Dogs prepared to gamble pick 4

[Axe Man]

http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2013/11/19/1226763/639443-f104cbf2-50e3-11e3-b7b4-89041ea3763d.jpg

THE Western Bulldogs are prepared to gamble their prized No. 4 draft pick on raw midfielder Marcus Bontempelli.

The Herald Sun believes the Dogs have cooled on dual-premiership Norwood star James Aish, a slick outside midfielder widely considered a top-three lock all season.

The domino effect could see Aish fall to Gold Coast (pick 5) or Collingwood (6).

Fellow South Australian Matthew Scharenberg, who is nursing bone-stress reactions in both feet, is also in the mix for the Pies at No. 6 and Brisbane Lions (7).

Bontempelli has polarised recruiters with some calling him the biggest boom or bust prospect in the first round.

His dynamic gamestyle has been likened to Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury, with one recruiter rating the 194cm inside-outside midfielder the best player in the draft pool.

But the Herald Sun knows some clubs rank the cousin of North Melbourne's Nick Dal Santo as low as the 17th best player in the draft, given his inconsistencies this year.

The Dogs will finalise the call at a meeting this afternoon on the Gold Coast.

Bontempelli averaged 14 disposals and 67 SuperCoach points for Vic Metro this year before storming into top-five calculations with a brilliant finish to the season.

Top pair and Metro teammates Tom Boyd and Josh Kelly, who are headed to the Giants, averaged 109 and 137 respectively.

Bontempelli has the versatility to play almost any position with his supreme cleanness and vision among his standout attributes.

In half of Bontempelli's Northern Knights games he collected at least 20 disposals and booted multiple goals.

But the Dogs swing away from the classy Aish comes as a surprise with some experts believing the SANFL gun would complement their growing band of inside midfielders.

The Herald Sun revealed on Saturday the Demons had flown Scharenberg to Melbourne and requested the AFL commission last-minute scans on his feet.

At least two clubs are believed to have since ruled out using their first pick on him.

"It's frustrating, but as long as it gets better, I suppose,'' the Brendon Goddard-type said at last month's draft combine.

"It started happening towards the end of nationals. It was a bit ongoing and then it got a bit worse, so it was a bit of an overuse injury which needed some rest to get it back to 100 per cent.''

But South Australian talent manager Brenton Phillips warned clubs would rue passing up Scharenberg.

"I wouldn't let Aish or Scharenberg get past (pick) three or four," Phillips said.

The Western Bulldogs are prepared to pass up SANFL star James Aish for raw midfielder Marcus Bontempelli (http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/the-western-bulldogs-are-prepared-to-pass-up-sanfl-star-james-aish-for-raw-midfielder-marcus-bontempelli/story-fnelctok-1226763639803)

[LostDoggy]

He is one of the babies of the draft, only turning 18 in a few days time. Along with his perceived ability to currently/in the future play multiple positions, I wonder whether he's interviewed and tested well on leadership capabilities?

With his age, maybe he's seen as a future leader for the next level of players to come through the following 3 or 4 drafts?

[Remi Moses]

This is going to be a successful boom, or an awful bust.
I guess we'll come back to this in 2 years

[ledge]

I see Garlett has been passed over again by both Port and the Crows , statement being talent isn't everything, seems he hasn't pulled back on his outside footy life reading into that.

[Mofra]

He is one of the babies of the draft, only turning 18 in a few days time. Along with his perceived ability to currently/in the future play multiple positions, I wonder whether he's interviewed and tested well on leadership capabilities?
He's picked his cousin Dal Santo's brain, not surprised Bonts interviewed well if he knows what AFL clubs are likely to want to hear

[LostDoggy]

He's picked his cousin Dal Santo's brain, not surprised Bonts interviewed well if he knows what AFL clubs are likely to want to hear

Pulling the wool, or smart young footballer getting a head start Mofra?

[bornadog]

mmmm..... another risky pick, lets hope someone knows what they are doing.

[Remi Moses]

It's no certainty, we have changed our minds before close to the draft.
They all interview well you'd imagine, the boom bust bit scares the crap out of me .

[Remi Moses]

http://resources3.news.com.au/images/2013/11/19/1226763/639443-f104cbf2-50e3-11e3-b7b4-89041ea3763d.jpg

THE Western Bulldogs are prepared to gamble their prized No. 4 draft pick on raw midfielder Marcus Bontempelli.

The Herald Sun believes the Dogs have cooled on dual-premiership Norwood star James Aish, a slick outside midfielder widely considered a top-three lock all season.

The domino effect could see Aish fall to Gold Coast (pick 5) or Collingwood (6).

Fellow South Australian Matthew Scharenberg, who is nursing bone-stress reactions in both feet, is also in the mix for the Pies at No. 6 and Brisbane Lions (7).

Bontempelli has polarised recruiters with some calling him the biggest boom or bust prospect in the first round.

His dynamic gamestyle has been likened to Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury, with one recruiter rating the 194cm inside-outside midfielder the best player in the draft pool.

But the Herald Sun knows some clubs rank the cousin of North Melbourne's Nick Dal Santo as low as the 17th best player in the draft, given his inconsistencies this year.

The Dogs will finalise the call at a meeting this afternoon on the Gold Coast.

Bontempelli averaged 14 disposals and 67 SuperCoach points for Vic Metro this year before storming into top-five calculations with a brilliant finish to the season.

Top pair and Metro teammates Tom Boyd and Josh Kelly, who are headed to the Giants, averaged 109 and 137 respectively.

Bontempelli has the versatility to play almost any position with his supreme cleanness and vision among his standout attributes.

In half of Bontempelli's Northern Knights games he collected at least 20 disposals and booted multiple goals.

But the Dogs swing away from the classy Aish comes as a surprise with some experts believing the SANFL gun would complement their growing band of inside midfielders.

The Herald Sun revealed on Saturday the Demons had flown Scharenberg to Melbourne and requested the AFL commission last-minute scans on his feet.

At least two clubs are believed to have since ruled out using their first pick on him.

"It's frustrating, but as long as it gets better, I suppose,'' the Brendon Goddard-type said at last month's draft combine.

"It started happening towards the end of nationals. It was a bit ongoing and then it got a bit worse, so it was a bit of an overuse injury which needed some rest to get it back to 100 per cent.''

But South Australian talent manager Brenton Phillips warned clubs would rue passing up Scharenberg.

"I wouldn't let Aish or Scharenberg get past (pick) three or four," Phillips said.

The Western Bulldogs are prepared to pass up SANFL star James Aish for raw midfielder Marcus Bontempelli (http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/the-western-bulldogs-are-prepared-to-pass-up-sanfl-star-james-aish-for-raw-midfielder-marcus-bontempelli/story-fnelctok-1226763639803)

Those quotes from Brenton Phillips could come back to haunt us

[LostDoggy]

This title initially scared the crap out of me! Love the look of Billings/Aish but given the job our recruiting staff have done in the last two years I'm happy to back them in to make the right call. To be fair, every kid that nominates for the draft comes with no guarantee they'll cut it in the AFL. Let's go big Bonts!

[soupman]

This title initially scared the crap out of me!

Stupid title really. Every pick is a gamble.

Bontempelli is someone I've not been too keen on, but willing to back the club in to make the right call. At least, unlike clubs like Melbourne, we can be confident that he will be in the right environment to make the absolute most of his potential, so if he's going to make it with anyone, it'll be us.

[Mofra]

Pulling the wool, or smart young footballer getting a head start Mofra?
The second option would be a very kind way of putting it.

I hope interviews rank a fair way down the list of reasons to select a draftee.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Stupid title really. Every pick is a gamble.

Bontempelli is someone I've not been too keen on, but willing to back the club in to make the right call. At least, unlike clubs like Melbourne, we can be confident that he will be in the right environment to make the absolute most of his potential, so if he's going to make it with anyone, it'll be us.

Love the bolded bit and I agree.

It's great to be able to say that, because not too long ago we were poor at developing our players and always looked upon Sydney with envy.

We have a long way to go obviously, but I rate our player development pretty high now and that should improve with our own VFL side.

[Ghost Dog]

Melbourne have had a swag of these top 8 draft picks and look where they have ended up?

[LostDoggy]

Just checked out a heap more footage of Bonts over on Bigfooty and I've gotta say, I'm feeling much more comfortable with the idea of picking him.

[Remi Moses]

Reminded me of Jared Brennan( not as lazy)
Getting a good write up from some watchers

[Remi Moses]

Melbourne have had a swag of these top 8 draft picks and look where they have ended up?

Think Melbourne's situation is a bit deeper than just their picks .
Don't think their coaching and teaching has been great, but also picked the wrong player as well.

[Scorlibo]

I think the 'risk'/'gamble' talk is stupid. Obviously if our recruiting team think he is less likely to be a top line footballer than James Aish they will take Aish. If they think that Bontempelli is less risk then they will take Bontempelli. I would like to see what Aish's supercoach average was for the championships because I strongly suspect it wouldn't be so much better than Bontempelli's, and his SANFL form wasn't outstanding either. Every pick is risky, but if our recruiters are going with Bontempelli then that's because they think in the average of all outcomes Bontempelli beats Aish. The riskier player will be the one taken later in the draft!

[bornadog]

I think the 'risk'/'gamble' talk is stupid. Obviously if our recruiting team think he is less likely to be a top line footballer than James Aish they will take Aish. If they think that Bontempelli is less risk then they will take Bontempelli. I would like to see what Aish's supercoach average was for the championships because I strongly suspect it wouldn't be so much better than Bontempelli's, and his SANFL form wasn't outstanding either. Every pick is risky, but if our recruiters are going with Bontempelli then that's because they think in the average of all outcomes Bontempelli beats Aish. The riskier player will be the one taken later in the draft!

If Billings slips to 4 who would you take?

[Scorlibo]

If Billings slips to 4 who would you take?

I don't like to pretend to have seen enough of these guys to make a decision either way, but I know that the recruiters have and to be honest, in regards to these sorts of discussions, I've seen it all before.

Every year there's one player who's been talked about all year as a top pick who slides down the order, every year there's one that bolts up. 2007 it was Brad Ebert who slid, Dangerfield who bolted. 2008 it was Rich who slid, Hill who bolted. 2009 it was Butcher who slid and Sheppard who bolted. Point is that nothing has ever suggested that the collective wisdom of the forum followers has trumped that of the recruiters.

[josie]

Just checked out a heap more footage of Bonts over on Bigfooty and I've gotta say, I'm feeling much more comfortable with the idea of picking him.

Goodness - a lot more here than clip on AFL website. He does look like he crack's in and is good at ground level, love the shimmies too. Let's hope he is worth pick 4. In dog's recruiters we trust !!

Here's direct link.

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/2013-draft-discussion.1036445/page-128#post-31000082

[GVGjr]

mmmm..... another risky pick, lets hope someone knows what they are doing.


Lets assume they do but lets also remember this is just the speculation by the media.
It's not a done deal

[1eyedog]

I'd be surprised if we went with Bontempelli. He looks good on highlights but he just doesn't get involved enough and his numbers are way down, too big a risk I reckon. We threw him into the mix a few days ago and it was from left field so the media were all over it, we actually threw two other names in there too but they didn't pick up on them. They were Billings and Scharenberg who apparently we are red hot on - but that's well known.

I have a good uni friend who represented Victoria in Women's football. Her and JMac were involved in a coaching role bringing South African teams over about three years ago for games at the G. JMac and her still get along very well and she rang me following a discussion with him last weekend. She said that JMac told her that when we interviewed Scharenberg he was told not to mention the nature of the discussion to anyone (which he did by saying he doubts he will get to the dogs - make of that what you will), not sure about others but I assume the same applies. We are cold on Aish and from what I have heard we will not select him tomorrow. JMac thinks Billings will be gone and is keen on Scharenberg and KK. He mentioned that he has little say in who is selected though?

[bornadog]

Mark Stevens ‏@Stevo7AFL

Like Bontempelli .. Huge upside .. Size versatility and good kick .. Can play anywhere, could be anything .. Aish safe but this kid zings

Reckon pies keen at 6