Western Bulldogs set to pounce on super-draft

[chef]

THE Western Bulldogs are thrilled to have been handed a third-round compensation selection for GWS-bound Sam Reid, and will activate it for next year's super-draft.

Bulldogs football manager James Fantasia yesterday revealed plans to plunder the 2012 national draft using the Reid pick and a first-round selection for losing GWS onballer Callan Ward.

It would give the club five selections in the first 50-odd picks in next year's draft, the perfect platform to continue rebuilding a list in transition.

"It was actually better than we anticipated," Fantasia said.

"We thought it would result in an end-of-Round-3 selection and now it's attached to our Round 3 pick.

"With the Round 1 concession pick it gives us two first-round draft picks and two third-round picks, and we are hoping to get another one or two to have a really solid crack in what is a super-draft."
The Dogs will have to officially activate the compensation pick with the AFL early next year, with many clubs likely to use those compo selections in 2012 to maximise their worth.

New coach Brendan McCartney and the list management group are considering potential delistings, with quick utility Brennan Stack expected to be let go.

Livewire Luke Dahlhaus and Matthew Panos will likely be upgraded, with decisions to be made on the status of Jason Johannissen and Ed Barlow.

Andrew Hooper is contracted, while Dylan Addison should survive after his name was thrown up during the trade period.

In this year's draft the Dogs have four potential picks, but could hold one back for the pre-season draft, with picks 17, 39 and 49 all certain to be used.

All of Ben Hudson, Callan Ward, Barry Hall, Josh Hill and Reid have left the club, meaning it does not have to cut too deep into its list to satisfy AFL requirements for three draft selections.

The Dogs have already traded away the compensation pick allocated for the loss of Jarrod Harbrow in securing former Brisbane forward Justin Sherman.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/western-bulldogs-set-to-pounce-on-super-draft/story-e6frf9jf-1226172372378

[Topdog]

Imagine if we hadn't pissed away our Harbrow pick?!?!

[w3design]

Imagine if we hadn't pissed away our Harbrow pick?!?!

Thats right

[Mantis]

Imagine if we hadn't pissed away our Harbrow pick?!?!

Coming off 3 successive top 4 finishes and with all & sundry expecting us to challenge once again it was pretty much agreed by all that we had to add some pace to the team straight away.

In hindsight it's easy to make comments like you have after the arse fell out of the season, but at the time it was the right thing to do.

[Mofra]

Sherman had a poor year by his standards last year, I'm not willing to close the book on him yet.
Given Harbrow's less than glamourous year it's not a disaster.

[bornadog]

Coming off 3 successive top 4 finishes and with all & sundry expecting us to challenge once again it was pretty much agreed by all that we had to add some pace to the team straight away.

In hindsight it's easy to make comments like you have after the arse fell out of the season, but at the time it was the right thing to do.


Sherman had a poor year by his standards last year, I'm not willing to close the book on him yet.
Given Harbrow's less than glamourous year it's not a disaster.

Agree we did the right thing under the circumstances. Until Sherman stuffed up with his inappropriate remarks, he was in the AFL top ten for score assists, so he was doing something right. I expect better things from him next year.

[LostDoggy]

Brennan-Stack-might-go-go!

[bornadog]

Brennan-Stack-might-go-go!

Stack better than Hooper, Addison, Mulligan who seem like they will survive.

I would delist the lot and be done with it. North have $300k to pay out for Urghart and aren't worried about delisting him.

[Desipura]

Stack better than Hooper, Addison, Mulligan who seem like they will survive.

I would delist the lot and be done with it. North have $300k to pay out for Urghart and aren't worried about delisting him.
Perhaps this will put an end to how good Stack is. My bet with you (Stack wont play 50 AFL games) was always going to be a sure thing BAD ;)

[The Doctor]

Why not delist one of Hooper and Mulligan and rookie them. Who else will take them?

In effect that would allow us to use pick 70 in the draft which is better than waiting for our 1st pick in the rookie draft. Not sure what our position is there but it will be long after pick 57 (our last pick in the ND at the moment) and following the PSD, GWS & other rookie selections ahead of us.

In a nutshell we advance up the order by around 30 picks i'd say.

[bulldogsman]

I can't understand how or why Mulligan should be kept on, even as a rookie. Our 3 best tall defenders were out injured at the end of the year and he couldn't even get a game. I don't think he even qualifies as back up.

[bornadog]

Perhaps this will put an end to how good Stack is. My bet with you (Stack wont play 50 AFL games) was always going to be a sure thing BAD ;)

Well maybe according to another thread he wants to go home and he is not delisted on ability:p

He has actually been homesick for a number of years with rumours he was heading back last year. I guess he has been in the system awhile, but he is not the worst on the list.

[GVGjr]

Why not delist one of Hooper and Mulligan and rookie them. Who else will take them?

In effect that would allow us to use pick 70 in the draft which is better than waiting for our 1st pick in the rookie draft. Not sure what our position is there but it will be long after pick 57 (our last pick in the ND at the moment) and following the PSD, GWS & other rookie selections ahead of us.

In a nutshell we advance up the order by around 30 picks i'd say.

Spot on Doc. If North can do the same for Urquhart then we should look at that option for at least one of our guys

[Drunken Bum]

"It was actually better than we anticipated," Fantasia said.

"We thought it would result in an end-of-Round-3 selection and now it's attached to our Round 3 pick.


someone correct me if i'm wrong but didn't we receive the lowest possible compo?
I thought band 5 was the worst you could get?

hmmm

[LostDoggy]

Perhaps this will put an end to how good Stack is. My bet with you (Stack wont play 50 AFL games) was always going to be a sure thing BAD ;)

Tighter odds than Black Caviar, I would have thought

[Remi Moses]

I know a few on here like to blame Fantasy for every wrong but he's dead right that's better than we thought.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Spot on Doc. If North can do the same for Urquhart then we should look at that option for at least one of our guys

Maybe we're holding onto them to delist next year? Saves money, and we load up on the super draft.

Otherwise, who else would we delist?

Hooper, Mulligan, Addison, Stack and Moles are next to no chance to be on our list after 2012 ... but I'm not sure who else could be in the firing line? Gilbee will retire, but that might be about it.

However - paying one out (Mulligan) is something I agree we should do.

[Topdog]

I know a few on here like to blame Fantasy for every wrong but he's dead right that's better than we thought.

I hope that our club knew that band 5 is the lowest of all the bands and is purely a 3rd round pick after your own. After all the AFL even released media statements just to make sure everyone knew.

[Topdog]

Coming off 3 successive top 4 finishes and with all & sundry expecting us to challenge once again it was pretty much agreed by all that we had to add some pace to the team straight away.

In hindsight it's easy to make comments like you have after the arse fell out of the season, but at the time it was the right thing to do.

I like Sherman but I hated trading away that pick. We essentially traded away pick 20 for him. Too high a price.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Why not delist one of Hooper and Mulligan and rookie them. Who else will take them?

In effect that would allow us to use pick 70 in the draft which is better than waiting for our 1st pick in the rookie draft. Not sure what our position is there but it will be long after pick 57 (our last pick in the ND at the moment) and following the PSD, GWS & other rookie selections ahead of us.

In a nutshell we advance up the order by around 30 picks i'd say.

Brilliant post Doc

Cash them in for better picks now

If I'd been coach then Hooper would have been on a strict fitness, weigh in and skin folds plan and if he tests over before the final list lodgment day then I'd delist him with the option of re-rookie-ing.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I like Sherman but I hated trading away that pick. We essentially traded away pick 20 for him. Too high a price.

Is it though?

Anything after about pick 15 generally seems hit or miss. Players like Everitt, Faulkner and even Higgins as those picks in the teens don't always work out. Top ten picks are worth their weight in gold, but after that I wouldn't hold a great deal of value to them. That's not to say you don't find gems afterwards - but I think Sherman for our comp pick was fair.

Sherman's 24/25? He could end up playing 150 games for the club, and he's a solid player too, so that's a win for us IMO.

[anfo27]

"With the Round 1 concession pick it gives us two first-round draft picks and two third-round picks, and we are hoping to get another one or two to have a really solid crack in what is a super-draft."

I found this line the most interesting. This sounds like they intend to trade out some players next year and being a good draft these players are going to have to be good for clubs to part with a pick. The speculation begins.

[Drunken Bum]

I know a few on here like to blame Fantasy for every wrong but he's dead right that's better than we thought.


I hope that our club knew that band 5 is the lowest of all the bands and is purely a 3rd round pick after your own. After all the AFL even released media statements just to make sure everyone knew.

This was my point, it just stood out to me like the proverbial dogs you know what, his statement about compensation being better than we expected when it is the lowest compo available.
Please don't try and tar me with the Fantasia bashing brush, i have never commented on him before, the reason i highlighted his statement is because, for me at least, it makes him appear somewhat incompetent at his job to not know the situation there. Didn't the club even came out after it was agreed he would be released saying that they knew what the compo would be but were just waiting on the AFL to ratify it, it appears to me like they didn't have much idea about anything.

[Greystache]

Is it though?

Anything after about pick 15 generally seems hit or miss. Players like Everitt, Faulkner and even Higgins as those picks in the teens don't always work out. Top ten picks are worth their weight in gold, but after that I wouldn't hold a great deal of value to them. That's not to say you don't find gems afterwards - but I think Sherman for our comp pick was fair.

Sherman's 24/25? He could end up playing 150 games for the club, and he's a solid player too, so that's a win for us IMO.

Everitt and Higgins were both pick #11 in the 2005 & 2006 drafts. Surely you're not saying top 10 picks are gimmes but pick 11 onwards are a lottery?

Our record with first round picks is abysmal, perhaps only Richmond could rival us, but I don't think that's got anything to do with receiving picks too late in the draft, more so Scott Clayton's inability to get his selection right.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Why not delist one of Hooper and Mulligan and rookie them.

Why not delist Mulligan and forget we ever drafted him.

[Remi Moses]

This was my point, it just stood out to me like the proverbial dogs you know what, his statement about compensation being better than we expected when it is the lowest compo available.
Please don't try and tar me with the Fantasia bashing brush, i have never commented on him before, the reason i highlighted his statement is because, for me at least, it makes him appear somewhat incompetent at his job to not know the situation there. Didn't the club even came out after it was agreed he would be released saying that they knew what the compo would be but were just waiting on the AFL to ratify it, it appears to me like they didn't have much idea about anything.

At the end of the day I reckon the club would be happy to take anything for Sam.
Yeah it's a bit of spin, but Huddo and Sam would have been delisted. With the supposed super draft gotta be happy with that.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Everitt and Higgins were both pick #11 in the 2005 & 2006 drafts. Surely you're not saying top 10 picks are gimmes but pick 11 onwards are a lottery?

Our record with first round picks is abysmal, perhaps only Richmond could rival us, but I don't think that's got anything to do with receiving picks too late in the draft, more so Scott Clayton's inability to get his selection right.

No, but it obviously highlights my point - doesn't it?

Draft picks are seriously overrated. Yes - you need to keep bringing in kids every year, but the deal for Sherman was fine. I'd still do that deal.

Brisbanes comments on the draft were interesting. They felt that with pick 12, they would be able to draft a quality player. However, with pick 16 (Fremantle's pick) it was a lottery.

[Greystache]

No, but it obviously highlights my point - doesn't it?

Draft picks are seriously overrated. Yes - you need to keep bringing in kids every year, but the deal for Sherman was fine. I'd still do that deal.

Brisbanes comments on the draft were interesting. They felt that with pick 12, they would be able to draft a quality player. However, with pick 16 (Fremantle's pick) it was a lottery.

I totally agree, the perception that a first round pick (including a top 10) is a gimme is totally wrong. In fact, if we had have traded every first round pick in the last 10 years our list would be decidedly better.

[LostDoggy]

I totally agree, the perception that a first round pick (including a top 10) is a gimme is totally wrong. In fact, if we had have traded every first round pick in the last 10 years our list would be decidedly better.

I like it.

And since we do so well in the rookie draft, we should have traded all our first round picks in the last 5 years away for a borderline superstar and rookie draft picks.

What could we have landed for the J.Grant pick 5 in a trade I wonder? Or the two pick 11s? One can imagine building a pretty reasonable list trading first picks for youngish borderline stars every year (throwing in later pick upgrades as sweeteners), bolstered by good late picks and rookie selections. At least you know you're getting some guaranteed quality with your first pick instead of a pot luck as ours have been.

[Sedat]

What could we have landed for the J.Grant pick 5 in a trade I wonder?As some wise heads on here suggested at the time, we could have landed Josh Kennedy from Carlton and on-traded pick 5 to West Coke, who would have been very happy with picks 3 (from Carlton) and 5 as compensation for Judd.

[Dancin' Douggy]

I like it.

And since we do so well in the rookie draft, we should have traded all our first round picks in the last 5 years away for a borderline superstar and rookie draft picks.

What could we have landed for the J.Grant pick 5 in a trade I wonder? Or the two pick 11s? One can imagine building a pretty reasonable list trading first picks for youngish borderline stars every year (throwing in later pick upgrades as sweeteners), bolstered by good late picks and rookie selections. At least you know you're getting some guaranteed quality with your first pick instead of a pot luck as ours have been.

This is actually a very interesting post.
Very interesting.

Of course there's a certain romance about drafting your own, and I'm certainly glad we got Cooney and Griffen. But thinking about what we could have got by trading the following picks (since 2000)

10 J. McMahon.
4 Tim Walsh,
4. Farren Ray,
6. Lochlan Veal (read J. Rawlings)
(still hurts to think what a disaster that whole draft was when you add pick 19 for Koops, a pick Freo used to get Mundy)
6. Tom Williams
11. Shaun Higgins
11. Andrejs Everitt
5. Jarrad Grant

Of course this is a complete hypothetical because you just don't know what clubs would have offered but it's an interesting philosophy to take on drafting as a whole.

I imagine a lot of good players could have been traded in if all those picks were put on the table at the time. And we were supposed to have a draft 'genius' in Clayton through all of this as well.