Draft Skinny!!! Think again.

[Nico]

I love the talk at this time of the year. Someone trots out the same line every year... "It's a skinny draft this year".

What a load of crap. If you watched the U18GF today you would probably think otherwise, and these were only the 2 sides that made it. What about the other sides in the comp, and the Allies against The Rest game unearthed players who didn't even play in the National Championships. Let alone what is in Perth and Adelaide.

The Calder Cannons have a host of good quality players and the Eastern Ranges even though soundly beaten had some quality to burn. The one I named recently Mathew Bate looked the goods as did a guy called Josh Wilson who played a top game down back then kicked 3 goals when moved forward in the last Q. His finishing at both ends of the ground was superb and he didn't even get considered for the Nationals.

We can't lose sight of the continuing need to recruit youth. It's all very well looking for the elusive/mythical gun midfielder, but lets not fall for the "top up theory at all costs" for the sake of it, like we have in the past, to our peril.

[robbieando]

Nico, saying that is all well and good but with Pick 15 in the draft at this stage, what are the chances of us drafting a kid who will make an impact next season???? I say no chance, because of club policy not to play 1st year rookies in the seniors unless forced to because of injuries.

I don't think trading away our first few picks this season will in the long term hurt us unless we do it again in 2005, because of the kids we have drafted since Roos took over. We a close to pushing for a premiership and the only way we'll make the jump is if we trade for quality players in the positions we need them in.

If we get a ruckman (Ottens) and midfielder (Bruce/Ball/Notting/Crawford) and have Dempster, Schmidt and Willoughby step into the senior side the chances of us making the Grand Final for a chance to play for the premiership next season is greater than if we draft some young kid with pick 15 who won't even play a senior game.

Other than that you make a very good point on the quality of the draft being underrated. Drafting is important but so is trading - just look at Port today 9 players from other clubs.

[Nico]

Agree Robbie. It is a juggling act trying to get good youth and a quality player or 2 in the draft period, but too many times we have seen clubs throw out the baby with bath water in the name of top ups. eg. Hawthorn and Richmond by their own admission.

It may well be the club policy not to play youth in their first year, but hell if there is one out there they can snag who is ready in year one, why be so rigid that they pass him over.

I bet Jessie W. Smith son of Ross who played today plays in year 1, he is a talent, and why would you not play Jessie D. Smith, BOG today, who is clearly a midfielder of great talent.

Sometimes clubs hang on and hang on to older players who don't give a side much, because they "hang on to dubious experience" believing it is better than raw young talent. I don't want us to that.

[swan_song]

It's a juggling act for sure, and you can't please everyone. Youngsters for down-the-track success (hopefully but at any pick, and especially at 15, not guaranteed) or experience to shore up memberships and sponsorship with perhaps another top8 finish.??? Which way? Roosie has said that we can't draft another batch of young players this time round as we have these past couple of years...we need to see what is available among the experienced players, and/or trade judiciously. We should have room under the salary cap to secure a couple of good quality experienced players...whether we will, or indeed if any are available that suit our needs is another matter.

I thought it quite interesting that Terry Wallace took a swipe at us for not developing home-grown talent..."recent b&f winners and captain coming from other clubs etc"... I don't think we have a monopoly on that...plenty of other players have found their way to other clubs...Buckley isn't a homegrown talent at the pies...Kernahan wasn't at Carlton...or Bradley...or the vet for that matter or McGuinness at footscray... Or Viduka at 'Boro, Kewell at L'pool for that matter...or Beckham at Real...it's a silly argument, IMO.

I just hope that whatever we do, we get it right....no Bomfords, Rhinos, Daffies or the like.....

[Nico]

Agree Swansong and a worry that I have is that there seems to be a number of discards already. Wonder how many clubs will pick them up on the basis that they can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

Interesting to see what Rocket Eade does. Will he try to follow Pagan?

[swansrule100]

wether theres depth in the under 18s isnt that relevant for 2005

how many years does a first year dratee even play let alone have a great influence?

[Damien]

Originally posted by Nico
Interesting to see what Rocket Eade does. Will he try to follow Pagan?

I am told with good authority that Eade on reflection is dirty at a lot of advice given to him by support staff at the Swans over the 7 years regarding draftees and recruits and this is part of the reason why he has also taken on the Football Manager's role at Whitten Oval.

(Perceived job safety of drafting scouts was recently brought up by Tony Shaw on WLF) It does seem they can get away with recruiting crap.

Will be very interesting to see how it all goes for Rocket - even though I don't think their is a chance in hell that his first two picks will be going anywhere.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by Damien
I am told with good authority that Eade on reflection is dirty at a lot of advice given to him by support staff at the Swans over the 7 years regarding draftees and recruits and this is part of the reason why he has also taken on the Football Manager's role at Whitten Oval.

Any wonder? Eade only discovered that in Joh Stevens he had drafted a guy with a history of open heart surgery from the press. He worked out ok ~ for a pre-season draftee ~ but either someone hadn't done his research or kept it to himself. I think the former is more likely.