The Taciturn Demon

Now that it seems Smith is fairly likely for us at Pick 5, it's been interesting to return to this thread. A really interesting, robust debate. I have zero experience watching junior football (I watched Jed Adams' highlights after we drafted him and thought we were getting Peter Knights). I also don't rate myself a good analyst of football, so this is all probably nonsense. I definitely see what DeeSpencer worries about. The term "nothing handball" is blunt and seems harsh, and yet it often seems to apply in the highlights I've seen. For me, a top five who's going to handball more than he kicks has to be crisp and decisive with this skill; they need to put teammates into space or at least make the game easier for them. I see a fair bit of slamming the footy into a teammate's midriff for the sake of not getting caught. What excites me is his centre bounce stuff. It seems like there's a creativity, dynamism and instinctive understanding of where the ball's going that could pretty quickly alleviate some of our clearance woes. One thing I feel has killed us for a long time is opponents winning multiple centre bounce clearances in a row - often very damaging ones. Smith seems like the sort of player who could give us a different set of skills and big advantage in this part of the ground (with luck, before Max retires). He seems to have a real desire to be part of strings of possession, which I like, although I'm not sure I've seen much to suggest we want him hitting the final kick. Parish comparisons worry me. I also see a bit of Scully, although it sounds like he's a much more... ahem.. mature person. I see the Neale likeness, as well, and I distinctly remember his disposal being questioned for years before he became a champion. Not sure if he improved it significantly or just learned to play (brilliantly) within his limitations. What I'd love to see some of is even a hint of Zach Merrett, because good disposal is so important in modern football. But I can't. I trust Taylor, and I love the fact that so many far better observers than me think this bloke is an out-and-out gun, so I'll stay optimistic when pessimism seems a natural default after the last three seasons.

Her non-selection is embarrassing, but McNamara missing is far worse.

What do you think of him, Chaser?

I regard Charlie Spargo as very much in this category - I don't think too many people have number 9 on their back (sorry, Charlie). And yet I spent a lot of this year wishing we could depend on two or three of his smart, 20- to 35-metre darts inside 50 every week. EDIT: Adonski already mentioned Spargo - sorry. Wasn't stealing your idea.

Pretty high. Because I really dislike the way we (generally) kick the ball to our forwards, and even though "Gryan Miers for pick 9" sounds unpalatable at least you're getting a really good inside 50 deliverer. Improving our ball movement ahead of centre is something I think we desperately need. Game plan changes may help it. But could very good decision makers help even more?

It's the kicks themselves, but also the time between getting the ball and making the decision. Beautiful.

I freely admit, I'm a poor judge of footballers and I'm sure I miss the nuances that determine whether a top-level player is (or will become) good, bad or just plod along for 150 games. But that to me that was a nine-minute catalogue of making the game easier for your teammates.

To the Demons? Is this common knowledge?

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.

I heard Stinear mention it in a press conference - maybe after their first win following the bad stretch. Players returning from injury helped, but changing the game plan was the big shift, I reckon.

Interesting. Could speed be a problem as a key defender? Speaking of mid-season picks, I like a lot in Turner's game. He's about to turn 23, so I think we can expect him to take another step this year. His kicking for goal is lovely, but he looks a natural intercept defender to me.

I was very strongly in the two midfielders camp until I stopped and realised that the lingering idea that we have key position players coming out of our ears is no longer really true. Brown, Schache and Tomlinson all gone. Smith played tall - also gone. McDonald had a wonderful year but this is almost certainly his last and I'd be worried if he was crucial this year in the same way he was last. Hore seems a bit of a stop gap. Press conference comments alone suggest Fullarton might not make it. Kentfield seems like a throw at the stumps. Adams still seems some way off. Jefferson seems promising, but no certainty. And then there's the question of whether Petty is still interested in returning to SA. I have no idea if Armstrong is a good enough footballer to warrant pick 9 in this draft, but I can see the rationale behind a mid and a KPP.

Please don't be self-deprecating. Your butterfly wing flap may have contributed to our next Flag.

That first four seems to be coming up again and again. I wonder if it's just about set... or are people just assuming Adelaide will go for the South Australian?

This makes sense to me. One thing that I've wondered about for a long time, though, is how can you "know" (or be even vaguely confident) that the player you have in mind will be there in six (or even three) picks? Another way of putting the question is why are recruiters so (apparently) open about who they like in drafts? Wouldn't secrecy be a far better option in such a competitive game?

If Richmond takes Lalor, Carlton takes O'Sullivan and Adelaide takes Draper, it seems unlikely North will take another midfielder, but would Richmond if they trade into Pick 2?

This seems to come up a lot on here. I really really like Caleb Windsor, but is he a very good ball user? Maybe I'm completely missing it, but from what I've seen, his reputation before the draft has proved pretty well spot on: adequate by foot.

Interesting that according to Rookie Central, this coming women's draft is clearly a different level of quality to those that have come before it.

I'm with you. Either a lot of people on here have an exceptionally good eye for talent, and are able to glean something meaningful from the most subtle acts on the field, or they're thinking wishfully. Nothing wrong with the latter - we all do it to some degree - but some of the extrapolation seems a bit over-the-top. The thing that most makes me optimistic about Tholstrup is that Jason Taylor chose him. Not too many catastrophic failures on his resume.

I agree with this. I'd put Fitzsimon in the same category and Gall very close to it. Eliza McNamara should be the first player in the 2028/29 bracket. Gun.

Good call. If North fall the football-as-commodity types don't just get to say "I told you so", they get a template for how the next ones go. I also never hear people who say "there are too many teams in Melbourne" suggest what the perfect number is. Presumably not eight. Is it six? Four?

Pity. We were starting to really look OK in those final few games and probably would have found it liberating playing finals from eighth. I like how we changed game plan mid-season and played more to our strengths. I don't mind how the list looks and think we've definitely uncovered a few this year. Interesting to see if Harris can overcome injury and work as a defender next season; we're suddenly blessed with an overabundance of tall forwards: Gall, Campbell, Zanker and Bannan (encouragingly playing more robust footy this season). Also interesting to see what we go for in the draft. An out-and-out midfielder would be lovely.

I've always found it fascinating - and to be honest grotesque - that the potential death of a 100 or 150 year old club, loved by tens of thousands of people, appears to evoke ecstasy in some people. They couch the prognostications in earnest language, assuring us of the infallibility of their economic orthodoxy, but you can see the tent in their pants from space.

Imagine how fun it would be if you had any outside inclination at all and Liv Purcell was on your team. Call her name and the handball hits you half a second later. The anti-Ed Langdon.

My ultra-amateurish take is that sideways movement is a big problem for Sparrow. With the ball he seems to get caught a lot. Without it, he seems to let opponents get around him too easily. I have hope if he can improve this.