Gourdis to Richmond. Did we miss something?

[westdog54]

As most of us would knjow by now, Richmond used its 1st pick in the PSD to draft Subiaco's David Gourdis.

I found this interesting on a number of fronts.

First of all, he was regarded as a near certainty to be drafted, some even predicting that he may go in the top 30, which begs the question: Why was he overlooked in the first place.

Secondly, MJP, someone who's opinion of junior footballers I trust and respect, rated him above Grant, Henderson and McEvoy in the BF Phantom draft, using pick 5 to take him (mind you Jarrod Grant slipped through to 19 so I'm not sure how reliable that is). But again the question must be asked, from all accounts he's a handy player with a fantastic workrate. Does it seem odd that when he was widely tipped to go reasonably early in the draft that he had to wait for the PSD for his chance.

Will Richmond make Clayton look silly, and MJP look like a genius?

[LostDoggy]

With respect, I think the 16 AFL recruiters have a bit more knowledge than MJP. They watch these kids for years.

[Scorlibo]

Yes the fact that he slipped is quite strange, and it makes you wonder perhaps about off field issues, but what was even stranger for me was the fact that he went at pick 1 in the PSD. I mean clubs have no interest in him in the national, and then when the PSD comes around he is hot property? And the preseason draft is pretty well an extended national draft plus the recycled players. It makes you think, "well if there had been one more pick in the national draft, would Gourdis have been taken with that pick?"

[Sockeye Salmon]

Clayton could have drafted him instead of O'Keefe if he wanted him.

Mustn't have wanted him.



I saw Gourdis play SA and thought he was a gun. The issue seems to be his attitude and kicking.

[Templeton31]

I guess it shows that BF draft-watchers/predictors dont necessarily see the same things as the professional recruiters. I dunno that I believe Richmond's comments about taking him no. 1 in PSD because other clubs were interested. Basically every club (including Clayton) says "yeh there were heaps of other clubs interested in our newly drafted gun <insert draftee name>" as a way of making their choice sound good. Doesnt actually mean any clubs were interested, especially in this case were no club picked him in the ND.

[The Coon Dog]

Will Richmond make Clayton look silly, and MJP look like a genius?

Why signal out Clayton here Westdog?

If he makes it, then there's sixteen recruiting managers who would all be as equally culpable including Richmond's as they all overlooked him in the National Draft.

[The Underdog]

Why signal out Clayton here Westdog?

If he makes it, then there's sixteen recruiting managers who would all be as equally culpable including Richmond's as they all overlooked him in the National Draft.

Yeah but if he goes onto be a top full-forward while we're still searching for one then the articles will say "Clayton overlooked Gourdis" , "Clayton can't pick talls". The other teams become irrelevant because they weren't desperately searching for a tall forward like we were. :rolleyes: If it continues to be our weakness, we'll continue to pay in the press and in places like BF.

[Bulldog Revolution]

The guys clearly seen as a risk

He could end up the next Angwin or he could be a spectacular success story

[wimberga]

This is all great speculation.

An exciting thread here Westdog, but dont expect any real answers until we see him play.

[GVGjr]

With respect, I think the 16 AFL recruiters have a bit more knowledge than MJP. They watch these kids for years.

What more can the kid do than to play well in the carnival and be one of the best at the draft camp? Sure the recruiters are closer to some of the information about the draftees but based on form throughout 2007 he should have been selected and it appears that a couple of other clubs would have selected him if the Tigers didn't.

[Topdog]

What more can the kid do than to play well in the carnival and be one of the best at the draft camp? Sure the recruiters are closer to some of the information about the draftees but based on form throughout 2007 he should have been selected and it appears that a couple of other clubs would have selected him if the Tigers didn't.

Agreed. However for him to fall so much there must have been a rather serious off field question mark.

I'm more in the Scorlibo line of thinking here. What made him so desireable in the PSD but not in the ND??

[LostDoggy]

What more can the kid do than to play well in the carnival and be one of the best at the draft camp? Sure the recruiters are closer to some of the information about the draftees but based on form throughout 2007 he should have been selected and it appears that a couple of other clubs would have selected him if the Tigers didn't.

The carnival is over rated. I think recruiters look a bit deeper. Injuries, team form, team strength and individual form play a such a big part. Yes Gourdis had a good draft camp, but his negatives must of outweighed it.

[hujsh]

Tehy must not have been sure if they wanted him or he would have been taken ewith their last draft pick

[The Coon Dog]

Tehy must not have been sure if they wanted him or he would have been taken ewith their last draft pick

I suppose the difference between draft day & now, is it gave the Tigers an opportunity to see him up close, see how he trains, relates with the other players & just how much not being drafted spurred him on. I'm only guessing mind you.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I suppose the difference between draft day & now, is it gave the Tigers an opportunity to see him up close, see how he trains, relates with the other players & just how much not being drafted spurred him on. I'm only guessing mind you.

Thats exactly right, AND hes now had a bit of a wakeup call, where hes realised that maybe his talent alone wont get him to the AFL. Admittedly he has made a list now, but for 3 weeks everybody would have been asking him what happened? why didn't you get picked up etc etc etc?

I personally would have been inclined to take him with our last pick in the national draft, but I dont know anything about the issues

[Mofra]

The issue seems to be his attitude and kicking.
Yup, a few comments about his kicking, and Clayton's higher picks (with the exception of Williams, a work in progress at the time) all have exceptional kicking skills.

Happy enough with Grant, although we wont know how the kids go for a few years yet.

[FrediKanoute]

Thats exactly right, AND hes now had a bit of a wakeup call, where hes realised that maybe his talent alone wont get him to the AFL. Admittedly he has made a list now, but for 3 weeks everybody would have been asking him what happened? why didn't you get picked up etc etc etc?

I personally would have been inclined to take him with our last pick in the national draft, but I dont know anything about the issues

I tend to agree. At pick 60+ in a weak draft getting a guy who many pundits including guys like Matt Burgan rated considerably higher would ahve been worth a gamble. No disrespect to O'Keefe and I hope he proves to be a gun player, but he is the type of guy that would have lasted until the Rookie draft. No doubt there were some off field queries about this guy, because its rare that a tall gets overlooked by all 16 clubs when he is highly regarded, especially in a shallow draft, but a guy who performed as well as he did in the champs deserves a chance and I just hope that we haven't made a HUGE blunder on this one. I guess time will tell.

[LostDoggy]

i don't understand, what did richmond gain by picking him in the ps draft rather than the National draft?

[GVGjr]

i don't understand, what did richmond gain by picking him in the ps draft rather than the National draft?

The ability to have him train with their squad and extra chance to test his commitment.

[westdog54]

Why signal out Clayton here Westdog?

If he makes it, then there's sixteen recruiting managers who would all be as equally culpable including Richmond's as they all overlooked him in the National Draft.

Certainly no intention of singling out Clayton, perhaps I worded it badly. More to emphasise the fact that Clayton's on our payroll. I'm a big fan of Clayton's but I also respect MJP's judgement.

[Sockeye Salmon]

There was no chance that we were ever going to draft Gourdis. Clayton didn't rate him at all.

[mjp]

With respect, I think the 16 AFL recruiters have a bit more knowledge than MJP. They watch these kids for years.

With respect?

[GVGjr]

There was no chance that we were ever going to draft Gourdis. Clayton didn't rate him at all.

A mate of mine in the west kept mentioning that he is a good footballer on a good day but disinterested when the ball isn't delivered too him on a platter. He reckons he did well in the carnival because the WA team was so dominate not because he is a great player.

[FrediKanoute]

Time will tell whether Richmond have unearthed a diamond or whether the Rookie risk was a small price to pay for a failure.

[hujsh]

A mate of mine in the west kept mentioning that he is a good footballer on a good day but disinterested when the ball isn't delivered too him on a platter. He reckons he did well in the carnival because the WA team was so dominate not because he is a great player.

Then he should have a chat with Richo about how they deliver the ball at Tigerland :D

[bornadog]

A mate of mine in the west kept mentioning that he is a good footballer on a good day but disinterested when the ball isn't delivered too him on a platter. He reckons he did well in the carnival because the WA team was so dominate not because he is a great player.

Lets not forget he is only 18 and things may change in the future as he matures and grows up. Who knows what his attitude and dedication to football will be, but for now, the club didn't think it was right and didn't want to take a chance.

[LostDoggy]

Gourdis has been delisted today by the Tiges.

I suppose that makes Clayton a genius :)

Is it just because he cant play footy is is it to do with attitude/off field behavoir?

[LostDoggy]

Is it just because he cant play footy is is it to do with attitude/off field behavoir?

Let's be honest, at his age (19) you'd keep a kid who had problems if you knew he was worth it as a footballer - you'd gamble you could sort them out in the next few years as they mature. In saying that, I have no idea why he was delisted.

[FrediKanoute]

Looks like we dodged a bullet then huh!

[wb_age]

Word floating around the Richmond boards is that Gourdis suffered/suffers from depression.

I guess that could be considered worse then recruiting a player with a bad attitude. If true, good luck to the guy with recovery.

[The Underdog]

Word floating around the Richmond boards is that Gourdis suffered/suffers from depression.

I guess that could be considered worse then recruiting a player with a bad attitude. If true, good luck to the guy with recovery.

Dare I say that not being a Richmond player anymore might cure his depression?:D