Game Day 2024 Draftmatmas live celebration and melt thread

[Football Tragic]

I'm a big believer that, as soon as you walk through the Club doors, all draft order/picks are thrown out.
It's a bit like a Uni Lecturer referring to students VCE Scores; it doesn't happen. Just like a VCE Score, your draft selection is only ticket through the gates, the past is almost instantly forgotten with your effort and on field performance the only true measure of value.

I also wouldn't read too much in the number or order of the players taken. Our recruiters were eager to get take certain players and the order they were taken was far less important than the actually players taken themselves. They knew some players, they wanted, would slip while others were hot property, this is why they took Faull before Armstrong. It wasn't because they necessarily rated Faull higher but more that they knew Armstrong would be there later.

I for one, think we desperately needed tall forwards. Despite having some depth in this area, we didn't have the quality on the list to replace Jack and Lynch. Similarly, we needed to continue to shore up up backline. The inclusion of Tranor did just that. Defense is always the foundation of a flag side and we are making sure that is locked in before we add running half backs, wingers, small forwards and outside mids.

Next year will add more quality mids and smalls but you always get in the taller types first, who notoriously take longer to develop. I for one, think we have recruited exactly what we need and, praying that they all are healthy and come on, we have the foundations of a powerful team in the future.

 

[_RT_]

There is way too much positivity in our threads now. I blame _RT_

So, to bring everyone down a peg which of these 8 draftees is going to be a bust first?

 

[All Aust]

There is way too much positivity in our threads now. I blame _RT_

So, to bring everyone down a peg which of these 8 draftees is going to be a bust first?

You get to go into a small room with LOTR and Magic to nut it out.

 

[two blue tiger]

Think henjo called the company and they said he worked there but wasn't available to talk. So it's all good

Remember when Chris Judd "worked" for VISY???????????

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

Building a dynasty: AFL coaching veteran Brendan McCartney on developing teens to stars​

Getting drafted is the easy part. What happens next depends on a range of factors. JOSH BARNES finds out how Richmond can turn its 2024 haul into one revered like Hawthorn and Geelong’s dynasty-shaping drafts.
Josh Barnes
follow



6 min read
December 8, 2024 - 5:00AM

1 Comment

In the early 2000s, the projector would come on in Mark Thompson’s office and the class would be in session.
As the coach universally known as “Bomber” led Geelong in its full commitment to developing a talented young crop, Thompson’s office was the place to be if you wanted to learn.
Brendan McCartney was at Kardinia Park in those years as an assistant coach as the Cats dug into developing a draft crop from 1999 and 2001 that included future club legends like Joel Corey, Cameron Ling, Paul Chapman, Corey Enright, Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly, Steve Johnson and Gary Ablett.

Mark Thompson addresses Cats including Steve Johnson and Cameron Ling.
“I think back through the years to the role ‘Bomber’ played in their lives as footballers early on,” McCartney said.
“Back then he was just light years ahead of what coaches were teaching their players. He had a big projector screen put in his office and he had vision that he would show them and he would point to players and tell them where they needed to go.”
From the very top, Geelong was all the way in on development as CEO Brian Cook, recruiter Stephen Wells and coach Thompson agreed to stay patient.
McCartney came to the Cattery at the same time as the foundation crop from the 1999 draft.
He went on to a long coaching journey that has included the gig as Western Bulldogs head coach, a recent part-time job at Collingwood around the Pies’ 2023 flag and now the head coach of VFL club Port Melbourne.

Brendan McCartney coaching the Cats.
He also runs Player Coach, a business bringing the coaching basics to local and junior footballers.
Those early years in the 2000s built what became a dynasty for Geelong and that first step down the road is where Richmond finds itself right now.
The Tigers draft haul of seven players selected in the top 28 picks has already become famous, the question is whether it goes into footy folklore as a masterstroke or infamy as a flop.
Thinking back to Thompson’s role, McCartney believes Tigers coach Adem Yze has it in his hands to lead the way.

Adem Yze has a big job ahead. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos
And Yze will need to be backed from the top, like Cook did at Geelong.
“(Thompson) accepted the responsibility as senior coach to say ‘I have to teach these boys how to train and play because what they grow up to be is what our club is going to be’,” McCartney said.
“There was a batch of 15 or 16 of them over a few years and that was the guts of those premierships and his stamp was all over them.
“The senior coach as Richmond, it is going to be a big job for him because he is trying to win games every week, but Adem has to put a stamp on these guys. And I am sure he will.”

THE BASICS​

Even with seven first-round choices walking into Punt Road, the young Tigers will need to start from the ground up.
Teens these days are better equipped when they pull up to club car parks in their P-plated cars than in past generations but McCartney has rarely seen any player walk into the AFL as a genuine ready-made product.

Richmond’s dream draft crop surround No.1 pick Sam Lalor. Picture: Michael Klein
“There is less than you could count on one hand who I have seen come in and adapt and deal with the game straight off,” he said.
“Every first year is tough for a player. They are managing their own expectations, they are managing external expectations and their family who want them to do well.”
So, it is best to start with the basics.
“It’s watching them move, watching them play,” McCartney said.
“They will always have things in their game that come quite naturally to them, so I always left that alone.
“The little things in their game, I have always viewed it as what can embarrass them. What is going to trip them up. And generally, if there are holes in their game, the game will find it pretty quickly at that level.”

Most importantly, these Tigers will need to stick together.
Geelong’s rebuild was seemingly over relatively quickly when the young Cats made a preliminary final in 2004.
But a horror 2006 threatened to blow the club up, with Thompson just surviving a review and Johnson almost traded to Collingwood.
Hawthorn’s mighty 2004 draft – selecting Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis and Lance Franklin, followed by role players like Simon Taylor and rookie Clinton Young – paid off with the 2008 flag.

Hawthorn youngsters Jordan Lewis, Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead lived up to the hype.
But the Hawks almost splintered when they missed finals in 2009 and it took until 2013 to again climb the mountain.
“It is sort of educating them on the value of having a career together,” McCartney said.
“It is a tricky thing.
“They all have incredible abilities compared to the average player, that is why they get taken early and in Richmond’s case, in the first round. Slap that to a team and that is not a natural thing for a young player, it takes time.
“The reality is, when playing against older players and older bodies it is survival of the fittest at times.”

MIGHTY MENTORS​

Those there during Geelong’s great era often point back to a VFL flag won in 2002.
That seconds side featured the fresh faces who became multiple AFL premiership players in\f Chapman, Johnson, Kelly, Ablett, Bartel and Josh Hunt.
It also featured veterans like Tim McGrath, Mitchell White and David Mencsh.

Geelong’s 2001 draftees: (Clockwise from top left) Charlie Gardiner, Gary Ablett Jr, Steve Johnson, James Bartel (Jimmy Bartel), David Johnson and James Kelly.
Hawks players in the build to Alastair Clarkson’s dominant run often think back on the importance of veterans like Richie Vandenberg, Shane Crawford, John Barker and Ben Dixon on their development.
Tigers like Toby Nankervis, Jayden Short, Tom Lynch, Dion Prestia, Nathan Broad, Nick Vlastuin and Kamdyn McIntosh have all enjoyed flag success.
Now they have to give back.

“I know Richmond are really well set up culturally and they are going to have to be because they will have a big reliance on Nick Vlastuin and Dion Prestia and older boys like Tom Lynch,” McCartney said.
“They are going to be really, really important. Early days for us at Geelong, Tim McGrath, Sholly (Brad Sholl), they were fantastic for our young group. When they won that VFL flag, they were great. They were hard on the young blokes but they played with them and showed them and got them sorted.”
Richmond has so far picked the juiciest fruit off the tree but the Tigers will need to hit on players drafted in later rounds to build a strong team.
The Hawks had Sam Mitchell (pick 36, 2001), Luke Breust (47, 2008 rookie draft) and Ben Stratton (46, 2009).

The Cats nailed picks on Ling (38, 1999), Enright (47, 1999), Mathew Stokes (61, 2005) and Max Rooke (41, 2000).
McCartney has no hesitation when he names Enright as his favourite development success, the skinny kid from South Australian town Kimba who played 332 games and became one of the best half-backers of all time.
“‘Boris’ (Enright) was the one. He was just created out of his own discipline and desire to be a good player,” McCartney said.
“He was motivated by being a good teammate. He wanted to play in a team and contribute, that was his nature. That motivated him.
“He was born out of just incredible hard work and underneath it was this incredible ability to see the game, which wasn’t obvious but grew out of the work he put into his game.”

HITS AND MISSES​

The Richmond recruiters poured hours and hours into likely the most consequential draft in club history, even as beloved recruiting boss Chris Toce lost a hard-fought battle with cancer.
The new Tigers players rightfully celebrated their success on draft night but the real hard work was yet to begin.

Richmond’s 2004 draft class didn’t deliver.
“Getting drafted, I always say, is the easy bit,” McCartney said.
“Having a substantial career that is fulfilling and being part of a strong culture and a strong club, that is the hard bit. That is where the work really starts.”
In December, every club thinks their recent draft haul was a success.
Exactly 20 years ago on the night the Hawks set up a dynasty, the Tigers drafted five players in the top 20 – Brett Deledio, Richard Tambling, Danny Meyer, Adam Pattison, Dean Polo.
“Certainly from Richmond’s perspective we’re absolutely ecstatic. We did a lot of homework in our first round draft selection as every club does,” Tigers coach Terry Wallace said then.

Deledio became a star for the Tigers but all five players finished their careers elsewhere and none played in a winning final in the yellow and black.
Essendon tried to make gold out of a player exodus in 2020 when they ended up with three first-rounders in a row.

​

The jury is out on No.8 Nik Cox, No.9 Archie Perkins has shown some signs but needs to improve and No.10 Zach Reid has been perpetually injured.
Not every club can pull it off like Geelong and Hawthorn did.
But good drafting needs to be backed by good development.
“I’m really looking forward to watching them grow,” McCartney said.
“I think it is going to be a fascinating study and it is so brave, I applaud them. I think it is good for footy.”

 

[captain blood 17]

**** me, how many times do we have to revisit 2004 to talk about this years draft crop. If you’re gonna do it. Do the full research on what we had invested in recruiting and development back in 2004 to now. See if there’s a difference and explain that. I reckon we may be a bit of a different club. Just sayin’. Lazy, poor journalism by anyone who doesn’t do that.

 

[Lord of the Wings]

You get to go into a small room with LOTR and Magic to nut it out.

You clearly spend too long in a small room nutting one out

 

[Defibrillate]

Been thinking a lot about the draft and the direction of the club. I actually really like the idea of stripping back the list and starting again - and think we have done so well.

The question of comparing a total rebuild vs top up for success is interesting. Whilst you can say the Cats and Swans have been relevant over the last 15years - I wouldn’t trade that for the joy of Dimma’s rebuild and the subsequent success achieved. (People forget Dimma turned over 38 players in his first three years and started from the ground up - and funnily I don’t think he’s been given the credit for what was an ultimate rebuild. We were a basket case). The number of rookie draft selections alone that were developed for our success was insane - and watching players get better from year to year through that era was one of the highlights for me. The journey was great. Compare that to the Cats (and go back and look at their draft hand in the last 15 years) and youth development has been basically pathetic. It was a top up mentality - and wielded far less ultimate success than us. Their previous era was built on the draft and the ups and down of developing players - something I think Bomber Thompson was really good at. We were the same - growing pains and all the crap that went with it made the success taste even sweeter.

There is no guarantee with our approach - and it does mean a long time between drinks - but the excitement of watching this years (and next years) cohort come through is certainly going to be a great ride. Watching a group collectively improve (the real challenge) is far more interesting to me. And if ultimate success does eventually come - it will be pretty bloody nice.

 

[Lacustrus]

**** me, how many times do we have to revisit 2004 to talk about this years draft crop. If you’re gonna do it. Do the full research on what we had invested in recruiting and development back in 2004 to now. See if there’s a difference and explain that. I reckon we may be a bit of a different club. Just sayin’. Lazy, poor journalism by anyone who doesn’t do that.

**** me, what is that avatar !

 

[Drunken Wookie]

Building a dynasty: AFL coaching veteran Brendan McCartney on developing teens to stars​

Getting drafted is the easy part. What happens next depends on a range of factors. JOSH BARNES finds out how Richmond can turn its 2024 haul into one revered like Hawthorn and Geelong’s dynasty-shaping drafts.
Josh Barnes
follow

6 min read
December 8, 2024 - 5:00AM
1 Comment

In the early 2000s, the projector would come on in Mark Thompson’s office and the class would be in session.
As the coach universally known as “Bomber” led Geelong in its full commitment to developing a talented young crop, Thompson’s office was the place to be if you wanted to learn.
Brendan McCartney was at Kardinia Park in those years as an assistant coach as the Cats dug into developing a draft crop from 1999 and 2001 that included future club legends like Joel Corey, Cameron Ling, Paul Chapman, Corey Enright, Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly, Steve Johnson and Gary Ablett.

Mark Thompson addresses Cats including Steve Johnson and Cameron Ling.
“I think back through the years to the role ‘Bomber’ played in their lives as footballers early on,” McCartney said.
“Back then he was just light years ahead of what coaches were teaching their players. He had a big projector screen put in his office and he had vision that he would show them and he would point to players and tell them where they needed to go.”
From the very top, Geelong was all the way in on development as CEO Brian Cook, recruiter Stephen Wells and coach Thompson agreed to stay patient.
McCartney came to the Cattery at the same time as the foundation crop from the 1999 draft.
He went on to a long coaching journey that has included the gig as Western Bulldogs head coach, a recent part-time job at Collingwood around the Pies’ 2023 flag and now the head coach of VFL club Port Melbourne.

Brendan McCartney coaching the Cats.
He also runs Player Coach, a business bringing the coaching basics to local and junior footballers.
Those early years in the 2000s built what became a dynasty for Geelong and that first step down the road is where Richmond finds itself right now.
The Tigers draft haul of seven players selected in the top 28 picks has already become famous, the question is whether it goes into footy folklore as a masterstroke or infamy as a flop.
Thinking back to Thompson’s role, McCartney believes Tigers coach Adem Yze has it in his hands to lead the way.

Adem Yze has a big job ahead. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos
And Yze will need to be backed from the top, like Cook did at Geelong.
“(Thompson) accepted the responsibility as senior coach to say ‘I have to teach these boys how to train and play because what they grow up to be is what our club is going to be’,” McCartney said.
“There was a batch of 15 or 16 of them over a few years and that was the guts of those premierships and his stamp was all over them.
“The senior coach as Richmond, it is going to be a big job for him because he is trying to win games every week, but Adem has to put a stamp on these guys. And I am sure he will.”

THE BASICS​

Even with seven first-round choices walking into Punt Road, the young Tigers will need to start from the ground up.
Teens these days are better equipped when they pull up to club car parks in their P-plated cars than in past generations but McCartney has rarely seen any player walk into the AFL as a genuine ready-made product.

Richmond’s dream draft crop surround No.1 pick Sam Lalor. Picture: Michael Klein
“There is less than you could count on one hand who I have seen come in and adapt and deal with the game straight off,” he said.
“Every first year is tough for a player. They are managing their own expectations, they are managing external expectations and their family who want them to do well.”
So, it is best to start with the basics.
“It’s watching them move, watching them play,” McCartney said.
“They will always have things in their game that come quite naturally to them, so I always left that alone.
“The little things in their game, I have always viewed it as what can embarrass them. What is going to trip them up. And generally, if there are holes in their game, the game will find it pretty quickly at that level.”

Most importantly, these Tigers will need to stick together.
Geelong’s rebuild was seemingly over relatively quickly when the young Cats made a preliminary final in 2004.
But a horror 2006 threatened to blow the club up, with Thompson just surviving a review and Johnson almost traded to Collingwood.
Hawthorn’s mighty 2004 draft – selecting Jarryd Roughead, Jordan Lewis and Lance Franklin, followed by role players like Simon Taylor and rookie Clinton Young – paid off with the 2008 flag.

Hawthorn youngsters Jordan Lewis, Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead lived up to the hype.
But the Hawks almost splintered when they missed finals in 2009 and it took until 2013 to again climb the mountain.
“It is sort of educating them on the value of having a career together,” McCartney said.
“It is a tricky thing.
“They all have incredible abilities compared to the average player, that is why they get taken early and in Richmond’s case, in the first round. Slap that to a team and that is not a natural thing for a young player, it takes time.
“The reality is, when playing against older players and older bodies it is survival of the fittest at times.”

MIGHTY MENTORS​

Those there during Geelong’s great era often point back to a VFL flag won in 2002.
That seconds side featured the fresh faces who became multiple AFL premiership players in\f Chapman, Johnson, Kelly, Ablett, Bartel and Josh Hunt.
It also featured veterans like Tim McGrath, Mitchell White and David Mencsh.

Geelong’s 2001 draftees: (Clockwise from top left) Charlie Gardiner, Gary Ablett Jr, Steve Johnson, James Bartel (Jimmy Bartel), David Johnson and James Kelly.
Hawks players in the build to Alastair Clarkson’s dominant run often think back on the importance of veterans like Richie Vandenberg, Shane Crawford, John Barker and Ben Dixon on their development.
Tigers like Toby Nankervis, Jayden Short, Tom Lynch, Dion Prestia, Nathan Broad, Nick Vlastuin and Kamdyn McIntosh have all enjoyed flag success.
Now they have to give back.

“I know Richmond are really well set up culturally and they are going to have to be because they will have a big reliance on Nick Vlastuin and Dion Prestia and older boys like Tom Lynch,” McCartney said.
“They are going to be really, really important. Early days for us at Geelong, Tim McGrath, Sholly (Brad Sholl), they were fantastic for our young group. When they won that VFL flag, they were great. They were hard on the young blokes but they played with them and showed them and got them sorted.”
Richmond has so far picked the juiciest fruit off the tree but the Tigers will need to hit on players drafted in later rounds to build a strong team.
The Hawks had Sam Mitchell (pick 36, 2001), Luke Breust (47, 2008 rookie draft) and Ben Stratton (46, 2009).

The Cats nailed picks on Ling (38, 1999), Enright (47, 1999), Mathew Stokes (61, 2005) and Max Rooke (41, 2000).
McCartney has no hesitation when he names Enright as his favourite development success, the skinny kid from South Australian town Kimba who played 332 games and became one of the best half-backers of all time.
“‘Boris’ (Enright) was the one. He was just created out of his own discipline and desire to be a good player,” McCartney said.
“He was motivated by being a good teammate. He wanted to play in a team and contribute, that was his nature. That motivated him.
“He was born out of just incredible hard work and underneath it was this incredible ability to see the game, which wasn’t obvious but grew out of the work he put into his game.”

HITS AND MISSES​

The Richmond recruiters poured hours and hours into likely the most consequential draft in club history, even as beloved recruiting boss Chris Toce lost a hard-fought battle with cancer.
The new Tigers players rightfully celebrated their success on draft night but the real hard work was yet to begin.

Richmond’s 2004 draft class didn’t deliver.
“Getting drafted, I always say, is the easy bit,” McCartney said.
“Having a substantial career that is fulfilling and being part of a strong culture and a strong club, that is the hard bit. That is where the work really starts.”
In December, every club thinks their recent draft haul was a success.
Exactly 20 years ago on the night the Hawks set up a dynasty, the Tigers drafted five players in the top 20 – Brett Deledio, Richard Tambling, Danny Meyer, Adam Pattison, Dean Polo.
“Certainly from Richmond’s perspective we’re absolutely ecstatic. We did a lot of homework in our first round draft selection as every club does,” Tigers coach Terry Wallace said then.

Deledio became a star for the Tigers but all five players finished their careers elsewhere and none played in a winning final in the yellow and black.
Essendon tried to make gold out of a player exodus in 2020 when they ended up with three first-rounders in a row.

​

The jury is out on No.8 Nik Cox, No.9 Archie Perkins has shown some signs but needs to improve and No.10 Zach Reid has been perpetually injured.
Not every club can pull it off like Geelong and Hawthorn did.
But good drafting needs to be backed by good development.
“I’m really looking forward to watching them grow,” McCartney said.
“I think it is going to be a fascinating study and it is so brave, I applaud them. I think it is good for footy.”

forgot about the baggy jeans/white sneaker era, mustve made them take their flexfit caps and oakleys off for the photo

 

[THE_GUN]

Its all about development know !!

Who are our development coaches , We should be bringing in good specialist and development coaches to get these kids the best start possible.

Who knows what players like Tambling, Pattison and meyer would have become if drafted to a team like hawks or Geelong
Lets not make the same mistakes again and give the kids the best possible opportunity to succeed

 

[Drunken Wookie]

Its all about development know !!

Who are our development coaches , We should be bringing in good specialist and development coaches to get these kids the best start possible.

Who knows what players like Tambling, Pattison and meyer would have become if drafted to a team like hawks or Geelong
Lets not make the same mistakes again and give the kids the best possible opportunity to succeed

We've got good people around them, won't be like the Wallet era. The talent pathway and recruiting in general has improved out of sight as well you're very unlikely to get a full suite of total duds in the first round like the bunch we reeled in.

 

[juss]

They won't all make it but hypothetically if they did, you'd never be able to play all of Sims, Fawcett, Faull and Armstrong in the one forward line.

If we give Sims the ruck for example let's say he makes it there, I wonder if they have any thoughts to turn one of the KPFs into a KPD.

To succeed these days with a 3 KPF set up is quite rare, it's usually two big talls at most, with maybe a resting ruck that drifts forward for a mark.

 

[PaulBulluss]

They won't all make it but hypothetically if they did, you'd never be able to play all of Sims, Fawcett, Faull and Armstrong in the one forward line.

If we give Sims the ruck for example let's say he makes it there, I wonder if they have any thoughts to turn one of the KPFs into a KPD.

To succeed these days with a 3 KPF set up is quite rare, it's usually two big talls at most, with maybe a resting ruck that drifts forward for a mark.

I think it will be a case of wait and see. If they all develop as we hope then you can always trade one. If not, then you give them another chance in defence.

A part of the draft strategy surely was to have as many as possible with the hope that at least one turns out to be a star.

Looking at their characteristics, I'd say Faull would be the mostly likely to develop as a defender should he fail to do so as a KPF.

 

[juss]

I think it will be a case of wait and see. If they all develop as we hope then you can always trade one. If not, then you give them another chance in defence.

A part of the draft strategy surely was to have as many as possible with the hope that at least one turns out to be a star.

Looking at their characteristics, I'd say Faull would be the mostly likely to develop as a defender should he fail to do so as a KPF.

Of course, I just wonder if any of them had signs of being a KPD as a junior, maybe played there at stages in the junior years.

 

[Barnzy]

They won't all make it but hypothetically if they did, you'd never be able to play all of Sims, Fawcett, Faull and Armstrong in the one forward line.

If we give Sims the ruck for example let's say he makes it there, I wonder if they have any thoughts to turn one of the KPFs into a KPD.

To succeed these days with a 3 KPF set up is quite rare, it's usually two big talls at most, with maybe a resting ruck that drifts forward for a mark.

Reckon we will look back and regret not taking one more of the gun smalls in Berry, Datolli, etc instead of that one extra tall.

In hindsight if it's me I'm skipping Faull for Berry who I view as the next Dylan Moore and happy with just Armstrong and Simms. They've gone a shotgun approach. I guess it is what it is.

If I had to guess the draft just fell a certain way. They went Faull early to guarantee him as their favourite guy. They knew Trainor would slide. Then they got to 23 and were like "Armstrong is still on the board??" And had to take him as they rated him earlier. Then at the Simms pick all the good smalls were gone anyways.

 

[THE_GUN]

We've got good people around them, won't be like the Wallet era. The talent pathway and recruiting in general has improved out of sight as well you're very unlikely to get a full suite of total duds in the first round like the bunch we reeled in.

So who are the development coaches ?

Sure the talent pathway is better but now its upto our club to make the most of these kids talents

 

[Drunken Wookie]

So who are the development coaches ?

Sure the talent pathway is better but now its upto our club to make the most of these kids talents

All coaches are development coaches aren't they? Always thought that title was a bit of a wank.

 

[4tune8]

All coaches are development coaches aren't they? Always thought that title was a bit of a wank.

Agree, this bloke has a proven track record in development.

Newman returns to Richmond

Chris Newman will join Richmond's coaching setup for the 2024 season.

www.richmondfc.com.au

You'd think that Morris might have a clue after working with the magoos for quite a while.

Batchelor has also held a developmental role at StKilda for the last 6 years https://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/1662775/jake-bachelor-to-coach-richmond-vfl

To think that Caracella and Yze are lacking in the nous to develop players is severely underselling them.

Who else? Rutten, Maric, Lonergan, Zeibell? I think there were a couple of developmental coaches added to the VFL squad too

 

[db26]

Reckon we will look back and regret not taking one more of the gun smalls in Berry, Datolli, etc instead of that one extra tall.

In hindsight if it's me I'm skipping Faull for Berry who I view as the next Dylan Moore and happy with just Armstrong and Simms. They've gone a shotgun approach. I guess it is what it is.

If I had to guess the draft just fell a certain way. They went Faull early to guarantee him as their favourite guy. They knew Trainor would slide. Then they got to 23 and were like "Armstrong is still on the board??" And had to take him as they rated him earlier. Then at the Simms pick all the good smalls were gone anyways.

Maybe who knows , but what I will say is smart recruiting from Blair trading up to get Alger that's where you get smalls for me. Personally wouldn't waste early picks on smalls always find value late in the draft.

 

[UpTheGutz]

 

[THE_GUN]

Josh Smillie at $13 is a good bet as is langford's $12

 

[Punt Road Feral]

For those focusing on the rising star awards

Just remember Andrew Raines finished second in the 2006 rising star ahead of:
-Marc Murphy
-Heath Shaw
-Grant Birchall
-Dale Thomas
-Nathan Jones
-Marc LeCras
-Michael Rischitelli

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

For those focusing on the rising star awards

Just remember Andrew Raines finished second in the 2006 rising star ahead of:
-Marc Murphy
-Heath Shaw
-Grant Birchall
-Dale Thomas
-Nathan Jones
-Marc LeCras
-Michael Rischitelli

Priddis won a Brownlow

 

[energyquant]

Priddis won a Brownlow

Almost won two