Rating the 2023 Overall List Management Period

[bulldogtragic]

MAIN LIST:

Josh Bruce - Jordan Croft (Pick 15) > Tall talented swing man

Hayden Crozier - Nick Coffield (Former Pick 8, at a points surplus) > Mid sized defender

Taylor Duryea - Anthony Scott > Smaller hard at it, picked when fit

Mitch Hannan - Ryley Sanders (Pick 6) > Midfielder, who will pinch hit HHF

Toby McLean - James Harmes > Mature, hard bodied mid

Tim O'Brien - Joel Freijah (Pick 45) > Subbed out another mid sized tall for a winger

Jordon Sweet - Lachie Smith (Pick 47) > Developing ruckman

Vacant RL Spot - Aiden O’Driscoll > Quick midfielder




ROOKIE LIST:

Robbie McComb - Duryea commitment > Depth who can play at AFEL Level

Lachie McNeil - McNeil commitment > More time

Roarke Smith - MSD Pick, Presumably > Flexibility come MSD

Anthony Scott - Spot moves to the MAIN LIST

(Cody Raak, Cat B)



FUTURE PICKS:

Out: F1 & F3

In: F3 (GCS)



Take Away: Bulked up our mid group with Harmes, Sanders, Freijah & O’Driscoll. Got more depth on the rookie list through Doc. Got a top end KPP to replace Bruce, replaced an VFL ruck with a young ruck, and got a points favourable trade to take a former Pick 8 to replace TOB/Croz. Haven?t really bulked up our small forwards when other clubs have. But have one rookie spot to maybe look at it.

[Testekill]

Pretty happy all up.

Sanders looks like a great pick up and Croft went at exactly where I expected him to go. Really disappointed to miss out on Lual but Freijah looks like a hard running wing that can get up and down the wing & Smith is basically like for like with Sweet.

We can basically look at Sanders as pick 13 & 23 for him and next year's first rounder for Croft. If we hadn't traded then someone would have bid on Croft before pick 13.

If Coffield bounces back from injury then he's an astute trade who will shore up our defence & Harmes gives us a harder edge that we lacked this year.

Just down to seeing if we take anyone at pick 57 and who we take with our spare rookie spot.


edit: O'Driscoll also gives us a fast & damaging wing as well. Super happy to get him.

[Go_Dogs]

Think we’ve done well and I like the fact we added 3 picks late too, rather than the maybe 2 live picks it sounded like we could land (aside from Croft).

We’ve addressed some needs, added depth and landed a bunch of kids with a number of
Positions covered and some great attributes.

Good off season.

[bulldogtragic]

The only possible question is a Live Pick 10 in the Rookie Draft or a MSD Pick?

Unless we are crazy all in on a kid, I’d take the MSD Pick.

[Vred]

The only possible question is a Live Pick 10 in the Rookie Draft or a MSD Pick?

Unless we are crazy all in on a kid, I’d take the MSD Pick.

I'd be watching the lower leagues for the first half of the season and seeing what small forward we can nail in the MSD, really now an area of concern if Charlie Clarke doesn't come on for us.

[bulldogtragic]

I'd be watching the lower leagues for the first half of the season and seeing what small forward we can nail in the MSD, really now an area of concern if Charlie Clarke doesn't come on for us.

Yep. Seems like most clubs are really stocking up on genuine small forwards, but not us to the same extent. So that’s what I’d be looking at too. Mannagh was on our radar for this MSD and just went Pick 36 in the ND. I’m sure they’ll be opportunities next MSD.

[Hotdog60]

Blaaah! Who needs small forwards when with our tall forwards nothing hits the ground and a goal kicking coach to straighten up.

[Mofra]

I like the fact we brought in some outside run.
Sanders is inside/outside but probably end up doing a lot of grunt work as his career develops.

A fair bit tests on JOD's pre-season and I'm quietly confident our 2022 draftees can debut this year with a clean run at it.

[bulldogtragic]

Fox Footy Rating:

Selections: Ryley Sanders (6), Jordan Croft (15), Joel Freijah (45), Lachlan Smith (47), Aiden O’Driscoll (55)

Did most of their most important work on opening night, bringing in elite prospects in Ryley Sanders and Jordan Croft. They don’t have many young top-end midfielders coming through, so Sanders addresses that need. They rounded out their crop with two wingers in Joel Freijah, who could’ve gone early in the second round, and Aiden O’Driscoll, who’ll run all day for Luke Beveridge. They also added ruck insurance through Gippsland Power’s Lachlan Smith to effectively replace Jordon Sweet as the developing ruckman. The Dogs probably needed to draft a bit smaller given they’re loaded with key position players, so they ticked that box, but they did miss out on NGA prospect Luamon Lual after the Bombers, almost cruelly, swooped on the defender with Pick 39 — one selection before the NGA bidding restrictions are lifted.

Grade: B

[GVGjr]

5 Players selected on the night was only beaten by Geelong with 6. We tied with North and the Saints for 5 players selected.
That's a big change for us. 3 Players selected with later picks is also a positive.
The only downside was not being able to add Luamon Lual.
Adding a top end talent in Sanders and a father son pick too away some options for us.

I'll give it a B

Pick 6 - Ryley Sanders (North Launceston, TAS / Sandringham Dragons, VIC)
Pick 15 - Jordan Croft (Calder Cannons, VIC) - Father-son
Pick 45 - Joel Freijah (GWV Rebels, VIC)
Pick 47 - Lachlan Smith (Gippsland Power, VIC)
Pick 55 - Aiden O'Driscoll (Perth, WA)

So I would give it a B

From the Roar

Verdict:

From all reports, the Bulldogs were keenest on Nick Watson heading into the draft, but having given up next year’s first rounder in a trade with Gold Coast to force their way into the top 10, ball magnet Sanders is an excellent second choice and will boost the Dogs’ midfield as Tom Liberatore and Jack Macrae reach the end of their careers.

Verstaile tall and father-son prospect Jordan Croft joins a real logjam of developing talls at Whitten Oval, as does aggressive ruckman Lachlan Smith (who might be an insurance option should Tim English accept what is sure to be a whopping free agency offer from West Coast at the end of next year).

The Dogs clearly identified the wings as a point of weakness with their list, with both Joel Freijah and Aiden O’Driscoll hard-running outside talents – Freijah is a beautiful user of the ball, while O’Driscoll, the brother of Fremantle AFL and AFLW guns Nathan and Emma, was the quickest player over 20 metres at the national Draft Combine.

[bulldogtragic]

The way I look at it this morning. The clubs collectively rated Lual as the 39th best player. We drafted the 45th & 47th & 54th best players instead of matching bids and trading picks around. None are dead certainties to play 100 games. It’s at this point in time, it’s no big deal at all. Just a reflection on the type of character of Essendon.

[azabob]

Very happy with how the club has approached this trade and draft period so far.

It is the first time in a while we have genuinely invested in the draft with an eye to the future.

During the trade period we targeted two mature players from a needs perspective. Coffield as an intercepting type defender and Harmes to add some defensive spunk to our midfield group.

Night one of the draft was best available approach; Sanders looks a great selection and in a position of need. Win Win.

Croft is a running machine and seemed too good to pass on. In hindsight I think by having Croft as a father son pushed us to be aggressive trade up - which then allowed us to be very strategic on night two.

Night two we took more of a need based approach. Hitting the draft for outside run and a developing ruckman.

Freijah looks to have good athletic traits again a position of need (wing and pace). This selection is great, the wing positions are very open and no reason why Freijah shouldn't be eyeing off a few games in 2024.

Lachy Smith looks a like physically he is ready to go and will only get bigger and stronger, from his highlight package he has a bit of skill and marking ability. Also has the ability to kick a goal.

Watching the highlights of O'Driscoll and his size I think he will be the perfect small forward. The O'Driscoll family have some epic genes!

We were very bold swapping our F1 for GCS pick 4 and it paid off. Croft slipped a few places than we planned for which allowed us to take one or two more players at the back end which certainly helps round out our list profile.

[bulldogtragic]

Very happy with how the club has approached this trade and draft period so far.

It is the first time in a while we have genuinely invested in the draft with an eye to the future.

During the trade period we targeted two mature players from a needs perspective. Coffield as an intercepting type defender and Harmes to add some defensive spunk to our midfield group.

Night one of the draft was best available approach; Sanders looks a great selection and in a position of need. Win Win.

Croft is a running machine and seemed too good to pass on. In hindsight I think by having Croft as a father son pushed us to be aggressive trade up - which then allowed us to be very strategic on night two.

Night two we took more of a need based approach. Hitting the draft for outside run and a developing ruckman.

Freijah looks to have good athletic traits again a position of need (wing and pace). This selection is great, the wing positions are very open and no reason why Freijah shouldn't be eyeing off a few games in 2024.

Lachy Smith looks a like physically he is ready to go and will only get bigger and stronger, from his highlight package he has a bit of skill and marking ability. Also has the ability to kick a goal.

Watching the highlights of O'Driscoll and his size I think he will be the perfect small forward. The O'Driscoll family have some epic genes!

We were very bold swapping our F1 for GCS pick 4 and it paid off. Croft slipped a few places than we planned for which allowed us to take one or two more players at the back end which certainly helps round out our list profile.

I think Power has been reading your posts and given you the multiple mid range picks you’ve wanted. Like a footy Santa Claus.

[ledge]

I'd be watching the lower leagues for the first half of the season and seeing what small forward we can nail in the MSD, really now an area of concern if Charlie Clarke doesn't come on for us.

You forget Arty Jones?

[lemmon]

You forget Arty Jones?

Is he a genuine small forward or a wingman that can do a job? I agree with Vred that it's still a hole on the list and I would've liked us to target a genuine small forward that's done it at under 18s or state level.