Emma Quayle - Are The Bulldogs Mad?

[chef]

ARE THE BULLDOGS MAD? The Bulldogs have been the talk of the town in the past few days. A lot of clubs are incredulous that they a) drafted Christian Howard in the first round, and b) added Jason Tutt and Shane Thorne, players widely seen as rookie propositions. I must admit that when they called Howard’s name, I wondered if recruiters Simon Dalrymple and Adrian Caruso had stopped off for a few drinks on their way to the draft. It seemed way too early. That said, there was a chance one club (Adelaide) may have snapped him up at No. 29, just before the Bulldogs’ second choice at No. 31. Howard would probably have gotten to 31, given the way the draft ultimately panned out, but hindsight is wonderful and there was a slight risk he wouldn’t.


Taking that into account, it seems strange to criticise someone for choosing the next player on their list. What Howard is worth to the Bulldogs means a lot, lot more than where the clubs that didn’t pick him ranked him, after all. The Bulldogs clearly knew what they were after (penetrating, accurate kicks — outside-deliverers) and bear in mind that they have two insidemidfi elders (Mitch Wallis and Tom Liberatore) headed their way as fatherson selections next year. Time will tell whether they were right and others wrong, but their approach was bold.

[comrade]

I must admit that when they called Howard’s name, I wondered if recruiters Simon Dalrymple and Adrian Caruso had stopped off for a few drinks on their way to the draft.

Dear Emma,
You are an intelligent journalist, and your articles on draftees are top notch. But at the end of the day you are just a journalist, not a recruiting manager.

Yes, you have a better grasp of the machinations of the talent pathway than most in the media, but you are not paid to professionally spot talent. You rely on the pros to feed you information (whether it’s true or false is another question) and though you probably watch more junior footy than the majority of your peers, recruiting teams at AFL clubs watch much, much more.

So, when you suggest that the Bulldogs recruiters had to be under the influence to have made their picks (however glib you were trying to be) it is disrespectful to Dalrymple and Caruso. Our picks were unconventional, but respect the fact that these two guys have slogged their way to far flung reaches to watch hundreds of kids all year and are in a far better position to judge which players represent the best value for our club at this point in time.

Regards,
comrade

[ledge]

I do find it good she mentioned the father/son picks as i have heard SEN ramble on about why we didnt pick talls and how puzzled they were, didnt look at who we had picked in the last drafts eg Roughead, Cordy, Grant, etc.

It isnt hard to look at why we picked players we might be lacking in the future, i really think Eade is a very clever coach in looking further forward than just one or 2 years as well as whats needed right now with choosing older players too.

I truely believe we wont be a club that bottoms out in the next few years.

[Go_Dogs]

Dear Emma,
You are an intelligent journalist, and your articles on draftees are top notch. But at the end of the day you are just a journalist, not a recruiting manager.

Exactly.

As surprised as many of us (myself included) were when the names were called, we have to back their judgement. They have seen countless hours of football and probably been thinking of nothing else bar the draft and approaches to list management with the new sides coming in, since the 2008 ND.

I'm very excited by our approach this year, and think we've again really set a trend for how clubs will approach the draft in future years. The proof will be in the pudding, but I think we've done well.

[LostDoggy]

I think Emma was echoing the sentiments of all of us in the room who let out a collective WTF. Let me tell you there were a few bulldog people in the room who were as bemused as Emma was??????

She did, however, go on to say that the bulldogs know better than anyone the worth of the player they picked up and nobody can critise them for picking up the next best available on their list.

[Raw Toast]

I think Emma was echoing the sentiments of all of us in the room who let out a collective WTF. Let me tell you there were a few bulldog people in the room who were as bemused as Emma was??????

She did, however, go on to say that the bulldogs know better than anyone the worth of the player they picked up and nobody can critise them for picking up the next best available on their list.

Agreed. She might be 'just' a journalist, but she's the best one on the draft. spends heaps of time watching the kids, and reacted like many of us.

Most of us are now currently happy with the pick (as much as we can be not having seen Howard play), and Quayle also defends the selection as well.

[chef]

Agreed. She might be 'just' a journalist, but she's the best one on the draft. spends heaps of time watching the kids, and reacted like many of us.

Most of us are now currently happy with the pick (as much as we can be not having seen Howard play), and Quayle also defends the selection as well.

Do you think see got to see Howard play at Glenelg under 18's?

I don't like her criticism of our first pick when she probably never saw the kid play(i could be wrong).

[Cyberdoggie]

If our recruiters had gone on another witch hunt for that miracle tall forward prophecy again this year, i would of been dissapointed.

It's clear that our list needs some more running skillfull ball users, as the players we have that fill this role are ageing and there isn't much backup available.

Take a look at our best players at Willy last year:
Guy O'Keefe: slow mid, avg disposal,
Sam Reid: good hard inside mid, poor/avg disposal by foot
Easton Wood: good marking hbf or mid. Not overly quick with avg disposal
Wayde Skipper: slow ruckman...
Brennan Stack: predominantly hff, not overly quick with avg disposal, low possesions
Dylan Addison: hbf, mid paced, poor disposal, doesn't find the pill
Stephen Tiller: defender/forward, avg disposal, also low stat count.


As you can see there isn't much run and carry amongst the above.
We have added 3 runners with good skills, and a defender/forward.
We may add to that with the rookies, and next year we will add a couple of inside mids,
so i think that is pretty smart recruiting. Whether they turn out to be good enough is another question.

[Swoop]

I think some are being a bit harsh on Emma, she is just reporting on what the initial reaction was, and that feeling would have been shared by many bulldogs supporters as well. She then does go on to defend the decision and explain why it isn't as irrational as the common person would have thought. What you need to understand is, she is providing a draft summary of what happened on the night and the fact that the bulldogs went for non-conventional picks is worthy of mentioning in her article.

[KT31]

I think some are being a bit harsh on Emma, she is just reporting on what the initial reaction was, and that feeling would have been shared by many bulldogs supporters as well. She then does go on to defend the decision and explain why it isn't as irrational as the common person would have thought. What you need to understand is, she is providing a draft summary of what happened on the night and the fact that the bulldogs went for non-conventional picks is worthy of mentioning in her article.

I agree.
I think she meant it as a bit of light humor to draw attention to the article and not with any disrespect.

[LongWait]

I think she was balanced in her approach and in doing so nodded to the many who think our recruiting was crazy (I'm not one of them!)

[azabob]

Do you think see got to see Howard play at Glenelg under 18's?

I don't like her criticism of our first pick when she probably never saw the kid play(i could be wrong).

I dont think she criticised Howard at all.

[GVGjr]

I didn't take offence with the comment at all in fact if anything it's a badge of honor. We didn't follow the status quo and go for the safer options and I think we will swing that perception around quickly enough.

[Rocco Jones]

I didn't take offence with the comment at all in fact if anything it's a badge of honor. We didn't follow the status quo and go for the safer options and I think we will swing that perception around quickly enough.

Exactly how I read it.

I love your work comrade but I think you're being a tad defensive here. Her initial reaction to us drafting Howard was pretty much identical to mine. She does go on to defend the selection and praise us for taking the 'risk'.

As I have already posted, I don't see the Howard selection as 'risky', if anything I find it overly conservative. Instead of going with an athlete or tall with increased upside, we went for a player with foot skills and pace, two assets that will go along way in securing a career in the modern game.

The only risk I really see is incurring the wrath of faux draft experts who read far too much into mock draft write ups.

[chef]

I dont think she criticised Howard at all.

I just thought it weird that she questions us taking him with our first pick when she has probably never seen him play. I don't think she is criticising Howard.