Welcome Welcome Josh Draper!! - 2022 Cat B Rookie List

[Dockeroo]

Assuming Pearce is back and Cox is still fit and available, where does he play in the side next season? Or does he go back to Peel to bide his time?

At the moment I feel the most obvious solution is for him to take on the Chapman's role of third/fourth defender and move Chapman to the wing. Alternatively though we may be back to a Cox/Pearce/Logue situation where you may have one of those playing as a swingman, dependent on the opposition; under that situation Cox seems the most likely, but it would be interesting if they used Draper instead as the swingman.

I think Draper got his first season in ahead of schedule. Injuries aside, I'd assume he's playing at Peel next year.

It would be ever so typically freo to send a guy like Draper back to Peel next year.
I cannot see any benefit whatsoever of him playing matches at peel.

When the chips were down in the biggest game of the year that we played against port, in the third quarter especially, it was Josh Draper that stood up and literally tried to drag this team along with him. Most of whom were half asleep for the first 10 min of that quarter.

In another big game this year v Sydney, as the pressure ratcheted up in the final quarter once again it was Draper that stood defiantly against the surging swans in the last quarter.

You have to reward talent and form.

There is this idea that he’s behind Pearce and cox only because he’s younger. He needs to “bide his time”. I can’t agree with that at all.

He’s an AFL 22 under 22 team member (I didn’t see Chappy in that team by the way, he wasn’t even nominated in the squad) and needs to be playing AFL footy next year. I’m not sure exactly how he fits in but you just can’t leave a talent like that in state league football.
I’d drop Cox as he was putrid in the last few weeks.
I wouldn’t drop chapman but I would probably select draper ahead of him if it came to it.

Draper could move up the ground somewhere. Mayne chapman goes to a wing like you guys are suggesting.

Whatever happens a 21 year old with his exposed talent at AFL level has nothing to gain by playing against inferior players in the WAFL.

One thing that needs to happen next year is stop picking guys on reputation and start selecting on form.
Didnt always happen this year and we saw several guys bring into the team a couple of weeks later than they should have been including NOD and Reidy.

 

[King Huskii]

Assuming Pearce is back and Cox is still fit and available, where does he play in the side next season? Or does he go back to Peel to bide his time?

At the moment I feel the most obvious solution is for him to take on the Chapman's role of third/fourth defender and move Chapman to the wing. Alternatively though we may be back to a Cox/Pearce/Logue situation where you may have one of those playing as a swingman, dependent on the opposition; under that situation Cox seems the most likely, but it would be interesting if they used Draper instead as the swingman.

Yes Chapman to wing

 

[DragoDelph]

Yes Chapman to wing

Yep.

Or he takes Ryan’s spot.

 

[Fat Nyfe]

Super impressive season from him. He really improved after the mid-season dropping and it feels like he stood up in a lot of big moments in the final month that got lost in the wash because the games were lost.

As long as he has a good preseason I'd have him in the side next year, putting pressure on Cox to stay fit and perform.