Official 2007 National & Rookie Draft Thread!

[The Royal Sampler]

People are all saying this draft pool drops away after the top 25 or so, but then they insist that about 25 players will all be gone by the end of the first round!

We will definitely get someone very good at #31, I know it's no indication really but in the trial Phantom Draft, we had Marlon Motlop, Andy Otten, Patrick Dangerfield and Mitch Farmer all taken after #31.

The fact is, someone simply has to slide!

Incidentally, any idea where this Harry Croft will go in the draft? I'm all for bolstering our KP back stocks after the unexpected departure of Clement, and the foreshadowing of Wakelin and Prestigiacomo's retirements. If we could snag him at #63, that would be sensational. Again, he went in the 90's in the trial Phantom Draft.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Looks like the Saints are keen to draft a ruckman. Hopefully that happens with their Pick #58 rather than #42.

Saints big on building ruck stocks

Karen Lyon | October 15, 2007

JUST days after securing Geelong premiership ruckman Steven King in last week's trades, St Kilda is looking to further lift its ruck department in next month's national draft.

The Saints will go into the draft with four selections — Nos 9, 42, 58 and 74 — and coach Ross Lyon said the team would select four young players, including a ruckman, to continue rebuilding stocks.

While Carlton will almost certainly select ruckman Matthew Kreuzer with the opening pick, there are other ruckmen available, including Ben McEvoy from the Murray Bushrangers and his teammate Dawson Simpson, as well as Gippsland Power's Brent Connelly, Tassie Mariner Tom Bellchambers, Western Jets' Will Sullivan and Joel Smouha from Queensland's Mount Gravatt.

The Saints spoke to young Geelong ruckman Mark Blake, who missed out on the premiership medal when the Cats chose King ahead of him for the grand final, but Blake remains at Kardinia Park.

After a thorough medical for King and what the coach labelled an "impressive" meeting, Lyon said he was prepared to take a "calculated risk" with the ruckman, believing he has another two or three good years in him.

"He is still hungry," Lyon said. "What I saw on grand final day was a lean, hungry, highly conditioned athlete."

Lyon also believes King is motivated by Geelong's decision to ultimately choose Blake in front of him, even though King tasted premiership glory. "He has a point to prove, according to him. Not according to Geelong, or according to me," the coach said. "I have real confidence in him, I am thrilled to have him and there is work to be done over our pre-season."

With ruckmen at a premium during trade week, and given the Saints' lack of success in the area in recent years, Lyon believes King buys the club time to "grow our own" and develop another young ruckman.

With Matthew Clarke retired and Michael Gardiner continuing his comeback from injuries, the club wants to put time into a young ruckman. Luke Van Rheenen has agreed to spend another year on the Saints' rookie list.

The coach said the addition of King and Geelong teammate Charlie Gardiner, as well as Sydney premiership duo Adam Schneider and Sean Dempster, would create "pressure on spots around the edges" of the senior team.

Having given up pick No. 90 for the Geelong pair — a pick that neither St Kilda nor Geelong would be likely to use — the Saints have effectively picked up four experienced players, three of them under the age of 25, for pick No. 26 in the draft. Three come with premiership experience, something that can be a double-edged sword, according to Lyon.

"It's a problem if they have been to the top of the mountain and are just playing out their years, but they are still hungry. They come from two teams, Geelong and the Swans, that encourage hard workers and they are highly disciplined; they will bring these traits with them and they are traits, I think, that are already inherent in our group," Lyon said.

"If you look at the two players we got from the Swans, they could be 150-game players for us."

Lyon had been looking at another, unnamed, ruckman but went with King not just because of his interview, but because of the chance of also getting Gardiner, who is seen as a possible replacement for Aaron Hamill or Brett Voss.

 

[Bloben]

While Carlton will almost certainly select ruckman Matthew Kreuzer with the opening pick, there are other ruckmen available, including Ben McEvoy from the Murray Bushrangers and his teammate Dawson Simpson, as well as Gippsland Power's Brent Connelly, Tassie Mariner Tom Bellchambers, Western Jets' Will Sullivan and Joel Smouha from Queensland's Mount Gravatt.

His parents must have know he would be tall if they called him Mount Gravatt.

 

[Palmer Stoat]

On the subject of late-pick ruckmen, a pretty savvy Qld poster (Quigley) reckons that Jake Spencer is the best of the Qld rucks on offer this year. He's 203cm, has a bit of mongrel and, according to Quigley, has improved rapidly since moving from Townsville down to Brisbane.

Might be a name to add to the ruck permutations.

 

[Bloben]

Has there been much talk about Renton at all by other clubs?

The article posted above mentions a list of them and not him. It would be ideal to try and get him in the rookie draft and possibly one of the higher rated ruckmen in the national draft.

 

[Palmer Stoat]

Has there been much talk about Renton at all by other clubs?

The article posted above mentions a list of them and not him. It would be ideal to try and get him in the rookie draft and possibly one of the higher rated ruckmen in the national draft.

He was a late addition to the Vic state screenings, so you'd think he'd probably be a late pick or a rookie pick. Of course, him not getting an invite to the draft camp doesn't mean that there isn't a club or two out there that really rate him.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Has there been much talk about Renton at all by other clubs?

The article posted above mentions a list of them and not him. It would be ideal to try and get him in the rookie draft and possibly one of the higher rated ruckmen in the national draft.

Not sure really. He made the TAC Cup Team of the Year in a FP (Kreuzer was #1 ruck), so he's definitely been noticed. I also noticed that the article didn't mention him though, which was interesting because he comprehensively beat Sullivan when they matched up, and also accounted for Connelly, Shaw, etc.

He was listed from the outset for state screenings on the Drafts/Trading board, but it's possible they got it wrong initially.

If it means we can get him (or Spencer, or whomever Hine rates) at #63, so much the better IMHO.

 

[giantpie]

Jaye Bowden?

 

[Cjkirbs19]

Why are people continuing to put Dawson Simpsons name up? He is 207 cms, rubbish ruckman, does nothing around the ground and got killed in the TAC cup GF by an opponent alot shorter and younger than him. If we take him, its Guy Richards all over again

 

[Tony Francis]

Bit of inside news on the draft -

The pies are looking at picking Jack Hollmer who played in Geelong's reserves most of this year. Is a mobile centre half back type player. Has been invited to Collingwood and will take him with the last pick they have (not including Barham) if he is still there (should be).

Played with Jack recently - he's fast with good skills and a very talented footballer. Unfortunately, at 6'1 you need to be more than just very talented to make it. Confident he can be a successful VFL player, but is not brilliant enough to be AFL. He's a teriffic bloke and that's not a knock on him, just the facts.

 

[roccacelli]

jeremy laidler???

 

[Bloben]

Played with Jack recently - he's fast with good skills and a very talented footballer. Unfortunately, at 6'1 you need to be more than just very talented to make it. Confident he can be a successful VFL player, but is not brilliant enough to be AFL. He's a teriffic bloke and that's not a knock on him, just the facts.

Is he worth a rookie spot? Or even just be a top up player for us in the VFL to see if he can impress enough to get a gig in the seniors.

 

[Tony Francis]

Is he worth a rookie spot? Or even just be a top up player for us in the VFL to see if he can impress enough to get a gig in the seniors.

Nah, at his size you have to be a freak to make it. Never played KP even at suburban level, more of a HFF/Onballer. Would love to see him drafted or rookied because he's a lovely fella, but I've played with better who haven't made it, so I just can't see it unfortunately.

 

[sirlothie]

Played with Jack recently - he's fast with good skills and a very talented footballer. Unfortunately, at 6'1 you need to be more than just very talented to make it. Confident he can be a successful VFL player, but is not brilliant enough to be AFL. He's a teriffic bloke and that's not a knock on him, just the facts.

That's bollocks, you don't need to be brilliant in the true sense of that word to play AFL... Is Bryan brilliant? Is Lonie brilliant? Is Toovey brilliant?

An AFL team is never a team full of freaks... He might not have X factor like you say but it doesn't mean he can't make it...

"he's fast with good skills and a very talented footballer" 6'1

Sounds like a very good late pick punt to me... Geelong reserves won the flag this year.

 

[didaka]

Lets get this bloke with one of our selections.

Darren Pfeiffer

 

[The Royal Sampler]

You reckon he'll nominate for the National Draft?

Would make things interesting...

 

[didaka]

You reckon he'll nominate for the National Draft?

Would make things interesting...

Surely he would right?

Not saying the draft is weak, because there is some very talented kids, but if I was Pfeiffer I would nominate for the National, unless he has been offered a contract by a club in the pre-season draft.

You'd think atleast 1 club would take him, but he would highly increase his chances in the National Draft, and I would be quite content if the Pies used their second selection on him.

 

[Tony Francis]

That's bollocks, you don't need to be brilliant in the true sense of that word to play AFL... Is Bryan brilliant? Is Lonie brilliant? Is Toovey brilliant?

An AFL team is never a team full of freaks... He might not have X factor like you say but it doesn't mean he can't make it...

"he's fast with good skills and a very talented footballer" 6'1

Sounds like a very good late pick punt to me... Geelong reserves won the flag this year.

You clearly didn't read my post my friend. The three players you listed aren't brilliant by any stretch, but Bryan is 6'6, Toovey and Lonie are 6'3 at least. You have very cleverly listed 3 of our worst players, but even then, I guarantee if you dropped them back to a suburban league, they would stand out like beacons and dominate. In Toovey's case, we will probably see that next year, which, if anything, proves my point.

Australia is full of 6'1 blokes who are very talented, I bet there are plenty even who post on these boards. However, the facts are that these days you need to be more than that to forge a successful career in the AFL. If you believe otherwise, you haven't played a decent standard of footy.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Surely he would right?

Yeah, on precedent he would, you're spot on.

 

[sirlothie]

You clearly didn't read my post my friend. The three players you listed aren't brilliant by any stretch, but Bryan is 6'6, Toovey and Lonie are 6'3 at least. You have very cleverly listed 3 of our worst players, but even then, I guarantee if you dropped them back to a suburban league, they would stand out like beacons and dominate. In Toovey's case, we will probably see that next year, which, if anything, proves my point.

Australia is full of 6'1 blokes who are very talented, I bet there are plenty even who post on these boards. However, the facts are that these days you need to be more than that to forge a successful career in the AFL. If you believe otherwise, you haven't played a decent standard of footy.

The average height of an AFL player is 6'1 or 185cm. It's that's the average you don't need to be taller than that. It would help but it's not essential because 185cm isn't short for an AFL player.

In fact he would be a on the tall side midfielders... So what if there is a lot of 185cm talented players in Australia...

Paul Kelly, Daniel Kerr, Ben Cousins (pre-drugs...), Gary Ablett Jnr, Greg Williams, Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge, Luke Ball, Robert Harvey, Dale Weightman, Kevin Bartlett, Tony Shaw, Scott Burns, Leigh Matthews, Andrew McLeod and I could name 100 more under 185cm who would tear 190cm players a new one...

Height has little to do it with it unless you a ruck or KPP.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Just looking through the numbers assigned to the potential draftees at Draft Camp...

#31 - Addam Maric
#47 - Callan Ward
#63 - Joseph Daye
#79 - Will Sullivan

= Best. Draft. Ever.

 

[Barwick17]

Isnt Pfiffer (or however you spell it) got many 'troubles' which is why he is delisted?????? Be careful pies

 

[sava]

Levi Greenwood and Paddy McGinnity

Like what I have seen of these two boys .. both hard at it with strong bodies and look like the exact type we need to develop with our current kids .. someone to get it out to the class of pendlebury thomas egan dick and these blokes ... I have faith in stanley, though we cant pin all our hopes on one kid .. look what happened with richards ..

I only know about the vic kids .. so i just wanna know if they r a realistic chance to be there at 31 .. and if anybody has some footage ??

 

[didaka]

Re: Levi Greenwood and Paddy McGinnity

McGinnity may be available. I would love for Greenwood to slip, but due to the fact Adelaide has quite a few picks before 31 a Port have 2 then Greenwood is unlikely.

McGinnity however is every chance and should go late second to early 3rd round.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

Re: Levi Greenwood and Paddy McGinnity

Both would be decent gets at #31.

Not entirely sure that McGinnity is QUITE what we need in a midfielder - Is a Dean Polo-type, possibly projecting into a Stenglein-type tagger in the future if all goes well. Would be definite value at that spot though.

Greenwood would be fantastic, but I'd doubt he'll be there.