In recent times I have chosen to analyze certain draft to see who benefited and whom didn't

2007: Cale Morton not Rhys Palmer or Patrick Dangerfield or Jarrad Grant or Cyril Rioli. We picked Addam Maric not Tom Collier

2008 Draft: We choose Sam Blease & James Strauss over Luke Shuey, Hayden Ballantyne, Nic Suban, Dayne Beams, Daniel Hannebery. Then we choose Jamie Bennell over Mitch Robinson & Todd Banfield & Liam Anthony & Taylor Hunt

2009 Draft: Gysberts(pick 11) over Nathan Fyfe (pick 20). We chose Max Gawn (34) for Nathan Vardy (42). Worst one, we promoted Newton and missed Barlow.

The recruiting department should be disgraced with themselves!!

Some say hindsight is a wonderful thing....

If Gysberts doesn't make you happy, not much will.

J.Grant is certainly lighting it up for the Bulldogs....

and what is wrong with The Big Max Factor ? What ? Not big enough ?

Brilliant first post champ. Brilliant.

Very poor analysis, loses all credibility when you isolate Gysbert's selection and you discount the late value picks that we have selected and some of the other wins.

Not a balanced view.

Some say hindsight is a wonderful thing....

If Gysberts doesn't make you happy, not much will.

J.Grant is certainly lighting it up for the Bulldogs....

and what is wrong with The Big Max Factor ? What ? Not big enough ?

Brilliant first post champ. Brilliant.

Gysberts is ok but who would you rather Fyfe or Gysberts. Is that as good a second post....eh?

Gysberts is ok but who would you rather Fyfe or Gysberts. Is that as good a second post....eh?

I'd prefer Gysberts, so no, I probably rate that post a C+...

The plus is for effort!

Edited June 15, 201114 yr by rpfc

Fair go. He is spot on in reference to 2007. Would have all players except Grant that he mentioned over Morton and Maric

Barlow is the best.

How about the Saints, who were going to select Barlow 3 years prior, told him they were 100% going to take him... then decided to give Fraser Gehrig another chance, after his time off.

The G Train played 4 more ineffective games, before slipping back into retirement.

Hindsight is 20/20.

We haven't even given these guys enough time to develop - Blease could still be better than any of the players he is compared to, and even they haven't had much exposed form to judge them on.

Horrendous first post.

Recruitment is a tough game.

At the end of the day you have to ask yourself - have we assembled a list that can win a flag in the future?

It's subjective and crystal ball gazing, but it's better than navel gazing...

Edited June 15, 201114 yr by rpfc

Impossible to judge players that go to different teams. Let's say one of them turns into a dead set superstar at their current club. There is nothing to say that would have happened had they been picked elsewhere. Too many tangibles. Different coaching, tactics, conditioning, team mates.

Gysberts is ok but who would you rather Fyfe or Gysberts. Is that as good a second post....eh?

I rate both. But to refer to the recruiters "should be disgraced with themselves" is an opinion at best - albeit from a minority. It's a tough gig.

Every club is littered with "what if" recruiting "blunders", or so says the petty disgruntled supporter(s).

To say "Melbourne got it wrong" with Gysberts is laughable.

Impossible to judge players that go to different teams. Let's say one of them turns into a dead set superstar at their current club. There is nothing to say that would have happened had they been picked elsewhere. Too many tangibles. Different coaching, tactics, conditioning, team mates.

True.

And Fyfe was a medium-sized forward. Not exactly what we were looking for.

Even Freo were surprised when he transferred to the midfield so easily and with such success.

Barlow is the best.

How about the Saints, who were going to select Barlow 3 years prior, told him they were 100% going to take him... then decided to give Fraser Gehrig another chance, after his time off.

The G Train played 4 more ineffective games, before slipping back into retirement.

Hindsight is 20/20.

We haven't even given these guys enough time to develop - Blease could still be better than any of the players he is compared to, and even they haven't had much exposed form to judge them on.

Horrendous first post.

Since when has the number of posts been a determining factor or even a relevant factor

All you posters making reference to "first post" are just exhibiting typical bully-boy traits and you aught to grow up

Oh, and welcome to the new poster, don't be deterred from having an opinion

Play the ball DC.

I actually thought it was "brilliant".

In recent times I have chosen to analyze certain draft to see who benefited and whom didn't

2007: Cale Morton not Rhys Palmer or Patrick Dangerfield or Jarrad Grant or Cyril Rioli. We picked Addam Maric not Tom Collier

2008 Draft: We choose Sam Blease & James Strauss over Luke Shuey, Hayden Ballantyne, Nic Suban, Dayne Beams, Daniel Hannebery. Then we choose Jamie Bennell over Mitch Robinson & Todd Banfield & Liam Anthony & Taylor Hunt

2009 Draft: Gysberts(pick 11) over Nathan Fyfe (pick 20). We chose Max Gawn (34) for Nathan Vardy (42). Worst one, we promoted Newton and missed Barlow.

The recruiting department should be disgraced with themselves!!

I think it's all a matter of perspective....I mean the only players in 07 that i think could have been taken instead of Morton would be Dangerfield and Rioli. I'll be honest and say i haven't seen much of Palmer, but i've been to a lot of bulldogs games and Grant could arguably be one of the worst picks of the first round in that year. As for Maric over Collier....well i think Maric could still be good, but what has collier done to show he'll be better???

2008 is possibly the draft where i agree with you the most. However it's worth noting that Shuey was picked ahead of Strauss (and just one pick after Blease). As for Ballantyne and Suban, one could argue we should have chosen Ballantyne but I think we still haven't seen enough of Strauss or Blease thanks to their injuries, to pass any accurate judgement at this time. I think Strauss has been effective since returning to the team and has shown he has strong kicking skills. One ommission you've made is the selection of Bail at 64 which was a fantastic pick, and you could argue a much better pick than many others picked before him. Swings and roundabouts.

2009. It's too early to tell but i think Gysberts could become a fantastic midfielder and do not believe that we made the wrong pick here yet. As for Gawn over Vardy. Gawn is going to take time given his height, and Vardy has also only played 2 games. Too early to tell for both of them but I think Gawn could be fantastic. Remember he had knee reconstruction just over 18 months ago, yet has still been able to crack a couple of games in the seniors. That's not something to be sneezed at.

As for Newton instead of Barlow........every other club in the league could make the statement, but i ask you this....did we really need another midfielder who would slow the development of the young brigade coming through?

Since when has the number of posts been a determining factor or even a relevant factor

All you posters making reference to "first post" are just exhibiting typical bully-boy traits and you aught to grow up

Oh, and welcome to the new poster, don't be deterred from having an opinion

You know what, the fact it was their 1st is irrelevant.

By all means have an opinion... and when it is horrendous, I'll let you know.

God knows I hear all about it when others disagree with me.

Do you have an opinion on his post DC..?

I never cease to be amazed by the utter stupidity of this type of 'analysis'

a)it's too early to tell how good these players will be, particularly since injury is involved

b)what about every other club that 'missed' those later picks

c)how do you know what effect the actual ability/position/list of the clubs they were recruited to has affected their development

d)Prendergast is not a clairvoyant

apart from those minor considerations you have made a fine argument. FMD.

You know what, the fact it was their 1st is irrelevant.

By all means have an opinion... and when it is horrendous, I'll let you know.

God knows I hear all about it when others disagree with me.

Do you have an opinion on his post DC..?

Yes, but I find it rather pointless agonising retrospectively over past draft selections. And even if you do you'd need to wait till players are 22 yo or more

The recruiting department should be disgraced with themselves!!

This statement was clearly hyperbole

There, thats my opinion and I didn't need to abuse anyone, let alone a new-comer whose opinion I might disagree with.

I know....I'm really Mother Theresa

Edit: added 'or more' to the 22

Edited June 15, 201114 yr by daisycutter

Tom Collier? What the hell would we do with him?

For a first time head recruiter 2008 and 2009 drafts have both been good. Sure with hindsight we could have done a few picks different, but it's still very early. How can you say Vardy will be a better footballer than Gawn. With a few years on the weight Gawn could be towering over Vardy.

2007 is interesting. Cheney and MacNamara were both around the mark but not up to it. Bit too slow.

Morton - he's the difference between this draft been ok or horrible. He's much more talented than a lot of guys in that draft (Masten, Myers for example). He's going better than Jarrad Grant.

Grimes - future captain and almost as good as Rioli I think for what he brings to a club.

Maric - Has 11 weeks to prove he can do it. Really it depends on the coach. I'd love to see him in a functional forward line.

Drafting isn't about getting the best player every time, but getting guys who can play AFL. Most AFL stars aren't anything special anyway, they are just the hardest workers with the most determination. I think our recruiters are picking the right types and have got a balance of guys who will take time with guys who can impact early. We'll just have to wait and see what our coaches can get from them.

PS. Also I think Freo's recruiters have been the best in the game for the last couple of years. I love what their young kids and recycled players bring to the table. Interestingly though, they haven't seem to done much planning for the spine. When McFarlane and Grover go the only talls they have are Silvgani, Faulks, Michael Johnson, Bradley and Anthony. You can never win them all!

Some say hindsight is a wonderful thing....

If Gysberts doesn't make you happy, not much will.

J.Grant is certainly lighting it up for the Bulldogs....

and what is wrong with The Big Max Factor ? What ? Not big enough ?

Brilliant first post champ. Brilliant.

CC's returned. B)

Okay, this is 2007.

Cale Morton (4)

Notable picks afterwards: Jarrad Grant (5), Rhys Palmer (7), Lachlan Henderson (8), Ben McEvoy (9), Patrick Dangerfield (10), Cyril Rioli (12)

Thoughts: Morton's going well. Henderson would be good structure wise, but he won't be a gun CHF. Rioli would be good because he's Rioli, but I think Morton will end up the best of the lot.

Jack Grimes (14)

Notable picks afterwards: Harry Taylor (17), Callan Ward (19)

Thoughts: Taylor's a gun, but Frawley's as good and three years younger. Grimes is a future captain.

Addam Maric (21)

Notable picks afterwards: Scott Selwood (22), Tayte Pears (23), John McCarthy (31), Levi Greenwood (32), Sam Reid (35), Scott Thompson (37), Dennis Armfield (46), Bradd Dalziell (52)

Thoughts: Selwood's handy, but Maric will be a good player. Can justify taking Reid ahead of him.

Kyle Cheney (53)

Notable picks afterwards: Cale Hooker (54), Craig Bird (59)

Thoughts: Wouldn't mind Bird. Cheney wasn't a great player but he's no longer our concern.

Tom McNamara (66)

Notable picks afterwards: Does Kepler Bradley (69) count?

Thoughts: None.

Stefan Martin (PSD1)

Notable picks afterwards: PSD pick, can't really do comparisons

Trent Zomer (R3)

Notable picks afterwards: Nathan Grima (R14), Brodie Moles (R16)

Austin Wonaeamirri (R19)

Notable picks afterwards: Jeremy Laidler (R32), David Ellard (R34)

Jake Spencer (R35)

Notable picks afterwards: Pearce Hanley (R38), Ed Curnow (R40)

Shane Valenti (R49)

Notable picks afterwards: Brodie Martin (R52), Callum Wilson (R55), Shane Mumford (R57)

There.

Gysberts is ok but who would you rather Fyfe or Gysberts. Is that as good a second post....eh?

It has been a rotten couple of days...but then you gave me a good laugh....welcome to Demonland......please more, I am still smiling....what a shame we couldnt recognize JPod's potential about 12 years ago.....strange nobody else did......I was always the last picked for teams in the schoolyard coz I was so small...but as I grew into a man with blistering speed and a good solid core....I picked up a couple of player of the year awards....who would have thought.....BP and the recruiting staff have done a bloody good job........as another poster said the draft is full of these stories.......

I vaguely remember straight after the 2007 draft the general consensus from the media was that we were one of the big winners, that we'd got ourselves a ten year star in Morton. You can isolate and discuss all you want but of course with the benefit of hindsight we'd take Rioli, but at the time I'd bet my bottom dollar the Hawks would've snapped up Cale instead if they had a choice.

Remember that we've had plenty come through the rookie ranks, Roos fans were livid when they found out Davey was right under their noses at Port Melbourne.

Edited June 16, 201114 yr by Pates

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. If you think we got it wrong in 2008 you must have nightmares about our draft in 2001.

Our picks went

9. Luke Molan

25. Steven Armstrong

26. Aaron Rogers

55. Brad Miller &

70. Pass

When other players who went just after those picks were

13. Nick Dal Santo

36. Sam Mitchell

37. Leigh Montagna

58. Dane Swan &

71. Brian Lake

End of the day you never know how the players are going to turn out, from 2000 to the 2005 draft inclusive we didn't have a lot of success, however since then we've had our fair share of good selections in the draft IMO.

I love these.

Also take into consideration our facilitites, the coaches coaching them and the players around them.

Would Harry Taylor be as good as he is now if he played for us from the start..... I don't think so.

There.

Nice post.