List Mgmt. 2024 Father Son watch MKIII. Operation Ashcroft jnr. Featuring various academy boys.

[Jivlain]

 

[mpal6]

The problem with not matching a bid on Sam Marshall for arguments sake say around the teens or anywhere for that matter is we will likely not have a pick to take a player shortly after that bid who is of commensurate ability/potential.

All our picks after matching the Levi Ashcroft bid will be junk late picks and only good for matching purposes.

We'll match Marshall and with future first trading potentially opening up 2 years in advance, I'm sure we'll have a way to get Annable as well.

 

[missfinland]

I think it is very safe to say that we will be matching Marshall. We get a second free hit at talent that we otherwise wouldn't get because of our position on the ladder and our matching with Ashcroft. The club will be targeting a certain number of points to put together based off of player trade outs and pick downgrades, but even if we don't manage to hit that exact number I'd expect us to take the hit on next year's first round pick with the assumption that it will both be a late pick and eaten by matches yet again.

100%

 

[Clarkythelion]

It's a great position we are in, if you build a team from the middle out then we are pretty much set for years now with young talent to replace Zorko, Neale, Dunkley even Berry, Mccluggage and so on - providing the kids follow Ashcroft's pathway. Somewhere we will have to find 'tall timber' Smith is great if we hang onto him replacing Big O, Morris looks fine, then the cupboard is a bit slim for replacements for Andrews, Joe, Hippy, Payne types.

We just need to keep rolling the dice with some 'project' players as I'm not sure I see anywhere soon we will have a big trade or a low draft pick. It good we have time to take on some lower draft picks, mid season drafts ect and give them a couple of years to develop.

 

[The Flying Belgian]

Just a hunch, but I can see Marshall bid on closer to pick 30 than 20 this year.

 

[mpal6]

It's a great position we are in, if you build a team from the middle out then we are pretty much set for years now with young talent to replace Zorko, Neale, Dunkley even Berry, Mccluggage and so on - providing the kids follow Ashcroft's pathway. Somewhere we will have to find 'tall timber' Smith is great if we hang onto him replacing Big O, Morris looks fine, then the cupboard is a bit slim for replacements for Andrews, Joe, Hippy, Payne types.

We just need to keep rolling the dice with some 'project' players as I'm not sure I see anywhere soon we will have a big trade or a low draft pick. It good we have time to take on some lower draft picks, mid season drafts ect and give them a couple of years to develop.

Ty Gallop would be a nice investment at a low pick.

 

[Pns_blister]

Who is that other kid coming through? A couple of years off, which a draft watcher was saying might be the best of the lot (academy). Was another midfielder.

 

[M Malice]

Who is that other kid coming through? A couple of years off, which a draft watcher was saying might be the best of the lot (academy). Was another midfielder.

Daniel Annable next year?

 

[Pns_blister]

Daniel Annable next year?

Nah, wasn’t Annable

 

[M Malice]

Nah, wasn’t Annable

briztoon our resident Lions board draft nuffie would be the one to ask.

 

[mpal6]

Who is that other kid coming through? A couple of years off, which a draft watcher was saying might be the best of the lot (academy). Was another midfielder.

We have a few on starting this year
2024 - Levi, Marshall, Gallop, Gilder, Gillett
2025 - Annable, Harrison Bridge, Geesu, Ben Lilico
2026 - Addison Stolz

 

[Nunez]

We have a few on starting this year
2024 - Levi, Marshall, Gallop, Gilder, Gillett
2025 - Annable, Harrison Bridge, Geesu, Ben Lilico
2026 - Addison Stolz

Lillico could be a bolter imo. Very promising mid.

 

[M Malice]

At this rate we are going to have an over abundance of midfielders, good problem to have though.

 

[mpal6]

At this rate we are going to have an over abundance of midfielders, good problem to have though.

Bit like GWS few years back, they were collecting midfielders from everywhere.

 

[Pns_blister]

We have a few on starting this year
2024 - Levi, Marshall, Gallop, Gilder, Gillett
2025 - Annable, Harrison Bridge, Geesu, Ben Lilico
2026 - Addison Stolz

Searching back, it was Caelan Murray who Miller1971 was talking about, but it was the player he was comparing him to who he was saying was super impressive (Dylan Patterson - GC Academy). My mistake

 

[McIvor]

Sandringham Dragons are perfectly positioned to pull in all the kids that get footy scholarships to attend Brighton Grammer and Haileybury. They're increasingly becoming the dominant force in that comp and I can't see it changing.

Speaking of those two schools, I actually posted on here the night of what I found out was the GF between the two schools when I was in Melbourne that weekend and drove down New Street and passed the school and only took interest because there looked a crowd of at least 5,000 for a suburban game and there were people everywhere. Found a YT clip of that game which I posted but you make a good point about the scholarships these clubs provided. I hear Melbourne Grammar is another with borders and I think some of the kids that go there find themselves at the Dragons.

 

[McIvor]

We have a few on starting this year
2024 - Levi, Marshall, Gallop, Gilder, Gillett
2025 - Annable, Harrison Bridge, Geesu, Ben Lilico
2026 - Addison Stolz

It’s funny, I recall Greg Swann saying years ago at a fans or player sponsor event at the Gabba that the club wanted to have half its list being local kids and I admit there were a few people you could tell thought that was pie in the sky stuff, but it’s looking pretty real now particularly as Ashcroft boys are Queenslanders and even this year we have Academy players Harris, Eric, Payne, Jaspa, Kiddy, Brain, Bruce who all played to go with Will, Zorko, Charlie, and then Michael who didn’t get a game.

Add in Levi, Marshall and Gallop and Annabelle next year and Swann was more than right.

 

[lionshine]

Searching back, it was Caelan Murray who Miller1971 was talking about, but it was the player he was comparing him to who he was saying was super impressive (Dylan Patterson - GC Academy). My mistake

Only seen one U16 game of Caylen Murray but he’s a freak. Long way between now and 2026 draft obviously but if he develops well over the next 2 years he could be another highly rated prospect.

 

[lionshine]

We have a few on starting this year
2024 - Levi, Marshall, Gallop, Gilder, Gillett
2025 - Annable, Harrison Bridge, Geesu, Ben Lilico
2026 - Addison Stolz

Caylen Murray the pick for 2026 at this early stage. Is Matthew Owen 2026? Murray & Owen were the only Lions academy players who made the U16 AA team this year. Owen is another classy, accumulating mid FYI.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Caylen Murray the pick for 2026 at this early stage. Is Matthew Owen 2026? Murray & Owen were the only Lions academy players who made the U16 AA team this year. Owen is another classy, accumulating mid FYI.

Owen is, indeed, for 2026.

Can't be too sure about Addison Stolz and 2026 but he's either for 2026 or 2027.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

We still need speed and run and carry so if we have any ability to address that in the draft it would be good.

I'm unsure if we'll clear enough space to take a mature-aged draftee, but if we do, Riley Bice from Werribee has good speed from the half-back flank and is ready to play now.

It's a great position we are in, if you build a team from the middle out then we are pretty much set for years now with young talent to replace Zorko, Neale, Dunkley even Berry, Mccluggage and so on - providing the kids follow Ashcroft's pathway. Somewhere we will have to find 'tall timber' Smith is great if we hang onto him replacing Big O, Morris looks fine, then the cupboard is a bit slim for replacements for Andrews, Joe, Hippy, Payne types.

We just need to keep rolling the dice with some 'project' players as I'm not sure I see anywhere soon we will have a big trade or a low draft pick. It good we have time to take on some lower draft picks, mid season drafts ect and give them a couple of years to develop.

This draft seems very deep for talls and there should be a decent one floating around at the end of the draft if we're keen (besides Gallop, I mean).

The issue is firstly whether we'll have the roster spots available, and secondly whether they'll get enough VFL time. At full strength we have seven tall defenders (Andrews, Payne, Lester, Doedee, Gardiner, Joyce, ZZ) and six tall forwards (Daniher, Hipwood, Morris, Smith, Ryan, Lloyd). Adding Gallop makes it 7-7, which covers three in the seniors and four in the reserves at each end. Unsure if there'd be space for any more.

 

[Grasshopper17]

So does the Sydney media put more pressure on him as the Victoria media does on our great coach Fages

No. Because half the "Sydney media" are ex team mates of the coach. Important distinction.

 

[briztoon]

briztoon our resident Lions board draft nuffie would be the one to ask.

Sorry, not around as often atm. Looks like the discussion sorted out who.


I do have a comment on Annable though. I do have genuine questions over his kicking, both penetration and accuracy. I have seen him kick a lot of scrubbers, even when under little pressure. For me, will he end up up another Ben Keays or Dev Robertson level mid, where his poor kicking limits his midfield potential and time? or does he improve his kicking and look to be a much better running version of Jarryd Lyons?

 

[briztoon]

The big inhibitor going forward will be the draft points system and bid matching rules. Especially if we have academy kids rated much higher than our draft position.

Going to need our academy kids to start tanking their interviews and making noises about wanting to stay in QLD.

 

[briztoon]

We have a few on starting this year
2024 - Levi, Marshall, Gallop, Gilder, Gillett
2025 - Annable, Harrison Bridge, Geesu, Ben Lilico
2026 - Addison Stolz

2026: Matthew Owen, Caelan Murray, Thomas Levi, Harry Thomson and Archie Watts I have have as kids to watch.

2027: Max Boothey, Lachlan Ellan and Jackson Bridge.

 

[Clarkythelion]

I'm unsure if we'll clear enough space to take a mature-aged draftee, but if we do, Riley Bice from Werribee has good speed from the half-back flank and is ready to play now.


This draft seems very deep for talls and there should be a decent one floating around at the end of the draft if we're keen (besides Gallop, I mean).

The issue is firstly whether we'll have the roster spots available, and secondly whether they'll get enough VFL time. At full strength we have seven tall defenders (Andrews, Payne, Lester, Doedee, Gardiner, Joyce, ZZ) and six tall forwards (Daniher, Hipwood, Morris, Smith, Ryan, Lloyd). Adding Gallop makes it 7-7, which covers three in the seniors and four in the reserves at each end. Unsure if there'd be space for any more.

I'd probably argue Lester will be retired, Doedee is unknown with injuries, Gardiner is a 3rd tall at best, Joyce is good back up and ZZ hasn't shown anything yet - I dont see a Harries replacement in there, no stars. Ryan is not what we are looking for, not even depth really and Lloyd is a long way off. It might be we have midfielders to trade in a few years but I think they will still be looking for a Joe or Harris.