Swans 2013 Draft Strategy

[aardvark]

Lamb never got a game in 2012 while everyone else did - that must have hurt, and GWS were watching from the bushes. They obviously drove up beside him while he was walking home and offered him inducements to come back to Skoda stadium with them. It is a story that is in the headlines too often these days. His realisation will occur when they finally open the door and he walks into the room with such high hopes, only to find a sea of sad faces turn towards him - faces of other young men who once had the same hopes and dreams but now stare at him with the life gone from their eyes. His days ahead will be bleak. The promises he cherish will never materialise and his task masters cruel and unforgiving. He, like others, may try to escape each October when even the horrors of Collingwood seem like a refuge, but he is now at the mercy of men who will treat him only as a source of income.

Geez, I might have to send him my Leonard Cohen records, sounds like he'll need them!

[Auntie.Gerald]

If you havent had a chance as yet to watch video of the guys who have been suggested as a possible for the Swans no15 pick then have a look at the below and the names

there are some exciting prospects in the supposed "skinny depth of talent" draft

i personally think that because the "average" talent of the kids is lifting each year it creates a sense of less standouts in most peoples eyes..........look at Sam Reid getting picked up in the 50s or Luke Parker at 40..........they are serious young footballers !


AFL.com.au
Sydney Swans
Pick 15: A midfielder of top-10 talent might slip through to the Swans? pick, given a couple of late risers ? Bontempelli and Freeman ? should get into the early group. That could be Lewis Taylor, a powerful and quick 174cm runner. He could be best available at Sydney's selection
Around the mark: Jarman Impey, Luke Dunstan, Blake Acres


Midfielders - AFL.com.au

[liz]

If you havent had a chance as yet to watch video of the guys who have been suggested as a possible for the Swans no15 pick then have a look at the below and the names

there are some exciting prospects in the supposed "skinny depth of talent" draft

i personally think that because the "average" talent of the kids is lifting each year it creates a sense of less standouts in most peoples eyes..........look at Sam Reid getting picked up in the 50s or Luke Parker at 40..........they are serious young footballers !


AFL.com.au
Sydney Swans
Pick 15: A midfielder of top-10 talent might slip through to the Swans? pick, given a couple of late risers ? Bontempelli and Freeman ? should get into the early group. That could be Lewis Taylor, a powerful and quick 174cm runner. He could be best available at Sydney's selection
Around the mark: Jarman Impey, Luke Dunstan, Blake Acres


Midfielders - AFL.com.au

Reid was a pick 38, not a pick in the 50s. But still a good get at that point in the draft.

I'm wary about the highlights packages and they get a bit dull after you've watched a couple (which is about as many as I've watched). Most of them just show a player doing the exact same thing over and over, rather than give you an idea of their range of skills. Nonetheless, I did enjoy the Impey package. Very quick, slippery player whose tape includes some excellent overhead marks, acceleration away from midfield contests, skilful goal conversion and, most excitingly, excellent delivery - long and short - into the forward line. His bio indicates he's played in defence as well as up forward and a little in the midfield, so he could be a replacement for either McGlynn or Shaw.

[stellation]

I have to be honest, 174 cm doesn't fill me with too much excitement.

[Ludwig]

Of course, I'm going on draft player ratings from the experts, like Callum Twomey and Shifter, as well as the various write-ups and video. I also saw 4 of the under 18 championships on AFL video. A few big names didn't play in the champs due to injury, including Boyd and Acres. Unfortunately, Darcy Gardiner played mostly forward and didn't get much chance to impress. The clear standouts IMO were Dom Sheed and Cameron McCarthy. Billings, Scharenberg, Darcy Hourigan, Lewis Taylor and Christian Salem also caught my eye.

My guess, which is similar to Twomey's, is the top 10 will go: Boyd, Kelly, Billings, Aish, Scharenberg, Bontempelli, Kolodjashnij, McDonald (F/S:NM), Lennon and Freeman. If any of these drop to pick 15, we would have to take a serious look at taking him.

All the experts seem to think that WCE will take WA Dom Sheed at pick 11, and why not. A safe bet to be a solid AFL midfielder.

I think either Richmond or Carlton will take the 2nd best tall forward in the draft in McCarthy, which leaves 2 picks before ours. It's hard to say what GWS will do at pick 14, as they have an excess of just about everything.

So my guess is that it is likely that we will see at least one of Blake Acres, Christian Salem or Lewis Taylor at pick 15, and I wouldn't mind getting any of them. Salem is a bit like Hanners, including being a left footer, which is the only drawback IMO as we have so many. Although Taylor is short at 174 cm. he really does have the look of a Brent Harvey about him. He's so creative and can kick on both sides and was the Victorian under 18's captain as well.

Matt Crouch is probably the best genuine inside midfielder in the draft, followed by Dustan, and either one might get picked up in the top 14. I wouldn't be too interested in either, since we have plenty of inside mids. Jonathan Marsh is a bit of a wildcard as he clearly has talent, speed to burn and could be anything, but I doubt if any clubs, except GWS at pick 14, would be willing to take a risk so high in the draft. As previously noted, I don't think Gardiner is worth a pick 15, given the other options likely to be available, and he almost certainly will be gone by our second pick.

I really feel we need to nail pick 15. I expect Acres to go anywhere from pick 12 to 20 and hope he hangs around until our pick. I think he fits the kind of profile of player we need. If he is picked earlier, most likely either Salem or Taylor will slip. I would have to give serious consideration to Marsh if Acres is not available, as he almost certainly won't be around at pick 32.

I agree with lwjoyner about Cutler, but more at pick 32 or 35. I also like Ben Brown at pick 44, as this could be an option for our backup ruck problems. He's probably as good an option as Mark Seaby as an interim measure, with some real potential for the future.

I think Darcy Hourigan will be taken in the mid 20s, but if he is still available at pick 32, I would take him. Either of defenders Daniel McStay or Cameron Giles would be reasonable pick-ups for one of 2 picks in the 30s, both having the size and athleticism to be number one key defenders down the road.

How the draft goes from pick 35 onward will of course depend on what our first 2 picks will be. If we somehow ended up with Marsh and Hourigan, I would be looking for a midfielder at pick 35 and pass on the key defender at this pick. Jansen, Cutler and Templeton are all ones I like at this pick or 44. Jake Kolodjasnij is another that could well be available at 44 and even perhaps 53, and would seem worth pick at this stage of the draft, especially if we haven't picked up a key defender.

I can also see the possibility of using pick 53 for a mature age defender in either Joel Tippett or Mathew Sully of the Geelong Falcons. Both have had excellent years. NSW ruck forward Max King is another interesting pick here as well.

- - - Updated - - -

Lamb never got a game in 2012 while everyone else did - that must have hurt, and GWS were watching from the bushes. They obviously drove up beside him while he was walking home and offered him inducements to come back to Skoda stadium with them. It is a story that is in the headlines too often these days. His realisation will occur when they finally open the door and he walks into the room with such high hopes, only to find a sea of sad faces turn towards him - faces of other young men who once had the same hopes and dreams but now stare at him with the life gone from their eyes. His days ahead will be bleak. The promises he cherish will never materialise and his task masters cruel and unforgiving. He, like others, may try to escape each October when even the horrors of Collingwood seem like a refuge, but he is now at the mercy of men who will treat him only as a source of income.

Perhaps Jed can look at this to cheer him up, instead of that sea of sad faces:

richretire_185v8se-185v9du.jpg

[Melbourne_Blood]

One of our top guns Jack isn't exactly a giant, not sure what differences a few cm's makes if your role is as a small midfielder anyway. Potentially it's an advantage, small blokes are tough to catch.

[liz]

I don't think being that size matters if you're quick and slippery. McGlynn is that height, as is Boomer Harvey. Crouch wasn't much taller. Don't think Paul Williams was either. It probably means a player won't become a full time inside midfielder, but there are plenty of other roles that are important too.

[Ludwig]

I have to be honest, 174 cm doesn't fill me with too much excitement.

I would say the same. Doesn't sound good on paper, but Taylor is a very exciting package. Think Brent Harvey. If you watch a number of highlight videos, you'll see how many times the number 7 pops up on the screen, including the one of Impey, who I think is just a tad behind the others at pick 15 and likely to go before pick 32.

[MadCanuck]

I would have to agree, an exciting player, also bifooteral.

[GordonS]

I have to be honest, 174 cm doesn't fill me with too much excitement.

ditto. we have plenty of small mids coming through.

[Nico]

I would have to agree, an exciting player, also bifooteral.

You mean he kicks equally well with both legs/feet.

[Ludwig]

I think Taylor will become an elite player but we probably won't have the opportunity to decide if we should take him, as he will likely be gone by pick 15. The worry with Taylor is that he is probably better than, but with similar attributes of both Perris and Lloyd and it's hard to see all three making it into our lineup before at least one wants to leave. Given the choice, I would prefer Marsh to Taylor, if only because he fills more of a need for the team at the moment. I also think a post Goodes forward line of Tippett, Buddy, J.Marsh, Membrey, Jetta and BJ would be a daunting task for any to team to stop, also allowing both Reid and Rohan to move to the backline.

[MadCanuck]

You mean he kicks equally well with both legs/feet.

Exactly - must be a term for it.

[Meg]

Exactly - must be a term for it.

Bifooteral described it perfectly for me.

[aardvark]

Bifooteral described it perfectly for me.

Ambidextrous maybe?......although I do like Bifooteral too......