Swans still keen on Hall

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by robbieando
Again, Ray Hall has never been a key position defender - just a backup ruckman, cum part time forward and you think he is the answer down back. If Richmond who don't have the best defence going around never played him there, doesn't that tell you something.

I believe he has value as a backup ruckman, because it allows LRT to become more of a key defender than backup ruckman which he was late in the season when Ball went down with injury.

I don't believe the Ray Hall is better than what we already have in ruck and up forward and thinking we can turn him into a key position defender isn't the reason we should be going after him.

He actually played a bit in defence this year and did okay. He's been used a pinch-hitter for the Tigers to cover all their injured talls, so he's hardly had time to settle into a key position.

What I do find interesting though is that some people seem to think that certain players have had enough to prove themselves yet, despite playing 50+ games, yet Hall is a 'known quantity' with 'little chance of being on the best' after only 47 games in a dud side.

[DST]

That is absolute bull@@@@ we offered our first round pick for Hall.

If we had offered Richmond our first round pick for Hall the offer would have been on the table for 0.2 of a second before Richmond excepted it.

Go back and read the article again and read between the lines.

I am sure the conversation between Roos and Andrew Ireland went like this before Roos made his comments:

Andrew Ireland: Did you see the comments by Greg Miller in the paper today?

Roos: They must be really keen to keep Ray as they have come out and whacked us about going back on our promises and the danger of not being able to pick him up, they even used the line Richmond will draft him back

Andrew Ireland: Fine if they want to play hard ball tell the media we offered them our first round pick as part of the deal, that will let Ray Hall know we are dead set interested and it will make Ricmond look like dead set idots for not taking it

Roos: Thanks I will use that

These comments are all about postureing for Hall and bagging Richmond for not taking our deal in the first place.

DST

[DST]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
He actually played a bit in defence this year and did okay. He's been used a pinch-hitter for the Tigers to cover all their injured talls, so he's hardly had time to settle into a key position.

What I do find interesting though is that some people seem to think that certain players have had enough to prove themselves yet, despite playing 50+ games, yet Hall is a 'known quantity' with 'little chance of being on the best' after only 47 games in a dud side.

I remember reading a post from the tigers messageboard saying that Hall had his best year of football when joining the club playing on the half back line on a tall and running off them.

He has only just recently in the last two years played as the back up ruckman and occasional forward when making it onto the park.

DST

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by DST
I remember reading a post from the tigers messageboard saying that Hall had his best year of football when joining the club playing on the half back line on a tall and running off them.

That's where I think he could be good value. He's a reasonable mark, he's tall, and he's a superb kick. Plenty to work with to develop him into a top-rate defender.

[Newbie]

Top rate defender? I doubt that but I think he would be a useful option on the gorilla type. When Doyle killed him last time, it is more because of Doyle's mobility than Doyle's strength in contest. The stable of Saddington, Schaubles and Hall would offer us a much better variety to cover all bases than whatever we have.

Also, as Ball is in a year-by-year proposition, we might need a backup ruckman soon too. Might be as soon as 2005 if luck is not with us and Ball has to retire for some reason. In this case, recruiting Hall makes a lot of senses.

BTW, the deal was not Hall for the first round pick, it was for a third round pick + some extra freebies which was an upgrade of 4 positions in this case (pick 20th for pick 16th). Hall is worth about a 3rd round pick and so it should be.

[penga]

assuming that we did offer pick 16 for pick 20 etc, it seems as though the swans are confident in picking up some steels when it comes to the national draft...

[Newbie]

More likely is that the club probably sees no significant difference in quality between the 16 and the 20th pick or that a player who we believe should be available at pick 16th would be quite likely available pick 20th.

BTW, I believe that the picking the "best talent available" is just for the press. With the standout, it might be the case but when it gets to the mass (usually after pick 10) where every players have their own weaknesses and strengths, the judgement would become very subjective.

[Dpw]

Originally posted by Newbie


BTW, I believe that the picking the "best talent available" is just for the press. With the standout, it might be the case but when it gets to the mass (usually after pick 10) where every players have their own weaknesses and strengths, the judgement would become very subjective. [/B]

Never a truer statement.

[Ryan Bomford]

Sorry to bring this one up to the top again, I mean RHall is hardly worth a 4 page thread, but I'm starting to warm to the idea of Hall in a key defender role. Think of how the Swans coaching machine have performed miracles in jerry-rigging a backline:

T Kennelly - Irishman more used to the green round ball
L Barry - underperforming forward with mis-timed leaping prowess
C Bolton - Lions cast-off unable to break into senior side
A Schauble - Collywobbles cast-off who became 2000 B&F, 1st yr
J Saddington - former wingman turned (sort of) defender
LRT (I'm stretching it) - first year Mosman second rower

IMO, Roos and the boys will have Hall up to speed in no time.

[barry]

Originally posted by Ryan Bomford
Sorry to bring this one up to the top again, I mean RHall is hardly worth a 4 page thread, but I'm starting to warm to the idea of Hall in a key defender role. Think of how the Swans coaching machine have performed miracles in jerry-rigging a backline:

T Kennelly - Irishman more used to the green round ball
L Barry - underperforming forward with mis-timed leaping prowess
C Bolton - Lions cast-off unable to break into senior side
A Schauble - Collywobbles cast-off who became 2000 B&F, 1st yr
J Saddington - former wingman turned (sort of) defender
LRT (I'm stretching it) - first year Mosman second rower

Amazing. Maybe we should be targetting Jana Pitman instead of Hall.

[Ryan Bomford]

Barry, I was thinking more along the lines of Tatiana Grigorieva - If they let her take her pole on ground she could defend against the tallest of forwards.

[CureTheSane]

Don't think it is relevant with the 'youth policy'

I believe Hall is young enough to qualify for that.

If the Swans rate him, and see a big future for him with the club, then so be it.

Personally I'd rather take a young player who has proven he has what it takes already, and another club has put the time in developing into, than some 18 y/o who played a good VFL Grand Final.

Just my POV, the draft can be a bit of a gamble at times...

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by CureTheSane
Don't think it is relevant with the 'youth policy'

I believe Hall is young enough to qualify for that.

If the Swans rate him, and see a big future for him with the club, then so be it.

Personally I'd rather take a young player who has proven he has what it takes already, and another club has put the time in developing into, than some 18 y/o who played a good VFL Grand Final.

Just my POV, the draft can be a bit of a gamble at times...

Absolutely. The jump from VFL to AFL is pretty huge and not that many really make it. Hall has raw talent IMHO and I reckon Roos could do a lot with him.

[sharpie]

Originally posted by CureTheSane

Personally I'd rather take a young player who has proven he has what it takes already, and another club has put the time in developing into, than some 18 y/o who played a good VFL Grand Final.

Didnt someone by the name of Adam Goodes get drafted purely on the basis of playing a good grand final?

Sorry, had to bring that up, pure genious that kid!

[Rob-bloods]

IMHO I think we are beating the same bush to death!

Hall is tall, and clubs like talls, there are never enough around and clubs pay (in the main) much more for a 'moderate' or 'with potential' tall than for a similar small.

Richmond are a mess, and probably they are not a fair judge on anyone's career opportunities, who played well there last year.... just Coughlan perhaps consistently.

It is understandable the Swans would want to give a 23 year old 195 cm a go, whats the problem?

Most players are a punt, national draft choices are, and most recycled players, because if they are already stars they 'rarely' move and when they do you have to give an arm, a leg, players and draft choices plus a chunk of the cap.

I am not sure of Hall's abilities, I have not commented on that, but I certainly WOULD give him a go for a reasonable sum.