Player Watch #27: Miller Bergman - BFNAAK - Extends to end of 2025 - returns to the team against the Eagles
- Thread starter giantroo
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I've said this a number of times but the last 3 drafts our recruiters have hit it out of the park from my perspective. The issue with our list is the drafting that took place in the 2010's which was horrific.
2020
Phillips - tick
Powell - tick
Lazzaro - undecided
Spicer - a miss but was a later selection
Ford - tick
2021
JHF (cashed him in for some good stuff) - tick
Goater - tick
PC - tick
Bergman - tick
Archer - undecided
2022
Sheezel - tick
Wardlaw - tick
George - undecided
Harvey - undecided
9 ticks, 4 in the balance, 1 miss. I think the biggest issue with our drafting has been the list management side, in that we have saturated our list with midfielders. That's probably based on the idea of taking the best available, which is fair enough.
It's best to wait 4-5 years before judging a draft but early stages of the 3 above look really promising.
There will be a lot of discarded players though.
DocSholl
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Can't really tick a lot of those blokes yet, unless you start considering the likes of Harper, Black, EVW, Bastille, Anthony and every other guy we've ticked off after 20 games as successes. Agree on the 2010s though, the single biggest reason our list is in the state it's in.
- Moderator
- #630
Agree. If you can't pan a draft for 4-5 years then you equally can't declare it a winner during that time either.
At the least you'd want some sort of measure to prescribe ticks.
My uneducated attempt at rating the prospects:
2020
Phillips - TBC
Powell - TBC
Lazzaro - TBC
Spicer - Miss
Ford - TICK - Rising star nomination, has kept place in senior side
2021
JHF (cashed him in for some good stuff) - TICK - justification: player is already an effective AFL midifielder. Just one wee little problem about where he does this..
Goater - TBC (done enough to suggest TICK very likely next season)
PC - TICK - Has kept place in senior side, produced AFL quality highlights during several individual players
Bergman - TBC (done enough to suggest TICK very likely next season)
Archer - TBC
2022
Sheezel - TICK - has kept place in senior side, producing genuine AFL level football every week, Rising Star nomination
Wardlaw - TBC - has not produced enough consistent football to prove otherwise
George - TBC
Harvey - TBC
It's all subjective of course but I'd only declare 3 ticks on performance to date.
TBCs are not meant as any kind of statement of failure. But these players have not even produced 1x full season of high quality football (even a mix of AFL and VFL football) yet to strongly bank on them being both very good footballers able to perform in 75%+ of games per season.
Wardlaw is the obvious one that people might object to here. But he's got the Comben risk - he produces to a high level when on the park but his issues are with the reliability of his body.
I disagree. That 4-5 year window is giving players the benefit of time to adjust to the level. Some players adjust to the level within a season, some take 2 or 3 - it's reasonable to give most players until seasons 4-5. For some, it's evident after 2 or 3 seasons that they're not going to make it. On exposed form, Sheezel and Wardlaw are wins already. Only career-altering injuries will bring them down IMO.
Harper's career went downhill due to injury and I think before that point he was building nicely. A career-altering injury can happen to a 200 gamer, and it doesn't change their quality before that point.
It's all subjective but I would not have been confident enough to consider Black or EVW successes at any point in their careers.
Liam Anthony is a fair point.
Anyway I can see the opposite argument of not counting your eggs before they hatch, but I feel some of them have hatched and you can be confident you have players to build around in the future as a result.
I think all the ticks that Souup provided, have showed that they can perform at the level and certainly have shown enough talent to be ticks.
For mine, this is now on the club to develop & manage them well. Something we have been insipid at previously.
- Moderator
- #633
Fair points Souup and Psicosis.
I'm applying a TICK to be the player who:
As mentioned, Bergman and Goater would be getting close to joining them.
For various reasons I think the others all carry queries, with Wardlaw's being almost entirely durability related.
I'm applying a TICK to be the player who:
- Has shown high quality AFL level output at least sporadically
- Can get on the park most weeks
- Can be factored into a rolling 3+ season plan by the coaches/list managers
As mentioned, Bergman and Goater would be getting close to joining them.
For various reasons I think the others all carry queries, with Wardlaw's being almost entirely durability related.
- Dec 27, 2017
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He’s a much better kick than I realised.
Ligma
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My guy
i'll fight you for him
Zondor
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KC, hold your ground. They aren't fair points by those 2 know it alls. Your take is a far more realistic take of where those recruits are at. :stern look
Take Wardlaw for example. Looks great. No doubt. But was drafted with worrisome hamstrings and in his first year still suffered with worrisome hamstrings. To be giving him a tick now is idiotic. Phillips and Powell Ticks? Please! Not yet. Jury is still out on those two. :stern look
shintemaster
Brownlow Medallist
Yep. He looks like the perfect steady building player. Promising in debut year, improved from that with more consistent games this year. Next year 14+ games and essentially a lock on 22 when fit is on the cards. 2025 onwards a rock and attacking weapon. Close to the perfect progression for his type and build if this plays out. I think he will be a fan favourite - sure headed, reliable and under rated outside the four walls type.
Understand KC, I'm taking more a lens of rating our recruiting staff. Your middle point "Can get on the park most weeks" I see as more a club issue then a recruiting issue. In fairness, whether they are ticks or not could be argued either way based on personal criteria. The point I'm making is I think our recruiting (particular in second and third round) appears to have improved in recent years.
Kind regards,
Know it all
I love the way he runs to connect as we are moving it out of the backline. He seems to judge when to defend and when to leave his opponent really well.
Agree with this - clearly we are getting better talent through the door and a number are showing AFL attributes, even those picked later in the draft. I think Archer is trending beautifully and if he can have an injury free pre-season i can see him holding down a position in the back 6 which is a real win considering how late we took him in the draft.
shintemaster
Brownlow Medallist
Archer delivering even a solid lockdown backman journeyman career is a huge bonus for us.
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Damien Sandow
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My man !
SimpinForSimpkin
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I randomly bumped into him a couple weeks ago at a pub in Richmond. Seemed really surprised someone recognised him in public!
- Dec 27, 2017
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He’d have to be one of our best kicks. Probably just behind Thomas, the stats probably have Bergs ahead but TT would take on more risk with his kicking
Edit- Bergs goes at 83.2%
Thomas 73.6%
LMac is 78.6%
Edit- Bergs goes at 83.2%
Thomas 73.6%
LMac is 78.6%
Shinboner1
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- Aug 13, 2020
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Big year for this kid. Hope he cant put on some size in the offseason.
Ligma
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Excuse you
I like this kid too, but I’m not sure where he stands with Fisher and Stevens coming in. I guess if anything it means if he becomes a regular best 22 player - he will have earned it.
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stephens will play wing and you would think fisher will take ziebell's spot in the backline (Goater as third tall) so there is still space for bergman.
FB - Archer Corr Goater
HB - Bergman Dawson Fisher
Mcdonald the 7th defender
