The Hindsight Recruiting Manager - Gibbs or Selwood?

[GVGjr]

Hindsight is a powerful thing especially when it comes to draft selections.

I have been particularly impressed by to evenly matched players from the 2006 draft.

Bryce Gibbs went number one and has played 33 games. I think it's fair to say that he didn't really set the world on fire in his first season but has really started to play some fine football this year.

Joel Selwood started off brilliantly in his first season and has played in both a premiership and State of Origin teams. He has played 32 games for the Cats which is a particularly good effort given how strong they are.

Using the power of hindsight, if you were the recruiting manager and had to select one of the above mentioned players who would it be and why?

[1eyedog]

Hindsight is a powerful thing especially when it comes to draft selections.

I have been particularly impressed by to evenly matched players from the 2006 draft.

Bryce Gibbs went number one and has played 33 games. I think it's fair to say that he didn't really set the world on fire in his first season but has really started to play some fine football this year.

Joel Selwood started off brilliantly in his first season and has played in both a premiership and State of Origin teams. He has played 32 games for the Cats which is a particularly good effort given how strong they are.

Using the power of hindsight, if you were the recruiting manager and had to select one of the above mentioned players who would it be and why?

Joel Selwood, he's as hard as nails, saw Gibbs pull out of a couple of contests last year. Doubt Gibbs would of got much game time at Geelong if he was there last year, Selwood played beautifully last year in a very good team. Gibbs will be a good player but his selection would still be based on potential, Selwood is already established so I'd go with him.

[LostDoggy]

Selwood is clearly the better player now.
i have heard something about him having a bad knee which might lead to a short career?

[LostDoggy]

Long term Gibbs will be a gun. Obviously Selwood can play, it is a lot easy getting kicks playing for Geelong then Carlton. The Selwood boys seem to plateau a little

[mjp]

Luenberger?
Gumbleton?

I still say Luenberger should have been first picked...poor old Gumbleton cannot take a trick with injuries (his collar bone now)...I will always be surprised that Gibbs went at one with two quality, athletic bigs available.

[GVGjr]

Luenberger?
Gumbleton?

I still say Luenberger should have been first picked...poor old Gumbleton cannot take a trick with injuries (his collar bone now)...I will always be surprised that Gibbs went at one with two quality, athletic bigs available.

Perhaps we will look at them later :) This is just a two horse race between Gibbs and Selwood

[Scorlibo]

Very tough call I think. Selwood has already proved himself in a premiership team, he is hard, composed and uses the ball pretty well. Gibbs didn't do much for me last year but I think he is starting to show some class this year and I do love genuinely classy players. I feel that next year both will take their game to another level. If Gibbs can elevate himself to the possession rate of Selwood then he will be the better player because he just does a bit more with the ball than Selwood.

Selwood by a whisker though for me because he has proven himself.

[BulldogBelle]

Both very good players but at this stage I would have to pick Selwood ahead of Gibbs. If I could pick both even better. :)

[Sockeye Salmon]

Personally I'd rather a bigger guy, say 6' 4". But he'd need to be able to run and kick. I wouldn't mind if he was really skinny at this stage as long as it looked like he might fill out in time.

I would also like him to have a large birthmark on his right arm.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

To date, I personally don't think Gibbs looks worthy of being a #1 pick, but Cooney took a little while to develop, so perhaps it's a similar case, but to me he lacks something. He doesn't appear to be hard at the ball - not suggesting he's soft, though - and he lacks pace. Seen him run down a few times too due to a lack of awareness. He's a creative player though and has improved this season, I'm sure he'll be a good player, but I think Selwood is far better from what I've seen. He's tough as anyone, his defensive game is great. He picks possessions up at will and generally uses the ball well. He's a terrific foil for Ablett & Bartel.

I think in today's game, slow midfielders really stand out and are often caught out. That's a big reason why Fremantle & St. Kilda are rubbish, and were so hard to watch tonight. Barely a player in both sides capable of breaking the lines. Palmer's disposal needs improving but it's why he's already rated one of Fremantles best midfielders because he's prepared to tuck the ball under his arm and run. He's not the fastest going around, but you only need a 10m burst. Gibbs from what I've seen is yet to incorporate this style into his game.

I know it's going off topic but boy St. Kilda are crap. Their midfield is one paced and are incapable of kicking goals. Ball finds the footy a lot, but he puts team mates under pressure repeatedly because he can't kick the damn thing. The rest of their midfield is basically the same, Dal Santo is one with good skills, but even he is very reluctant to ever have a shot for goal. So I guess drawing back to the original point of this thread, if you draft midfielders early on, you really want them to be able to find the ball, dispose of it and be willing to break the lines to open up the play. Otherwise, they'll get caught out, like Luke Ball so often does.

[GVGjr]

Selwood would be in the lead but Gibbs is closing the gap and within a season or two might just edge ahead. I don't think the Blues would be losing any sleep over this.

[hujsh]

Interesting that Selwood was looking like the no.1 pick before being injured in the draft year.

Selwood for me. Haven't watched too much of Gibbs though

[hujsh]

Selwood would be in the lead but Gibbs is closing the gap and within a season or two might just edge ahead. I don't think the Blues would be losing any sleep over this.

In the end he may be a better player for Carlton's needs than Selwood would be. Just like Selwood may be better for Geelong.

eg. Carlton have Judd as captain for a few more years while Selwood would likely be a contender when Harley leaves the job.

[Go_Dogs]

Seen a bit of Gibbs this year and been pretty impressed. He's a better size than Selwood for mine, a bit taller and stronger and going to be more adaptable I feel. Good overhead, excellent skills, reads the game well.

Selwood is a beauty though. His composure for such a young player is fantastic even if he doesn't improve much other than his fitness and strength he'll be a good long term player. Be interesting to see if he can add a go-forward, kick goals role to his skill set.

[Desipura]

In the future I believe it will be like comparing Cross with Cooney. Both offer different qualities however would have to go with the player that has the ablility to run and carry which is why I would take Gibbs. This is not taking anything away from Selwood who is a very good player now and could become a great player before his career ends.

[LostDoggy]

Callan Ward has shown more in his first year than Gibbs did in his first two. Pick 19, pick 1. I guess one draft was a lot shallower (Yes, yes, I know that Callan was a younger type that would have gone higher if he had nominated a year later..)

[Twodogs]

I'm loathe to write a teenager off so I wont say that Gibbs has done nothing to impress me and was the wrong kid to pick at #1.


Instead I'll just say that I would take Selwood and will keep mum about Bryce.

[Raw Toast]

Personally I'd rather a bigger guy, say 6' 4". But he'd need to be able to run and kick. I wouldn't mind if he was really skinny at this stage as long as it looked like he might fill out in time.

I would also like him to have a large birthmark on his right arm.

Would it be ok if we nick-named this kid 'Skinny'?

I haven't seen enough of Gibbs to comment on him, but Selwood's leadership has really impressed me - was bog against the Dockers for mine, when they needed someone to step up he was the one doing it, and just dominated.

His hands are super-clean, and his ability to stand up and get the ball off in the tackle is outstanding.