2014 Draft Revisited

[comrade]

We're heading towards the pointy end of the season and all of our 2014 draftees have shown plenty.

How would you rank our bumper crop?

McLean: fantastic footy smarts, neat skills and great aerial ability. 20+ touches in his first 2 games and looked an absolute natural despite needing a few pre-seasons. Love him.

Webb: lethal left foot and reads the play nicely. Can also kick a clutch goal when needed. Won't be long until he's back in the seniors and will be a utility type that can play anywhere, IMO.

Dale: has some explosive speed and gets into dangerous spots. Can certainly see him becoming an attacking weapon running up and down the wings. Needs time in the gym but has been a definite surprise packet.

Daniel: he's like Sam Mitchell's mini me. Can do things other players can't due to his size and brain. Not sure he has the ceiling of the others and I am concerned he'll get poleaxed but he's already exceeded my expectations.

Cordy: had some injury concerns but his recent VFL form has been very encouraging. Has the aggression that Ayce lacks, has grown since last measured and is reportedly at around 194cm. Definitely a key position defender, but with the ability to rebound and kick the ball well. Could easily become the best of the lot and was a steal.

Hamilton: the least developed of the crop but you can tell his footy smarts are off the charts. Regularly gets off the chain and has a huge amount of score assists each week. With increased fitness and strength, I can see him becoming a favourite of Bevo's with his versatility.

Smith: love this bloke and is my second favourite of the bunch behind Magic McLean. Mid sized but tough, strong and prepared to jump on bigger opposition heads. Has a neat left foot and rebounds well from half back. A definite candidate for upgrading onto the senior list, if not this year, then next.

How I think they'll project over the coming years:

McLean
Cordy
Webb
Hamilton
Dale
Smith
Daniel

[Go_Dogs]

It's a very exciting crop of young players, and all look to have a lot of strengths which we have lacked in our senior side over the past 5-10 years with sublime kicking skills, scoreboard impact and versatility.

I can't really rank how they may end up, as we're still projecting a lot, but I think all of McLean, Webb, Dale and Daniel will play over 150 games for us. From all reports Cordy is coming along very nicely, and Hamilton may take a little longer but the sounds coming from those who have watched him closely this year are exciting. It's still too early, but stuff it, I think this could end up our 'most games played' draft.

I'm going to back my boy Dale in to be the best of the lot, but gee, we're going to be spoilt by this group for years to come.

[comrade]

I'm going to back my boy Dale in to be the best of the lot, but gee, we're going to be spoilt by this group for years to come.

He doesn't get the pill a hell of a lot at AFL level but he's clearly too classy at VFL level when he's gone back down which projects well for the future.

[Smads57]

Love this thread....for mine, magic McLean will be the pick of the crop, closely followed by Zaine ( has really impressed me in recent VFL games)

[F'scary]

McLean (pick 26), Webb (27 Higgins compo) and Daniel (46 Jones trade) have shown enough that I think they will be rippers - McLean already is. Dale (45) seems to offer something - he is mobile, clever, can take a mark on a good lead, good disposal skills - just needs to increase involvement and possessions. Zaine (62 F/S) and Jarman-Hamilton (39) appear to be on sizeable upward curves and look like they will make the grade as a minimum. Roarke Smith (rookie list) is attracting attention in the VFL too from what I hear on WOOF.

I think you have to look at the rest of the recruiting too: Hamling (delisted FA), Boyd (trade for pick 6 + the Grifter), Biggs (trade for a 2 pick upgrade on 39), Redpath & Jong (rookie promotions). All good. No duds.

2014 was a great year for recruiting, lead by draft night, a genuine 9/10 job (I've taken 1 mark off for the other 3 rookie recruitments, I can't see they will seriously challenge for an upgrade, we, and I will allow for Kelly who deserves a couple of seasons, should have gone for a young project ruck and a big project CHF/CHB with the other 2 picks). I should acknowledge that Goodes did play a meritorious supporting role in our early season success and hope he continues his association with WBFFC at the VFL level and as an assistant coach. Pearce, unfortunately we have a lot of players like him, I think that is his problem.

[boydogs]

Jordan Kelly has been alright as well Comrade

[always right]

The thing I've noticed with Zaine is he has an air of confidence bordering on arrogance. You can't have enough blokes with this trait as long as they use it for good and not for evil. Stringer has it, Bonti has it and even Macrae has it. This is going to be so important in big finals when we are looking for players to lift us across the line. We lacked these sort of players in our prelim losses. Plenty with the ability but somehow lacking the confidence to want to be "the man". All of the blokes I have named want to be the one that wins the game for the team.

[Twodogs]

Magic Maclean is the pick of the littles for quality and Caleb Daniel for x-factor and I like the look of Zaine as a rebounding defender.

But I like them all and I'm pleased they all got to debut or will have by the end of the season. Hamilton and Cordy are pretty much playing the house down at Footscray.

[comrade]

I honestly think Zaine becomes a true key defender, rather than the third tall/rebounder.

Has a bit of Matty Scarlett about him in that he's not huge but is big enough to take the tall forward, can run and has some **** in him.

[bulldogtragic]

I honestly think Zaine becomes a true key defender, rather than the third tall/rebounder.

Has a bit of Matty Scarlett about him in that he's not huge but is big enough to take the tall forward, can run and has some **** in him.

Zaine can and will be anything.

[craigsahibee]

Whilst not from the 2014 crop, you could add Prudden to that list of potential 150+ game players. Looks very solid.

[bornadog]

Whilst not from the 2014 crop, you could add Prudden to that list of potential 150+ game players. Looks very solid.

I wasn't sure about Prudden as he had so many injuries and I had not seen much of him at VFL level. I think he has slotted in nicely at HBF and is getting better with each game. Can also kick a ball nicely.

[Greystache]

Whilst not from the 2014 crop, you could add Prudden to that list of potential 150+ game players. Looks very solid.

It'll be interesting to see where we play him long term as he develops. His best work in the VFL games I've seen were as an inside/inner ring mid where his hardness at the ball, poise in traffic, and clean disposal were his most noticeable traits. A bit like a bigger version of Caleb Daniel and probably an area we could use more depth.

[Greystache]

I see Bailey Dale as an important player going forward. If he can develop into a slick wingman who can win a contest and use the ball well he'll add a lot to our team. We don't have huge amounts of classy outside pure mids.

[lemmon]

It'll be interesting to see where we play him long term as he develops. His best work in the VFL games I've seen were as an inside/inner ring mid where his hardness at the ball, poise in traffic, and clean disposal were his most noticeable traits. A bit like a bigger version of Caleb Daniel and probably an area we could use more depth.

It's surprised me he hasn't played any midfield minutes at AFL level to be honest. Every time a team sheet is released I think they must be playing him as a mid this week as we seem one light but Bevo must think he's a back flanker first and foremost

[Sedat]

We're heading towards the pointy end of the season and all of our 2014 draftees have shown plenty.

How would you rank our bumper crop?

McLean: fantastic footy smarts, neat skills and great aerial ability. 20+ touches in his first 2 games and looked an absolute natural despite needing a few pre-seasons. Love him.

Webb: lethal left foot and reads the play nicely. Can also kick a clutch goal when needed. Won't be long until he's back in the seniors and will be a utility type that can play anywhere, IMO.

Dale: has some explosive speed and gets into dangerous spots. Can certainly see him becoming an attacking weapon running up and down the wings. Needs time in the gym but has been a definite surprise packet.

Daniel: he's like Sam Mitchell's mini me. Can do things other players can't due to his size and brain. Not sure he has the ceiling of the others and I am concerned he'll get poleaxed but he's already exceeded my expectations.

Cordy: had some injury concerns but his recent VFL form has been very encouraging. Has the aggression that Ayce lacks, has grown since last measured and is reportedly at around 194cm. Definitely a key position defender, but with the ability to rebound and kick the ball well. Could easily become the best of the lot and was a steal.

Hamilton: the least developed of the crop but you can tell his footy smarts are off the charts. Regularly gets off the chain and has a huge amount of score assists each week. With increased fitness and strength, I can see him becoming a favourite of Bevo's with his versatility.

Smith: love this bloke and is my second favourite of the bunch behind Magic McLean. Mid sized but tough, strong and prepared to jump on bigger opposition heads. Has a neat left foot and rebounds well from half back. A definite candidate for upgrading onto the senior list, if not this year, then next.

How I think they'll project over the coming years:

McLean
Cordy
Webb
Hamilton
Dale
Smith
Daniel
If Daniel ends up being the worst of our 2014 crop (and it may or may not be the case), you know we've completely smashed the draft out of the ballpark. Some of our list management work is almost criminal:

Daniel for Jones
Biggs and Hamilton for Cooney
Webb for Higgins (win-win for Norf to be fair)
Boyd for Griffen

That's 5 players for the loss of 4, and all 5 have the capacity to be around for the next 10+ years, whereas the outgoing players are all most likely finished within 3 years. And all done without a ND pick in the first 25 (granted we traded out pick 6).

[Mantis]

I see Bailey Dale as an important player going forward. If he can develop into a slick wingman who can win a contest and use the ball well he'll add a lot to our team. We don't have huge amounts of classy outside pure mids.

What's he like in the air?

[F'scary]

What's he like in the air?

He's shown he can take a mark on a fast lead under pressure. I think he may have good hands.

[bornadog]

It's surprised me he hasn't played any midfield minutes at AFL level to be honest. Every time a team sheet is released I think they must be playing him as a mid this week as we seem one light but Bevo must think he's a back flanker first and foremost

I think Bevo is just letting him play to learn the game at this stage.

[Greystache]

What's he like in the air?

As a junior, very strong. Hard to tell at AFL level so far given his body shape.