just said it yourself. You needed key talls.

There were two up for grabs with very good exposed form in WA, and North took a midfielder that hadn’t played all year.

Not sure how you’re not getting it. We picked best available. After 1 year no one has any idea whether it was the right decision or not.


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[Nutjob]

Not really.

North are only a bad couple of weeks from Cornes or whoever else bringing up the Phillips selection, and I think you know that, because we got it for Hodge for about 5-6 years.

Worked out pretty well though didn’t it? Plus he was a number 1 pick, obviously more pressure comes with that tag.


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[Sphynx]

The pressure always builds on early draft picks, and yes, Hodge copped it early too, as did the club when Judd hit the ground running.
Tambling folded under the pressure of being taken before Franklin.

Phillips and North may be equipped to shut it out, but let’s be honest, if North have a poor year and Phillips doesn’t come on until 2023/24 like was suggested there will undoubtedly be lots of comments both in here, on social media and in the AFL media about that pick because it was judged as an odd selection the moment it was taken.

Jesus, give it a break. Phillips showed as much as most of the other top 10 picks last year. All of them had their own issues from missing a year.

In fact, you might say the two WA talls were the most disappointing given they played all of 2020 compared to the other prospects.

JUH barely fired a shot.
DGB was underwhelming.
McDonald flashed in and then out.
Campbell was fine but still finding his feet.

Thilthorpe clearly the best of the top few picks.

Hilarious you are singling him out.

 

[CasuallyDressed]

Collingwood.

Forward line, still don't have a real KPF.
Speed and disposal in the midfield
Health in the backline - Howe and Moore are injured every year.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Jesus, give it a break. Phillips showed as much as most of the other top 10 picks last year. All of them had their own issues from missing a year.

In fact, you might say the two WA talls were the most disappointing given they played all of 2020 compared to the other prospects.

JUH barely fired a shot.
DGB was underwhelming.
McDonald flashed in and then out.
Campbell was fine but still finding his feet.

Thilthorpe clearly the best of the top few picks.

Hilarious you are singling him out.

I’m not singling him out, I’m making commentary on the pressure that will come with the perception that North took him too early in the draft, when there were key talls available - of which they needed.

I feel sorry for you if you thought 18yr old KPP’s were going to take games by the scruff of the neck.

 

[Sphynx]

I’m not singling him out, I’m making commentary on the pressure that will come with the perception that North took him too early in the draft, when there were key talls available - of which they needed.

Our recruiters have been clear, even this year, they want midfielders.

They rate some talls in next years draft, but even prefaced it by saying if the best player at our pick is still a midfielder, they will take the mid.

It seems the plan is to recruit developed KPP’s through FA and the trade period once the midfield group is up and going.

Phillips was a #1 contender in the preseason before the shutdown, this “taking him too early” is only built around the fact that McDonald and DGB had exposed form and weird media hype from no exposed form.

Further more, if any of the top 5 have repeat years (Thilthorpe excluded) they will all be facing similar pressure.

 

[Nutjob]

I’m not singling him out, I’m making commentary on the pressure that will come with the perception that North took him too early in the draft, when there were key talls available - of which they needed.

I feel sorry for you if you thought 18yr old KPP’s were going to take games by the scruff of the neck.

But whose to say we took him early? You have no idea how all the clubs ranked each player. All you’re going off is Twomey’s mock draft (who had Hollands at 3 and went 7) and some mock drafts on Big footy. Twomey admitted himself that draft was the hardest to predict because there was no footy played in Victoria. If you’re certain Phillips was a reach, provide the people with some evidence.

Seriously they have all played 1 year, the proof will be in the pudding.

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[Northernsoul74]

How do we replace the great Tim O'Brien??

I know you’re taking the piss but I think he’ll go ok for us as the third tall. Bevo will give him license to go for every mark.

 

[Northernsoul74]

Luke dunstan. How good can he be once we wash the saint kildas off him? Get him nice and clean and free from those saint kilda germs, could he be a starting mid?

No.

 

[the big lebowski]

Regardless of whether he’s pick 1 or 3 you’ve already had a number of people questioning the selection in the media.

But that question solely relates to one other option. Logan McDonald.

Lazy speculation. Ben brown goes out, that must be taking McDonald.

If McDonald turns out comfortably better than Phillips I’m sure we will hear all about it, and fair enough.

But if Phillips turns out better than McDonald no one in the media will say a word. Nor a few here on bigfooty.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

But whose to say we took him early? You have no idea how all the clubs ranked each player. All you’re going off is Twomey’s mock draft (who had Hollands at 3 and went 7) and some mock drafts on Big footy. Twomey admitted himself that draft was the hardest to predict because there was no footy played in Victoria. If you’re certain Phillips was a reach, provide the people with some evidence.

Seriously they have all played 1 year, the proof will be in the pudding.

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I didn’t say I was certain, I said that as a top 3 pick, there’s going to be pressure, and because he was taken before two talls with exposed form while had none in his draft year their will be lots of eyes watching on, ready to make their judgement. That’s just the reality of the situation.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

For goodness sake, a really sensible OP question has been derailed by pages of asinine twaddle. Can North and Hawk posters wanting to argue about draft malarkey take it elsewhere.

Questions for my mob
* Was 2021 a flash in the pan?
* Can they cover the loss of Dawson (nope IMO) and Hewett (just)?
* How will the game plan evolve and do we have the skills to execute?
* Can the undersized backline hold the line?
* Will the midfield be competitive? Needs Mills to continue improving and different mixes running through, particularly of younger players.
* Can Hickey hold his remarkable form and will Ladhams be a decent fwd/ruck?

 

[Makeshift Park]

For goodness sake, a really sensible OP question has been derailed by pages of asinine twaddle. Can North and Hawk posters wanting to argue about draft malarkey take it elsewhere.

Questions for my mob
* Was 2021 a flash in the pan?
* Can they cover the loss of Dawson (nope IMO) and Hewett (just)?
* How will the game plan evolve and do we have the skills to execute?
* Can the undersized backline hold the line?
* Will the midfield be competitive? Needs Mills to continue improving and different mixes running through, particularly of younger players.
* Can Hickey hold his remarkable form and will Ladhams be a decent fwd/ruck?

I agree Dawson is a big loss, but I have your mob top 4 this year, based on:
- the 2021 season was harder on NSW teams;
- the likelihood that one of your top 2 players, Callum Mills, won’t be absent in your finals campaign this year
- Sydney is a top 4 side when it comes to sub 23 yo talent
- Longmire is a great coach who will adapt to changing personnel as required
- there’s a strong possibility we haven’t seen the best of Heeney and Papley yet

I agree that the Swans backline has the same basic problem as ours: a lack of kpds in the right age demographic. If it falls apart for you this season it’ll surely be because Rampe turns out to be cooked and you don’t have the depth to replace him mid season.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Can anyone catch us?

But seriously, the big question will be whether there is a premiership hangover and whether our role players can maintain the same level of output (ANB, Spargo, TMac, Sparrow, Jordon, Hunt, Bowey, Hibberd etc).

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Of course it’s rare for a teams 3 x best players to play 100% of games. It’s not rare to have a good injury run, but 75 of 75 would be rare.

Richmond had a great injury run 2017 and 2018. Reiwoldt, Cotchin, Martin, Edwards, Vlastuin, Grimes, Rance, Nank barely missed. That all changed in the first half of both 2019 and 2020, but we got them all back just in time and had a good run into finals which delivered flags.

If Dusty, Prestia and Bolton play 75 of 75 Richmond will make top-4. If in addition Grimes, Vlastuin, Lynch and Nankervis barely miss we will give the flag a real shake.

If Danger, Hawkins and Stewart player 75 of 75 the Cats will contend. If Cameron, Parfitt, Duncan and Henry barely miss the Cats will contend.

It’s the same for about 10-teams in 2022. Give them a dream injury run and they’ll be in flag contention and there when the whips are cracking.

If 2-3 of Gawn, Lever, May, Petracca, Oliver, Viney and Salem miss big chunks the Demons won’t be winning the flag.


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You think 10 teams can win the flag in 2022 as long as they have a good injury run?? No chance.

Of course if we lose a number of our best players we will struggle to back up however Viney has missed plenty of footy and I think Gawn can be covered as long as Jackson plays, Tomlinson could cover May (but probably not Lever) and Brayshaw could go back into the middle if we need him to cover (although he would be a downgrade on Oliver/Petracca). We also brought Dunstan in as mature midfield depth, Sparrow and Jordon rarely played together all year (one was often the sub) and Melksham could hardly break in to the side. If the unthinkable happens and we lose all our best players of course no team could recover but I think we have the depth to cover 2 or 3 of them if need be and still make finals.

 

[Makeshift Park]

I think we have the depth to cover 2 or 3 of them if need be and still make finals.

Mate, you could lose two or three of them and still make the semis.

But if you lost May or Lever then you no longer have the best backline in the competition.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Mate, you could lose two or three of them and still make the semis.

But if you lost May or Lever then you no longer have the best backline in the competition.

Say we lose May and Tomlinson comes back in. Tomlinson was playing as a lockdown defender before being injured and had only lost 1 one on one contest since being shifted to defense mid-2020. Tomlinson, Petty, Lever, Salem, Rivers, Hibberd/Hunt/Bowey is still a pretty formidable defense.

I agree Lever is harder to cover.

 

[ams4crows]

Can we consistently play for 4 quarters with out fade outs?
Can we improve disposal efficiency and make better decisions moving the ball forward to reduce turnovers thus preventing us being burnt on the counter as we have a slow Midfield?
Will we allow more centre bounces to be contested by our young up and coming midfielders or will we continue with the slow one dimensional unit of Sloane, Keays, Laird (and Crouch if he ever recovers from injuries)
Whilst there's been a massive turn around in culture and Nicks has proved he's a good player motivator can he actually coach tactically and make changes mid match? Will we consistently 'back the boys in' with the 'our game plan' even when it clearly isn't working?

 

[Giant Pete]

1. Injuries/health
2. Toby can be umps bestie.