Below is an extract from a rundown from a early future fund post draft night. Interesting reading now.

Pick 34 – M.Gawn, very surprised he slipped, but it was no guarantee dees would take him. BP wanted a stay at home Key Forward (Fitzgerald), BP stated he doesn’t like recruiting rucks, and that they are relatively easy to trade for. He wanted Fitzgerald, the others wanted Gawn. So Gawn it was, he has put on 15kgs and 8cms this year. They are not sure if he has finished growing yet and are being very careful with him. He is returning from an ACL, and is part of the reason a player like Gawn slipped. Very agile for a big man and plays a bit like a ridiculously tall midfielder. Not a lot will be seen of him in 2010, but they have really big wraps on him, but will take a very cautious approach with Gawn. They also thought Fitzgerald was more likely to slip to pick 50, but they didn’t expect him to.

Pick 50 – J.Fitzgerald, they see him as a stay at home full forward (as Dees believe they have enough lead up forwards), BP asked Alan McConnell which key position players he rated that he had been in charge of at the AIS, three names, Butcher, Griffiths and Fitzgerald were mentioned. He was asked again, who were most likely to succeed at AFL level, he said Butcher and Fitzgerald. The reason he slipped to 50 was due to him contracting Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 1997, doctors generally say it takes 10 years to get over it, and Fitzgerald has not showed any signs of it since 2007 – 2 years clean. He has a very awkward kicking technique, in fact BP joked that the kicking coaches will have a heap of work to do with Fitzgerald, and his marking is not yet at AFL level. He has a good attack on the ball, and is very good below his knees and is agile. Aside from his height, he has elite speed, tested very well at the draft camp, in fact he was the quickest in repeat 20m sprints, and his 20m sprint was under 3 secs. Very, very quick, ie. good on a lead.

As they say, big men take time - we look like we have actually developed a couple of likely lads, both of whom have had pretty challenging injury / health issues.

{Interesting that the original poster refers to some guy called Fitzgerald }

Hey Saty, ever heard of private messages?

Spare us!

I just skip entire pages of his petty squabbling with x poster and then y poster.

Fitzy should be persisted with and he continues to surprise me every week.

Edited July 10, 201312 yr by AdamFarr

I hope he continues to improve for the rest of the year, as to increase his trade value.

As mentioned in another thread, there are a number of teams who need tall forwards. That is something we have a lot of and whilst he shows good potential, I prefer Hogan, Clark and Dawes as our three main options.

I hope he continues to improve for the rest of the year, as to increase his trade value.

As mentioned in another thread, there are a number of teams who need tall forwards. That is something we have a lot of and whilst he shows good potential, I prefer Hogan, Clark and Dawes as our three main options.

I want him kept. He is a quick, mobile, versatile, young ruckman/key position player, who can also kick goals. He is part of our future, not our past.

If you want to trade big men Jamar is available. He has none of Jack's qualities.

He's been classified as forward/ruck but I reckon with his speed and leap he could make a good CHB.

Lets not be too concerned about the amount of big forwards when we still have the likes of Pedersen and Sellar on the list who have mainly been used as defenders when they've managed a game.

With Hogan coming in and a fit Dawes and Clark with Watts showing some form up front it might be an idea to give Fitzy a role down back to see how he goes.

I am surprised that so many put Dawes ahead of Fitzy in medium-long term planning. Dawes has reached his potential and has averages out at a little over 1 goal and 13 touches in a game. Fitz has matched and even exceeded that in his first few games and is only just getting started. You heard Brereton and Dunstall talking about Fitzy's upside. I'm sure they never looked at Chris Dawes in the same way. Dawes is a sound footballer nothing more.

I would think that Hogan, Watts, Fitz, Clark would all be ahead of Dawes this time next year. Dawes very good for leadership and depth obviously, despite being drastically overpaid for that role.

look...

I am not going to start talking about how amazing he is after two promising games

Yes, the last two weeks have been pretty amazing and he''s shown us flashes of the serious level of natural talent and skill he has.

But we've seen with Watts and Sylvia the only way hell be worth anything is consistency.

I hope, i hope, i hope

I hope he continues to improve for the rest of the year, as to increase his trade value.

As mentioned in another thread, there are a number of teams who need tall forwards. That is something we have a lot of and whilst he shows good potential, I prefer Hogan, Clark and Dawes as our three main options.

interesting theory.

If we could secure someone good for him (AKA midfielder from carlton)

i'd be interested in that

look...

I am not going to start talking about how amazing he is after two promising games

Yes, the last two weeks have been pretty amazing and he''s shown us flashes of the serious level of natural talent and skill he has.

But we've seen with Watts and Sylvia the only way hell be worth anything is consistency.

I hope, i hope, i hope

He was very consistent at Casey before being promoted.

Hopefully, that consistency will continue.

I am surprised that so many put Dawes ahead of Fitzy in medium-long term planning. Dawes has reached his potential and has averages out at a little over 1 goal and 13 touches in a game. Fitz has matched and even exceeded that in his first few games and is only just getting started. You heard Brereton and Dunstall talking about Fitzy's upside. I'm sure they never looked at Chris Dawes in the same way. Dawes is a sound footballer nothing more.

I would think that Hogan, Watts, Fitz, Clark would all be ahead of Dawes this time next year. Dawes very good for leadership and depth obviously, despite being drastically overpaid for that role.

Yeah, you mentioned this in the ridiculous Trade Dawes thread.

Dawes is a FF. Watts is not. Fitz is not.

Watts still has physicality issues and is not built like Dawes.

And neither is the subject of this thread - I get the love for Fitzpatrick. But he is 200cm tall and I do not believe he has the size (bulk) to be a FF that can take a defender away from future focal point Hogan.

Dawes can protect Hogan, and allow the club to not ask everything of the talented kid; we always ask everything of talented kids.

Clark, Watts, and Fitzpatrick are more mobile talls and I very much doubt our half forward line can take all of them. That doesn't mean that the surplus of Watts and Fitz must be traded but it does open the possibility.

Edited July 10, 201312 yr by rpfc

Yeah, you mentioned this in the ridiculous Trade Dawes thread.

Dawes is a FF. Watts is not. Fitz is not.

Watts still has physicality issues and is not built like Dawes.

And neither is the subject of this thread - I get the love for Fitzpatrick. But he is 200cm tall and I do not believe he has the size (bulk) to be a FF that can take a defender away from future focal point Hogan.

Dawes can protect Hogan, and allow the club to not ask everything of the talented kid; we always ask everything of talented kids.

Clark, Watts, and Fitzpatrick are more mobile talls and I very much doubt our half forward line can take all of them. That doesn't mean that the surplus of Watts and Fitz must be traded but it does open the possibility.

Not knowing who the coach is going to be sort of stifles a lot of whatifs for next season, personally I would like to see Fitzpatrick do what Richo did for parts of his career, playing on a wing and rotating through the forward line, that is of course if he continues the way he has been the last couple of weeks

Not knowing who the coach is going to be sort of stifles a lot of whatifs for next season, personally I would like to see Fitzpatrick do what Richo did for parts of his career, playing on a wing and rotating through the forward line, that is of course if he continues the way he has been the last couple of weeks

It doesn't really stifle anything.

Personally, I would trade Fitz for a mid and get Watts to emulate Richo.

See, I did that without a coach...

When Fitzy has played a handful of games earlier in his career, this area of the the field has made him look exceptionally poor.

His mobility has allowed him to get further upfield and find the ball around the wing, but the problem with him getting the ball here is that he has to make decisions.

It hasn't been simply lead and mark the ball coming to you, and then kick the ball forward towards another leading target, or goal.

It has been in general play, congestion, and decision making has not been his forte.

I haven't seen a great deal of this in his recent games.

This is possibly a good thing, meaning he has figured out how to play to his strengths and as much as possible eliminate instances of him being in that position.

It's possible he has improved in this area of his game also.

But it is one that concerns me.

I don't think he is a complete player.

I think he really lacks in the 360 degree football.

For years we've had no competition for spots in our 22, as soon as we get some we want to trade blokes out. I'd be giving it at least another year before before I even considered it.

It doesn't really stifle anything.

Personally, I would trade Fitz for a mid and get Watts to emulate Richo.

See, I did that without a coach...

The concern I have is there isn't really a 'quality' mid available cheaply, would think it would involve draft picks to try and prise an 'unavailable' one away from a Club, personally I don't want us to take one that isn't/hasn't been playing regularly in the AFL for the past couple of seasons, as for trading Fitzy, he is versatlle and doesn't play like a 200cm guy with his speed and agility, he is rarer than a midfielder, and I don't want Watts on a wing, that's a waste. swinging between defence and forward yes

The concern I have is there isn't really a 'quality' mid available cheaply, would think it would involve draft picks to try and prise an 'unavailable' one away from a Club, personally I don't want us to take one that isn't/hasn't been playing regularly in the AFL for the past couple of seasons, as for trading Fitzy, he is versatlle and doesn't play like a 200cm guy with his speed and agility, he is rarer than a midfielder, and I don't want Watts on a wing, that's a waste. swinging between defence and forward yes

That is what Richardson did on his wing when he played well enough for you to bring him up a few posts ago.

Swing forward or back a kick ahead of the play and hurt the opposition.

From this learned football watcher: Watts may be forced out of the forward line by Clark, Dawes, Hogan, and Howe, and Fitz may be surplus to requirements entirely if two of Jamar/Spencer/Clark/Gawn dominate the ruck tandem.

For years we've had no competition for spots in our 22, as soon as we get some we want to trade blokes out. I'd be giving it at least another year before before I even considered it.

I have no problem with competition for spots, that is great.

But we don't have a midfield and an excess, even if it is only a percieved excess, should be utilised.

Good decisions need to be made.

Edited July 11, 201312 yr by rpfc

Theres a difference between having sufficient and by that players in reserve and having a glut. The day they can all get on the park this may be an issue.

Its a delicate balancing act for sure but I dont know we are quite at the point of being able to finesse things too much. Doesnt detract from the urgency of uprating the midfield but id call for caution in wholesale bastardisation of other areas of the list.

I want him kept. He is a quick, mobile, versatile, young ruckman/key position player, who can also kick goals. He is part of our future, not our past.

If you want to trade big men Jamar is available. He has none of Jack's qualities.

Yes, but we can probably get more for Fitzpatrick.

That is what Richardson did on his wing when he played well enough for you to bring him up a few posts ago.

Swing forward or back a kick ahead of the play and hurt the opposition.

From this learned football watcher: Watts may be forced out of the forward line by Clark, Dawes, Hogan, and Howe, and Fitz may be surplus to requirements entirely if two of Jamar/Spencer/Clark/Gawn dominate the ruck tandem.

I hope Watts is not forced out, what I meant was either as a forward or as a spare back if and when required, of the players you mentioned, the only one without the agility (and not trying to denigrate him) is Dawes so personally I think there is room in the forward line for all of them, think Howe will rotate through the midfield and so will Clark if and when he is fully fit (the new Roughead role)

Richo was different, although I could see Fitzy playing the same way

Sorry for the delay folks; have just deleted 33 posts from the thread. Hopefully it's a bit more readable now.

We are all assuming that Clark returns with a good body and plays 20+ games in 2014 and beyond.

What if we traded Fitzy away for an average mid fielder and Clark's career stayed in the toilet?

Keep the kid He has just started to show something.

Yes, but we can probably get more for Fitzpatrick.

That's my thinking also.

Well, perhaps the issue here is that you wrote your response as if you were addressing the poster (Grimes Times) and not the email extract:

"They were BAD judges !! Time will prove that... How old was he and who are your sources ?? Name them..I think Wayne Carey was arrogant and N Buckley AND many others whose names would take up a full page.. By the "biggest whinger" do you mean size and weight... Just "arksking" Fark .. Give the guy a go .

OK point taken..please accept my unreserved apologies.... Questions may have been better addressed to the email authours.. But, little difficult as I do not know him/them/her.. Maybe my message can be relayed on..??

Stick him in the middle as the extra mobile tall (Goodes/Roughhead role)

Can't hurt with our season the way it is lol