How Many Will Leave?

[satchmopugdog]

Disappointed about Faulks...I liked the cut of his jib...maybe he had issues. Have just experienced a year for my youngest daughter who is of that age and the pressures it put on her. The moving interstate,finding their feet,relationships etc.etc. It nearly broke her and she is tough so it is understandable that not all the recruits will be able to cope.

I hope he can find a good life.

[ugg]

I'm not saying this in reference to Faulks or Bruce or anyone in particular, but off field issues as well as one field ones would have been taken into account when deciding whether to retain the player.

As for Bruce himself, just going on that HS article alone, clubs have retained more than 2 rookies so it's not a size issue. I don't like his chances of being picked up again.

[Primmy]

Oh dear. Well somehow I was not surprised at seeing Faulks delisted. I once said he was still very slight in build, but he did not appear to have to temprement (sic) to go hunting the ball, know what I mean? But at the same time he appeared to be a safe defender. Guess we will find out in time.

However, delisting Kris is a bit of a spin out. Perhaps the year out was too much for him? Or its all part of the master plan and he will be picked up again ah la Monty.

[Triple B]

With the new rules re: rookies (can be promoted after Rd 11 regardless of long term injuries) it makes a lot of sense to delist Thornton and pick him back up as a rookie.

MOD and Smith are more or less ready to go now, but Thornton, irrespective of how close he was before injury, will need time to get back up to speed after his reco. It is a common theory that it takes 2 years to completely overcome the reco, the usual 12 months post-op then another 12 months to get back to where they were before.

If Thornton bucks the trend and shows great form in the first half of the year, he can still play seniors in the second half of the year.

[Primmy]

Good, I like Thornton, he is quick between the ears. I also like MOD and Smith, they have character and could instill spark. We need a couple of "characters" to enliven the playing list.

[Robbo]

Thornton could be picked up by another club in the ND.

[ugg]

Coming off a major reco? Very risky, only chance is if WC or Freo trump us in the Rookie draft.

[royboy42]

I thought Thornton was showing genuine class before the injury...hope he's picked up by us again.

[Jeffers1984]

Thornton could be picked up by another club in the ND.

That is the main concern considering Freo and Eagles have first dibs before us.

Would by mighty pissed off if someone else got Thornton if we planned to rookie him.

[Robbo]

Coming off a major reco? Very risky, only chance is if WC or Freo trump us in the Rookie draft.

Big chance to be picked up by the WA clubs. Freo in particular need to fill half of the spots on their list. I could see them taking Thornton with pick 70 something.

[Robbo]

But do we really want to rookie Thornton?

We have so many mids already it's ridiculous. We promoted another two today. I'm not saying Thornton can't play, but he isn't anything special. Is it worth the effort when we really need to start recruting talls?

[SimonH]

Almost every club still isn't over their youth infatuation (in fact it's got worse with the hype that would have you believe no existing club will be able to draft any decent 18yos in 2009 or 2010). So no matter how good he's capable of being, no-one in the ND will have time for a going-on-21yo who hasn't yet played a senior game and now has a troubling injury history.

That said, those teams who have a pick in the RD before us, could really screw us over if we want Thornton back. Not too fussed either way as we already have a plethora of blokes of his size (and about his age).

Faulks is another matter. Almost certainly off-field issues played a part in the decision because of his stellar on-field year in 2008 (at least for most of it). Guys who play down back and are over 190cm hardly grow on trees-- blokes who have those attributes and have shown they can cut it among men by the age of 20, even less so. We're lacking depth down back (and are short on quality tall youth generally), making it even more important that we prioritise taking a KPP with pick 12. I'm not holding my breath, though.

[Robbo]

God if we take more midfielders in this draft we are in big trouble.

[hammo]

Some strange decisions there. Who exactly will play key position in the backline when Leo does his next hamstring?

[UglyDuckling]

Some strange decisions there. Who exactly will play key position in the backline when Leo does his next hamstring?

Looks like Jessie White or Heath Grundy is going to take Leo's spot with Brendan Murphy waiting in the wings. Personally I hope Murphy goes to CHF when O'looughlin and Hall go and the No. 12 pick from this years draft goes forward aswell. With vez playing the small forward nick davis role.