I agree that the argument wasn’t about McGrath the back pocket, but if you’re going to mention Heppell I’d add Redman was not a half back at the time either and had just completed a 3 game first season where he got dropped after a full game where he had 2 disposals.
“Replacing watson with Mcgrath”??? Righto.
Replacing Watson as a clearance midfielder. Clearance midfielders don’t have to be big. We were (god save us) trying to replace Watson’s size in the contest with Langford.
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I thought about adding that McKenna, Redman hadn’t yet proven themselves as back men, Dea was a medium defender, and I think Bags played a bit as a forward before getting injured in 2016. But I thought my point was already proven that if the poster was that far off on the other three points I listed he probably didn’t know what he was talking about.
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We wanted better clearance players. If Setterfield hadn’t been linked to GWS I think most Blitzers would have wanted him as #1 pick.
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Ok, so we take Mckenna in 2014 and Redman in 2015 who are both defenders, who have not yet proven themselves by draft time 2016.
On top of that we draft another undersized
Player at pick 1, whose main trait is Being Versatile.(that is what McGrath was known for Mr Versatile, can play anywhere) to add to the already small midfield.
All the while Dodo was hoping Langford a 190cm half forward which is what he was known for pre draft could fill the bigger body hole that we where going to be left with once Jobe and Hocking retire.
Why didnt Dodo just uncomplicate ■■■■ and Draft the bigger mid Taranto who was also available, makes more sense both in hindsight and looking at list build, does it not.
This!
People think height equals clearances
Libba
Selwood
Daicos
Warner
are/were all clearance monsters, yet are hardly huge guys
strength,smarts and attack on the footy = clearances
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It does but all of those clerance mids you have listed are in teams that have bigger bodys around them. I would also like to note we already had parish and merret who were clearance midfielders on the list., we needed bigger bodied midfielders who could win there own ball, not just block.
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Kind of proves my point though doesn’t it. He was always a Def/Mid who could do both. You need to look past the initial year 1 team fit and draft for a 10+ year career in mind. Of those 6 small defenders you named, 1 is still on the list.
The McCluggage vs McGrath retrospective is a different conversation and frankly it’s been done to death, but realistically at pick 1 that’s always going to a judgement call on best available talent.
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Nick Martin and Zac Merrit are Dodoro recruits.
Also Sam Draper, Connor McKenna
Heaps of good players
It’s up to the coaches to develop them and play them in the right position
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Hey, i agree with that, it has worked out that way, even though he was recruited to be a Mid, which he is not very good at much better defender. The same could be said about Langford being recruited as a mid when he was and has always been a forward, it has also worked out.
But best available only works if you have a need or future need, there is no point continuously drafting talls if halfthe team is tall and you have not much else, is what we weee trying to say.
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I think we can all agree that the “club” strategy has been poor for a long time and the strategic direction from planning, recruitment, development hasn’t been in alignment. Everyone pointing fingers at someone else. I also don’t think we have been up to modern football and planning for what the game requires, always one step behind
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Franklin was HUGE for grass roots football in Sydney.
Thats why the Sydney academy is bearing fruit.
Hes the only player in the past 30 years that when I went to the game I couldn’t stop looking at him to see what he would do.
The best presence since Gary Ablett Snr imho.
In fact probably better. Incredible footballer Bud.
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I wanted McCluggage is because I wanted someone who could kick into the forward line. Merrett excepted, we hadn’t had one and still haven’t.
Failing that, a big-bodied mid and Taranto and Setterfield were available. Setterfield admittedly had injury problems both before and after the draft. I didn’t see any more point in a small mid.
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Setterfield was an academy player. Although I imagine if we’d bid on him with pick 1, the giants would have quite rightly let us have him.
I didn’t think Setterfield was an academy player
He was in GWS zone at the time.
Says he joined GWS academy when he was 13. Carlton bid on him and GWS matched.
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Mate, just admit you don’t know much about us then. I only read the first sentence and burst out laughing. McKenna and Redman were both forwards when drafted!!!
Didn’t bother reading the rest.
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But if you cant be bothered having a discussion, all good. I wont bother.