GWS's draft strategy?

[free at last]

What are your thoughts on GWS's draft strategy for its plethora of first round picks? A rough idea on how long they will target best available etc etc.

The likelihood of gems slipping due to their domination of the draft?

 

[Gazza_11]

They really do need some quality KPP at either end, looking a bit shallow in that regard. So that might be there early focus.

With Coniglio, Scully, Parmer, Ward, Treloar, Shiel and others theit midfield is already very promising, so they might start working on best available after 6 picks and try recruiting Kavanagh and a few other quality inside mids. Although they'll also grab Wingard, Tyson seeing as there aren't many elite KPP at the top end of the draft.

 

[honanmr11]

I personally think that they will finish off their midfield with 3-4 of their top picks, and then target the best talls available. They will obviously pick up Patton and Longer very early but apart from that I think the rest of their picks in the Top 10 will be mids. After the Top 10, I think they will target talls.

 

[DivideandMultiply]

Do they need much of a strategy?

Best available with every pick.

 

[tigs2010]

Do they need much of a strategy?

Best available with every pick.

Can't go wrong with that. Probably end up with 3 talls from that anyway. They already have a few anyway.

 

[royals1922]

I expect them to use a draft strategy similar to Gold Coast in that they will spread their picks across WA, SA, NT (maybe) or Tas as well as victorians in order that they minimise the number of raids that will be made against them in a few years time.

Sheedy may also go for the odd project.

 

[RIOLINWITPUNCHS]

There must have been a reason they wanted the first 5 picks ( before the super trade was attempted) but for mine it wont matter what strategy they take into the draft as it is supposedly shallow.

Cant see too many draftees wanting to stay and build an epic team like many of the GC juniors will.

Surely they need to pick a few ruckmen early.

 

[royals1922]

There must have been a reason they wanted the first 5 picks ( before the super trade was attempted) but for mine it wont matter what strategy they take into the draft as it is supposedly shallow.

Cant see too many draftees wanting to stay and build an epic team like many of the GC juniors will.

Surely they need to pick a few ruckmen early.

I think the Caddy saga may affect their decision making.

And I know it doesn't make sense but why do I see some one like sheedy reaching for Manson?

 

[Prem87]

I think the Caddy saga may affect their decision making.

And I know it doesn't make sense but why do I see some one like sheedy reaching for Manson?

You know he will. Recruiting team might choose against it, would be hard to convince the kid to leave the state let alone his home town. Even if were picked up by WC or Freo he will still be a huge flight risk.

 

[fishardansin]

You know he will. Recruiting team might choose against it, would be hard to convince the kid to leave the state let alone his home town. Even if were picked up by WC or Freo he will still be a huge flight risk.

Has been pointed out that his home is actually closer to Adelaide then Perth. Melbourne is about the same distance. What is important is a good system for indigenous players. Essendon, Melbourne or Carlton would be good for him in this way.

 

[royals1922]

You know he will. Recruiting team might choose against it, would be hard to convince the kid to leave the state let alone his home town. Even if were picked up by WC or Freo he will still be a huge flight risk.

Best to focus on exposed form. From 1986 -2004, Essendon top 30 draft picks were:

Payze (West torrens), sporn (West Adelaide), A rogers (Woodville), J Cox (Wynyard), M Werner (West Torrens), B Fox(Perth), M Long (St Mary's),D Regan (East Ballarat),D Smith (Port Adelaide),G Wanganeen (PA),A Green (Warragul), a Carr (South Bendigo) , T ridley (Claremont),R Ambrose (Shepparton), J fidge (Glenelg), M Symons (Subi), W D--k(Perth),M Prior (East Perth), T Delaney (Claremont), S cummings (S Districts), K Murrihy (Geelong u18s),R Stevenson (Western 18s), S Mollard (Centarl 18s), S Lucas (Geelong 18s)B Caracella (Northern 18s),S Lewfatt (Western 18s), D Wheildon (West adelaide), T williams (East Perth), a Bomford (Sydney reserves), J Johnson (Calder), M Bolton (Eastern 18s),D Solomon (Bendigo 18s),McVeigh (NSW ACT 18s), Ramanauskas (Northern 18s), C Ladhams (North Adelaide), a Henneman (Murray 18s), J Davies (Xavier), T Richards(Sandringham), S Harvey (Northern 18s), J Laycock (Tas 18s),Winderlich(Gippsland 18s), D Walsh (Sandringham 18s), K Bradley (West Perth), B Stanton (Northen 18s),, J nash (Central Districts), A Monfries (Sturt) and A Lee (Tas 18s).

Loads of SA, WA and country victorian players.

 

[Purpellian Anchor]

They really do need some quality KPP at either end, looking a bit shallow in that regard. So that might be there early focus.

With Coniglio, Scully, Parmer, Ward, Treloar, Shiel and others theit midfield is already very promising, so they might start working on best available after 6 picks and try recruiting Kavanagh and a few other quality inside mids. Although they'll also grab Wingard, Tyson seeing as there aren't many elite KPP at the top end of the draft.

With their 11 picks in the first 14 I would guessimate 7 or 6 below 192cm and 4 or 5 above 192 : eg Coniglio, Wingard, Tyson, Buntine, Hoskin Elliot, Newman, B KcKenzie (roughy Mihocek)
and Patton, Longer, Bolger, Elton, and maybe McInnes or Bosley

I think they may grab Talia on a needs basis (full back) and dont' be surprised if Jordan Lockyer is picked early for similar reasons. They'll be wanting to establish a solid 'across and down the ground' foundation = 8.

 

[MattyEdgeworth]

How does the AFL draft work? Is it the same as the NFL draft for anyone else who watches both?

 

[Sin City]

Has been pointed out that his home is actually closer to Adelaide then Perth. Melbourne is about the same distance. What is important is a good system for indigenous players. Essendon, Melbourne or Carlton would be good for him in this way.

Good post

 

[Sezzac1]

How does the AFL draft work? Is it the same as the NFL draft for anyone else who watches both?

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/124868/default.aspx

Pretty much but without 90% of the hoopla.

 

[stefoid]

Has been pointed out that his home is actually closer to Adelaide then Perth. Melbourne is about the same distance. What is important is a good system for indigenous players. Essendon, Melbourne or Carlton would be good for him in this way.

What has distance got to do with it? Surely its a cultural and weather thing.

 

[fishardansin]

What has distance got to do with it? Surely its a cultural and weather thing.

There is a history of WA being the worst state for black fellas after Queensland. I also mentioned the three clubs that I did because they have a good indigenous culture. Essendon has a long history of it and the other two are developing it lately. Of course Port and Freo have had many indig players as well.

I can remember going to a few training sessions at Windy Hill and seeing NLM, Lovett, Ryder, Jetta and Atkinson all turn up together in the same car. They do stick together a bit. Of course I was a bit concerned with the sausage roll I saw Jetta eating once!!

 

[Raymann]

Do they need much of a strategy?

Best available with every pick.

i think with so many picks you need a strategy other than best available.

I think the first 4 pick themselves and are the 'best available' (Patton/Coniglio/Tyson/Wingard) i would then take longer with pick 5 (no suprise).

Thereafter i think they should sure up defence with mature bodies that would be top 20 selections (Buntine/Ellis/Talia)

Then some mature body forwards (D Smith& Paine) then a back up ruckman (Bolger).

Understand that i have overlooked some real top 10-15 talent (Hoskin Elliot/Sumner/Kavanagh/Greene etc) but i think that GWS already have this type of player in their squad.

My thoughts only...

 

[Slattery_20]

I think the Caddy saga may affect their decision making.

And I know it doesn't make sense but why do I see some one like sheedy reaching for Manson?

They won't let him near the draft itself.
Surely.

 

[royals1922]

They won't let him near the draft itself.
Surely.

If he likes Manson and demands Manson, are they going to stop him. Remember Essendon had under Sheedy a tradition of drafting indiginous players a lot earlier than other clubs.

 

[Slattery_20]

If he likes Manson and demands Manson, are they going to stop him. Remember Essendon had under Sheedy a tradition of drafting indiginous players a lot earlier than other clubs.

I dunno about indigenous, but certainly he seemed to get sucked up in the romance - DMac @ 5 and so on.
And just about all of the picks he really reached on were busts.
I fully hope GWS give him his head: didn't work for us & won't work for them.

 

[Guy Threepwood]

How does the AFL draft work? Is it the same as the NFL draft for anyone else who watches both?

Main differences are that it takes two hours rather than two days and there are no trades on draft day.

 

[MattyEdgeworth]

Main differences are that it takes two hours rather than two days and there are no trades on draft day.

and where do they draft the players from? School or from lower leagues?

 

[Slattery_20]

and where do they draft the players from? School or from lower leagues?

Depends where they're from.
If they're from Victoria, most of them have come from the under 18s program (TAC cup); if they're from SA or WA, most of them have played club under 18s and occasionally a bit of seniors; if they're from Tas/NSW/QLD/NT (the level not as strong), generally they've played a fair bit of seniors.

Plus there are a few drafted 'over-age' straight from lower leagues - VFL, SANFL, WAFL; and a very small number who are drafted straight from school or really lower leagues (amateurs or suburban football).

 

[bengali]

Like last year with GC, GWS are in a unique position of building a team from scratch and therefore cannot just select " best available".

If you look at the balance of AFL teams they tend to have 6 to 8 big players in their playing 22. These are your rucks and KP players. The remaining players are your running type, midfielders, hb etc. If you pick simply best available then you may end up with too many of one type.

I think GWS will "reach" and take a few surprises. This will be an attempt to keep the team balance right.