While many here are using the Morton and Gysberts delistings to rail on yet again for the one millionth time about our poor drafting - I'm past that and I'm breathing a bit of a sigh of relief that North and West Coast didn't turn them into good players and it all come down to poor development after all.

Exactly. Nothing to do with drafting. Poor development and mostly due to the players themselves.

Funny in his first year I saw a different kid. In a dysfunctional side I saw a kid willing to present himself for a pass here and there. A kid willing to run forward and back. A kid who managed to kick 3 goals here and there when thrown forward. he had deficiencies and I wished we had picked Dangerfield of course but we did not manage this kid well. In first year he looked okay. It all turned to Shyte from there. He always struck me as a kid lacking confidence so he needed mentoring and managing. I don't think he got much of that and my impression is formed from reports from MFC at the time.

he presented for the ball, thats right, & it had us all excited but the other side of my excitement was a decided concern for his unwillingness to tackle the opponent with the ball within Cales arm span.

.... time and again he would not tackle the opponent nearby, just blocking space instead. he must have had some tackle stats, but in my eyes we were soft & needed more tough players over the whole field.

I was terribly concerned with Morton & Bennell's defensive efforts when they were in close play.

the game has discarded them, & I'm not surprised sadly as they weren't expected to lay tackles etc. just be an attacking player.... Not good enough & the footy dept of that time should be lined up against a wall.

You don't suddenly forget how to play. Eagles are a professional setup, so what went wrong this time?

young players have to develop their killer instincts before the ink dries on their forming spots.

Once those spots are set, its mostly too late to change.

You're right and most of us were pretty happy with his selection at pick 4 in 2007 and subsequently, with his debut season. It all fell apart rather quickly after that and its difficult to attribute what happened due to one single factor. I do know it wasn't from a lack of trying on his part.

What I do find churlish are the cries of "I told you so," and worse still the claims that he was gutless because of that stupid footage of him appearing to be running away from an opponent when he was in fact following the football down the ground. It's so easy for armchair critics to claim to be smart after the event by misinterpreting the past or by plain making up stories.

I was shocked & disappointed to be truthful, but didn't know enough about him at that point to say much. I wanted Lauchie Henderson at our 1st Pick, a kid who wanted to be known for being a physical player & was a KPF. & Dee supporter as well. I wanted to take the Key position at that time because they take time to develop.

but I had read a lot about the West Aussie kids & there was a lot of concern amongst forum posters about Cale's desire for the contest.

Exactly. Nothing to do with drafting. Poor development and mostly due to the players themselves.

Having a joke I presume?

Views on Morton were very split at the time. About half the clubs had him as a (early) first round pick; the other half as not even in top 20.

Sadly, we were one of the former.

yep

5 friggin' pages.....i don't believe it

5 friggin' pages.....i don't believe it

we are so good at turning nothing subjects into 30 page extravaganzas

thats the only reason im contributing to this page daisycutter

Exactly. Nothing to do with drafting. Poor development and mostly due to the players themselves.

What ?

Terrible drafting combined with average development.

The bloody drafting is the main ingredient to these fiascoes.

5 friggin' pages.....i don't believe it

I do. I totally believe it.

Are you suggesting we pass at pick 9 and only enter the National Draft in the second round?

That would be such a Melbourne strategy.. Pass on our first few picks and then strike when everyone else is done and dusted, casually picking up the hidden gems at picks 92, 110 and 128....

Exactly. Nothing to do with drafting. Poor development and mostly due to the players themselves.

It's always good for a laugh when someone quotes a post, says "exactly", then goes on to say the direct opposite of the post they quoted.

It's always good for a laugh when someone quotes a post, says "exactly", then goes on to say the direct opposite of the post they quoted.

Yeah laugh it up. So funny wasn't it. I agreed with the statement that it was nothing to do with drafting, just poor development.

What's so funny about that?

For the record, I only read your post because it was quoting mine. I usually skip past anything you post as it's always negative, condescending and absolute crap half the time.

Yeah laugh it up. So funny wasn't it. I agreed with the statement that it was nothing to do with drafting, just poor development.

What's so funny about that?

For the record, I only read your post because it was quoting mine. I usually skip past anything you post as it's always negative, condescending and absolute crap half the time.

I think the issue here is that Fifty-5, the person you quoted, looks to have been sarcastic when he said that.

Just a guess.

Yeah which is what I thought to check after I read all the smart aleck replies.

Though what he said, is what I believe, even if he was intending it to be sarcastic. I just don't see why others have to always put their 2 cents worth in.

What ?

Terrible drafting combined with average development.

The bloody drafting is the main ingredient to these fiascoes.

Yes, but lets not pretend we are the only ones to get it wrong.

Top 10 selection duds:

2003: Tenace, Clarke, Trotter, Dunn

2004: Tambling, Meesen, Russell, Egan

2005: Ellis, Dowler, Oakley-Nichols, Drum

2006: Gumbleton, Thorp,

2007 :Morton, Grant, Palmer,

2008: all still playing with original club

2009: Sheppard, Butcher

2010: Polec,

and after 2010 it's too early to tell. Some of the above still have time. Some are debatable, Getting it wrong in the top 10 is common.

Surely it's time to move on from Morton, Gysberts and Cook. It's not their selection that have led us to where we are. They are a side show. Hawthorn have won 2 flags whilst drafting Ellis, Dowler and Thorp in the top 10.

While many here are using the Morton and Gysberts delistings to rail on yet again for the one millionth time about our poor drafting - I'm past that and I'm breathing a bit of a sigh of relief that North and West Coast didn't turn them into good players and it all come down to poor development after all.

I wasn't being sarcastic. For better or worse I've come to accept that Morton and Gysberts were failed selections, it would have been doubly galling if in fact that wasn't the case and they went on to good careers elsewhere after we let them go. I realise this doesn't prove that there have been no problems with our development over the years too - just maybe not in these 2 cases.

Yes, but lets not pretend we are the only ones to get it wrong.

Top 10 selection duds:

2003: Tenace, Clarke, Trotter, Dunn

2004: Tambling, Meesen, Russell, Egan

2005: Ellis, Dowler, Oakley-Nichols, Drum

2006: Gumbleton, Thorp,

2007 :Morton, Grant, Palmer,

2008: all still playing with original club

2009: Sheppard, Butcher

2010: Polec,

and after 2010 it's too early to tell. Some of the above still have time. Some are debatable, Getting it wrong in the top 10 is common.

Surely it's time to move on from Morton, Gysberts and Cook. It's not their selection that have led us to where we are. They are a side show. Hawthorn have won 2 flags whilst drafting Ellis, Dowler and Thorp in the top 10.

You need to point out the successes as well as the failures to present a balanced argument.

With Hawthorn from the top of my head, Franklin, Roughead, Rioli, Hodge.

Drafting duds isn't the sole reason for our failure, but it's a mighty substantial one.

I wasn't being sarcastic.

I feel much better now. Thanks Fifty-5 (and no that was sarcasm either lol)

You need to point out the successes as well as the failures to present a balanced argument.

With Hawthorn from the top of my head, Franklin, Roughead, Rioli, Hodge.

Drafting duds isn't the sole reason for our failure, but it's a mighty substantial one.

I don't really need to point out the successes because it seems that everyone assumes picks in the top 10 will be "stars". It's just not like that and that's the point. Rioli was outside the top 10 and Hodge was before 2003. That leaves Roughhead and Franklin as success. 2 out of 5 in that period.

I don't really need to point out the successes because it seems that everyone assumes picks in the top 10 will be "stars". It's just not like that and that's the point. Rioli was outside the top 10 and Hodge was before 2003. That leaves Roughhead and Franklin as success. 2 out of 5 in that period.

I don't really need to point out the successes because it seems that everyone assumes picks in the top 10 will be "stars". It's just not like that and that's the point. Rioli was outside the top 10 and Hodge was before 2003. That leaves Roughhead and Franklin as success. 2 out of 5 in that period.

I don't really need to point out the successes because it seems that everyone assumes picks in the top 10 will be "stars". It's just not like that and that's the point. Rioli was outside the top 10 and Hodge was before 2003. That leaves Roughhead and Franklin as success. 2 out of 5 in that period.

2 very big reasons for thier 2 flags.

2 very big reasons for thier 2 flags.

I agree to a degree. So what's your point?

I agree to a degree. So what's your point?

I thought we were debating your point. You know this one.

"Surely it's time to move on from Morton, Gysberts and Cook. It's not their selection that have led us to where we are. They are a side show."

It's wrong, it is our failure at the draft among several other failures that have brought us to this point. Not sure that it is really refutable.

Edited October 31, 201311 yr by jabberwocky

I don't feel sorry for Cale at all, not one bit, not this time...

Originally I did when he was a MFC player, I did when he copped a lot of flack and was initially excited when Neeld was appointed - thinking (hoping) his development would sky rocket.

Although like many of the MFC players he regressed further, and to a state that was incredibly frustrating - particularly for a number 4 pick. To see him chicken out of a contest a couple times and that Queen's Birthday kick was the final straw for me. I was pleased to see him traded to WC for a pick we weren't going to use, thinking it was best for both parties. Because while he was at the Dee's he was a liability on the field, nor did the MFC crowd help him or fill him with any form of confidence. I wrote an email to him wishing him luck, thinking a change in club and culture would be the best thing for him. As for that change I considered that his second chance to a thus far dismal AFL career.

In relation to obtaining that second chance I must ask the question if his name was Daniel Nicholson or Rohan Bail (and selected in the draft/s where they were) would he have obtained it... I highly doubt it.

For me he has had ample opportunity, however he never succeeded. His spot on an AFL list now gives someone a chance to make it in the AFL, it could be another U18 kid or someone who has worked their ass off in the WAFL or equivalent.

I thought we were debating your point. You know this one.

"Surely it's time to move on from Morton, Gysberts and Cook. It's not their selection that have led us to where we are. They are a side show."

It's wrong, it is our failure at the draft among several other failures that have brought us to this point. Not sure that it is really refutable.

Couldn't disagree more. Hawthorns success came from Dicker, Kennett, Robson, Fox, Clarkson, Evans and the rest of his FD team. If you think that a couple of recruiting failures account for the difference in our success over the decade I'd suggest you're sadly mistaken. The optimism for this year rests with Peter Jackson and Paul Roos. Imagine the mood if Schwab and Neeld were seeing out their contract. I'd suggest the club would die.

I know many would agree with you but many would be wrong.