Knightmare's AFL list analysis: What does your club need?

"Melbourne

List needs

1. Relieving ruck (with Cam Pedersen, 29, and Jake Spencer, 27, Melbourne's primary options relieving Max Gawn through the ruck, another ready-to-go option is vital)

2. Experienced veterans who can provide further leadership to the young group - (Nathan Jones is the clear leader but would benefit from further support)

3. Outside midfielders - (specifically players who are damaging with ball in hand)

4. General forwards - (to support Jesse Hogan, some quality small and medium forwards could be introduced to better balance the front half and provide better forward pressure)

5. General defenders - (Michael Hibberd is a solid list addition but another high-quality general defender would improve Melbourne even further)

Draft picks: 47, 69, 84, 102, 120, 138

Who should they draft? 

GWS Academy medium forward Lachlan Tiziani (a talented top-ager) would fit well and may be available when Melbourne enter the draft. High-leaping mature-age forward Liam Ryan would also add significant excitement to Melbourne's front half.

As general defenders, Harry Morrison, Bailey Morrish and Tom Williamson may be among those who may still be available to Melbourne in the latter half of the draft.

Esava Ratugolea late in the draft if still available may if available be Melbourne's best choice towards filling the club's relieving ruck need. He will take time to develop but may with time be able to fill the position."

I feel like we addressed 2) and 5) in the trade period (this year and last). With Watts, Weid, Jeff and Kent, plus mids who can drift forward (Petracca), I feel like 4 isn't our biggest weakness.

 

1 and 3 and our stand out issues.  I like to think that Stretch, Petracca, Kent, Hunt, can play that finishing midfielder roles in the short term and will get better as the rest of the team does.

 

But ruck is a liability for us. 

The ruck is a liability but picking a someone who is going to take time to develop is not going to help us.

We already have King in this role...

38 minutes ago, rjay said:

The ruck is a liability but picking a someone who is going to take time to develop is not going to help us.

We already have King in this role...

I wonder if we went after any mature rucks in trade or DFA with no cigar? Given we did not play two rucks together at any point last year, perhaps our coaching staff don't see it as a big game plan risk?

3 hours ago, rjay said:

The ruck is a liability but picking a someone who is going to take time to develop is not going to help us.

We already have King in this role...

I wouldn't mind another long term option. With the category B rookies these days adding to the players on a list it makes sense to have a couple of young big guys coming through. Sometimes even if they don't work out you can trade them for a 3rd round pick and start again. 

We certainly need a short term option as well though. We might gamble on Gawn staying healthy and Pedersen doing a job this year but it would be a risk.

Maybe if we find the right 22 year old we get a guy who can play if needed and can be ready to impact more in 2018.

4. Sharp Shooter: An underrated component. Look at Bruest and Gunston and Tory Dickson for current premiership squads, the ball gets to them and they rarely miss. Popping up at key moments against the flow to take a mark at 40 from an innocuous 20m forward entry. The opposition fans gasp and the goal is penciled in already.

Watts currently fits the bill and takes his opportunities. Hogan is the ideal dead eye if he can re capture his set shot. Watts and Hogan fulfill the need. But the vulnerability remains if Hogan continues to struggle. Who is our other sharp shooting forward? I haven't seen much of Wiedemann or Hulett, how are they for kicking? Petracca/VDB are more up the ground body on body midfielders. Kent or Kennedy need to be this player or to draft in a player instead of Kennedy that can crumb and be a skillful goal shooter because Garlett has the small forward role locked down and any other pos needs to be a reliable set shot.

Not an immediate priority but something we may need to look at.

 

Edited November 6, 20168 yr by DominatrixTyson

2 hours ago, DominatrixTyson said:

4. Sharp Shooter: An underrated component. Look at Bruest and Gunston and Tory Dickson for current premiership squads, the ball gets to them and they rarely miss. Popping up at key moments against the flow to take a mark at 40 from an innocuous 20m forward entry. The opposition fans gasp and the goal is penciled in already.

Watts currently fits the bill and takes his opportunities. Hogan is the ideal dead eye if he can re capture his set shot. Watts and Hogan fulfill the need. But the vulnerability remains if Hogan continues to struggle. Who is our other sharp shooting forward? I haven't seen much of Wiedemann or Hulett, how are they for kicking? Petracca/VDB are more up the ground body on body midfielders. Kent or Kennedy need to be this player or to draft in a player instead of Kennedy that can crumb and be a skillful goal shooter because Garlett has the small forward role locked down and any other pos needs to be a reliable set shot.

Not an immediate priority but something we may need to look at.

 

The Weed is a very smooth and so far accurate set shot. Obviously he'll take another year or two to impose himself on games, but that's something to look forward to DT.

I think we need a creative small forward that can regularly make something out of very little. Garlett fits this bill if he can increase his consistency. Kent might too.

KPD and ruck/fwd depth are certainly needs. Another high end mid at the end of this year would be very handy for 2018.

Both Weed's and Hullett's early VFL stats suggest they are accurate set-shots. But I haven't seen them play personally. We also need mids with long-range abilities on goal - as our forwards are somewhat lacking in this regard. Tyson and Vince can roost it. Salem isn't bad. Maybe several rotating HFF's in line with our quick movement rather than a dedicated CHF to slot in as many mids as possible? Kent might get the squeeze. 

Garlett Hogan Petracca

Salem Watts Tyson.

11 hours ago, Skuit said:

Both Weed's and Hullett's early VFL stats suggest they are accurate set-shots. But I haven't seen them play personally. We also need mids with long-range abilities on goal - as our forwards are somewhat lacking in this regard. Tyson and Vince can roost it. Salem isn't bad. Maybe several rotating HFF's in line with our quick movement rather than a dedicated CHF to slot in as many mids as possible? Kent might get the squeeze. 

Garlett Hogan Petracca

Salem Watts Tyson.

Both Hibberd and Melksham will add to our long bomb goal ability. Both have shown a penchant to get down the ground and launch from 50+.

On 06/11/2016 at 6:55 PM, deanox said:

I wonder if we went after any mature rucks in trade or DFA with no cigar? Given we did not play two rucks together at any point last year, perhaps our coaching staff don't see it as a big game plan risk?

Agreed

What Goodwin said yesterday when asked,  paraphrasing "yes if we can find anothet ruck, but have alternatives should it not happen"

I think Spencer is a good back up should Gawn not play during the year, with Pedo as our chop out ruck/forward. Not convinced about playing both Gawn and Spencil together, but stranger things have happened.

If both Gawn and Spencer go down... then we may be in a spot of bother.

41 minutes ago, Moonshadow said:

I think Spencer is a good back up should Gawn not play during the year, with Pedo as our chop out ruck/forward. Not convinced about playing both Gawn and Spencil together, but stranger things have happened.

If both Gawn and Spencer go down... then we may be in a spot of bother.

I think we should either select a mature age ruckman with our last draft pick, or wait until the rookie draft and pick them up then.

With Mitch King likely to take some time and doubtful we would want him playing at AFL level this season, that leaves us with 2 pure ruckman in Gawn and Spencer.

We definitely need a 3rd for protection should the unthinkable happen.

Will Minson. Demonlanders don't seem to agree, but he's a cheap backup that will be a good third-in-line ruck.

If Salem is relieved of backline duties he could be the important linkman (outside class) we crave. Other than Stretch there's no-one else capable. 

5 hours ago, A F said:

Will Minson. Demonlanders don't seem to agree, but he's a cheap backup that will be a good third-in-line ruck.

I wouldn't be against the idea of having Minson as a 3rd in line ruckman. I just don't know how he would feel about being 3rd in line, would he be expecting to be higher in the pecking order?

2 hours ago, Pates said:

I wouldn't be against the idea of having Minson as a 3rd in line ruckman. I just don't know how he would feel about being 3rd in line, would he be expecting to be higher in the pecking order?

If we had Minson, on VFL GF form he would be our 2nd in line.

4 hours ago, Pates said:

I wouldn't be against the idea of having Minson as a 3rd in line ruckman. I just don't know how he would feel about being 3rd in line, would he be expecting to be higher in the pecking order?

I'm sure that he'd prefer the option of being 3rd in line over the prospect of not being on an AFL list. If he believes he's better than 3rd in line, he can work his backside off to improve his ranking in our ruck stocks.

12 hours ago, Pates said:

I wouldn't be against the idea of having Minson as a 3rd in line ruckman. I just don't know how he would feel about being 3rd in line, would he be expecting to be higher in the pecking order?

I'm sure he'd rather have the opportunity to be on another AFL list that is going places.

9 hours ago, rjay said:

If we had Minson, on VFL GF form he would be our 2nd in line.

And yes, rjay, he'd be ahead of Spencer, although I'd argue Spencer's been in our system longer, so might have the edge, but Minson is the better ruckman.

19 minutes ago, A F said:

I'm sure he'd rather have the opportunity to be on another AFL list that is going places.

And yes, rjay, he'd be ahead of Spencer, although I'd argue Spencer's been in our system longer, so might have the edge, but Minson is the better ruckman.

But Spencer is still on an AFL list and Minson isn't and there hasn't been a large number of clubs chasing him, if the club didn't consider Spencer as the option why did it offer him a new contract, knowing that there would be ruckmen on the market?

I don't think we need to get too technical. All we need is Rory Lobb and Josh Kelly from GWS - problem solved

3 hours ago, Satyriconhome said:

But Spencer is still on an AFL list and Minson isn't and there hasn't been a large number of clubs chasing him, if the club didn't consider Spencer as the option why did it offer him a new contract, knowing that there would be ruckmen on the market?

I rate Spencer. Didn't say I didn't, but thanks, Saty.

15 hours ago, dee-tox said:

If Salem is relieved of backline duties he could be the important linkman (outside class) we crave. Other than Stretch there's no-one else capable. 

Salem has been the constant bane when penciling in a prospective team-sheet and trying to squeeze in our considerable stock of talent. I'm not convinced he's back-line material in terms of defensive nous and he looked rather lost when I saw him there this year. Yet, I don't feel he's ready as a permanent mid and others have gone past him in the square. But slot him in at half-forward and others get pushed out. Is an outside role on the wing a reasonable solution when we have the speedsters in Stretch and Hunt primed to take on the job? 

I don't know how to start a new thread and this probably doesn't warrant it, anyway. And it sort of fits here?...

I notice No.31 remains vacant in the Club's new number re/allocations. Unlikely it would go to a number 47+ draft pick? So can/would Jack be rookied? (for e.g. the leadership ingredient). Sorry if I've missed anything elsewhere on here about his current status or the Club's view about him. 

Sean Darcy looks like he has a bit to work with if we take him in the draft. He is 113 kg and 201 cm. He appears to be good at the centre bounce contest.

 

A weak draw like 2016 when we got to play one final 8 side twice.