In the best traditions of football, the morning recovery session is over and it’s time to turn our attention to the next game.
Rookie draft is on Monday (so’s the PSD but we don’t have a pick). We currently have 3 spots available, although may take as few as 1 if we re-rookie McKernan and Eades. There’s also the special Category B rules this year which mean that anybody who has been nominated as a multicultural/indigenous zone player can be picked as a rookie B player (no draft, we just take them). This means we could be adding anywhere from 1-6 new players on Monday.
I hope we fill the Category B list, which I don’t think we’ve ever done, because it seems like leaving money on the table, no matter how marginal their prospects are. We have 3 Category B spots open after upgrading McKenna, and there’s also been some talk of us linked to an American guy by the name of Travis Wilson. Our Category B nominees are Aaron Tatchell, Ben Ronke, Muhammad Saad, Ovie Magbegor, Hisham Kerbatieh, Ozgur Uysal (full list here http://bomberblitz.com/discussion/discussion/comment/876053/#Comment_876053).
Personally I wouldn’t bother with McKernan, and with Eades it really depends why he got delisted in the first place and whether he’s fixed/fixing that. Given our draft haul means our list now has a lot of inside mids, I’d be looking for a ruck and some small forwards with genuine speed. Then again I’m always hoping for small forwards, so not much change there. I wouldn’t be averse to a genuine fridge shaped tall forward either, but getting one of them in the rookie draft is unlikely.
Eades, I think tell him to play VFL for the year and see how he goes, if he improves maybe rookie next year.
I was some pace and flair with our remaining rookie selections. Let’s go for guys with sublime skill and are fast and agile, even if they are either skinny or a bit tubby.
Look at Ronke and the American for Rookie B selections.
Lebois - well we need a CHF in the Davey mould. I think our list is so strong, that we can afford to take a massive risk on a kid that can do some special things.
Hepp A - I think we should always look to elevate our best VFL player to the AFL list. And unless we think our #1 draft pick is a back pocket, then we still have a need for an alternative to Bags
Mckernan - We have a desperate need for another ruck. Be very surprised if he isn’t on the rookie list.
Hoping we get our pick of the rookie B list players we’ve named as well. To my knowledge none of them have been taken yet either.
XRichards is a possibility. I’d rather another young genuine ruck though with long term potential.
AHeppell or another small defender needed too.
Can’t see how Eades stays now given he has shown very little, we picked up Green and McGrath can play fwd also. We’ll look at small fwds in the rookie B list selections IMO.
McKernan is now a must. I’d like Benfti’s boy that’s still there, the 192cm utility. Frank. Him or Liam Ryan. If another decent ruck prospect was there I’d grab them otherwise some more outside run would be good.
Our draft reduced HepA’s chances you would think, and would similarly rule out Scharenberg. We covered defenders and inside mids.
Unless you think we're going to be in flag contention next year (and if so, more power to you) I just don't see the point of McKernan.
What do we do if Bellchambers and Luey get injured? One way or another we need another ruckman on our list.
Absolutely we need another ruckman on the list. Probably two. I’d prefer neither of them be McKernan. It’ll be his third year on the list as a last resort stopgap player. If nothing else, we could at least try out another last resort stopgap delisted player.
Have to keep McKernan unless we can find a better ruck option. No issues with taking Richards. Not a desperate need, but given we drafted a bunch of midfielders nice to balance it up.
Otherwise I’d be looking at an x-factor type. Someone like Kym Lebois.Maybe Frank. Etc.