Bradley on Crows radar

[Vader]

Firstly, I am NOT a fan of Kepler Bradley. There is no way on earth that I want to see him on our list. Yes, he WAS a highly rated youngster. However, he's had 49 AFL games to show his wares - and from all I saw, the cupboard was bare. He may have been played out of position, but I saw little to suggest that he'd make it as an AFL player playing ANY position on the ground.

As for what draft pick we could/would use on him...

Firstly, we DON'T have pick #43 - we traded it to the doggies. We have 10, 27, 30, 38 and 59 (75 being reserved for the Texas Ranger).

Essentially it comes down to a choice between picks 38 and 59 - you'd have to have rocks in your head to use one of our first three selections. Even in a weak draft, his value is no higher than 40 - probably somewhere between 40-55. I would hate to think that we'd waste pick #38 on him, as it would be paying above value for a player who has shown little.

That leaves pick #59 - by which time it is highly likely that Fremantle will have grabbed him. If so, good luck to them. More list stupidity from the team which stubbornly refuses to delist Shaun "Mr Mediocrity" McManus.

If by some miracle he IS still around at pick #59 then I'd have a good hard think about it.

FWIW, I'd prefer that the AFC picked up Todd Grima or re-drafted Alan Obst with this selection, leaving the spud to rot in the WAFL.

 

[fightingdreamer88]

Yup, do not rate Bradley at all. Poor decision making, raw talent not as great as initially thought, and most importantly from my point of view, he's never impressed me when playing for Essendon.

 

[jackster83]

KPP's: Rutten, Bock, Hentschel, McGregor, Sellar
Mobile Talls: Gill, Stevens, Tippett, Moran
3rd/4th Talls: Bassett, Welsh

Sorry, no room at all for Kepler here unless he can ruck...

Port would be a better fit for him as he and Pettigrew can compete to see who can be the most goofy.

 

[Rugged_Battler]

When I see Kepler Bradley, I see a hybrid of Scott Stevens and Ian Perrie. That's the last type of player we need!!!!

 

[CrowHop]

Firstly, I am NOT a fan of Kepler Bradley. There is no way on earth that I want to see him on our list. Yes, he WAS a highly rated youngster. However, he's had 49 AFL games to show his wares - and from all I saw, the cupboard was bare. He may have been played out of position, but I saw little to suggest that he'd make it as an AFL player playing ANY position on the ground.

As for what draft pick we could/would use on him...

Firstly, we DON'T have pick #43 - we traded it to the doggies. We have 10, 27, 30, 38 and 59 (75 being reserved for the Texas Ranger).

Essentially it comes down to a choice between picks 38 and 59 - you'd have to have rocks in your head to use one of our first three selections. Even in a weak draft, his value is no higher than 40 - probably somewhere between 40-55. I would hate to think that we'd waste pick #38 on him, as it would be paying above value for a player who has shown little.

That leaves pick #59 - by which time it is highly likely that Fremantle will have grabbed him. If so, good luck to them. More list stupidity from the team which stubbornly refuses to delist Shaun "Mr Mediocrity" McManus.

If by some miracle he IS still around at pick #59 then I'd have a good hard think about it.

FWIW, I'd prefer that the AFC picked up Todd Grima or re-drafted Alan Obst with this selection, leaving the spud to rot in the WAFL.

Fighting words from Vader !

It's pretty simple in my mind. Best available talent at every pick. If that is deemed to be Bradley (be it at 38 or 59) then so be it.

 

[Mismatched]

Is he as skilled as Robran?

Probably not, havn't seen a lot of him, but got to be as good a prospect as many other players bandied around on this forum

 

[Crow-mo]

When I see Kepler Bradley, I see a hybrid of Scott Stevens and Ian Perrie. That's the last type of player we need!!!!

agree, and disagree. I think the comparison is about right.

he could become an excellent version of the scott stevens role.

 

[smoovy]

Is he as skilled as Robran?

We haven't had a big man that has got anywhere near Robran in terms of skill (I am not counting Wayne Carey). That is really a sad reflection on our recruiting.

We have had better marks, which was the one area that let Robran down. But at the moment given our bare cupboard in this department I would give anything for a big man with his skills both by hand and the ability to thump one home goal post high from outside 50.

With Roo gone, do we have anyone who can kick one from range anymore? These players are becoming important because they can bypass the zones inside 50.

 

[smoovy]

agree, and disagree. I think the comparison is about right.

he could become an excellent version of the scott stevens role.

Not as clever as Scott Stevens. Panicks with the ball similar to Perrie, although skills are better (thats not saying much).

 

[The Crows Truth]

Re: Kepler Bradley

You are right. Where he was drafted is absolutly irrelevant today. But please, lets not even mention Knights in all this. He is a dud of the highest order. Just take a look at how entire Port Magpies club went under his regime. It was a mess with a very bleak future so forgive me if I don't rate his opinion highly

As for Sheedy, as much as I rate him, lets be honest, his development of players in recent times has left a lot to be desired. For the last 6 years we have heard how Essendon need to rebuild their midfield yet to this day they have done sweet **** all despite having some solid talent to wirk with there. Sheedy's player development in the last half a dozen years has left a lot to be desired. The times might have just caught up with Sheeds in the end.

Now what you are conviniently leaving out is that the history is littered with players who were not wanted by their clubs and then went on to have significant AFL career. How about Tom Harley from PAP reject to a premiership captain. Peter Bell from a Freo reject to a 2 time premiership player and Freo captain and more games under his belt than anyone thought he could possibly get.

For one reason or another, some players just don't fit into a particular structure or a particular club culture. This happens every year. Some players are better fit somewhere else and prosper from their move.

I am not saying that we must go out and pick Kepler and that he will be a gun for us. Far from it. What I am saying is that I wouldn't be dismissing him just because he was a failure at Essendon. If I was part of the recruiting team I would look at his strengths and weaknesses and see how I could utilize those. Then I would look at the reason's why failed at Essendon and then go on from there and make a decision one way or the other.

He could well go on and be a dud at his new club or he could prove to be a handy pick up. Taking into account how Robert Shaw was able to build our list with talent in his short time here, I do find it intriguing that he was keen to trade for Kepler. Shaw might have been a shithouse coach but his judgment of footballer's ability and talent is as good as you could get. I can see potential for Kepler to be a great pick up for his new club. Whether or not that potential is realised is yet to be seen but he is no where near as bad as people make him out to be.

Stiffs, as usual, you make some good points especially re Harvey and Shaw being keen on him. However they were only offering a 4th rounder which aint an overly high price.

If the crows were interested I would have thought we may have had a shot at him during trade week. Long odds Bradley being on our list in 2008 but I have been wrong once before....

 

[Stiffy_18]

Re: Kepler Bradley

Stiffs, as usual, you make some good points especially re Harvey and Shaw being keen on him. However they were only offering a 4th rounder which aint an overly high price.

If the crows were interested I would have thought we may have had a shot at him during trade week. Long odds Bradley being on our list in 2008 but I have been wrong once before....

They didn't want to offer more because they can get him for absolutly nothing. Bradley walked out on the Bombers and Fremantle are confident, and rightly so, that they can get him for less than it would have otherwise cost them to deal with Essendon.

I do agree that he is a long shot to be on our list next year. I think he will be at Freo and I am yet to see an official of the AFC make a statement that says we are interested in him. At the moment its all about Bradly's manager blowing wind in the media saying that Bradley would be a perfect fit for the Crows.

 

[fightingdreamer88]

You guys can think what you want. Bradley is an inferior talent.

 

[Southerntakeover]

You guys can think what you want. Bradley is an inferior talent.

Inferior in comparison to?

 

[Asgardian]

Is he as skilled as Robran?

Not in the same universe as Barrie
Nowhere near Matthew
Probably about as good as Jonathon (aint saying much)

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

We haven't had a big man that has got anywhere near Robran in terms of skill (I am not counting Wayne Carey). That is really a sad reflection on our recruiting.

We have had better marks, which was the one area that let Robran down. But at the moment given our bare cupboard in this department I would give anything for a big man with his skills both by hand and the ability to thump one home goal post high from outside 50.

With Roo gone, do we have anyone who can kick one from range anymore? These players are becoming important because they can bypass the zones inside 50.

Trent Hentschel ?

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

he could become an excellent version of the scott stevens role.

Ditto for me.

Could also play as a tall wingman.

Worth a punt if Freo don't get in 1st with a later pick.

 

[Juddrockz]

Re: Kepler Bradley

Really? We wanted to pick him at pick 14?

But we got Fergus Watts instead. Heh.

Has Rutten signed up yet???

 

[smoovy]

Trent Hentschel ?

Trent is a decent kick, but you would never classify him as a thumping kick.

Forget the Massie matchup, how valuable was Franklin's ability to kick those long left foot goals from outside 50.

Believe it or not I think Gill is our best chance from distance now!

 

[Mismatched]

Trent is a decent kick, but you would never classify him as a thumping kick.

Forget the Massie matchup, how valuable was Franklin's ability to kick those long left foot goals from outside 50.

Believe it or not I think Gill is our best chance from distance now!

Yeh, I think Scotty Welsh is probably our best for the set shots from any distance, he can still kick the critical goals from outside 50 and rarely misses. It was kind of missed in all the hype about franklin, but welsh kicked a similar type goal to those of Franklin's in the last quarter of the Hawks game, albeit maybe 5 metres closer.

 

[Southerntakeover]

Yeh, I think Scotty Welsh is probably our best for the set shots from any distance, I can still kick the critical goals from outside 50 and rarely misses. It was kind of missed in all the hype about franklin, but welsh kicked a similar type goal to those of Franklin's in the last quarter of the Hawks game, albeit maybe 5 metres closer.

Is that you scotty?

 

[johnnypanther]

Ditto for me.

Could also play as a tall wingman.

Worth a punt if Freo don't get in 1st with a later pick.

i suspect that the only chance we would have of getting him is with our
pick 38 because we have picks ......38, 59...
whilst Freo have picks ...39,55.... therefore Freo can afford to use 55 on him, forcing us to use 38 - if we want him. Of course, other clubs can get him as well and anyway, it also depends on who else is available at whatever pick.

Personally, i quite like Bradley as a player - i see him as a wingman/hff - a prototype of the next phase of footballer - very tall, quick etc (such as Moran & Tippett albeit they play different positions) - i think providing he gets his kicking right he would be a good player if played wing/forward rather than in defence.

Having said all that, i would like to pick up Clayton Collard at pick 38 based on talent (although i'm not aware of the problems he has had)

 

[Mismatched]

Is that you scotty?

Haha, yeah, sorry mate, I wish I could, but no that was scotty I was talking about.

 

[Jack_Bauer]

Like it or not, Kepler will be at the Crows next year! I know from a very reliable source that the recruiting team is very keen. I hope he works out better for you guys than he did for us!

 

[- PC -]

Like it or not, Kepler will be at the Crows next year! I know from a very reliable source that the recruiting team is very keen. I hope he works out better for you guys than he did for us!

Yeah ok

Are you Keplers manager? Piss off if you are

 

[Dogga79]

Yeah ok

Are you Keplers manager? Piss off if you are

I cant believe you just told Kepler's manager to piss off .