2024 Draft Thread.

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🎯 Draft Period, November 20–21
  • Round 1 of the National Draft: Wednesday, November 20
  • Round 2–end of the National Draft: Thursday, November 21
  • Rookie Promotions: Thursday, November 21, after the National Draft
  • Delisted Free Agency Period (3): Thursday, November 21, after the National Draft
  • List Lodgement 3*: Friday, November 22, 10am (optional; required for those participating in the PSD)
  • Pre-Season Draft: Friday, November 22, 3pm
  • Rookie Draft: Friday, November 22, 3.20pm
 
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FWIW, I'll admit Reid is a good player. Let's just say he's not to my taste.
2 weeks ago l didn't care for Travaglia but slipping 2 spots has made me spend more time looking at the less obvious selections.

I'm gonna assume you guys listened to the interview with Dalrymple, in which he noted that drafting has switched to choosing players that fit the game style the coach wants to play and not so much the best talant (within reason of course)

Of the 5 kids drafted last year, 3 were specifically targeted. Wilson, Hastie and Hugo. As a type of player those guys are very similar to Travaglia, and very dissimilar to Reid. In fact if you didn't already know the difference between Hastie and Travaglia you'd be forgiven for thinking they were the same guy.
Reid probably goes to a club that has enough grunt players already.

That’s pretty obvious but taking running HBs to turn into mids isn’t a bad policy unless you choose badly. Will Day is possibly the Hawks MVP and probably one of the higher impact per touch players in the league. Travaglia is also going to be peaking around the time Sinclair steps out. Running players are Lyon’s minimum. He has never loved pure bull extractors. If you can’t spread, chase or play a second role he’s going to leave you out most likely.

These days footy needs high half forwards that roll back with the play, wings and 2 or 3 running rebounders of HB and then a minimum of one runner on ball as well.

That’s 8 runners you can start and rotations off the bench. Guys like Wood and Hill are getting close to the end.
 
That’s pretty obvious but taking running HBs to turn into mids isn’t a bad policy unless you choose badly. Will Day is possibly the Hawks MVP and probably one of the higher impact per touch players in the league. Travaglia is also going to be peaking around the time Sinclair steps out. Running players are Lyon’s minimum. He has never loved pure bull extractors. If you can’t spread, chase or play a second role he’s going to leave you out most likely.

These days footy needs high half forwards that roll back with the play, wings and 2 or 3 running rebounders of HB and then a minimum of one runner on ball as well.

That’s 8 runners you can start and rotations off the bench. Guys like Wood and Hill are getting close to the end.

Yep, Houston, Reid, Travaglia three half backs in one off season lets try and get bonner back as a pre season pick too.

Midfield? You mean the second half back line!

We will be running and rebounding so much we might as well enter the Saints as an Olympic Track and Field team.

Seriously, when are we going to learn our lesson and draft a contested ball winning mid and not have to top up with a 30 year old one way past their prime..
 
Yep, Houston, Reid, Travaglia three half backs in one off season lets try and get bonner back as a pre season pick too.

Midfield? You mean the second half back line!

We will be running and rebounding so much we might as well enter the Saints as an Olympic Track and Field team.

Seriously, when are we going to learn our lesson and draft a contested ball winning mid and not have to top up with a 30 year old one way past their prime..

Now I understand what Basset meant when he said we might have to go back to go forward. We are going Half back to Half forward. Genius!
 

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That’s pretty obvious but taking running HBs to turn into mids isn’t a bad policy unless you choose badly. Will Day is possibly the Hawks MVP and probably one of the higher impact per touch players in the league. Travaglia is also going to be peaking around the time Sinclair steps out. Running players are Lyon’s minimum. He has never loved pure bull extractors. If you can’t spread, chase or play a second role he’s going to leave you out most likely.

These days footy needs high half forwards that roll back with the play, wings and 2 or 3 running rebounders of HB and then a minimum of one runner on ball as well.

That’s 8 runners you can start and rotations off the bench. Guys like Wood and Hill are getting close to the end.

I think you are on the money with Travaglia if we were to go solely 'best available' rather than considering positional needs, he would be well and truly in our calculations. Put it this way I would 100% rather Travaglia than trading for Houston. Clubs seem to love those long kicking outside back flankers but Travaglia has a much higher ceiling (contested game & marking) than Houston IMO.
 
After watching Cripps drag the scum back into the game on Sunday I'm back onboard the Smilie train. I reckon he'd compliment what we already have & give us an intimidating inside duo with Scud in a few seasons time.

It looks like he's rebounded from a disappointing champs in a positive way so far. How he can perform during the finals will obviously go a long way to decide whether is drifts to us or goes early doors.

From what I've seen his kicking is pretty solid, especially when kicking at goal... the mechanics of his kicking look smooth... like most kids its probably a mix of decision making and the talent of who he's kicking it to.

Would be pretty exciting to see what Smilie could develop into with Lenny & DC guiding him IMO.

Cripps is a gun because he’s an outstanding talent more than his size. For every Bont or Cripps there are another 30 tall midfield spuds. Lauchie Neale isn’t making clubs chase dwarves. Talent and drive trumps size and player comparison every time for me.

If anything Cripps was more like Langford with questions around speed and size.
 
That’s pretty obvious but taking running HBs to turn into mids isn’t a bad policy unless you choose badly. Will Day is possibly the Hawks MVP and probably one of the higher impact per touch players in the league. Travaglia is also going to be peaking around the time Sinclair steps out. Running players are Lyon’s minimum. He has never loved pure bull extractors. If you can’t spread, chase or play a second role he’s going to leave you out most likely.

These days footy needs high half forwards that roll back with the play, wings and 2 or 3 running rebounders of HB and then a minimum of one runner on ball as well.

That’s 8 runners you can start and rotations off the bench. Guys like Wood and Hill are getting close to the end.
I'm assuming you meant "is" a bad policy.
I don't see him specifically as a HB, much more a utility. His skills set makes him flexible.
 
Yep, Houston, Reid, Travaglia three half backs in one off season lets try and get bonner back as a pre season pick too.

Midfield? You mean the second half back line!

We will be running and rebounding so much we might as well enter the Saints as an Olympic Track and Field team.

Seriously, when are we going to learn our lesson and draft a contested ball winning mid and not have to top up with a 30 year old one way past their prime..
If we got Houston, forget about Reid and Travaglia as we won't have the picks.

Reid is more an inside mid than a HBF'er and we are sparse on the ground for inside ball pigs.
Clark has started to fill the gap but we need more than just him to help Steele.

Oh and we ain't getting Houston.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app
 
If we got Houston, forget about Reid and Travaglia as we won't have the picks.

Reid is more an inside mid than a HBF'er and we are sparse on the ground for inside ball pigs.
Clark has started to fill the gap but we need more than just him to help Steele.

Oh and we ain't getting Houston.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

It makes no sense for the club to (rightly) target the draft and then turn around to make a play for Houston. Hopefully just journos putting 2 and 2 together to get 5.
 
Yep, Houston, Reid, Travaglia three half backs in one off season lets try and get bonner back as a pre season pick too.

Midfield? You mean the second half back line!

We will be running and rebounding so much we might as well enter the Saints as an Olympic Track and Field team.

Seriously, when are we going to learn our lesson and draft a contested ball winning mid and not have to top up with a 30 year old one way past their prime..

We need two gun inside mids on the field at once plus an inside outside first receiver. If Phillipou comes on and we have 3 to 5 years of Steele left plus Windhager, Dow, Jones and Clark plus a drafted kid or kids and Garcia we will have plenty of depth and types. You always want depth and improving the pool but the chances are that key position depth will get tested next year instead.

Dual position types, runners etc can get repositioned. Guys like Hobbs and Ward play in the VFL or out of position because their side can only play so many one position inside mids.
 
The real wildcard for the future midfield is going to be Garcia. He's shown everything you'd want to see out of a first year player when he's been on the field and in the VFL. If the form line is real and he continues his trajectory, it's looking healthier. Should still target all mids anyway and slot them into half back slots as opposed to the other way around ;)
 

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That’s pretty obvious but taking running HBs to turn into mids isn’t a bad policy unless you choose badly. Will Day is possibly the Hawks MVP and probably one of the higher impact per touch players in the league. Travaglia is also going to be peaking around the time Sinclair steps out. Running players are Lyon’s minimum. He has never loved pure bull extractors. If you can’t spread, chase or play a second role he’s going to leave you out most likely.

These days footy needs high half forwards that roll back with the play, wings and 2 or 3 running rebounders of HB and then a minimum of one runner on ball as well.

That’s 8 runners you can start and rotations off the bench. Guys like Wood and Hill are getting close to the end.
Don’t reckon he minded Fyfe as a pure bull extractor
 
Obviously a fair bit to play out first, but if we keep Battle could we split our pick for two late first rounders?

If a team (eg. Richmond) is desperate to grab a Trainor or Harry Armstrong we could nab two exciting prospects (eg. Travaglia, Hotton, Lindsay, Hynes) for the price of one in an even draft.
It always depends on who has the assets to do this, but teams tend to get a bit excited during the draft. Think ESS and GWS adding 2nd rounders for a one selection uplift (whether that works out for the club trying to get up the order or not). I’d hold until that point. But I’d definitely want more than, say, very late first rounders like an 18, 19. Dropping back 3-ish spots and still getting that very late first would be more the target. But I could definitely see us doing what you’ve suggested if they think love a couple of guys in that teens range and they’re not enamoured with what is left on the table at 8.

Probably only needs a Trainor and an Armstrong/Reid/Travaglia to slip into the top 6 and potentially we would have two slip through (ideally Lalor as one, but Langford or Smilie as well). No chance that FOS, Smith or Draper make it through.
 
Geez a lot is hanging on someone taking trainor. If north don’t take him we are in a bit of trouble
I could see North and Crows swapping. Crows jump in before the Eagles and taking Draper. North drop back to increase assets and take Smilie or Trainor. They may even move further back if someone is willing. WCE could even do that as well depending on what picks they get for Barrass and anyone else that leaves so that they increase the number of top 20 picks they have. Dees or GC might even be a landing spot for Trainor? May and Lever getting on. Suns don’t particularly have mega stars back there and they could lose the flexibility of have Lukosius being able to go back.
 
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I feel like when he gets a couple of AFL preseasons into that big body, he might be pretty epic.
And I think his kicking is fine and will get better with fitness, drilling, power and confidence.

Not 100% sure about it, but have that feeling.
I’m pretty unsure about him, but he does move pretty well for a big fella. Certainly looks to have more pace than Bont/Cripps.
 
It always depends on who has the assets to do this, but teams tend to get a bit excited during the draft. Think ESS and GWS adding 2nd rounders for a one selection uplift (whether that works out for the club trying to get up the order or not). I’d hold until that point. But I’d definitely want more than, say, very late first rounders like an 18, 19. Dropping back 3-ish spots and still getting that very late first would be more the target. But I could definitely see us doing what you’ve suggested if they think love a couple of guys in that teens range and they’re not enamoured with what is left on the table at 8.

Probably only needs a Trainor and an Armstrong/Reid/Travaglia to slip into the top 6 and potentially we would have two slip through (ideally Lalor as one, but Langford or Smilie as well). No chance that FOS, Smith or Draper make it through.

If Trainor is there for our compensation pick, it makes sense to take him. He looks like he'll be a special player.
Otherwise i'd like Lalor, and probably Draper.

If we get Tier 2 compo, Tom Gross? Hynes, could Lindsay slide that far would Matt Whitlock be worth considering? Dodson?
Some of those guys might be around for our 2nd round pick as well.

Will we get a third round pick before anyone else goes for Cole or Peckett?
 
I could see North and Crows swapping. Crows jump in before the Eagles and taking Draper. North drop back to increase assets and take Smilie or Trainor. They may even move further back if someone is willing. WCE could even do that as well depending on what picks they get for Barrass and anyone else that leaves so that they increase the number of top 20 picks they have. Dees or GC might even be a landing spot for Trainor? May and Lever getting on. Suns don’t particularly have mega stars back there and they could lose the flexibility of have Lukosius being able to go back.
Wouldn't be surprised if Richmond have a crack at pick 2 so they can keep FOS & Jagga together.

They'll most likely have GC's 1st pick (6) that they can flick to Norf with another later 1st. Norf get Trainor or Armstrong & someone else of value & the Tigers get the two Chargers lads ala Rowell & Anderson.

Adelaide might try to split #3 so they can get Lukosius & keep a later 1st (maybe Freo?)

You'd think Melbourne will be shopping for high end mids now so Smilie, Langford or Lalor will be on their list.

It's gonna be the massive trade period with all the quality names seeking new homes... which I hope we sit out of for the most part & hit the draft as hard as possible.
 

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2024 Draft Thread.

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