2024 Draft Thread

[Leysy Days]

I hear you Leysy but do we just repeat North rebuild strategy and pick up mids and then rely on kicking to just one forward (larkey)?

Lynch will be gone after next season, imo we had to try to cover for his and Rieuwoldts departures

I see this draft as more like trying to strike a Carlton big man forward line.

Next year more mids at hopefully 1&2

We already took Lefau, Gray, Bauer, Fawcett in recent drafts.

Now two more. Add Lynch and there aint enough room to play them at AFL/VFL level.

We don't just need more mids, we moreso need run and class. Especially forward of the ball where we're also worst in the league.

Anyway, we've zigged and the rest have zagged. We'll look like geniuses if it ever returns to a talls forwards league (unlikely) or be anchored with a slow static team when everyone else is fast.

 

[Rfc4Ever]

No way. That's wild west drafting. A club opting for Kako before pick #9 would have been derelict in its duty. Who do you think would have chosen him?

I reckon the Saints

 

[toothless]

We'll find out the true value of Jack Whitlock overnight I would think, could be another high future pick around the corner.

how good would it be to death ride Norf & Essendrugs for the entire season?

 

[spook]

OK, Leysy's gunna play the grinch.

Like to think am reasonably centered and level headed when it comes to being positive/negative when comes to supporting our club. But can't help but come away feeling somewhat disappointed with tonight.

Am not going to go hard at the player taken as understand how much goes into it from the club vs what leysy sees from watching the odd game live and replays on Coates/AFL app - (though Faull at 12 Vs Viking at 8 seems way too small given the discrepancy in talent/ceiling).

But more so where our list is at Vs what we have got in tonight.

We've lost all our best run and spark footballers - Bakes, Shai, Daniel (and Dusty) The one's who overlap and create. They are the type that create scoring opportunities and therefore win you games of football in this era.

This adding to the worst midfield in the country. By a mile. So getting to our draft tonight:

- First two picks - midfield bulls with footskills and other qualities. No issue.
- Then a transition runner - fine. But in rehab coming off a knee with 5 other mates on the list doing the same?
- Then a tall, who whilst having a well-rounded game, leaves some elite running talent on the board.
- All other clubs go small. Not a tall taken between 11 and 18 which means remaining high quality running players/mids are all gone (bar Dattoli - who's pace in ? mark). Not sure we budgeted that.
- Take Trainor - Great talent but a key back, less of a need than rest of the list. Concussion risk.
- Take Armstrong - went at about where his mark is ( ridiculed earlier for suggesting so). But another 195cm forward to add to Faull, Gray, Lefau, Fawcett, Bauer etc.

Then trade out with North. Fantastic trade. Blair's wheelhouse and well played.

Overall snapshot - We've gone tall and slow when the league is moving short and fast. GWS - Run, Run, Run with there three picks. Sydney same. Apart from a knee reco recovery we have added nothing to replace what we've lost.

In fact, until the final pick we were the only team tonight to take anyone 195cm or more (3 times). Not one other club did. Not once.

This from a team that had the worst midfield/running team, which is about to get a hell of a lot worse. The contrast from 17-20 to now is staggering.

Yes we can start to address that chronic run in coming years. But we have a completely unbalanced list that is against where football is moving. We are in for some fearful beltings next year.

Buckle in.

Rant over!

Yeah but at least we didn't get Travaglia!

Not a huge Trainor fan but he's not a key back. He'll play a similar role to Travaglia except he's actually quick and can kick.

 

[Leysy Days]

Yeah but at least we didn't get Travaglia!

Not a huge Trainor fan but he's not a key back. He'll play a similar role to Travaglia except he's actually quick and can kick.

Travaglia not quick - lollll

He'd still be running when Trainor (and anyone else) has thrown in the towel.

 

[toothless]

Because you can't afford during a rebuild kids leaving half through it.
I'm rapt no SA, No Tassie, No WA.
All Vic kids

I wonder why.

 

[Dev Tiger]

I hope we take Moraes first up tomorrow night if we keep the pick. Sure he can kick it like a sack at times but he has that elite running capacity that Georgie used to give us.

 

[Coburgtiger]

Aside from the injury risk players, I'm coming round to the idea of going big and tall.

We've got a strategy and we're backing it in. Our aerial contests have been a significant weakness over a few years. Hopefully no longer. The other upside, is you can usually on trade a high draft pick tall after 3-4 years years for at least what you paid for them, which you can't with smalls. And we have some smaller midfielders who can complement bigger ones more constructively than they can function autonomously.

The biggest concern is the loss of Baker, Bolton and Rioli has not been addressed through the draft.

Unless.

Hotton recovers completely and fulfils the Bolton hole.

K. Smith has a breakout preseason and takes Rioli's place.

MRJ has his first lean, mean preseason and replaces Bakers mid/forward role.

Gibcus Vlastuin Broad
Brown Smith Blight
Prestia Smillie Banks
Armstrong Bauer Green
Lynch Lefau Mansell
Foll: MRJ Lalor Balta
Int: McAuliffe Taranto Ross Hotton

Yeah, we're gonna be slow and big.

Good news is, we don't need to play Nank. Balta can ruck and one of Smillie, Blight, Armstrong, Lynch, LeFau, Gibcus can back him up.

 

[mrposhman]

Be interesting to see what sort of offers we get for Pick 28 tomorrow.

You'd think the Bombers would be interested, but we don't have a lot to trade back, so just a straight trade for possible a top 10 pick next year? Not sure
If its the Swans or Geelong, maybe its a F1 plus 41 (Swans) or plus 42 (Geelong). I'd take those offers. Maybe St Kilda, would we take F1 and 51? Probably.

I reckon Brisbane will trade a few picks out of this draft too, not sure who has the list spots, but they still have 5 picks I think, and I doubt they have that many list spots remaining.

 

[Puntrd64]

We already took Lefau, Gray, Bauer, Fawcett in recent drafts.

Now two more. Add Lynch and there aint enough room to play them at AFL/VFL level.

We don't just need more mids, we moreso need run and class. Especially forward of the ball where we're also worst in the league.

Anyway, we've zigged and the rest have zagged. We'll look like geniuses if it ever returns to a talls forwards league (unlikely) or be anchored with a slow static team when everyone else is fast.

Fair points Leysy but we didn't break the ton in any match last year .
We need at least 2 of the big forwards to come good and we need them now to play alongside Lynch while we have him.

Just as Lynch benefitted from Jack and Jack from Richo and the cycle continues.
But I get your point about the speed of the game in general.
Yze must know what toys he wants to be able to play with

 

[tigertim]

So who of the so far undrafted players has the pace we need?

 

[Aegean Tiger]

We already took Lefau, Gray, Bauer, Fawcett in recent drafts.

Now two more. Add Lynch and there aint enough room to play them at AFL/VFL level.

Yes. Drafting an additional 2 KF’s actually reflects poorly on the quality of the KF’s on our list.

Big statement by the club.

 

[eZyT]

Am i missing something on Hottons knee?

It was only one right?

Same as will ashcroft did a year before a norm smith?

Wheres the risk?

 

[mrposhman]

So who of the so far undrafted players has the pace we need?

I like Will Hayes and Rhys Unwin as 2 options

 

[Smoking Aces]

We have moved on from skinny flankers to midfield beasts and key forwards with big arses.

Good times.

 

[Webbie26]

OK, Leysy's gunna play the grinch.

Like to think am reasonably centered and level headed when it comes to being positive/negative when comes to supporting our club. But can't help but come away feeling somewhat disappointed with tonight.

Am not going to go hard at the player taken as understand how much goes into it from the club vs what leysy sees from watching the odd game live and replays on Coates/AFL app - (though Faull at 12 Vs Viking at 8 seems way too small given the discrepancy in talent/ceiling).

But more so where our list is at Vs what we have got in tonight.

We've lost all our best run and spark footballers - Bakes, Shai, Daniel (and Dusty) The one's who overlap and create. They are the type that create scoring opportunities and therefore win you games of football in this era.

This adding to the worst midfield in the country. By a mile. So getting to our draft tonight:

- First two picks - midfield bulls with footskills and other qualities. No issue.
- Then a transition runner - fine. But in rehab coming off a knee with 5 other mates on the list doing the same?
- Then a tall, who whilst having a well-rounded game, leaves some elite running talent on the board.
- All other clubs go small. Not a tall taken between 11 and 18 which means remaining high quality running players/mids are all gone (bar Dattoli - who's pace in ? mark). Not sure we budgeted that.
- Take Trainor - Great talent but a key back, less of a need than rest of the list. Concussion risk.
- Take Armstrong - went at about where his mark is ( ridiculed earlier for suggesting so). But another 195cm forward to add to Faull, Gray, Lefau, Fawcett, Bauer etc.

Then trade out with North. Fantastic trade. Blair's wheelhouse and well played.

Overall snapshot - We've gone tall and slow when the league is moving short and fast. GWS - Run, Run, Run with there three picks. Sydney same. Apart from a knee reco recovery we have added nothing to replace what we've lost.

In fact, until the final pick we were the only team tonight to take anyone 195cm or more (3 times). Not one other club did. Not once.

This from a team that had the worst midfield/running team, which is about to get a hell of a lot worse. The contrast from 17-20 to now is staggering.

Yes we can start to address that chronic run in coming years. But we have a completely unbalanced list that is against where football is moving. We are in for some fearful beltings next year.

Buckle in.

Rant over!

We have pletny of running types on the list clarke smith both need a chance at afl level ross to return as well to go with sonzie who they see as outside banks mansell campbell ralphsmith. To be fair these players need to be given a chance before the need to replace them

 

[Smoking Aces]

Wouldn’t surprise me if we took Tom Gross.

Fits the mould of what we are building and has the explosive speed.

 

[Harry]

OK, Leysy's gunna play the grinch.

Like to think am reasonably centered and level headed when it comes to being positive/negative when comes to supporting our club. But can't help but come away feeling somewhat disappointed with tonight.

Am not going to go hard at the player taken as understand how much goes into it from the club vs what leysy sees from watching the odd game live and replays on Coates/AFL app - (though Faull at 12 Vs Viking at 8 seems way too small given the discrepancy in talent/ceiling).

But more so where our list is at Vs what we have got in tonight.

We've lost all our best run and spark footballers - Bakes, Shai, Daniel (and Dusty) The one's who overlap and create. They are the type that create scoring opportunities and therefore win you games of football in this era.

This adding to the worst midfield in the country. By a mile. So getting to our draft tonight:

- First two picks - midfield bulls with footskills and other qualities. No issue.
- Then a transition runner - fine. But in rehab coming off a knee with 5 other mates on the list doing the same?
- Then a tall, who whilst having a well-rounded game, leaves some elite running talent on the board.
- All other clubs go small. Not a tall taken between 11 and 18 which means remaining high quality running players/mids are all gone (bar Dattoli - who's pace in ? mark). Not sure we budgeted that.
- Take Trainor - Great talent but a key back, less of a need than rest of the list. Concussion risk.
- Take Armstrong - went at about where his mark is ( ridiculed earlier for suggesting so). But another 195cm forward to add to Faull, Gray, Lefau, Fawcett, Bauer etc.

Then trade out with North. Fantastic trade. Blair's wheelhouse and well played.

Overall snapshot - We've gone tall and slow when the league is moving short and fast. GWS - Run, Run, Run with there three picks. Sydney same. Apart from a knee reco recovery we have added nothing to replace what we've lost.

In fact, until the final pick we were the only team tonight to take anyone 195cm or more (3 times). Not one other club did. Not once.

This from a team that had the worst midfield/running team, which is about to get a hell of a lot worse. The contrast from 17-20 to now is staggering.

Yes we can start to address that chronic run in coming years. But we have a completely unbalanced list that is against where football is moving. We are in for some fearful beltings next year.

Buckle in.

Rant over!

Agree. Speed, run, transition, spread etc is what we severely lack. We didn't address this area tonight. Allan, Berry, Hannaford, Hynes were all available.

 

[jayfox]

OK, Leysy's gunna play the grinch.

Like to think am reasonably centered and level headed when it comes to being positive/negative when comes to supporting our club. But can't help but come away feeling somewhat disappointed with tonight.

Am not going to go hard at the player taken as understand how much goes into it from the club vs what leysy sees from watching the odd game live and replays on Coates/AFL app - (though Faull at 12 Vs Viking at 8 seems way too small given the discrepancy in talent/ceiling).

But more so where our list is at Vs what we have got in tonight.

We've lost all our best run and spark footballers - Bakes, Shai, Daniel (and Dusty) The one's who overlap and create. They are the type that create scoring opportunities and therefore win you games of football in this era.

This adding to the worst midfield in the country. By a mile. So getting to our draft tonight:

- First two picks - midfield bulls with footskills and other qualities. No issue.
- Then a transition runner - fine. But in rehab coming off a knee with 5 other mates on the list doing the same?
- Then a tall, who whilst having a well-rounded game, leaves some elite running talent on the board.
- All other clubs go small. Not a tall taken between 11 and 18 which means remaining high quality running players/mids are all gone (bar Dattoli - who's pace in ? mark). Not sure we budgeted that.
- Take Trainor - Great talent but a key back, less of a need than rest of the list. Concussion risk.
- Take Armstrong - went at about where his mark is ( ridiculed earlier for suggesting so). But another 195cm forward to add to Faull, Gray, Lefau, Fawcett, Bauer etc.

Then trade out with North. Fantastic trade. Blair's wheelhouse and well played.

Overall snapshot - We've gone tall and slow when the league is moving short and fast. GWS - Run, Run, Run with there three picks. Sydney same.

In fact, until the final pick we were the only team tonight to take anyone 195cm or more (3 times). Not one other club did. Not once.

This from a team that had the worst midfield/running team, that is about to get a hell of a lot worse.

Yes we can start to address it in coming years. But we have a completely unbalanced list and are in for some fearful beltings next year.

Buckle in.

Rant over!

Agree with a fair bit of that Leysey. I don't think we expected all the mids/runners to go between our 4th and 5th picks. Think they rate Hotton's movement to be back to pre-ACL levels (which it should) but he's not a great kick/decision maker (watch round 1 vs Calder - 3 shots on goal in 1st 2 mins for 0 goals and decision making in 2nd quarter is poor), but then neither was Shedda early days and he has a bit of him about him. I'm okay with that pick for upside but would have done it at pick 18.

I've been really high on Trainor and happy to take him there. Top 5 pick mid year and his concussion issues are overblown. Pedigree is elite, as are his foot skills. Previously a forward so can transition back there if needed for team balance. Solid option. Will be a player.

Once we got to the next pick you had to take Armstrong as the mids were gone. I'm not a Faull fan (doesn't hold enough contested marks for a 1st rounder and kicking is poor) and we could have got him with our later picks for sure but Armstrong and Faull are very different so they work togehter at least.

I'd love to see us trade back 5 or so picks again, pick up a bonus selection this/next year and then draft Dodson. Think he is a good long term prospect in an area of need,

 

[Dyer'ere]

Lalor and Smillie were locked a while ago. Starting mids. That's to be their job. We bust if they do. We took two starting mid prospects. You only play three.

There's only one player I wanted for RFC in this draft. I'm thrilled that we took him. And so bold. Loved it. Big *smile* play. There are only three quicks in this draft. Lombard. Hotton. Nguyen. Only one available to us. And we took him. Is 32 and 4 goals production? This kid got huge breakout numbers early in the year. Went ok on a flank against Coburg. Might do another knee. Or might be a star.

You like safe bets? Don't bet. Taj Hotton is a bold play. Love.

As for Faull. I like him because he's macho. Got a *smile* on him. Rugged. Blue collar. I think all the talls in this draft are kinda average in terms of ceiling so take the one with the *smile*.

I don't think Matt Whitlock is a tall. I think he's a #3 back. Once we took Trainor M Whitlock was redundant.

Trainor a #3 back or similar. Not a tall. Some kind of zoning back in the Stewart style. In that type of role he's a talented prospect. He's not a tall. Never will be. A zoning back. Stewart? Lever? Somewhere in there. He's not my type but most fans would love him.

Armstrong is not my type. But he kicks goals. Even when he's off. Faull is the hard man. He does the bullocking in the air. Armstrong can do it at ground level. @bullus_hit is all over this. That's a terrific note, Bully - they are strangely compatible. And yeah. One can bust.

Armstrong is a forward. Kicks goals. A lot of fans like the goal bit.

We took two starting mids, one forward/change mid, two tall forwards and classy #3 back. It's aggressive drafting IMO.