The Western Bulldogs have been dogged by some poor draft choices in the past few year

[Bulldog4life]

JARRAD Grant played in the VFL reserves on Sunday.


Sadly the sight of the No.5 pick in the 2007 draft kicking dew at Williamstown sums up the state of affairs at the Western Bulldogs.

It's a well-told story that recruiting manager at the time, Scott Clayton, said after the draft: "If Jarrad Grant's not the best player after them (No.1 Matthew Kreuzer and No.2 Trent Cotchin), then I'll swim to Williamstown from here."

All recruiters have a couple of shockers; that's the nature of the business.

The problem for the Dogs is some bad decisions at the draft table are coming home to roost big time.

It must be noted before you read the following that recruiters like to mention at this point that they're not responsible for the development of players.

In other words we can bring the talent in but it's not our fault if they don't prosper with the appropriate coaching.

Who is to blame for the mess at the Whitten Oval can be debated long and hard, but the facts are disturbing for Dogs fans.

1) OF the five selections at the 2006 national draft, none remains. The first pick was Andrejs Everitt at No.11. Players who were overlooked include James Frawley, Jack Riewoldt, Chris Dawes, Kurt Tippett, Robbie Gray and Justin Westhoff.

2) IN 2007 when Grant went at No.5, the following were still available: Lachie Henderson, Ben McEvoy, Patrick Dangerfield, Cyril Rioli and Harry Taylor.

3) THE 2009 draft, the first for recruiting manager Simon Dalrymple after Clayton went to Gold Coast, has been a bust.

Christian Howard, first pick at No.15, has played one game this year. Jason Tutt (31) and Lukas Markovic (63) have struggled, while Shane Thorne (76) is no longer around.

Those missed in favour of Howard include Daniel Menzel, Nathan Fyfe, Ryan Bastinac, Jake Carlisle, Mitch Duncan, Sam Reid, Allen Christensen and Nathan Vardy.

4) IN 2010 the Dogs struck gold with two father-son selections in Mitch Wallis and Tom Liberatore. Eight other players were added to the list, including trades for Nathan Djerrkura and Justin Sherman. Only one remains and that's ex-Swan Patrick Veszpremi, who can't get a game in the current climate.

5) THE most glaring hole is a lack of a key forward. Barry Hall filled the void for a few of years but the fact the Dogs have been unable to get any key-position talent is head-scratching. Liam Jones will be a good player, but he's not ready to be the main man. There was a play for Dawes in the trade period but he chose Melbourne, while out-of-favour Essendon big man Scott Gumbleton was considered but was not really courted. Given his form this year, that seems another bad decision.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/the-western-bulldogs-have-been-dogged-by-some-poor-draft-choices-in-the-past-few-years/story-fndv8weh-1226647184804

[G-Mo77]

I know we've been drafting poorly but when it's laid out like that it hurts a little more.

[Maddog37]

Once again this could have been lifted straight from WOOF........

Also this is cherry picking as with most clubs you could go back through their recruiting and name players taken after them that were proven better over time. We have stuffed things up but what does focussing on that aspect do to help our present sitiuation? It is already widely known amongst supporters.

[AndrewP6]

It's not "news" as such, but depressing reading just the same.

[Grantysghost]

Once again this could have been lifted straight from WOOF........

Also this is cherry picking as with most clubs you could go back through their recruiting and name players taken after them that were proven better over time. We have stuffed things up but what does focussing on that aspect do to help our present sitiuation? It is already widely known amongst supporters.

Agree. By not mentioning all the other teams who didn't grab Dangerfield and Fyfe when they had the chance you really are only telling half the story to suit your purpose. We're the flavour of the week deservedly so; guess its expected.

[wb_age]

Can anybody here shed more light on Jarrod Grant? Last year he was in out of this side apparently while on a modified program to help him put on size.

Now this year he has been in the reserves, now in the development team.

This frustrates me, disregard the number 5 tag, the kid has skill and can kick goals. McCartney is supposed to be a great teacher/developer of kids, yet Grant has been left to wallow away in the reserves' reserves.

Why has it all gone so wrong for Grant?

[bornadog]

This article is written by some one reading WOOF.

We can all bring up issues and problems but we want solutions. I say *!*!*!*! the past

[SlimPickens]

This article is written by some one reading WOOF.

We can all bring up issues and problems but we want solutions. I say *!*!*!*! the past

Hear, Hear BAD!!! Blame who you want, we're in this predicament and it ain't going to change anytime quick. It's what we do from this day forward, not what we did under previous adminstrators, coaches, recruiters etc.

[Remi Moses]

Yep, basically the caravan has moved to us .
I think we're all aware of past stuff ups.
Interestingly reading an 09 phantom draft it had Howard going in the 40's!
Richmond who have been laughed at for draft stuff ups have nailed their first rounders for a while now and are reaping the benefits

[Remi Moses]

Can anybody here shed more light on Jarrod Grant? Last year he was in out of this side apparently while on a modified program to help him put on size.

Now this year he has been in the reserves, now in the development team.

This frustrates me, disregard the number 5 tag, the kid has skill and can kick goals. McCartney is supposed to be a great teacher/developer of kids, yet Grant has been left to wallow away in the reserves' reserves.

Why has it all gone so wrong for Grant?

Because he plays on his own terms. Occasionally doing the 1% ers but basically thinking his talent will get him through. In this era work ethic as a forward is just as vital as talent.

[Topdog]

Once again this could have been lifted straight from WOOF........

Also this is cherry picking as with most clubs you could go back through their recruiting and name players taken after them that were proven better over time. We have stuffed things up but what does focussing on that aspect do to help our present sitiuation? It is already widely known amongst supporters.

most clubs will have that. How many will have 0 players remaining from the 06 draft and no good players drafted from 09.

[Maddog37]

Check this link http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/td-hawthorn-hawks?year=2006

[Topdog]

They still have a player from that draft.

[Maddog37]

They also had higher pics. I am just saying we are not alone in stuffing up drafts and that the wheel will turn.

[Topdog]

No one has ever suggested that we are alone. Ours is a combination of draft mistakes and losing Ward and Harbrow.

[bornadog]

No one has ever suggested that we are alone. Ours is a combination of draft mistakes and losing Ward and Harbrow.

All leads back to list management. Hopefully now that we do have a list manager that will change.

[Maddog37]

No one has ever suggested that we are alone. Ours is a combination of draft mistakes and losing Ward and Harbrow.

No probs Topdog. I am not trying to be adversarial, just conversational.....:)

[w3design]

Can anybody here shed more light on Jarrod Grant? Last year he was in out of this side apparently while on a modified program to help him put on size.

Now this year he has been in the reserves, now in the development team.

This frustrates me, disregard the number 5 tag, the kid has skill and can kick goals. McCartney is supposed to be a great teacher/developer of kids, yet Grant has been left to wallow away in the reserves' reserves.

Why has it all gone so wrong for Grant?

BMac is copping enough flack at the moment, I don't think we can add JG to that.
There is an old saying...You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
Jarrod is his own problem. For mine it is pretty clearly an attitude problem. Where that originates from though, I for one have absolutely no idea.

As you say the kid has undoubted talent, but from outside it seems to be a work ethic [ or unhappy where he is ???] problem. I made a point of watching him individually through his resi's match on the weekend. For 99% of the game he looked totally disinterested. He would occasionally make a single attempt at the ball, and if that did not come off, he just stood around and watched what happened next, or trotted to the outside of the next action, and waited in hope it would come out his way.

The only way you could tell who his direct opponent was, was when that player decided to try and pick him up for a moment. Most of the match they did not even bother, as he was having no impact on the game, and simply walked or jogged along after the play.

Quite frankly if Williamstown had a 3rds team, I think that is where he would be next week.
JG is another case unfortunately of a significant talent that is going to be completely wasted. SAD !

[Ghost Dog]

BMac is copping enough flack at the moment, I don't think we can add JG to that.
There is an old saying...You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
Jarrod is his own problem. For mine it is pretty clearly an attitude problem. Where that originates from though, I for one have absolutely no idea.

As you say the kid has undoubted talent, but from outside it seems to be a work ethic [ or unhappy where he is ???] problem. I made a point of watching him individually through his resi's match on the weekend. For 99% of the game he looked totally disinterested. He would occasionally make a single attempt at the ball, and if that did not come off, he just stood around and watched what happened next, or trotted to the outside of the next action, and waited in hope it would come out his way.

The only way you could tell who his direct opponent was, was when that player decided to try and pick him up for a moment. Most of the match they did not even bother, as he was having no impact on the game, and simply walked or jogged along after the play.

Quite frankly if Williamstown had a 3rds team, I think that is where he would be next week.
JG is another case unfortunately of a significant talent that is going to be completely wasted. SAD !

Versus North, they had JG in a suit in the Studio room, meeting multicultural groups. I think the club was trying to build his confidence a bit by showing him he's part of the club, and we want to be proud of him. Plenty of people wanted to have their photo taken with him and get a signature.

He's clearly been given some amazing genetic gifts, and when he walked in the room, I could see the interest in him being drafted. Doesn't smile much - Is he unhappy? Maybe he doesn't really enjoy footy, and had it thrust on him in the past.

Perhaps he has something on his mind that's more important to him than footy at the moment. In that case, perhaps he's better off doing a Libba and taking some time off to work a regular job.

[MrMahatma]

Versus North, they had JG in a suit in the Studio room, meeting multicultural groups. I think the club was trying to build his confidence a bit by showing him he's part of the club, and we want to be proud of him. Plenty of people wanted to have their photo taken with him and get a signature.

He's clearly been given some amazing genetic gifts, and when he walked in the room, I could see the interest in him being drafted. Doesn't smile much - Is he unhappy? Maybe he doesn't really enjoy footy, and had it thrust on him in the past.

Perhaps he has something on his mind that's more important to him than footy at the moment. In that case, perhaps he's better off doing a Libba and taking some time off to work a regular job.
Trade for Watts?