Originally Posted by
Dancin' Douggy
Ok. Here's my thoughts.
I remember the lead up to that idiotic 'mini draft' that basically was another poorly thought out AFL 'initiative'.
Jack Martin was so, so, so hyped, He was driven, he was footy obsessed, he spent his whole life dreaming of playing footy. He drove himself with extra training and moved himself away from home to be in a better footy environment and follow his dream............and all the way he just kept impressing people on and off field. ( sound like anyone we know?????? Cough.....Bailey Smith.... cough) We were absolutely keen on him and would have taken him FOR SURE if we weren't asked for picks 5 AND 6 for him.
So........ we said shove it and took Stringer and Macrae.
He...........poor kid............get's drafted into the dead end cess pit called the Gold Coast suns. His whole glorious vision turns to pus.
He's basically treading water..............and dreaming, still, of REAL football.
It's like ending up a Rodeo Clown in the KOO WEE RUP rodeo, when you should have been Clint Eastwood.
My belief is you take that kid........you put him in a proper team, put him on the big stage,
with genuine leaders and authentic footy history and culture around him and he will shine.
We have money....... He's a type we are lacking in........... He's a good age profile............... I would take the gamble.
He's no Richard Tambling, who was also highly rated but bombed...........he's hung around for 5 years, is approaching 100 games and is a nudge over 6 foot. I would be absolutely thrilled if we could get him and I'd be happy to pay (slightly) overs rather than penny pinch and miss out on him.