Preview 2024 National Draft Preview Thread

[noobermensch]

Just another powerful and damaging performance from Langford as we've become accustomed to this season. His Stingrays team are gathering pace heading into the business end of the season with 4 wins in their last 5 games and look as good a chance as any to challenge for the Talent League title.

 

[Ura]

The move of Travaglia into the middle continues with reasonable success. His intense competitiveness leads to him applying significant defensive pressure around contests and stoppage, and his high work rate allows him to find plenty of the footy on the spread. He's not as clean with his hands and incisive with his movement as other top line mids in the pool at this stage though, which leads to most of his work at stoppage being scrappy.

This with Travaglia actually showed me more why he isn’t the same level as the other top picks.

 

[giantroo]

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

Why couldn’t Finn play for our VFL team? Or any prospect at all?

 

[Chewy Chewman]

Why couldn’t Finn play for our VFL team? Or any prospect at all?

We’ve got the bye this week.

 

[hoffseason gains 01]

We’ve got the bye this week.

Ah yes appreciate it. Hopefully we get to see a pick 3 chance in our 2s at some point.

 

[ferball]

Ah yes appreciate it. Hopefully we get to see a pick 3 chance in our 2s at some point.

Will Phillips doesn't like this.

 

[ohmygewd]

Be interesting how they combine with each other int he VFL!

 

[roos_fanatic08]

it's good that Finn is getting VFL exposure, but not sure he'll have much of an impact compared to Smith, when you considering his prior form. Still better than missing a game I suppose, with the Coates League bye this week.

 

[noobermensch]

it's good that Finn is getting VFL exposure, but not sure he'll have much of an impact compared to Smith, when you considering his prior form. Still better than missing a game I suppose, with the Coates League bye this week.

I'm super happy. My channels facing a content wasteland otherwise.

I guess I can catch up on sleep?

 

[roos_fanatic08]

I'm super happy. My channels facing a content wasteland otherwise.

I guess I can catch up on sleep?

Never! We need more content!

 

[giantroo]

 

[4cunningTonneTruck]

I'm worried FOS will be 1 on Richmonds board by the end of the season. He's the only player I want at the top end without splitting the pick.
I'd be spewing if we took Smith at 2.

 

[My Left Foote]

I'm worried FOS will be 1 on Richmonds board by the end of the season. He's the only player I want at the top end without splitting the pick.
I'd be spewing if we took Smith at 2.

Hard to see it happening unless he has an amazing run to the end of the year. Someone posted previously, can't remember who, that Richmond can't afford to take a punt on someone like FOS who's exposed form this year is limited whereas we certainly can. It's also quite possible we don't take Jagga we could pick a player with a point of difference like Smillie for size or Draper for speed.

 

[Junk yard]

I'm worried FOS will be 1 on Richmonds board by the end of the season. He's the only player I want at the top end without splitting the pick.
I'd be spewing if we took Smith at 2.

I would've agreed with that but after his VFL performances it'd be hard to be disappointed. Pretty rare an 18yr old racking up 32 and 27 in their first game against seasoned bodies. Got alot of Z. Butters about him.

 

[Junk yard]

Hard to see it happening unless he has an amazing run to the end of the year. Someone posted previously, can't remember who, that Richmond can't afford to take a punt on someone like FOS who's exposed form this year is limited whereas we certainly can. It's also quite possible we don't take Jagga we could pick a player with a point of difference like Smillie for size or Draper for speed.

A double edged sword, if he plays well we might not get the chance to get him. If he plays poorly like the champs he might slip. He was so underdone I don't see him having an impact on the weekend.

 

[noobermensch]

Full Champs highlights of the standout key defender in the draft pool Luke Trainor.

 

[the big lebowski]

Full Champs highlights of the standout key defender in the draft pool Luke Trainor.

Very few marks that weren’t double grabbed or taken with the assistance of his chest. That concerns me for an interceptor.

 

[R00StaR]

I'm worried FOS will be 1 on Richmonds board by the end of the season. He's the only player I want at the top end without splitting the pick.
I'd be spewing if we took Smith at 2.

Id be happy with either one of FOS, Smith or Smillie.

Smillie i find such a wild card, he'll no doubt end up 195/6cm with a booming kick with strings to add to his bow. Improve that overhead marking which theres no reason he shouldn't he'd make a pretty forward imo. Not too far off a Taylor Walker type build and kick. Given his mobility i think it would work well with Larkey + second ruck type like Elmo/CCJ. Then of course he's versatile enough for midfield and defence.

FOS takes a wing for his career, probably with McKercher on the other

Smith looks a gun and to me a Z.Butters clone. Far more the pure mid, but it could work with LDU, Sheez, Smith, Wardlaw and Powell taking the bulk of the mid work. Play Simpkin more as a defensive forward on oppo rebounders.

 

[R00StaR]

Very few marks that weren’t double grabbed or taken with the assistance of his chest. That concerns me for an interceptor.

He's just not in the convo at the pointy end for mine. Somewhere around pick 8-12 seems about right.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

He's just not in the convo at the pointy end for mine. Somewhere around pick 8-12 seems about right.

Yeah I agree and I can imagine supporters of a club with a pick in that range feeling that they'd got themselves a bargain and good luck to them. But inside the top 5 seems like a reach.

 

[Ligma]

Very few marks that weren’t double grabbed or taken with the assistance of his chest. That concerns me for an interceptor.

You can always work on improving your marking. Reading the play & flight of the ball not so much.

 

[chubbspeterson]

He's just not in the convo at the pointy end for mine. Somewhere around pick 8-12 seems about right.

I can't see teams taking Trainor in the top 5 ahead of mids like Smith/Draper/FOS/Smillie/Lalor/Reid.
Saints at 5 possibly if they lost Josh Battle. Dees at 7 or Hawks at 9

I'd consider giving up our F1 for GC 6 and 12 or Freo's 8 and 13. Would be a chance to get Luke and Armstrong/Berry.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Very few marks that weren’t double grabbed or taken with the assistance of his chest. That concerns me for an interceptor.

Far cry from the marking he displayed in the academy game and his early season sandringham form. Everything he did in those games was one touch.

I doubt he ends up in North colours unless we split our pick or trade in F1.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Smith looks a gun and to me a Z.Butters clone. Far more the pure mid, but it could work with LDU, Sheez, Smith, Wardlaw and Powell taking the bulk of the mid work. Play Simpkin more as a defensive forward on oppo rebounders.

Not a personal dig, as I've seen plenty of others saying the same thing, but I really don't like that comparison.

Butters is manic with his attack on the ball and with his defensive pressure...he also has pretty good breakaway/top end speed. Smith isn't a manic contested player and is one of the poorer defensive players in this draft. He racks up his possessions because of high footy IQ and his ability to move from contest to contest. Not sure if his athletic testing supports it, but Smith seems to me pretty one paced.

If you had a Butters type available in this draft they'd absolutely be in the conversation at Pick 2. As it stands I don't think we'd look at Smith as he doesn't offer a point of difference in the same way Butters would. FOS and Smillie definitely do offer a point of difference though.