2007 AFL Draft Thread.

[Nico]

In 2007, the areas in which we were most deficient were kicking efficiency and speed through the midfield.

The two best traits of both of these players seems to cover these areas.

I'm happy.

Took the words right out of my mouth. Our current senior midfield crop can't kick to save themselves. Vesper kicked more goals in a half than J Bolton has kicked in his career.

[swantastic]

You have NFI LA. ALL talk was that V was a bolter. He was no chance to last past the top 20.

All recent draft talk had him as the top "quick dasher special midfielder/forwards" along with Rioli. Exactly the type of midfielder we need.

Personally I'm very surprised that we didn't see a KP defender (Rance/Collier) or Goal Kicker (Pears/Notte/Tarrant etc.) as a higher priority.

Spot on sharp9 this time last year he was touted in the top 5.

[Robbo]

I'm relatively satisfied, but the amount of mids we have is staggering.

We will be looking to the rookie draft for KPP.

[Legs Akimbo]

Spot on sharp9 this time last year he was touted in the top 5.

You write that like somehow we picked up a bargain. He didn't go top 5 last year nor this year. For all I know he could be a gun. So could Meredith. My point is this. We are going to have a deficit of key position players in 3 years time, they had an opportunity to do something about it. I suspect they drafted a mid first round on the assumption that Collier was going to be around on the second round. He wasn't. We screwed up.

[sharp9]

deleted post.

Now, now....

Referring ONLY to your saying we could have picked up V with second pick. Absolutely not.

[sharp9]

deleted post.

There's no contradiction. We wanted Collier with pick #26 and he went to Brisbane at #25, necessitating the conference. What's your point?
Clearly the recruiters feel that a V is harder to get than a Rance.

I'm surprised they think that and I hope thatthey are right.

Seeing as most observers rated Rance a genuine AFL fullback narly ready to go, the Swans must think Vespremi is pretty something special 'cos we (more than anyone) know how hard it is to recruit a decent fullback.

Or, it could be that the whispers are true and White is the genuine article for FB.

[Legs Akimbo]

There's no contradiction. We wanted Collier with pick #26 and he went to Brisbane at #25, necessitating the conference. What's your point?
Clearly the recruiters feel that a V is harder to get than a Rance.

I'm surprised they think that and I hope thatthey are right.

Seeing as most observers rated Rance a genuine AFL fullback narly ready to go, the Swans must think Vespremi is pretty something special 'cos we (more than anyone) know how hard it is to recruit a decent fullback.

Or, it could be that the whispers are true and White is the genuine article for FB.

I have calmed down now after some concerted gardening and quick spot of voting.

I think your reply alludes to the reason for my disappointment. There is something we need right now, it was there for taking and instead we took something else, which I fear we will regret. Great, we put White at FB, who is at HF, who is at FF and who is at CHB in three years? Another considertion is that bigger guys take longer to develop, so better to start developing early. We have an abundance of players of a very similar type and yet today, we drafted two more of them. I think this is crazy.

I suspect the issue here is that Roos has a bias against drafting KPPs in the draft. He thinks you can't spot them until they are 2-3 years older, so better to pick them up in the rookie draft. He has said as much on several occassions.

I think he is wrong. I think history will show him to be wrong. The head recruiter from Geelong earlier this week said he was wrong. I think we will pay a price in several years when playes like Gumbleton, Hansen, Frankling et al are ripping us apart and we poor Jessie white who may do a knee for all we know, trying to cover all bases.

Looking at the make up of Geelong this year and West Coast last year and for that matter, most premiers, they have at least twp good tall defenders who can take on the larger forwards ajd larger forwards themselves (e.g. Scarlet and Harley, plus several taller leading forwards (e.g. Mooney, Ablett, plus young Hawkins).

As for the theory that we draft other people's KPPs. I think that is a joke. We were very lucky with Lockett and Hall and in both cases paid a hefty price to get them (e.g. James Kelly, Lenny Hayes etc.).

To close my case, I would sort of understand if we had a heap of errantly talented KPPs on our rookie list, but the fact is we don't. The fact is that our cupboard is just about bare for KPP players with proven talent or exciting potential.

our list of our current / potential KPP players today.

Barlow - not really a KPP, more of a tall Ruck rover - 194 92
Faults - Apparently doesn't want to play for us and very slight of frame 192 74
Grundy - Although I like Grundy and have defended him in this forum on many occassions, has not kicked on 192 97
Hall - May never be the player he was, jury is out. Maybe 2 years to go?
Playfair - Gumby of the highest order 198 100
Richards - only a second /third best defender 194 96
LRT - I rate LRT, but he is not a creator 196 93
Rowe 196 90 - Yet to prove he will make it
White - 196 101

You be the judge.

My only hope is we Rookie Gourdis, but I suspect he'll be gone before we get the chance.

[cruiser]

It amuses me that people on RWO deem themselves to be such experts when it comes to who we should be selecting in the draft. How the frack does anyone here have enough knowledge about these kids to be posting authoritive criticism or praise on draft selections?

[swantastic]

Swans boost running power

[swantastic]

Took the words right out of my mouth. Our current senior midfield crop can't kick to save themselves. Vesper kicked more goals in a half than J Bolton has kicked in his career.

Vespa..8 goals/4 behinds..with 14 kicks bloody impressive but was just used as a pinch hitter.

B1..Career Goals: 81..Lets not get carried away Nico you seem to be a little negative at times towards the boys.

[lwjoyner]

why the thirst for midfielders

I must agree with those who feel we need some KP players especially key defenders. Our aveerage height will be 186.675 cm the meiian 185cm. We will have 21 below this average and when you look at the players who have been recruited in the past couple of years and are languishing the the magoos Vrabazon, Moore,Schmidt (although he did play more towards seasons end) Thorntonm and Laidlaw, surely thats enough to give a chance to, As I said before Leo isnt getting any younger nor is Micky O and both have been suspect with injuries during the last 2 years, and where did we fall over mostly against the pies key defenders. I thought we should pick up a cross section and needed to balance Birdy with a least one tall and Rance or Otten would have been ideal even if we have to give them a year in the magoos we have done that frequently, I cant remember the last draft pick to immediately
go into the seniors. Roosy must have a thing against talls, but is prepared to let mid size players take a couple of years to develop when it should be the other way around bigger guys take longer.

[swantastic]

It amuses me that people on RWO deem themselves to be such experts when it comes to who we should be selecting in the draft. How the frack does anyone here have enough knowledge about these kids to be posting authoritive criticism or praise on draft selections?

I've seen Kreuzer,Cotchin,Meredith and Vespa play for the Knights and all of them are pretty impressive,i would have loved all four of them.Our time will come at the bottom where we get picks 1,2,3,4,5,i hope not but it will sooner or later.
IMO its just pot luck in the draft,a lot of so called Melbourne footy experts think the way the Swans trade away their high picks is stupid,and it will come back to bite us on the arse.
Lets just hope they have no idea,and Roosy is a trend setter,after all we have been pretty good over the last 10/11 years.

[swantastic]

On Faulks Legs, i know one of his mates and he says the same thing but he wont tell me too much he's keeping his cards pretty close to his chest.

At 192cm's and only 74kg's a strong wind would blow him over,i cant believe he hasnt put on any bulk yet.The Swans should have had him on the weights straight away.

[Nico]

Vespa..8 goals/4 behinds..with 14 kicks bloody impressive but was just used as a pinch hitter.

B1..Career Goals: 81..Lets not get carried away Nico you seem to be a little negative at times towards the boys.

Only negative about J Bolton and Bevan.

[ugg]

Here is an analysis of our picks from a non-Swans fan who watches a lot of junior footy.

11 ? SYDNEY ? PATRICK VEZSPREMI
Love this pick. Is like Dangerfield except is a beautiful kick and is more versatile. Gem.

26 ? SYDNEY ? BRETT MEREDITH
Just got better with each game he played after having no pre-season. Tough midfielder who has decent pace and uses the ball very well. Needs more confidence in his own ability to break games open though.

59 ? SYDNEY ? CRAIG BIRD
Has the potential to be THE steal of the draft this stage. Is just a clearance machine. In one of the champs games I heard one of the champion data guys say he got 9 centre clearances in a quater.

I agree with Meredith, he was a bit of a reach, but his last 6 or so weeks of TAC cup were immense. He had no pre-season and I think clubs may have thought his performances later in the season were a true reflection of his ability. Also Vez probably isn't of the strongest character (as much as I love him), so getting a team-mate to come over with him isn't a bad move.

I honestly think Sydney did as well as anyone. I just rate both Bird and Vez very highly. There are still a few handy talls available to rookie and fwiw I think that an awful lot of the talls are really up against it to make it. Last year was the draft to go tall if that's what you needed IMO.