Great deal of speculation with the initial decision. Looks like we'll see sooner rather than later. Good luck Matt!

Neeld gone full moneyball.

Would have been available in PSD/rookie, surely

People use the term moneyball as a derogatory one.

Check how it really works, and for a club in our positon, like the Oakland team, its a goddam smart move!

Will be interesting, I will always be sceptical of mature age draftees and rookies.

Haven't really seen enough of him to comment but the question will be was it worth getting rid of a players like Gysberts to draft a mature age player like Matt.

Have always seen these kinds of players as Magner types - try there best but just lack the talent hence why they have been overlooked.

With a late U18 draftee (pick 50ish) you at least know that they can develop into anything (e.g. McDonald) but with mature aged players I can't help but feel what you see is what you get.

In any case good luck to him hope he can add a bit to our midfield.

Edited March 28, 201313 yr by Young Dee

Will be interesting, I will always be sceptical of mature age draftees and rookies.

Haven't really seen enough of him to comment but the question will be was it worth getting rid of a players like Gysberts to draft a mature age player like Matt.

Have always seen these kinds of players as Magner types - try there best but just lack the talent hence why they have been overlooked.

With a late U18 draftee (pick 50ish) you at least know that they can develop into anything (e.g. McDonald) but with mature aged players I can't help but feel what you see is what you get.

In any case good luck to him hope he can add a bit to our midfield.

So players like JPod & Barlow aren't worth picking up? Its a pretty closed way of thinking. A player is a player IMO & should be judged on the criteria or reason you recruit them & what role they will play now & in the future, not their age. There's many 18 year olds that just don't develop, the majority I'd imagine wouldn't get to 50 games. At least at mature age they can fill a need straight away while you develop talent for the future.

Further to that, at mature age you can probably estimate whether they will make a direct impact or not. I see the players the club have recruited creating competition for places now. Pederson, Jones, Dawes, Byrnes, Rodan & Terlich have all been brought in to play certain roles that weren't being adequately filled & were at least equal or better than the players they will replace in the side. Sydney has done the same over the years but you must also develop youth. The next step is for the club to keep filling gaps in the list & to hopefully unearth a few superstars from our list or from the draft/trade table.

Not all mature recruits are the same. Magner and couch are predictable but jones, terlich and clisby we don't know what they can do.

Not all mature recruits are the same. Magner and couch are predictable but jones, terlich and clisby we don't know what they can do.

That's half my point. Just because they are mature doesn't mean you can put them in a category to say they are all the same. Recruitment of players should be diverse & you get the best value player for the need you have from whatever talent pool possible/available.