Should we focus on a new tilt for a premiership in 2025? I.e. recruiting ready made players

Or should we amass good draft picks for 2024 and 2025 before Tasmania comes to play?

A draft pick at the pointy end - go to draft.

Take as many first and second round picks to the draft as possible

We have JT who has one of the better eyes for talent but there's been a reluctance to take more than a couple of picks to draft in recent years, with a focus of spending up lots of draft assets to try and move a few picks up in the order

Edited August 15, 2024Aug 15 by adonski

We’re missing quality (and volume) in that 25-ish age bracket… particularly ones who use the ball well and move it quickly. 
 

I believe we can get back into contention with some savvy recruiting so I would be trading away draft capital to do this (assuming we can actually attract the players we would like, that is).

Clearly there needs to be a balance but after our recent trades I have very little confidence in our recruitment team. 
I do however have great confidence in JT and this year draft seem to be full of midfielders and goes very deep so I hope we give JT as many quality picks as possible to and real talent to our already pretty good list of younger players. 

We recruited well with May, Lever, Lsngrrs and props Tomlinson but not so great since 

But some really great draft picks. A very hard call.  Depends who is available and hind sight is spectacular and always correct 

fortunately, you can walk and chew gum at the same time

The flip side of the coin is if we go hard at the draft we are building for the future and not the next year or two  which I think is smart for the club but it’s not great for our older players who will rightly want us to improve to have a proper crack again next year before they miss their own window. 

9 minutes ago, The Jackson FIX said:

We’re missing quality (and volume) in that 25-ish age bracket… particularly ones who use the ball well and move it quickly. 
 

I believe we can get back into contention with some savvy recruiting so I would be trading away draft capital to do this (assuming we can actually attract the players we would like, that is).

The risk is missing on young talent that could hurts us for many years.

It'll be hard to draft talent for at least 3 or 4 years,once Tasmania is in.

Last chance is 2025.

Important to remember the impact of the Jackson, Pickett, Rivers draft had in season 2021

Granted we had 2 x 1st rounders in the 2019 draft

If this draft is as even as they say, it might be a year to do the opposite of what we normally do and split our pick. Try and turn 6 into something like 9 and 15, if possible, and take multiple players.

See if we can lure some depth talent with later picks.

Kind of hope we are still in the race for Houston though. Would fill the void Brayshaw has left nicely. Cost of getting that done though might be too much. 

Edited August 15, 2024Aug 15 by Nascent

Hit the draft ideally. Got to look at the bigger picture sometimes. 

First round : take to draft, or split and take one of these to draft and other for Whitney (Houston).

Pick up f/s (YZE) and Mentha (NGA) as late picks/ rookies. 

Use pick for Nibbler to add to 2nd round and move up for another first rounder?  

Use other picks to take best available.

Move first 2025 pick back to multiple second round picks and /or first round this year +second next year (Kalani White and another NGA prospect coming through).

needs: Midfield , high quality disposals and foot speed , Ruck backup, Key pos forward.

It’s need to be both. We did that so well to get the 21 premiership, you simply cannot go all draft or all trade.

the last three years our lift has continued to get worse, it needs to massively improve this year, get it right Tim Lamb, or fall on your sword and get someone else capable.

Usually the best use of draft capital is to recruit out of contract players (generally from interstate clubs). Not only do you minimise your misses, but you can fill gaps on the field. Picking players like Lever and Langdon have been great picks for us.

The second best use of draft capital is to trade it for future picks, because the interest rate is very high. We have obviously gone the other way, which has also worked but only because our selections have been so good.

 

Thinking about GWS who have managed to bounce back from a bad situation incredibly well. They had a lot of players to trade out due to just always having an insanely stacked list. We don’t have a spare Taranto and Hopper lying around sadly. 

But it was the draft for Tom Green (and Ash) and Finn Callaghan. Don’t muck around with early picks.

Then trading for Hogan who took years to really come good. Picking up a nice roll player in Bedford. And otherwise waiting for youth to come through. 

Replace ANB and Brayshaw with the best mids we can find in the 24-26 range just to fix the depth and health of the list. Fill out the depth talls too and maybe take a punt on someone with high upside.

But otherwise JT with a top 7 pick and hopefully a few more in the top 40 of a deep draft.

5 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

The second best use of draft capital is to trade it for future picks, because the interest rate is very high. We have obviously gone the other way, which has also worked but only because our selections have been so good.

GWS had a big win with Callaghan pick 3 from the Pies (who didn’t care as they got Daicos), and Freo might be very happy with Schultz for the Pies first this year.

But at the same time North swapping Tom Powell for Kossie Pickett and Richmond Tom Browne for Max Holmes didn’t do all that great.

No one wanted the Eagles first last year (not sure it was offered straight up) and if the deal was Windsor and we give up an additional pick somehow for pick Eagles pick 4 this year I wouldn’t love that. 

Unless it’s Lachie Schulz and you’re lucky to get a first to begin with it’s hard to engineer a trade for a future first that you’re really happy with. 

5 minutes ago, DeeSpencer said:

GWS had a big win with Callaghan pick 3 from the Pies (who didn’t care as they got Daicos), and Freo might be very happy with Schultz for the Pies first this year.

But at the same time North swapping Tom Powell for Kossie Pickett and Richmond Tom Browne for Max Holmes didn’t do all that great.

No one wanted the Eagles first last year (not sure it was offered straight up) and if the deal was Windsor and we give up an additional pick somehow for pick Eagles pick 4 this year I wouldn’t love that. 

Unless it’s Lachie Schulz and you’re lucky to get a first to begin with it’s hard to engineer a trade for a future first that you’re really happy with. 

This analysis is fine if you assume that different clubs would take the same players (which they would not).

If we had have traded #6 last year for the Eagles first pick in 2024, we would have been the party receiving extra capital.

1 hour ago, Nascent said:

If this draft is as even as they say, it might be a year to do the opposite of what we normally do and split our pick. Try and turn 6 into something like 9 and 15, if possible, and take multiple players.

See if we can lure some depth talent with later picks.

Kind of hope we are still in the race for Houston though. Would fill the void Brayshaw has left nicely. Cost of getting that done though might be too much. 

I was leaning toward Nascent and buck_nekkid’s thoughts on splitting our first rounder for two later 1st rounders for Houston and a gun mid from the draft. We need to clear some picks and cap space to make up for our limited draft spaces over the last couple of years. Be a bit daring this year to help refresh the group whilst we have the high end talent to support and educate the youngsters.

9 minutes ago, Fat Tony said:

This analysis is fine if you assume that different clubs would take the same players (which they would not).

If we had have traded #6 last year for the Eagles first pick in 2024, we would have been the party receiving extra capital.

But would have missed out on Windsor.

The top 7 picks from 2023 have all played 13 games or more this year, kids can play and impact immediately now. 

Windsor is the most with 19 and he would have still been playing barring injury.

6 has to go to the draft in my opinion and a super agile/quick, skilled midfielder is the target. 

 

 

8 minutes ago, BW511 said:

The top 7 picks from 2023 have all played 13 games or more this year, kids can play and impact immediately now. 

Windsor is the most with 19 and he would have still been playing barring injury.

6 has to go to the draft in my opinion and a super agile/quick, skilled midfielder is the target. 

 

 

Can we improve our pick 6 with pick 4 from Adelaide?

ANB, our pick 6 and a sweetener? (future second)

5 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

Can we improve our pick 6 with pick 4 from Adelaide?

ANB, our pick 6 and a sweetener? (future second)

Unless we feel the difference in two spots is going to get us a superstar where pick 6 wouldn't, then it's a big no. We could afford to bundle up and waste picks a couple years back, not sure about now.

56 minutes ago, ElDiablo14 said:

Can we improve our pick 6 with pick 4 from Adelaide?

ANB, our pick 6 and a sweetener? (future second)

I would agree with @adonski

Would prefer to take an early second rounder to the draft (ANB)

I reckon going to the draft is the go. I have every confidence in JT. I don’t have near as much faith in Tim lamb.