Draft Day

[Mantis]

As some of you know I was lucky enough to attend today's draft as a guest of the club.

As things worked out I was able to sit on the main table for the bulk of the day's proceedings which was great experience.

As far as our selections go it is fair to say that we got the player's that we had targetted. The recruiting staff had compiled a fairly detailed list to how they thought the draft would unfold and it was just a matter of ticking off the names til it got to our turn.

The plan was to pick up 2 key position type's with our picks, but this was dependant on who was left when it was out go.

It was hoped that atleast 2 of Mitch Brown, Trengrove, Roughead, McKernan and Liam Jones would be around when it was our turn to call out the player codes & names. Of course there were contigency plans in place, but luckliy these weren't required. In saying that the recruiting staff had a very good idea of which player's would be around when it was our turn.

Overall the feeling from the recruiting staff was that it was a very good result and with the injection of these young talls as well as Ayce who is highly regarded by those in the know, (Alan McConnell who is head coach of the AFL AIS program rated Ayce as his #1 pick) it was thought that we now had the player's to fill in the gaps so to speak.

The discussion after our picks were done centred around the development program of these new players and getting them into the club over the coming week's. Scott Clayton was happy that he had left his position as our recruiting manger with a very exciting list that was well rounded in terms of midfield and key position options.

If anyone has a question about the day please post it and I will try and help you out with an answer.

Overall a very enjoyable experience.

[comrade]

Mantis,

Any idea where they see Liam Jones playing? Was he drafted as a key forward or a key back? Also, do they see Cordy as a key forward or a ruckman?

Cheers.

[Mantis]

Any idea where they see Liam Jones playing? Was he drafted as a key forward or a key back? Also, do they see Cordy as a key forward or a ruckman?



Jones will be given the opportunity to play forward and back in his development so it's still a bit undecided where he will settle.

Cordy is expected to eventually play in the ruck, but the club aren't going to rush him at all. The feeling you get is that they think this kid is pretty special.

[comrade]

Thanks for that. It's actually exciting having so many young developing talls - and best of all they've got talent.

Everitt, Williams, Cordy, Grant, Boumann, Jones, Roughead, O'Shea, Mulligan and Shaw.

You'd imagine at least 2 or 3 of those really come good and another couple become serviciable. Our tall stocks seem pretty rosy.

Combine that with the midfield.

Cooney and Griffen are another year or so from peaking, Callan Ward is a jet. Boyd and Cross have at least another 3/4 years of being top line performers. Higgins and Addison will get even better. You'd expect at least one of Reid, Wood and O'Keefe to step up.

If we can develop our kids properly - we could be onto a winner. A big winner.

[Scorlibo]

Thanks very much for that write-up Mantis, sitting at the main table must have been highly intriguing.

Did you happen to get a peek at the list they had? Would you know which midsized/small players were on the agenda and also if Tom Lee was a genuine option?

Cheerz.

[Scraggers]

Thanks for the write-up Mantis,

I am so jealous ... sitting back here trying to watch the draft on my computer (which crashed twice during preceedings by the way), wishing I was actually there.

It must have been awesome to get into the minds of the heirachy ... the contingency plans you speak of ... any details?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Thanks very much for that write-up Mantis, sitting at the main table must have been highly intriguing.

Did you happen to get a peek at the list they had? Would you know which midsized/small players were on the agenda and also if Tom Lee was a genuine option?

Cheerz.

I can answer this for Mantis because he rang me after the draft and I asked the same questions.

We would have taken Lee if Roughead or Jones were taken before our pick, so yes, Lee was definately a genuine option - next cab off the rank.

The mid we were looking at was Benalla's Nick Suban.