AND SO IT BEGINS

[Older demon 2,179]

Greg Wells Geelong recruiting manager has 10 rules but I can only remember rule 1 "Must put head over the ball to get it" not negotiable. Wonder how a few of our draft picks in recent times would fit that? Viney certainly does

Aha just remembered rule 2 "Must be able to win his own ball"

Edited May 22, 2013 by Older demon

[Guest]

Please not Aish. Another underweight wingman who will take years to grow into a senior footballer. Not writing Toumpas off, but he's like a lighter version of Jimmy.

Personally, I'd like someone in the mold of Billings, or a stronger type like Freeman (181 cm, 86 kg), or Dunstan (184 cm, 81 kg). If not, I hope we trade the pick for an experienced, talented, tough on-baller.

Edited May 22, 2013 by Demonof1994

[Deano74 156]

Why do people harp on about drafting contested ball winners when it's one area we dont have an issue in?

IMO being able to get contested ball should be non-negotiable, but we need players who can do that AND provide run.

Well we need midfielders must win own ball and provide heaps of run both ways. Must be tall in the mould of a Pendlebury 191cm, Watson 191cm and Hepple 189cm.

So looking at the draft top 20.

Acres, Domtempelli, Lennon, Scharenburg

Edited May 22, 2013 by Deano74

[Deano74 156]

My question is do you go for the best available player or the best player in the position your lacking ?

Boyd maybe be the best, but we have Clarke, Dawes, Hogan.

Or do we select him cause he could be the next Johnathon Brown ?

After all Boyd/Hogan could dominate for 10 years, Like Buddy/Roughead etc.

[Earl Hood 5,800]

Who do you have in mind Hood?

RTU I don't know but if a half decent mid fielder comes up on the radar at the end of the season out of contract or free agency I would chase them. I wonder if that player would be a better option than another untried potential star that we seem to always slide past in the draft for a skinny kind who needs the sort of development that only Geelong and West Coast can deliver.

[Pennant St Dee 11,351]

The only one I have seen live is ACRES and I rate the kid, he would have captained WA had he not injured his shoulder, he finds his own footy and uses it okay but then again WAFL colts is hardly pressure cooker stuff so it is really only at finals time or senior exposure you can judge this.

Will be a good pick up and think along the lines of a Vlastuin type who will play off a HBF before developing a tank and getting more rotations through the middle.

From what I have seen via footage I like Billings and Aish looks to have silky skills and very good disposal

[ChaserJ 3,972]

I think we have to draft the best available and assess whether that’s Boyd, Aish or whoever else elevates themselves at the champs. Whilst we currently have Clark and Dawes at the club, and Hogan to come, there’s always the potential for one or multiple of those players to be hit with injury (I’m hoping Clarks luck and/or durability improves, but you never know…). If we get to a situation where all are available, we always have the option of playing Clark in the ruck or even Hogan down back, which he’s done for both WA in the champs and his Colts team. KP players worthy of top 3 selection are rare, so if Boyd turns out to be the best available, then so be it. It’s a strong draft for midfielders and we will find a good one with a second round draft pick if we need to. Boyd looked special last year (liked him more than Hogan at the time), and I’m hearing he’s stepped up from that level. I’d be staggered if GWS didn’t take him if they have pick one, but there’s still a long way to go).

Having seen Aish both live and on screen, I would say don’t be fooled by his physique. Yes, he’s predominately outside at the moment, but he can win his own ball and competes hard. Put’s his head over the ball and played a full season for Norwood seniors in the SANFL, including 30 odd touches in the GF (Terlich pipped him for BOG). He has rare composure and decision making ability(we sorely need composed decision makers in our midfield) and he backs himself to take the extra time to create the best option. One of those players that seems to make time slow down while he assesses his options. Good overhead to boot. No question he would make our midfield better immediately.

Others I like at the top end are the SA boys Scharenburg and Dunstan. Scharenberg is a tall flanker who can play KP at both ends of the ground. In last years Champs game against Vic Country, Tim Membrey started in dominant fashion before Scharenberg was moved onto him. I’d say they broke even, but he took some very good marks in defence. Reads the play well, strong mark, competitive and decision making seems sound. He has midfield potential, and if he succeeds there this year, I think he’ll elevate into top 3 pick contention. He and Toumpas linked up both well and often for South Australia last year, would be nice to see if they could replicate that at AFL level.

Dunstan’s a bigger bodied inside midfielder who’s rated extremely highly (he’s the Jobe Watson type out of this draft). From what I’ve seen, another good decision maker that reads the ball well off the ruckman’s hand. One of those that racks up touches without really being noticed because he’s getting that quick first possession handball out of congestion or quick kick out of the pack. In space he has reasonable pace (not express) good vision and a thumping left foot. Can get forward and kick goals as well.

Billings is the other one who can push into the top 5 IF he spends more time in midfield and does it well. Impressed every time I saw him last year with his games sense, overhead marking and finishing ability. Light framed, slightly shorter than Aish, so I really want to see how he goes in midfield before I rate him at the Aish/Dunstan level.

I also loved what I saw of Lewis Taylor last year, but unless he either goes extremely well, or everyone gets put off by his height or some other flaw, he won’t be in the frame for our selections. At this stage Boyd and Aish are a level above, but I think any of Dunstan, Billings and Scharenberg can push into that level. Really keen to see what Lennon and Bontempelli do this year as well.

[Ted Lasso 16,931]

if we get a priority, do we dangle one pick and give teams like Carlton and the crows a sniff of boyd?

i personally can't see the harm if we were to get a really good offer for one of the picks

[ChaserJ 3,972]

It’d have to be a ridiculously good offer. You’d consider anything that came across the table, but tbh our draftees have largely been the best contributors to the team so far this year. We need to invest in youth and get it right this time, especially given the strength at the top end of this draft and the possibility that we may lose some talent on our list at year’s end. We should follow last year’s (drafting)model and draft the best kids with the first 2, maybe three picks, and look at mature agers who can come in straight away and contribute with the lower picks. Ben Duscher is one who needs an opportunity at AFL level, Brendan Lee is another I liked at the Bombers last year who is doing well out West this year.

If there were some way to obtain Prestia without losing a first rounder, that would be wonderful, I also think that Matt Thomas from Port might be a handy free agent option who could contribute straight away.

[Ted Lasso 16,931]

I know we are pretty stocked in this area but would we consider Thomas Boyd? gee he looks impressive, Billings also just to me stands out from the pack

[ChaserJ 3,972]

I know we are pretty stocked in this area but would we consider Thomas Boyd? gee he looks impressive, Billings also just to me stands out from the pack

As we've seen over the last 2 years, injury can always deplete your stocks in a flash. We're stocked now, but how do we see our current KPP's performing in 3-5 years time when Boyd would be expected to command a regular spot?

Will he be better than what we have currently?

[dazzledavey36 49,002]

Dunstan all the way! Oliver wines is showing that a ready made body and talent will make a impact straight away. We must NOT stuff this up!No more skinny outside players we need hard bodies to help jonesy out.

[spirit of norm smith 13,179]

Two skinny kids ??????? why????????

Crouch, Dunstan and Scharenberg are ready to go.

My gut feeling is get Billings and/ or Aish. But it's based on small reports and youtube vid of an international series.

[Whispering_Jack 28,023]

You often hear it said at auctions that it doesn't matter where you start, it's all about where you finish.

In this case, we started in May with a list of top 20 picks; Melbourne drafted two of them and picked up Dom Tyson and Bernie Vince and has Jesse Hogan coming onto the list as well. That should please most of us as we move towards a new season.

[Grandson of a gun 276]

You often hear it said at auctions that it doesn't matter where you start, it's all about where you finish.

In this case, we started in May with a list of top 20 picks; Melbourne drafted two of them and picked up Dom Tyson and Bernie Vince and has Jesse Hogan coming onto the list as well. That should please most of us as we move towards a new season.

I reckon people will actually look back on our recruiting through 2013 and realise we did very well.