You’ve stuffed up Tsatas - lift your game
That’s better
It was Scott’s preferred line up at the end of the season, and mine.
Draper’s marking is and was so far superior to Wright, it’s not even a conversation.
He’s definitely more mobile than Wright, but what isn’t.
Kicking is obviously miles behind Wright, but it’s not a complete train wreck anymore.
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Plus, Wright has been a forward forever.
Draper played the role in the back half of this season. There is so much the big guy could still learn about playing the role.
What Peter will never have is Drapers aggression and confidence.
This year
Draper in 16 games took 49 marks, and 11 goals
Wright in 14 games took 60 marks, and 19 goals
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Are you serious?
This year Draper played as a first ruck, and Wright played as a key forward. Suggesting a simple mark and goals comparison proves anything is insanity, if I’m being extremely generous to yourself.
In the last 4 games, when Bryan played first ruck, Draper took 7 contested marks and kicked 6 goals whilst still playing back up ruck, something Wright rarely had to do.
And he provided a contest that Wright simply did not create for the rest of the year.
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Good ruckman take marks around the ground. Draper averaged under 3 per game this year. Needs to do more. He is not a forward, and 2 MP at his best is so much better as a forward than Draper will ever be. Will 2MP ever reach that level again, maybe not, but could, Draper never will.
Draper is a ruckman and that it all he will ever be.
Draper definitely had 2MP covered in terms of presence up forward in 2024 as 2MP was horribly out of form for most if the year…
I think we will play Bryan as primary ruck in 2025 and Draper as key forward/back-up ruck in the seniors, with Caddy & Jones to rotating through CHF.
I see 2MP likely starting in the reserves in the hope he can kick a few bags of goals, get his confidence up and rediscover the form that netted him 53 goals in 2022
That’s got to be the slowest bench of all time.
Bryan out for Guelfi and Jones out for Tsatas
Is the sub still a thing next year?
Oh I completely agree Draper could do more around the ground, when he is played in the ruck.
But to suggest the number of marks he takes around the ground when playing in the ruck, would be the same as if he was played as a key forward is just hilarious.
But then again, here you are telling us that Wright is a better mark, so how else could you back that up? You certainly can’t use anything relevant.
Nope didn’t say that at all, I actually compared him to Elite rucks like Grundy and Gawn.
At his best Peter Wright is a better mark and kick, but we have not seen him at his best for two years. Maybe he will find it again, though not perhaps with the way Scott organises a forward line. Same for Draper, as if he is to be a forward then you need to have capable small blokes at his feet, like Walla and Hooker combo. While I may be having a go at players, reckon coaching and match plan is a lot of the problem.
Not disagreeing with you but Nic Nat played 17 games and took a total of 13 marks (8 of which were contested) in the 2020 season. He was subsequently named all-australian and won west coast’s b&f.
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Good point, he also didn’t kick many goals, but in 2020 he had nearly 500 hit outs and most of them were to Weagles advantage, did the same in 2021.
If Sam Draper could hit the ball to our blokes, I would not care if he never took a mark.
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From watching his performances over the 2024 Season, I think Gresham is NOT by any measure a clear starter in the best 18 and depending on match ups may need to spend time in the VFL in 2025 unless he’s able to improve the regularity of his better performances over a full season.
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I can’t see any reason for Gresham to be picked at all.
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And Wright had a ■■■■ season this year too.
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Based on 2024 agreed, he will have a big 2025…he went through some personal issues back end of the season.
First season for him in the red n black, along with McKay and Duursma all which will be better prepared going into 2025.
For Round 1 they need to walk out like this…
B: Ridley McKay McGrath
HB: Redman Hayes Roberts
C: Duursma Merrett Durham
HF: Martin Wright Perkins
F: Kako Caddy Langford
R: Draper Parish Caldwell
I/C: Bryan Tsatas Hobbs Gresham Cox
Emg: Shiel Jones El-Hawli
Next in line - Guelfi
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Hes a ruckman that kicks good goals but sometimes has brainfarts.