They rated him very highly at GWS by all accounts so let’s wait and see there. It’s definitely nice getting back into that 2018 draft
I don’t think Dunkley would have done anything more than sneak us into the eight again. He doesn’t fix three of the holes you’ve pointed out there and we’re not about to fix those quickly. We also have a couple of massive gaps to fill down back with Saad and McKenna going.
As I’ve mentioned before I think we need three really good hits at the draft to rebuild the list to challenge for a premiership and I am fairly worried we will lose Zach next year as well
Recruiting Dunkley would have:
halved the number of first round picks we have over the next two years
lifted our performance in 2021 and pushed our 2021 pick back a few slots.
reduced the value of the compo pick that we will get if Merrett leaves
Now we get 4 first rounders minimum over 2020 and 2021 and potentially an extra early first rounder (i imagine top 6-7 ish) if Zach goes as a FA next year. PLUS an opportunity to make some big FA bids.
I don’t really see how Dunkley was really addressing that issue, other than maybe helping getting us in the bottom 5 rather than the bottom 2.
I’m certainly not putting faith in 3 draft picks to save Rutten’s job, either.
Basically, I think we’re farked for a few years with or without Dunkley. He would have been very nice ( I get it, I was keen) but the price was too much, imo.
It will be interesting to see what we do next year. I think we can say with confidence we will have a top 10 pick, probably top 6.
If we are serious about a rebuild we have to make some hard calls next year. No one over 25 should be off limits. Hepp, tippa, Shiel, Smith could all be shopped. Hurley hooker and zaka are probably all too far gone to be worth anything.
yep. if dunkley plays next year, where do we finish, maybe 3-4 spots higher? maybe, at best. my position all along was to not sell the farm and spend two high end picks
I for one, am rapt we have three top 10 picks and added caldwell who could be a midfielder for 10 years
Oh I agree. But at 23 you’ve got at least 5 good years in him to address those other issues. Getting Dunkley would not have stopped us from looking to get into to next year’s draft but shopping hepp and tippa for example. We still might
Yeah that’s a reasonable analysis over all. To be clear I’m not devo Dunkley deal didn’t go through. I do feel though that we’ve either been played for sucker’s or had an unrealistic idea of what Dunkley would cost. either reality reflects poorly on disco. Of course he may also just have held his nerve and not paid ridiculous overs
It is pretty funny and very ‘us’ that in a draft that apparently has a clear top 5 picks that stand out above the others that we would have picks 6,7 and 8.
The outcome is neither a win nor a loss, it’s the type of hand you get when you finish lower table and players want out. I’m relieved we didn’t blow it on players who would have eaten into the salary cap and demanded long term deals. If we take off the rose coloured glasses it’s recognition we’ve been going nowhere for decades, having been stuck in the mid table doldrums. Even this year we somehow failed to drop into the pointy end of the draft. 3 decent picks is a reasonable return but brace yourself for some ordinary performances coming up. We couldn’t score to save ourselves when it counted this year and if you can see a magic answer let the coaches know. Another 3 years minimum till we start to rise up providing we stick to the course.
Only one game plan needed next year, play the kids!
The odds of any recruiter getting 3 guns with those 3 picks is very low. Setting your expectations that high is pretty silly.
Especially given:
a) by the time we get them, those picks will be 2-3 spots later due to academy picks
b) every Victorian kid is being rated on their U17yr form.
To be fair, it only has a clear top 5 picks because there was no meaningful u18 season in Vic. I guarantee, if the NAB league had gone on as normal, these guys wouldn’t be the top 5.
With 6, 7, 8 you could do VERY well if you’re good at talent id based on underage performances. Or you could very easily whiff entirely, which is one of the reason I expect us to use at least one of those picks to try to trade into next draft.