AFL Draft 2004

[CyberKev]

Well, its on again from this Saturday... Must say, as a Canberra resident, I'm happy to see that a highlights package will be on between 3 & 4 this Saturday afternoon.

For those of you who are interested and haven't already logged-on for a squizzy taylor, the best pre-draft information is found at -

www.footydraft.com

No doubt Meltiger will be particularly bullish about this year's draft with the Tigers having both the top pick, and the most picks (with 9).

Of most interest in the lead-up to the draft...

* Who will go at number 1 (Brett Deledio remains the favourite for this honour).

* Who will go earlier, Richard Tambling or Ryan Griffen? The latter is seen as a safer (ready to roll option), but the former is potentially the best prospect available in the draft. Hawthorwill almost certainly pick 1 of them, and I would be surprised if this wasn't Tambling.

* Who will the Bulldogs take with the pivotal third pick? They have a good clump of small young midfielders already, but it will be a brave move to pass up either Tambling or Griffen. Hawthorn will most eagerly await the outcome of pick 3, as it may be the difference between having a stong kpp available or having to make a big call on Griffen.

* How many experienced reject players will get taken with lower picks?

* Will the SA & WA sides show a preference for home-based players?

CyberKev

 

[meltiger]

No doubt Meltiger will be particularly bullish about this year's draft with the Tigers having both the top pick, and the most picks (with 9).

Most importantly... 5 of the first 20.

Surely they couldn't f**k up 5 picks? :?

 

[CyberKev]

No doubt Meltiger will be particularly bullish about this year's draft with the Tigers having both the top pick, and the most picks (with 9).

Most importantly... 5 of the first 20.

Surely they couldn't f**k up 5 picks? :?

The first couple will certainly be no-brainers Deledio and one of the two gun talls)...

Regardless of views to the contrary, I believe there'll be some rough diamonds on offer for the other 3 as well.

The draft is still not an exact science, but I'd better dollars to donuts that at least 3 of those 5 will go on to have strong careers.

CyberKev

 

[Cupid Stunt]

No interest in this at all due to the fact that Western will be shite again. Theres at least another 2 years before we begin to at least be competitive. Sad but true.

At least with Parra having a crap year, & I realize there are no "for sures", we look 100% better with our new recruits & should be in or around the mark when finals time nears.

 

[CyberKev]

No interest in this at all due to the fact that Western will be sh*te again. Theres at least another 2 years before we begin to at least be competitive. Sad but true.

You need to chat with some of your fellow Hound lovers over on the Big Footy site then.

The general view across there seems to be that the Hounds are beautifully placed to surge next year with a view to a finals showing in 2006.

The Hounds are not without promising young talent, although much of it appears to be confined to midfield players. Much has been made of Hawthorn's limited quota of promising young kpp types, but a glance at the Bulldog list suggests that the club is similarly light-on.

Don't be surprised if the Hounds do well enough to challenge for a finals spot next year though. I beleive every side is capable of doing at least that much, provided fate is kind to them.

CyberKev

 

[AuckMel]

Has anyone seen the show they are currently showing on the Footy channel about the draft?

Just happened to be surfing and had a look at it. Pretty interesting. I had no idea that, Brendon Favola went so late in the draft. Not a bad pick up at 38.

 

[CyberKev]

Well, on the face of it, how dodgy an effort was that by the new Hawthorn coaching panel today??!! :evil:

After talking for weeks about how they would take the best players available with picks 2,5 & 7; they do an about face on drafting day and pick to fill a kpp need!

Okay, so the club snared the duo considered to be clearly the hottest two key position talls on offer, but for f**k sake Maria, its not as if our midfield is in such a state that we could afford to pass over BOTH Tambling and Griffen!!!! :x

To make matters worse, the decision to run with talls at both 2 & 5, meant that we had to take a midfield type at 7 and pass-up gun ruck prospect John Meesen who is now Adelaide bound!!!!

Friggin' idiots! I can see both Tambling & Meesen (particularly the former) coming back to bite us on the arse!

Meltiger must be creaming himself silly right about now...

Deledio AND Tambling, with rock steady kpp type Adam Pattison to boot!

Nice job by the Hounds in picking up Griffen as well.

CyberKev

 

[CyberKev]

Okay...

I've vented my spleen, and been informed by impartial judges that one shouldn't bitch when one's club has just snared the two best young talls in the country from the one draft.

Just look at how well that tactic worked for St Kilda with Reiwoldt/Kozitchske they say...

Perhaps, although I dare say that while both Roughhead & Franklin have the potential to be even better than Kozzie, neither are going to be as good as Reiwoldt.

The club will argue that talls take longer to come on than midfielders, so you should get them earlier.

It can also be argued that quality talls are in a lot shorter supply than talented midfielders, although the reality remains that the 3 midfield lads were (here and now) the best players on offer and Hawthorn should have snared one of them.

Jordan Lewis could yet be a saving grace for the Hawks, however.

His stats for 16 TAC games this season read...

311 kicks, 184 handballs, 495 possessions, 128 marks, 61 tackles, 16 goals, 12 behinds.

Averaging 31 possessions per game with a worst performance of 20 and comfortably snaring a place in the All-Australian U-18 side appear to justify his selection at 7.

Outside of Richmond finding themselves with Tambling available at 4, Brisbane were the next big winner in the draft in snaring hot ruck prospect Cameron Wood with pick 18.

Collingwood seems to have snared the prize for the team making the most "out there" selections, and Ryan Jackson (commonly touted as a value price second round pick) takes the title of unluckiest youngster, with nobody seeing fit to take him. Unbelievable! Must have been a shocking blow for the kid.

CyberKev

 

[meltiger]

Ryan Jackson (commonly touted as a value price second round pick) takes the title of unluckiest youngster, with nobody seeing fit to take him. Unbelievable! Must have been a shocking blow for the kid.

He'll go in December.

Kozzie is every bit as good as the two talls you drafted, his issue is injuries and he'll never fulfill his potential sadly. Hopefully the cream puffs do better with their two new KPP's.

I would have loved Roughead... Purely for his name lol

 

[meltiger]

Nice job by the Hounds in picking up Griffen as well

This one slipped through quietly with all the Tambling to Richmond not Hawthorn drama...

Griffen was a sensational pick for the Dogs and due to the high profile nature of Tambling nowadays and the inevitable pressure on the Hawk talls to produce instantly, given Tambling will kick goals for Richmond next year, not Coburg... this kid can come through quietly and become a very good player for the Dogs.

The Hounds have done well

 

[CyberKev]

He'll [Ryan Jackson]go in December.

No he won't...

He doesn't meet the age requirement to be taken in this draft.

 

[CyberKev]

this kid [Ryan Griffen] can come through quietly and become a very good player for the Dogs.

The Hounds have done well

Indeed they have.

I strongly suspect that Griffen will come on quicker than any of them.

Should be playing in the top side early in 2005.

 

[Cupid Stunt]

Griffen just wasnt on my thoughts when I was whinging before but honestly, you just dont look those gift horses in the mouth. But in saying that he did play this year with a knee injury & at his age that to me isnt a good sign. As for Williams, I guess only time will tell if a guy who has only 9 months under his belt is due a #6 pick or not.

Has Sydney snared a diamond or a piece of coal in Spriggs? Personally, I think he will flourish & go on to be one of the picks of the year. Working on his speed not being hindered by the knee reco I think he'll fit in to Sydneys running game well & really has the chance to be a major impact player.

 

[CyberKev]

the inevitable pressure on the Hawk talls to produce instantly

Hardly...

Hawthorn will almost certainly run with Tim Boyle and/or Nick Holland out of CHF next season to allow the youngsters to fill out (both need to find an extra stone of muscle).

The same will be true for Thomas Murphy, who slipped through unheralded at pick 21. Thomas held both Franklin & Roughhead during the Carnival this year, and was the only player to stop the respective carnage both players wreaked out of CHF.

Hawthorn have effectively box-seated themselves. Nobody expects anything from the club next season, so they can ease the youngsters through sans pressure. If the team unexpectedly fires it will be a bonus, while if we bomb out we can simply pick up the extra gun midfield and ruck types we need for the long-term at the next draft.

The pressure will be heavier on both Richmond & the Hounds, who are a couple of years ahead of us in rebuilding terms, but by no means significantly ahead of us with team structure

CyberKev

 

[CyberKev]

Has Sydney snared a diamond or a piece of coal in Spriggs? Personally, I think he will flourish & go on to be one of the picks of the year.

Don't rate him, personally.

He can go like the clappers, but his skills are crap, meaning that he is limited to a wing role.

That being said, if he is ever going to have an impact it will be with Sydney, where fleet-footed crap skilled wingers can flourish on the smaller surrounds of the SCG.

I think Sydney are heading for deep shit soon if they don't find a couple of capable inside midfielders from somewhere.

CyberKev

 

[meltiger]

He'll [Ryan Jackson]go in December.

No he won't...

He doesn't meet the age requirement to be taken in this draft.

Really??? Misses the Rookie?

 

[meltiger]

the inevitable pressure on the Hawk talls to produce instantly

Hardly...

Hawthorn have effectively box-seated themselves. Nobody expects anything from the club next season, so they can ease the youngsters through sans pressure.

Until Tambling puts through several goal of the year contenders

If he turns out to be the sensation they claim he is... Watch the pressure mount on the cream puffs. Especially after the Judd debacle.

For mine 74kgs is too small but we'll see.

 

[Cupid Stunt]

That being said, if he is ever going to have an impact it will be with Sydney, where fleet-footed crap skilled wingers can flourish on the smaller surrounds of the SCG.CyberKev

That's a bit harsh considering they still have to travel. I dont know the figures but Sydney can still win away from home on a reasonably regular basis, it seems at least. I just think that you can coach any skill except speed & Spriggs has it, well he once did, in spadefuls & there's just no accounting for that.

 

[CyberKev]

He'll [Ryan Jackson]go in December.

No he won't...

He doesn't meet the age requirement to be taken in this draft.

Really??? Misses the Rookie?

Unfortunately so.

I have little doubt that he'll go high in the next draft providing he doesn't suffer injury hassles in the TAC next year.

 

[CyberKev]

Until Tambling puts through several goal of the year contenders

If he turns out to be the sensation they claim he is... Watch the pressure mount on the cream puffs. Especially after the Judd debacle.

For mine 74kgs is too small but we'll see.

Haha...

I don't get fazed unduly by the form of outside midfielders, as when its all on the line, its the inside midfielders who make the majority of play and key forwards who finish most of it.

Besides, with Hodge finally at full fitness and playing out of the centre (and probably captaining the side), the wisdom of that 2001 decision is set to be more than justified. Frankly, up until now I've regretted not plumbing for Ball more than Judd... Top inside midfielders are far more valuable than top outside midfielders, when all is said and done.

I wouldn't worry too much about Tambling's weight. John Platten was THE most important player at Hawthorn in the 1980s, and he was as scrawny as puxatawny...

I'd worry more about him meeting up with Jordan Lewis in the Hawthorn game. Apparently young Lewis crunched him in a tackle during a TAC match and Tambling spent the remainder of the game feeling very sore and sorry on the bench.

Also ironed out big Fabian Deluca with a well-timed hip and shoulder... On a side note, how well did Port fare nailing players like DeLuca and Eckermann with their 4th and 5th picks??? Bastards!

CyberKev