Thanks for the input, wish him well - hope he can get to the standard required, hopefully we get dibs if he gets there, dreaming of course.
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We have enough trouble finding Cat A talent, let alone Cat B talent.
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I live my life by this!
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I think you’re confusing McBride with McBryan.
McBride never debuted.
Think they mean a practice match.
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I feel like what you’re saying applies way more to Jake Long and Tex Wanganeen than their dads.
How many project players have we managed to develop?
Michael and Gavin just seemed to burst onto the scene, I don’t remember Michael Long developing his game against Preston and Coburg for a few years before he was AFL ready.
Our hit rate on project players in the last 20 years is terrible.
The only ones that I can think of who actually worked out are Connor McKenna and Tippa, who I’ll admit were absolutely worth the wait. But there must be 10-20+ failed ones for every success. That’s the balance the club needs to work out. I don’t know the answer, it’s at the discretion of the experts.
Personally I would have given Munny another year in the VFL as the Cat B is a free hit for our list. But I think 2 years is enough time, in the case of McBride, or Tex, I think this is his last year.
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Hadn’t they both played in SANFL? Wanganeen had played in finals with Port.
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Long had won a BnF in the SANFL as an 18yo in 88 before coming to Essendon
Wanganeen had kicked 46 goals in a year of SANFL football for Port Adelaide in 1990 as a 16-17yo (June birthday)
SANFL at that stage was a level above the current state leagues in comparison, so having guys who had proven to be high level SANFL players meant they were both ready to go.
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Project players say pick 55 plus.
2003 - Lovett, Lovett-Murray Rookies - both should have had 100+ game careers.
2005 - Heath Hocking Rookie
2007 - Tom Bellchambers PSD
2009 - Ben Howlett, Stewart Crameri Rookies
2010 - Michael Hibberd, Josh Jenkins Rookies
2013 - Fantasia (55), Ambrose Rookie
2014 - Conor MCkenna Irish Cat B
2015 - Walla Rookie,
2016 - Sam Draper Rookie
2017 - BZT (66), Guelfi (76)
2020 - S Durham Mid season
2021 - N Martin SSP, J Menzie Mid Season
If we included third round then get to add guys like Dyson, Slattery, Lonergan, Houli, Reimers, Hooker, Baguley, Gleeson, Mitch Brown
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Wanganeen was also a top 12 draft pick
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And Long #23
How did we get Derek Kickett to walk to us in the PSD from North?
Crazy to get delisted then play in a grand final the next year.
Then got his brother too, who was a former first round pick, should have held onto him, had decent career at Freo.
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A late pick does not neccesarily equate to a project player. I’d say a typical project player is a speculative selection, usually based on athletic traits rather than exposed form, with little expectation of an immediate return on investment.
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all those guys were speculative and likely not on many other draft boards.
as far as rucks go - Bellchambers, Draper & Jenkins fit your profile, although Bellchambers wasn’t that athletic.
IF your mainly talking Category B list players well then you have mostly irish kids - Quinn, McKenna etc.
Josh Eyre was almost a speculative pick in his draft year as was drafted based on athletic talents due to covid year and that was a second round pick and tigers were also interested.
Alex Morgan also - drafted due to his speed (second rounder)
Dalgleish - pace
Johnny Rayner - pace (alternative talent)
Agreed with most of that, I just don’t think that Hocking (TAC Cup), Lovett (TAC Cup / WAFL), Lovett-Murray (Collingwood Rookie List), Bellchambers (TAC Cup), Howlett (WAFL), Hibberd (TAC Cup / VFL), Fantasia (SANFL), BZT (SANFL / Under 18 Champs), Guelfi (WAFL), Durham (VFL), Martin (WAFL) or Menzie (TAS / SANFL) belong on the ‘project players’ list.
Although later picks, to varying degrees they were pretty much known quantities and had played a lot of footy. I’m not looking at that list saying “let’s take punt on this guy, he’s raw but in 4 years time we might have a unicorn!”.
Fantasia weighed about 60 kilos when he was drafted, he was a project.
If your discounting pretty much all footy I think your talking more about plucking a mike Pyke or a Mason Cox or Blicavs from nowhere then which is pretty much the Cat B list highly speculative.
Fantasia played in the SANFL premiership side before being drafted. He was skinny, but he was already playing against men. He played 3 games in his first AFL season. Not a project player IMO.
Anyway, I guess it all comes down to interpretation. I’ll leave it be!
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What has any of this got to do with Munkarra?
Find the appropriate thread to moan about the past.
Yes sir!
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So the reason we don’t have any category B rookies is we can’t find any?
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