bullus_hit said:
If we had taken Griffen at 2, we may of missed out on Franklin cause Dogs may have taken him at 3 of Richmond at 4 so you never know. I wouldn't want to take that gamble, he's one the one juniors we will be structuring our games around.
Lewis looks a good solid player already and once gets another couple of pre-seasons into him should improve just as any junior once he gets his weight sorted out, much like Watson from Essendon IMO. Looks very composed and unlike many drafted from his year is already excelling in the middle of the ground, with great stats and very limited game time.
Taylor was a late pick for insurance, we need him as backup at the moment so that is still justified with our lack of ruckman at this stage. Little looks a handy player, whether we need him or not yet is still debatable with our forward structure taking place over the next season or so. Roughead and Franklin have had only 2 years as key position players but both have made solid contributions on their day, especially Franklin, probably need 4-5 years before you can tell their true worth as I'm sure you have worked out having *smile* who still finding his feet.
The next draft, Ellis, Dowler, Muston, Tuck, Bailey, Birchall..... that's three outside mid/flanker types in Ellis, Muston Tuck that many say we haven't drafted... all look promising, and the big bonus is tuck at this stage who is a year in front of development than we thought and has built up nicely over the summer so far looking much bigger. Birchall had a dream debut, I didn't predict that, I don't know a lot about Dowler except that he's a pure full forward type lead player, suited to the modern game and Richmond were after him that year I believe. Bailey was taken high, but we needed a developing ruckman that year, and there were no guarantees he would last to the rookie draft with Collingwood rumoured to be keen on him at pick 21.
This year.. Renouf too high? That's debatable as some are saying we got a steal with 24 so I'll wait and see, he has potential to play as a key back as well, playing CHB for Southport Seniors in WA.... so I wouldn't rule him out as just a ruckman with pick 24. Morton another tall utility type play who is very mobile, Moss is small but quality as such a late pick, captain WA, good all round player, and Thorp was the player we were after at 6 given who was always going to be gone.
No guarantees ever in drafting but I'm pretty satisfied with how we've drafted to re-shape the list.
Runners/Outside types: Young, Ellis, Muston, Tuck, Birchall
Inside Mids: Lewis, Kennedy, Moss
Key position: Dowler, Franklin, Thorp, Roughead
2nd/3rd Talls: Little, Murphy, Morton,
Rucks: Bailey, McEntee, Renouf, Taylor
Pretty well balanced drafting IMO. We've got the posts in play first, with the key position, ruckman, inside mids etc whilst still adding some quality running players. This means over the next draft or two we can look to add more pace and running ability, which is possibly easier to find, costs less to trade for, and they develop quicker than the key position type players.
Only real blunder or thing I would change looking back on it (which is easier now 2 drafts later to see than it was then) is I'd taken a young ruck option at 26 (like Maric from Crows) rather than little in 2004 as he'd be coming on now ready to start playing some decent footy. Although Bailey is only one year behind and had a really promising start from a rookie ruckman.
