2016 Draft Thread - The Rebuild Begins

[meima]

The reason you grab English is because you think you are getting more than a ruck.

Postie here can't wait, and think is a waste to play ruck as mid. Needle only got one side sharp if you can't wait select a mid or small .if you can and accept no guarantee he will be star and clarke will realized his full potential by all mean pick english and signed zac clarke for three year.

 

[meima]

Tab , a pearce all done No ruckwork in pre season and play as pinch hitting ruck in afl . What make postie think they can't be better with some ruckwork put into pre season and train against sandi as emergency pinch ruck . These guy will be on the field will need to ruck anywhere if sandi injured just like this season nit nat incident.

Mundy, fyfe , neale will also improve their game in pratice simulation playing opposite to sandi when they dont have first use of the ball.

 

[The Joker]

Tab , a pearce all done No ruckwork in pre season and play as pinch hitting ruck in afl . What make postie think they can't be better with some ruckwork put into pre season and train against sandi as emergency pinch ruck . These guy will be on the field will need to ruck anywhere if sandi injured just like this season nit nat incident.

Mundy, fyfe , neale will also improve their game in pratice simulation playing opposite to sandi when they dont have first use of the ball.

Pinch hitting is not the focus, of course we now have a plethora of options to help out, its the number 1 position that will be Clarkes that worries me.

Anyway thats 2018, plenty of water to flow just yet...

 

[Alfonz]

I feel like a broken record, but English hasn't shown the attributes present in current top ruckman. You can bang on about his speed or skills or time trial, but he has not demonstrated the things which are most important. Elite rucks are beasts and have strength and contested ability in ruck and marking situations. And it would be a massive gamble to think he will acquire such things. I really hope I am completely wrong if we pick him. Maybe he can redefine the position.

 

[wayToGo_]

How many of those guys are going to be anything more than C+ graders as a number one ruck. Yea that's right - none.

Very few gun ruckmen chance sides and very few are from WA. A 3rd round onward ruck has a chance of making it sure but if they don't we are ****ed.

There's a reason English is going to go high and other rucks in this draft would be considered a reach at 40. Whether that means we should draft him or not I don't know but you don't win premierships by taking the safe option every time.

Don't get me wrong, if English was an almost guaranteed 'A' grade ruck then I'd say forget everyone else, let's get him. But...

• He's a draft bolter and you have to ask if that is because he is as good as we hope or whether it's because there are F all good talls in the pool and clubs won't want to draft nothing but smalls?
• He's a year older than the draft pool. Was he as good last year (in his proper draft year) and is it possible draftees from this pool might bolt similarly if they delayed being drafted by a year?
• Is he seen as a ruck prospect because he is tall or because he has the attributes for a good ruck? If he is a ruck prospect and the tallest draftee why isn't he racking up the same hit out numbers as the other ruck prospects, many of whom might not even be drafted?
• If he fails as a ruck can he become a KPF? Or he is more likely to be a key defender? Or a tall midfielder like Blicavs? Is there a risk he's a bit of jack of all trades but not great at anything in particular?
• Twomey has him currently ranked at 11 I think. It's not a huge reach but it's still a reach. Are the other options at #7 less risky and/or higher reward?
• Are great rucks really that important? None of the best teams from 2016 seemed to rely on them.

I suspect our recruiters are weighing it all up and if they decide English is the best option then I'll support him but it does seem a massive gamble with our first decent pick in ages. Lots can change in the next few weeks though.

 

[mightymouse75]

Just draft the tallest man in the world and teach him to kick. No offence to sandi

 

[simpsonwillo]

Would love to get Ainsworth. One of my picks of the bunch...

 

[Scham]

Would love to get Ainsworth. One of my picks of the bunch...

Yep, he's the pick for me at 7. Hopefully he's available. There's a lot of strong rumours that Brisbane have been keen on him for 2 years and will take him early though

 

[Scham]

Depend on how you see it, if clarke signed three years deal , i really dont see the need to get english, if clarke still the same after fixing his injury there are no more excuses for him , freo and his fan. It is well known that griff is gone next year.

Going best available is the way to go with this pick. Leave needs, origin etc out of it.

 

[mad4freo]

Yep, he's the pick for me at 7. Hopefully he's available. There's a lot of strong rumours that Brisbane have been keen on him for 2 years and will take him early though

Twoomey thinks he is the third player in the draft

 

[Scham]

Twoomey thinks he is the third player in the draft

On quality or phantom draft?

 

[meima]

In the end whoever freo pick , selection committee know better. Clarke signed two or three years contract also up to them .

 

[The Joker]

In the end whoever freo pick , selection committee know better

Ok so why dont we just shut down BF and never speak of footy again...

 

[Lach72]

Would love to get Ainsworth. One of my picks of the bunch...

There's a lot to work with there.
Medhurst? Brent Harvey?

Good on the lead, string hands, quick and good kick.

Could start as a high half forward

 

[Lach72]

Yep, he's the pick for me at 7. Hopefully he's available. There's a lot of strong rumours that Brisbane have been keen on him for 2 years and will take him early though

I'd still take SPS, as Mundy is on his last legs and Fyfe is still not signed, but wouldn't be unhappy with him

 

[simpsonwillo]

There's a lot to work with there.
Medhurst? Brent Harvey?

Good on the lead, string hands, quick and good kick.

Could start as a high half forward

Ainsworth and Walters would just be party time for years.

 

[The Joker]

I'd take SPS based purely on his skills, the fact he has even more to offer makes him a pick I'd certainly be happy with!

 

[Lach72]

Ainsworth and Walters would just be party time for years.

Walters Apeness Ainsworth
Bennell McCarthy Kersten.

 

[Sweetback]

Ainsworth looks like he could step straight into a best 22, like a Caleb Daniel.

 

[Kenny_01]

Ainsworth would be great but very unlikely to last to pick 7


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[Scham]

I'd still take SPS, as Mundy is on his last legs and Fyfe is still not signed, but wouldn't be unhappy with him

I too would be happy with either but I do think Ainsworth will become a dynamic small mid in time

 

[theGav56]

So don't take English because he is a "bolter" based on form but do take SPS because he is a "slider" also due to form?

 

[meima]

So don't take English because he is a "bolter" based on form but do take SPS because he is a "slider" also due to form?

I afriad There is no right or wrong with this one . I think potential small or mid is easy to do trade in term of value and fast return compare to ruckmen.

Eg if langdon or weller one off want to be trade you still got balic and tucker. As for ruckmen you get stuck with them in the second.

 

[freoextra]

I feel like a broken record, but English hasn't shown the attributes present in current top ruckman. You can bang on about his speed or skills or time trial, but he has not demonstrated the things which are most important. Elite rucks are beasts and have strength and contested ability in ruck and marking situations. And it would be a massive gamble to think he will acquire such things. I really hope I am completely wrong if we pick him. Maybe he can redefine the position.

Sure the concerns you raise are very valid. But these are the same concerns raised about Dean Cox, believe me he was pick number 42 for the Eagles for a year or two. No tank no flexibility, skinny man.
Some good judges think English has the tools to be a dominant ruckman, something he is clearly not at the moment, but his development has been far quicker than anything in WA and these judges also think quicker than anything in Australia.
Will he be the answer to our last real need. No idea, but geez if we pick him and it works we have covered so many bases this draft period (especially talls).
I am ready to gamble because I rate Balic and Tucker from our last draft and they might be battling to be best 22 in our team already. Would be very disappointed if Tucker does not get a lot of games.
As usual if injuries hit our season we will quickly go to sh1t because of a lack of real seasoned backup, but I think this issue will also be solved at the beginning of next year.
Having said all that, I won't be crying in my cornflakes if SPS makes it to us in fact I will be delighted. Can't wait to see which way they jump, win win for mine.

 

[yakka man]

I too am cautious about English. Jack Hannath is also a lovely kick off the footy and he would probably look pretty nimble if he weighed only 84kgs. If we add 20kgs to English's frame I'm worried he will lose the attributes that see him rated highly.