2 hours ago, Fat Tony said:

An issue we have is that Fritsch really only plays well when he is our deepest forward. He gets lazy with his pressure up the field and  isn't as efficient as he should be when kicking inside 50. This means he really plays best as a key forward.

Petty and Turner have both shown the ability to play forward and back, which gives us flexibility.

Does Armstrong offer a huge point of difference to Turner, Fritsch and Jefferson? I am all for picking him if he can become Jeremy Cameron.

Correct. Fritsch is essentially a key forward. 

Using a 1st round pick in 3 out of 4 drafts to select a key forward is ludicrous, especially when our midfield stocks are depleted. The only logic would be if Jefferson has been written off as a bust, and even then I wouldn't do it.

It's a fair chance a team in the top 6 will take a reach for Armstrong, Tauru or another player.

North have a stack of mids and may reach for either. North needs support for Larke and will have Darling to tutor.

Carlton have tall forwards but could do with a talent like Tauru.

No doubt there will be a surprise or 2 before our pick 9.

No doubt we will go for what we think is best available. At pick 9 we may be a little flexible.

Lloyd rates Armstrong a better pack mark than the Kings. 

I think with the Clarry/Tracc dramas we are a cert to go for a 'gun' mid available at pick 5/6. Also i think Pup Brown will be a very good mid in a season or 2.

If Armstrong/Tauru are rated as guns how many of these types are available in drafts compared to mids. How easy is it to attract established gun mids to the club compared to mids?

 

 

High flyer who can take a big pack mark? 

“ But the AFL world all stopped to watch on a King’s Birthday afternoon.

Watched a man named Armstrong walk on the ‘G.”

Meanwhile a  fluctuating, weakly static, barely decipherable, signal was picked up from the dark side  at Olympic Park. It was decoded as;

“Houston we have a problem…”

Edited October 23, 2024Oct 23 by Tarax Club
Reg Lindsay edit

6 hours ago, Dee Viney Intervention said:

Nothing against the player personally but I would be extremely disappointed if we used pick 5 on him. Mids, mids, mids please.Even with pick 9 would prefer others.  We have Jefferson and Kentfield who replaced a midfielder. Let’s get some balance on our list.

Yep double grabs, missed marks, some lucky goals... Weideman mrk 2 PASS!

Edited October 23, 2024Oct 23 by picket fence

Armstrong has impressed me and presents as a genuine top 10 draft chance.  Lovely stylish left footer.  
But I was disappointed in his preliminary final when matched up against Riak Andrew.  Andrew negated him and used his reach to spoil Armstrong’s marking. Armstrong then appeared lacklustre. Didn’t work hard enough to run his opponent up and back.  Maybe because the Dragons won easily and he didn’t have to work hard to get the team result. 
I am looking for Dees to grab running midfielders in this draft so probably give him a pass.  
Neverless he will become a very good player wherever he gets to.  

Edited October 23, 2024Oct 23 by spirit of norm smith
Y

It’s a ploy to make Saints take him and we get The Viking.

Langford & The Viking.

8 hours ago, FreedFromDesire said:

My apologies if I haven't done this correctly. I had a check and couldn't see a thread for him already.

Fairly good mail we like this guy a lot. If Jagga Smith is selected before our first pick I wouldn't be surprised to see us take Armstrong, that's how much Jason Taylor likes him apparently. Expected to make an immediate impact, and said to be very versatile and good below his knees. I will defer to others who watch the potential draftees closer, as it's not something I take a great interest in. Please take this as reasonably reliable gossip as opposed to absolutely rock solid intel like others post here at times. Again, will defer to others opinions, but passing along what I've heard in terms of where the club rates him.

 

 

I hope we don’t take him 

5 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

laconic

 lackadaisical 

Have read that he doesn't really get moving much as a forward, more of a stay at home option. In another draft where other forwards were available it sounds like he'd drop out of the first round?

Don't want us to reach, take the best available at 5 and 9 which doesn't seem to be Armstrong.

14 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Armstrong has impressed me and presents as a genuine top 10 draft chance.  Lovely stylish left footer.  
But I was disappointed in his preliminary final when matched up against Riak Andrew.  Andrew negated him and used his reach to spoil Armstrong’s marking. Armstrong then appeared lacklustre. Didn’t work hard enough to run his opponent up and back.  Maybe because the Dragons won easily and he didn’t have to work hard to get the team result. 
I am looking for Dees to grab running midfielders in this draft so probably give him a pass.  
Neverless he will become a very good player wherever he gets to.  

Are we likely to pick Riak Andrew? He’s our NGA??

21 hours ago, Axis of Bob said:

As I've sat with it more I've become more and more comfortable to draft him (even at 5). 

Brisbane won the flag with three tall forward (Daniher, Hipwood and Morris) against Sydney who played McDonald, McLean and Amartey. Geelong had Cameron, Neale and Henry (with Hawkins injured), and Port had Dixon, Geogiades and Marshall. The game seems to be swinging back a bit towards the key forwards now that there is more speed on the ball in attack, rather than the slower game allowing teams to defend talls with extra numbers. We started looking a lot more potent once we got Roo, Petty and Turner all playing in the forward line together. I think it's the speed of the game in transition that gives more one on one and opportunities in space, which is the strength of a key forward. We took Kentfield in the MSD, so we clearly don't think our key forward puzzle is completely solved.

Armstrong is a very good worker in space, as well as a player that can crash packs. He moves really, really well and plays the key forward role in a really modern way. A forward line of him, Roo and Jeffo gives us a very mobile group of talls that can work both coming at the ball and going with the ball, like the modern game requires. Since they aren't just big lugs, they're all players that can work in a range of setups and styles. Petty and Turner are natural defenders and would be the pillars of a really formidable defensive group.

Little Goffy made an excellent point on another thread about Darcy Fogarty getting a long term contract at Adelaide, showing how scarce KPFs are. And that's only Fogarty! If we think Armstrong is a really good one then why not grab him when we have a chance.

On a more personal note, I really want to draft him at 5 ..... just to see all the Demonlanders try to burn this place to the ground! 😁

I want Tauru for his versatility and X factor and at no 5 also. 

2 hours ago, seventyfour said:

Have read that he doesn't really get moving much as a forward, more of a stay at home option. In another draft where other forwards were available it sounds like he'd drop out of the first round?

Don't want us to reach, take the best available at 5 and 9 which doesn't seem to be Armstrong.

If you believe you are in contention or near that rank then needs basis in this draft is essential. Thats why st 5 Tauru or Armstrong and a mid at 9.

We could easily pick a mid at 5 maybe Langford if availabie and either Tauru or Armstrong at 9 whoever is still left.

15 hours ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

It’s a ploy to make Saints take him and we get The Viking.

Langford & The Viking.

Yes yes BAC. 

22 hours ago, Mouseymoo said:

I hope not, that was a pretty uninspiring highlights package. Drops more than he marks, doesn't really crash a pack and struggles from 50. Jefferson vibes hard. 

Can we just play it safe with two blue chip mids please. 

You haven’t read the email Moo. Jeffo is now clunking them and tackling over last 9/10 games. 

Get up with the program and give the kid a go. 

I'm seeing Harry Armstrong is more the Naughton/Caddy type who can move around. I don't see the similarity with Jeremy Cameron at all apart from the fact they are left footers.

I'd be pretty miffed if we took him at pick 5 or 9 to be honest. 

You have to weigh up how hard it might be to get a key forward in the future 

7 minutes ago, Ugottobekidding said:

You have to weigh up how hard it might be to get a key forward in the future 

Good point UGTBK. 

I say grab either Tauru first or Armstrong if available up to our pick 9. A mid is still good to get with this list depth. 

1 hour ago, 58er said:

You haven’t read the email Moo. Jeffo is now clunking them and tackling over last 9/10 games. 

Get up with the program and give the kid a go. 

ABSOLUTELY!!! JEFFO TIME!

1 hour ago, layzie said:

I'm seeing Harry Armstrong is more the Naughton/Caddy type who can move around. I don't see the similarity with Jeremy Cameron at all apart from the fact they are left footers.

I'd be pretty miffed if we took him at pick 5 or 9 to be honest. 

David Cordner says Hi!!

Please no talls with top 10 picks in a draft packed with Midfield guns and us desperately needing mids

1 hour ago, Ugottobekidding said:

You have to weigh up how hard it might be to get a key forward in the future 

Go with JVR and Jeffo.  The midfield needs the injection of two quality youngsters.  Midfield lost Brayshaw, faces potential instability with Trac and Clarry and JV7 can only battle on for so long. Need two quality young midfielders.  

8 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Go with JVR and Jeffo.  The midfield needs the injection of two quality youngsters.  Midfield lost Brayshaw, faces potential instability with Trac and Clarry and JV7 can only battle on for so long. Need two quality young midfielders.  

Need to put pressure on some of our mid and half forward/back players like Sparrow and Bowey too 

Bringing in two top end mids - particular a big body player and a more outside player - will put pressure on some of these guys who have underperformed the past couple of years (given they might start on the half forward or half back lines)

Edited October 24, 2024Oct 24 by demoncat

4 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Go with JVR and Jeffo.  The midfield needs the injection of two quality youngsters.  Midfield lost Brayshaw, faces potential instability with Trac and Clarry and JV7 can only battle on for so long. Need two quality young midfielders.  

We're nuts if we don't get two legit mids this draft, or at least a genuine mid and someone who can progress to one. Slim pickings when the next batch is headlined by Sparrow and Rivers. 

42 minutes ago, Mouseymoo said:

We're nuts if we don't get two legit mids this draft, or at least a genuine mid and someone who can progress to one. Slim pickings when the next batch is headlined by Sparrow and Rivers. 

Rivers will be a really good goal kicking mid in time. Really surprises me more aren't bullish on him!

4 minutes ago, adonski said:

Rivers will be a really good goal kicking mid in time. Really surprises me more aren't bullish on him!

I rate him, the comment was more around we need more than just those two.