fr_ap

So is Langford though...

Can anyone explain why we're not into Sid Draper at all? He is literally everything we need - fast, agile, skilful, run and carry between the arcs, hit targets in transition, tough as nails, creative, good character, in and out midfielder. Looks like a combination of Lachie Neale and Zach Merrett but with even more speed and agility. Langford looks ok, but I don't feel he will change anything with the way we play. It's a big call but Draper could, like Naicos for Collingwood. Maybe it's a given that the Crows take him or maybe he has a big go home factor. Not sure, but there is no player more suited to us in this draft.

Yes. It's all in your action whether you're considered a nice kick. Actual results seem to matter less....

100% mate. Not sure he has many strings to his bow....and hardly a dominant stay at home forward in any case.

I think Armstrong is at high risk of being a bust. Has the nice looking left foot kick, but doesn't seem to kick many or any goals away from a set shot. He's no Jezza Cameron despite having the same style. His contested marks are mostly the 'uncontested' type of marks where you float across the front with no direct opponent. Weid was the same. Worse still, if you watch some of his interviews I'm just not sure he has the sharpness or desire. An 18 yo footballer, I know, so I'm not expecting Shakespeare - but I don't know - watch it yourself and form an opinion...not sure he has the spark. KPFs in particular at the draft are huge risks, particularly higher up. When you're taller and more developed than other kids your age, and in a system where defensive accountability is generally 2nd priority, it's easy to get on the end of a few and in so doing, actually develop habits that aren't helpful at the top level (see Weid, potentially Jeffo). The biggest difference between all other levels of footy and AFL is defense and pressure. Even Jed Walter, who is a competitive animal and not a flying beanstalk, has struggled to look the level so far. Honestly I think the best KPFs can often be found as KPDs or swingmen at the draft. Naughton, Hogan, Jvr (not that he's quite there yet) all played defense as juniors. Cadman looks ok but is being given lots of time. Jeremy Cameron is a total freak of nature and took a few years to get going at GWS as well, and he's just about the highest talent ceiling a KPF prospect could ever have. You need a strong club to be able to guide through those initial years without actually hurting their development.

Ball use horrendous

Terrible news. Don't see it with FOS at all. Special sidestep and like his ability in congestion, totally abysmal looking kick

As pure a footballer as you'll see. A lot of Dusty and he's a long way ahead of where Dusty was at the same age.

I wouldn't...

Glad I'm not the only one who doesn't see it with Lindsay. Salem actually far harder at the contest too, for what it's worth

JFC can we quit it with the Lindsay stuff Dude is nowhere near the level

Amazing analysis - every player is a chance to be taken by any number of clubs with picks around their projected draft range. Dees linked to every player on the list as we sit right in the middle of the range of jets getting through, and next tier pushing up.

Agree - if we can't get Lalor, Smith is probably both the best performed player of the rest and the one most suited to our needs.

Not different - right & wrong 😄. Happy to call it here - Toumpas level bust if we draft Lindsay.

Lindsay has red flags all over the place imo. Highly unnatural in the contest, panics under physical pressure and makes poor decisions, and for a highly touted kicker, misses a lot of targets. I swear people see a left footer with a nice action and they start crafting a story that he's a slingshot half back who can open up the game. Watch more closely

Unreal

My thought too

Feels like the inverse Jordon

Lalor clearly the best player in the draft. Clearly.

We could have convinced Meek. He looks up to Gawn...and guess what happened to his form this year when Gawn started mentoring him on the side? Lamb is just incompetent - has no idea what the squad genuinely needs, is a poor judge of footy talent, character and chemistry

To be honest, I think the AFL has totally missed a trick and doesn't quite understand the secret sauce they had their hands on. They've opened up the game, it's never been quicker or more skilful, but it's far less engaging to watch. Teams just march the ball down the field and the structures lead to so many over the back goals you may as well be watching a training run. What made the sport so unmissable was the toughness, the tension, the unpredictability and haphazard-ness (if that's a word). Where it came down to crucial contests, high pressure, scrap and the will to win. Yes it's messy, but viewers respond to visible/visceral effort and commitment far more than kicking skills. The combo of that toughness/contest in a 360 degree game was very unique to our game. There are still games and moments that fit this mould, but far less as the rules have encouraged teams towards the opposite style which is being set up to succeed.

The criticism isn't always about shortened quarters...it's also about doing it away from the cauldron of the MCG and without the distraction and pressure that the normal week brings. Even though we absolutely [censored] it in, I do wonder whether we would have got it done at the G. We'll never know but there's enough fragility about this group to suggest to me the forced relocation and togetherness was actually an advantage rather than a hurdle.

I agree mate. It was both one of the best and saddest days I've had. Obviously very thankful and grateful it happened and I was well and healthy to see it (on the box...in lockdown), but not being able to have the week - the special, quintessential Melbourne week - that I've seen others have just sucked. I just want that week - that the pies had, the tigers x2, the dogs, so many cats fans, so many older Hawks fans - and to attend the game with my brother in the flesh.

Might just be me but I don't see it with Langford

Hawks playing very well and are the flavour of the month...doesn't necessarily mean it ends in a flag. Although it is a particularly weak year. Reminds me a lot of us 2018 - we were fun to watch, young, having fun, stormed through the first two finals. That year certainly put us on the path to a flag though we had a few more bumps to navigate first. Hawks may be similar.