The 2014 AFL National Draft

[spirit of norm smith 16,450]

Skills and toughness. Forget the names. No skinny kids. We cannot develop them in the gym.

1st round

Petracca is ready to go.

Brayshaw is ready to go.

2nd round

Blakeley is ready to go.

Billy Evans is ready to go.

3rd round

Billy Stretch is hopefully delayed to our 3rd round pick.

If we have picks at 50 plus, look for SANFL, WAFL, VFL bargains... like Brett Eddy /Sth Adel, Ayden Kennedy / Box Hill, Leigh Kitchen / Frankston or

[Axis of Bob 11,804]

Forget the names. No skinny kids. We cannot develop them in the gym.

Why?

Not a fan of Nat Fyfe? Stephen Hill? Stephen Motlop? Jack McCrae? Tom Lonergan? Marcus Bontempelli? Dustin Fletcher?

etc.etc.

[IvanBartul13 2,564]

Why?

Not a fan of Nat Fyfe? Stephen Hill? Stephen Motlop? Jack McCrae? Tom Lonergan? Marcus Bontempelli? Dustin Fletcher?

etc.etc.

And he don't much like Scott Pendlebury either or Dom Tyson.

Edited July 17, 2014 by goodoil

[IvanBartul13 2,564]

Skills and toughness. Forget the names. No skinny kids. We cannot develop them in the gym.

1st round

Petracca is ready to go.

Brayshaw is ready to go.

2nd round

Blakeley is ready to go.

Billy Evans is ready to go.

3rd round

Billy Stretch is hopefully delayed to our 3rd round pick.

If we have picks at 50 plus, look for SANFL, WAFL, VFL bargains... like Brett Eddy /Sth Adel, Ayden Kennedy / Box Hill, Leigh Kitchen / Frankston or

And what roles would these players play in the current side? Petracca is a very good player. He would have gone close to top 10 last year as a forward and he's certainly in the mix no doubt, and Brayshaw is good too. I'mm not knocking the players. But I will attack the concept. The club should fold if we aren't going to draft the best talent because it doesn't believe it can develop talent or bodies. The club's recruiting would also be a disgrace if it is drafting the oldest and highest Body Mass Index midfielders in the draft pool just cause they are ready to go. One needs to remember that the players you mentioned have advantages over their peers that disappear to a fair degree once they enter the AFL system. The only way for this club forward is to assemble a critical mass of quality talent of all shapes and sizes. As such it should draft the players they think will be best over the span of their careers, none of this ready to go nonsense. The Western Bulldogs have set themselves up for years by drafting two midfield rakes and there is no evidence to suggest they are any better at developing than we are. The only desperate need we have to fill in this draft is a developing key position player at some stage in the draft or trading process. Other than that get the best talent at each decision!

Edited July 17, 2014 by goodoil

[rjay 24,919]

And what roles would these players play in the current side? Petracca is a very good player. He would have gone close to top 10 last year as a forward and he's certainly in the mix no doubt, and Brayshaw is good too. I'mm not knocking the players. But I will attack the concept. The club should fold if we aren't going to draft the best talent because it doesn't believe it can develop talent or bodies. The club's recruiting would also be a disgrace if it is drafting the oldest and highest Body Mass Index midfielders in the draft pool just cause they are ready to go. One needs to remember that the players you mentioned have advantages over their peers that disappear to a fair degree once they enter the AFL system. The only way for this club forward is to assemble a critical mass of quality talent of all shapes and sizes. As such it should draft the players they think will be best over the span of their careers, none of this ready to go nonsense. The Western Bulldogs have set themselves up for years by drafting two midfield rakes and there is no evidence to suggest they are any better at developing than we are. The only desperate need we have to fill in this draft is a developing key position player at some stage in the draft or trading process. Other than that get the best talent at each decision!

I agree with what you say with the exception of the last bit. Yes we do have a desperate need for a KPP but not at the expense of the best available. It's trying to pick and choose on needs that is mostly responsible for where we are now.

[Ted Lasso 19,513]

Nev will be elevated with a pick, I personally would also elevate Georgiou to the senior list, so that's two later picks

[Pennant St Dee 13,173]

Skills and toughness. Forget the names. No skinny kids. We cannot develop them in the gym.

1st round

Petracca is ready to go.

Brayshaw is ready to go.

2nd round

Blakeley is ready to go.

Billy Evans is ready to go.

3rd round

Billy Stretch is hopefully delayed to our 3rd round pick.

If we have picks at 50 plus, look for SANFL, WAFL, VFL bargains... like Brett Eddy /Sth Adel, Ayden Kennedy / Box Hill, Leigh Kitchen / Frankston or

Blakely will not be available in the second round, standout for WA through the championships which says a lot about his makeup playing in such a poor side. Overtook Walsh & Waterman as WA'S best mid.

His stocks are rising fast and with Swans entrenched in the WAFL top 2 a good run in the seniors for the rest of the season could see him possibly go top 10. Has been named in their seniors for tomorrow's game against Claremont

[IvanBartul13 2,564]

I agree with what you say with the exception of the last bit. Yes we do have a desperate need for a KPP but not at the expense of the best available. It's trying to pick and choose on needs that is mostly responsible for where we are now

That's right, of course, but whether it be a rookie pick or a later round or whatever, we need to start at least trying to develop some key position players. One of the reasons Casey is floundering is that there is no MFC listed non ruck talls. That's a problem at Casey but also speaks to a list vacuum. I will be very surprised if the club doesnt take at least one development KPP somewhere along the line.

[rjay 24,919]

That's right, of course, but whether it be a rookie pick or a later round or whatever, we need to start at least trying to develop some key position players. One of the reasons Casey is floundering is that there is no MFC listed non ruck talls. That's a problem at Casey but also speaks to a list vacuum. I will be very surprised if the club doesnt take at least one development KPP somewhere along the line.

Yep, agree. We are light on for KPP and if Frawley goes it only makes the problem worse.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Why?

Not a fan of Nat Fyfe? Stephen Hill? Stephen Motlop? Jack McCrae? Tom Lonergan? Marcus Bontempelli? Dustin Fletcher?

etc.etc.

All in good time bob, lets get the harder culture first. Add the skinny class later. But first change our soft culture ways.

Stretch will do in Rnd 3.

[manny100 1,552]

I agree best available at our picks. Luckily Brayshaw or Petracca should be available. Usually bottom teams are so ordinary kids that play outside struggle big time. Usually those kids that are already strong, talented and win their own ball do better at least early, eg Wines, Dunstan. Generally the very early mid picks distribute the ball well which is where bottom teams usually fail. That is why Roos is trying to build our mid area up with bigger body mids. Win contested ball and use it well - helps forwards.

[spirit of norm smith 16,450]

Roos will look at ready to go young mids.

We cannot take punts on skinny kids given our shocking record on skinny non developers. Cannot believe we would continue on Grgic types.

[KingDingAling 3,757]

Roos will look at ready to go young mids.

We cannot take punts on skinny kids given our shocking record on skinny non developers. Cannot believe we would continue on Grgic types.

Petracca, Brayshaw or trade it.

[Pennant St Dee 13,173]

Petracca, Brayshaw or trade it.

Depending on Frawley leaving and possible compo, 1 for today and 1 for tomorrow, trade 1 and keep 1. You never know another Tyson like deal sees us with two first round picks and one definite ready to go.

That would IMO be a very good outcome

[KingDingAling 3,757]

Depending on Frawley leaving and possible compo, 1 for today and 1 for tomorrow, trade 1 and keep 1. You never know another Tyson like deal sees us with two first round picks and one definite ready to go.

That would IMO be a very good outcome

I'd like to see us try snare O'Rourke and Plowman in the one deal.

Shiel and Kelly the cream of the GWS crop for mine, but unlikely we'll be able to entice them back home atm.

[IvanBartul13 2,564]

Roos will look at ready to go young mids.

We cannot take punts on skinny kids given our shocking record on skinny non developers. Cannot believe we would continue on Grgic types.

No evidence for that. Roos in 9 years never drafted a big-bodied ready to go midfielder. And last year he drafted small again. Acquiring Vince, Riley, Cross has bought the club time to acquire the best talent without being compromised in its search.

Edited July 19, 2014 by goodoil

[Roger Mellie 4,021]

Roos will look at ready to go young mids.

We cannot take punts on skinny kids given our shocking record on skinny non developers. Cannot believe we would continue on Grgic types.

Not sure if you've picked up on this, but we have had 100% staff turnover on development coaches (2014) and fitness staff (2012).

Why are you tarring them with the same brush? Why are you so certain that these new staff cant handle skinny kids?

JKH is a skinny kid and Salem is hardly packing guns, but I'm happy to hold on to them.

[Whispering_Jack 30,054]

This was TAC FUTURE STARS Rolling Draft from today's programme:-

1. St. Kilda Patrick McCartin

2. Brisbane Christian Petracca

3. Melbourne Angus Brayshaw

4. GWS Giants Peter Wright

5. Western Bulldogs Sam Durdin

6. Carlton Paul Ahern

7. Richmond Jarrod Pickett

8. West Coast Jayden Laverde

9. Adelaide Liam Duggan

10. Gold Coast Caleb Marchbank

[jazza 1,323]

Stringer

Bontempelli

Dalhuis

Horvat

They all seem to put their head over the pill from the first bounce.

[Deemotivated 550]

Stringer

Bontempelli

Dalhuis

Horvat

They all seem to put their head over the pill from the first bounce.

I reckon that's got to do with having experienced players in the club showing what's expected.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Roos will look at ready to go young mids.

We cannot take punts on skinny kids given our shocking record on skinny non developers. Cannot believe we would continue on Grgic types.

agreed, & we don't have 2 yrs to develop their engines & body. Our needs are Now

I think we'll try to trade a pick again, for player + pick; or trade 2 picks for 2 players. eg P-4 & P-23 + steak-knives, for shiel & tomlinson. I want Jaksch as well, somehow.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

This was TAC FUTURE STARS Rolling Draft from today's programme:-

1. St. Kilda Patrick McCartin

2. Brisbane Christian Petracca

3. Melbourne Angus Brayshaw

4. GWS Giants Peter Wright

5. Western Bulldogs Sam Durdin

6. Carlton Paul Ahern

7. Richmond Jarrod Pickett

8. West Coast Jayden Laverde

9. Adelaide Liam Duggan

10. Gold Coast Caleb Marchbank

I'd be surprised if the Lions didn't go tall if someone like Wright is still on the board.

[Ted Lasso 19,513]

Liam Duggan and Paul ahern look as good as brayshaw imo

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

All in good time bob, lets get the harder culture first. Add the skinny class later. But first change our soft culture ways.

Stretch will do in Rnd 3.

Nat Fyfe and Tom Lonergan skinny class?

I'm sorry DL but building a hard culture has got nothing to do with drafting bigger bodied players...

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

I reckon that's got to do with having experienced players in the club showing what's expected.

That's exactly it.

There's no doubt we've made some shocking decisions at the draft table in recent times, but pur major issue has been the lack of experienced, strong, inspiring, standard driving leaders to bring a young group of players through...

Even the doggies have Boyd, Murphy, Cooney, Griffen, (Cross until last year)...

We have Cross for one year and I ask anyone to go and have a chat to Dom Tyson and Jack Viney and ask how much of an influence Cross has been for them... And that's after one pre season. The doggies have four of them.

It's no wonder their young mids are responding and playing terrific footy. Look at their leaders.

We still need to bring in the right players from other clubs. Not like Neeld did. Not a scatter-gun 'I'll pick up any delisted

Free Agent' approach. But we need to bring in a couple more players who will drive this club forward and for our young kids to learn from.

Frawley, Dunn, Garland, Grimes, Jamar etc are products of shocking environments at the MFC and have suffered hugely because of it.

We've still got a way to go. No matter what kids we pick up from the draft, we still need to adress our lack of experienced leaders at this club.