manny100

Interestingly GWS recently stated they go best available except when they already have a surplus of that type. They have lost young players who cannot get get a regular game through a strict best available rule. When they are well stocked with the best available at their pick they now consider needs.

Chance to pick him up at 17 for sure.

I am tipping we pick a tall we rate that slips to our pick. Laurie barely played due to injury and COVID. He becomes in effect another 1st round pick in the Bank we available have this year. He is that small forward/mid type. We also need a ruck to develop over the next few seasons. Conway would be an option if JT and team are happy with his mobility and pace for a big man. That could mean using our 2nd and 3rd picks to trade up a little or he slips. He is the highest rated ruck in the draft but expected to take time to develop. When you come off a Premiership you probably look for any holes in the list that will be hard to fill with long term injury, loss of form or pending retirement in coming year(s). You then identify these players and try to trade up to where you think they will be picked. Probably why we have traded for pick 17. Likely have a couple of targets. I suspect we will be active in moving our picks higher. Last year we obviously focused on players with footy smarts and elite ball use skills.

I think we will likely go for one the rated talls KPP's if we see some slippage at 17. Would not be surprised to see us package up our 30's and 40's pick to move higher if there is slippage for a player we want. Given the number of available list spots i would not be surprised to see another delisted player picked up for depth.

Woey is a cert to the Dees.

AFL draft 2021: Melbourne father-son prospect Taj Woewodin impresses at combine as ‘nervous’ dad stays away AFL hopeful Taj Woewodin says his name 'doesn't mean much', and wants to forge his own legacy A couple of stories. The WA talent Manager basically says Taj is a certainty to be drafted by the Dees.

Thanks, fastest over 20 meters at the WA testing. I read he clocked 2.89 and 2.9 seconds. Yet the draft pundits describe him as not quick? Probably because he plays mainly inside contested. Its a string to his bow the Development team can fine tune.

Jack is a hard at it gun. Supremely suited to finals footy.

Agree, the F/S at the pointy end of the draft always add a bit of interest as clubs want to trade back. No doubt clubs will be sniffing around some of our players at the end of next season.

Best available at 17. However we seem to be ok for small and tall forwards. With Dunstan coming in and the likely pick up of F/S (Woey) and Academy player mids seem to be ok. A back up ruck is a need. Could be one available at our next pick. Fortunately unlike other clubs we did not have to trade for a ready made. Could use 17 or our next pick. A back up developing KPB is also a need. Always 'left field' draft possibilities. Can't wait till draft night!!!

Have to laugh. Everyone blaming GWS for holding up the trade. No one on radio etc asking why don't the hard to deals with Dons improve their offer.

If the Cats get pick 22 for Clark they can consider themselves very, very lucky. They are a team in desperate need of youth and he cannot get a regular game. Puts him in the 'fringe' category. If he stays and has a similar season and out of contract what is he worth then?? Probably a 3rd rounder at best?

Good point. If Mac is still there at 17 might well take a punt on a bid after 20 that can be matched. Or if expected F/Sons are taken early then we slip back a couple anyway - close to 20..

I agree, Twomey has been uncannily accurate for years. His job entails talking to footy people almost 24/7. He has his contacts at each club. He will firm up his top 10 not long before the draft. History says players like Mac slip but after seeing the Gawn/Jackson combo clubs may rate the super athletic talls as new flavour of the month. I think we will go best available as rated by JT and his team at 17. Whether its Mac? We would know more about him than other clubs.

Its probably not wise to judge on one game. WA Talent Manager Adam Jones in an Age article today described Woewodin as a " great free hit" for the Dees. " He's not the quickest player, buy he's clean, skilful on both sides and can play multiple roles." Woey is well regarded in Talent circles. He has improved materially this year and often late developers are looked upon favourably. Another player he says has improved well is Jason Cripps who came back this season from an ACL and played well despite no pre season and shin splints in his return from the ACL. As a 199cm ruckman he has a fantastic skill set and can play ruck/forward.

............and there is a huge difference and premium for a mobile ruck who can be a mid type when the ball hits the ground and a tall forward when required...... - as opposed to those who are primarily just a ruckman in the traditional sense. That is why the media pundits have Mac rated to 5 or 10. Whether AFL recruiters take him early?

We may not be interested in Mac 1st round. Media ratings are usually way different to actual AFL recruiter ratings. But it also may be that the recruiting team see huge potential and that at the 'maybe' start of a Dynasty we can afford to wait to reap the benefits. Gawn took 5 years. Hawkins around 4/5 years - they were in effect project players. So sometimes you just have to wait. Its easier to play in a top side with great development and a great system. JT and his team would have a ranking and hope that who they want is available. The risk picking a tall in the 1st round is certainly higher than picking a small or medium ball winning type - so its odds on that Mac and maybe a KPP or 2 will slip. Its wait and see. At the start of a Dynasty you can afford to wait if there is potential huge future gains as the list ages. It may well be a left field strategy they employ to prolong success. Lets hope Kalani White comes on in leaps and bounds.

Interestingly ESPN had Laurie going at pick 24 and Bowey at 36 (although had him going to Ds at that pick). Shows there are fair differences between the real AFL recruiters and the media judges. That is why i would not be surprised to see Mac slip. JT and team were right last year and Bowey slipped due to size perceptions. Maybe same will happen with Mac due to his slight frame? Just prior to the draft day (usually the day before) Callum Twomey usually gets top 10 fairly right due to his contacts loose lips.

I would suggest he will stay until at least he becomes an RFA. Success and a winning culture is hard to leave.

Highly rated rucks have slipped to late 1st round. Eg, Grundy and English. Quite possible Mac Andrew will slip given his projected long runway expected development timeframe. According to Champion Data those players selected early that are most likely to make it are players who can win their own ball hence playing the probabilities inside mids are more popular early. Goes to show how good Jackson must have been as a junior to be taken at 3. Will be interesting to see what happens on draft night. We may well have our sights set on a player/s other than Mac. If we miss the player/s we want its possible we may trade pick 17 back in the draft or although unlikely back into next years.

At the very least Luke is a sensible pick up. Costs us nothing in the way of draft picks and we had 6 available spots. He has proven that he can win the ball as an inside player. We had a lucky run with injuries and now we have a ready made replacement should we cop a few. Sensible pick up Dees.

Grundy and English slipped slipped to late teens. Maybe rucks are more in demand now than before?? Mac as a long term development prospect may well slip. I would think that JT would have options up his sleeve. I would not rule out a draft night move up a little in the order although not sure what with.

Probably been posted earlier but stats for Dunstan this year: 12 Matches Played. 184CM, 85KG DISPOSALS 25.3 ABOVE AVG KICKS 14.1 ELITE HANDBALL 11.2 ABOVE AVG MARKS 4.3 ABOVE AVG TACKLES 4.9 ABOVE AVG TOTAL CLEARANCES 5.8 Elite

No way we miss finals next year. Don't rule out further trades to move up on draft night. Chandler in talks with Crows?? May get a late pick or late future?

If we are going to challenge again next year pressure needs to be on those making the 22 every week. Dunstan will help keep our mids on their toes as well as provide cover for injuries and form drops. Provides experience and is a good age for the list.. Who knows he may just get a chance to play finals. Good pick up.