Remember when we drafted Cleve Hughes at 24 and Jayden Post at 26 because we needed talls? It didn't help.We would still have a problem. Check out the spine in the 2s. We don’t want to fall off a cliff.
The weakness in the argument that it’s a midfielder’s draft is that Gibcus is rated better than at least a dozen midfield players in the top 20.
It seems that the bias exists here towards midfielders. I get it.
But grabbing a 32yr old KPD from Nth tells me the club has different priorities. They understand our deficiencies.
No player outside the top 5 in this years draft will make us significantly better next year. So it’s about developing the next generation.
The question I ask you is do you want to pinch another flag in 2022 and totally bottom out? If so grab O’Meara and top up our mids.
Do you want to replenish our team and invest in the future? Then tell me who replaces Riewoldt next year? And Grimes and Tarrant the year after that? We have no talls developing in the 2s other than Ryan, Biggy and Miller.
Wait another season to draft talls and it’s another year of lost development for players who physically take longer.
Let’s hope Mate can impact in the 2s next year so Ryan can at least play forward. Otherwise it’s Caddy and a VFL listed player taking up the KPF positions. Hardly ideal.
* edit.
I’ve just read that Mate not due to arrive at the club until next March and Blaire saying not to expect too much from him next season.
Gulp.