The offers weren't that great. They picked the right player, it's just not working for them at the moment.
Printable View
Sorry G, disagree on this one. They walked Ben Brown out the door and had the chance to upgrade with Logan McDonald but instead drafted a tiny mid in Phillips. 180cm midfielders are as out of date as the place kick, if you aren't a bull like Oliver, Petracca, Cripps, Steele, Bontempelli and the like you will get chewed up and spat out pretty quickly and makes it hard to justify such an early pick not that it was the kids fault where he was drafted. Pretty much sums up where Norf are when absolute spuds like Kayne Turner not only is staggeringly still on their list but plays every week and somehow is in their leadership group. Basket case club for the foreseeable future.
I think there's a place for the 6 foot 80kg hybrid wing-half back-midfielder as a role player. Premierships can be built around a few really good examples of these types. Just ask Richmond. There's only ever a handful of the Cripps /Bont type player every 10 years. You gotta fill the gaps around these players somehow!
On topic I really hope Norf hold onto Horne-Francis. Is a seriously good player they gotta hold onto him somehow.
They've made a number of mistakes and McDonald was probably the best player in the draft but the way the media focuses on the Phillips selection is in reality just a small part of their challenges. Phillips is a good footballer and I think the media is splitting hairs about McDonald and Phillips but yes McDonald is the better prospect.
They will not get back into a reasonable position until the AFL bail them out and i don't think it's good enough to have them as weak as they currently are.
Sam Walsh says Hi. So does Shai Bolton. The list goes on. Good players are good players.
I don't totally disagree with what you are saying about Phillips but we are talking about the perfect storm from a draft perspective.
1/. North undergoing a bit of a Money Ball style draft transformation under Luff.
2/. No footy during the year due to COVID and scouts needing to rely on 2019 data (or 17yo form) for all Victorian draft prospects - around 65% of the draft every year.
Phillips had great numbers as a bottom ager...but it was really hard to measure him as he was in the same Chargers team as Rowell and Anderson...and Finn Macrae, and Reef McInnes...and Jamarra for that matter. So how do you judge him (Phillips)? And how do you NOT hone in on the numbers when they are the basis of your new "system"/"philosophy" and you don't have anything else. And, well, how do you compare what McDonald is doing as a key forward at senior level in Perth to what Phillips did 12-months ago as a bottom ager in Melbourne??
I am obviously prejudiced towards Logan and tired of the way players like him fall down the order whilst players from Vic Metro (esp) continue to be selected at the top of the draft (nothing will EVER beat Jack Watts over Nick Nat but to me this was close) but I do have some sympathy for North and their recruiting team in this instance.
What was wrong about Jack Watts over Nic Nat?
Jack was white, tall, could kick a long goal and most importantly was from a good family, a good school and had a basketball background. He literally ticked all of the aspirational boxes you could want for a first selection.
Christ.