2023 -2024 Rookie List Strategy

[bulldogtragic]

Why have we given up on the Rookie Draft (taking SSP/DFA/VFL) &/or fallen away so badly with the few selections we?ve used:

Premiership Rookie Drafted Players: Morris, Boyd, JJ & Dahl - the latter two taken in 2010.

More recent times: Baker, Gardner & Poulter (via MSD), Hayes, Cavarra, McNeil, Scott, Goetz, McComb, Gowers, Adcock, Parker, Roarke, La Young, Sweet, NMM, Prudden & Goodes & Pearce (all three after delisting), Kelly, Lynch, Jong, Campbell, Greenwood.


Clearly we could find gems in the rookie draft. Clearly other clubs are still finding guns too. But in looking through drafts this afternoon, we were on the cutting edge of identifying talent (since we don?t have the trade pull to bring in a lot of top end talent) but now we are really just treading water. JJ was our last gun taken in the RD way back in 2010.

With a bunch of vacancies on the rookie list this year (up to four) I?m wondering if we are going to try to find a young gun (or two) or whether we just keep doing what we?ve been doing and play it safe with a delisted player and maybe a VFL player or two.

[bulldogtragic]

Hi mods, can we change the title to 2023-2024 Rookie List Strategy please?

[JanLorMill]

Hi mods, can we change the title to 2023-2024 Rookie List Strategy please?

Yes please. The less said about 2023 the better.

[Bulldog Joe]

Hi mods, can we change the title to 2023-2024 Rookie List Strategy please?

Done

[Go_Dogs]

JJ and Dahl and these types worked because they had key AFL attributes and with development became AFL players (still with limitations) but important cogs in good sides with long careers.

We just pick up depth all rounders now. Our strategy is wrong.

Pick a couple of kids with some serious wheels. A couple of kids with some inside grunt. Etc etc. Then get them in the system and see how high the ceiling is. If it isn’t high move on quickly.

[FrediKanoute]

JJ and Dahl and these types worked because they had key AFL attributes and with development became AFL players (still with limitations) but important cogs in good sides with long careers.

We just pick up depth all rounders now. Our strategy is wrong.

Pick a couple of kids with some serious wheels. A couple of kids with some inside grunt. Etc etc. Then get them in the system and see how high the ceiling is. If it isn’t high move on quickly.

The point of the tookie list has been lost. It's now an extension of the main list,

[GVGjr]

I really enjoy rookie list discussions.

Just my thoughts but ideally the rookie list should be for players overlooked in the draft or at other clubs but they possess some AFL traits, ie work ethic, skills, pace, fills a specific need or plenty of upside that good development coaches and a strong VFL set-up can work with.
This is why the likes of Matthew Boyd (work ethic) Luke Dahlhaus (pace) JJ (upside) Gardner (needs) worked as rookies.

The other options are to use the rookie list to add depth to a contending playing list or you can do a combination of both options that balances the now and tomorrow.

Where I think we have missed opportunities over the last few years is that we have shuffled too many players with marginal or non clearly defined roles in and out of the rookie list and it really hasn't paid a decent dividend for us.

We can quickly flip this around but desperately need to conduct an honest and accurate assessment of the playing list to determine how we identify talent for rookie list spots going forward.

[macca]

- player with an elite trait but need sometime to develop other parts of their game
- they must be natural footballers, no atheletes please
-have natural aggressiom and hate to be beaten
- a good kick
- no list cloggers pleass

[anfo27]

What I'd like to see is perhaps hiring a indigenous person in a role of just concentrating on finding indigenous talent. I can't think of another club who have had less indigenous players on our list over the last 20 years. These bobby hill types are out there & we need to be finding them.

[azabob]

I get the feeling we have become very conservative in a number of areas and using the soft cap cuts as a reason (excuse) and that is shown in our drafting in later rounds and the rookie list.

We should be using the rookie list as a talent identification tool rather than a depth tool.

Assuming we only take 2-3 kids the national draft; I hope we draft a 2-3 kids from the under 18's and 1-2 players from the state leagues.

[GVGjr]

If we assume we will have 4 rookies and JOD outside of that I'd be okay if we moved Bedendo to the RL because of his marking prowess and versatility. Poulter should remain as a rookie. I'd look to add a ruck man and a midfielder/small defender who missed out on the draft.

I suspect we will hold a position open like we did his year.

[Mofra]

A ruckman. Rookie a ruckman.
We have Timmy as a first ruck (end of message). We just have to get one on the list.

I'd like a real fringe hail-mary too. We rookied JJ off a ~6 disposal average, Liam Picken after Collingwood rejected him 3 times (was it 4?), Matthew Boyd from Frankston seconds as an overager, etc.

No more APS kids who are 'neat kicks' and the 6th in line in their position t u18 level then try to turn them into something else.

[mjp]

What I'd like to see is perhaps hiring a indigenous person in a role of just concentrating on finding indigenous talent. I can't think of another club who have had less indigenous players on our list over the last 20 years. These bobby hill types are out there & we need to be finding them.

I don't disagree in principle but Hill was considered a first round pick right through his 17th and 18th year and 'fell' to 25 or whatever it was on draft night.

I get what you are saying about having someone to focus on identifying First Nations players but the Hill's of the world are on everyone's list...

[GVGjr]

A ruckman. Rookie a ruckman.
We have Timmy as a first ruck (end of message). We just have to get one on the list.

I'd like a real fringe hail-mary too. We rookied JJ off a ~6 disposal average, Liam Picken after Collingwood rejected him 3 times (was it 4?), Matthew Boyd from Frankston seconds as an overager, etc.

No more APS kids who are 'neat kicks' and the 6th in line in their position t u18 level then try to turn them into something else.

I agree with all that. If we don't rookie a ruck man or trade for one we are basically flagging our intent to ruck Darcy to some extent in 2024.

[azabob]

I agree with all that. If we don't rookie a ruck man or trade for one we are basically flagging our intent to ruck Darcy to some extent in 2024.

Sean or Sam