LOL

There will undoubtedly be busts, there are every year. And it may even be a draft that doesn't produce any outright superstars. But it sounds like you're being different for the sake of being different!

Lets revisit this thread in 3 years time.

With Bemused look on my face,

So tell me who do we pick then??

pick 2 - De Goey

pick 3 - Cockatoo/Garlett

pick 40 - Langdon/McDonald

pick 53 - ?

rookie 2 - Caleb Daniel

rookie 20 - Tapscott

Prediction of which 2 will be the best players from this draft class in 3 years time: Heeney & Cockatoo

2015 rising star: Heeney

Edited November 14, 201410 yr by leucopogon

When a kid can be out all year with a knee reco and still be considered a top 3 chance I think it says everything about how woeful this draft really is.

This draft will be one of the worst in history, just our luck to have 2 high picks in such a poor draft.

you've summarised what my original post was driving at

Edited November 14, 201410 yr by leucopogon

I've got a contact at the club who is involved with the recruiting and drafting and I just thought I'd let you know that the issues you've been discussing here are exactly those that are being debated at the club at the moment. I've been told that Brayshaw is a lock for 2 but I think everyone knows that but pick 3 has narrowed down considerably over the last few weeks as a result of the interviews they have conducted.

Initially McCartin was the front runner as they wanted to add depth to the KPF situation and they realize this is one of the few chances they will get to pick a big class forward. And they reckon he would work really well with Hogan although that will be a few years away. They are comfortable with Dawes doing that role for the next few year but have doubts about his ability to do it in the longer term. But at the last meeting they discussed his medical situation and now have their doubts. The two players now most under consideration are Lever and Jordan De Goey who have edged in front of McCartin. Lever is a real talent but there is still some concern over his knee and they really like that De Goey is a real goer and is a big bodied the midfielder Roos likes.

The other one who hasn't been ruled out is Nakia Cockatoo because of all the players in the draft he has as much skill and X factor as anyone but his lack of exposed form is a real issue. Roos is torn because he can see the kids talent but hates taking risks.

At this stage the value bet is De Goey although they still have some interviews to do with coaches and so forth but if you wanted to have a punt he'd be a good value bet. They still have a couple of meeting to go and Taylor and Viney will make their final presentations a couple of days before the draft. I can say that a line has been ruled through Wright and Laverde as both just don't tick enough boxes.

Anyway I thought you'd be interested. If I hear anything else I'll pass it on. Reality is that a lot of the things said here are spot on the money other than the rather surprising status of De Goey.

I love reading this stuff from the likes of GNF and Qwerty30 but generally take it with a grain of salt because I hope no-one in the FD would leak recruiting info to the general public - it's too vital. However when roads start to point in the same direction maybe there is some fire where there's smoke. FWIW, I happened to bump into a bloke I know on the train last night who is very well connected at the club and I mentioned this post and the De Goey reference and he just smiled and said "you might think that, I couldn't possibly comment".

pick 2 - De Goey

pick 3 - Cockatoo/Garlett

pick 40 - Langdon/McDonald

pick 53 - ?

rookie 2 - Caleb Daniel

rookie 20 - Tapscott

Prediction of which 2 will be the best players from this draft class in 3 years time: Heeney & Cockatoo

2015 rising star: Heeney

Going out on a limb there with Heeney...

It's not unfathomable. It's because he's gone and changed colours.

And he played a soft self-preservation style of football last year. Blind Freddy could see he was gone early on.

Didn't give his best when everyone knew he was capable of more.

I can't wait until Nov 27. Only 17 more sleeps......

How can you sleep??

I'm sorry to sound rude but there is no chance pettraca will go past 3 I would up my house on that. Who ever told you this info is just wrong.

Just like Daniel Rich....

We didn't trade him out. It wasn't a decision the club made. Cannot fathom how anyone would think losing Frawley to a mechanism we have no control over and getting pick 3 for him is a bad result.

Exactly, couldn't agree more

true but both options are far from certain.

I am hoping to pop champagne corks over the Frawley trade - but I need a couple of seasons to get the champers nice and chilled and ensure it is a good vintage

I am already poppping! A nice Veuve Cliquot Vintage 1990

pick 2 - De Goey

pick 3 - Cockatoo/Garlett

pick 40 - Langdon/McDonald

pick 53 - ?

rookie 2 - Caleb Daniel

rookie 20 - Tapscott

Prediction of which 2 will be the best players from this draft class in 3 years time: Heeney & Cockatoo

2015 rising star: Heeney

I am a Heeney fan but he won't win the 2015 rising star. At the swans he will be lucky to play a game next year.

2 - Brayshaw

3 - McCartin or Lever

I love reading this stuff from the likes of GNF and Qwerty30 but generally take it with a grain of salt because I hope no-one in the FD would leak recruiting info to the general public - it's too vital. However when roads start to point in the same direction maybe there is some fire where there's smoke. FWIW, I happened to bump into a bloke I know on the train last night who is very well connected at the club and I mentioned this post and the De Goey reference and he just smiled and said "you might think that, I couldn't possibly comment".

Again, I don't think there's a problem as long as it's not taken to be more than it is.

Even if it's the gospel truth, it's just a summary - and one person's view - of one stage of a much larger ongoing discussion about pro's & con's of certain choices. As long as it doesn't get over-interpreted as "De Goey's a lock for 3" or "Mc.Cartin & Lever are right out of contention". It's certainly not the final decision, and I imagine that preferences will go back and forth until the day. I'd be disappointed if they were all in agreement at this stage and it needed no further discussion.

If indeed Wright & Laverde have been ruled out, even that wouldn't be a surprise to most of us. And it's interesting that they've had such a good look at De Goey & Cockatoo. And perhaps too they're so sure that Petracca will be Pick 1 that they're not even mentioning him.

It doesn't bother me that insiders are talking. We have very little chance to influence Pick 1, and there's nothing to be lost if other teams know our thinking about Picks 2 & 3.

Does this explode the myth that we are "guaranteed" of getting guns at 2 and 3 ?

Yes it does, but that won't stop people.

I was going to post this here this morning but the thread mysteriously disappeared into the ether for a few hours.

I went to the club's draft information night on Thursday evening which featured Jason Taylor and Todd Viney. They discussed the club's 2014 trade and draft strategies and the development of the club's list.

The main thing I came away with was that the only imperative when making selections 2 & 3 was to take the best player available. Of course, there's still a subjective element there because the "best" would have to comply with the style of game the head coach and football department are striving to achieve.

Jason Taylor gave his brief impressions of the four leading candidates for picks 2 & 3, stressing that they were not in any particular order - Christian Petracca, Patrick McCartin, Angus Brayshaw and Jake Lever. He gave brief pen pictures of all four and I won't go into exact details but they were generally in accord with what the better draft watchers in the media have been saying.

The impression I gained was that the expectation is that Petracca is likely to be picked by the Saints and that we're more likely to take McCartin and Brayshaw ahead of Lever. I gathered this mainly from his body language and voice when describing the players. I could be wrong but he sounded quite enthusiastic about McCartin and unless he's a very good actor, it seems to me that he'll be taken ahead of Lever if it comes to that.

Taylor and Viney's best 4 differs from that referred to by Josh Mahoney in a recent interview (he had Peter Wright in there and not Lever).

Taylor also said that he was not fazed by McCartin's diabetes issues (he was in receipt of updated medical reports) or the fact that some consider him a similar type to Jesse Hogan and he believed that if we took McCartin they would complement each other.

I wouldn't worry about any other player as a candidate for 2 & 3. The choices will come from those four names.

I also attended a charity lunch for Les Twentyman's foundation for homeless and troubled youth and Paul Roos was keynote speaker.

While he didn't cover any specific ground relating to who we would pick here or anywhere else he did stress the importance of character and commitment of young recruits, something about which both Taylor and Viney were both strong in their presentations and which their best four definitely fit very well.

I was going to post this here this morning but the thread mysteriously disappeared into the ether for a few hours.

I automatically assumed we'd been found guilty of tanking again and had picks 2 & 3 taken off us as punishment.

I was going to post this here this morning but the thread mysteriously disappeared into the ether for a few hours.

I went to the club's draft information night on Thursday evening which featured Jason Taylor and Todd Viney. They discussed the club's 2014 trade and draft strategies and the development of the club's list.

The main thing I came away with was that the only imperative when making selections 2 & 3 was to take the best player available. Of course, there's still a subjective element there because the "best" would have to comply with the style of game the head coach and football department are striving to achieve.

Jason Taylor gave his brief impressions of the four leading candidates for picks 2 & 3, stressing that they were not in any particular order - Christian Petracca, Patrick McCartin, Angus Brayshaw and Jake Lever. He gave brief pen pictures of all four and I won't go into exact details but they were generally in accord with what the better draft watchers in the media have been saying.

The impression I gained was that the expectation is that Petracca is likely to be picked by the Saints and that we're more likely to take McCartin and Brayshaw ahead of Lever. I gathered this mainly from his body language and voice when describing the players. I could be wrong but he sounded quite enthusiastic about McCartin and unless he's a very good actor, it seems to me that he'll be taken ahead of Lever if it comes to that.

Taylor and Viney's best 4 differs from that referred to by Josh Mahoney in a recent interview (he had Peter Wright in there and not Lever).

Taylor also said that he was not fazed by McCartin's diabetes issues (he was in receipt of updated medical reports) or the fact that some consider him a similar type to Jesse Hogan and he believed that if we took McCartin they would complement each other.

I wouldn't worry about any other player as a candidate for 2 & 3. The choices will come from those four names.

I also attended a charity lunch for Les Twentyman's foundation for homeless and troubled youth and Paul Roos was keynote speaker.

While he didn't cover any specific ground relating to who we would pick here or anywhere else he did stress the importance of character and commitment of young recruits, something about which both Taylor and Viney were both strong in their presentations and which their best four definitely fit very well.

Thanks for sharing WJ, sounds like like a pretty good session.

I'd be pretty happy with any 2 of those four joining the club.

WJ, is it safe to assume that if the Saints did revert to flaky & take Mc.Cartin that we'd take Petracca & Brayshaw?

And did they have any concerns about Lever's knee? And whether they see as a rebounding defender or as a potential mid? How do they see his prospects as a mid?

Like ChaserJ, I'd be happy with any two of these four too. They all offer us a great deal.

WJ, is it safe to assume that if the Saints did revert to flaky & take Mc.Cartin that we'd take Petracca & Brayshaw?

And did they have any concerns about Lever's knee? And whether they see as a rebounding defender or as a potential mid? How do they see his prospects as a mid?

Like ChaserJ, I'd be happy with any two of these four too. They all offer us a great deal.

I think you could assume we take whichever 2 are left of the 3 named.

Taylor did say that it would be a brave club, that would recruit a player who has not played this whole year, after an ACL, with an early pick.

I think you could assume we take whichever 2 are left of the 3 named.

Taylor did say that it would be a brave club, that would recruit a player who has not played this whole year, after an ACL, with an early pick.

Which is why I think we might do it. I mean what's the benefit of talking this guy up so much if we wont take him? The saints wont do it and then it doesn't matter if Lever goes at pick 4 or pick 24, he's not getting to pick 40. It doesn't benefit us if he goes to GWS or if he goes to Geelong really.

Are we hoping to talk him up, not take him and hope he does an ACL so we can seem smart? That's not a great plan. And now we've talked him up so much if he becomes a star everyone will question why we didn't take him.

Unless someone in the FD let is slip and from there the rumours have just spread and we didn't feel any need to contain them I'm fascinated as to why we've heard so much about Lever.

Which is why I think we might do it. I mean what's the benefit of talking this guy up so much if we wont take him? The saints wont do it and then it doesn't matter if Lever goes at pick 4 or pick 24, he's not getting to pick 40. It doesn't benefit us if he goes to GWS or if he goes to Geelong really.

Are we hoping to talk him up, not take him and hope he does an ACL so we can seem smart? That's not a great plan. And now we've talked him up so much if he becomes a star everyone will question why we didn't take him.

Unless someone in the FD let is slip and from there the rumours have just spread and we didn't feel any need to contain them I'm fascinated as to why we've heard so much about Lever.

On the other hand, we didn't hear too much about Lever until Pick 12 became a possibility.

IMO picks 2 & 3 should be ready to go Round 1 2015 !!!

No more of this [censored] "Development"

IMO picks 2 & 3 should be ready to go Round 1 2015 !!!

No more of this [censored] "Development"

Well we should sign up James Magner and Tom Couch.

The draft age is 18. Everyone older than that has been passed up in previous drafts. 18 years old (mainly) have school commitments. They are also not fully grown. Nor are the fully developed mentally.

Aggghh why am I even replying. You are either a troll or an idiot.

Well we should sign up James Magner and Tom Couch.

The draft age is 18. Everyone older than that has been passed up in previous drafts. 18 years old (mainly) have school commitments. They are also not fully grown. Nor are the fully developed mentally.

Aggghh why am I even replying. You are either a troll or an idiot.

Not a troll or idiot!! I don't know why I'm even replying!

Ah Ollie Wines says gday!!

He was ready to go!!

But don't bother replying coz you know I must be a troll or an idiot!!?

Not a troll or idiot!! I don't know why I'm even replying!

Ah Ollie Wines says gday!!

He was ready to go!!

But don't bother replying coz you know I must be a troll or an idiot!!?

Wines had a heap of endurance work to do to start his career. Port really rotated him in to their midfield for most of his first year. Yeah he had muscles and was a big boy. But plenty of kids do who aren't near AFL standard. You know why we should've took Wines, because he's damn good not because he's ready to go.

We took Tapscott over Fyfe. One a ball of muscle. The other as skinny an 18 year old you can find. Guess who played more games in their first 2 seasons.

Unfortunately you aren't good enough at this to be a troll.

I am a Heeney fan but he won't win the 2015 rising star. At the swans he will be lucky to play a game next year.

McVeigh will replace Malceski off half back leaving a spot in the midfield for Heeney who will get a game ahead of Mitchell IMO.

He's every chance to win the Rising Star award.