Certified Legendary Thread Holding Faith in Stephen Wells and Mackie (a.k.a. "In Wells We Trust")

[cats2rise]

Thinking he'd be ineligible games wise anyway

Depending how deep we go into finals/injuries, thus the "could''

I think he's played 8 or 9 and the cut off is 10.

I'd rather say he's played 12 come the end of September though.

 

[cats_09]

Depending how deep we go into finals/injuries, thus the "could''

I think he's played 8 or 9 and the cut off is 10.

I'd rather say he's played 12 come the end of September though.

He's on 9 games, we're guaranteed 2 more and I doubt he'll be omitted from our finals team

 

[cats2rise]

He's on 9 games, we're guaranteed 2 more and I doubt he'll be omitted from our finals team

Thus the use of the word "could" and the use of the word "injury" to caveat the post...

Crikey.

 

[cats_09]

Thus the use of the word "could" and the use of the word "injury" to caveat the post...

Crikey.

Unless there's a new injury concern over the next week, thinking we'll be seeing both Stewart & Humphries lining up against Port

Humphries in particular looked close to returning to the field against WCE, while Scott has already said that both are expected to line up against Port

So while Humphries "could" be omitted, thinking it's safe to say we'll see him as part of the team during finals


Regardless, even if Humphries finished the season on 9 games & age wise was eligible for the RS next season, he could well earn a second nomination but they always seem reluctant for a duplicate nominee to win as they more often favour the breakout option for the RS

 

[cats2rise]

Regardless, even if Humphries finished the season on 9 games & age wise was eligible for the RS next season, he could well earn a second nomination but they always seem reluctant for a duplicate nominee to win as they more often favour the breakout option for the RS

I've always found that bizarre.

Why have the eligibility criteria but then not seem to want to use it? It seems a bit more of an unofficial rule regarding reluctance to let a duplicate nominee win.

 

[Footy Smarts]

The drafting was hit and miss for a while but the Holmes, Dempsey, Humphries combo from recent years is just disgusting.

 

[Klink]

The drafting was hit and miss for a while but the Holmes, Dempsey, Humphries combo from recent years is just disgusting.

Also - getting guys like Close as a rookie and Mannagh as a mature aged pick in the 30's in a weak ND has paid dividends.

Going back further, J Henry and Z Guthire as rookie picks along with Stengle as a DFA - all of a sudden Wells / Mackie looks like Billy Beane..

 

[Netherlandal]

Wells has always been known for...

• Making the most of a bad hand
• Taking a chance on someone obscure / looking for a diamond in the rough
• Opting for the higher risk / higher reward option over the seemingly safer choice

Considering this, it should be expected to see lots of the far too good for VFL, but missing something at AFL level types (Constable, Horlin-Smith), win some of the mature age picks (Mannagh) and lose others (Hardie), and find some incredible value with first round picks (Selwood, Holmes) and miss the mark on others (Lang, Thurlow, Smedts).

Most of these examples are true for drafting in general, but the highs and lows are more exaggerated for Wells. Finding players like these as late as he did more than makes up for the leaner years in my eyes.

Mannagh (36)
Humphries (63)
Dempsey (R15)
Close (R14)
Atkins (R11)
Miers (57)
Kelly (24)
Henry (R16)
Guthrie (R33)
Stewart (40)
Blicavs (R54)

 

[supahoops]

Let’s also not forget we bid on Gulden.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

 

[Generalissimo]

Blicavs (R54)

Premiership player
2x best and fairest
played 250+ games for the club
can play literally any position
made the league change the rules just to stop him specifically

I reckon pick 54 in the rookie draft for such a player wins "best draft bargain ever" hands down.

 

[Gee Class Loco]

Wells has always been known for...

• Making the most of a bad hand
• Taking a chance on someone obscure / looking for a diamond in the rough
• Opting for the higher risk / higher reward option over the seemingly safer choice

Considering this, it should be expected to see lots of the far too good for VFL, but missing something at AFL level types (Constable, Horlin-Smith), win some of the mature age picks (Mannagh) and lose others (Hardie), and find some incredible value with first round picks (Selwood, Holmes) and miss the mark on others (Lang, Thurlow, Smedts).

Most of these examples are true for drafting in general, but the highs and lows are more exaggerated for Wells. Finding players like these as late as he did more than makes up for the leaner years in my eyes.

Mannagh (36)
Humphries (63)
Dempsey (R15)
Close (R14)
Atkins (R11)
Miers (57)
Kelly (24)
Henry (R16)
Guthrie (R33)
Stewart (40)
Blicavs (R54)

4Me those "ROOKIE" picks are the difference makers.
Recruiting maters.
Nice to get a nice RFA or even better a FA.
But getting quality starters via the dregs others forget in the Rookie draft is pure GOLD!

 

[Mr Meow]

Scott's always got the best out of his lists. Our poor draft hands always make list development tricky.

Our drafting has been excellent but did have a "sub-par" run by our standards, where bad luck also came into it. A number of great talents had injury issues derail development and careers. This happened during the first half of Scott's tenure.

If Scott had the 2018-2024 type drafting run laid out for him from 2012-2017, we likely would've nabbed a couple of premierships 2016-2020. Imagine Stengle, Holmes, Miers, Close, SDK, Mannagh, Dempsey and Humphries coming through and peaking in that era when we had peak Dangerfield, Selwood, Hawkins, Stewartt, Blicavs, Duncan, Tuohy etc and strong veterans like Ablett and Taylor.

Now we don't have as much elite top end in their absolute peak but we have such better role players, depth and "mid tier" guys who give good-great output. The drafting from the past 5 years or so has been a big part of that.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

Reading and listening (talkback) oppo fans after last night. On here and elsewhere the tide has turned.
We usually get kudos through gritted teeth with the rider that "I hate Geelong".

Last night and today there's been so much acknowledgment and envy of how well we're run as a club. Coming back after last year and winning an interstate final has seemingly opened people's eyes to what we've all known about ourselves for years.

 

[cats_09]

Another tick for Wells

 

[Lana]

Another tick for Wells

Spend of around 9k DVI including trades, Port spent that much in just their midfield

 

[catempire]

Scott's always got the best out of his lists. Our poor draft hands always make list development tricky.

Our drafting has been excellent but did have a "sub-par" run by our standards, where bad luck also came into it. A number of great talents had injury issues derail development and careers. This happened during the first half of Scott's tenure.

If Scott had the 2018-2024 type drafting run laid out for him from 2012-2017, we likely would've nabbed a couple of premierships 2016-2020. Imagine Stengle, Holmes, Miers, Close, SDK, Mannagh, Dempsey and Humphries coming through and peaking in that era when we had peak Dangerfield, Selwood, Hawkins, Stewartt, Blicavs, Duncan, Tuohy etc and strong veterans like Ablett and Taylor.

Now we don't have as much elite top end in their absolute peak but we have such better role players, depth and "mid tier" guys who give good-great output. The drafting from the past 5 years or so has been a big part of that.

The bad luck was horrendous luck to be honest. Menzel, Vardy and Christensen each had more talent than anyone we have drafted since but we got screwed by injuries and other factors. Then there’s another ACL with Thurlow and Cockatoo’s issues. I don’t think we drafted poorly in that era. We had a lean hand which was hard to make much of and tonnes of bad luck.

 

[OzeSparky]

Another tick for Wells

https://archive.md/G3l7s

If you are block. Here it is.

 

[Art Vandelay_]

The bad luck was horrendous luck to be honest. Menzel, Vardy and Christensen each had more talent than anyone we have drafted since but we got screwed by injuries and other factors. Then there’s another ACL with Thurlow and Cockatoo’s issues. I don’t think we drafted poorly in that era. We had a lean hand which was hard to make much of and tonnes of bad luck.

I just read this commentary on injuries in Partridge's voice disdainfully rejecting it as a reason.
I now am 53% more bitter about football for adopting this persona.

Scott imo is up there among the greats because he's a personnel coach rather than methodology coach. His teams are catered to our strengths and hiding our weaknesses. So the style often changes to suit cattle. Lyon and Clarkson's teams have bad ends because the personnel changes over time but the methodology stays the same. Stale.

 

[Lana]

The bad luck was horrendous luck to be honest. Menzel, Vardy and Christensen each had more talent than anyone we have drafted since but we got screwed by injuries and other factors. Then there’s another ACL with Thurlow and Cockatoo’s issues. I don’t think we drafted poorly in that era. We had a lean hand which was hard to make much of and tonnes of bad luck.

That wasn't even the half of it, pretty much everyone but Josh Walker and T.Hunt had been injured for chunks our their earlier years. From D.Simpson onwards until around the 2016 draft

 

[Baudolino]

The bad luck was horrendous luck to be honest. Menzel, Vardy and Christensen each had more talent than anyone we have drafted since but we got screwed by injuries and other factors. Then there’s another ACL with Thurlow and Cockatoo’s issues. I don’t think we drafted poorly in that era. We had a lean hand which was hard to make much of and tonnes of bad luck.

That 2009 draft was insanely good talent identification. If we'd had even the slightest amount of luck with that group it would have gone down alongside our 1999 and 2001 groups as one of the best draft intakes ever by a club in a single year.

National Draft Pick 17 - Menzel
National Draft Pick 28 - Duncan
National Draft Pick 40 - Christensen
National Draft Pick 42 - Vardy
Rookie Draft Pick 50 - Podsiadly

 

[Lana]

That 2009 draft was insanely good talent identification. If we'd had even the slightest amount of luck with that group it would have gone down alongside our 1999 and 2001 groups as one of the best draft intakes ever by a club in a single year.

National Draft Pick 17 - Menzel
National Draft Pick 28 - Duncan
National Draft Pick 40 - Christensen
National Draft Pick 42 - Vardy
Rookie Draft Pick 50 - Podsiadly

Ahem Josh Cowan

 

[Baudolino]

Ahem Josh Cowan

I also declined to mention Jeremy Laidler. And even more egregiously, I neglected to pay tribute to Geelong club legends Jack Weston, Ben Johnson and Jesse Stringer.

 

[Lana]

I also declined to mention Jeremy Laidler. And even more egregiously, I neglected to pay tribute to Geelong club legends Jack Weston, Ben Johnson and Jesse Stringer.

Yes but none of those had hair with that John Snow like quality

 

[Art Vandelay_]

I also declined to mention Jeremy Laidler. And even more egregiously, I neglected to pay tribute to Geelong club legends Jack Weston, Ben Johnson and Jesse Stringer.

#Waybill