DeeSpencer

I'll happily change my mind if you can find me sustained examples of any of those 3.

Daicos has speed and a truly special kicking boot. Zak Butters has speed, creativity and flies in at the contest with no regard for his safety but also with the ability to use his hips to win the ball. He's a dynamic inside and outside player. I watched half that video. Yeah, he runs contest to contest exceptionally well and exposes the other juniors lack of two way running. He's generally a clean ball handler. I won't deny that. I will argue I'm not seeing any breaking the lines with pace. 0:17 - retreats backwards, gives the nothing handball that Ashcroft does wonders with to draw opponents 0:20 - nice corridor kick 0:42 - retreats backwards, caught htb 1:00 - nice enough snap 1:20 - nothing handball 1:28 - backwards handball 1:36 - hacked clearance kick, Kako makes it look good 1: 47 - hacked clearance kick, turnover 2: 37 - calls for it under pressure, quickly makes it someone elses problem 2:45 quality gather and spin 2:54 nice long corridor switch 3:00 a clearance that goes forward!!! But he doesn't trust his pace to beat the chaser once Ashcroft gets it back to him, kick flubs wide to the other team 3:20 weak tackle 3:35 gets the ball forward in space, with team mates wide open everywhere he handballs to a guy right next to him 3.5 things caught my eye where as there was a whole lot that didn't achieve much. The draft media is Twomey and a few other guys here and there, there's no real rankings that hold any weight with me until about now when you start to get a guide on what clubs really think. 'general view, not as talented or damaging' He's a quality junior footballer and if he works his backside off at stoppage craft he could be like a Lachie Neale who just gets better and better. The best players aren't always the most skilled or have the best traits. But right now I'm seeing a guy who's born early in the year and had the year off school to dedicate to footy and is very advanced in his in game running and clean hands but in terms of natural talent - pace, strength, overhead marking, explosive power, kicking distance, kicking penetration there's not much there.

Packers, Ravens, Panthers

In fairness to the coaches he’s rarely played afl midfield because they don’t trust his contest work. But is too slow to get pressure on as a forward. Agree he was drafted as a forward, that’s why I said ‘unless you count Laurie’

Sure, but Jason Taylor’s never drafted a small mid unless you count Laurie. Draper has a good solid frame and some strength but if he’s not rated as a good ball user he better be a great inside player, not sure he is. Jagga’s small, light frame, doesn’t break lines with pace, doesn’t have a dangerous kick. What’s his weapon? Nice balance, nice hands, runs hard but most AFL players do that. It’s less about weaknesses and more about lack of strengths. JT’s early picks have generally targeted guys with rare traits.

I’d be shocked if we took Jagga and surprised if we took Draper. Look at the quotes from the age article. On Smith: The general view is that he is, perhaps, not as talented or damaging as some in this range. On Draper: Draper’s kicking skills and decision-making are considered a tad below some of the best midfielders in this crop. I reckon the Kako mail might be real (of course it probably gets matched) but failing that we go hard for a tall or even someone like Travaglia

A good argument to send to GC is don’t deal pick 13 to a club that’s going to use it on Houston. If they deal it to Coll or Carlton they’ll get Houston and he probably moves their ladder position for their future first by a couple of spots. Meanwhile, we’ll use it on a kid who won’t impact our ladder finish! Wishful thinking? Maybe? But worth raising it

But good list management means you all but disregard a players draft spot the moment the draft is finish. It’s largely irrelevant. Forget draft position, he’s a young tall who’s shown promise at both ends. The better argument is Jeffo is 20 and Wade is 23. So not only has he had more time as a mature body ready to play games he’s also now at the stage where you’re almost harming his career if you don’t get games in to him. That said, he was the one who chose financial security signing on for 2 years at the end of last year knowing he was down the pecking order. He could’ve done a 1 year deal and be guaranteed to be on the way out. Can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Armstrong I probably agree. Shanahan I’m not sold on, very skilled and smart player but maybe not the best athlete. I think mobility is the vital trait for key forwards these day. Backs are just too good if you can’t get separation, you have to beat them with agility and be capable of marking with big leaps at the ball. Thomas Sims might be my favourite of the tall forwards, from what I’ve seen he really jumps and clunks the ball.

Too early I think. You’d hope Armstrong gets through and otherwise be picking from the second tier mids - Draper, a bid on Marshall, Lindsay.

Can’t be too focussed on needs with our current list, we aren’t just one piece away anymore. Gun key forward, mid or mid/forward would be ideal but May’s just about done and Lever might have to play more CHB if he can’t run with smalls. If they think Tauru is special I’d pull the trigger. He might be the best marking forward in the draft too.

I agree, but their pick 9 makes it interesting. If they have a much better player on their board available (which is possible) they’ll have to abandon Kako, if they don’t they are forced in to moving that pick up or out.

Remember when we were going to bid on Liam Henry in 2019 and ended up swapping 8 for 10 and 28 with Freo. Took Pickett anyway and got Rivers thrown in for free. If our draft order breaks a different way we could do 5 for 9, 31 and a future 2nd with Essendon, gets them in to the draft ahead of a bid on Kako and loads us up with picks to move our other picks up the order. We can chase 20 from Brisbane or 23 from the Suns (or both) without giving up a future first. Or deal the future first too and see if we can end the draft with a tall, a midfielder and a dangerous small similar to 2019.

It’s nearly impossible to track because the Suns on traded and used those picks for academy but as far as I can tell 27 was flipped to the Saints and became 33 and the Saints used it for Angus Hastie. Mannagh was the standout pick of the second round so far. 35 would’ve been something in the 40’s and Joel Freijah is the standout there, from Lawson Humphries as the penultimate pick in the draft and Closehy in the rookie draft. All together I think it’s fair in a draft that no one rated the late picks in to move up the draft. But it’s also worth questioning keeping Schache, bringing back Hore and generally not having enough list turnover or state league scouting. If this draft is meant to be deep and even maybe rather than use a future first for pick 12 we should use a future 2nd and 3rd and aim for multiple picks in the 30’s and 40’s. (With the proviso being if JT has identified elite talent in the back end of the first round he gets the green flag).

Some good intel there. Not surprised Lalor is bouncing right to the top, especially as Rayner starts to put it together. Those physical, powerful, skilled players are so rare. Same thing for Tauru. Will North pull the trigger? He’d be reminding Clarko of Sicily. With Pickett not likely to stay long term can we make a move on Kako? Worse case scenario I’d love to upset Essendon. Langford, FOS, Lalor, Tauru are still the 4 I want, gets a little murkier after that.

Adelaide refused to trade E Himmelberg to the Giants last year because they couldn’t secure a tall replacement. He was older with more exposed form as an ordinary player. Id have this as a genuine 50:50.

For a normal club you’d hold out for an early 3rd and call it a win. But GWS now have 3 extra picks from players leaving and perhaps Stone too, so that pick is a waste of time for them. Or, they find a ready made replacement. But the ready made key back replacement list is yuck. If they get a second out of us they probably do it for compassionate reasons. Maybe we can convince them for a 3rd I agree about the early second. There’s no way we should do that.

Picking their next young key defender is something they can probably do but it doesn’t help them win a flag in the next 2-4 years. Lamb overpaid for McAdam given he was out of contract and could’ve walked. Very different scenario for someone in contract.

Harry Petty had barely played before 2021 and was a vital part of the flag. Not saying Derk’s on that level but they probably lose Leek Aleer next year and then won’t have any key defensive depth after that. They might lose Derksen too but at least they’d have all year to try to convince him to stay. If I were GWS I’d need more compelling personal reasons than I’ve seen currently OR to find cheap tall defensive depth. Without either of those I’m keeping him.

They aren’t great but Ned McHenry and Will Hamill are both better than many delisted free agents. Midfield depth is surely the priority but our flanker depth isn’t too healthy either. A pair of fit, quick, hard running 24 year olds is worth considering.

Hogan had a desperate Freo chasing him, they pretended they weren’t but they coughed up the pick 6. Watts we were happy to take what we got. Oliver was completely un-tradeable last year. Probably we shouldn’t have even tried, but initial reports were clubs were after him sending his availability. Either way his behavioural issues were going to come to light. This year he seems to have 1 genuine trade suitor but they’re offering nothing. If we are mucking around and indecivise it’s a terrible look. If we are genuinely committed to trading him but have to downplay it to up the Cats offer then this is the unfortunate reality of the nature of afl trades.

And Mackin might be a better in game runner than both. And the midfield depth just isn’t up to it without Purcell. 9 out, 4 left last year. It’s less than half our flag side out there.

There’s 1 top up player who only started training with the club in recent weeks so there goes that argument. 1 late call up to the list who’s been retired for 3 years. 3 first year kids who are 19/20 and can’t be expected to have developed bodies by now. A 20 year old from Port who’s played 5 games across her first 2 years. Their ruck is 36, the back up ruck 21. Key forwards are 22 and 20. If you think they are on the same fitness level as the injured players: Purcell: best mid L Pearce: gun starting ruck B Mackin and McNamara: both starting wings Harris and Zanker: both first choice key forwards 2 more mature bodies: A Mackin, Beasley And Paxy: long described as the fittest player in aflw Then I just don’t know what to tell you.

They have a 1000 injuries you muppet

Pick it up meatball