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To be average that would mean we are ahead of at least 6-8 clubs. Can you name one?Two separate issues.
Whether Sam Hayes didn’t get another gig because of his management at Port.
And two, port’s development of talls.
As to number one:
- no club needed to give him a spot, they just had to have him train on spot. Numerous clubs could use a ready made AFL ruck. For whatever reason, Sam didn’t get a train on spot.
- multiple players got traded on little or no exposed form. Sam would have been no different
- Ladhams and Teakle were young rucks backed in by the club (they were the wrong rucks so this doesn’t count according to fans). Ladhams had off field issues and got picked up by Sydney. Teakle played six games were his opponent was BOG and had their best games ever, got a train on at the premiers and an eventual spot at North.
- Hayes had 4 games in 2023, plenty to show that he had something at AFL level and warranted someone having a look. Had he played instead of Teakle and notched another 6 games, would that have made a difference?
- as to playing behind part timers. Finlayson rated highly as a ruck and from his own CD points whilst he played as a ruck.
I think it’s disingenuous to suggest port drove Hayes into the ground such that he was worth nothing. Even had he been worth a pick, it’s likely it would have been comparable or less than Sweet. So maybe a third or fourth rounder at best.
As to port’s development of talls, I would think we are average in the AFL. We should be better than that. However there are lots of factors.