2008 Draft discussion

[shaun..]

Anybody else a fan of Casey Sibosado? It would be completely un-Roos-like, but Yarran at 12 and Sibosado at 30 would be an incredible injection of raw forwardline talent into our side. The trade-off is an elevated risk of failure. Sibosado has been touted as potentially the next Buddy Franklin, but the key word is "potentially". Apparently inconsistent, etc. Quite like Yarran.

Haven't heard or seen much of him, but he goes alright. Would be awesome to have another magician in the side.

What's his measurements, future KPF?

[jono2707]

Haven't heard or seen much of him, but he goes alright. Would be awesome to have another magician in the side.

What's his measurements, future KPF?

Who cares about his measurements? Some of this would be good.....

http://www.ntnews.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2008/05/13/NAB_Under_18_Qualifying_series_at_Casey_Fields.jpg

[annew]

Is Rhys O'Keefe related to Ryan???

[Robbo]

There is little chance he'll "slide" to 12. So 30 is not even worth entertaining. All draftees come with risk attached but I don't see why Yarran is considered a greater risk than most of the other highly touted youngsters - especially the physically undeveloped talls.

His attitude is the thing really. He will either be a gun or a complete flop at AFL level if you ask me.

He is considered by many (including me) as the most talented youngster in the draft. But the clubs know that his down side is pretty significant which is why nobody has him going at number 1.

[BSA5]

Haven't heard or seen much of him, but he goes alright. Would be awesome to have another magician in the side.

What's his measurements, future KPF?

I think I read he's around 192 cm. Doesn't look like his body has settled though. I reckon he'd have another couple of centimetres in him yet. In any case, tall enough to be a key forward whatever happens, as he has more than enough jump to make up for a couple of centimetres. He's regarded as a key position player. I heard he can play back as well, which suggests he has more to his game than party tricks, and knows how to do the tough, simple stuff well.

[shaun..]

Would he last till pick 30, or good enough for pick 12? He does look like an exciting type though

[SimonH]

I asked font of all draft knowledge Emma Quayle (to please, please tell me we weren't going to take Suban at #12), and her response was:

Can't help you too much Simon - everything I hear at the moment is pointing to Suban at No. 12, although I'll be interested to see if Steele Sidebottom takes their interest if available. Then again the Swans pulled a surprise last year with Pat Veszpremi - and he should definitely bring a bit of x factor over the years!

If we don't take Suban, we'll take Sidebottom. Gee-zus. I'm going to be an unhappy man on Saturday unless a quality tall falls to #30 (reasonably likely) and we pick him (fairly unlikely).

Vespa might have been a surprise, but not as much of a surprise as us actually picking anyone over 188cm in the first 2 rounds.

[SimonH]

To counterbalance the above pessimism, Matt Burgan's official afl.com.au phantom draft has us taking Johnston at 12 and Suban making it to 30. Here's hopin'.

Burgan's list of players who have been "linked to" the Swans at #12 and 30 (and 61 for that matter) is wide and eclectic, including all body sizes (well, except ruckmen) and levels of unexpectedness (i.e. there is a chance that we'll take at 12 someone who would otherwise-- unless we took 'em at 30-- have lasted into the 40s).

[hammo]

To counterbalance the above pessimism, Matt Burgan's official afl.com.au phantom draft has us taking Johnston at 12 and Suban making it to 30. Here's hopin'.

Burgan's list of players who have been "linked to" the Swans at #12 and 30 (and 61 for that matter) is wide and eclectic, including all body sizes (well, except ruckmen) and levels of unexpectedness (i.e. there is a chance that we'll take at 12 someone who would otherwise-- unless we took 'em at 30-- have lasted into the 40s).

Like you, I am concerned at the comments of some of the informed draft watchers. Instead of just taking the best tall, Burgan speculates we might go for someone who would otherwise go in the second round. It's typical Swans to be too cute by half with their drafting tactics. I'll be as unhappy as you on Saturday if some of these scenarios play out.

I don't know much about Suban but surely we have enough 180cm type midfielders!

[SimonH]

I don't know much about Suban but surely we have enough 180cm type midfielders!

Great left foot disposal, good ball sense to compensate for lack of express pace, can work inside or outside, probably got some leadership skills too.

Exactly the kind of kid that you'd expect the Swans to draft. (If you're a cynic, you might say 'except for the foot disposal part'.)

[Jeffers1984]

But i want Yarran

We'd be a pretty exciting team to watch with Vesz and Yarran running amok.

[Robbo]

I'd rather we take the chance on Yarran than take Suban. FFS how dumb would we have to be to take another midfielder. Seriously sometimes I think our list is managed by complete morons.

[liz]

Like you, I am concerned at the comments of some of the informed draft watchers. Instead of just taking the best tall, Burgan speculates we might go for someone who would otherwise go in the second round. It's typical Swans to be too cute by half with their drafting tactics. I'll be as unhappy as you on Saturday if some of these scenarios play out.

I don't know much about Suban but surely we have enough 180cm type midfielders!

Don't agree with that sentiment. Picking the player they want the most at pick 12 is rational behaviour. They shouldn't be worried about whether some draft pundits think this player is only "worth" pick 24 or 25. If they want someone, don't think he'll be around at pick 30, why not pick him rather than someone they don't want because others think he should go around pick 12.

That said, I'll find it hard to get too enthused with Suban at pick 12. He may well be a fine fine player of his type, but he does sound like a type we have plenty of already. Either height or silky class would be nice with pick 12.

[BSA5]

It seems to me that when it comes to Emma Quayle, she is an excellent judge of talent (looking at some of her predictions last year, she hit the nail on the head on some relatively uncelebrated-at-the-time draftees), but poor at predicting which clubs will take which players (I didn't notice too many that she got right in that respect).

So hopefully, despite her knowledge on the players themselves, she's wrong about us going for Suban. Not that Suban isn't a promising player, but yeah. I'd much rather Yarran, if still available, or if not, Johnstone/Trengove.

[hammo]

Don't agree with that sentiment. Picking the player they want the most at pick 12 is rational behaviour. They shouldn't be worried about whether some draft pundits think this player is only "worth" pick 24 or 25. If they want someone, don't think he'll be around at pick 30, why not pick him rather than someone they don't want because others think he should go around pick 12.

Understand what you're saying, my point though was that some have speculated Suban will still be available at #30, so on the face of it our willingness to use #12 doesn't appear to be logical.

Just like any phantom draft, I am sure the Swans' recruiters have a good idea of which players will fall where and will be making their selections accordingly.