Rookie List Strategy 2018

[bulldogtragic]

So it's going to be a busy rookie draft, by our standards. Gowers & Lynch are upgraded, NMM has been delisted and Smith has an extension. Although if we end up with too many late picks maybe he gets upgraded too. But at this point we have picks 6, 24 & 42.

So what's the strategy for this year:

- State league player, like Gowers. Maybe Will Hayes.
- A depth or developing ruckman to cover injuries or with an eye to the future.
- A delistee from another club we don't want to offer a main list spot to. There's a few out there.
- An older player moved on from another club. E.G. Farren Ray went to North, Thomas to Port. Not sure I'm a fan in a general sense, although mature depth is something to think about
- Picking up one of our delisted players. Honeychurch might be a candidate. Our history of recycling our own hasn't been great, see Hahn, Goodes etc. On our history, if we delist them, we were right to delist then altogether not waste a rookie list spot for a year or two.
- Picking up Any NGA players who have slipped through.
- Best available no matter what.
h) All of the above

Certainly a lot to think about for the recruiters and Sam Power, in making sure the rookie draft helps re-balance the list and compliments the national draft strategy. It may be a 'tell' on where we think we are on the premiership clock, in that if we just keep stocking up on raw kids we might be still winding up to move up, or if we go with mature players and depth who can play, maybe we think we might be heading up the ladder once again.

Thoughts?

[comrade]

Do we have 3 spots? If so:

- Solid state league performer in early-mid 20s (Gowers, Picken, Boyd type etc)
- Raw, athletic player with plenty of holes in his game but at least 1 elite AFL attribute - preferably speed (like JJ, Lynch, Dahl)
- Developing ruck

Stay away from recycling our delistees or picking up mature semi-retired players.

[hujsh]

Do we have 3 spots? If so:

- Solid state league performer in early-mid 20s (Gowers, Picken, Boyd type etc)
- Raw, athletic player with plenty of holes in his game but at least 1 elite AFL attribute - preferably speed (like JJ, Lynch, Dahl)
- Developing ruck

Stay away from recycling our delistees or picking up mature semi-retired players.

I think that's pretty much the perfect balance. Only exception might be if we look for a more mature ruckman as a backup for Trengove/English so we aren't forced to ruck Boyd or even worse our mids

[ledge]

Apparently we have been chasing an Ammos player , came second in the Medal count behind AYce Cordy. Can’t recall the name.
I’m all for putting one old player as a rookie from another club if he can fill a hole when we lose a player and can instruct or teach the kids.
With Goodes etc we never know the true value as you can’t get a handle on what they taught the ones coming up. When we take older experienced players I believe it’s more a teaching thing on field. I guess you could do that by just putting them on a VFL list or as being discussed with Jarryd Roughead A season playing and then on coaching panel.
In saying all that we have a history of being very good at picking rookies and them going on to have big careers when upgraded.
I guess it depends on the list at the time and the thoughts of list management.

[The Doctor]

I guess we have to wait and see what falls through from the national draft. We will have pick 6 in the rookie draft and that could still nab us a good youngster.

We are a young team so one or two state league players as Comrade has suggested would seem sensible. i'd lean towards a Footscray player like Reuben William if available first. However there seems to be a strong crop available this year so there should options that address needs as well.

there is also our NGA options.

[GVGjr]

Agree with Doc, William needs to be part of the rookie list conversation.

[soupman]

BF posters seem fairly confident Will Hayes will be on our list next season, presumably as a rookie. There's your state leaguer.

[GVGjr]

BF posters seem fairly confident Will Hayes will be on our list next season, presumably as a rookie. There's your state leaguer.

He's probably worth considering. He's played at a high level for a while now

[Insufficient Intent]

Apparently we have been chasing an Ammos player , came second in the Medal count behind AYce Cordy. Can’t recall the name.

Anthony Scott. According to this article, we're supposedly having a chat with him this week.

[GVGjr]

Anthony Scott. According to this article, we're supposedly having a chat with him this week.

while he might be a rookie list candidate I suspect our interest might be more around a senior list spot.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I'd like us to use our rookie list solely on state leaguers/delisted players such as Hibberd who can come in and impact within the next year or two if we need them.

We have enough kids for at least the next 12 months.

[Greystache]

Do we have 3 spots? If so:

- Solid state league performer in early-mid 20s (Gowers, Picken, Boyd type etc)
- Raw, athletic player with plenty of holes in his game but at least 1 elite AFL attribute - preferably speed (like JJ, Lynch, Dahl)
- Developing ruck

Stay away from recycling our delistees or picking up mature semi-retired players.

I think that's a very sensible approach to the rookie draft every year. Ideally the mature player is a midfielder given they have the best strike rate of becoming an AFL regular but if there's a standout tall and we have a need it's worth going for it. This year it should definitely be a midfielder.

[Go_Dogs]

Jack Hayes (mature aged, but still young) key forward
Anthony Wilson (mature aged, but incredibly quick) small forward
Lewis Johnston (mature aged, but coming off an excellent season) midfield/utility

These are just some guys I've seen at SANFL level who can potentially play at AFL level.

I'm also a fan of what comrade said.

[bulldogtragic]

So with it looking like maybe we have four spots at the ND, we have two eligible Next Generation Academy prospects who scribes suggest may be rookie draft options. One of the kids, Lochy Dawson, has an OK resume and could be a late ND selection, but if we have no selections, we won't be getting him there. They've tweaked the rules, but as I understand it we can get them in the rookie draft, or if they are overlooked by all clubs we have the option of taking them as a Category B rookie. Meaning, they don't take up a formal spot on the rookie list.

The boys are: Locky (or Lachie depending on whose site you believe) Dawson (midfielder) & Josh Chatfield (small forward) - I'm all but certain neither got combine invites.

Lochy Dawson's stats for his TAC year:

Lochy Dawson: Kicks 129, HB 205, Disposals 334, Marks 45, CP 158, UP 183, Tackles 79, Clearances 61, I50 33, R50 27, Goals 3.

16 Games, in the Best X 5, one best on ground
Averages per game (give or take): 8 kicks, 13 HB, 21 disposals, 3 marks, 10 CP, 11 UP, 5 tackles, 4 Clearnces, 2 R50, 2 R50.

Whole of competition TAC Cup Rankings:

Equal 13th in the entire TAC Cup for total disposals.
Equal 11th in the entire TAC Cup for tackles.
9th in the entire TAC Cup for clearances.
10th in the entire TAC Cup for contested possessions.



Joshua Chatfield. He seemed to start the year well, once being called a premiere small high pressure forward, but that didn't remain consistent through out the year. Either form or injury got him, others would know much better than i, but on limited exposure in the TAC he was averaging about 11 disposals, 4 marks, 5 tackles and .75 goals a game.



So these boys are perhaps somewhere in the conversation about the rookie draft as a ordinary rookie or Cat B rookie. As I posted in another thread, I have a bad feeling Honeychurch will get a rookie opportunity, which he shouldn't in my eyes. Then there's the question about since Campbell is around only for depth, whether we delist him with a view to rookie listing him. I can't see too many clubs rushing to take him ahead of us. Then there's other names, if they get to the rookie draft like Hayes from state leagues. The ammo's player we've interviewed (sorry can't remember his name) or drafting a young ruckman for depth. With 3 spots to fill (NMM, Lynch & Gowers) there's a few different avenues to explore to try to balance out the list a little more.

[bulldogtragic]

So the rookie draft is on later today. We have pick 6, 24 & 42. We haven't replaced Roughy, Campbell, Collins, Adams, NMM.

So do we look to target some needs for depth in KPP/ruck stocks? Or best available?