Draft Day reflections

[GVGjr]

OK, we have now had a while to have a good think about the make up of our picks tonight

Let us know if there are any selections you think we should have looked at differently to what Dalrymple and his recruiters selected for us?

Now is you chance to nominate the the best pick and maybe the worst.

As always a bit of detail would be appreciated.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Time will tell but my initial feeling is one of excitement. I know some supporters are frustrated we didn't pick a KPF/KPD or another quick outside mid, but we have done quite well. All suit the game plan and the philosophy of the coaching team very well.

Pick #5 - Jake Stringer: Good choice. O'Rourke and Toumpas gone meant it was pretty easy to take Stringer. His broken leg is well documeted but his performances and his running gait improved throughout the year. He will still take time, like all draftees, but I am confident he'll get there. I am glad we took a calculated risk as there's no doubting his potential. Absolute weapon one on one and uses his body to protect the drop of the ball well. He'll bea fan favourite IMO. Very confident and determined. I think long term he could make Grant a much better player.

Pick #6 - Jackson Macrae: Another good selection. Although Mayes' explosive pace must have been attractive and Wines' ball winning ability/leadership, Macrae fits our squad perfectly. Not overly quick, but always has time. Decision making and disposal is extremely good and his delicate side steps/agility are impressive. He will take 3 years to develop IMO, but should be a seriously damaging player in the future. I think comparisons with Pendlebury are spot on. As his inside game improves, I see the comparisons drawing closer too.

Pick #21 - Nathan Hrovat: This was always going to be an interesting selection. Most wanted a tall or an outside runner. I was surprised we didn't take O'Brien, but I suspect us taking Stringer offset the need for O'Brien or Membrey. Next year's draft is supposed to be loaded with KPF's, so we might have one eye on that. In terms of outside runners our two favourites in Simpson and Kennedy were gone. Garlett going undrafted was a massive surprise and worth a thread in itself. Interesting that Spencer White was taken shortly after, also. All that in mind, Hrovat is a good selection and was the slider. Tough, clean, wins his own ball and generally uses it well. Spreads from the contest better than your typical inside mid. Not sure he can play forward - if he does, massive bonus. I think this is an astute selection.

Pick #49 - Lachlan Hunter: Finally made official. This is a great selection at this point in the draft, we've done well. Needs time to develop, namely with the pace and physicality of senior footy, but should be a solid player. Great agility and kicks goals - two things we lack, especially up forward.

Pick #50 - Josh Prudden: I don't know anything about him but SEN and Shifter both commented that he's a good get. From the footage, he looks very tough, clever in traffic and uses the ball well. Membrey and a few others went a few picks prior, I would have liked Garlett here, but again - going undrafted is a surprise/alarming.

Overall: We've done really well. Good footballers make you a better side. Good footballers win you matches. Stringer likely to play predominately forward and could be anything, Macrae's an outside/inside damaging mid who will create and carve up the opposition, Hrovat an incredibly consistent ball winning magnet with neat skills/good spread, Hunter an agile goal kicking forward and Prudder seemingly a HBF/mid type. It would have been nice to take an O'Brien/White, which makes losing Pick 28 more difficult to swallow, but forgetting about that and concentrating on tonight we did really well.

[Go_Dogs]

Overall: We've done really well. Good footballers make you a better side. Good footballers win you matches. Stringer likely to play predominately forward and could be anything, Macrae's an outside/inside damaging mid who will create and carve up the opposition, Hrovat an incredibly consistent ball winning magnet with neat skills/good spread, Hunter an agile goal kicking forward and Prudder seemingly a HBF/mid type. It would have been nice to take an O'Brien/White, which makes losing Pick 28 more difficult to swallow, but forgetting about that and concentrating on tonight we did really well.

Agree with that, great summary.

Stringer could be a great choice with his talent and Macrae is definitely a type we needed and I'm glad we went with him.

Hrovat is a player that when I've seen him his outside game wasn't something that stood out (I didn't see much of him) so it's good to read we rate his spread and outside ability. Could be a great value selection for us.

Prudden a bit of a smokey so will be interesting to hear a bit more about him over the coming months.

I'm pretty happy with the outcome, we got some players with some talent and good attributes now they just need to work hard and we need to develop them into players.

[Remi Moses]

Reasonably pleased . Stringer, Hunter as forward options.
Would have liked another key defender or forward, personally.

[Doc26]

Callum Twomey's take from AFL.com.


Western Bulldogs
The Giants aside, it's hard to find any club that did better out of the draft than the Bulldogs. Jake Stringer and Jackson Macrae are different types to the young players they've already got coming through, while the Dogs were rapt to get Nathan Hrovat. He might end up one of the steals of this year's crop. If not for a few more centremetres, Hrovat would have been well within the top 15 selections after a terrific season. To cap it off they paid unders for father-son recruit Lachie Hunter at pick 50. Joshua Prudden ended their night, one they will look back on as perhaps the start of their resurgence in future years.

Although may have overlooked Melbourne effectively picking up Jesse Hogan, Jimmy Toumpas and Jack Viney.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

On the basis that I think our list problems as a team are going to take more than one draft to fix, I think we've made a good fist of this draft.

I am not too concerned that we did not pick a natural defender in this draft. I think this is a reflection that our coaching team are going to give alot of game time to guys like Roughy, Fletcher, Markovic and Talia and will see how they progress as a unit over the course of season 2013.
We've invested heavily on midfield/utility type selections this year, with an emphasis on natural ball winners with skill.

Apart from overlooking Garlett with a late pick- which given the blue chips type selections earlier on could've been a calculated risk worth taking - I think we have done well.

I think we are in for another long season in 2013, that will once again deliver us another top 3 or 4 pick and I think depending on how our defenders progress next year will play a big part in how we proceed with our selection philosophy in 12 months time.

[jeemak]

I'm ecstatic we drafted Stringer. It was essential we picked a utility who can influence a game forward of centre, as it's such a gaping hole on our list with only Higgins being close to fulfilling that role. If he can provide cover in the midfield and make opposition teams nervous around the ground with his areal ability then we're going to have a gem of a footballer on our hands.

I was into Wines, as I thought good players that can use the ball at the pointy end of the draft will most likely be able to adjust their output to the team's requirements (when it comes to playing outside versus inside etc). Having said that, I was always going to be happy if the team thought McCrae was the better player and his vaunted ability to work outside and create or be clever (and worked on other areas of the game) outweighed Wines' overall game. We do need creative classy players on our list badly, hopefully he is able to assist in that area.

Hrovat, without knowing a great deal about him strikes me as a good get because of the two key things said about him thus far, being determination and kicking ability. It's great to get quality kicks on to the list.

Great stuff with respect to landing Hunter. We rated him at pick 30 if you believe what Dalrymple stated prior to the draft, after landing him. I have this strange feeling that Hunter is a player that is still yet to put it all together as a junior, due to his rapid improvement over the course of this year. Exciting getting another father son player on to the list, and it should give our supporters something to smile about.

I don't know anything about Prudden. I'll happily let the recruiters do the talking at pick 50.

As for Garlett, if he can be picked up as a rookie then I think we should give it a go.

Excellent write up by the way, TBB.

I've been really impressed with some of the work that has gone in to providing the forum with information about the talent available this draft period. Because of our high draft picks I've really taken an interest in this period moreso than others, and the information provided by the likes of TBB, Bulldogsman, GVGjr, Greystache, MJP, Slimpickens, the Griff's and many more has been fantastic. Hats off.

[immortalmike]

Overall I'm fairly happy with this draft on the admittedly small amount I know about the players we drafted.

Even before we were linked to him I had wrecklessly made a call that Jake Stringer could end up the best player of his draft year. The way he has come back from adversity and all the talent he already possesses is a daunting combination. He doesn't strike me as a kid who'll let himself become an unfulfilled talent and looks set to work his arse off to become the best player he can be, which considering his natural attributes and upside (coming off a broken leg) could be quite formidable indeed.

Jackson Mcrae on the other hand is the type of player that usually gives me pause. He seems to always have space and time and a killer baulk but I'm concerned that with the step up in pace and level that is AFL football will he have that time and space be shut down. Further from what I've seen he is just adequate overhead, of middling to okay pace and has what can best be described as decent disposal (with a particular concern over his kicking penetration). On the positive side he seems to read the play really well and often makes really good decisions. I just can't get over the nagging feeling that he reminds me a bit of a tall Farren Ray.

I don't know a lot about Hrovat but judging from what I've read and his highlights he seems to have a good burst, great disposal and a fantastic attitude. The only query I've found on him is his height and to be honest as a mid that hardly a huge problem.

Hunter looks a good prospect and could quite possibly end up a bit of a steal. Prudden I have no idea about but I'm prepared to back the recruiting staff that late in the draft.

Interesting that someone like Dayle Garlett was overlooked by all 18 teams, it's hard to believe that someone that talented went undrafted. Could end up one of those Dean Cox how the hell was he picked as a rookie players in a few years.

[KT31]

Great summary TBB, very pleased with our picks and have not been this excited with our future since we had Cooney and Griff as pups.

[jeemak]

If Garlett doesn't go as a rookie he's clearly done the pre-draft equivalent of murdering Bambi in cold blood, filming it and posting it on the RSPCA web-page just for kicks.

[GVGjr]

Callum Twomey's take from AFL.com.



Although may have overlooked Melbourne effectively picking up Jesse Hogan, Jimmy Toumpas and Jack Viney.

The Dees did very well and took some quality players.

[GVGjr]

I was reading about how it was strange we passed on O'Brien for Hrovat but did we have any other option at that pick but to go for a midfielder?

I need to be convinced that Stinger and Macrae are genuine options in the midfield but I think once those picks were confirmed we needed to add a midfielder.

I'm guessing here but would we have been as keen on Hrovat at #21 if we had selected Wines instead of Macrae?

[The Pie Man]

I've been really impressed with some of the work that has gone in to providing the forum with information about the talent available this draft period. Because of our high draft picks I've really taken an interest in this period moreso than others, and the information provided by the likes of TBB, Bulldogsman, GVGjr, Greystache, MJP, Slimpickens, the Griff's and many more has been fantastic. Hats off.

Yep, thanks to all mentioned there for your (continued) input - always is the 1st place I come to for Bulldog news; WOOF updates have informed my near obsession with this draft.

I'm glad it's over.

Still a bit shocked with pick 21, but that's no disrespect to Hrovat, who looks capable of becoming a fine player. Would make sense that if Stringer will play games next year (you'd have to consider him a walk up start for round one wouldn't you?) that he'd play FF initially to ease his leg into the pace of senior footy - hence the extra mid(s) later on.

Stringer could be anything

[Sedat]

I was reading about how it was strange we passed on O'Brien for Hrovat but did we have any other option at that pick but to go for a midfielder?
Of course we could have had both had we been able to keep our original pick 27. Small consolation is that Hrovat was a slider already and would most likely not have been there at 27.

[SlimPickens]

Of course we could have had both had we been able to keep our original pick 27. Small consolation is that Hrovat was a slider already and would most likely not have been there at 27.

He wouldn't have been, St Kilda would have taken him.

[Studentlib]

How much emphasis do we place on the fact that Hrovat was chosen as Captain of Vic Metro? Is this an indication that he possesses some of those indefinable qualities that make clubs better? The fact that people closely involved in the TAC industry believed he was the best bloke for the role speaks loudly to me: Leadership, example, character, desire, etc as well as presumably being a good enough footballer to get a guernsey in a good representative team.

With the Garlett situation, clubs must have considered that it was not only his possible flaws in character, but what effect that may have on certain other young team mates (add a name). You only need one bad apple! He just does not fit the BMac or 17 other clubs criteria.

Would also like to state my appreciation for the great conversations on the draft by all the major contributors. This draft and next are so important to the club's future: reading about the players etc has really lifted my enthusiasm for the upcoming seasons - tough as they no doubt will be. With our rebuild in progress I can see a bigger and brighter picture for the long term.

[The Underdog]

With the Garlett situation, clubs must have considered that it was not only his possible flaws in character, but what effect that may have on certain other young team mates (add a name). You only need one bad apple! He just does not fit the BMac or 17 other clubs criteria.



So why is Libba still on the list if influence on impressionable teammates is such a huge issue?

And explain Geelong promoting Jesse Stringer or Carlton keeping Heath Scotland? What has Garlett done that even belongs in those categories. AFL clubs are frustratingly inconsistent with their Puritanism.

[Maddog37]

Clubs will deal with existing problems out of need to protect their brand etc but they will not knowingly invite trouble through the door.

[azabob]

Great summary TBB, it was mentioned on the AFL website (I think that was the source) that Scott Wynd coaches Josh Prudden.

Great to see we are backing ourselves in to solve Stringer's leg issues and equally great to hear that we have had a positive break through with Morris's rebilitation which will help with getting Stringer back on track.

As Jeemak said, to have a player of Stringers size as a "utility" will do wonders for us over the next few years.

[soupman]

Dalrymple said on SEN this morning:

Stringer:
Plays with a presence and likes to hurt people
Needs to lose 3-4kg, his sknfods were a little high (This is for move into midfield)
There were doubts on his aerobic capacity by other clubs but we aren't worried
His hands in close are really good and creative

Macrae
Thought his form in the first month of TAC cup was the best in Australia
A perfectionist
Is obviously on the skinny side

On our draft strategy we just took the best player available
And we still have TWO spots on the list, and will look at needs with these


Also for those of you who didn't watch the Foxtel red button coverage (basically a camera showing clubs taking their picks in SD), Demetriou didn't realise his micophone was still on at the end of the 1st round and was talking through hat i assume was an ad break on the main channel.

He was saying to whoever was next to him that he was surprised that many of the clubs had said to him they weren't aware there was going to be an interchange cap next year, and also said that if they were going to cap it they might as well make it something restrictive like 20.

He also mentioned the "bulldogs coach"but his words were too faint to make out.

Also when Lachie hunter was picked up by us you could hear him ask the guy next to him ïs that Mark Hunter's boy?".

[always right]

Also for those of you who didn't watch the Foxtel red button coverage (basically a camera showing clubs taking their picks in SD), Demetriou didn't realise his micophone was still on at the end of the 1st round and was talking through hat i assume was an ad break on the main channel.

He was saying to whoever was next to him that he was surprised that many of the clubs had said to him they weren't aware there was going to be an interchange cap next year, and also said that if they were going to cap it they might as well make it something restrictive like 20.He also mentioned the "bulldogs coach"but his words were too faint to make out.

Also when Lachie hunter was picked up by us you could hear him ask the guy next to him ïs that Mark Hunter's boy?".

I thought he said "120". He was incredulous that one coach he spoke to earlier claimed he didn't know about the cap.

[jazzadogs]

An article with Dalrymple on the Bulldogs website says that we will have one pick in the PSD and likely one in the rookie draft. Has anyone heard of us delisting another rookie? My.understanding was that we had our full complement.

Can they upgrade a rookie in the PSD?

[Ozza]

I'm pleased with what I'm reading about Hrovat. No problems at all with drafting a kid at pick 21 who was Vic Metro's MVP and gets the footy 25-30 times every time he plays.

[azabob]

An article with Dalrymple on the Bulldogs website says that we will have one pick in the PSD and likely one in the rookie draft. Has anyone heard of us delisting another rookie? My.understanding was that we had our full complement.

Can they upgrade a rookie in the PSD?

Perhaps they are looking to promote another rookie in Skinner's place?

My understanding was before Skinner left we had 5 open spots (Hunter not included) and with Skinner leaving that made 6.

[G-Mo77]

Can they upgrade a rookie in the PSD?

I wouldn't have thought so and even if so why wouldn't they just upgrade yesterday?

I'm hoping for another pick in the rookie draft so I hope we can upgrade a player in the PSD.

[Happy Days]

Not pleased with the selection of Prudden; appears to have been on no other radars (which is still the absolute worst justification for drafting someone - "someone else was going to draft him so we got him earlier than we should have") and everything I can read/hear about him (apart from what we're saying) reads as suspect user and slow. The SEN draft wrap were surprised to hear his name called at all.

We should have picked Garlett.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Well done Dalrymple and the team for their work with this draft, a great result. Now the development work begins and the rest is in the lap of fickle but often fortuitous Fate.
The whole process of waiting and watching this draft is like giving birth: the edgy anticipation, the feeling like it will never happen, the delivery followed by a feeling of goodwill towards the infant pups and the pride in their acquisition. Pain with pleasure. Now the agony and ecstasy of watching them develop as Bulldogs.

[comrade]

Not pleased with the selection of Prudden; appears to have been on no other radars (which is still the absolute worst justification for drafting someone - "someone else was going to draft him so we got him earlier than we should have") and everything I can read/hear about him (apart from what we're saying) reads as suspect user and slow. The SEN draft wrap were surprised to hear his name called at all.

We should have picked Garlett.

Have you seen the kid play? If not, it's impossible to make this sort of call.

Also, you're contradicting yourself. You say we shouldn't have picked him up because no one else would have, but you want to pick up a guy no one else wanted to draft.

[always right]

Not pleased with the selection of Prudden; appears to have been on no other radars (which is still the absolute worst justification for drafting someone - "someone else was going to draft him so we got him earlier than we should have") and everything I can read/hear about him (apart from what we're saying) reads as suspect user and slow. The SEN draft wrap were surprised to hear his name called at all.

We should have picked Garlett.

Wow....sounds like a major cock-up by the club if SEN were surprised!

Perhaps we should all wait until we see him play before passing judgement. Like you I was initially disappointed but at pick 50 there are no certainties and who's to say this won't end up being an inspired choice?

[Happy Days]

Have you seen the kid play? If not, it's impossible to make this sort of call.

Also, you're contradicting yourself. You say we shouldn't have picked him up because no one else would have, but you want to pick up a guy no one else wanted to draft.

From the outside it appears we could have gotten him much later if we wanted to, especially now that we apparently have a rookie selection. The disappointment is stemming from the negative reviews those who have seen him play are giving, which is all there is really to go off given there's apparently no footage of him.

With regard to Garlett, I'm going on the opinion of one of his coaches ;)

[EasternWest]

Not pleased with the selection of Prudden; appears to have been on no other radars (which is still the absolute worst justification for drafting someone - "someone else was going to draft him so we got him earlier than we should have") and everything I can read/hear about him (apart from what we're saying) reads as suspect user and slow. The SEN draft wrap were surprised to hear his name called at all.

We should have picked Garlett.

I'm ok with the Prudden pick.

I'm going to say definitively: I wanted and still want Garlett. I admit to be hesitant to take him with our first three picks, but after that we should have. Particularly in the 80's.

If he's a bad egg, then we can cut him loose after two years. If he's as good as. People have said, and if we could nurture him and help him mature, then the sky's the limit. Big ifs I concede, but worth the risk. Particularly late in the draft , and certainly now in the rookie draft.

I hope we go after him.

[Mofra]

Not pleased with the selection of Prudden; appears to have been on no other radars (which is still the absolute worst justification for drafting someone - "someone else was going to draft him so we got him earlier than we should have") and everything I can read/hear about him (apart from what we're saying) reads as suspect user and slow. The SEN draft wrap were surprised to hear his name called at all.

We should have picked Garlett.
Ball use is a strength, especially in heavy traffic.
I'm not going to call this a lost selection after only 15 hours on our list! Jaysus we're impatient.

[SlimPickens]

Ball use is a strength, especially in heavy traffic.
I'm not going to call this a lost selection after only 15 hours on our list! Jaysus we're impatient.

Agree, give me a pick 50 that isn't speculative!! We can cry foul about not getting Garlett all we want but to have a crack at Dalrymple who has clearly seen the kid play a lot more then some SEN "expert" is ridiculous (They use bloody Terry Wallace as their list manager expert for god sake)

Good luck to Josh I hope he proves all and sundry wrong.

[Cyberdoggie]

I'm guessing here but would we have been as keen on Hrovat at #21 if we had selected Wines instead of Macrae?

Good Point there GVGjr,

I think Macrae looks so raw and really probably won't have an impact for a few years.
Hrovat seems to be a little more developed and might get some games next year.

I see Macrae as the biggest risk out of all our picks, because he's so slender and really looks like a teen still. His game style is also one that could see him struggle a little until his body matures. It's ok to dance around kids at TAC level but you only need to do it a few times at VFL/AFL and they will work you out.
He could also be something special.

I like Hrovat i think he'll be a good player for our club. I just hope that Spencer White doesn't become the next Buddy Franklin ;)

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Good Point there GVGjr,

I think Macrae looks so raw and really probably won't have an impact for a few years.
Hrovat seems to be a little more developed and might get some games next year.

I see Macrae as the biggest risk out of all our picks, because he's so slender and really looks like a teen still. His game style is also one that could see him struggle a little until his body matures. It's ok to dance around kids at TAC level but you only need to do it a few times at VFL/AFL and they will work you out.
He could also be something special.

I like Hrovat i think he'll be a good player for our club. I just hope that Spencer White doesn't become the next Buddy Franklin ;)

I agree.

Stringer and Hrovat i think have the right mindset and ability to be solid AFL footballers at the very least. Macrae though will be a work in progress and will take a bit to develop. He may not even pan out as hoped and struggle at AFL level. HOWEVER, you would assume with BMac's approach of drafting 'good people' that we would not have drafted him, at pick 6 especially, if he didnt have a good head on his shoulders. This should be an advantage for him as even if he does struggle early, he has the right mindset to work hard to get it right.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

http://www.calibrefitness.com.au/latest-news/2013-top-draft-prospects

interesting that the above site had Hrovat as 5th best prospect (this was some time ago though but stil...)

[Ghost Dog]

The club was also able to grab Nathan Hrovat, a smart midfielder with - you guessed it, great character - at No. 21. Hrovat may have gone earlier but slid through, making the Dogs' decision to trade Brian Lake to Hawthorn for a pick upgrade from the late 20s to the early 20s a wise one.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/character-is-draft-buzz-word-20121122-29te1.html#ixzz2D0KrD2jD

Bit early to tell if it was a wise call. See how the kid pans out.

[LongWait]

Agree, give me a pick 50 that isn't speculative!! We can cry foul about not getting Garlett all we want but to have a crack at Dalrymple who has clearly seen the kid play a lot more then some SEN "expert" is ridiculous (They use bloody Terry Wallace as their list manager expert for god sake)

Good luck to Josh I hope he proves all and sundry wrong.

Dalrymple has a good record with later and rookie picks. Let's give this kid a chance to prove himself. This is really more like pick 60 he was chosen with once all of the GWS concessions and mini-draft picks etc are taken into account.

[F'scary]

Dalrymple said on SEN this morning:

Stringer:
Plays with a presence and likes to hurt people
Needs to lose 3-4kg, his sknfods were a little high (This is for move into midfield)
There were doubts on his aerobic capacity by other clubs but we aren't worried
His hands in close are really good and creative


Obviously, Dalrymple knows an infinite amount more about Stringer than I do. But I find a bit disturbing that he wants to turn him into yet another for the "midfield." When I watched the highlights video, I noticed that some of the footage was of him when he was younger and skinnier - he was playing as a centre/ruck-rover. But the later footage (presumably 2012) showed him playing FF. What great hands, what a powerful physique. And so quick off the mark. Pack splitting marks. Speccies. Excellent handling of the half-volley. Bringing others into the play with decisive leading. Looked like a young Tony Lockett more than anyone else. I just don't get the everyone must be a midfielder mentality. We are a side with a really dodgy non-performing forward line. It was the forward line that really stuffed our season up. Hey, but make Stringer lose a heap of weight and become a 'run-with' player vying with 8 others for the same spot - yeah, that'll fix up our most glaring positional problems.

[EasternWest]

Obviously, Dalrymple knows an infinite amount more about Stringer than I do. But I find a bit disturbing that he wants to turn him into yet another for the "midfield." When I watched the highlights video, I noticed that some of the footage was of him when he was younger and skinnier - he was playing as a centre/ruck-rover. But the later footage (presumably 2012) showed him playing FF. What great hands, what a powerful physique. And so quick off the mark. Pack splitting marks. Speccies. Excellent handling of the half-volley. Bringing others into the play with decisive leading. Looked like a young Tony Lockett more than anyone else. I just don't get the everyone must be a midfielder mentality. We are a side with a really dodgy non-performing forward line. It was the forward line that really stuffed our season up. Hey, but make Stringer lose a heap of weight and become a 'run-with' player vying with 8 others for the same spot - yeah, that'll fix up our most glaring positional problems.

I dunno. I think he's all those things you just said, and losing a few kegs will give him more mobility/a bigger tank making him more versatile still.

I think it's win/win, and I'm very happy to have Stringer.

[Pedro Sanchez]

Not to put too much pressure on stringer, but I have a feeling he’s cross between Jonathon Brown, Barry Hall and Tony Lockett… ummm. Yeah, pretty excited about him to fair…

[bulldogsman]

I never had time to post a phantom draft this year, so here's my write up and thoughts of our draft selections.

5. Stringer

With the players selected before us, I'm really glad we took the risk on Stringer. He's a player I think I've seen the most of this year (along with Wines). But I've really struggled with him as I've seen the best including his 10 goal performance and the very worst of him in the U18 championships.

He can play most positions on the ground. In defence he can play a Luke Hodge style role, reads the play well and cuts off attacks. Up forward I don't think he's a key forward in the Pavlich mode, more of a 3rd tall. His leading is pretty much straight at the kicker and is generally a short sharp lead as he doesn't have the speed or endurance to create separation on a longer lead. He does lead to dangerous positions and his speed off the mark is quite good though. His tackling inside the forward 50 is really outstanding too, Mitch Hahn/Max Rooke like. His one on one work is very good and this is where he got most of his goals. In the midfield is where I really think his best position is. His clearance work in particular is outstanding. He's clean, reads the ball well off the ruckman's hands, has very quick hands, good vision and tackles hard. I do question if he has the aerobic capacity to play as a full time midfielder though and it's the main reason I am a bit hesitant with him. He has good skills by hand and foot. There's been talk that his foot skills are poor, but I strongly believe it was due to the leg. Towards the end of the year, he lost the limp and used the ball much more effectively. His goal kicking could do with some work, but it's ok and I think it's more of a mental thing rather than technique. He's not an athlete by any means but he does have good speed in his first 10m. His agility and endurance both need work. He did have a poor skinfolds testing, so there should be some upside though.

I have had some dealings with him when I was at Vic Country this year and while most you already know he's a very driven guy that I know will give it his all. He also has some good leadership qualities and is not afraid to speak his mind for the benefit of the team.

6. Jackson Macrae

As some of you may know, this guy has been a big favourite of mine all year and I'm claiming him right now. I watched him play a pre season game and I have been on board ever since. Never expected to see such an improvement in a player in such a short space of time and I had the pleasure of watching his last month of footy. I think he will complement our midfield nicely and obviously I'm really happy this selection.

Jackson has played in nearly every position on the ground this year with good effect, but it's in the midfield/half forward line where he has really stood out. He's just a very smart player. He predominately plays an outside game, but his inside game has improved where he is now quite capable of winning his own ball. He has very good vision and very quick hands in tight. I think there's some improvement still needed here if he wants to play as a full time midfielder at the next level, but I believe he does have the capabilities and attributes to improve this side of his game.

Outside of the contest Macrae is very good. His run and spread is very good. He's a hard worker/runner and gets to the right spots. Probably the main thing that stands out though, is that he has really grown into a player that hardly ever seems rushed. He reminds me a little bit of Dyson Heppell (more evasive) in style, he just has that rare composure under severe pressure to take a step back or a step to that side to just give him a big of extra time to hit his target. He also makes things happen, you could say he does some freakish Steve Johnson type things at times.

His foot skills are generally very good over a 15-35m metre distance and he gets some nice penetration despite a bit of an awkward action. Over a longer distance he does have the tendency to float his kicks a bit, so definitely needs improvement here. I think he may struggle with his kicking at first in the AFL, but once he gets up to tempo I don't see this as a problem in his game.
Macrae has shown that he can consistently hit the scoreboard. He has good goal sense and he is reasonably accurate shot on goal. At times he can be a little selfish, but he does have the ability to kick a freakish goal.

Defensively Macrae works hard going the way. I'd like to see a few more of his tackles stick, but he does chase and harass. Overhead, he is not a great mark, but he is capable and has been known to go back with the flight.
Athletically he is quick especially in tight spaces over 10-15m. He tested in the top 10% for speed over 10m which is elite and the top 25% over 20m (2.95). His agility was also in the top 20% of the combine. He surprisingly tested poorly in the beep test, but his 3km time trial was much better so I'm not sure what happened there. Dalrymple mentioned he did have very good endurance though, so that's refreshing to hear.

I'm really happy with these two selections and I wouldn't have done anything differently to this. I liked Menzel above Stringer, but he had a poor medical apparently so that's fair enough.

21. Nathan Hrovat

I'm happy with this selection and disappointed at the same time. I believe we had a good key forward option sitting there and I think in the long run we would be better served to have went with O'Brien or maybe even a Clurey. Having said all that, I think Hrovat will be a good player and I'm not upset by it.

One of the smallest players in the draft, Hrovat has a good combination of outside and inside abilities. He's an already strongly built player that really attacks the ball hard and is strong over the ball. Inside the contest he has very quick and clean hands. He also has nice decision making skills and ok vision. Outside of the contest is run and spread is very good. He gets to smart positions on the ground and links up well. His ball use is also quite good and he has some nice penetration on his kicking. Doesn't really have a high hurt factor on his kicking, but it's generally quite effective. Athletically he does have very nice agility and tends to use it well. He will need to work on his speed a bit more, although his time in the repeat sprints was much better than his 20m sprint time. Up forward I feel Hrovat really struggles. He doesn't have great goal sense and his speed limits him a bit. Dalrymple did mention he will be changing with Dahlhaus up forward, but I wonder how much time. My guess is Hrovat will be spending the majority of time in the midfield.

49. Lachie Hunter

Again happy with this selection. I think his ball use was a big improvement on last year which needed to happen. Foot skills were especially bad. He has a good mix of an inside and outside game. Smart player that understands the game. He did surprise me athletically. He's deceptively quick, endurance is good, great agility and has a good leap. I doubt he will play much at all this year. Struggled to keep up with the pace of the game in the U18 champs, don't see him picking up the pace of the game in the AFL quickly. He also needs to get a lot stronger especially through the hips. Strong tackler though.

50. Josh Prudden

Having seen Prudden play a couple of times, I think he was underrated. I don't think any other club was interested apart from us though and I'm still a little confused as to why we didn't pick a Rory Atkins who is a similar type to Prudden. But with more runs on the board. Garlett is also the obvious one, but I really have no idea what his issues are. I'll be comparing Prudden to Atkins in years to come no doubt.

Josh is an inside midfielder, probably not really your pure inside midfielder though. He was played there out of necessity for the bushrangers as they really only had skinny midfielders better suited to outside roles. To me he's more of an inside receiver, that disposes the ball well through traffic. He is a very clean player as shown on the video and has reasonable vision. He is a very hard worker and seems to have good endurance. Will need to be taught on where to position himself to get more of the ball on the outside, but he has some good potential for an outside game and he spent a lot of time shovelling the ball out as I said above. He is a good kick of the ball and has good decision making skills. His handballs skills are not always accurate, so will need to work on this side of his game. I think he will take a few years to come on. His pace/agility don't stand out, but it's reasonable and I think he should be able to play in the back line.

[F'scary]

I dunno. I think he's all those things you just said, and losing a few kegs will give him more mobility/a bigger tank making him more versatile still.

I think it's win/win, and I'm very happy to have Stringer.

Me too. I just think with the picks of Macrae, Hunter & Stringer there is some light at the end of the tunnel with our forward line. A lot of the press classified these blokes as forwards. Surely that's why we went for them? It will take them a couple of years to become regulars, I just hope they will be molded into forward types, not in-&-under grunts or 'run-with' types. Especially when we have very good stocks of these players already and will have for a number of years. That's why I was a little taken aback by Dalrymple's midfield reference.

[F'scary]

Not to put too much pressure on stringer, but I have a feeling he’s cross between Jonathon Brown, Barry Hall and Tony Lockett… ummm. Yeah, pretty excited about him to fair…

I like your thinking.:cool:

[Raw Toast]

I never had time to post a phantom draft this year, so here's my write up and thoughts of our draft selections.

5. Stringer

With the players selected before us, I'm really glad we took the risk on Stringer. He's a player I think I've seen the most of this year (along with Wines). But I've really struggled with him as I've seen the best including his 10 goal performance and the very worst of him in the U18 championships.

He can play most positions on the ground. In defence he can play a Luke Hodge style role, reads the play well and cuts off attacks. Up forward I don't think he's a key forward in the Pavlich mode, more of a 3rd tall. His leading is pretty much straight at the kicker and is generally a short sharp lead as he doesn't have the speed or endurance to create separation on a longer lead. He does lead to dangerous positions and his speed off the mark is quite good though. His tackling inside the forward 50 is really outstanding too, Mitch Hahn/Max Rooke like. His one on one work is very good and this is where he got most of his goals. In the midfield is where I really think his best position is. His clearance work in particular is outstanding. He's clean, reads the ball well off the ruckman's hands, has very quick hands, good vision and tackles hard. I do question if he has the aerobic capacity to play as a full time midfielder though and it's the main reason I am a bit hesitant with him. He has good skills by hand and foot. There's been talk that his foot skills are poor, but I strongly believe it was due to the leg. Towards the end of the year, he lost the limp and used the ball much more effectively. His goal kicking could do with some work, but it's ok and I think it's more of a mental thing rather than technique. He's not an athlete by any means but he does have good speed in his first 10m. His agility and endurance both need work. He did have a poor skinfolds testing, so there should be some upside though.

I have had some dealings with him when I was at Vic Country this year and while most you already know he's a very driven guy that I know will give it his all. He also has some good leadership qualities and is not afraid to speak his mind for the benefit of the team.

6. Jackson Macrae

As some of you may know, this guy has been a big favourite of mine all year and I'm claiming him right now. I watched him play a pre season game and I have been on board ever since. Never expected to see such an improvement in a player in such a short space of time and I had the pleasure of watching his last month of footy. I think he will complement our midfield nicely and obviously I'm really happy this selection.

Jackson has played in nearly every position on the ground this year with good effect, but it's in the midfield/half forward line where he has really stood out. He's just a very smart player. He predominately plays an outside game, but his inside game has improved where he is now quite capable of winning his own ball. He has very good vision and very quick hands in tight. I think there's some improvement still needed here if he wants to play as a full time midfielder at the next level, but I believe he does have the capabilities and attributes to improve this side of his game.

Outside of the contest Macrae is very good. His run and spread is very good. He's a hard worker/runner and gets to the right spots. Probably the main thing that stands out though, is that he has really grown into a player that hardly ever seems rushed. He reminds me a little bit of Dyson Heppell (more evasive) in style, he just has that rare composure under severe pressure to take a step back or a step to that side to just give him a big of extra time to hit his target. He also makes things happen, you could say he does some freakish Steve Johnson type things at times.

His foot skills are generally very good over a 15-35m metre distance and he gets some nice penetration despite a bit of an awkward action. Over a longer distance he does have the tendency to float his kicks a bit, so definitely needs improvement here. I think he may struggle with his kicking at first in the AFL, but once he gets up to tempo I don't see this as a problem in his game.
Macrae has shown that he can consistently hit the scoreboard. He has good goal sense and he is reasonably accurate shot on goal. At times he can be a little selfish, but he does have the ability to kick a freakish goal.

Defensively Macrae works hard going the way. I'd like to see a few more of his tackles stick, but he does chase and harass. Overhead, he is not a great mark, but he is capable and has been known to go back with the flight.
Athletically he is quick especially in tight spaces over 10-15m. He tested in the top 10% for speed over 10m which is elite and the top 25% over 20m (2.95). His agility was also in the top 20% of the combine. He surprisingly tested poorly in the beep test, but his 3km time trial was much better so I'm not sure what happened there. Dalrymple mentioned he did have very good endurance though, so that's refreshing to hear.

I'm really happy with these two selections and I wouldn't have done anything differently to this. I liked Menzel above Stringer, but he had a poor medical apparently so that's fair enough.

21. Nathan Hrovat

I'm happy with this selection and disappointed at the same time. I believe we had a good key forward option sitting there and I think in the long run we would be better served to have went with O'Brien or maybe even a Clurey. Having said all that, I think Hrovat will be a good player and I'm not upset by it.

One of the smallest players in the draft, Hrovat has a good combination of outside and inside abilities. He's an already strongly built player that really attacks the ball hard and is strong over the ball. Inside the contest he has very quick and clean hands. He also has nice decision making skills and ok vision. Outside of the contest is run and spread is very good. He gets to smart positions on the ground and links up well. His ball use is also quite good and he has some nice penetration on his kicking. Doesn't really have a high hurt factor on his kicking, but it's generally quite effective. Athletically he does have very nice agility and tends to use it well. He will need to work on his speed a bit more, although his time in the repeat sprints was much better than his 20m sprint time. Up forward I feel Hrovat really struggles. He doesn't have great goal sense and his speed limits him a bit. Dalrymple did mention he will be changing with Dahlhaus up forward, but I wonder how much time. My guess is Hrovat will be spending the majority of time in the midfield.

49. Lachie Hunter

Again happy with this selection. I think his ball use was a big improvement on last year which needed to happen. Foot skills were especially bad. He has a good mix of an inside and outside game. Smart player that understands the game. He did surprise me athletically. He's deceptively quick, endurance is good, great agility and has a good leap. I doubt he will play much at all this year. Struggled to keep up with the pace of the game in the U18 champs, don't see him picking up the pace of the game in the AFL quickly. He also needs to get a lot stronger especially through the hips. Strong tackler though.

50. Josh Prudden

Having seen Prudden play a couple of times, I think he was underrated. I don't think any other club was interested apart from us though and I'm still a little confused as to why we didn't pick a Rory Atkins who is a similar type to Prudden. But with more runs on the board. Garlett is also the obvious one, but I really have no idea what his issues are. I'll be comparing Prudden to Atkins in years to come no doubt.

Josh is an inside midfielder, probably not really your pure inside midfielder though. He was played there out of necessity for the bushrangers as they really only had skinny midfielders better suited to outside roles. To me he's more of an inside receiver, that disposes the ball well through traffic. He is a very clean player as shown on the video and has reasonable vision. He is a very hard worker and seems to have good endurance. Will need to be taught on where to position himself to get more of the ball on the outside, but he has some good potential for an outside game and he spent a lot of time shovelling the ball out as I said above. He is a good kick of the ball and has good decision making skills. His handballs skills are not always accurate, so will need to work on this side of his game. I think he will take a few years to come on. His pace/agility don't stand out, but it's reasonable and I think he should be able to play in the back line.

Thanks for this, great to get detailed reflections.

[EasternWest]

Me too. I just think with the picks of Macrae, Hunter & Stringer there is some light at the end of the tunnel with our forward line. A lot of the press classified these blokes as forwards. Surely that's why we went for them? It will take them a couple of years to become regulars, I just hope they will be molded into forward types, not in-&-under grunts or 'run-with' types. Especially when we have very good stocks of these players already and will have for a number of years. That's why I was a little taken aback by Dalrymple's midfield reference.

Fair enough.

[F'scary]

I never had time to post a phantom draft this year, so here's my write up and thoughts of our draft selections.


I note that while you feel Stringer's best position is in the midfield, you indicated he could be a good forward. In your opinion, does the club have to make a decision early on what to make of him and tailor his training over a substantial period of time to get what they want? I'm thinking of an either or situation here. Either he slims up and builds the running stamina or he bulks up with a view to being a FF? Or do you think he is not a potential FF at all?

Obviously, I am concerned with forward solutions at the moment. Ah, Bazza Hall - that was good. I keep thinking how nice it would be to have something like a Hall or a Dunstall or a Lockett or a Beasley in the team.

regards

The Silver Gumby.

[bulldogsman]

I note that while you feel Stringer's best position is in the midfield, you indicated he could be a good forward. In your opinion, does the club have to make a decision early on what to make of him and tailor his training over a substantial period of time to get what they want? I'm thinking of an either or situation here. Either he slims up and builds the running stamina or he bulks up with a view to being a FF? Or do you think he is not a potential FF at all?

Obviously, I am concerned with forward solutions at the moment. Ah, Bazza Hall - that was good. I keep thinking how nice it would be to have something like a Hall or a Dunstall or a Lockett or a Beasley in the team.

regards

The Silver Gumby.

I would get him to slim down, to play as a flanker to start off. Once he builds enough of a fitness base, I would play him in the midfield. I don't see him playing as a full time FF, he could play there in periods I guess.
What you have to understand is, a lot of his goals were kicked from good one on one work and strength. He won't get a lot of oppotunity to do that at the next level with 6 defenders hanging off him. He needs to get more dangerous on the lead if he's going to make it as a full time FF and I just haven't seen that.

I think he could be a good forward, but as a 3rd tall forward. In the midfield is where I think he has star potential.

[F'scary]

I would get him to slim down, to play as a flanker to start off. Once he builds enough of a fitness base, I would play him in the midfield. I don't see him playing as a full time FF, he could play there in periods I guess.
What you have to understand is, a lot of his goals were kicked from good one on one work and strength. He won't get a lot of oppotunity to do that at the next level with 6 defenders hanging off him. He needs to get more dangerous on the lead if he's going to make it as a full time FF and I just haven't seen that.

I think he could be a good forward, but as a 3rd tall forward. In the midfield is where I think he has star potential.

Thanks, I have taken this on board. A good 3rd tall can be a very valuable commodity. Add some quality midfield output like an Adam Goodes or a Pavlich and we've got ourselves an out-and-out champ at pick 5.:cool:

[LostDoggy]

So that was an interesting flight. Just caught the same flight back as most of the top 10.

Stringer just seems like he's going to be a natural leader. He clearly has a friendly tough exterior and he was bonding with Maccrae. Has a build already and will be a monster in a couple of years. I'm just stoked having seen him and watched him interact with his peers - hot girlfriend too! Macrae seems less developed and was biting his nails a lot. Poor guy - I feel like the paparazzi but he's definately further away - he'll spend year 1 in the gym you'd rekon. Bit worried how intreverted he seemed but then the guy can clearly play.

Felt sick for Wines and his folks. He looked shell shocked and who can blame him. Lock to play in melbourne with his mate 2 days out and then shovelled off to a city with two basket case clubs the next. Lots of chat about both Port and Adelaide and the clubs challenges. Tough system for an 18 year old.

[Ghost Dog]

Wines feels bad now, but once he gets with the blokes, he'll never forget those formative relationships.

Is tough for a kid isn't it?
It's like that Scene in Harry Potter with the Hat that sorts the kids into houses.
But..with Andrew Demetriou as a fat Dubmledore....
And Port Adelaide are Slitherin....

Give it up for Ghost Dog's highly insightful professional Draft Analysis!!:D

[boydogs]

I just can't get over the nagging feeling that he reminds me a bit of a tall Farren Ray.

It's a fine line between Scott Pendlebury and Farren Ray!


Not pleased with the selection of Prudden; appears to have been on no other radars

He was only on ours thanks to Scott Wynd. That's both picks 49 & 50 we have to thank ex-players for :)

[stefoid]

One of Macraes noted strengths is his decision making, which was Rays most glaring weakness.

My gut feeling is I cant think of any of the 5 that dont have a decent chance to be long term players. All 5 have been picked because they can win contests, use the ball, are 'good characters'.

Just a really solid draft, if perhaps not the most spectacular. A real 'bolster the foundations' type of draft and trading period.

[boydogs]

One of Macraes noted strengths is his decision making, which was Rays most glaring weakness.

Has he got more in common with Sam Power then? The up and under nature of his long kicking.

Just reminds me of a Scott Clayton pick, skinny kid with run and carry that dominates in the juniors but doesn't have the same impact at AFL level. I'm hoping for a Pendlebury but I have my reservations.

I guess it's up to the coaches now as to which way he goes.

[stefoid]

Has he got more in common with Sam Power then? The up and under nature of his long kicking.

Just reminds me of a Scott Clayton pick, skinny kid with run and carry that dominates in the juniors but doesn't have the same impact at AFL level. I'm hoping for a Pendlebury but I have my reservations.

I guess it's up to the coaches now as to which way he goes.

I think thats why Colqoun didnt get picked up - a good kick out on his own, but suspect in a contest. I dont think anyone is saying the same thing about Macrae that I have read.

[Remi Moses]

One of Macraes noted strengths is his decision making, which was Rays most glaring weakness.

My gut feeling is I cant think of any of the 5 that dont have a decent chance to be long term players. All 5 have been picked because they can win contests, use the ball, are 'good characters'.

Just a really solid draft, if perhaps not the most spectacular. A real 'bolster the foundations' type of draft and trading period.

Most experts have us as doing very ( Emma Quayle ) one of the best has us as winners.

[Remi Moses]

Has he got more in common with Sam Power then? The up and under nature of his long kicking.

Just reminds me of a Scott Clayton pick, skinny kid with run and carry that dominates in the juniors but doesn't have the same impact at AFL level. I'm hoping for a Pendlebury but I have my reservations.

I guess it's up to the coaches now as to which way he goes.

Don't know where you get the Sam Power comparison from.
A couple of the draft watchers on BF rave about him.
I guess we'll see in the next few years.

[Ghost Dog]

I was disappointed we didn't pick Wines. And I'm sure Wines was too.
But I trust our team and hope for the best. They don't let any half-triers into the door at Whitten Oval anymore.

[kruder]

Don't know where you get the Sam Power comparison from.
A couple of the draft watchers on BF rave about him.
I guess we'll see in the next few years.

In the kicking technique not the style of player.

[boydogs]

Don't know where you get the Sam Power comparison from.
A couple of the draft watchers on BF rave about him.
I guess we'll see in the next few years.

Both tall and wirey, athletic and skillful but lack penetration on their kicking and easily pushed off the ball. This combination can mean they are forced to play in space out on the flanks, and turn the ball over with long kicks down field.

[immortalmike]

One of Macraes noted strengths is his decision making, which was Rays most glaring weakness.

Pre-draft so was Farren Ray's. He was also compared to Robbie Flower. I'm not counting my chickens before they're hatched with young Macrae.

[The Underdog]

Pre-draft so was Farren Ray's. He was also compared to Robbie Flower. I'm not counting my chickens before they're hatched with young Macrae.

I wouldn't do that with any of them. There's a million examples of players who don't make it, there's no guarantee any of these guys end up being what they are supposed to, even Whitfield.

[Bulldog4life]

I wouldn't do that with any of them. There's a million examples of players who don't make it, there's no guarantee any of these guys end up being what they are supposed to, even Whitfield.

Agree Underdog. Furthermore to "talk down" a player that we have just recruited is mindless.

[mighty_west]

Agree Underdog. Furthermore to "talk down" a player that we have just recruited is mindless.

It's just baffling why people do it, but they do, some even talked down and criticized the selection of Clay Smith last year before a ball was bounced.

[LostDoggy]

I come back from a long holiday and there have been more than a few changes

So a very basic stripped back draft for the Dogs , Tall Forward/Back Utility , Tall Midfield Utility , three medium Midfielders two outside one inside

I,ll just quote Simon Dalrymple

" We need to keep a modern focus for our future forward line and we needed another tall strong bodied mobile player to work with Jack Redpath , we see Jack and Jake as having the potential for being the foundation you build a strong forward line on "

"Jackson Macrae is 188cm with a bit of growing to do , he gives us a second player in the mold of Ryan Griffen , we identified a need to have a taller player who can provide options on the outside and its great to have Jackson on board "

"Nathan Hrovat brings poise and polish to the outside of the contest , we see him as a confident decision maker under pressure with good vision "

"We were a little surprised that Josh Prudden wasn't picked up earlier , he did have few injuries which may have put some other Clubs off as they restricted his game time but he's such a hard worker, a very committed contested ball player and we are very happy we could bring him to the Western Bulldogs "

Its great we were able to get Lachy Hunter into the fold as well , we certainly have more than few options in midfield to cover retirements over the next few years , potential losses to Free Agency have also got to be considered

.

[Sedat]

I know our 2009 draft selections were heavily criticised both at the time and now (justifiably so too), but all 11 players that St Kilda drafted/rookied/traded in are no longer at the club. Unbelievable.

[DogzMan]

Wow, really glad to hear Dalrymple say that about Redpath, seems that they have high expectations of him.

[jeemak]

I know our 2009 draft selections were heavily criticised both at the time and now (justifiably so too), but all 11 players that St Kilda drafted/rookied/traded in are no longer at the club. Unbelievable.

That's pretty damning for St Kilda, isn't it. When you're at the pointy end of the ladder you need to make every draft count to minimise the impact of the inevitable downturn in list talent and balance.

For the most part our 2009 draft was ordinary, though I still think Howard will be a player. I understand he's got serious positioning defficiencies that must improve, particularly in defense, though I'm confident he can overcome them. He did play some excellent football in 2012 in patches, and I think that's been vastly underrated around these parts.

Tutt worries me, he needs an uninterrupted and solid performing preseason big time.

[jeemak]

Wow, really glad to hear Dalrymple say that about Redpath, seems that they have high expectations of him.

The reports from Williamstown watchers have been less than flattering, though I've not heard any negativity from the coach or others at the club, and these comments are just another reinforcement of that. If he comes on, the likes of Jones and Cordy will need to have a good year or two to remain relevant.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I'm not as critical of Redpath as others.

He needs time and this is obviously an important season for him, but he has some nice tools to work with.

I don't think Cordy's that far ahead of him, although it says more about our other unproven talls than anything else.

[ledge]

I like Redpath he seems huge and built if he gets his timing right this kid will kill in packs.
Huge upside in my opinion

[Remi Moses]

I know our 2009 draft selections were heavily criticised both at the time and now (justifiably so too), but all 11 players that St Kilda drafted/rookied/traded in are no longer at the club. Unbelievable.

Don't always agree with Terry Wallace but I agree on his sentiments that Stkilda are 2 years behind us.

[Ghost Dog]

Don't always agree with Terry Wallace but I agree on his sentiments that Stkilda are 2 years behind us.

Great to hear! May they forever be so. Where did he say this?

[Remi Moses]

Great to hear! May they forever be so. Where did he say this?

Basically a time frame behind us with their list.

[Ghost Dog]

Was it in SEN?
I'd like to have a listen.

[azabob]

Wow, really glad to hear Dalrymple say that about Redpath, seems that they have high expectations of him.

I dont think Dalrymple really said it.

[The Underdog]

I dont think Dalrymple really said it.

I haven't been able to find it, there's some other stuff on the website from Simon.

West-Dog, where did you get the quotes from?

[LostDoggy]

Has he got more in common with Sam Power then? The up and under nature of his long kicking.

Just reminds me of a Scott Clayton pick, skinny kid with run and carry that dominates in the juniors but doesn't have the same impact at AFL level. I'm hoping for a Pendlebury but I have my reservations.

I guess it's up to the coaches now as to which way he goes.

Just because he's skinny now doesn't mean he'll stay that way. They all start pretty skinny, yes some more than others, but a few years in the system and he'll have beefed up and be a great player.

Obviously the biggest problem with draft picks for us fans is that we expect them out on the park in Round 1, kicking 10 on debut. If Macrae can hold his own spot before the end of 2014 I'll be a happy camper.


I know our 2009 draft selections were heavily criticised both at the time and now (justifiably so too), but all 11 players that St Kilda drafted/rookied/traded in are no longer at the club. Unbelievable.

Unbelievable perhaps, but isn't it just grand?! :D

[Bulldog Revolution]

Don't always agree with Terry Wallace but I agree on his sentiments that Stkilda are 2 years behind us.

And yet we can never beat them

I know where Terry is coming from but our players still need to become good otherwise we've just spent two years blooding players who never get there

I'm not counting my chickens

[Mofra]

And yet we can never beat them
Gram's gone, Fisher on shaky ground, their midfield is led by two 30 year olds and they have a defence that looks as shaky as our forwardline.

St Kilda is not amongst the teams I'm worried about in 2, 3, 4 years when we are challengers.

[Mantis]

St Kilda is not amongst the teams I'm worried about in 2, 3, 4 years when we might be challengers.

Edited to be realistic.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I was disappointed we didn't pick Wines. And I'm sure Wines was too.
But I trust our team and hope for the best. They don't let any half-triers into the door at Whitten Oval anymore.

THIS is why i am not as concerned with the Macrae pick as i may have otherwise been in previous years

[azabob]

I haven't been able to find it, there's some other stuff on the website from Simon.

West-Dog, where did you get the quotes from?

I think West-Dog was "channelling" perhaps what was going through Dalyrimple's mind when selecting who we selected.

[Dazza]

For those doubting Howard I'd say give him some time. He's had an injury interrupted run at it so far. He produced some very good games for us last year including a 28 disposal, 2 goal game against the cats.

I'm willing to wait a few years before putting him in the not up to it category.

[EasternWest]

For those doubting Howard I'd say give him some time. He's had an injury interrupted run at it so far. He produced some very good games for us last year including a 28 disposal, 2 goal game against the cats.

I'm willing to wait a few years before putting him in the not up to it category.

I'd probably like to see more aggression from him, but I mostly agree with you. He's shown glimpses at times and I'm willing to give him more time.

I am a bit concerned about his defensive nous however.

[Sedat]

I am a bit concerned about his defensive nous however.
He doesn't have any - not an easy thing to teach. For an aspiring defender, that's a problem, especially considering he lacks the explosive pace of the mark to make a go of it in the middle as a line-breaker. I'm just not sure where Howard will fit in the modern game, if at all.

[Remi Moses]

And yet we can never beat them

I know where Terry is coming from but our players still need to become good otherwise we've just spent two years blooding players who never get there

I'm not counting my chickens

He said it in regards to their decent down the ladder.

[Remi Moses]

I'd probably like to see more aggression from him, but I mostly agree with you. He's shown glimpses at times and I'm willing to give him more time.

I am a bit concerned about his defensive nous however.

Agree with this. He has to get tougher with one on one's.

[LostDoggy]

I haven't been able to find it, there's some other stuff on the website from Simon.

West-Dog, where did you get the quotes from?

I,m happy to admit its not exactly word for word for every quote , there were a couple of websites like the Brisbane Times that had sound bites of post draft interviews with Simon , I,ve just put the sound bites together so they make sense , several of the questions he was asked post draft were only answered briefly , half a sentence , I had to do the rounds of the websites to hear all the sound bites , AdelaideNow had a bit someone else had a bit , it was all disjointed but if you put them all together they basically make sense , I didn,t change the subject or add anything just put it together , people can take it or leave it , I,ve tried to post it as best as I could , now this was all on Live Draft sections that have since been condensed so I have no way of downloading the sound bites to show you what I mean ( shrugs shoulders )

.

[LostDoggy]

Edited to be realistic.

What place does realism have on a fan forum? :P