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

 

[luca77]

Club must be very keen on him given he won't be leaving Ireland until he finishes school in June 2025.

I wonder if we (or the AFL) has anyone over there full time over that period to give him specialist kicking advice/training.

Would be great for him to hit the ground running when he got over here with his ball use.

 

[saintmike65]

I agree on Smillie I didn’t want him doesn’t look like an inside bull from what I’ve seen. Smith on the other hand looks as safe a bet to play 200 as there was in this draft.

Anyway it’s an opinion business so we can sit back and watch it play out over the coming years. I’m very happy with what we did and wouldn’t have changed much.

We picked up 2 of the most exciting prospects in the draft pool!
Hope they’re both at training tomorrow…wouldn’t be surprised if Wilson, Phillipou & Travaglia are top 5 in the time trial

 

[Kildonan]

There seems to be a much greater focus on athletic qualities in our draftees


Hugh Boxshall - The midfielder missed out on a National Draft Combine invite, but dominated WA's state meet to post overall podium finishes in the 2km time trial (6:08), agility test (7.980 seconds), and standing vertical jump (73cm) and fifth in the running vertical jump (86cm).

Toby Travaglia - finished second in the 2km time trial at the national draft combine with a time of 6:13.

Alixzander Tauru - ultra-impressive in all testing at the National Draft Combine, recording the best running vertical jump (94cm) of all participants, while his times of 3.00 seconds on the 20m sprint, 8.20 seconds on the agility test and 6:36 on the 2km time trial provided clear indications of his elite athleticism.

James Barrat - caught the eye with an impressive 3.031 20m sprint.

Patrick Said - Tested very soundly at the state Draft Combine with his speed (3.03 seconds on the 20m sprint), agility (8.26 seconds) and endurance (6:30 on the 2km time trial) all strong indicators of his physical assets.

Alex Dodson - developing ruckman who is extremely athletic and competitive. His mobility is a great weapon in winning the ball around the ground, while his vertical leap and reach are both assets at stoppages.

 

[Mowman]

I also said he would give us a categoric answer on our list that you both felt was good enough to go to that next step.

I still think he would have us serious contenders but he has chosen to move half the list on in his time whilst achieving a finals campaign and an 11 win season.

It’s been a Big turnover.

We start round 1 with 15 listed players who either haven’t debuted or are below 10 AFL games

20 below 50 games

26 below 70 games

I think he is 1 more trade/draft/free agency period from having this list in that sweet spot - both from a talent/need perspective and experience.

Hopefully he can do it getting us playing finals. I think it will be a big coaching effort with a list this young.

Stop making stuff up

you didn't stop on the he would have us as a contender in 25 and abused anyone that said other wise

The reason the club gave for sacking Ratts was he wasn't getting the best out the list and the board felt it was a finals list

I said RTB shouldn't be given a free pass and be unanswerable, its his 3rd year my oath he should have us finals bound

Did he give you a categoric answer on the list ?

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

LDU will be a restricted FA. North will have the cap space to match. Won’t be easy, even if he wants to come.

If they match and we still want him, it will cost us a bomb.

TDK on the other hand would come easier if he decided he wants in. Carlton won’t have the cap to match.

NWM not yet signing is a massive watch also.

Interesting times ahead.

Wouldn't we have the cap space to match given we just buggered off 10 players and have like 17 more OOC next season?

Probably just cleared about 2 mil worth this off season alone. Kennedy, Martin, Owies, Carroll, Cuningham, Marchbank etc.

 

[Diehard Saint]

Makes it all the better that they have no F1 or Tauru instead of Tauru and 2 F1 ( still at least 1 F1 if they traded ours to Richmond for Whitlock).

How do you deal with that type of abject stupidity and incompetence?

I will sit here comfortable that we kept 7 and 8 and used them wisely.

On SM-S908E using BigFooty.com mobile app

100%. They’ll get their first rounder via the compo pick for LDU.
That should be some kind of incentive for them.

 

[goodie23]

Wouldn't we have the cap space to match given we just buggered off 10 players and have like 17 more OOC next season?

Probably just cleared about 2 mil worth this off season alone. Kennedy, Martin, Owies, Carroll, Cuningham, Marchbank etc.

Depends how much your house is in order (weight and spread of existing long-term contracts, how much needs to be paid to retain the players you want to keep, are Carlton chasing any big fish of their own) and the kind of contract that gets offered to De Koning.

Hawthorn could have theoretically matched the Franklin contract but chose not to.

 

[saintmike65]

You cant be very old as it wasnt that long ago and that was us in the same position. It takes a lot of good fortune for the minow clubs to work themselves out of it. I would take LDU in a heart beat but that is the ruthlessness of the competition, players like that rarely leave the bigger clubs.

The AFL is the golden child of capitism - the rich get richer and the poor get poorer and the AFL board wouldnt want it any other way.

It’s a cutthroat, ruthless dog eat dog business!!

 

[starcey]

Stop making stuff up

you didn't stop on the he would have us as a contender in 25 and abused anyone that said other wise

The reason the club gave for sacking Ratts was he wasn't getting the best out the list and the board felt it was a finals list

I said RTB shouldn't be given a free pass and be unanswerable, its his 3rd year my oath he should have us finals bound

Did he give you a categoric answer on the list ?

I don't think Ross should be under any pressure at all. Cut pretty much all the deadwood over the last couple of years. Think we have almost the most exciting list of 25 and unders. A good run with injuries and who knows

 

[Train12]

There seems to be a much greater focus on athletic qualities in our draftees


Hugh Boxshall - The midfielder missed out on a National Draft Combine invite, but dominated WA's state meet to post overall podium finishes in the 2km time trial (6:08), agility test (7.980 seconds), and standing vertical jump (73cm) and fifth in the running vertical jump (86cm).

Toby Travaglia - finished second in the 2km time trial at the national draft combine with a time of 6:13.

Alixzander Tauru - ultra-impressive in all testing at the National Draft Combine, recording the best running vertical jump (94cm) of all participants, while his times of 3.00 seconds on the 20m sprint, 8.20 seconds on the agility test and 6:36 on the 2km time trial provided clear indications of his elite athleticism.

James Barrat - caught the eye with an impressive 3.031 20m sprint.

Patrick Said - Tested very soundly at the state Draft Combine with his speed (3.03 seconds on the 20m sprint), agility (8.26 seconds) and endurance (6:30 on the 2km time trial) all strong indicators of his physical assets.

Alex Dodson - developing ruckman who is extremely athletic and competitive. His mobility is a great weapon in winning the ball around the ground, while his vertical leap and reach are both assets at stoppages.

Boxshall beat Tobie in the 2km time trial? Wowe! Or had a better time as Boxshall wasn’t invited to the national combine ?

 

[Sibaspud]

What language is it? Can’t possibly be English?

It’s Irish, and the word for Irish in the Irish language is Gaeilge.

 

[Mowman]

I don't think Ross should be under any pressure at all. Cut pretty much all the deadwood over the last couple of years. Think we have almost the most exciting list of 25 and unders. A good run with injuries and who knows

Don't get me wrong I'm glad he is coaching us, but he needs to perform like everyone else does. Its his and his teams 3rd year and everyone involved should be expecting finals, if we aren't don't expect to be landing quality free agents

 

[Speck]

I don't think Ross should be under any pressure at all. Cut pretty much all the deadwood over the last couple of years. Think we have almost the most exciting list of 25 and unders. A good run with injuries and who knows

After the start to last year there has to be some kind of pressure. The gap between our best and worst has to shrink now.

The one thing we always have going for us is that we can usually shut the game down if we're not playing well, but we really shouldn't have to do that as often as we do. We must score more next year.

 

[True Believer]

Looking at his u13s photo I’d say that’s highly likely.

Is that right eyebrow drawn on with a permanent marker?

 

[Mowman]

After the start to last year there has to be some kind of pressure. The gap between our best and worst has to shrink now.

The one thing we always have going for us is that we can usually shut the game down if we're not playing well, but we really shouldn't have to do that as often as we do. We must score more next year.

good post

Wasn't so much the losing early this year it was the brand of footy we were losing with

 

[Yawkey way]

We picked up 2 of the most exciting prospects in the draft pool!
Hope they’re both at training tomorrow…wouldn’t be surprised if Wilson, Phillipou & Travaglia are top 5 in the time trial

I wanted us to take pick 7/8 and draft exactly who we did, glad we didn’t reach. It looks like a great draft for us, exciting times I think I’ll even get down to training at some point.

 

[stavro#4]

Stop making stuff up

you didn't stop on the he would have us as a contender in 25 and abused anyone that said other wise

The reason the club gave for sacking Ratts was he wasn't getting the best out the list and the board felt it was a finals list

I said RTB shouldn't be given a free pass and be unanswerable, its his 3rd year my oath he should have us finals bound

Did he give you a categoric answer on the list ?

What have I made up?

did I think we would be better onfield this past season? Yes - however was the end of the season a pass based on the issues with injuries and personnel or did they have a bounce when the pressure was off?

Hard to answer isn’t it.

Now, how is he having a free pass?

Our list has gotten younger and is our youngest list since 2019 the end of Richos tenure.

He has turned over close to half a list in 2 off seasons.

Many claimed he will bring in experienced players and we will make a few finals campaigns playing outdated football without challenging.

Hardly been the case. It’s mostly been kids kids and more kids sprinkled in with some decent to good football when we have had the cattle on the park.

And I argued with people about him being the right call.

Based purely on what he has done with youth and approved list management to do with the list. I’d say it’s been the right call.

 

[True Believer]

It's been interesting to read what posters/fans "demands" are........I didn't know we could demand anything?

As the undisputed most prominent poster on here, I am not demanding finals in RTB's 3rd year (which is next year by the way, not this year).......finals is an outcome, and the only thing we can control is the inputs!

So I will make demands on the inputs - I will demand that anyone who wears our jumper gives 100% effort every single time they step onto the field, whether that be game-day, at training, at a recovery session, at a team meeting, whatever.

For our staff, I demand they leave no stone unturned in the search for the highest possible level of achievement by our players as individuals and their effectiveness as a team. If that means some late nights, so be it. If that means extra hours on research and review, so be it, if that means some early starts to get across more analysis, so be it.....

That is all we can demand......

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Depends how much your house is in order (weight and spread of existing long-term contracts, how much needs to be paid to retain the players you want to keep, are Carlton chasing any big fish of their own) and the kind of contract that gets offered to De Koning.

Hawthorn could have theoretically matched the Franklin contract but chose not to.

Sure but there's nothing in our situation to suggest we couldnt afford to re-sign TDK next year. Williams massive contract will be ending the year after, that alone should be enough to make up the difference with TDKs new contract let alone the rest of the OOC players that will be moved on or be in line for pay cuts.

 

[Hayes4PM]

There seems to be a much greater focus on athletic qualities in our draftees


Hugh Boxshall - The midfielder missed out on a National Draft Combine invite, but dominated WA's state meet to post overall podium finishes in the 2km time trial (6:08), agility test (7.980 seconds), and standing vertical jump (73cm) and fifth in the running vertical jump (86cm).

Toby Travaglia - finished second in the 2km time trial at the national draft combine with a time of 6:13.

Alixzander Tauru - ultra-impressive in all testing at the National Draft Combine, recording the best running vertical jump (94cm) of all participants, while his times of 3.00 seconds on the 20m sprint, 8.20 seconds on the agility test and 6:36 on the 2km time trial provided clear indications of his elite athleticism.

James Barrat - caught the eye with an impressive 3.031 20m sprint.

Patrick Said - Tested very soundly at the state Draft Combine with his speed (3.03 seconds on the 20m sprint), agility (8.26 seconds) and endurance (6:30 on the 2km time trial) all strong indicators of his physical assets.

Alex Dodson - developing ruckman who is extremely athletic and competitive. His mobility is a great weapon in winning the ball around the ground, while his vertical leap and reach are both assets at stoppages.

Similar in last years selections as well.

Darcy Wilson: 5:52 2km time trial at the draft, 1st in the running vertical jump, top 10 in agility, top 10 in standing vertical jump.

Lance Collard: 1st in agility, 4th in the 20m sprint

Angus Hastie: 3rd in agility.

Arie Schoenmaker is the obvious exception, his defining attribute is his kicking and is probably going to be a bit more of a work in progress. But the other 3 all showed high level athletic ability, Wilson in the extreme. Club obviously have seen enough of Collard, with a 3 year extension.

Wilson, Collard and Hastie all clearly have footballing ability and aren't just pick for athleticisms sake ala Jack Peris, Daniel Markworth etc. Blokes we picked with athleticism but not quite polished footballing abilities.

 

[Mowman]

It's been interesting to read what posters/fans "demands" are........I didn't know we could demand anything?

As the undisputed most prominent poster on here, I am not demanding finals in RTB's 3rd year (which is next year by the way, not this year).......finals is an outcome, and the only thing we can control is the inputs!

So I will make demands on the inputs - I will demand that anyone who wears our jumper gives 100% effort every single time they step onto the field, whether that be game-day, at training, at a recovery session, at a team meeting, whatever.

For our staff, I demand they leave no stone unturned in the search for the highest possible level of achievement by our players as individuals and their effectiveness as a team. If that means some late nights, so be it. If that means extra hours on research and review, so be it, if that means some early starts to get across more analysis, so be it.....

That is all we can demand......

Who is demanding anything ? its a footy forum where posters put up different opinions

 

[StCicatriz]

I don't think Ross should be under any pressure at all. Cut pretty much all the deadwood over the last couple of years. Think we have almost the most exciting list of 25 and unders. A good run with injuries and who knows

How will you feel if we are say top 8 for defence but remain where Ross always has been and bottom 8 for attack


That's the big elephant in the room for me. He hasn't been able to improve there over the entire course of his career and I don't see it changing soon.

 

[Yawkey way]

Don't get me wrong I'm glad he is coaching us, but he needs to perform like everyone else does. Its his and his teams 3rd year and everyone involved should be expecting finals, if we aren't don't expect to be landing quality free agents

I like what we’re doing but you’re not selling an LDU promise or he’d stay at north. If we want him or any quality players we need to show we can win and we’re on the rise.

It was always a quiet rebuild imo and we’ve shed some loyal servants and fan favourites. We’ve been pretty ruthless really and now we need to see the results or the pressure will rightly start to build. We need to sign guys like wang and people have to realise that we’re out of guys to sell of.

The young guys we need to keep, the older guys are past their sell buy date to get the sort of return that would justify it. Ok I’m actually happy with that I don’t want to see any more battle deals but it’s time as Bruce buffet would say, let’s get ready to rumble.

 

[Yawkey way]

How will you feel if we are say top 8 for defence but remain where Ross always has been and bottom 8 for attack


That's the big elephant in the room for me. He hasn't been able to improve there over the entire course of his career and I don't see it changing soon.

Couldn’t care less if we win kicking 110, 100 or 90 quite frankly. Also king, caminiti and butler were all missing or playing through injury not to mention henry so it’s pretty hard to put up big scores. We played some great pressure football late and It bodes well imo for when we can unleash the attacking side of our game.

 

[StCicatriz]

Couldn’t care less if we win kicking 110, 100 or 90 quite frankly. Also king, caminiti and butler were all missing or playing through injury not to mention henry so it’s pretty hard to put up big scores. We played some great pressure football late and I’d bodes well imo for when we can unleash the attacking side of our game.

The problem is although you might not care what the margin is its unfortunately the biggest weakness in Ross Lyons coaching career.

He just can't get his sides to score fluently enough which means you inevitably drop games. It ultimately costs his club and means he never reaches premiership land.

If he can't improve that we are just treading water.