Probably a good time to remember in the 2017 draft we took at LDU at 4, the Pies took Stephenson at 6. Stehpo won the Rising Star in 2018 and is now in our VFL team, LDU was a slower burn but now, with the benefit of hindsight, is arguably the best player of that draft.
Not beginning to say it will be the same with Watson/Duursma, but far too early to be remotely worrying about our pick.
I'd go further and suggest it is pointless to be constantly comparing our early picks with who we could have had with the benefit of hindsight. LDU was a big win for us sliding to 4, with hindsight, the Blues would have loved him over Paddy Dow
, with their pick 3. Conversely, Lachie Hansen in 2006 ended up being a solid role player, but with hindsight at pick 3, I'm sure we would have rather taken Joel Selwood.
It is far more important, particularly with regular early picks while we are down the bottom of the ladder, that we are consistently bringing high end talent into the club. Going back to LDU as he was our first top 5 pick since Cunners in 2009, our top 5 picks have been;
2017 pick 4 LDU
2020 pick 3 Phillips
2021 pick 1 Ice Ice Baby
2022 pick 3 Sheezel
2022 pick 4 Wardlaw
2023 pick 2 McKercher
2023 pick 4 Duursma
JHF effectively became Wardlaw, so we've really had 6 top 5 picks in 7 years. Not comparing any of them to who we could have taken instead, just looking at what we have on the list, I'd say 4 (LDU, Sheezel Wardlaw, McKercher) are already clear wins and while it is too soon for Duursma, he wasn't a poor choice on junior form. I don't think Phillips is a complete bust, but certainly not a success as yet.
Nearly every draft has at least one top 5 pick that doesn't reach expectations, we have had 6 top 5 picks in seven years, if 5 of them end up justifying their early selection, we will be on the right track.
Not beginning to say it will be the same with Watson/Duursma, but far too early to be remotely worrying about our pick.
I'd go further and suggest it is pointless to be constantly comparing our early picks with who we could have had with the benefit of hindsight. LDU was a big win for us sliding to 4, with hindsight, the Blues would have loved him over Paddy Dow
PLAYERCARDSTART
15
Paddy Dow
- Age
- 24
- Ht
- 184cm
- Wt
- 83kg
- Pos.
- Mid
Career
Season
Last 5
- D
- 14.1
- 4star
- K
- 7.0
- 3star
- HB
- 7.1
- 4star
- M
- 2.1
- 2star
- T
- 2.9
- 4star
- CL
- 2.6
- 4star
- D
- 7.0
- 1star
- K
- 4.0
- 1star
- HB
- 3.0
- 2star
- M
- 3.0
- 3star
- T
- 2.0
- 3star
- CL
- 0.0
- 1star
- D
- 12.4
- 4star
- K
- 5.8
- 3star
- HB
- 6.6
- 4star
- M
- 1.6
- 2star
- T
- 2.8
- 5star
- CL
- 2.6
- 5star
PLAYERCARDEND
It is far more important, particularly with regular early picks while we are down the bottom of the ladder, that we are consistently bringing high end talent into the club. Going back to LDU as he was our first top 5 pick since Cunners in 2009, our top 5 picks have been;
2017 pick 4 LDU
2020 pick 3 Phillips
2021 pick 1 Ice Ice Baby
2022 pick 3 Sheezel
2022 pick 4 Wardlaw
2023 pick 2 McKercher
2023 pick 4 Duursma
JHF effectively became Wardlaw, so we've really had 6 top 5 picks in 7 years. Not comparing any of them to who we could have taken instead, just looking at what we have on the list, I'd say 4 (LDU, Sheezel Wardlaw, McKercher) are already clear wins and while it is too soon for Duursma, he wasn't a poor choice on junior form. I don't think Phillips is a complete bust, but certainly not a success as yet.
Nearly every draft has at least one top 5 pick that doesn't reach expectations, we have had 6 top 5 picks in seven years, if 5 of them end up justifying their early selection, we will be on the right track.