What we need

[Beats]

Saw a thread in the Essendon board and decided to replicate it.
Obviously we need to go for best available for at least our first 3-4 picks, however this is just for the sake of it.
This is our entired squad, minus retirees/ delistees.
Potential retiree's for the next 2 years are counted as inelgible.

In a team of 22 it's assumed that you would have 2 rucks, 6 backs, 5 forwards and 9 midfielders(some with the ability to rotate through the back/forwardlines)
Stars are people I class as being able to change a game.
Proven are players who will be in our best 22.
Shows potential are fringe players.
Unproven are players who have not done/shown enough to be considered fringe players.

Rucks -
Stars: 0
Proven: 2 - Paul Johnson, Mark Jamar
Shows Potential: 0
Unproven: 2 - John Meesen, Jake Spencer(Rookie)
Paul Johnson and Mark Jamar have done enough to warrant a spot in our starting 22, although preferably we will be able to find someone who can push Jamar out. We only have the 2 players who are proven, and with no one showing potential it is a must that we find another ruckman in this draft.

Backs -
Stars: 0
Proven: 5(possibly is 4) -Jared Rivers, Colin Garland, Matthew Whelan(Retiree), Nathan Carroll, Paul Wheatley, Daniel Bell
Shows Potential: 5 - James Frawley, Stefan Martin, Matthew Warnock, Chris Johnson, Ricky Petterd
Unproven: 2 - Tom Mcnamara, Kyle Cheney
The backling is pretty stable looking at it this way, with quite a few players deserving of a regular 22 berth, and with many players such as Frawley, Martin and Warnock pushing on them this is a strong area. We only really have the one proven small defender in Whelan though, as I do not think of the likes of Bell etc as shutdown players, another small defender would be nice, but probably not a priority.

Forwards -
Stars: 1 - Aaron Davey, Russell Robertson(Retiree)
Proven: 3 - Matthew Bate, Brad Miller, Colin Sylvia
Shows Potential: 3 - Addam Maric, Michael Newton, Austin Wonaeamirri(Rookie)
Unproven: 1 - Trent Zomer(Rookie)
We have two star players in Robertson and Davey, however with Robertson likely to retire next year/ year after he is discounted. Matthew Bate and Brad Miller are proven players, Sylvia is likely to get a lot better, the others have shown a bit but not enough for me, to show that they will be at the club in 3-4 years. From this it is shown that forwards would have to be priority #1 for this draft.

Mids -
Stars: 1 - Brock Mclean
Proven: 5 - Nathan Jones, Brent Moloney, James Mcdonald(Retiree), Cameron Bruce(Retiree), Lynden Dunn, Brad Green, Cale Morton
Shows Potential: 4 - Simon Buckley, Shane Valenti(Rookie), Clint Bartram, Jack Grimes
Unproven: 0
Brock Mclean is a star, with the abiliity to change games on his own, there is a fair depth of 'proven' players, however more will be needed. A few others have shown potential but not enough for them to cement spots in the starting 22. Midfielders should be priority #2 in the draft.


Adding the forwards and backs together to sort into talls and smalls gives
Talls -
Stars: 0 - Russell Robertson(Retiree)
Proven: 5(possibly 4) - Jared Rivers, Colin Garland, Nathan Carroll, Matthew Bate, Brad Miller
Shows Potential: 4 - Michael Newton, James Frawley, Stefan Martin, Matthew Warnock
Unproven: 2 - Trent Zomer(Rookie), Tom Mcnamara
There is a reasonable amount of talls on our list, however most of them are from the backline.

Smalls -
Stars: 1 - Aaron Davey
Proven: 3 - Paul Wheatley, Daniel Bell, Matthew Whelan(Retiree), Colin Sylvia
Shows Potential: 4 - Austin Wonaeamirri(Rookie), Addam Maric, Chris Johnson, Ricky Petterd
Unproven: 1 - Kyle Cheney
More small players who can play at a specific end of the ground are needed.


From what I've shown above, it's probably safe to say that we need at least 1 ruck from this draft, 2 KPF's, Midfielders and another small 'shutdown' defender.

In order of need it should probably go:
KPF, Mid, KPF, Ruck, Mid, Mid, Small Defender.
However as we will probably only have 6 picks one of the mids will most likely be spent on a small defender, or a small defender who can rotate through the middle.
If we draft kids radically different to that, even if it is on best available, I will be shocked.

 

[00Stinger]

Re: What we need.

One little flaw. You have Sylvia as shows potential but he has played 75 odd games. Wouldn't that put him into the proven catagory by your requirements????

 

[Bails2008]

Re: What we need.

Interesting thread. Maybe worth having a category such as *Unlikely/will not make it. Sadly we may have a fair few players fall in that category

 

[Devastating Boris]

Re: What we need.

Thought PJ can hold his own in ruck, but definitly show promise up front especially against S.ydney at Manuka. Robbo is only forced to play as a tall hopefully some tall forwards in the draft and he can play out of the pocket again

 

[Beats]

Re: What we need.

One little flaw. You have Sylvia as shows potential but he has played 75 odd games. Wouldn't that put him into the proven catagory by your requirements????

Fixed that.

 

[w00dy]

Re: What we need.

going forward what we need to add in my opinion:

2 key forwards
1 small backman
3-4 quick and skillful mids

thus we'll take watts at 1, Cornelius if he's still available at 17, then look at mids in the rest of the draft, and in next years draft...

 

[master bate]

Re: What we need.

Practically I think we need to fill out this team for 2011, with 10 or so quality emergencies (ie. players who have shown enough to suggest they could be best 22 in the future or in 2011 will give good depth).

Backline: Depth very good, has pace and defensive skill but could do with a quality creative player to take it up a level.
FB: Bell Martin Garland
HB: CJ Rivers Bartram
Bench: Petterd
Emer:Warnock, Frawley, Cheney

Midfield: A lot talent but need to develop as a unit, the slow players need to get faster, others need to improve skills or hardness. We need to draft some more depth here. I really hope these young guys take over in 09, I'd love to see McDonald and Bruce forced back or off the bench, and I'd love to see Wheatley out of the side altogether.
Rucks need depth and talent, I wont even consider Meesen or Spencer as Emergencies yet, although Spencer progressed well this year.
C:Morton McLean Buckley
Foll: ........ Jones Dunn
Bench: PJ, Moloney
Emer: Grimes, Valenti

Forward line: Have quality smalls, and can see Brad Green going forward by 2011. Need to draft talls, and maybe if Davey and Sylvia can lift to midfield level another couple of smalls could be picked up. Lacks depth - will Newton and Miller even be around by 2011?
Bate ......... Sylvia
Maric .......... Davey
Bench: Green
Emer:Wona, Miller, Newton

So we need key forwards, outside mids depth and talent and a number 1 ruck to take over from Jamar (who is serviceable but not premiership level).
Depending on talent available at every pick (because you wouldn't pass up a gun because your have that area pretty well covered) I'd be looking to take 2 tall forwards, 2 midfielders, and a ruckmen with our picks this year.