Dodoro talked up Ridley as being an excellent forward who’d kicked 6 in one game at TAC level IIRC
Combine that with his pace, obvious marking ability and winning the kicking test at combine and the talent is there to work with.
Just has seemingly a lot to work on body wise but won’t be the last player to be drafted as a whippet not expected to contribute for a number of years.
Can anyone tell me why GWS and many phantom drafts opted to go with Taranto instead of McCluggage for their pick 2? As I understand they are both the same type of players, same height with Huge the more polished player. However Taranto is nearly 10kg heavier which makes him a ready made player but I still don’t see him pushing out guys like Greene, Smith, Johnson and Lids anytime soon.
Can anyone tell me why GWS and many phantom drafts opted to go with Taranto instead of McCluggage for their pick 2? As I understand they are both the same type of players, same height with Huge the more polished player. However Taranto is nearly 10kg heavier which makes him a ready made player but I still don't see him pushing out guys like Greene, Smith, Johnson and Lids anytime soon.
I would answer… but it’s still too soon for me to talk about Mc#3age… :sadface
We were blessed with fletcher for the last 3 decades. A good 3rd tall defender thats mobile, reads the play well, intercepts and flexible enough to play tall/small are really hard to come by. Ambrose (25), Brown (26) and possibly Francis are our current options. If Francis is pegged forward, Ridley could be really important structurally in 2-3 years time, when ready to take over from Brown and Ambrose who really are only stop gaps on current output.
Can anyone tell me why GWS and many phantom drafts opted to go with Taranto instead of McCluggage for their pick 2? As I understand they are both the same type of players, same height with Huge the more polished player. However Taranto is nearly 10kg heavier which makes him a ready made player but I still don't see him pushing out guys like Greene, Smith, Johnson and Lids anytime soon.
Taranto is more AFL ready right now as he is 10kg heavier. GWS has plenty of outside mids. Taranto is more inside then McC, and also a better mark.
He will be a great player. Any other club would have picked MCC, but GWS are a whole different story.
WHERES THE FKG MEDIA TEAM WITH THE FKG INTERVIEWS?
Something something comeback story
The club must have had cutbacks on digital content. There’s been ■■■■ all videos and we’ve had the #1 pick!
We had one small interview with McGrath and a video of him on speaker to Dois.
Look at what’s available for GC, Brisbane, Freo, etc. for their draftees. They’ve got ■■■■ loads of content.
ps. Sick of the ■■■■■■■ iSelect ad on every video. Can’t they alternate?
Nah - It seems like the camp at Cerebus is super serious.
Just read the first page of this thread and can't believe the lack of excitement and criticism this draft class is getting
Accusations of playing it safe and only going after one type of player?? Yeah nah, not sure where youre coming from.
Obviously pick 1 was down to preference, and it’s fine to feel as if McC was the better option, but those of who acting like he’ll only be a good player for us are kidding themselves. McGrath was taken with the potential to be an elite mid. He has the pace and tale-the-game-on attitude that the current game is made for. Not to mention the fact that he has an elite attitude that will match his footballing ability.
Ridley was a great pick. Rated at 14 in Brett Anderson’s rankings based on potential, and having many of suitors in the 20’s, it wasn’t as much as a reach as some are making out. This kid, as Brett Anderson says, has the potential to be anything. He’s 192cm, a marking threat, agile and reads the play as good as any. With no other sliders available, Ridley was one of the best next options for us. Only Witherden would have been another good get, but the upside attached to Ridley is to tempting (I reckon Witherden could end up one of the best from the draft though). Looking at the next 10 picks after Ridley and there is no one else that really screams high quality like Ridley does.
Begley was a bit of a left-field pick considering he didnt play championships and was a late call up to the Eastern Ranges team, but also considering that he was only of local footy standard at the start of the season, he’s progress has been outstanding. Begley has great power, great skills, soft hands on the lead and even midfield ability. With a proper pre-season under his belt and his body in prime position, Begley could seriously be anything. Apparently had many clubs who liked him in the 20’s, so a good pick up at 31 I think. Has potential to be an inside bull who kicks goals… not something we need or anything…
Mutch is an inside outside mid who accumulates the ball at will. Averaged 32 possessions for Bendigo this year and kicks off both feet. Can lack impact at times, but he’s a potential future pillar of our midfield IMO. He may be a bit vanilla, but we needed to start building our midfield and for the pick we got him for, Mutch was a great option. Rated at 13 by Gary Bucknenara, the kid has obvious potential.
Clarke is a bull and again something we need with the likes of Watson and co getting older. He was All-Australian this year and all of those who know him believe his work ethic alone will make him a star at the next level. Some were talking of Clarke as a possible chance for our pick 20/29, and we got him at 68. IMO he’s kicking needs some serious work to not be caught out at the next level, but the kid is too good on and off the field to pass up at pick 68.
People thought it was a safe draft, yet are the same ones to complain when we take a half-back flank instead of the pure mid. We have an aging midfield and needed to address it. We did so in 2 steals in Mutch and Clarke. Ridley and Begley are also seen as future midfield option after development, both with massive potential. And obviously McGrath, who will only take 1 game for you all to be aboard his bandwagon.
As one of those not so enthused by this year’s draft crop, can I ask an opinion on leg speed of the new group? It seems to me that outside of McGrath we didn’t pick anyone with genuine leg speed for the midfield, which concerns me.
Just read the first page of this thread and can't believe the lack of excitement and criticism this draft class is getting
Accusations of playing it safe and only going after one type of player?? Yeah nah, not sure where youre coming from.
Obviously pick 1 was down to preference, and it’s fine to feel as if McC was the better option, but those of who acting like he’ll only be a good player for us are kidding themselves. McGrath was taken with the potential to be an elite mid. He has the pace and tale-the-game-on attitude that the current game is made for. Not to mention the fact that he has an elite attitude that will match his footballing ability.
Ridley was a great pick. Rated at 14 in Brett Anderson’s rankings based on potential, and having many of suitors in the 20’s, it wasn’t as much as a reach as some are making out. This kid, as Brett Anderson says, has the potential to be anything. He’s 192cm, a marking threat, agile and reads the play as good as any. With no other sliders available, Ridley was one of the best next options for us. Only Witherden would have been another good get, but the upside attached to Ridley is to tempting (I reckon Witherden could end up one of the best from the draft though). Looking at the next 10 picks after Ridley and there is no one else that really screams high quality like Ridley does.
Begley was a bit of a left-field pick considering he didnt play championships and was a late call up to the Eastern Ranges team, but also considering that he was only of local footy standard at the start of the season, he’s progress has been outstanding. Begley has great power, great skills, soft hands on the lead and even midfield ability. With a proper pre-season under his belt and his body in prime position, Begley could seriously be anything. Apparently had many clubs who liked him in the 20’s, so a good pick up at 31 I think. Has potential to be an inside bull who kicks goals… not something we need or anything…
Mutch is an inside outside mid who accumulates the ball at will. Averaged 32 possessions for Bendigo this year and kicks off both feet. Can lack impact at times, but he’s a potential future pillar of our midfield IMO. He may be a bit vanilla, but we needed to start building our midfield and for the pick we got him for, Mutch was a great option. Rated at 13 by Gary Bucknenara, the kid has obvious potential.
Clarke is a bull and again something we need with the likes of Watson and co getting older. He was All-Australian this year and all of those who know him believe his work ethic alone will make him a star at the next level. Some were talking of Clarke as a possible chance for our pick 20/29, and we got him at 68. IMO he’s kicking needs some serious work to not be caught out at the next level, but the kid is too good on and off the field to pass up at pick 68.
People thought it was a safe draft, yet are the same ones to complain when we take a half-back flank instead of the pure mid. We have an aging midfield and needed to address it. We did so in 2 steals in Mutch and Clarke. Ridley and Begley are also seen as future midfield option after development, both with massive potential. And obviously McGrath, who will only take 1 game for you all to be aboard his bandwagon.
As one of those not so enthused by this year’s draft crop, can I ask an opinion on leg speed of the new group? It seems to me that outside of McGrath we didn’t pick anyone with genuine leg speed for the midfield, which concerns me.
Not a heap of leg speed, but is it a massive need with Colyer, Tippa, McGrath, McKenna and even Zaka? I think we have enough for now, and am very happy with the pure footballers weve drafted. Heaps of upside
And to add to my previous rant, who would you guys have preferred we drafted at our picks?
Honest question, because looking at the players who went after each pick, there arent many that I would have wanted.
Pick 20. Only Witherden would have been a good get here IMO.
Pick 31. Pure insiders Joe Atley and Willem Drew could have been nice
Pick 40. Poholke or an addition to our key back stocks in Maibaum would have been ok, but Mutch fills a need more and is more proven
Pick 63. Larkey and Kerr would have been decent gets to fill our KPP stocks, but the club was obviously focused on filling our midfield stocks and we did so with a bloke many rated in their top 30-40
Dodoro talked up Ridley as being an excellent forward who'd kicked 6 in one game at TAC level IIRC
Combine that with his pace, obvious marking ability and winning the kicking test at combine and the talent is there to work with.
Just has seemingly a lot to work on body wise but won’t be the last player to be drafted as a whippet not expected to contribute for a number of years.
The thing about outside speed, is the kids who do it often come on a bit faster. So leaving that for next year is fine by me, as I agree with the poster above the focus of this draft was 2019, not 2017. In the short term, better endurance for Raz, Walla, the return of Colyer and the potential around McKenna/McGrath/Eades/Morgan is probably sufficient to improve our pace.
Can anyone tell me why GWS and many phantom drafts opted to go with Taranto instead of McCluggage for their pick 2? As I understand they are both the same type of players, same height with Huge the more polished player. However Taranto is nearly 10kg heavier which makes him a ready made player but I still don't see him pushing out guys like Greene, Smith, Johnson and Lids anytime soon.
I would answer… but it’s still too soon for me to talk about Mc#3age… :sadface
The thing about outside speed, is the kids who do it often come on a bit faster. So leaving that for next year is fine by me, as I agree with the poster above the focus of this draft was 2019, not 2017. In the short term, better endurance for Raz, Walla, the return of Colyer and the potential around McKenna/McGrath/Eades/Morgan is probably sufficient to improve our pace.
One thing just to add - this is also affected that Morgan, Eades, Long and McKenna are all out of contract at the end of this year. All may make it, or none of them. We'll have seen how Colyer has returned, and a first year of McGrath at the footy club. Evaluating where our outside pace is may make more sense at the end of the year. If Eades bounces back, Long and McKenna progress, and Morgan gets over his injuries we may be saying "what need". If McKenna returns to Ireland, Long can't make the jump, and Eades and Morgan are cut we'll be screaming out for more outside pace. We should have a much greater idea in 10 months time.
You may find that after 2014 was a forward utilities draft (Lang/Lav), 2015 was talls (Francis/Brown/Hartley) & speed (Walla, Morgan, Eades), 2016 was midfielders, that 2017 might end up being an outside speed draft for us with a tall or two thrown in.