DeeSpencer

There's no evidence required, it's clear as day. Cal Twomey had 1 correct match in the draft after the 2 top picks in his phantom. He had no idea who was going where. But he seemed very strong on Holmes to the Dees and it was consistent across the other phantoms. Even Paul Amy had it. The word was out. Then Geelong trade in right ahead of our pick and grab him. Don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work that one out. The top 20 was pretty much all players who dominate in SA/WA or had produced great bottom age years in 2019 (or 2018 under 16's for Bruhn). Outside of Angwin who the Giants saw as a need and had the Duursma tick of approval it was a night for proven performers at the top of the draft. Clubs wouldn't have been lining up to grab a guy with 1 nab league game and a good trial game early, they would've tried to sneak him in as late as possible. I don't know why I'm getting criticised for suggesting this basket case of a football club that hasn't won a premiership in a million years might not be great at their jobs?

179cm for Laurie isn't small, the game is just fascinated by big mids when most of what they do isn't impacted by aerial contests. Matt Rowell, Lachie Neale, Dion Prestia, Luke Shuey types keep dominating games at that size. Add in Viney. I'd like him to be quicker, but he has elite agility and an above average tank, assuming he can get stronger and leaner he should have very good burst speed. If he can win or be trained to win contested ball with that agility he'll make a very good midfielder and that's the kind of mid we lack. The big question mark is we just didn't get to see him have his top age season and progress in to the midfield and show he can do it. I assume the recruiters have seen enough of his school games and NAB league games to be comfortable with his ball winning. Bowey is a good athletic package too, speed, agility, endurance, jumping (power) all very solid. From what I've seen he doesn't look a natural at pressuring like Kossie and seems more keen to play like a winger, but maybe that's ok too? How often is Ed Langdon disadvantaged by height? If Bowey can do everything Langdon does and can kick that's a good player. I'm getting more convinced the best use of him in time will be half back in a Caleb Daniel/John Noble/Lewis Jetta style role which means he has to be as good as he possibly can be to make it at his height, but JT seems sure he plays above his height, so we'll have to trust that. Those 2 definitely have talent, it's just whether they can develop and if we are prepared to play a more open running style that doesn't rely on size and contested footy. There's a lot to like about Rosman but he's an athlete turned footballer, the form just isn't there. He's a project for Choco.

Nope I stand by it. We leaked last year with Jackson and Pickett. We leaked again this year. Whether it's deliberate by any individual or whether we are overplaying our hands by being too keen we make it clear for the world to see we wanted this kid. Stop kidding yourself that we didn't. Geelong are good. They'll finish at the top of the ladder. Almost worst case scenario is they play finals given their home ground advantage. Whether they hand over pick 10 or pick 18 next year they won't be too worried. Melbourne are every chance to finish in the bottom 6, hopefully we don't, but it's a possibility. That makes our future first far more of a risk and much more valuable. The Cats also knew exactly who they were getting. We went the early trade and were left with a fairly uninspiring collection of talent.

It was a series of bad decisions starting with the Northern state club academies - especially with the Giants getting the Riverina and Heeney on cents on the dollar, to the NGA, to allowing bids to be matched with a combination of late picks with stuff all value pushed together. I think everyone agrees the AFL needed to do more to develop kids in NSW/QLD, and to keep the pathway of Indigenous players improving and to make sure new immigrants got involved in the game the same way as other Aussies have, but it really was the worst solution.

Thought I'd watch a half and make some notes 39:20 JB - clever tackle to cause turnover that leads to shot on goal (will need to work on strength/technique) 40:30 BL - beautiful step and hands to get out of trouble, then follow up and creative handball (but a little soft) to spring Macrae 42: 10 JB - hunts forward to tackle, play bounces around and back towards him and he doesn't overcommit, snaffles a turnover, wears a tackle and dishes to the runner who misses 42:40 BL - ball goes out of bounds, Laurie attempts a crafty flick over -sign that he's thinking 42: 44 BL - sneaks ahead of his man for an intercept, but fumbles and can't win back the ground ball 46:55 JB - doesn't overly attack the drop of the ball - which seems consistent - but is quick to tackle and force a contest 47:10 JB - misses an incoming kick, possibly confused with a team mate? follows up but quickly tackled 47:25 BL - attempts and fails to push his man under the ball 49:25 BL - ignored by multiple team mates, misses a tackle after the turnover 51: 22 JB - first man to support at a contest on the wing, gets the handball and nicely releases to a team mate in space 53: 05 BL - clever gather and quick hands 54: 05 BL - staying up at a stoppage swoops on to a loose ball but Noah Anderson is already on it! 56: 05 BL - breaks nicely in to space but his team mate doesn't use him 56: 20 BL - protects the drop of the ball nicely but drops a mark ?pushed/ ?sun in his eyes? 56: 55 BL - gets beaten to it by his man at the stoppage (Butler, bulldogs draft pick '19) 57: 02 JB - zooms from the stoppage to half forward but then only forces a fumble, could've won the ball or tapped it on, Laurie comes in to tackle after it bounces around ---------------------- QUARTER TIME 1:07:10 JB - gathers at the stoppage, evades and releases a nice handball under pressure 1:07:50 JB - pushes up to the wing (is playing high HF), marks, steps a tackler to get corridor side, Matty Rowell has snuffed out his plan though and drops back, so he goes outside of the boot and shanks it. 50/50 if he should've taken the easy boundary option first time. After the throw in he zips on to a loose ball and gives the simple hands Bit of chasing and around the ball but nothing significant for both for a while here 1:15:35 BL - pushes up for the backline switch, fluffs the corridor kick but follows back up and gets it back to his man. More scrappy player and JB almost gets a chance, puts on some pressure and tackling 1:20: 20 BL - wins a contest with a nice bump off, steps and gives the little handball under pressure slightly behind JUH who fumbles, BL gets back on it, steps, releases a perfect handball on his left to a mate who should've scored 1:21:28 JB - snags a handball, quick hands, gets it back, quicker longer hands. 1:27:00 JB - uncontested mark, takes his time and goes long with good accuracy to the contest. Gets beat pretty easily by Anderson on the clearing kick out ---------------- HALF TIME Laurie: the step and composure in tight seems legit, he knows how to evade and where his team mates are. Unfortunately not enough of it because he's starting on the bench and deep forward and doesn't get a lot of chances. He's very quick to take off forward, he might have to be a bit less rolling of the dice at AFL level Bowey - sharp hands and knows where to run to receive the ball in space. Not overly convinced he's a forward though, he plays like he wants to be on the wing. Doesn't really hunt the drop of the ball or his tackles, more of a swooper. A few times he annoyed me with the habit of walking after the contest was over, bit of a pet peeve. 0 from 1 on difficult kicks after looking in board but I sense he's willing and able to pull the trigger.

The NGA is being heavily wound back over the next 2 years. Next year top 20 picks will be excluded. The year after top 40 picks will be excluded. Whether that's too little too late to stop the damage done I'm not sure but at least they are on the path to correct it. If they get serious about free agency and axe compensation picks - or at least early ones - they could get back to a draft where the first two rounds go 18 picks a piece more often than not.

I'm inclined to agree, but I think Tom also deserves a fresh look wherever he plays. He's now cooked as a forward as much as he was down back, so he has to get more mobile and take a fresh approach wherever he plays. He has an aerial game that Tomlinson just doesn't have and that Hore will always struggle with due to lack of size. And he might be more accepting that he'd be just a role playing defender rather than back years ago where he was kind of the main guy back there. I can't have him in best 22's right now though. His most likely spot down back could be if May went down and we needed someone to take the big forward in a stopping role.

There's no doubt we needed half forward talent upgrades but these young guys are going to have about as much success as the Hannan and ANB's of the world if we don't fix the midfield. Our midfielders largely escape scrutiny if they rack up 25 touches but they're the ones butchering the ball. Laurie and Bowey need to get up in to the midfield too because they should help the skill level there. We missed a chance to turnover the backline group a bit as well. Every year there's decent mature age defenders late in the draft. We didn't need top picks or big name trades, just a couple of handy young state league guys to improve the depth.

Rowell, Anderson, (Dyl Williams inj) Bryan, Bianco Ugle-Hagan, Phillips, Stone, Macrae, Laurie, McInnes That has to go down as one of the best junior teams of all time.

My guess is Freo said we've got 2 academy kids we're keen to draft already and like every club a pretty full list, come back next year when you're bigger than 169cm and 65kg. I think they'd still get the discount on him next year so they haven't lost out. 10 goals in 7 WAFL Colts games indicates he's got some level of talent. But unlikely to be at the level where Melbourne or any other club show significant interest in him in this draft. Certainly would make a lot of sense if we now get him to train with the club and have a look at him over summer.

Backline: FB: Hibberd May Nietschke HB: Salem Lever Rivers Int: Hore There's no good solutions for the last 3 defenders. Hibbo was mostly decent last year when he kept it simple. Hore's undersized but at least should provide an honest contest and does most things well enough. Smith, Tomlinson and Lockhart are around the mark but unconvincing. Petty's an option but I think we'll prefer a nimble backline. Nietschke - coming off two knees, not particularly athletic or skilled, but both preseasons when the match play as started he keeps finding the ball, one to watch. Midfield: C: Jackson Petracca Langdon Foll: Gawn Oliver Viney Int: Harmes, Laurie It's time to shake things up a bit here. Harmes back in to help the defensive side. Laurie in as we need a class ball user to get the handballs off the crash and bash types. Jackson to a wing, give him room to roam and develop when not giving Max a chop out. Forward: HF: Hunt Petty Spargo FF: Fritsch Brown Pickett Int: Bowey Speed, skill, pressure. Both Hunt and Bowey can rotate up to a wing, Fritsch as well. Laurie particularly flips the other way to go forward to not over tax him. And Petracca chops in as the 3rd tall, or Jacko when height is really needed. I've consistently said I don't like the Weid and Brown combination and prefer Petty as someone who'll find more of the ball and gives more at ground level. Hunt's really a wildcard, will mostly be quiet but chips in with goals and has a bit of height around the 3 smalls.

2 rookie spots. There were very few live picks in the rookie draft, I'm sure pretty much everyone on our potential list is available so we've got to get a few out to Casey to have a look at. We should keep at least one spot for the mid season draft when every NAB league kid who didn't play this year gets a chance to show they should've been drafted.

Surely we have to fill one spot over summer and get a preseason in to someone. Not using both spots waiting until mid year would be a gamble. So either we've got a delisted player lined up ready to go or we're going to have a little try out group. Personally I'd love to get a few young tall defenders in for the summer and see if we can find a good one.

We could do with a zippy kicker down back, especially if we ever want to move Salem or Rivers. We could definitely do with skilled users on the wing. We need multiple options across half forward to get Kossie closer to goal where he can hit the scoreboard. And above all else we are crying out for a handball receive player on ball to make use of our bigger guys getting first hands on the ball. The two new guys probably have a bit more versatility than Spargo. Laurie has a bit of extra size and a thick frame, Bowey has a little more athleticism. They can fit in other roles if the coaches aren't afraid to go smaller.

I'm not so convinced. Their draft haul for this year and next is now limited to Daicos, what they got last night and then very late picks. I really like Macrae and Henry/McInnes are interesting, but they haven't landed any true key position players (a stated aim of the trades) nor have they replaced Stephenson with inside 50 pace and crumbing. They've restocked their midfield and flanker depth but they were already very strong in that area.

Connors Sports held a draft party, would've had jumpers and/or polos ready for every club. The man is a pro.

Essendon trading for Oliver would make sense.

True for a lot of players but mostly because they kick well enough and just make marginal improvements. Get someone who's technique is shoddy and you can break them down and start completely from fresh if you've got someone who can teach it and a player willing to work at it. We hired Choco for this exact reason.

Mostly at school boy level. No body contact and his opponents barely get off the ground. If he was a reliable mark he'd have gone a lot earlier. Looks to suit that wing style running in as the spare man to mark more than a back or forward competing to mark. A reload at the Tomlinson role with more speed and hopefully agility. Up to Choco to work on the skills and game sense.

Vic Metro Draft Combine: Running Vertical Leap – 71cm Speed (20m) – 3.06 seconds Endurance (2km) – 6:24 I love the skills and baulks. He's just not super quick and doesn't seem to have an explosive overhead game. So he'll be best used as a midfielder/high half forward than a crumbing speedy small. The quicker we get him on ball to get a different mix and some skill the better. He's more Shane Edwards/Higgins than Rioli/Bolton IMO. Should list him as a midfielder and develop him as such. The gamble is he didn't get to play midfield for the Chargers due to how strong they were last year and missing this year.

He played 1 practice game this year. One of our directors used to coach him. There wasn't any need to repeatedly interview him or let anyone know we were interested. It wasn't like it was just Holmes we were linked to either. Laurie and Bowey were both heavily linked to us. Jason Taylor even does a Melbourne media hit the night before the draft stating his desire for outside run and skills. Waterboarding might get it through your thick head. Melbourne = dumb club = lose a lot of games. Smart club = no leaks, run misdirection, sneaky, get their picks = win games. I'll be happy when we stop doing stupid things.

No speed. If you don't have speed clubs don't want you. Richmond have shown why. Of course we can only manage to find half quick little fellas but at least it's a step in the right direction.

They moved up right ahead of our pick!!!!! They knew exactly what pick they needed to get him. A week ago Geelong traded for pick 27. Why do you think they moved up again? Because the whole world knew what we were doing!

Unlike Melbourne to continue to not think at all. The draft is so vital. You have to guard your order like state secrets especially with a high upside bolter who fits a huge need. Once again we’ve made it so easy for the opposition.

That just narrows it down to the recruiting team.