Who Should We Draft?

Football Discussion Trade week Duursma head in
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It'll be very interesting to see how our list management strategy changes next year once we have proper draft picks again.  How much has our recent emphasis on free agency and picking up recycleds been mandated by our lack of alternatives?  Given we've been pretty conservative with delistings over the last couple of years (so much that there could easily be 6-8 main list changes coming up at the end of next season), will we look to draft deep into the late rounds or will we bring in more recycleds?  How will that affect the gametime/development of our young blokes?  And given that quality free agents are generally towards the end of their careers, how will that affect our age profile?  Can a club under the current rules sustain a high-quality list through continual topping up?  If a club tries, what will the strategy do to its age profile and ability to attract/develop young talent?  t's all very much up in the air, given how new the rules are.
 
No secret I'm generally more in favour of drafting rather than poaching/recycling to build a list, though there is of course a place for both and a large part of my preference is based less on actual rational analysis and more on the fact that I hate cheering for players I despised at their old team!

I agree that there are a heap of players who will need to have decisions made on them next year - Dalgiesh, Kav, NOB, Jerrett, Browne, Hams, Aylett, Steinberg, Ashby, Gleeson (if he went backwards in 2015) plus the older possibilities in Fletch, Winders, Gwilt and Chapman. That's twelve senior list and two rookie list players that would need to show a certain level to justify 2016 contracts.
The thing is, even after the sanctions expire we still only have one 1st and one 2nd round picks to use (well, as long as nobody does a Ryder). If 6-8 of those above needed to go/retired, then even "without sanctions" that is still 4+ late picks for the senior list. So I think the club will still look closely at the free agents and discards, especially if our performance has us in the premiership window.
I think the success of Hawthorn and Sydney in using traded, recycled and FA players will also influence ours and others thinking for a while. Both have shown that you can keep a team at the top of the ladder a long while utilising these approaches. If EFC could go back and change things so the sanctions didn't exist, I don't think that would be at the cost of Cooney and Chapman. I think it would be at the cost of a NOB, Aylett, maybe Edwards. And I think the lsit would be stronger with both the young talent and older talent there.

 

Don't reckon we would be close to cutting 12 players if our performance had us in the Premiership window.  I do get your point on the post and I think it is a great post.

 

Well, I said 12 were up for review. I also then said if we cut 6 we would still be using 4 late picks. I agree if we're in the slot the chances of delisting 12 are low. They're probably low full stop, that would be a huge turn-over.

 

 

a lot depends on rookies too.

hypothetically for example say winders, fletcher retire

 

Chappy, Gwilt plays on, jerrett, gleeson, Ashby, Dalgleish all play well and get a new contract and we delist

NOB, Steinberg, Pears, Browne, Hams, Aylett,  & Trade Kav to the Crows

 

7 main list changes & 2 rookies .....we might then upgrade Mckenna, Long,McKernan,  

then having 4 picks in the national draft.  & 4 rookies.

 

or 3 national draft picks if we get dangerfield as a free agent.

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IMHO  EFC have been badly affected by the spillover of the Mercuri 5 year contract. His basic inability to contribute quality performance and the impact on our salary cap hurt us badly. It could be argued that all AFL contracts were shortened for a period. We were very reluctant to give anyone a contract over 2 years. Dawks have said lately  the're  not prepared to give more than 4 years to anyone. The ability of most players to be a major contributor for over 6 years is problematic.  I still can not believe the Dogs contract with  Tom Boyd. I hope we are not tempted to do anything similar.

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IMHO  EFC have been badly affected by the spillover of the Mercuri 5 year contract. His basic inability to contribute quality performance and the impact on our salary cap hurt us badly. It could be argued that all AFL contracts were shortened for a period. We were very reluctant to give anyone a contract over 2 years. Dawks have said lately  the're  not prepared to give more than 4 years to anyone. The ability of most players to be a major contributor for over 6 years is problematic.  I still can not believe the Dogs contract with  Tom Boyd. I hope we are not tempted to do anything similar.

Agree. Be happy enough to offer that to a genuine quality player (a Sloane, Dangerfield, etc) under 25; but not very many of them come on the market - ever.

Boyd deal has the potential to be a serious millstone around their neck. Heard young Cordy (one of the other Dogs' recruits) talking abuot training with "one of the game's dominant forwards". Took me about 4 minutes to work out who he was talking about. Dominant at the contract negotiations and not much else.

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We’ve seen those 4-5 years handed out to ‘big name’ players because of the expansions teams having extra cash to splash around.

IIRC, GCS were after Deledio when they first started, Tiges offered him a 5 year deal leaving everyone shocked. We did the same soon after with Hurls.

But yeah, that 9 year deal for Buddy is beyond ridiculous.

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We've seen those 4-5 years handed out to 'big name' players because of the expansions teams having extra cash to splash around.
IIRC, GCS were after Deledio when they first started, Tiges offered him a 5 year deal leaving everyone shocked. We did the same soon after with Hurls.
But yeah, that 9 year deal for Buddy is beyond ridiculous.

swans making last ditch attempt at maximising the COLA. given they knew afl wouldnt break existing contracts.

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IMHO  EFC have been badly affected by the spillover of the Mercuri 5 year contract. His basic inability to contribute quality performance and the impact on our salary cap hurt us badly. It could be argued that all AFL contracts were shortened for a period. We were very reluctant to give anyone a contract over 2 years. Dawks have said lately  the're  not prepared to give more than 4 years to anyone. The ability of most players to be a major contributor for over 6 years is problematic.  I still can not believe the Dogs contract with  Tom Boyd. I hope we are not tempted to do anything similar.

 

There would be one player on our list that as a list manager, I would re-sign tomorrow for a 7 year contract. Dyson Heppell. His value will only increase over the next 7 years.

 

However, if I was Dyson Heppell, I wouldn't sign that contract. I'd back myself that within 3 years, I'd be a Brownlow Medallist and multiple All Australian. Then I would hold out for the huge $$$ that will be offered from other clubs, and use that to get more out of Essendon.

 

But...

 

I reckon Dyson's probably a much better bloke than I am. :D

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Hepp is worth twice as much as Boyd on a bad day. Not complaining, but he’s every right to ask for top ~5 pay packet within his little demographic

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Hepp is worth twice as much as Boyd on a bad day. Not complaining, but he's every right to ask for top ~5 pay packet within his little demographic


And then some.
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DILLON VIOJO-RAINBOW is still around and on the draft nomination list.

Purely for the name alone and to hear Jackets read it out we should pick him up.
Will make a very a good addition to our hyphenates.

TEVITA TAMA HALLETT-TAUALI’I is another strong candidate.

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Decent bump.

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Decent handle

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Might make benfti happy and for that reason, I’m against it.

1 Like
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Sounds like potential 2019 recruit Jack Martin is primes for a big one this year. I assume Essendon will come knocking on his door again?

Motivated Martin ‘best on the track’, says Dew

Riley Beveridge

GOLD Coast is confident a meeting with Jack Martin late last year will help the speedster overcome an unsettling off-season and fulfil his lofty potential in 2019.

Suns coach Stuart Dew met with Martin after last year’s NAB AFL Trade Period, during which the talented West Australian was strongly linked with a move to Essendon.

It was one of a number of meetings that took place within the Suns following the exchange period, the majority of which were organised and run by the playing group.

The Bombers ultimately couldn’t secure a deal for Martin, instead turning their attentions to Dylan Shiel, though their interest in his services is unlikely to waiver throughout the next year.

Uncontracted beyond 2019, Martin remains one of the club’s most important players, with his signature looming as a key part of Gold Coast’s continued rebuild under Dew.

However, in an exclusive interview with AFL.com.au, Dew reiterated that simply allowing the talented 24-year-old to flourish was his and the club’s main priority going into this season.

“We’ve spoken to Jack about how important the year is for him, but also for us as a footy club,” Dew said.

To be honest, Jack is the best on the track at the moment. He’s training really well, he’s really motivated and he’s driving the group. Jack’s got such a high footy IQ, so when he speaks everyone listens

"Everyone is loving Jack at the moment with the way he’s going about it. It’s great to see, because the new coaches have come in and the first thing they talk about is how good Jack Martin is. He’s held up his end of the bargain.

“He’s got really fit, so we’d love to play him in the midfield a fair bit. We know he can play forward and hit the scoreboard, but I think Jack is hungry for a bit more responsibility.”

The whispers surrounding a proposed move taking Martin to Essendon came when former co-captains Tom Lynch and Steven May left for Richmond and Melbourne respectively.

Aaron Hall, Jack Scrimshaw, Kade Kolodjashnij and Jarryd Lyons had also left the club in a period of upheaval as the Suns started yet another list rebuild.

It led to the club’s new breed of leaders –Touk Miller, David Swallow, Jarrod Witts and Pearce Hanley – calling a meeting to discuss what was expected of the remaining group.

“We had some meetings, but they were more at the end of the season about what we thought was needed for the footy club to move forward,” Dew said.

"Pleasingly, a lot of the senior players were the ones driving that. In the last meeting before they went on holidays, the leaders took that meeting and spoke to the playing group about what their expectations were and how they thought we were going to climb the ladder.

“We handed it over to those players, which were Touk, Dave, Jarrod and Pearce. I think the guys did really well across the journey of that break and came back fit.”

Dew said the club didn’t hold any official meetings of the coaching group surrounding last year’s player exodus, but addressed the squad as to the reasons behind their strategy.

“What we did was inform the playing group about why decisions were made,” Dew said.

“Of the guys that left, a lot of people thought they just left. But there were some guys where it was a mutual decision and we thought it was best for them and best for us as a footy club.”

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November 2019…
So Adrian, Jack Martin you must be delighted to have finally secured the deal?
We certainly are, look Jack’s someone we hold in the highest regard and we’ve been keen to get to the Essendon Football Club for some time. He’s a super talent, and a great addition to the club and Jack will bring a lot of pleasure to our members and supporters.

What do you think he will add to the list?

Look firstly Jack’s a quality player, a quality man with an outstanding constitution and we’re incredibly fortunate to have him at the football club. We actually liked Jack as a 17 year old when he was picked up by the Suns. We’ve loved seeing the growth and maturity of a kid who’s had to relocate at a young age. Look most people see Jack as a player with great skill (and there’s no doubt about that), but in actual fact he’s also a leader of men, has genuine care for his teammates and we think he will be an outstanding addition to the playing group.

Where do you see Jack playing? The List management commttee identified the need for extra polish on the outside, and we were attracted to Jack’s ability to provide that link through the midfield and deliver forward with his great foot skills. But the great thing is that Jack’s equally comfortable at playing behind the ball and up forward and has done so already with some success . Not to put pressure on him, but we see him as still having enormous upside. There is a bit of Shaun Burgoyne in Jack, and so he helps us build further on a group who are trying to ensure are as versatile as they can be.

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You’re point?

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Is this one of those “shipper” fanfics where the two leads from a TV show (like Mulder and Scully or Jake and the Fatman) finally bone?

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Those ships are more likely to be Mulder/Smoking Man (and yes, I’m aware, only makes it more likely).

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10/10

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I don’t see us having the currency to get Martin.

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You mustn’t have been reading some of the other threads today