recruiting

[madswan]

Despite the fact the we are playing so badly I think that the recruiting people have alot to answer for. Look at our list! Alot of people are saying that Willo is past it but considering he is playing off the bench we are not winning. He is the only midfielder with talent and the only player that we have that can turn a game, he is 33. Surely the recruiting staff should have looked at options 3 years ago to cover him. As much as I love Bolts and Kirlky they just dont have the skills to cover Willo.
What about a tall back, that should have been a requirement, or someone to back up Jolly inj the ruck Ball was not going to last forever and you cant rely on Doyle.
Lets not blame our players back look at what we are paying our recruiting team to employ some talent.
We have won 1 game, against Carlton, big deal, lets focus on the real problem, recruiting.

[Mike_B]

With us being pretty consistent as far as performance goes over the past decade or so, apart from the odd exception, we haven't had many top 10 draft picks at all, meaning you're not going to have as many ready made players coming onto your list who are 18 years of age. As a result, you need to either be more patient with players (and in some cases face the issue they won't make it at senior level), or see what you can get that will meet your needs, while not giving everything away for it.

Its a tough one, but IMHOit's hard to have a go at the recruiting department because our on-field performance has been solid for quite a while, so obviously they haven't been miserable failures. That said, it doesn't mean we are guaranteed to not drop down the ladder and be forced to rely on the draft to pick things up again.

[originalswan]

A little hard to knock the recruiters, especially after a Premiership season. The young guys drafted pre season I believe are all midfielders (which answers your query) and we addressed the tall issue as well as we could with Richards & Chambers - Give them a few more weeks before knocking them.

[liz]

LOL.

We are the reigning premiers. That's right, the recruiting team managed to pull together a list good enough for Roos and co to mould into the best team in the competition last season. And all done, as Mike points out, without the benefit of many top picks nor F&S "gifts".

[ihamilto]

Another thing I am not prepared to write off Willoughby and Schmidt just yet both have had injury concerns, the matches I have seen Willoughby play in he has shown wonderful skills if only he was a little taller.
cheers Ian

[Lucky Knickers]

The entire competition all acknowledge that tall KPP, particularly backs, are not available via the draft. Every team has to develop these. Same with Rucks. The Jason Balls of the world are not available to draft. We missed a shot at Everitt last year but if you think that any team will let a decent Ruckman go - you are dreaming.

I think Sydney recruit incredibly well and manage their list to field a consistent top 8 team. We've only missed the finals twice in 10 years - and won a premiership. That's better than a significant slice of the league. I don't know the results but surely we must be not far behind Lions/Essendon for consistency over that period?

Whilst I'd like us to pick up a couple of tall backmen and a good Ruckman like Cox/Brogan - it's unrealistic.

Give me a competitive team and regular finals appearances than a top 2 pick in the Rookie draft thanks.

[goswannie14]

Re: recruiting

Originally posted by madswan
Despite the fact the we are playing so badly I think that the recruiting people have alot to answer for. Look at our list! Alot of people are saying that Willo is past it but considering he is playing off the bench we are not winning. He is the only midfielder with talent and the only player that we have that can turn a game, he is 33. Surely the recruiting staff should have looked at options 3 years ago to cover him. As much as I love Bolts and Kirlky they just dont have the skills to cover Willo.
What about a tall back, that should have been a requirement, or someone to back up Jolly inj the ruck Ball was not going to last forever and you cant rely on Doyle.
Lets not blame our players back look at what we are paying our recruiting team to employ some talent.
We have won 1 game, against Carlton, big deal, lets focus on the real problem, recruiting.

Were you saying the same thing last year after 4 rounds? Get real...we won the premiership and as LK said, have only missed the finals twice in 10 years.

[Legs Akimbo]

Re: recruiting

Originally posted by madswan
Despite the fact the we are playing so badly I think that the recruiting people have alot to answer for. Look at our list! Alot of people are saying that Willo is past it but considering he is playing off the bench we are not winning. He is the only midfielder with talent and the only player that we have that can turn a game, he is 33. Surely the recruiting staff should have looked at options 3 years ago to cover him. As much as I love Bolts and Kirlky they just dont have the skills to cover Willo.
What about a tall back, that should have been a requirement, or someone to back up Jolly inj the ruck Ball was not going to last forever and you cant rely on Doyle.
Lets not blame our players back look at what we are paying our recruiting team to employ some talent.
We have won 1 game, against Carlton, big deal, lets focus on the real problem, recruiting.

Are you insane madswan?

[hammo]

As others have pointed out, our recruiting policies (as well as medical staff) have been credited with winning the premiership as much as the players themselves.

I do however share your concerns about the midfield. Too many defensive midfielders in there and no one coming through in the mould of Willo. However, how much is this due to recruiting (we seem to only draft midfielders) or unimaginative coaching?

I say unimaginative because we seem scared to play anyone other than the defensive midfielders / taggers in Kirk, Bolton, Mathews and Ablett in the midfield.

Buchanan was a revelation last year because he showed some attacking flair.

Nick Davis is potentially our best midfielder but rarely gets the chance to show his wares, while Tadhg has never been tried there.

And Goodes should start every match as a ruck rover.

[Thunder Shaker]

Re: Re: recruiting

Originally posted by Legs Akimbo
Are you insane madswan?

His name is madswan. Perhaps he is.

[Legs Akimbo]

Re: Re: Re: recruiting

Originally posted by Thunder Shaker
His name is madswan. Perhaps he is.

Could be mad in the sense of insanity or possibly is 'mad' swan because he is 'angry' at our recruiting policy. Possibly MadSwan's name is a clever pun to communicate he is both angry and insane, in which case I am not going to argue with him.

Madswan, are you insane, angry, or just clever for using a name with a double meaning?

[goswannie14]

Re: Re: Re: Re: recruiting

Originally posted by Legs Akimbo
Could be mad in the sense of insanity or possibly is 'mad' swan because he is 'angry' at our recruiting policy. Possibly MadSwan's name is a clever pun to communicate he is both angry and insane, in which case I am not going to argue with him.

Madswan, are you insane, angry, or just clever for using a name with a double meaning?

You forgot the possibility that it could also mean he is mad about the Swans.

[Legs Akimbo]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: recruiting

Originally posted by goswannie14
You forgot the possibility that it could also mean he is mad about the Swans.

Possibly GS14, possibly. But he has posted only 22 times since joining in May 2004 which doesn't fit the picture that well.

[Thunder Shaker]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: recruiting

Originally posted by goswannie14
You forgot the possibility that it could also mean he is mad about the Swans.

Makes sense to me

As to his original point, well I disagree.

Ruck - We recruited Jolly last year, Chambers this year. We have Ericksen and a couple of others on our list.

Midfield - We've recruited several midfielders in recent years. Moore, Brabazon, Laidlaw, Thornton, Spriggs, Malceski, McVeigh are just a few. Not all of them will make it but that is the lottery of recruiting.

Defense - Richards and Vogels. Richards could also be a replacement forward for MOL when he retires. Not the same class of course but the net is being cast.

I don't remember the positions of all of the players we've recruited - both in the draft and the rookie draft - but the impression I get is that they are recruiting two or three years ahead of the need.

[goswannie14]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: recruiting

Originally posted by Legs Akimbo
Possibly GS14, possibly. But he has posted only 22 times since joining in May 2004 which doesn't fit the picture that well.

Maybe that should have been my name!