Analysis 2024 National Draft

Who do you want at our first pick?

  • Bo Allan

    Votes: 5 1.2%
  • Joe Berry

    Votes: 29 7.2%
  • Tobie Travaglia

    Votes: 15 3.7%
  • Harry Armstrong

    Votes: 7 1.7%
  • Jobe Shanahan

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Xavier Lindsay

    Votes: 5 1.2%
  • Taj Hotton

    Votes: 11 2.7%
  • Other

    Votes: 13 3.2%
  • Sid Draper

    Votes: 132 32.8%
  • Finn O'Sullivan

    Votes: 56 13.9%
  • Sam Lalor

    Votes: 30 7.5%
  • Josh Smillie

    Votes: 3 0.7%
  • Jagga Smith

    Votes: 96 23.9%

  • Total voters
    402
  • This poll will close: .

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Ashcroft would run rings around Langford even post ACL. Ashcroft has great lateral movement and good straight line speed

The reason they’re awesome though is bc of their contested ball work/hands in congestion. A positive for us is that of the top 8 teams, I’d say our list/midfield most closely resembles theirs.

They do not have the speed and dynamic midfielders of the other teams, but they do have incredibly smart players and mostly good users. We need the brains/kicking skills and a line-breaker (which comes in more ways than just speed), which is why Draper has slipped behind Langford (and Smith, FOS, Lalor) for mine.
 
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For the draft experts, how did we suddenly end up with pick 89? And why do we have picks in the 100's that we obvioulsy wont take - is that to allow for a full senior list but noone on the rookie list?
You get a number of picks based on the number of available spots on your list. The primary list can be up to 38 players, but picks are also limited by the total number of primary + rookie - 42 maximum (not including Cat-B).

So, right now, we have 31 players on our primary list (including Haynes), and we have 4 rookies. 38-31=7. And 42-(31+4)=7. We have seven available slots. We only had six selections in rounds 1-4 after the trade period, so to get to seven, we add a round 5 selection - pick 89.

If somehow we lost more players (unlikely, they're all contracted), then more spots would open, in rounds 6, 7... which would end up getting to those picks in the 100s.

Theoretically, if we delisted every player on the list, and only had one pick per round, the draft would be extended to 38 rounds! If we were premiers that year, our first pick would be 18 and our last pick would be pick 684 :)

Also worth noting that prior to delisting S Durds and the 2 Carrolls the other day, we only had 4 free slots. If we'd gone to the draft in that state, we would only have had the first four of our picks available (picks 69 and 72 would have been lost).
 
What weaknesses do you see in Draper's game? I've seen you refer to them but haven't seen you name anything specific.

I think Draper's decision making and delivery can be poor at times, and I think his handballs in general play are consistently loopy and hang in the air a very long time. And I think the problem there is that his strengths - clean hands, burst, top speed, instincts to take the game on - can all be "undone" if his next disposal is either poor or poorly directed.

Not necessarily anything that can't be fixed - but as we see with most players, just cause something is academically fixable, there's no guarantee it'll actually get better. By all accounts he's a hard worker, so maybe given time he'll be fine, but as I said, of the top group I think the issues in his game are the ones that have the greatest potential to limit his effectiveness.
 
I get the feeling North will draft Tauru. Just a hunch. There's enough smoke that they're interested and given all the mids they have taken recently it makes sense. The only question mark is 2 is a little high but if it comes to it they might just bite the bullet and pick him.

I just don't see how Richmond in their right mind would offer 6 and 11 to move up to 2 and that's what I think it would take for North to slide back.
 
I get the feeling North will draft Tauru. Just a hunch. There's enough smoke that they're interested and given all the mids they have taken recently it makes sense. The only question mark is 2 is a little high but if it comes to it they might just bite the bullet and pick him.

I just don't see how Richmond in their right mind would offer 6 and 11 to move up to 2 and that's what I think it would take for North to slide back.
What if North chucked in a future 1st and got back the Tigers future 2nd as part of the deal?
 
What if North chucked in a future 1st and got back the Tigers future 2nd as part of the deal?
Think it would have to be something like this. Or 6 and 18 or 20. I just don't see the Tigers that desperate for pick 2, that they would give away another top pick. Every Tiger supporter I speak to says 'keep the 8 picks'.

And the big issue for North is, what if the Dees grab Tauru at 5?
 

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I'm not sure how this narrative of Draper is/might be Dow has taken hold and he might be a bust.

He has the deepest resume of anyone in the draft.

U16 SA title winning Captain.

U18 underage year State MVP, All Australian, Captain and BOG in Premiership in Colts, and 3 SANFL games.

U18 senior year All Australian after injury through early season, SA Captain, then starred in SANFL Seniors after the U18 Championships.

He is not just "fast" while the others are "real players". Sid the Mid has been a star footballer his whole journey. I'd be rapt with him at our pick.
 
It's really banking on them having a much improved 2025, isn't it. And it's possible they will, but a big risk.
Maybe a bit of it might be psychological as well. Their midfield looks set. Rucks O.K. Go all in for Tauru/Armstrong with 6 & 8 at this draft and give away your future 1st and say "we're ready to go now,".

As you said it's a risky strategy. Can't act like a basket case forever playing for and protecting draft picks though.
 
I'm not sure how this narrative of Draper is/might be Dow has taken hold and he might be a bust.

He has the deepest resume of anyone in the draft.

U16 SA title winning Captain.

U18 underage year State MVP, All Australian, Captain and BOG in Premiership in Colts, and 3 SANFL games.

U18 senior year All Australian after injury through early season, SA Captain, then starred in SANFL Seniors after the U18 Championships.

He is not just "fast" while the others are "real players". Sid the Mid has been a star footballer his whole journey. I'd be rapt with him at our pick.

Yeah, they aren't really that similar aside from being inside mids with a bit of pace.

Draper is a better kick despite it not being his absolute strength. He can win the ball on the outside which Dow never could. He is much better defensively. Has has better frame for putting on the muscle required to play inside mid at AFL level. Draper even has Dow covered for speed after the first few steps.
 
I think Draper is the biggest risk of being a complete bust. His ceiling is high, but the Dow comparisons are valid. He does have a stronger defensive game than Dow though, so there's probably a bit more confidence that he could at least fill a role even if you can't build a midfield around him.

FOS the next riskiest for me - could be Heeney, could be Hayward. Doubt he busts completely, but you wouldn't want to look back on this draft in 5-6 years if it turned out you used a top 3 pick on a mid-grade half forward flanker.

Langford and Reid have higher floors than those two, but I think their ceiling is maybe a touch more beige. They could be the types you can build a midfield around because they're pretty consistent with their production and they're effective at bringing teammates into the game. What they're not is "dynamic" though, which is all the rage at the moment and probably what we need. Most bottom-5 type sides would be more than happy to add either player to their midfield for the long term, and while I'm sure we would too I think we're going to have a little bit of a bet each way and also look for short term impact while we're coming into our flag window.

Smith to me is the most bust-proof, and also has a very high ceiling. The only question mark is size, which can be a barrier, but when you look at guys like Neale, Merrett, Daicos, Butters, Serong etc. it's definitely not insurmountable. And perhaps an extension of that will be his defensive impact - at least until he puts on some more muscle. I think with Smith you'll get the highest floor because of his professionalism, workrate, game sense, agility and skills, and I also think he's the most suited to the way the game is travelling at the moment with his willingness to stay involved in a running chain of play. He's a busy player, and that means he'll regularly be making things happen.
This is probably the key reason that Jagga sits at number one for me.
 
It's not in isolation too, we've essentially gone from 12 & 14 to 3 & 38.

If we find a player at 38 we're laughing
We can definitely find a good, suitable player at #38. There are multiple talls who will last that long in the draft, as well as a couple of likely role players at either end.

As our phantom draft unfolds, my biggest fear reverts to the bid for Ben Camporeale. There are not many viable centre square mids our side of the first round, and a few clubs with a possible priority to add some midfield grunt do not enter the draft until later. Not saying we would give Ben up, and the bids would likely be unsuccessful, but we certainly will be relying on “good will” to give us a pick prior to a bid.

I am certain Ben is better than #38 in this draft, so it will be fascinating to watch play out. I have every faith in Austin to get our best practical outcome, and plenty of contingencies will be in place during the draft proper.

I just see a young, developing KPD as almost essential for our future defence, and with a number of decent prospects, led by Clancy Dennis for mine, it would be a travesty to miss out. Harry O’Farrell is a decent prospect too and has a link as most of us are aware, but he is a beanpole and will be exceptionally slow burn to be AFL ready
 
Maybe a bit of it might be psychological as well. Their midfield looks set. Rucks O.K. Go all in for Tauru/Armstrong with 6 & 8 at this draft and give away your future 1st and say "we're ready to go now,".

As you said it's a risky strategy. Can't act like a basket case forever playing for and protecting draft picks though.

Yeah, but even best-case scenario and they improve. They probably end up with a pick between 5-10. So, they trade next year's pick for a worse pick this year and downgrade 6 to 2 for the pleasure.
 
Yeah, but even best-case scenario and they improve. They probably end up with a pick between 5-10. So, they trade next year's pick for a worse pick this year and downgrade 6 to 2 for the pleasure.
Agree but it's as much about getting a gun 2nd pick this year that fits their needs. They don't really need another mid (as a priority) so either take Tauru at 2 or trade down and hope that he's there at 6. If he is then they are effectively trading their future 1st in a weaker draft for 8 in a stronger draft + Tigers 2025 2nd which will be the first pick if the 2nd round.

If you could guarantee that Tauru would still be there at 6 (Demons?) And they thought that he was their man then you'd seriously consider it .
 

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Analysis 2024 National Draft

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