Where has our Finals Squad come from?

[bulldogtragic]

How the 2021 Finals Squad of the three finals, and likely four finals, has been put together (exc. emergencies):

1st Rounder: Bontempelli (4), Macrae (6), B. Smith (7), Naughton (9), Weightman (15), English (19)

Later: Dunkley (25), Vandermeer (37), Wood (43), Dale (45), Daniel (46), Williams (48), Young (49)

Father/Son: Liberatore, Cordy, Hunter

Rookie Draft: JJ, R. Smith

Trade 2nd Rounder: Treloar (net nothing for us overall though with Points last year), Schache (& a 3rd)

Trade 3rd Rounder: Keath (& small future swap), Hannan

Trade 4th Rounder: Duryea

Trade Player: Martin (for Lachie Young who had already quit)

Footscray VFL: Scott (SSP), Gardner (Rookie)


My Take:

We nailed our First Rounders, For talls and smalls. Our mid to late drafting is sublime. Benefitted from a few F/S. Drafted some good rookies since forever. The trading is just brilliant, we’ve gotten some very critical players without selling the farm. While seeing a few guys at Footscray for a Rookie Spot & SSP after Lloyd retired early this year. Basically we’ve done everything well, as almost all Grand Final teams need to.

[bornadog]

Those first rounders are beauties, great work by recruiters.

[comrade]

How does that compare to Melbourne?

[bulldogtragic]

How does that compare to Melbourne?

Off the top of my head. 3 x First Rounders to get May & Lever. Second Rounders on Brown and I think Langdon.

First rounders on Salem, Petracca, Oliver, Jackson, Pickett.

Viney F/S

Edit: Forgot Hibberd for a Second as well.

[Dancin' Douggy]

Our recruiting, trading and drafting has really been spectacularly good after some very dodgy years of wasted picks and dumb trades.

[GVGjr]

Those first rounders are beauties, great work by recruiters.

Agreed, We have a very good recruiting network

[EasternWest]

Daniel at 46 was lucky then and ridiculous in hindsight. He's one of the best players in the game.

[Grantysghost]

Daniel at 46 was lucky then and ridiculous in hindsight. He's one of the best players in the game.

Imagine if he worked on his aerial game.

[Happy Days]

Daniel at 46 was lucky then and ridiculous in hindsight. He's one of the best players in the game.

Daniel at 46, Dale at 45 and Williams at 48. Two All Australians and the other guy is every bit as good. All within 2 years.

[jazzadogs]

Off the top of my head. 3 x First Rounders to get May & Lever. Second Rounders on Brown and I think Langdon.

First rounders on Salem, Petracca, Oliver, Jackson, Pickett.

Viney F/S

Edit: Forgot Hibberd for a Second as well.

I was interested:

First Rounders - Salem (2013 9), Petracca (2014 2), Brayshaw (2014 3), Oliver (2015 4), Jackson (2019 3), Pickett (2019 12), Bowey (2020 21) (and Weideman (2015 9) but he's not playing)
Second Rounders - Gawn (2009 34 - technically 3rd rounder), Neal-Bullen (2014 40), Spargo (2017 29), Fritsch (2017 31), Petty (2017 37), Sparrow (2018 27), Jordon (2018 33), Rivers (2019 32)
Later picks - Tom McDonald (2010 53)

Rookie - Harmes (2013)
Father-Son - Viney (2012)

Trades
Jake Melksham for Pick 25
Michael Hibberd for #29
Jake Lever for Pick 10 and 2018 First (16)
Steven May for Jesse Hogan (effectively - they got Pick 6 and 23 for Hogan, and moved on 6 for May and Kolo)
Ed Langdon for 2020 second round pick (32) + extras
Ben Brown for not much...#26 + 33 for Brown + #28


My take:
They have also nailed their first rounders, although had a few more of them due to trades, concessions and poor performances - only Weideman is not playing, of their first rounders since 2013. It's interesting that most of their 'tanking' team are gone now, except N Jones. Not as many late picks and rookies as us.
They have been more aggressive with their trades, really targeting a couple of key needs. The Hogan for May trade in particular has worked out beautifully, particularly with Ben Brown falling in their laps last year.

[FrediKanoute]

Dalrymple. He has built this list. Don't get me wrong Power has done a great job, but this recruiting is mostly Dalrymple. Wonder if we will rue his departure to Sydney.

[EasternWest]

Imagine if he worked on his aerial game.

Maybe then he'd stop being EXPOSED.


Daniel at 46, Dale at 45 and Williams at 48. Two All Australians and the other guy is every bit as good. All within 2 years.

I was blinded by Daniel didn't even notice the other two.

Mind you, Daniel was an absolute standout in his junior days, I'm less familiar with the Baileys but don't recall them coming with such kudos.

[jazzadogs]

Dalrymple. He has built this list. Don't get me wrong Power has done a great job, but this recruiting is mostly Dalrymple. Wonder if we will rue his departure to Sydney.

For sure. Since he left in Feb 2018 we have brought in 10 guys who are in our grand final team (I'm including the spirit of Josh Bruce), which is a fairly reasonable turnover in 3 years:
- Ryan Gardner (mid-season draft)
- 2018 National Draft - Smith (7), West (FS 26), VDM (37), Cavarra (45), Hayes (78)
- 2018 Rookies - Lachie Young, Jordon Sweet
- 2018 FA - let Dahlhaus go for 2nd round compo
- 2018 trade IN - Sam Lloyd for 64, Duryea for a late pick
- 2018 trade OUT - Marcus Adams for pick 32 (VDM), Roughead for 75 (Hayes)
- 2019 Draft - Weightman (15), Butler (53), Garcia (62)
- 2019 trade IN - Bruce, Keath
- 2020 Draft - JUH (1), Bedendo (55)
- 2020 Rookie - McNeill, kept Roarke
- 2020 Trade - Hannan, Martin, Treloar

I think we have still nailed some picks and overall list-management decisions since 2018, and while undeniably Dalrymple's fingerprints are buried deep within the squad there is a fair bit of Sam Power magic dust sprinkled on top.

[azabob]

Dalrymple. He has built this list. Don't get me wrong Power has done a great job, but this recruiting is mostly Dalrymple. Wonder if we will rue his departure to Sydney.

Egos are funny things and sometimes it pushes people into a corner.

[bulldogtragic]

Egos are funny things and sometimes it pushes people into a corner.

Yep, bang on the money.

[1eyedog]

Maybe then he'd stop being EXPOSED.



I was blinded by Daniel didn't even notice the other two.

Mind you, Daniel was an absolute standout in his junior days, I'm less familiar with the Baileys but don't recall them coming with such kudos.

I think Williams was well known for a ridiculous amount of possessions(45?) against men the year before he was drafted. Was it SANFL seconds?

[azabob]

Interesting our back 6 in 2016 and 2021 is cheap as chips draft pick wise.

Melbourne on the other hand have loaded up big trade wise and dollar wise.