VFL 2021 Sandringham Zebras

[StCicatriz]

I hope that ALLISON ends up proving himself as much as anyone....especially as his advocate for what that's worth...but it makes me wonder why they let someone like MAYO go...he was equally as promising IMO.

because he did an ACL and still isn't playing footy and we are half way through the year

 

[sammm]

because he did an ACL and still isn't playing footy and we are half way through the year

and his is coaching under 18's

 

[bird_man]

This heartburn over Matt Allison is a bit hyperbolic don’t you think?
I think only Stewart66 and myself can actually attest to seeing him in the flesh on a football ground.
The little I saw impressed me (and if a like from Stewie is an indication), I suspect he was impressed too.
The rest of you are getting your knickers in a twist based on dodgy video from one VFL game.
He was #26. That’s no first rounder and that’s no guarantee of a star.
Libba selected him for reasons that we aren’t privy to.
Who knows, maybe Ratts is really really keen on building a 21st century version of the Dick Clay/Francis Bourke winning wings from the other Richmond dynasty?
That’s as sensible a reason as anything else I have read in the last ten pages or so.

I've seen him in 3 or 4 of his VFL games now which were televised. The others were much better footage than on the weekend.

He's a long way off and would struggle to get a VFL game if he wasn't on an AFL list.

Not sure you actually had to see the game in the flesh to get a good indication of how he is going.

26 might be late for a first round pick but is still a good pick.

 

[lewdogs]

Let's just hang on with Allison. He was always a project player, we stated as much. Look at Leo Connolly's debut, looked comfortable at the level and was pretty much plucked from nowhere. Byrnes, Highmore... I'd say our recent drafting looks pretty good actually.

 

[Dr Spaceman]

Yes Trout was useless

 

[Saint_Dos]

Byrnes looks the pick of them so far. Battle and Long are currently GOPs and are 5 years into their careers. Shai Bolton went the pick after Long. Tom Stewart the pick after Battle. That is good drafting. Ours is not a waste of picks but we have to start finding stars not GOPs. We operate at an extremely slow pace with development as well. There seems to be a lack of anything resembling urgency. Most sides have rebuilt gone up and gone down again by the time we get out of first gear.

As much as I can't argue that both Stewart and Bolton are stars (or at least not far off) I think we need to consider the development that they give them and that they are coming into successful teams (particularly in Geelong's instance). No saying we wouldn't have just bugger those 2 up as well or that Long and Battle wouldn't be stars else where.

It is what we should be getting better at now especially with blokes like Hill, Ryder, Crouch, Geary, Hanners, Frawley on the list. Hopefully there is a little bit of incidental development just by training with these sort of blokes and getting a game with them at whatever level.

 

[StCicatriz]

Let's just hang on with Allison. He was always a project player, we stated as much. Look at Leo Connolly's debut, looked comfortable at the level and was pretty much plucked from nowhere. Byrnes, Highmore... I'd say our recent drafting looks pretty good actually.

i did find the project comments strange.

what tall taken outside of the absolutely elite part of the draft isn't considered a project player?

 

[bird_man]

i did find the project comments strange.

what tall taken outside of the absolutely elite part of the draft isn't considered a project player?

So why is it strange if you agree he's a project player?

 

[Mowman]

Let's just hang on with Allison. He was always a project player, we stated as much. Look at Leo Connolly's debut, looked comfortable at the level and was pretty much plucked from nowhere. Byrnes, Highmore... I'd say our recent drafting looks pretty good actually.

We are not in the position to be recruiting project players just recruit the best footballer/player available
Project players are for clubs that have actually done something

 

[StCicatriz]

AFL Draft

AFL draft history and statistics. Includes national, pre-season and rookie draft picks as well as past pre-draft and midyear selections.

www.footywire.com

he's not the only who hasnt debuted yet. plenty of time.

 

[StCicatriz]

So why is it strange if you agree he's a project player?

because you seemed to think it was unusual we took a project player that high... it happens all the time.

what player taken at pick 26 doesn't require a lot of development? be it midfield or KPP?

especially in a draft year where a lot of the development did not occur.

the club clearly just went in and took best available and didn't worry about positional need.

its also worth remembering tim membrey is 27. i'd argue he is our most important forward. we need to be thinking about his replacement. given talls take time there is a need to be finding another tim.

i think its extremely unfair in how he's been treated by some on here. he was criticised before he even played a practice match. that just continued as time went by. he needs time. at least let him get a full season in before we start criticising the guy.

 

[bird_man]

because you seemed to think it was unusual we took a project player that high... it happens all the time.

what player taken at pick 26 doesn't require a lot of development? be it midfield or KPP?

especially in a draft year where a lot of the development did not occur.

It was very unusual. I don't remember anyone predicting we'd take a project key forward with our first pick.

Most had us taking a mid because that was our biggest need (along with a key defender) and we had only ever used one decent pick on a mid in 5 years.

Agree everyone taken outside the top end of the draft needs development but this kid is clearly a bigger project than most. He is barely VFL level right now. Josh Battle for example was already playing AFL in his first year.

There was always going to be an option to grab a project tall late in the draft.

 

[bird_man]

AFL Draft

AFL draft history and statistics. Includes national, pre-season and rookie draft picks as well as past pre-draft and midyear selections.

www.footywire.com

he's not the only who hasnt debuted yet. plenty of time.

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View attachment 1168207

It's not about him debuting mate. You know that and no one is upset he hasn't yet.

The issue is he is a long, long way off. He rpbably wouldn't be playing VFL if he wasn't on our list. Thats says he is a genuine project.

 

[StCicatriz]

It's not about him debuting mate. You know that and no one is upset he hasn't yet.

The issue is he is a long, long way off. He rpbably wouldn't be playing VFL if he wasn't on our list. Thats says he is a genuine project.

he's gonna take time, it's far too early to make any calls on him. you were calling this before he had even stepped on the park.

 

[bird_man]

he's gonna take time, it's far too early to make any calls on him. you were calling this before he had even stepped on the park.

You are right, I did. It was a strange selection at the time and at the moment nothing has changed my mind.

I doubt Allison reads the forum and it's nothing personal about him. I just think we made the wrong call.

Would love to be proven wrong eventually and if I am I'll be the first to put up my hand and say so.

 

[CaptainRisky]

 

[BrutThough]

As much as I can't argue that both Stewart and Bolton are stars (or at least not far off) I think we need to consider the development that they give them and that they are coming into successful teams (particularly in Geelong's instance). No saying we wouldn't have just bugger those 2 up as well or that Long and Battle wouldn't be stars else where.

It is what we should be getting better at now especially with blokes like Hill, Ryder, Crouch, Geary, Hanners, Frawley on the list. Hopefully there is a little bit of incidental development just by training with these sort of blokes and getting a game with them at whatever level.

Tom Stewart also made it clear to all the in his pre draft interviews that he only wanted to be drafted to Geelong so taking the 18 year old who was projected to in the first round (evidenced by being invited to the draft) rather than the matured aged player who outright said he wasnt going to leave Geelong is not exactly a huge draft blunder.

 

[Tommy Wigs]

As much as I can't argue that both Stewart and Bolton are stars (or at least not far off) I think we need to consider the development that they give them and that they are coming into successful teams (particularly in Geelong's instance). No saying we wouldn't have just bugger those 2 up as well or that Long and Battle wouldn't be stars else where.

It is what we should be getting better at now especially with blokes like Hill, Ryder, Crouch, Geary, Hanners, Frawley on the list. Hopefully there is a little bit of incidental development just by training with these sort of blokes and getting a game with them at whatever level.

Completely agree on the development side.

And pretty sure Stewart told recruiters he would only go to Geelong.

 

[bird_man]

Hopefully Bytel plays this week

 

[Saint_Dos]

Hopefully Bytel plays this week

Always nervous when concussions are listed as TBC the following week rather than available.
Tends to mean there is some lingering symptoms

 

[Barrels]

This Allison shit is absolutely ridiculous.

He’s a tall 19yr old who hasn’t even played a full season at a Senior club yet…

Will he be a star, or even a good player? Who knows! But he isn’t a bust yet, either.

Christ, some of you blokes need some mental nasal spray…

 

[bird_man]

This Allison sh*t is absolutely ridiculous.

He’s a tall 19yr old who hasn’t even played a full season at a Senior club yet…

Will he be a star, or even a good player? Who knows! But he isn’t a busy yet, either.

Christ, some of you blokes need some mental nasal spray…

View attachment 1168292

We've read it all before with other draftees. Give them time.

It's a footy forum, people will give there opinion on decisions the club makes. It would be a boring place if we all waited to see how every decision plays out before we give our opinion.

You seem to be the sensitive one here.

 

[Joffaboy]

Byrnes looks the pick of them so far. Battle and Long are currently GOPs and are 5 years into their careers. Shai Bolton went the pick after Long. Tom Stewart the pick after Battle. That is good drafting. Ours is not a waste of picks but we have to start finding stars not GOPs. We operate at an extremely slow pace with development as well. There seems to be a lack of anything resembling urgency. Most sides have rebuilt gone up and gone down again by the time we get out of first gear.

Long was better than Bolton on the weekend and I would prefer Battle over Stewart.
Battle is out of position but still shone on the weekend.
Watch Bolton in an ordinary Richmond team, will be like Hill at Freo and here.

 

[Joffaboy]

Gee GWS are useless selecting that Highmore spud.

 

[bird_man]

Clark was certainly part of the discussion going into that draft.
On BF we were a bit concerned he was a HBF , and we wanted a mid. Some were confident he could step up to the mid role.
Most of the players we really really wanted, went before our picks, Stephenson, Cerra.
Some people got a bonar for Bonar, but i don't know how serious they were.

While Naughton in hindsght is great, none of us were wanting a tall before the draft.

Coffield wasn't a need, but i think he was considered best available, who would we have got instead, Fogarty? Ling?
I can't say i'm unhappy with that draft.

There are always some people who say , "why didn't we draft a gun midfielder at that pick " its because there wasn't one apparent.

Yeah, Clark was a genuine mid by the time the draft came around. He dominated that back half of the year for Dandenong.

Not many had him in the top 10 prospects until probably just before the draft came around though.

Coff was the obvious selection at the time.