The Official 2011 Fremantle Draft Thread

[Purpellian Anchor]

So pre draft plan is this (From Freo homepage/news)

Fremantle general manager of player management Brad Lloyd said the club had turned its list over considerably over the past three years with 32 players being added in the National, Pre-season and Rookie drafts during that period.

But he added that there were still a number of list management positions that needed to be filled.

“We need some tall defenders and some key forwards but we also need to bolster our midfield as well,” he said.

“We’ll be taking the best players available and balancing that out with some shapes and sizes.”

and after the selections this:
What the recruiter said
"We're really happy with our group. We just look to take the best player and we did that with taking a half-forward, a tall back and a couple of midfielders, and we'll get Zac Dawson in the pre-season draft. The spread we've got has been pretty good." Fremantle list manager Brad Lloyd.


no wonder most of us missed the boat LOL

 

[BananaOnTheRun]

Yep if he drops down to a wet weight of 95 he will be able to "feel loose" again and revitalize himself. That said once you're used to eating at 105+KG levels it's often hard to maintain the lower eating amount, and Pavlich has never been that lean.

Are there any photos of the slimmed down Pavlich? Would be interested to see if he has dropped his body fat percentage or not.

And I agree about our many soft players that could be a lot better with good leadership, Mundy, MJ, Pavlich (recently, his launching forward every 3 disposals to get a free kick), Suban, Crowley all need a kick up the ass. And players like Mayne, DeBoer could really improve due to someone being able to help pinpoint their deficiencies intelligently.

I know there were pics of Pav training on Facebook, there might be some on FFC site. He's lost a bit of size around his shoulders and trunk, so he should regain some mobility.

I don't agree completely on Mundy and Suban. The latter just needs to stop getting injuried every 8 games. But yes, I'm expecting all of them to lift under Lyon. Mundy giving another 5% would be enormous.

 

[Nodgey]

I sort of agree with Clay (without the rage). We just don't seem to be good at picking talls. The one that haunts me is Sam Reid. I'm a swans member, and I watched that kid take speccie after speccie this year at the scg. If he gets his kicking boots on, he'll be amazing. Being the brother of Ben Reid, who we gave up for Tarrant, and who is now AA CHB makes it hurt even more. But maybe we have the steal the KPP approach. Not sure its a good approach, but it IS an approach. Not gonna get too mad about it, though. Nothing anyone can do. Just hope all these kids give us a super-midfield.

Oh, and with the swans 2005 GF win, I recall LRT having an absolute blinder. They wouldn't have won without him. He's pretty tall. :/

You've just made me think of Marcus Drum, who we selected before Shaun Higgins... Which I guess is yet another example where we did go for a KPP which ultimately failed.

Regardless, I do agree with Clay in that I would have liked to see one, JUST ONE, promising KPP over the last few years.

Darling/Kersten seem like a lock to play 150+ games as a solid second/third tall. I'd take that right now. They don't need to be superstars, just a solid best 22 player. I don't think that's too much to ask.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

Darling/Kersten seem like a lock to play 150+ games as a solid second/third tall. I'd take that right now. They don't need to be superstars, just a solid best 22 player. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Darling perhaps - because he has exposed form at AFL level.

But Kersten has gone for a pick in the 30's in a weak compromised draft that teams have generally limited their exposure to.

No pick in the 30's is a lock for 150 games, let alone one in a weak talent pool. In fact the likelihood is only one or two of the picks in the 30's will play 150 games.

 

[Avid_Avenger]

You've just made me think of Marcus Drum, who we selected before Shaun Higgins... Which I guess is yet another example where we did go for a KPP which ultimately failed.

Regardless, I do agree with Clay in that I would have liked to see one, JUST ONE, promising KPP over the last few years.

Darling/Kersten seem like a lock to play 150+ games as a solid second/third tall. I'd take that right now. They don't need to be superstars, just a solid best 22 player. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Totally agree.

A forward line of Pavlich, Darling, Kersten and Mayne is a hell of a lot more dangerous than one filled with Pavlich, Bradley, Johson and Mayne.

And what makes it worse for mine is that Darling and Kersten could have played straight away acting as foils for Pav in his twilight years. They simply don't have to be superstars for the first 4-5 years. And then, if they don't become superstars thereafter, they act as foils for whoever we draft/develop to replace Pav.

Ultimately if you are getting 100-150 games (barring serious injury) out of a KPP, you've drafted well.

Kersten at 29 this year would have turned our draft from a question mark into a success, not to mention the bonus that he slid that far.

Faulks, Anthony and Dawson are really no replacement for a promising young KPP. I have a bad feeling the recruiters are banking on replicating the success of Silvagni too much. It's not going to happen with KPP as often as it happens with mids/smalls (Barlow, Lower, Broughton, Ballantyne).

 

[Arcassius]

I wonder whether the current strategy is to pick for best available in the draft, and pick up mature age players for specific roles/holes.

Anthony, Faulks, Lower for instance. Fair enough Anthony, Faulks haven't come on as much as we'd like - but the strategy is there. Zac comes over to plug another hole - and I wouldn't be suprised if we decide our midfield is ok, and just go for a shipload of KPP forwards/defenders in this rookie draft. KPP are prospective as it is - probably a good place for them.

Next year we have free agency as well - and cap space available

 

[strobe00]

Does anyone know if Forster playing style and abilities is more like a rebounding defender (Ibbotson/Duffield) or lock down defender (Crichton/JVB).
Will he possess skills like the genius?

If we were to come up against a small forward next year e.g. Rioli/Milne/Betts, who will get the job on them? (BTW Grover is not an acceptable answer)
Wouldn't think Forster would be capable of that job straight away.

Broughton would be our best bet I reckon.

I know we've got plans for him in the midfield, but in games where a small forward is likely to tear us a new one I'd rather him be available to shut them down until we can locate a suitable replacement.

 

[apuchar]

Broughton would be our best bet I reckon.

I know we've got plans for him in the midfield, but in games where a small forward is likely to tear us a new one I'd rather him be available to shut them down until we can locate a suitable replacement.

If Sheridan and Sutcliffe come on reasonably quickly, Broughton won't get much time in the midfield. Big question marks on his run the other way. Not an issue for Sheridan and Sutcliffe. That leaves him and Suban mostly in the backline.

 

[apuchar]

Totally agree.

A forward line of Pavlich, Darling, Kersten and Mayne is a hell of a lot more dangerous than one filled with Pavlich, Bradley, Johson and Mayne.

And what makes it worse for mine is that Darling and Kersten could have played straight away acting as foils for Pav in his twilight years. They simply don't have to be superstars for the first 4-5 years. And then, if they don't become superstars thereafter, they act as foils for whoever we draft/develop to replace Pav.

Ultimately if you are getting 100-150 games (barring serious injury) out of a KPP, you've drafted well.

Kersten at 29 this year would have turned our draft from a question mark into a success, not to mention the bonus that he slid that far.

Faulks, Anthony and Dawson are really no replacement for a promising young KPP. I have a bad feeling the recruiters are banking on replicating the success of Silvagni too much. It's not going to happen with KPP as often as it happens with mids/smalls (Barlow, Lower, Broughton, Ballantyne).

I agree with that, but then we would be piss weak in the midfield.

 

[Rubber Pants]

I reckon the majority of our goals are going to come from the midfield. Players like Fyfe, Barlow, Mora, Mundy etc are difficult for other midfielders to match up on down forward and I can see them running forward taking their players out of their comfort zone and dragging down marks.

I remember Barlow's first game back from the leg injury he dominated the forward line with about 4 shots on goal (unfortunately he missed most).

Our strength is going to be running, getting to contests and having numbers around the ball, not bombing it to a tall forward who gets massacred in a 2 on 1 situation.

I think we're looking outside of the box for the next premiership strategy like Collingwood's forward press. Get a f@ck load of athletic 190cm+ players streaming between the 50m arcs helping out each way. It's interesting and I hope it works.

 

[strobe00]

Then it seems the only thing you have a problem with is us not taking Kersten at 29? Instead we took an All Australian with elite kicking skills. I can handle another Mundy on the list.

As someone else has said... he sounds like "what we wish Duffield was", or something similar.

If bringing this kid in allows us to send Duff back to the WAFL to learn how to win a one-on-one contest, then I'll be overjoyed. Besides MJ, Duff was the player I had the biggest problem with retaining a free-pass throughout the season despite continuous, poor form.

 

[Avid_Avenger]

I agree with that, but then we would be piss weak in the midfield.

How so?

If we had have taken Darling and Kersten we would only have lost Pitt (possible mid) and Forster (3rd defender).

 

[Rubber Pants]

Plus we have some good speed and agility

 

[apuchar]

How so?

If we had have taken Darling and Kersten we would only have lost Pitt (possible mid) and Forster (3rd defender).

Conceded. Didn't think that one through well. Why so many people get their life in a muddle.

Freo didn't seem to want to risk Darling and didn't rate Kersten. Time will tell

 

[Arcassius]

Fast, agile players with good skills

Not necessarily a lot of brawn - but we're going to have quite the 'no look handball' brigade going.

Harlem Globetrotters of the AFL -

Neale in and under through legs out to Sheridan, no look pass to Fyfe, no look pass to Mundy, bomb to Crozier who takes a hanger for the dunk.

 

[apuchar]

Thanks guys, I was losing the argument badly.

They are going to be exciting to watch if nothing else.

 

[Avid_Avenger]

Conceded. Didn't think that one through well. Why so many people get their life in a muddle.

Freo didn't seem to want to risk Darling and didn't rate Kersten. Time will tell

For whatever reason yeah, but there were other options on the table at those selections too.

I'm not saying Pitt and Forster won't be good players either, I think they will be, but in terms of what they bring to the table and what we need on the table... It would have been nice/safer? to at least have taken the plunge on one of Darling/Kersten over the last two years.

 

[Nickos66]

I'm just about to hit a 2nd wind.

Seriously, I just can't subscribe to all this blind optimism... Again...

After recent years where our draft management have been seen as 'geniuses' and hailed as unearthing the 'bargain of the draft' repeatedly in favour of the heavily favoured selections we'd all hoped for leading up to the draft - where has it gotten us in recent drafts after the 1st 2 rounds. Players of the exact same esteem in Ruffles, Bollenhagen, Hall, Bucovaz, Hinkley, throw in 'the steals' in Crichton & Roberton and things really don't stack up the way we were believed to expect.

But then, we're not recruiters so we and every other team of recruiters in the country obviously just didn't see the divine plan. How is every single freo fan supposed to hold the same optimism that we have in the last few years following the draft when we have such NAB AFL draft fizzers.

 

[Avid_Avenger]

I wonder whether the current strategy is to pick for best available in the draft, and pick up mature age players for specific roles/holes.

Anthony, Faulks, Lower for instance. Fair enough Anthony, Faulks haven't come on as much as we'd like - but the strategy is there. Zac comes over to plug another hole - and I wouldn't be suprised if we decide our midfield is ok, and just go for a shipload of KPP forwards/defenders in this rookie draft. KPP are prospective as it is - probably a good place for them.

Next year we have free agency as well - and cap space available

I think our strategy is to bank on utilities and mids being able to play various roles and then draft mature-agers to plug the real holes. Also I think they've factored in Moller and Thomas Head and free agency as best they can too.

But IMO mature-age KPP is going to come off a lot less than mature-age mids/smalls and with far less upside. At some stage you do have to actually try to replace A-grade talls like Pavlich/McPharlin - maybe free agency will be the answer here but that seems a risky strategy.

Anyway, I hope we do load up on promising KPP young and old in the rookie-draft but I think we'll take maybe one or two at most.

And as for 'best available' IMO it's a pointless term. At any one selection you are going to have a best available mid and a best available KPP. Unless you're choosing between Fyfe and Darling - in which case Fyfe is the runaway option - needs and list management requirements have to play a part too.

 

[Arcassius]

I'm just about to hit a 2nd wind.

Seriously, I just can't subscribe to all this blind optimism... Again...

After recent years where our draft management have been seen as 'geniuses' and hailed as unearthing the 'bargain of the draft' repeatedly in favour of the heavily favoured selections we'd all hoped for leading up to the draft - where has it gotten us in recent drafts after the 1st 2 rounds. Players of the exact same esteem in Ruffles, Bollenhagen, Hall, Bucovaz, Hinkley, throw in 'the steals' in Crichton & Roberton and things really don't stack up the way we were believed to expect.

But then, we're not recruiters so we and every other team of recruiters in the country obviously just didn't see the divine plan. How is every single freo fan supposed to hold the same optimism that we have in the last few years following the draft when we have such NAB AFL draft fizzers.

blind faith. It might makes idiots of us all - but it helped get through the last 16 years

 

[Arcassius]

I think our strategy is to bank on utilities and mids being able to play various roles and then draft mature-agers to plug the real holes. Also I think they've factored in Moller and Thomas Head and free agency as best they can too.

But IMO mature-age KPP is going to come off a lot less than mature-age mids/smalls and with far less upside. At some stage you do have to actually try to replace A-grade talls like Pavlich/McPharlin - maybe free agency will be the answer here but that seems a risky strategy.

Anyway, I hope we do load up on promising KPP young and old in the rookie-draft but I think we'll take maybe one or two at most.

And as for 'best available' IMO it's a pointless term. At any one selection you are going to have a best available mid and a best available KPP. Unless you're choosing between Fyfe and Darling - in which case Fyfe is the runaway option - needs and list management requirements have to play a part too.

In hindsight Fyfe is the runaway option - but at the time of the Draft, if the choice had been Fyfe or Darling - we (the supporters) would probably have wanted Darling, and missed out on something special.

 

[Nickos66]

blind faith. It might makes idiots of us all - but it helped get through the last 16 years

That's pretty much it isn't it. People accept it and learn to adapt, warm to it and love it extraordinarily quickly once it's done and dusted. God help me, I can sympathize with Reginald in this respect..

 

[apuchar]

For whatever reason yeah, but there were other options on the table at those selections too.

I'm not saying Pitt and Forster won't be good players either, I think they will be, but in terms of what they bring to the table and what we need on the table... It would have been nice/safer? to at least have taken the plunge on one of Darling/Kersten over the last two years.

The only thing I would say to that is that the need is probably not a urgent as you are suggesting. Pav will play there next year. Sandilands will be up there more, Clarke will chip in. Bradley prefers to play across half forward, Anthony will probably be better with better kickers delivering to him and guys like Fyfe and Moribito will also play through there.
Next year may be a better year for talls. Darling is a third tall battering ram type and Freo seemed to think there were a lot of flaws in Kersten game (and character) that would take years to iron out, plus rightly or wrongly he was considered undersized. It may be quicker and more effective to get the real deal next year if available. I assume they know if that is likely.

 

[Bradesmaen]

I'm just about to hit a 2nd wind.

Seriously, I just can't subscribe to all this blind optimism... Again...

What blind optimism? Who here is blatantly going "OMG WE WON THE DRAFT!!111!!!!111"

No one, that is who. The majority here are just staying on the fence and not having a serious melt down about not picking KPPs because NO ONE IS BLOODY PROVEN YET! Others are going on about how a forward line of Kersten and Pavlich would be awesome! Well, how would you know? How many AFL games has Kersten played?

 

[strobe00]

Well with some reflection I don't hate this draft.
Sheridan seems a reach but I'll reserve judgement.
Crozier sounds like he could be anything, in the Fyfe mould.
Forster meets a need and sounds very classy, big tick.
Neale could be win, definitely worth a spec pick.
If Sutcliffe plays a game from 71 then bonus.
I'm just baffled why we didn't take Kersten. I still believe it was a mistake not taking Darling last year and I believe we will regret this one too.
We obviously have a plan, a model we are working to but I simply don't see how you can win in September without a few big guys and we have none coming through.
Deeply puzzling.

Post my brain explosion yesterday, I'm thinking similarly. Over-reaction on my part. After researching a bit on Sheridan and Neale I find they're inside/outside and inside mids... big tick, as that was a need! And they've both got good/solid disposal (compared to Clay Smith) so that makes sense as well.

Crozier as (potentially) a player with Fyfe-like qualities and more speed. On reflection... another big tick.

Wasn't as convinced with Forster... I too would have like to see us pick up Kersten, but if Forster allows us to drop Duffield (who can't win a one-on-one, and couldn't seem to find the ball last season) to the WAFL then I'd even give that pick a tick.

Suspect (pray actually!) that we'll pick up someone like a Busher, who sounds quite a bit like Kersten but without the attitude, in the rookie draft.

Looks like there are a bunch of KPPs that slipped through into the rookie draft that most suspected would be taken in the ND. So looks like we have options. Rookie draft is probably a better value for money place to grab young KPPs, so if that's the plan then it makes sense.

I just hope to hell that we pick up some talls in the rookie draft, and don't use our higher RD picks on mids or flankers again. Fingers crossed!