Prediction National Draft 2024

[freo84]

I thought we did well this draft and trade period.

I jump on to bigfooty and people are melting over losing one player...we've been leaking best 22 players for years and the biggest melts I've seen are for Knobel.

Let's all take a breath and see how our new recruits go before bashing the club.

 

[pK75]

I thought we did well this draft and trade period.

I jump on to bigfooty and people are melting over losing one player...we've been leaking best 22 players for years and the biggest melts I've seen are for Knobel.

Let's all take a breath and see how our new recruits go before bashing the club.

I agree it’s not the biggest loss, the issue I have is it was not at all necessary. We took 3 ND picks so didn’t need to upgrade Worner to tick the box, the rules changed after we signed Worners extension, so all we had to do was tell his manager that due to the list spot squeeze we are leaving him on the rookie list this year.
There was absolutely zero reason under current AFL rules to delist and re-rookie Knobel.
I hope worner feels like absolute shit if he insisted on being upgraded as per his contract and its cost us a player.

 

[arsesmart]

I agree it’s not the biggest loss, the issue I have is it was not at all necessary. We took 3 ND picks so didn’t need to upgrade Worner to tick the box, the rules changed after we signed Worners extension, so all we had to do was tell his manager that due to the list spot squeeze we are leaving him on the rookie list this year.
There was absolutely zero reason under current AFL rules to delist and re-rookie Knobel.
I hope worner feels like absolute shit if he insisted on being upgraded as per his contract and its cost us a player.

Maybe there was some sniffing around for Worner.

At the end of the day the Sun's move on Knobel doesn't really seem in keeping with why the rule is there (ie likely to promote opportunity for players across clubs). Unless they're going to prioritise playing him almost immediately.

It'd be ripe for a clause that says something like if you're pinching a player under X years of age you have to guarantee 20 games in the next two years.

Either that or just allow clubs to rookie young developing players without having to put them up for general selection.

 

[fnerd]

GC have a few highly rated academy (surprise) players next year . If we’re in any position to put a bid on them I would sincerely hope the club does.

 

[malpaso]

I agree it’s not the biggest loss, the issue I have is it was not at all necessary. We took 3 ND picks so didn’t need to upgrade Worner to tick the box, the rules changed after we signed Worners extension, so all we had to do was tell his manager that due to the list spot squeeze we are leaving him on the rookie list this year.
There was absolutely zero reason under current AFL rules to delist and re-rookie Knobel.
I hope worner feels like absolute shit if he insisted on being upgraded as per his contract and its cost us a player.

Maybe they actually wanted The Riddler instead of Knobel.

 

[Superkoops]

As a regular Peel watcher i can 100% say Knobel is a far better long term prospect than Reidy, big time stuff up by Walls and list management people (cant blame Belly for this one)

I watch plenty of Peel and seen some of the second half of their reserves. I like Knobel don’t get me wrong.

I posted earlier about the good game he had against Jones (Knobel had 9 disposals, 0 marks and 33 hit outs vs Jones 15 possessions, 3 marks, 8 tackles and 31 hit outs). I remember the East Perth coach speaking before the GF saying they were a little caught out in the first half of that game with their tactics and Knobel did well. Jones also is the most immobile ruckman in the comp yet got a lot more of the ball especially in the second half. Knobel isn’t great around the ground but did well in the ruck contests getting up early and winning more taps.

As was mentioned by another poster there were games where he looked lost and was out of position. Training watches can confirm but he laboured in the running time trials.

As for Reidy he got smashed in the Port Pre-season game. Was a massive learning curve for him. The bath he copped stayed fresh in the selection committee’s minds that they just didn’t consider him at all in the first 15 rounds where there were a couple of games when Darcy was out that replacing him with Reidy would have served us better and kept the structure of JT up forward and lessening the damage done to LJ’s body.

His body of work in the WAFL improved to the point that he started to dominate in the ruck with regular 50 plus hit outs and 15 possessions. The match committee erred again with the late change against Geelong where Tabs was chosen. It was prob the third game Reidy should have played. Finally got selected after that and held up ok. His WAFL second of the season form, in addition to his AFL selection saved his career and also started to garner some interest from other AFL clubs. He looks like he has hit the gym harder again over the past couple of months and ready for a big pre-season. He is our back-up and the match-committee seem comfortable to play him as replacement for Darcy as needed.

Whilst the preference was to retain Knobel on rookie list, the club if they weren’t willing to lose him would never have delisted in the first place.

 

[Superkoops]

I agree it’s not the biggest loss, the issue I have is it was not at all necessary. We took 3 ND picks so didn’t need to upgrade Worner to tick the box, the rules changed after we signed Worners extension, so all we had to do was tell his manager that due to the list spot squeeze we are leaving him on the rookie list this year.
There was absolutely zero reason under current AFL rules to delist and re-rookie Knobel.
I hope worner feels like absolute shit if he insisted on being upgraded as per his contract and its cost us a player.

No way Worner should feel shit. Likely it was part of his contract signed a couple of years back. If the club really wanted to they could have instead gone the delist and rookie route with say Oscar McDonald. Who is going to jump in select a late 20 year old injury prone player that has been delisted twice already. I like Oscar as a back-up and he worked his arse off to come back for a couple of late season Peel games and helped them secure top 2. Seems like a top bloke so perhaps they went through the process and the one player they felt they were comfortable losing and going this route was Max Knobel. Worner doesn’t need to feel shit at all. Worner was playing brilliant game in round one till his head was knocked off in that horrible collision. He took a while to come back from that.

 

[Superkoops]

GC have a few highly rated academy (surprise) players next year . If we’re in any position to put a bid on them I would sincerely hope the club does.

%

All goodwill is goneski.

Their recruiter hit sour grapes for some reason after the non trade of Sharp in 2022 trade period. Demanding a second round pick when he wasn’t worth anything more than 3rd (which is all we got for Acres) was a strange push from them. Came storming out after the bell having a massive toddler melt-down.

If there is a GC academy player we rate and we have a nice pick around that range we should definitely bid and make them cough up.

 

[arsesmart]

I watch plenty of Peel and seen some of the second half of their reserves. I like Knobel don’t get me wrong.

I posted earlier about the good game he had against Jones (Knobel had 9 disposals, 0 marks and 33 hit outs vs Jones 15 possessions, 3 marks, 8 tackles and 31 hit outs). I remember the East Perth coach speaking before the GF saying they were a little caught out in the first half of that game with their tactics and Knobel did well. Jones also is the most immobile ruckman in the comp yet got a lot more of the ball especially in the second half. Knobel isn’t great around the ground but did well in the ruck contests getting up early and winning more taps.

As was mentioned by another poster there were games where he looked lost and was out of position. Training watches can confirm but he laboured in the running time trials.

As for Reidy he got smashed in the Port Pre-season game. Was a massive learning curve for him. The bath he copped stayed fresh in the selection committee’s minds that they just didn’t consider him at all in the first 15 rounds where there were a couple of games when Darcy was out that replacing him with Reidy would have served us better and kept the structure of JT up forward and lessening the damage done to LJ’s body.

His body of work in the WAFL improved to the point that he started to dominate in the ruck with regular 50 plus hit outs and 15 possessions. The match committee erred again with the late change against Geelong where Tabs was chosen. It was prob the third game Reidy should have played. Finally got selected after that and held up ok. His WAFL second of the season form, in addition to his AFL selection saved his career and also started to garner some interest from other AFL clubs. He looks like he has hit the gym harder again over the past couple of months and ready for a big pre-season. He is our back-up and the match-committee seem comfortable to play him as replacement for Darcy as needed.

Whilst the preference was to retain Knobel on rookie list, the club if they weren’t willing to lose him would never have delisted in the first place.

It often comes down to a game of calculated risk amongst the options they have. The size of the gamble the list management team would've thought they were making with Knobel was very low.

In all likelihood he's off to work his way through the ranks at the Suns. The Suns have merely saved themselves 2 years on the process (if they even, in their flakiness, have the will or fortitude to see it out).

The system that now makes a clearly developing player up stakes - creating a whole bunch of turmoil in his life - for very little reason/gain (pettiness?) should be reviewed and changed.

 

[pK75]

No way Worner should feel shit. Likely it was part of his contract signed a couple of years back. If the club really wanted to they could have instead gone the delist and rookie route with say Oscar McDonald. Who is going to jump in select a late 20 year old injury prone player that has been delisted twice already. I like Oscar as a back-up and he worked his arse off to come back for a couple of late season Peel games and helped them secure top 2. Seems like a top bloke so perhaps they went through the process and the one player they felt they were comfortable losing and going this route was Max Knobel. Worner doesn’t need to feel shit at all. Worner was playing brilliant game in round one till his head was knocked off in that horrible collision. He took a while to come back from that.

Is that possible, delisting someone with a year to run on their contract to move to rookie list? I thought that was only during the Covid years, otherwise yes, McDonald, Wagner (also a free agent for life) or Banfield (again previously delisted to move to rookie list) would all have been better options.
When we signed Worners contract back in 2023, 2025 was going to have to be upgraded to the senior list as 2024 was his 3rd year on the rookie list. The afl changed the rules and now allow up to 5 years on the rookie list if less than 10 AFL games played. I haven’t read his contract obviously, but it doesn’t make one iota of difference if he’s on the rookie or main list to his salary or conditions of employment.

 

[Taylor]

Is that possible, delisting someone with a year to run on their contract to move to rookie list?

Yes, with two caveats.

If we do not pick up the player because Marcus Bontempelli also was available and we chose to pick him instead then the remaining contract value for all future years is paid out and added to the current year's salary cap.

If we do not pick up the player and another club does then the original club has to cover the difference in contract value between what the new club is paying and what their existing contract is - this is very rare as mature players can set their contract terms so picking them is accepting said contract terms. This used to mostly apply to coaches sacked mid term picking up a job elsehwere while still being paid by their former club.

 

[eastfreo75]

I don't get the Carr pick.

Hamish Davis 190cm 18 years old had more runs on the board at WAFL seniors than 191cm Jaren Carr 20 years old.

What am I missing?

 

[Superkoops]

Is that possible, delisting someone with a year to run on their contract to move to rookie list? I thought that was only during the Covid years, otherwise yes, McDonald, Wagner (also a free agent for life) or Banfield (again previously delisted to move to rookie list) would all have been better options.
When we signed Worners contract back in 2023, 2025 was going to have to be upgraded to the senior list as 2024 was his 3rd year on the rookie list. The afl changed the rules and now allow up to 5 years on the rookie list if less than 10 AFL games played. I haven’t read his contract obviously, but it doesn’t make one iota of difference if he’s on the rookie or main list to his salary or conditions of employment.

Taylor has covered it well. I’d also add that Banfield had interest from other clubs showed loyalty and re-signed with us. Would be very strange to delist someone a matter of months after re-signing them. Equally Wagner just signed on a few months back and in the second half of the year was playing regular footy. Again he might have some other clubs interested as well.

The other player I would have considered but is rare to do so in their first two years was Jack Delean. It is really not justified to cut a pick 60 rookie after one season. He showed a bit early on but faded and struggled in the second half of the year.

So really that left McDonald or Knobel. For the reasons I stated McDonald worked his arse off from what looked like a potentially career ending knee injury and played a couple of end of season Peel games. He was named in the best and helped Peel secure top 2.

Knobel played predominantly reserves and was available but not selected for any finals games. As such his card was drawn.

You could argue that Worner should not have been upgraded but likely written into his contract. I think what has hurt the club is the long contracts signed at times. In this case we have Will Brodie chewing up a list spot. Seems no takers for trade and he has two years left on contract. If we signed him for 1 less year he could have been the player to move to rookie list like Sydney did with Hamling.

So I blame list management in terms of contract negotiations. That was Walls who did Brodie contract. We’ll allow him a mulligan as he has been so good and hopefully learns a good lesson. As far as the lesson goes I don’t think he will lose too much sleep because reading between the lines they had strong interest in the Riddler. Riddle himself said he had a number of meetings with Freo and knew they were interested.

 

[mightymouse75]

Oh I know. It's just replacing like for like and not really going after the holes in the list.

It's effectively Bolton to replace Banfield and nothing else.

Reid, Erasmus, Johnson. Something has to give.

That means Brodie is gone, Is 2025 Fyfe's last year? and JOM surely gets delisted and Rookied end of next, due to his garbage contract.

Fyfes last year.
Needs to be phased out.
Walters also.
This year they were both a liability
Cooked..

Banfield gonsky.

Bolton in for Walters.
Ras to get the chance to take up the Fyfe role. (I still think Brodie should get that opportunity)
Plenty of kids to take on Banfields spot.

Still no decent small forward..
Such a weird draft day considering all of those picks we had in September.

 

[Superkoops]

I don't get the Carr pick.

Hamish Davis 190cm 18 years old had more runs on the board at WAFL seniors than 191cm Jaren Carr 20 years old.

What am I missing?

I’ll have a stab. Hamish is a talent. He also has a very awkward kicking style and ball drop. A number of scout assessments have highlighted this and said this will need to be worked on. The fact is he has gotten through a large number of elite training programs across Claremont colts, Claremont league, WA U16, WA U18 and school footy. Still has the awkward kicking technique. He was passed up on by all clubs multiple times. WC perhaps considered passing on that pick but decided to bite the bullet and select him with a very late pick. This meant they bypassed having a live rookie pick.

As for Freo we were comfortable with our first and second round picks. There were a number of clubs like Melb, GC, Adelaide that went early and then really tapped out. Melb had a late mature age pick and Adelaide had F/S late pick. GWS said that they were going to have their last live pick at 24 or whatever it was and trade out their pick in 30’s. That is why they selected Angove so early. A player they rated highly Jack-Off was still available to they used that pick. They had their academy pick Logan Smith selected at 71.

My point Walls rated first and second round. After that it was Russian roulette and despite having opportunity to trade up just sat back and selected Carr.

Carr has developed very quickly in recent times. Wasn’t too long ago playing amateurs with Fremantle City FC. He needs to add weight but from all reports this has already started to happen at age 20 finally because just a year ago was very raw and scrawny. He played some very exciting football in bursts with Souths last year. High leaping marks and good speed. Walls also loves a mature age selection with his late fourth round picks. So there ya have it from my perspective.

 

[MadMundy]

Overall, pretty happy with the players we picked up, can't find anything to complain about.

 

[eastfreo75]

Fyfes last year.
Needs to be phased out.
Walters also.
This year they were both a liability
Cooked..

Banfield gonsky.

Bolton in for Walters.
Ras to get the chance to take up the Fyfe role. (I still think Brodie should get that opportunity)
Plenty of kids to take on Banfields spot.

Still no decent small forward..
Such a weird draft day considering all of those picks we had in September.

Same thoughts.

Unless Fyfe is dominating inside, he is a witch's hat. He has lost strength in his shoulders and can't break tackles as he once did. Plus, he is not able to fly for marks like he did. For me, we need to load manage him and maybe don't play on the road or limit it to a few or don't play 6 days breaks.

Walters is still clever and skilled, but he has lost a step and gets caught way too much. I like the idea of him being the sub and be used like Archie Thompson at Melbourne Victory. Thompson would come into the last 20 mins as a striker to kick a goal.

Banfield is hard as a cat's head and has a great ability to snap kick goals. The issue is his field kicking and decision making, wasting getting goals and turning over the ball. Too many times, Fremantle would have a break away and a poor possession would lead to a turnover instead of a goal. Still have value as a backup player if we get injuries or load manage other players.

Ras needs to play, or he will be looking for another club. If JLo is smart, he needs to load manage to create more games for best 25 players. I would hate us play witch's hats in Walters and Fyfe for two years and Ras leave and play for another club for 5-10 years.

 

[Superkoops]

Same thoughts.

Unless Fyfe is dominating inside, he is a witch's hat. He has lost strength in his shoulders and can't break tackles as he once did. Plus, he is not able to fly for marks like he did. For me, we need to load manage him and maybe don't play on the road or limit it to a few or don't play 6 days breaks.

Walters is still clever and skilled, but he has lost a step and gets caught way too much. I like the idea of him being the sub and be used like Archie Thompson at Melbourne Victory. Thompson would come into the last 20 mins as a striker to kick a goal.

Banfield is hard as a cat's head and has a great ability to snap kick goals. The issue is his field kicking and decision making, wasting getting goals and turning over the ball. Too many times, Fremantle would have a break away and a poor possession would lead to a turnover instead of a goal. Still have value as a backup player if we get injuries or load manage other players.

Ras needs to play, or he will be looking for another club. If JLo is smart, he needs to load manage to create more games for best 25 players. I would hate us play witch's hats in Walters and Fyfe for two years and Ras leave and play for another club for 5-10 years.

Fyfe is a tricky one for them to manage. Hopefully he is sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber and on the LeBron James anti-aging supplements. I’d expect him to be managed quite a bit (especially away games) and play a lot of sub. I don’t expect him to play WAFL. Definitely his last year.

Walters is older again but handy forward line depth. Especially in an area we lack quality. He will smooth pathway for Bolton. He is also a good leader in the fwd line. I expect him to have to fight for his position and could end up playing WAFL. Both he and Aish already have played WAFL and JOM I expect to join them in that rotation.

 

[eastfreo75]

I’ll have a stab. Hamish is a talent. He also has a very awkward kicking style and ball drop. A number of scout assessments have highlighted this and said this will need to be worked on. The fact is he has gotten through a large number of elite training programs across Claremont colts, Claremont league, WA U16, WA U18 and school footy. Still has the awkward kicking technique. He was passed up on by all clubs multiple times. WC perhaps considered passing on that pick but decided to bite the bullet and select him with a very late pick. This meant they bypassed having a live rookie pick.

As for Freo we were comfortable with our first and second round picks. There were a number of clubs like Melb, GC, Adelaide that went early and then really tapped out. Melb had a late mature age pick and Adelaide had F/S late pick. GWS said that they were going to have their last live pick at 24 or whatever it was and trade out their pick in 30’s. That is why they selected Angove so early. A player they rated highly Jack-Off was still available to they used that pick. They had their academy pick Logan Smith selected at 71.

My point Walls rated first and second round. After that it was Russian roulette and despite having opportunity to trade up just sat back and selected Carr.

Carr has developed very quickly in recent times. Wasn’t too long ago playing amateurs with Fremantle City FC. He needs to add weight but from all reports this has already started to happen at age 20 finally because just a year ago was very raw and scrawny. He played some very exciting football in bursts with Souths last year. High leaping marks and good speed. Walls also loves a mature age selection with his late fourth round picks. So there ya have it from my perspective.

Thanks for knowledge on Davis about his kicking and makes sense him dropping late in the draft.

I remember Barlow not being drafted because his kicking and running gait looked funny. Sometimes I think recruiters not just in AFL will fall in love with players with pretty technique.

Last year I spoke with a customer at work. She said that her daughter played junior Basketball at Dandenong Rangers and had a very ugly shooting style but a high shooting percentage. Coaches tried to change her shooting but played her very limited minutes.

They moved to another association and got coached Anstey former NBL, NBA and National player. He said to her I don't care how her shoot looked as long as it worked. Anstey played her big minutes, and she just killed it. Now, she is playing professional at the high level in Turkey and in front of 10,000 fans.

Influence trumps a so call prefect technique.

 

[Superkoops]

Thanks for knowledge on Davis about his kicking and makes sense him dropping late in the draft.

I remember Barlow not being drafted because his kicking and running gait looked funny. Sometimes I think recruiters not just in AFL will fall in love with players with pretty technique.

Last year I spoke with a customer at work. She said that her daughter played junior Basketball at Dandenong Rangers and had a very ugly shooting style but a high shooting percentage. Coaches tried to change her shooting but played her very limited minutes.

They moved to another association and got coached Anstey former NBL, NBA and National player. He said to her I don't care how her shoot looked as long as it worked. Anstey played her big minutes, and she just killed it. Now, she is playing professional at the high level in Turkey and in front of 10,000 fans.

Influence trumps a so call prefect technique.

For what it’s worth Davis will go well I reckon. I haven’t actually seen a lot of him. Just what I read. I did see him kill it in that league final the week before he played against Peel. Also had an outstanding Colts GF. I guess recruiters have concerns about how he will go in the AFL pressure and high speed environment. At pick 65 WC have done well.

 

[eastfreo75]

Fyfe is a tricky one for them to manage. Hopefully he is sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber and on the LeBron James anti-aging supplements. I’d expect him to be managed quite a bit (especially away games) and play a lot of sub. I don’t expect him to play WAFL. Definitely his last year.

Walters is older again but handy forward line depth. Especially in an area we lack quality. He will smooth pathway for Bolton. He is also a good leader in the fwd line. I expect him to have to fight for his position and could end up playing WAFL. Both he and Aish already have played WAFL and JOM I expect to join them in that rotation.

I really don't want either to play Walters or Fyfe at WAFL, it's a bit of a clap in the face to Fremantle champions.

Club did a few bad job signing Walters to long contracts as it should have been a year at a time.

My guess, is that JLo will play them in front of upcoming kids.

 

[Lach72]

Same thoughts.

Unless Fyfe is dominating inside, he is a witch's hat. He has lost strength in his shoulders and can't break tackles as he once did. Plus, he is not able to fly for marks like he did. For me, we need to load manage him and maybe don't play on the road or limit it to a few or don't play 6 days breaks.

Walters is still clever and skilled, but he has lost a step and gets caught way too much. I like the idea of him being the sub and be used like Archie Thompson at Melbourne Victory. Thompson would come into the last 20 mins as a striker to kick a goal.

Banfield is hard as a cat's head and has a great ability to snap kick goals. The issue is his field kicking and decision making, wasting getting goals and turning over the ball. Too many times, Fremantle would have a break away and a poor possession would lead to a turnover instead of a goal. Still have value as a backup player if we get injuries or load manage other players.

Ras needs to play, or he will be looking for another club. If JLo is smart, he needs to load manage to create more games for best 25 players. I would hate us play witch's hats in Walters and Fyfe for two years and Ras leave and play for another club for 5-10 years.

Both of them should be at Peel unless we have an injury crisis

 

[eastfreo75]

Both of them should be at Peel unless we have an injury crisis

I agree that they are not best 22 anymore but we know JLo won't drop Fyfe.

It's like killing Bambi.

 

[Heave Ho Bro]

I agree that they are not best 22 anymore but we know JLo won't drop Fyfe.

It's like killing Bambi.

We would be in a much better spot had Raz played an extra 40 full games over the last 2 seasons.

 

[eastfreo75]

We would be in a much better spot had Raz played an extra 40 full games over the last 2 seasons.

I think so too.