Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

If our first rounder is effectively pick 20-23 (depending on matched bids), then our pick is into/well into the second round. In this case, I guess I can live with going for English. But it seems a gamble from my ignorant perspective.

[Bornadog]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

If our first rounder is effectively pick 20-23 (depending on matched bids), then our pick is into/well into the second round. In this case, I guess I can live with going for English. But it seems a gamble from my ignorant perspective.

Best available, always.

[choconmientay]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

Macreadie didn't even make her top 30.

[bulldogtragic]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

Man, that make us even more nervous. Her reason for English is we have time for him to develop. Just don't like the idea developing a Ruckman so that in a few year he is home sick and want to move back home.

Agree. That's not really anything near a good enough reason. I also disagree our ruck stocks are so high that using our first pick is valid, it's probably one of our weaker positions. If he's the best available then that's fine by me, but having a lucky dip because we can be patient isn't nearly good enough.

[kruder]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

Hayward is my first choice we haven't got a pair of hands like that at our club( well until Boyd arrived on GF day!) and with Dickson and Crameri getting on a little and Jake potentially moving up the ground I think its gives him plenty of time to develop. If he can add a motor to his skill set he will be really dangerous as a third forward at AFL level.Love how easily he can slot a goal from outside 50 and the fact he has improved significantly across the year. Port are the obvious danger as I think Adelaide will go for a mid and I wouldn't be surprised if Sydney had a crack with their first pick.

I'm really warming to Cox for our second. Imagine JJ, Lynch and Cox running off half back in the years to come

[LostDoggy]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

Emma Quayle's final phantom draft is an interesting read. She has Isaac Cumming going at 10 for GWS (matching Swans bid). She has us taking English - C Cox also.

[The Doctor]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

If we get English that would be an outstanding outcome in my view.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

If we get English that would be an outstanding outcome in my view.

Still reckon he'll be gone. Would be a fascinating player for us, reckon he could get games as a zone defender in the first year or 2 before he fills out sufficiently for regular 1st ruck roles. His ground play for a 205cm+ player is exceptional.

[comrade]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

Still reckon he'll be gone. Would be a fascinating player for us, reckon he could get games as a zone defender in the first year or 2 before he fills out sufficiently for regular 1st ruck roles. His ground play for a 205cm+ player is exceptional.

A 205cm ruck man that can't actually ruck but can fit into a zone defence and kick like a mid is Bevo's dream.

[Mofra]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

A 205cm ruck man that can't actually ruck but can fit into a zone defence and kick like a mid is Bevo's dream.

Yep - is a below average mark too but I guess that means he'll win about 50000 free kicks per game for chopping the arms.

I'd rather we looked elsewhere (he was last for agility at the draft combine too) but it seems too many people have linked us to him for it to be a coincidence.

[Raw Toast]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

If we get English that would be an outstanding outcome in my view.

Could you explain why Doc?

I've only read reports of him, but the thing I liked the most out of those was that he seemed very good and clean once the ball hit the ground. Obviously his kicking sounds very good as well, but do you worry about his marking, agility and ruck-work?

[Go_Dogs]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

I'm not overly excited by English. We need a developing ruck but I think taking him inside the first 20 carries risk that we can avoid by looking at a small player.

Shaping up as a very interesting night.

[lemmon]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

Landsberger has English at 9, Marshall to Port at 19, us taking Cox and Florent sliding to Essendon at 22

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

What's the point of a 200cm+ ruckman scooping difficult ground balls and hitting great targets by foot IF he cannot do what a ruck is supposed to do; ruck and take marks?

I've read suggestions he could play as another midfielder etc. but it's rubbish. When the ball hits the ground, he isn't just competing against lumbering ruckman, he's competing against elite, quick and agile midfielders. The whole "unbelievable below his knees for his size" counts for little IMO, particularly when he isn't great at what he would need to be for his size.

[Raw Toast]

Re: Phantom Draft & Expert Predictions on Dogs Pick

What's the point of a 200cm+ ruckman scooping difficult ground balls and hitting great targets by foot IF he cannot do what a ruck is supposed to do; ruck and take marks?

I've read suggestions he could play as another midfielder etc. but it's rubbish. When the ball hits the ground, he isn't just competing against lumbering ruckman, he's competing against elite, quick and agile midfielders. The whole "unbelievable below his knees for his size" counts for little IMO, particularly when he isn't great at what he would need to be for his size.

I don't necessarily agree - a key question, of course, is the potential for developing tap-skills, but I would argue that a lumbering ruckman, with good skills can actually be very valuable. I saw a comparison with Dean Cox who lumbered exceptionally effectively, but was initially hated as a 'spud' of a ruckman by many Weagles supporters (I remember hearing them screaming abuse at him when we played them a couple of times early in his career).

Ben Hudson was another lumbering ruck who wasn't great at disposing of the ball, but was so good below his knees that he became elite at winning the contested ball.

English might not be as good as either, but good midfield skills in a ruck can be very valuable, even if you wouldn't select them as a pure mid. And his kicking skills could be extremely valuable in helping break down the zones that are likely to become even more predominate as we go forward.


* Of course, both Cox and Hudson were either rookies or late draft picks. The thing that makes me most wary of English is that early ruck picks seem to have a lower success rate than for other positions. He does, however, seem to have quite a few tools that might help him succeed.