2024 Draft Thread.

[Mat Mann]

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

 

[phantom13]

From todays Zero Hanger article (ouch) -

"There is less certainty surrounding St Kilda-linked defender Adrian Cole, who could still fetch a spot at Moorabbin or elsewhere, with the Saints also having a call to make on father-son prospect Elwood Peckett - the son of club icon Justin.

St Kilda decided against matching a bid for Lennox Hofmann at Pick 66, with the medium-sized backman heading to Geelong. The club remains committed to re-listing veteran midfielder Brad Crouch at the Rookie Draft."

I hope we take Peckett personally.

I think with a good nights sleep to think about im pretty happy with the draft outcome overall.

Looking at some of the picks and trends its one of the weirdest drafts in memory.

Only 2 talls in the top 20 (3 argurably 4 small forwards taken in the same band), then just a mish mash of needs and talent drafting meant we got some really talented sliders that might be seen as surplus to needs.

All the mids talk is fair, i get it but we did just trade for a 3 x AA ball pig mid and we have another year of development into Windy, Pou, Garcia, Wilson etc.

Our list looks pretty balanced, perhaps lacking that really top shelf gamebreaking talent (especially through the midfield) but Ross' gamestyle and plan has always been predicated on two way running and ball use, weve got a list and profile to support that i think.

Were also primed to raid the FA market next year if this year proves successful, we all know were missing an grade mid, we werent gonna draft one this year who could impact in the next 2-3 anyway, so this approach makes more sense.

 

[Miha]

That Ablett bloke from Fox Footy last night in SEN saying outside of the Tiges, we won the draft

 

[saintron]

this ruckman dobson is he the one that we were looking at from sth aust and he one the magery medak from over there

 

[stavro#4]

this ruckman dobson is he the one that we were looking at from sth aust and he one the magery medak from over there

No that’s 27 year old Boyd.

Dodson is 18 years old. Was receiving Div 1 scholarship offers from American colleges for basketball and on the train on squad for the Adelaide 36ers. Made the decision in August to commit to football

 

[Browny2Carlisle]

lol espn rated the bombers draft an A- and ours a B…

 

[Hayes4PM]

That Ablett bloke from Fox Footy last night in SEN saying outside of the Tiges, we won the draft

They’re there to pump the draft, anyone who takes a lot of picks “wins” the draft to them. We did well I think, but West Coast make a strong case for better value for money with Allan @ 16, Shanahan @ 30 (!) and Gross @ 46.

Shanahan and Dodson the 2 biggest sliders you’d think, rucks always a big unknown though.

 

[CursingFijian]

They, Richmond and Sydney are the ballsiest when it comes to bidding - Cats were the ones who bid on Windy

Pretty sure Sydney bid on Mitchito.

 

[Ads734]

Pretty sure Sydney bid on Mitchito.

In fact it would have been our friend Mr Dalrympal

 

[Remboy]

Not taking Hoffman May have been a list balance decision, now have plenty of defensive options & perhaps he’s too similar to Hastie

Plus O’Connell and picking up Travaglia. I think we’ve got that area covered.

 

[gringo2011]

If you are right the draft selections would make more sense.

If I were Saints, and assume we have plenty to spend, I'd be out there targeting a package of 2 A grade mids because I think that is how you have to sell the vision. I don't see the attraction to an LDU for example coming into that midfield but a package of say LDU and Brayshaw coming in might be a different conversation - that would open the window and be a pretty attractive proposition supported by all the around the ground talent we are building.

At the moment we are looking at the midfield top talent at end of 2025 being Steele one year closer to the end, Macrae (same boat) and fingers crossed Pou has come on.

To me you just have to have the perception of momentum. There is a bit of a stigma attached to walking into a premiership side and getting a cheap flag but a club on the rise and seen as on the way is ideal.

We really need to make next season a really strong performance from round one and hit next year's trade period with momentum. I'm not sure that the Hawks can back up 2024 but they finished the year as the hottest club in town. They attracted talent easily.

 

[BucketsandBanger]

looking at what and have done in the draft in the last 3 drafts it seems a key piece of the list strategy and build to contention is to get a star mid via free agency or trade. Who knows if we can pull it off, LDU or Callahan the most obvious candidates. Risky but possible, got a sneaky feeling about Callahan but their players do seem to love living in Sydney and they don’t lose many.

 

[gringo2011]

Its unbelievable how many posters on here who want to get rid of a bloke who was clearly our best mid in 22/23 in favour of some rookie.

I'm hoping like hell that he gets back on the track for us. His knee may be stuffed and he may not make it but the club would be f***ing stupid not to give him every possible chance.

I'd be happier getting half a dozen games out of Crouch next year ahead of a unknown rookie.

View attachment 2172572

I agree in principle but just can't see the sense in it if his knee is cooked. Macrae has his spot now and we really need to develop a future set up. Giving six games to Crouch over Garcia seems pointless. I'd rather the romance of Peckett even if he doesn't make it it's a positive move forward.

 

[BucketsandBanger]

To me you just have to have the perception of momentum. There is a bit of a stigma attached to walking into a premiership side and getting a cheap flag but a club on the rise and seen as on the way is ideal.

We really need to make next season a really strong performance from round one and hit next year's trade period with momentum. I'm not sure that the Hawks can back up 2024 but they finished the year as the hottest club in town. They attracted talent easily.

Agreed, hugely important we are good next year, no way LDU comes to a bottom team given what he’s been through at Nth. Harder with our draw.

 

[Joffaboy]

That Ablett bloke from Fox Footy last night in SEN saying outside of the Tiges, we won the draft

Pfft, we were supposed to have won the draft in 2022 and Van Es and Hotton already delisted and Keeler not a game yet.

means little especially from company man Ablett.

 

[akaifu]

Without getting a pure mid in the top 10, I don’t think we can say we won the draft

However, we did so well in every other aspect that I’d consider this draft as good as our 2023 haul

I feel like Barrat is going to be underrated. We didn’t think we needed talls so we didn’t talk about him much on here, but he’s a bloody good footballer with a ton of upside given his birthday and injury issues that restricted him last year

So much to get excited about going forward, this team is going to be a joy to watch

 

[gringo2011]

How lucky were we with our quest for a ruckman to assist Ro.
Soldo could've come for possibly a 2nd round pick.
Then we give medicals to Boyd and Blakiston only for Dodson to fall in our lap for P 53
Talk about a strong even Draft,West Coast could not have asked for better.
Bo Allan,Jobe Shanahan and Gross all expected to go heaps earlier and fell to Eagles

I think that Dodson will be unlikely to impact inside the first 4 years unless he's a freak. It would be more that they are now going to back in Moose as our second tier ruck.

 

[Jayman15]

Whether you rate his assessments or not… Mick Ablett named Saints as a winner from the draft period

 

[gringo2011]

Pfft, we were supposed to have won the draft in 2022 and Van Es and Hotton already delisted and Keeler not a game yet.

means little especially from company man Ablett.

Both those guys were injury busts more than talent busts and 4 years ago would have had years more on the list with little pressure. We are making more brutal and quicker calls now as we sift through talent like a proper club. We are delisting a much better class of player now.

 

[Munga]

Do we need another mid? What's happening with Windy? The guy was an obvious midfield star when I saw him early days at Sandy. Will he finally be given a shot that's not tagging?

 

[phantom13]

Both those guys were injury busts more than talent busts and 4 years ago would have had years more on the list with little pressure. We are making more brutal and quicker calls now as we sift through talent like a proper club. We are delisting a much better class of player now.

Im still a little perplexed with Hottons delisting TBH, felt harsh.

 

[gringo2011]

Without getting a pure mid in the top 10, I don’t think we can say we won the draft

However, we did so well in every other aspect that I’d consider this draft as good as our 2023 haul

I feel like Barrat is going to be underrated. We didn’t think we needed talls so we didn’t talk about him much on here, but he’s a bloody good footballer with a ton of upside given his birthday and injury issues that restricted him last year

So much to get excited about going forward, this team is going to be a joy to watch

You don't know if you've won the draft for 4 years or more. If you get 2x best 22 players out of any draft you have done well. Anymore than that and or if you nail a top 10 player on your list you are over achieving. If you get 3 top players in a draft you are talking legendary hauls.

To me Travaglia and Tauru have the most upside because as top 10 picks they'll get every opportunity to prove themselves. Every other player we took is going to have to make the most of every opportunity just to get a foot in. Garcia is the model citizen for how you need to train and prepare and that's off the back of guys like Byrnes and Windy who look like they are aware that nothing is going to be given to them. They have to earn it all.

 

[Conscience]

lol espn rated the bombers draft an A- and ours a B…

Jasper is a one-eyed Bombers fan like Cal

 

[gringo2011]

Im still a little perplexed with Hottons delisting TBH, felt harsh.

Ironic that it could have been a contribution from his parent who were probably bad mouthing the club to other player parents. Sometimes the anxiety needs to be kept in house and responsibility handed over. I'd hate to be the parent of a fringe player and probably would have been the same.

 

[saintron]

so are we going to draft this ruckman name boyd would be a better idea than getting an untried guy

 

[Joffaboy]

Both those guys were injury busts more than talent busts and 4 years ago would have had years more on the list with little pressure. We are making more brutal and quicker calls now as we sift through talent like a proper club. We are delisting a much better class of player now.

Yes true, my point I suppose is we wont know who 'won' what for a few years. I agree we did go well in our picks and using an F2 for Dodson and Said was pretty savvy.

I take your point with delistings. Take it a bit further, never seen so many one year contracts offered and taken this year. means they will be ruthless again this year end and basically it is a culture of survival of the fittest.

Ruthless competitiveness is a must if we want to challenge.