Rookie Draft 27/11/13 - Official discussion thread

[savatage]

This has been an excellent trade-national draft-rookie draft period for the Saints.

We've completely rejuvenated our list. Great signs for the future.

Absolutely killed it this year!

...let's just say it was about time.

But I felt we plugged enough games into the bottom half of the list last season to ensure they would be battle-ready for 2014.

Add those kids to our trades, and we have a decent 22 that will perform very strongly (in consideration of what our ultimate aim is).

If we can get another 10+ games through Bruce, Dunstan, Billings and Acres, and hopefully 5+ games through Weller and Templeton, it'll be a great development season, with the prospect of another strong year of picks in 2014.

All things being equal, we'll have completely turned over our list in that time with a mixture of elite talent and competitive prospects.

Feel we're a bit light on for long-term top-quality KPP forwards but have a feeling we'll see some come onto the open market in coming years. There's no way GWS will be able to keep FOUR first-round power forwards on their list, for example.

Great time to be a Saints' fan, IMO.

Next year is the key forward draft anyway. It's going to be exciting to watch Sandringham this upcoming year!

[savatage]

Ahmad Saad continues to train with us, which is good news. I'm sure we'll consider him for 2015 as his ban expires.

Not fussed about Ahmed. Great kid - but he's not up to the standard IMO.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

i disagree on Saad ... i think he is up to standard , this year he was suffering from the second year blues (happens to lots and lots of players) hopefully he does get back into the AFL and can restart what has been put on hold

[savatage]

i disagree on Saad ... i think he is up to standard , this year he was suffering from the second year blues (happens to lots and lots of players) hopefully he does get back into the AFL and can restart what has been put on hold

Cool, agree to disagree on that. He couldn't even get a kick at VFL level this year. Showed to me a complete lack of understanding of the game.

[evertonfc]

Feel we're a bit light on for long-term top-quality KPP forwards but have a feeling we'll see some come onto the open market in coming years. There's no way GWS will be able to keep FOUR first-round power forwards on their list, for example.

Great time to be a Saints' fan, IMO.

Next year is the key forward draft anyway. It's going to be exciting to watch Sandringham this upcoming year!

Absolutely. Exciting to see who pops around around the 5-10 mark, which is where I expect our first pick to be.

At VFL level, I do wonder what Cameron Conlon will get up to in the next 12 months...he could still be a very good AFL player (speculatively, of course).

Ahmad Saad continues to train with us, which is good news. I'm sure we'll consider him for 2015 as his ban expires.

Not fussed about Ahmed. Great kid - but he's not up to the standard IMO.

I rate him higher than TDL and Milera, unless Milera gets his body to the required standard. And with Milne gone, and a question mark over Schneider's fitness, we're short in quality finishers. Shane Savage certainly helps, however.

I wouldn't write Saad off completely just yet, but the others have a huge head start to knock him out of contention for 2015.

[savatage]

Feel we're a bit light on for long-term top-quality KPP forwards but have a feeling we'll see some come onto the open market in coming years. There's no way GWS will be able to keep FOUR first-round power forwards on their list, for example.

Great time to be a Saints' fan, IMO.

Next year is the key forward draft anyway. It's going to be exciting to watch Sandringham this upcoming year!

Absolutely. Exciting to see who pops around around the 5-10 mark, which is where I expect our first pick to be.

I do wonder what Cameron Conlon will get up to in the next 12 months...he could still be a very good AFL player.

Ahmad Saad continues to train with us, which is good news. I'm sure we'll consider him for 2015 as his ban expires.

Not fussed about Ahmed. Great kid - but he's not up to the standard IMO.

I rate him higher than TDL and Milera, unless Milera get his body to the required standard. And with Milne gone, and a question mark over Schneider's fitness, we're short in quality finishers. Shane Savage certainly helps, however.

I wouldn't write Saad off completely just yet, but the others have a huge head start to knock him out of contention for 2015.

Terry has more AFL ability in one finger than the other two combined - if he actually had a physical side to his game, he would be an AFL footballer...as it stands.....

Don't get me started on TDL. He was a mate of the coaches & wouldn't have gotten picked otherwise...although again at VFL level he performed a lot better than Ahmed.

[savatage]

I rate him higher than TDL and Milera, unless Milera gets his body to the required standard. And with Milne gone, and a question mark over Schneider's fitness, we're short in quality finishers. Shane Savage certainly helps, however.

Don't forget about Darren Minchington - who will be better than the lot of them IMO.

[evertonfc]

I rate him higher than TDL and Milera, unless Milera gets his body to the required standard. And with Milne gone, and a question mark over Schneider's fitness, we're short in quality finishers. Shane Savage certainly helps, however.

Don't forget about Darren Minchington - who will be better than the lot of them IMO.

Well, we certainly need him to be!

[stinger]

I'm hoping for...

First pick - Eli Templeton or James Battersby.

Second pick - Maverick Weller.


I think we'll get a choice of Battersby or Templeton with our first pick. Both are good choices. I'll take Battersby, purely because he's played so much senior footy (http://www.news.com.au/national/sturts- ... m-breached).

And I don't think anyone else will touch Weller now that he's so publicly committed to us. He offers tremendous upside from the rookie list, where he gets zero guarantees.

good pick

[stinger]

No Darren Jolly makes it even better!

Yep

one ex=filth is enough....

[jimmy_slats]

Quick someone say something negitive!!!

Can't believe we got rid of Benny Mac & Dal!

:sarcasm:

Fewww for a second there i was starting to feel optimistic haha

[footynut]

Next year is the key forward draft anyway. It's going to be exciting to watch Sandringham this upcoming year![/quote]

Absolutely. Exciting to see who pops around around the 5-10 mark, which is where I expect our first pick to be.

At VFL level, I do wonder what Cameron Conlon will get up to in the next 12 months...he could still be a very good AFL player (speculatively, of course).

[quote="savatage"][quote="evertonfc"]


I was looking at Cameron Conlon this year, but think it's a smart idea to watch this guys play at VFL (hopefully). If he gets his body right he could be a bargin next year, as he appears to have all the attributes to play AFL.

[Con Gorozidis]

So Eli Templeton has a 15.6 beep test which is excellent.

Also had a quick look at the draft combine results/records and noticed Spencer White has a 100cm running jump- one of the highest ever.

[evertonfc]

I'm hoping for...

First pick - Eli Templeton or James Battersby.

Second pick - Maverick Weller.

I think we'll get a choice of Battersby or Templeton with our first pick. Both are good choices. I'll take Battersby, purely because he's played so much senior footy (http://www.news.com.au/national/sturts- ... m-breached).

And I don't think anyone else will touch Weller now that he's so publicly committed to us. He offers tremendous upside from the rookie list, where he gets zero guarantees.

good pick

I need to get a job as a recruiter

Seriously, two great picks by the Saints.

In fact, I agree with every single trade, national draft selection and rookie draft selection. I mean, they've all been common-sense deals.

Personally, I'd have pruned out a couple of extra senior players at trade who are on stupendous coin and seem pretty content to wallow in their off-field exploits, or in some cases, conquests.

(Given Sam Fisher turns 32 next year, I'd have been pretty keen to see what GWS were offering. Yes, I'd have done a straight swap for Bruce in order to keep the draft pick, but the club didn't want to. For the record, I'd have taken young WA forward Jonanthon Marsh with that pick. He ended up at Collingwood. No big deal, however - a 10/10 trade-ND-PSD-RD period for mine.)

[saintbrat]

where's the kiwi kid fit in...thought he was type b

Good question. Presumably Baker-Thomas comes over here this year to train with the side? Or is he still too young - maybe he's another twelve months away?

http://www.saints.com.au/news/2013-12-1 ... e-the-move

[saint6709]

Next year is the key forward draft anyway. It's going to be exciting to watch Sandringham this upcoming year!

Absolutely. Exciting to see who pops around around the 5-10 mark, which is where I expect our first pick to be.

At VFL level, I do wonder what Cameron Conlon will get up to in the next 12 months...he could still be a very good AFL player (speculatively, of course).

I was looking at Cameron Conlon this year, but think it's a smart idea to watch this guys play at VFL (hopefully). If he gets his body right he could be a bargin next year, as he appears to have all the attributes to play AFL.

Anyone seen this guy play this year ??

[borderbarry]

I think this should be a thread of its own, for 2014 rookie draft. We will probably be picking for all four rookie spot.