mauriesy

If the players listed were in the pool for the 2010 draft, I'd struggle to see how Gawn would go at #3, given that he was #34 last year, is still overcoming injury and hasn't yet played an AFL game. Others (e.g. Watts, Trengove, Scully, Grimes etc.) would have to go higher, surely?

Scully Frawley Trengove Jurrah Watts Garland Grimes Petterd Morton McKenzie Gysberts Wonaeamirri Tapscott Bail Bennell Blease Gawn Spencer Jetta Strauss Maric Fitzpatrick McNamara Still difficult to separate actual achievement from potential. You could raffle the last nine spots.

No. Rhino's play on sarcatic (sarcastic) was in response to the OP's use of platic (plastic).

That's the key. Collngwood's Elite, A and B+ Grade players have 100-200 games under their belt e.g. Didak 182, Swan 151, Pendlebury 102, Thomas 111, Jolly 192, Cloke 124, Shaw 115, Johnson 208, Ball 166, Maxwell 140. Our potential equivalents are for the most part sub-100.

Collingwood's drafting is a story of two 'half decades'. In the first half decade (2000-2004), their first two picks in any ND draft were quite mediocre. The only exception was Alan Didak. None of the rest are still at the club. 2000: Didak (3), Jason Cloke (19) 2001: Richard Cole (11), Tom Davidson (27) 2002: Bo Nixon (21), Luke Shackleton (29) 2003: Billy Morrison (17), Brayden Shaw (32, FS) 2004: Chris Egan (10), Sean Rusling (23) Where they did score was five premiership players from late picks: Travis Cloke (39, FS); Heath Shaw (48, FS); Dane Swan (58), Nick Maxwell (rookie) and Harry O'Brien (rookie). Sixteen of their 2010 premiership players came from picks and trades in the five years from 2005-2009, including: 2006: Reid (#8), N. Brown (#10), Dawes (#37), Dick (#44), Goldsack (#63), Wellingham (rookie), Macaffer (rookie) ... six premiership players on one draft (not Dick). 2008: Sidebottom (#11), Beams (#29), L. Brown (#73), Blair (rookie) Along with last year's selection of Ball and Jolly, that's some pretty clever drafting in the last five years and a great recovery from earlier in the decade.

Has anyone had a look at our own drafting in the first few years of the decade?

All huff and puff. Cloke signs new two-year deal with Magpies

Given the number of picks in this year's draft, forced on the other clubs by all the GC picks and concessions, I'm not sure there'll be a lot of good kids left after the ND. So maybe it's not a good year to add a lot of rookies. I actually think the best player to re-rookie is Healey, but he's probably run out of years?

Bit of a glorification. It's no different to buying a house at auction ... set your price, stick to it, don't pay over the market value, leave the bidding when your upper limit is reached, then look elsewhere. I'm sure TH didn't have to read all of this thread to come to the conclusion Hale was only worth so much.

Big guns? Pick #26?

So one comment from that hack Hutchinson puts everyone here into 17 pages of lather? And we all cast aspersions on the competence of the FD?

Australian Rules football had only two substitutes for over a hundred years.

Besides, each of them now has 18+ games built in. Why would you swap that?

Scully did get two years as a new draftee ... contracted until the end of 2011.

Didn't know we had to pay his kids.

I don't agree. Their game is the epitome of modern football ... ultra intense pressure to lock the ball in forward, run, carry and spread from the backline to break down the opposition's defence.

Alternatively, he might put on a growth spurt and end up 192 191.

Half time in the 2010 Grand Final. Scores are level!

I did too. That's why I laughed. Given it might give Brisbane an escape from Fevola's contract, it might actually have more meaning than the correct usage of the term.

Ha. B)

Really? I thought he was the neanderthal's neanderthal.

I'm thinking Hawthorn's midfield is slow enough already.

Do you think poaching is the right word?

Anywhere forward of the centre square.

In two years or so, Scully will be the AFL's elite runner. He's already one of the best. Very few will be able to keep up with him. I can't understand anyone saying they have zero doubts about Trengove and Frawley becoming elite and then not including Scully on that list.