Scott Clayton

[mjp]

WC always pick a similar player with their first round pick, and it has worked very well for them. Tough, inside players who not only are strong and have defensive skills, but also have good decision making and ball skills.

Andrew McDougall anyone? Ashley Sampi?

C'mon. They swing and miss as well.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I was watching the game last night and had a good look at the Eagles defenders. Waters, Glass, Hurn and Hunter are all young powerful athletic types and were just too strong for some of our guys. Harris and possibly Morris aside we didn't have the same type of muscle in our back half.
We need to review the way that we draft players and in reality it's not a huge change. My view is that recruiting managers should be moved on every few years so that they keep having plenty to prove. Clayton might have done a n excellent job for us but he also might have run his race because the list just isn't competitive enough.

These are interesting ideas Billy Boy

The other one in their backline who I love is Brett Jones - was brilliant in the finals last year, tough, super courageous and good in the air and an great long kick. \

So you would cut Clayton loose after this draft? Who are you thinking as a replacement?

[Go_Dogs]

Andrew McDougall anyone? Ashley Sampi?

C'mon. They swing and miss as well.

Good point, and I'll accept that, but more so over the past two or three years they've got very good value with lower first and second rounds picks.

[mjp]

Good point, and I'll accept that, but more so over the past two or three years they've got very good value with lower first and second rounds picks.

Well, I think that is because by that stage of the draft, all of the kids with 'potential' are off the board, and the next level of players who all have weaknesses and are being considered purely because of their performances are left. This group of overachievers then continue to do well at the next level...

[Go_Dogs]

Well, I think that is because by that stage of the draft, all of the kids with 'potential' are off the board, and the next level of players who all have weaknesses and are being considered purely because of their performances are left. This group of overachievers then continue to do well at the next level...

Is this down to development, or do you feel that they have just got lucky with a few who have been able to transfer their games over, or even that these guys are already 'peaking' and the more 'potential' based picks will eventually overtake them?

[Bulldog Revolution]

Well, I think that is because by that stage of the draft, all of the kids with 'potential' are off the board, and the next level of players who all have weaknesses and are being considered purely because of their performances are left. This group of overachievers then continue to do well at the next level...

It seems that Clayton is reluctant to make picks like this in any round AND tends to take more potential/project type players e.g Gilbee, Hargraves, Harris, Wight, Skipper, Tiller, Issac Thompson, Jesse Wells, Stack, Lynch, Hill, Addison etc with all of his selections

[bornadog]

It seems that Clayton is reluctant to make picks like this in any round AND tends to take more potential/project type players e.g Gilbee, Hargraves, Harris, Wight, Skipper, Tiller, Issac Thompson, Jesse Wells, Stack, Lynch, Hill, Addison etc with all of his selections

The philosophy is you pick the best player available when its your pick. Its always hard to tell how these kids will develop. Grant was picked at some where around 100 plus, he was a skinny 17 year old when he played his first game. Sometimes I think you just have to play them early in the season to see how they go, which I believe we didn't do enough in the past two years. Williams and Harbrow came into the team when they really didn't deserve to based on pure form. Collingwood have blooded nine players this year which will set them up for the future. Last year we had Higgins, Addison and Wight come in.

The only thing we haven't tried is to blood a KPP forward, although Walsh played one game and got injured back in 2005.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Best available is a crock.

After the first few, there is so little between most of these kids and no-one knows how much they will come on.

For every pick there would be about a dozen possibilities we would be considering, unless you are really keen on someone (as we were with Stack last year for instance) pick the one that best suits what you need - not what you need now, what you think you will need in 5 years time.

Grant was a bit different. He was drafted when he was 15. Everyone knew he was going to be good but everyone else thought they'd wait another year to see how tall he would grow to. we took the punt that he would grow tall enough (he was only 185cm when he was drafted).

Skipper was another one. He was highly rated as a ruckman but he wasn't considered tall enough. We took the punt that he would grow another couple of inches but he didn't.

[LostDoggy]

I have been having a look at the Crows vs Power replay this morning and our midfield is really underdeveloped physically in comparision to thos two teams.

Above all else I want to see us select some stronger bodies. I know playing a lot on the TD means that you need runners but at the moment I would sacrifice a bit of speed for a bit more size.

We need a decent ruck option, a key forward and a strong midfielder from the draft. Not sure if you can get the first two with a bit of size about them but I don't think we can take a lot more development players again this year.

[Bulldog Revolution]

We need a decent ruck option, a key forward and a strong midfielder from the draft. Not sure if you can get the first two with a bit of size about them but I don't think we can take a lot more development players again this year.

The problem is that any key position or ruck prospect we select will be a development player - there are so few of these that are able to hit an AFL senior team running - and they generally are not later round selections if they are cant miss key position sized talent.

I cant help but feel we need to have most of these options covered on the list currently

It would be nice to select two powerfully built midfielders, but given our love of speed and agility we will have to settle for 1

[Go_Dogs]

No reason you can't combine a hard bodied, powerful midfielder with speed and agility.

I hope we go for a few 'ready made' players, who can step up and play a bit of senior football in their first year. Not that last years crop hasn't done this, Everitt, Harbrow, Lynch and Hill have all played, with Hughes being a possibility in the next few weeks too. The truth is though, that besides Everitt and Harbrow none were really ready, and even those 2 lads need a bit more time in the gym and on the track. If we could draft perhaps 2 or 3 players who are physically ready for AFL it would help fill our depth a bit quicker. Guys like Stack, Lynch and Hill are going to take another year before they start having more meaningful impacts.