2024 Draft Thread.

[gringo2011]

I don't think that's how any club should look at drafting, you need to maximise your potential of getting A-grade talent and it is clearly shown that that primarily comes from first round selections.

Exits:
Likely - Allison, Crouch (seems likely retiring), Paton, Hayes (unfortunately just been too injury prone and will be 29 next year)
Possibly - Campbell & Jones or Ross (don't think we can lose both when we still need experienced depth)
Hopefully - Bonner
young players - Hotton or McLennan (not knocking either kid, but more based off what we already have in similar positions and how aggressive we want to be)
Free Agency/Trade - Battle, Clark

We then should be looking at Oliver or possibly Bailey Smith to help our midfield cover and Potentially another bargain Key defender.

that would leave us with 5 picks at the draft. 3 first round picks (2 if we keep Battle) and a few more later picks to find a diamond in the rough.

I reckon Bonner goes again despite what every one thinks on here. He's fourth for possessions at the Saints this year and his wages would be minimal. Looks ideal depth.

I think Bailey Smith would cost you one of those FRDPs and plays outside so probably not our ideal player for the money and draft cost.

I can't see Clark moving, his value would be minimal. I think we need to hope that a full preseason and a fit midfield around him makes him a handy depth player.

 

[stavro#4]

Yeah, same. Langford looks as reliable as ****. His only down side is probably a lack of absolute X factor, everything else looks set and forget about him. I reckon he looks like he's adjusted up to every level he's played in and excelled.

To me Langford is the guy you take if you don't want to get too high risk.

I see him exactly the same as you do.

If you had 2 picks. You take him with 1.

Set forget. Safe.

And consider going potentially super high upside with the other.

 

[gringo2011]

It's usually the case around this time of year. Then whispers start coming out, draft 'experts' start talking up someone, bandwagons will form and suddenly we have a more clear cut picture.

Similar thing has already happened with Langford, who was hardly spoken of among the upper echelon prior to Twomeys top 30 - now he's the flavour of the month.

For now, most are just shooting fish in a barrel based on names, random attributes that a few 'experts' have placed on them and highlight reels.

Let's be honest though, apart from perhaps Twomey who no doubt gets mail from recruiters, every other draft 'expert' just has random opinions which if they were worth their grain of salt - they'd be working in clubland already.

Disagree, I reckon some of the draft nuffies probably have the experts covered. Some are way too invested. It's pretty hard to randomly get a role inside a club without a background in the system.

The things that randoms don't get is the testing including the psychometric stuff. You don't get to see how they interact with people, their competitiveness outside footy etc. Most on-line are basing assessments purely on talent and as the Saints know, there are a heap more factors than being good at the game. Sean Charles, Adrian McAdam and plenty of others had pure talent but struggled with the life of a pro sports person.

The players at the very front end of the draft have usually been put up there over a few years and they are the best of the best types. At the end of the day you assess who you think looks like a good fit and has future star potential.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Looking back at some of the early selection draft failures , injury is a far more common failure than spudding it up.

Scully, Trengove, O'Rourke, Morabito, Polec all had injury issues.
If a player seems injury prone we should avoid taking them with an early pick.

Not many through that period failed due to spudliness. Andrew Moore

Andrew Moore

Age

33

Ht

189cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.9

4star

K

7.5

3star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

3.1

5star

CL

2.0

4star

No current season stats available

D

11.6

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

0.6

3star

CL

1.0

3star

, Liam Sumner

Liam Sumner

Age

31

Ht

178cm

Wt

74kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.8

2star

K

5.4

2star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.2

2star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

11.6

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

2.4

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

0.8

4star

, Tooumpas, though some like Melksham and Caddy were nothing fancy.

 

[gringo2011]

From the admittedly small sample I have seen, Draper looks the best of them.

If we snag Draper, I won't be criticising our next pick as it could be out of 3 or 4

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

They all look good and that's the problem. You don't get much shit around the top 10 and just have to try to make the best call. This one has added pressure because there really isn't many absolute stand outs.

I have this feeling like it could be 2017 like.

That had a real mixed bag with absolute stars and GOPs early and then a patch between 21 and 33 where there is barely a bad player amongst them.

2017 AFL draft - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[gringo2011]

Looking back at some of the early selection draft failures , injury is a far more common failure than spudding it up.

Scully, Trengove, O'Rourke, Morabito, Polec all had injury issues.
If a player seems injury prone we should avoid taking them with an early pick.

Not many through that period failed due to spudliness. Andrew Moore, Liam Sumner, Tooumpas, though some like Melksham and Caddy were nothing fancy.

As long as we avoid pick 6.

Six and out: The history of footy's 'cursed' draft pick

Pick No.6 has seen more than its share of draft flops - but things are finally looking up

www.afl.com.au

 

[gubby88]

As long as we avoid pick 6.

Six and out: The history of footy's 'cursed' draft pick

Pick No.6 has seen more than its share of draft flops - but things are finally looking up

www.afl.com.au

unfortunately, with the lions FS, i reckon we will get pick 6 with one of the picks we get lol

 

[akaifu]

unfortunately, with the lions FS, i reckon we will get pick 6 with one of the picks we get lol

If Adelaide finish below us, we'll get 5&6. Ashcroft goes before us then we bid on Lombard with our first pick. Gets us to 7&8

 

[cooperrules]

It that time year again. When's trade week?

 

[Riewoldt]

...Gets us to 7&8

 

[jimmytigs]

View attachment 2057565

brilliant

 

[Joffaboy]

View attachment 2057565

Both are still AFL players in seniors teams 7 years later. Much longer than the average player.
Just because they aren't Bont and Judd, no need to trash them.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[joydivision22]

I actually think if hunter had a dusty fade, he'd be twice the player in 6 months

 

[gringo2011]

Both are still AFL players in seniors teams 7 years later. Much longer than the average player.
Just because they aren't Bont and Judd, no need to trash them.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

No-one is trashing them but I'm sure even you'd be disappointed if we got two players of equal value with with our first 2 picks.

 

[CursingFijian]

Hunter is coming good. Looks like he has a more refined understanding of his role and seems more focused as a result. Even Zak Jones

3

Zak Jones

Age

29

Ht

182cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.8

4star

K

10.0

4star

HB

7.8

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.0

5star

CL

1.7

4star

D

19.1

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

8.6

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.1

4star

CL

4.9

5star

D

7.0

2star

K

2.8

1star

HB

4.2

4star

M

1.0

1star

T

1.6

4star

CL

1.0

3star

has improved his game tremendously in the back half of this year, playing his inside role first and then providing support where he can. And I've been trying to take Zak off the stove for a while now.

 

[St Neil]

If Adelaide finish below us, we'll get 5&6. Ashcroft goes before us then we bid on Lombard with our first pick. Gets us to 7&8

Tell GC to trade us their 2 x 1st RDPs so we don’t bid on Lombard with our second pick.

 

[CursingFijian]

Kinnear Beatson on Gettable saying it's a good deep draft this year, with talent emerging across all positions. When asked to list a possible number one pick he mentioned Draper, Trainor, Smillie & Reid.

 

[Mat Mann]

I know we want mids but I wouldn't be upset if we took Trainor

 

[botts]

I actually think if hunter had a dusty fade, he'd be twice the player in 6 months

Dusty fade? He would have nothing left on top

 

[Miha]

I know we want mids but I wouldn't be upset if we took Trainor

Hard agree.

 

[Remboy]

It that time year again. When's trade week?

I thought this was trade week?

 

[akaifu]

So I assume if we had pick 6 in this draft we probably would've landed one of the two guys after our pick 5. Either combination would be solid for us imo

 

[WhiskySaint]

Imo the players most likely to become a Hunter Clark or Nick Coffield are Murphy Reid, Harvey Langford and even Jagga Smith altho I'm more confident with him

None of them - except maybe Jagga - have standout attributes that suit the modern game. Draper has burst (Dangerfield), Lalor has genuine power (Petracca), Smillie has size (Cripps), FOS has insane running ability (Walsh) so they have something that can elevate them at AFL level. Jagga has the crazy accumulation and positioning (Tom Mitchell) but clearly the game has gone past Titch as its sped up so that's the only worry with him. I think his agility really helps though so probably not a big issue

This is a great summery of where I’m at. Will be interesting where this draft sits in 6 or 7 years time and how the players develop.

 

[Mat Mann]

Hard agree.

I'll confirm that's dependent on having 2 top picks, mid 1st then Trainor

 

[SteeleSaints]

Hunter is coming good. Looks like he has a more refined understanding of his role and seems more focused as a result. Even Zak Jones has improved his game tremendously in the back half of this year, playing his inside role first and then providing support where he can. And I've been trying to take Zak off the stove for a while now.

Hunter is like finding 'fools gold', you think you have something of value until it actually gets evaluated. He simply doesnt have the aerobic capacities to run out games, even least week round 19 into the season he only played 63% game time. He does get some nice touches but his lack of running really hurts his game and his teams. He will soon become depth when and if we ever have quality midfielders.