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

 

[Verdun66]

When is the draft?

We got Baldock, Stewart and Harvey…..then a bloke called Lockett was a slider, and we got him with our last pick.

Then I woke up…..

 

[Drop Kick]

When is the draft?

November 2025.

 

[Sarcoidevo]

I agree that we had an insanely talented team from 2004-2010.

So much talent and they was a pleasure to watch.

Gutted they never won a flag.

When you break it down and look at our grand final side from 2009 there was plenty of role players that played the Ross system.

Here’s the 2009 grand final team

ST KILDA v GEELONG
St Kilda
B: Jason Blake, Zac Dawson, Steven Baker
HB: Brendon Goddard, Sam Fisher, Sam Gilbert
C: Farren Ray, Lenny Hayes, Nick Dal Santo
HF: Andrew McQualter, Justin Koschitzke, Clint Jones
F: Stephen Milne, Nick Riewoldt, Jason Gram
Foll: Steven King, Leigh Montagna, Adam Schneider
I/C: Luke Ball, Raphael Clarke, Sean Dempster, Michael Gardiner


I’d agree that Ross was an exceptional coach and got everything he could’ve from the likes of

Jason Blake
Zac Dawson
Steven Baker
Farren Ray
Andrew McQualter
Clint Jones

Looking at that 2009 GF team and where we were lacking stands out like bull testicles

Jones / McQualter as our 2 forward flankers

Where were our 3rd tall marking goalkickers .... our Steven Johnson / our Aaron Hamill / our Ryan O'Keefe?

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Looking at that 2009 GF team and where we were lacking stands out like bull testicles

Jones / McQualter as our 2 forward flankers

Where were our 3rd tall marking goalkickers .... our Steven Johnson / our Aaron Hamill / our Ryan O'Keefe?

McQualter was the prototype defensive forward. He was pretty damn good in 2009, and also kicked 22 goals.

 

[Saints4ever]

McQualter was the prototype defensive forward. He was pretty damn good in 2009, and also kicked 22 goals.

The ultimate Ross Lyon role player.

New his limitations and stayed in his own lane.

 

[snails13]

RTB has been in the job for 2 years .... what exactly are some expecting to have happened in that time .... with a list that was clearly not good enough?

We have the 5th youngest squad in the league and some if those players have barely turned 20 yet played nearly 50 games

I would be more worried as a Blues supporter or Pies supporter with their aging lists and a Tassie team just around the corner .... compared to them we are in great shape

Agree 100%

 

[snails13]

I'm tempted to try and find him. Give the Saints my number, and we'll work out a fee I was pretty good back in the day & still fit and fast (for a 48 year old) His training standards should be good from GAA anyway. Skills probably not. I'd have him able to bounce the ball, shrug a tackle, and drop punt by next June no worries. After that the club can shift my family over and move us into a nice 3 bedroom Brighton pad (no, feck that...NOT Brighton, maybe a cheaper, quieter, more rustic version with trees and space) up my wage, and give me the life I so richly deserve.
Ah, dreams...#GiveMeEverythingIwant

I am not 100% certain on this but doesn't the Irish bloke that played for Collingwood a few years back have some sort of academy for the Irish talent path to AFL

 

[Train12]

I would have thought the fact we kicked 99 points or more in 4 of our last 7 games, and 5 of our last 10 (including twice against eventual preliminary finalists)- after not having done so once in our first 13- was just as promising for us going forward as the 5 wins from our last 6 games, and 8 from our last 12.

In the first half of the year we were the no.1 scoring team from the back half, but worst at scoring from forward half turnovers, but after the bye we clearly significantly improved the latter part of our game, and unlocked our ability to score in the process.

Ross is no fool. He would know damn well that in order to win a flag these days you have to be able to score, and the fact we started doing so with regularity to finish our season ought to be hugely promising going forward.

Especially with what ought to be a significantly better midfield to play with, all-things-being-equal.

Great post!

Sometimes you just have to plugs holes until you can go full throttle.

What we saw end of the year is what we should see next year!

 

[Pou Steele]

Oh North...

Mind you, i didn't see them trading a top 5 future pick for 2 x picks in the mid 20's either.

Yeah, just one late 20s pick should do the trick.

 

[Saint Ray]

Guys

What can you tell us about Ben Paton? What type of player is he? Strengths/wraknesses?

Cheers

Good player until he was effed up by a real goose

 

[Yawkey way]

Guys

What can you tell us about Ben Paton? What type of player is he? Strengths/wraknesses?

Cheers

He was shutting down the games best small forwards prior to a badly broken leg. I’m a fan of Paton he was surprisingly athletic with a very good 20m time and vertical jump at his draft camp. If he can get back to the player he was you’ve grabbed a bargain. Really got squeezed out at st Kilda where Webster and several others were in the queue in front of him, couldn’t quite break back into the side despite decent numbers at sandy.

Disciplined and reliable overhead, courageous and neat enough by foot but not the guy you want taking the game on coming out of defence. If you take him out of his comfort zone he can be prone to some poor decision making leading to turnover's.

 

[The Cobra]

But we didn't and we didn't win it. Neither did freo. Comprehensively outplayed in two of the four.

You're trying to argue against something that actually happened and the results that have occurred. But you're standing there saying could have and then accusing others of making stuff up.

Disagree on the corridor statement. I have the PMs from the first off season from those at training to prove it.

This is a poor response even by your head in the sand standard.

Sorry not correct re the corridor - I go to training probably 8 times a year - I have seen RTB on a number of occasions stop match simulation and tell the player one on one you didn’t look for options in the corridor.

 

[Banger9798]

He was shutting down the games best small forwards prior to a badly broken leg. I’m a fan of Paton he was surprisingly athletic with a very good 20m time and vertical jump at his draft camp. If he can get back to the player he was you’ve grabbed a bargain. Really got squeezed out at st Kilda where Webster and several others were in the queue in front of him, couldn’t quite break back into the side despite decent numbers at sandy.

Disciplined and reliable overhead, courageous and neat enough by foot but not the guy you want taking the game on coming out of defence. If you take him out of his comfort zone he can be prone to some poor decision making leading to turnover's.

He was extremely courageous.
Sitting in the hole in front of Lynch , the dog, dropping his elbow into his head.

Paton has one position, lockdown small defender. Before the Roughhead intervention, he was just about the best in the league at it. Been trying to get back to that ever since. He is not a rebounding defender or a wingman....has been tried , not his go.
Good luck to him.

 

[MordySaint]

Crouch set to retire.

Bring in Peckett

 

[Saint Ray]

Crouch set to retire.

Bring in Peckett

Or Cole even.

 

[11men1cup]

We'll be bringing in Harry Boyd imo

On Pixel 7 Pro using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Diehard Saint]

Crouch set to retire.

Bring in Peckett

Was always on the cards. Pay him out and create another list spot.
Thanks to Brad. He was a very good trade for us, and we really missed him last year.

 

[Mangus]

Sorry not correct re the corridor - I go to training probably 8 times a year - I have seen RTB on a number of occasions stop match simulation and tell the player one on one you didn’t look for options in the corridor.

It was pretty evident early in the year that this was the plan we were taking risks and attacking through the middle early all came a bit unstuck in the Essendon game where Bonner in particular had some huge number of turnovers. Teams then sweated on us trying this and was part of the reason our ball movement and confidence nosedived in that early mid season period. Took moving Sincs back to HB to get us back on track with how we wanted to play and some form returned in the run home.

We are a young team there will be inconsistency and at times they will be overwhelmed by better more mature sides but there is nothing wrong with our game plan. Our biggest areas for improvement are Stoppages and the Front Half Turnover game and mostly that is a lack of talent in our Mids and High Half Forwards rather than some inherent lack of strategy by the coaching group.

The strategy and criteria we are drafting on is also not just a Ross thing it is where the whole competition has been moving for a long time. You need to be able to run all day and run fast when it is time to go. You need to be able to hit a target and to win a contest. Backmen need to be able to intercept and rebound not just stop. Mids need to be able to spread and run both ways. Forwards need to be able to pressure as well as hit the scoreboard. That seems to be the template we assess talent on and I doubt it is very different to any other club.

The fact we have a recognisable gameplan and a draft strategy is a significant improvement on the past

 

[Joffaboy]

Sorry not correct re the corridor - I go to training probably 8 times a year - I have seen RTB on a number of occasions stop match simulation and tell the player one on one you didn’t look for options in the corridor.

All they have been practising with Bolton this preseason.
Corridor, Corridor, Corridor.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Joffaboy]

Crouch set to retire.

Bring in Peckett

Boyd.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Still trying to fathom the trades on draft night.

We ended the playing season with 7 and 27 and 48. ( ignoring that the picks jump around with comp picks etc ).

Then Battle left so we had 7,8, 27 ( Crows after GWS pick Swap) 45 ( Billings trade ).
Then we swapped 27 for 32 and 48 with Brisbane Lions. ( Brisbane used that pick in the draft : Josh Dolan ).
and got Macrae with 45. ( ended up 44, and Geelong used it to get Polkinghorne ).

So we went into draft night with 7, 8, 32, 48, and Macrae.

Then we had Travaglia, Tauru, Macrae, and 32 and 48.

Then we gave Essendon ( 32 and 48 (now 47 ), for 28 ( the pick after our original 27 traded to Lions ) and 58.

So now we had Travaglia, Tauru, Macrae, and 28(32 ) and 58.
Which gave us Travaglia, Tauru, Macrae, Baratt, and 58. So we are kind of ahead by Macrae and pick 58.

Then we gave Essendon our future 2nd, for 45, and a future 4th back. Not so bad for an early-ish third.
and used it to get Boxhall. Pick 45 was our original draft pick , traded to Melbourne in a pick swap a year ago.

Then we used the pick 58, now 52 to Get Dodson.

So now we're out of 2024 draft picks.
We trade a future 4th to get pick 60 from the Lions and draft Said.

I think we have our first and 2 third round picks ( ours and the Bombers ), next year.

We have 5 promising new players, and Macrae, from 4 draft picks and a future 2nd to 3rd downgrade.

 

[pebblesofsand]

Was always on the cards. Pay him out and create another list spot.
Thanks to Brad. He was a very good trade for us, and we really missed him last year.

Whats really curious is how well paid AFL reporters don't even understand the basics of the competition.

If Crouch retired or was retired prior to the 31st of October his his payout would be part of last years salary cap.

Being re-rookied anytime after the 1st November means his payout is part of this years salary cap.

Curious case of Brad Crouch: Why Saints rookie-listed midfielder days before retirement​

Jon Ralph and Paul Amy

https://archive.vn/GAk7j#comments


Brad Crouch was St Kilda’s only pick in last week’s rookie draft, yet his AFL career is all but over. So why did the Saints make the move that left fans scratching their heads?

Injury-hit St Kilda midfielder Brad Crouch is expected to announce his retirement this week – just a few days after being rookie-listed by the Saints.

Crouch was the club’s sole rookie pick last Friday in a decision that had Saints supporters scratching their heads.
The 30-year-old is already working in commercial real estate at Essendon Fields.

On its website his employer lists him as a sales executive.

Crouch has also been appointed non-playing assistant coach of suburban powerhouse Noble Park next season.

He is expected to call a close to his 161-game AFL career this week, freeing up a position on St Kilda’s list.

It’s unclear why he did not simply retire at some stage after the season rather than be moved off the primary list.

 

[D2D3]

Whats really curious is how well paid AFL reporters don't even understand the basics of the competition.

If Crouch retired or was retired prior to the 31st of October his his payout would be part of last years salary cap.

Being re-rookied anytime after the 1st November means his payout is part of this years salary cap.

Curious case of Brad Crouch: Why Saints rookie-listed midfielder days before retirement​

Jon Ralph and Paul Amy

https://archive.vn/GAk7j#comments


Brad Crouch was St Kilda’s only pick in last week’s rookie draft, yet his AFL career is all but over. So why did the Saints make the move that left fans scratching their heads?

Injury-hit St Kilda midfielder Brad Crouch is expected to announce his retirement this week – just a few days after being rookie-listed by the Saints.

Crouch was the club’s sole rookie pick last Friday in a decision that had Saints supporters scratching their heads.
The 30-year-old is already working in commercial real estate at Essendon Fields.

On its website his employer lists him as a sales executive.

Crouch has also been appointed non-playing assistant coach of suburban powerhouse Noble Park next season.

He is expected to call a close to his 161-game AFL career this week, freeing up a position on St Kilda’s list.

It’s unclear why he did not simply retire at some stage after the season rather than be moved off the primary list.

Reads like he’s trying to imply drama where there is none.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Whats really curious is how well paid AFL reporters don't even understand the basics of the competition.

If Crouch retired or was retired prior to the 31st of October his his payout would be part of last years salary cap.

Being re-rookied anytime after the 1st November means his payout is part of this years salary cap.

Curious case of Brad Crouch: Why Saints rookie-listed midfielder days before retirement​

Jon Ralph and Paul Amy

https://archive.vn/GAk7j#comments


Brad Crouch was St Kilda’s only pick in last week’s rookie draft, yet his AFL career is all but over. So why did the Saints make the move that left fans scratching their heads?

Injury-hit St Kilda midfielder Brad Crouch is expected to announce his retirement this week – just a few days after being rookie-listed by the Saints.

Crouch was the club’s sole rookie pick last Friday in a decision that had Saints supporters scratching their heads.
The 30-year-old is already working in commercial real estate at Essendon Fields.

On its website his employer lists him as a sales executive.

Crouch has also been appointed non-playing assistant coach of suburban powerhouse Noble Park next season.

He is expected to call a close to his 161-game AFL career this week, freeing up a position on St Kilda’s list.

It’s unclear why he did not simply retire at some stage after the season rather than be moved off the primary list.

Which means we automatically have a moderate amount in our cap for 2026.
I'd like to hope that it also means we wouldn't have achieved the minimum for 2025 without him.

 

[TheJackal]

Brad Crouch

5

Brad Crouch

Age

30

Ht

186cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

26.1

5star

K

12.1

4star

HB

14.0

5star

M

2.7

3star

T

5.5

5star

CL

5.0

5star

D

20.3

5star

K

11.1

4star

HB

9.1

5star

M

1.5

2star

T

3.9

5star

CL

4.6

5star

D

21.6

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

11.6

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

4.2

5star

CL

2.6

5star

played 65 games in 3 years for us. I reckon he was unlucky not to make the AA squad in 2023.

In 2024 he played only one game, we all know that. But that game was only 63% game time. That was his least time on ground in a game for his entire Saints 'career'.

Expensive game for someone who was absolutely up against it with his dodgy knee in the preseason before getting that one game.