The more mids the better but the talls will have to be taken early, will be interesting to see the approach at pick 6 if that is the Rioli compensation. You could probably squeeze in 2 blue ribbon mids and then use the Bolton compo on the best forward prospects. That would be my initial thinking.
We will never take a ruck in the draft. We don't respect the position whatsoever.
True, I've always scratched my head on this count, any surplus can be ontraded at a premium, no need for Naismith types.
The hip injury didn’t seem to hamper his combine results ? A good junior CV is great but how the player translates to AFL is the most critical judgement.
He doesn't have a hip injury. He had a corkie on the outside of his thigh. He had it strapped up with padding after a week off. He's fine.
This is very similar to the Walsh draft, as an initial building block I think you pick a future leader with exposed form against senior bodies. O'Sullivan also had a good VFL outing but Smith has had a nearly flawless build-up. The numbers cannot be ignored, contested game elite, he gets into the right places at the right time, very good reader of the play. He's on the shortish side but taller than Serong and that's a decent yardstick.
Just on the talls / key forwards. There's Armstrong n the Viking rated around the top 10 or so picks, neither of them the genuinely big key forward size nowadays, around the 193 to 195 cm mark. Then there's a few blokes around the 200 cm mark that rate around the early 20's of the draft.
We have to take Armstrong, I'd rather 195cm than a 200cm key forward. This is the point whereby we need an ironclad plan, whether that involves pick 6 which is a tad bit early looking at the mids on offer. If Bolton yields 2 picks in the 10-15 range then we trade up and trade down with the second pick - something like pick 9 & 20 for pick 11 & 13.
Great to have you back bullus_hit. I don’t always agree with you opinions but god dammit do I respect them.
My boy Dim !! Want him any pick after 20 if we have them.
I like Smith, he has had a wonderful year, couldn’t ask for more. He is one of the most natural extractors I have seen at junior level and would be an asset with the right players around him. My only concern is the rest of his game appears to be fairly average and he doesn’t seem to have any outstanding athletic traits. Is he too one dimensional for a pick one ?? Anyway, all will be revealed in a few weeks time.
This is why we can afford to trade up for Armstrong, there's a few candidates in the 20-30 range, Shanahan & Whitlock others who could come under consideration. But I think it will have to be 2 mids with the first couple & two forwards with the Bolton compo.
His tank must be ok, he's already hit the 40 possession mark, he's also very organised so I'm not overly concerned about his ability to distribute. Unfortunately this draft doesn't have an absolute glamour pick without rolling the dice on upside. Taking O'Sullivan might turn out ok but I don't see midfield numbers that screams bluechip selection. This is one pick you can't afford to waste, even if that means missing out on the best player. I also think the game is swinging back to the shortish midfielders, Rowell, Butters, Serong, Daicos etc. I think this draft is very even but we'll be sizing up x-factor at pick 6 with any luck.
