Tolstoys Nudge

Thanks Dazzle — Where was that? SEN or AFL? Seems to be the consensus atm.. but I can’t see Crows not taking Draper tbh but it’d def hurt if they sneak Langford from us considering Tauru might be there at 9. I am for whatever reason convinced if we don’t get one of those top 6 mids it’s a massive bummer — maybe Smilie slides given that Q around sending up vs bigger bodies.. I’d be happy with him and Tauru but not Tauru and Allan — but I trust the team so I’ll take whatever comes albeit with a bit of ‘bugger’ short term hahaha I’ve fallen for Langford event since I heard Smith was 10% chance at best if slipping through.

JT loves Armstrong but I think the best available strategy meant he is no longer in frame — He was a bolter so ppl inside lie Cal knew we interviewed him but I Ike jest available strategy and Langford is a genuine mid-fwd with great hands and then there is the Viking, Alan, Travaglia whom all have size so I’m not glad we’re going to back ourselves for best available unlike prev years and think it’ll mean we get one star maybe even 2 when you consider JT boards from prev years were always seen to be spot-on but we’ve gone needs based and it’s hurt a little bit so let’s see. Schwarz? Boy Let’s hope he was best player I’ve seen EVER - pre knee - he does have size and as a mid-fwd can be an immediate weapon for sure. More I look into him more he feels like our guy now that Smith is likely gone & fact our team love him boosts him up plenty in my eyes as I think we have the best in the business. Was talking to Nick Austin recently at a local footy game and he believes JT is the man RN as far as inner circles go that many look up too and rate as best track record so it’s not a lone wolf opinion.

Seems like they basically have a continual ‘best available’ board that is constantly a WIP list and then each player has a myriad of notes and ratings almost like a video game whereby each skill and intangible is rated based on actual & potential with the club having some small variation. Think no matter what we’re getting two fins and a great JT value pick later

Loads of ducks and drapes so it hardly a big call when many say Langford won’t go past 5-6 lol But RN he’s the one in frame and Tauru more in frame for 9 for mine. Dattoli also outside chance as a bolter apparently alongside Allan whom we know is in frame. Warming to Langford now I’ve watched more film but as I have for 12m — Smilie is highest ceiling in draft, Armstrong also a huge ceiling but Jeffo Nick pre-season has our interest cooked on him despite JT infatuation. Langford’s not Smilie or Smith but he is def a bull who’ll add great depth. Depending what occurs picks 1-5 still think we’re a very small chance of making a surprise at 9 - but be it Viking, Allan, Dattoli, Lindsay in JT I trust.. For record, anyone thinking ANY amateur can do a better job than recruiting teams is an absolute [censored]-taker — Amatuers do work based on info out in media and small batches of footage, JT for instance spends hundreds of hours watching and interviewing the planter or coaches/family/friends of each player in their radar all in name of getting a 1% advantage of any other club!!!

Great points. Jeffo is a hit for mine — jury still out of course but I expect him to deliver in spades, development been sound and the club are wrapped with how he is shaping up right now.

As suspected today JT said C:EARLY our strategy this year is solely BEST AVAILABLE player as opp to any positional needs or allowing one pick to influence the other which fills me with joy and hope this means were bound to get best 2 players possible!!! exciting stuff

Langford for me just doesn't bring much different but as a compliment to Windsor, fact he is a left-footer boosts him a little I guess so I am starting to warm to this.. Allan still spooks me as far as go home factor foes though

Lets hope not. I still hold out hope, has limitless skill and if he can get fit and do 90% of pre-season (which hasn’t commenced yet) I think he will be an asset, but yep you are correct, could be. Although chances of a 2nd round pick being a bust are much higher, statistically speaking anyway, so trying to focus on up side :)

Unsure that is fair... we dont know what situ is, he may not be right or was told to hold-off, lets just wait and see!

Sorry.. seeing the words low kick and Viney in same passage still hurts far far too much!

Yep keys hope it somehow s still eventuates — I’d love to have Murphy over Bo 💯

Seems to be the way but either way Smith is gone most likely and Langford for me isn’t the one — love to be wrong though

Both good points.. coming round to Tuaru now.. a little albeit shattered re Smith he’s a bloody ripper and still maintain Smilie has highest ceiling in draft (Smith prob the lowest floor also)

Definitely a title shattered hearing latest that Smith is gone and Smilie now seemingly also gone by 2nd pick.. If we do Tauru/Allan I’m sure they’d be great but I’d be shattered to miss a generational mid like Smith/Smilie or even FOS. Let’s hope north slide down and FOS gets to blues meaning we still have a shot at Jagga, but whilst I love Tauru he’s not a longer term prospect for sure and less certain than others. Allan I’ve not looked into as he screams go home factor to me and always has — but I trust JT implicitly so let’s see.. Maybe we can somehow steal Smilie at 11-12 who knows — and it’d be cool to have the Flying Viking I guess.. Maybe we shock all and upgrade to 2 ourselves for Jagga 😂😂😂😂😂 and get say pk16 back and can take Horton, Lindsey, Armstrong (def reaching here lol)

It’s pretty simple no smart-[censored]-ery intended — just means next player they have on their list still on board, irrespective of needs..kind of like doing a Top 50 players and list and there being no parameters other than whom you think is the best player each pick w/o contextualising it whatsoever.

They somehow managed to make the mundane look supine

They’ll take best player with top 2 picks — it’s not about fwd depth necessarily it’s that they Think Armstrong is that good and many agree — unique kick, crazy good crash and bash at packs.. it’ll depend who’s left it’s that simple!

Nope exactly — it was industry wide. Key fwds esp are difficult to get right but I still think in hindsight he was less of a risk but what they can’t measure is self belief and Weid els way his career transpired, just could never get out of his own head, but behaviourally exhibited better work ethic, had better hands.. as shown in that 2018 finals series — however having the pressure of Jesse leaving and being ‘the guy’ was something he admitted he never was able to handle and the form he showed became something of a nightmare for him to try and live up to. Curnow was seen as a loose unit with huge behaviour issues that at time were seen as a no-fly zone when combined with his previous injury problems! Despite the obvious talent! Anyone who looks back with hindsight and sues it to knock JT has no idea and no concept of recruitment and the plethora of what-ifs that carry weight — it’s more about the players he has plucked that NO ONE else rated as highly and the sheer amt of picks he has gotten right! Inc ones he wanted but got usurped on ie Holmes, Georgiadis etc

Smith & Smilie

Armstrong disheartening? Crikey.. seen the kid play have you? Give me strength

Were not taking Allan — just aren’t

Numerous — and Nope it doesn’t - just has Langford slightly ahead but I can’t see that and maybe am Hoping it’s still Smith but does seem to be much more a guessing game than usual which makes sense given tightness of draft. Still think Crows take Draper and Blues FOS Langford massively lees exciting for me than Jagga not even close in my book I’d prefer Smilie to Langford by a street too

Seems latest mail is still Smith & Armstrong — only curveball might be (other clubs changing thoughts obv) Roos trading #2 back and splitting pick or Saints taking Armstrong with a late rethink.. if this hold I’ll be happier than David Foster Wallace reading reviews of Infinite Jest!!! Has the feel of a sliding doors moment for sure — Windsor, Kolt, Judd, JVR, Riv, Kos plus Smith and Armstrong with Jeffo to potentially debut I’d say our next gen is well and truly top-tier.

It’s merely an extra set of ideas peeps.. that’s it.. mentor is media word not clubs

It’s not leaks it’s just basic PR and getting our in front of it before the full thing drops it’s just how this stuff is done to exert some small form of control of narrative but after hearing [censored] Korn and Dumby Edmund this morning it’s just gonna be more doom gloom and nose rubbing by footy media until R1 so I hope to avoid much of it