35 minutes ago, demoncat said:

As good as Sanders is as a midfielder, he is very vanilla and can’t play any other position, hence why he didn’t get much game time 

Compare that to the top 5 or 6 of this draft - Lalor and Langford could come in and rotate forward/midfield, Smith could come off half back or even play a small forward role, FOS is dynamic enough that he could play anywhere from wing to half forward 

Not hard to see all of those guys playing most games next year 

Having said that I do agree that a couple of draftees - however good - won’t significantly change our fortunes next year as we’re still very reliant on Trac and Clarry playing at an elite level to be contending for the flag

Lalor needs to recover from a major injury and do his first ever preseason, he’s more a year 3+ guy.

Langford should play some but a big slow kid in the forward line with 3 talls and Fritsch probably just gets in the way.

Jagga has no aerial ability, has strong evasion in traffic but not speed to run down or run away from opponents and his kicks hang in the air. He’d be a liability down back. Probably plays a fair bit as a high half forward but if we have an elite midfield he won’t be in it much year 1. Slightly more run to get games as a forward but slighter body, I see him on par with Sanders as a year 1 option.

Goody generally plays and sticks with his high picks but I think expectations for performance are way too high. These guys aren’t Clarry/Gus level ready to go and if we are bouncing back up the ladder it won’t be on the back of first year kids.

Langford & Hotton. 

1 hour ago, DeeSpencer said:

As opposed to which players who are instantly ready?

Riley Sanders last year was a plug and play midfielder. Made no impact. 

I get the Armstrong skepticism, he’s more raw than you’d like and just drops more marks than he should.

But if JT pulls the trigger I can see why he’s rated. Not many talls move like he does and present as well as he does.

Also, let’s be honest, it’s a rebuild in all but name unless we get a drastic Clarry and Tracc turnarounds and find a few players out of thin air (which is hard when you keep the same list year on year).

Gawn, Viney May aren’t every week guys any more, we don’t have any experienced tall forwards and kids aren’t going to cover the midfield and flanker gaps like for like.

Oh i dont know, kids like Nick Watson, Caleb Windsor, Harry Sheezel, Colby McKercher, Will Ashcroft and Nick Daicos.

Just now, Dannyz said:

Langford & Hotton. 

Mail or opinion?

1 minute ago, Dannyz said:

Langford & Hotton. 

Is that what you're hearing or just based off your own personal opinion?

2 hours ago, #11-TonyAnderson said:

Sorry Picket - think Cale Morton comes close to this benchmark too

Yep! 

34 minutes ago, Dannyz said:

Langford & Hotton. 

I think I've read that Hotton is unlikely to be picked up early so if we like him, we could split pick 9 and still probably get him

Taru sounds like he might go a bit later...do we want him or Armstrong if we get the late choice between them?  

First pick I reckon Langford but wouldn't be upset with Smillie either...toss of the coin between those two, imagine if we got both with 5 and 9!!!!  Would love Lalor but probably won't be available.

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Oh i dont know, kids like Nick Watson, Caleb Windsor, Harry Sheezel, Colby McKercher, Will Ashcroft and Nick Daicos.

Any of them available at 6 (yet alone whatever pick 9 becomes) in this draft? Watson and Windsor are the only 2 who weren’t top 2 pick level talents.

23: Sanders, Windsor 

22: (5-8) Tsatas, Humphrey, McKenzie, Clarke

21: 6-7 Rachele, Ward 

20 5,7, 9 Braeden Campbell, Hollands, Perkins

19: 5, 7, 8 Dyl Stephens, Young, Serong

Probably have to go back to Freo’s picks in 2019 for guys who made consistent impact in their first 3 years.

Edited November 12, 2024Nov 12 by DeeSpencer

Dont split 9. We have plenty of almost very good in the top 25 players. We only have 15 very good players. Stick to the quality, never mind the width.

Agree. Keep 5. Keep 9. Two aces …

so at 5… imv Langford. As per my many posts, he’s definitely shown strong consistent footy and offers the size, skill and endurance required.  He’s got so many AFL qualities and is local lad.

it’s likely he is available at “5”.  If not, then it means options may include Draper, Smith or O’Sullivan.  

so at 9… imv Travaglia.  Just like his competitive nature.  You can’t teach intensity.  He’s got the energy to succeed.  Run and carry.  Can develop as half back and then move into a midfield role.  
if he’s not available, then Allan,  Lindsay & Reid are other options.  
Not sure we see Smillie as an option. 

I think we will look for two midfielders. Armstrong and Shanahan are good key forwards however our list imv needs a midfield refresh.  

All youngsters within this years top 12-15 will be very good. There is a lot of talent. 

On 09/11/2024 at 14:17, DeeZone said:

Hoping Langford / Smith at 5.

Armstrong / Travaglia / Allan at 9 depending on who is available 

 

Armstrong has to be our No. 5 pick, surely. 

5 hours ago, DeeSpencer said:

Also, let’s be honest, it’s a rebuild in all but name unless we get a drastic Clarry and Tracc turnarounds and find a few players out of thin air (which is hard when you keep the same list year on year).

didn't have you for a hanrahan

5 hours ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

I can't help but feel this is true. I find the whispers along the lines of "the group feel they're ready to burst back into finals" optimistic. 

Everything that could possibly have gone wrong this season did go wrong. And still we only finished two games out of the 8. Finals should be the bare minimum objective next season.

3 hours ago, Damo said:

Dont split 9. We have plenty of almost very good in the top 25 players. We only have 15 very good players. Stick to the quality, never mind the width.

This isn't a shot at you - but I don't understand this view.  It is based on the idea that there is a clear cut top 10/20 etc.  But we know Jason Taylor often rates the draft differently to others and has a great record drafting.  If he wants to push 9 back a few picks (to get the same player he would pick at 9) and snare another for someone else he rates, then why wouldn't we do that??  Eg the Pickett / Rivers scenario

Of course if the player who we rate clearly the best available when we have our pick 9 is going to be picked by the next club/s then it would be silly to entertain a pick swap.

5 Langford 

9 Reid

I'm locked in now. Absolutely been sleeping on Reid, he looks  beauty! 

 

4 minutes ago, Mouseymoo said:

5 Langford 

9 Reid

I'm locked in now. Absolutely been sleeping on Reid, he looks  beauty! 

 

You wouldn’t be concerned that both of the lack leg speed? I’m locked in on Langford too but not sure we can pick up two players who have question marks about their pace. 

12 hours ago, Colm said:

100% agree with where are needs are Binners. If we are asking Santa for everything we want with two players I’d probably add in contested marking and leadership. 
We have a few who can clunk them but not enough IMO. We still rely on Max for most of our contested marks and he won’t be around for much longer. Having someone on the middle of the park who can take a good grab would hopefully stop us turning it over as much. 

Yeah, that's a really good point. 

Those players who can take marks around the ground are super important, both in terms of as you say not turning it over as much, but also being able to control the tempo. 

The lions use that strategy well.

In 2021, 2023 and 2023 tmac played that role, ditto benny Brown (and Jackson on 2021).

But Tmac playing back and Brown out of the side meant we struggled to cover that role, particularly with petts a long way from his best.

Hopefully if petts can hit the season fit and injury free he can push up the ground and clunk marks.

And I think turner will play that role too.

Edited November 12, 2024Nov 12 by binman

7 hours ago, Dannyz said:

Langford & Hotton. 

Furiously searching Hotton highlight reel

Taj Hotton looks a beauty. 

Edited November 12, 2024Nov 12 by Roost it far

7 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Oh i dont know, kids like Nick Watson, Caleb Windsor, Harry Sheezel, Colby McKercher, Will Ashcroft and Nick Daicos.

 

Plus the poster boys for premiership-influencing kids, Selwood and Rioli.

And just for fun extending it slightly to players who had a meaningful part in a premiership before their 50th game - Jackson, Pickett, Rivers, Bowey, and Sparrow.

Picks 5, 7, 9 and 13 in two seasons is a massive surge of potential talent to complete a best 22 which is already competing.

Anyone pretending that can't have an impact is just being sour.

11 minutes ago, binman said:

Yeah, that's a really good point. 

Those players who can take marks around the ground are super important, both in terms of as you say not turning it over as much, but also being able to control the tempo. 

The lions use that strategy well.

In 2021, 2023 and 2023 tmac played that role, ditto benny Brown (and Jackson on 2021).

But Tmac playing back and Brown out of the side meant we struggled to cover that role, particularly with petts a long way from his best.

Hopefully if petts can hit the season fit and injury free he can push up the ground and clunk marks.

And I think turner will play that role too.

Despite being very underdone and down on confidence especially early in the year Petty was 11th in the league for contested marks.

Im not against the idea of a key forward because Petty probably goes back long term but the big thing we need is to stop relying on contested marks on the wing for ball movement. Long kicks to packs down the line means you’ve failed in your ball movement.

We have to study the way Brisbane spread their forwards out, move the ball in different ways and kick to isolate forward on the lead or one on one.

25 minutes ago, Colm said:

You wouldn’t be concerned that both of the lack leg speed? I’m locked in on Langford too but not sure we can pick up two players who have question marks about their pace. 

They don't have to break lines with pace they have beautiful lateral movement and exquisite disposal. Sharp looks to have a bit of toe and will add some pace next year 

8 minutes ago, Mouseymoo said:

They don't have to break lines with pace they have beautiful lateral movement and exquisite disposal. Sharp looks to have a bit of toe and will add some pace next year 

I definitely don’t think speed is the be all. Windsor, McVee, Rivers, Langdon, Chandler, Kozzy and Sharp all have decent wheels to varying degrees, so I think we will have enough foot speed in the side. I still hope we get Travaglia with pick 9 though, but all for Langford at 5

27 minutes ago, Mouseymoo said:

They don't have to break lines with pace they have beautiful lateral movement and exquisite disposal. Sharp looks to have a bit of toe and will add some pace next year 

That’s true but at some point your opponents will also have the ball. You can’t carry too many slow players because it reduces your ability to defend.

Generally slow players need to be really, really good because of the defensive limitations and you can’t play too many together in the one team. If that slow player is Bontempelli then you make that trade off but the Bulldogs couldn’t also find room for Macrae and Sanders in that midfield together with him and Liberatore.