Pre Season Draft and Rookie Draft

[greg]

I would say that last years thumping by Bris where we could only apply very mimimal physical pressure has really put the wind up Laids.

Everyone we've gone for has got a really strong body and are all virtually ready to play if they have the talent.

It's almost a complete turn around to previous years recruiting with mostly everyone being recycled.

I'm wondering if Laids has taken a bit out of what Pagan has done at Carlton and virtually thrown a bunch of hungry wolves into a pit where only the most desperate will survive to play senior footy.

 

[Woodson]

I would say that last years thumping by Bris where we could only apply very mimimal physical pressure has really put the wind up Laids.

Everyone we've gone for has got a really strong body and are all virtually ready to play if they have the talent.

It's almost a complete turn around to previous years recruiting with mostly everyone being recycled.

I'm wondering if Laids has taken a bit out of what Pagan has done at Carlton and virtually thrown a bunch of hungry wolves into a pit where only the most desperate will survive to play senior footy.

Well said Greg. You can sense that JYD is getting more ruthless now. He knows there isn't much between 5th and 10th and has to blood more players into the system at a rapid rate to keep the team balanced. Those close games are going to be worth 8 pts regardless who we play.

 

[scottywiper]

ScottyWiper - where are you mate?

Hello???

Have never seen Perkins play, didn't see Perth once this year. Will ask a couple of WAFL coaches about him.

 

[Kimbo]

We have had reasonable luck with our rookies but never really found a Gem. found a few roughies in Baird and Firrito but never really found a superstar (as you would expect).

I think we have had better luck with Late regular season draft picks rather than with the Rookies

Yeah, but I'm not so sure this year is representative. I'm not suggesting that we'll unearth a star, but it seems to me, this year is somewhat atypical.

With the trading picks 10 & 26 for Thommo, taking JWS under F/S, it seems our recruitment of youth was, this year, spread across the latter part of the National Draft and the Rookie draft. Add to this the fact that we were going to take a larger number of rookies (originally 5) plus the fact that a number of players expected to be taken in the ND weren't.

I think all these things add up to a focus on recruiting youngsters through these means. Sure, rookie conditions don't allow for the same flexibility in their use, but like the late draft picks in the ND, I'm sure having them 'up close' will allow us to assess their potential. I also think there will be enough retirements and delistings to allow for their promotion if we wish to. In fact, i think JYD is deliberately recruiting for greater internal competition for places; to see who's going to make it and who isn't!

 

[scottywiper]

Spoke to a WAFL coach who was very surprised to see Perkins picked up.
Said he has a hard-working back pocket type, a scrappy type of defender.
Played on Clive Waterhouse for a quarter during the season and Clive kicked four on him!

 

[Event Horizon]

Spoke to a WAFL coach who was very surprised to see Perkins picked up.
Said he has a hard-working back pocket type, a scrappy type of defender.
Played on Clive Waterhouse for a quarter during the season and Clive kicked four on him!

Well...That defies logic really.
I can't see him ever being AFL ready with these kind of description.
Although they must have seen other qualities in him, like huge scope for improvement, ability to stick to the task etc

 

[Kimbo]

One swallow doesn't make a summer! All players have bad days and it may not have been a good match up. As inconsistent as Clive is/was, he could be good on his day, especially against a younger, less mature player.

I'm sure our scouts saw more than a quarter of football to base a recommendation on. Heaven help us if they didn't!

 

[Event Horizon]

By the sounds of it Perkins is a good back pocket size by AFL standards. Best possible scenario if he was to somehow make it, he could replace say, a Makepeace or Sinclair in the backline to allow them to play further up the ground. Waterhouse wouldn't be a player you would play Sinclair or Makepeace on. Sounds like they were using him to plug holes in WA (Waterhouse, T Lo, J LO).