Rate the 2011 draft

[ShockOfHair]

2012 draft seems to have been a good one, though it's far too early to tell.

I began this by thinking it was also too early to judge the 2011 draft, but the scorecard isn't too shabby - even though those picked didn't play 10 games between them. What do others think, especially about Lockyer and Brown (I don't know enough pass any judgement on them)?

Swans 2011 draft
Swapped pick 79 for Morton - a definite win
Swapped Johnston for Armstrong - looking like a winner

Picked Mitchell (21) - looking a safe bet
Walsh (35 & 68) - still a project player?
Lockyer (43) - ?
Alex Brown (61) - ?
Nathan Gordon (85) - gone.

We also rookied Harry C, Shane Biggs, Campbell Heath (traded to Port) and Jack Lynch.

[MightyBloods]

2012 draft seems to have been a good one, though it's far too early to tell.

I began this by thinking it was also too early to judge the 2011 draft, but the scorecard isn't too shabby - even though those picked didn't play 10 games between them. What do others think, especially about Lockyer and Brown (I don't know enough pass any judgement on them)?

Swans 2011 draft
Swapped pick 79 for Morton - a definite win
Swapped Johnston for Armstrong - looking like a winner

Picked Mitchell (21) - looking a safe bet
Walsh (35 & 68) - still a project player?
Lockyer (43) - ?
Alex Brown (61) - ?
Nathan Gordon (85) - gone.

We also rookied Harry C, Shane Biggs, Campbell Heath (traded to Port) and Jack Lynch.

Too early to tell. If you really want to gauge a good year or not then its an interesting exercise to go back about 8 years and look at the draft/trades. I sat back the other night to look at each year and listen to the calling of the draft picks on youtube as well......cringe worthy and shaking of the head listening to all clubs reading out the names and seeing the trades. I'll look at the 2011 and 2012 years in similar light.

[Ludwig]

It really is quite amazing how few players make it big time from each draft. They all are made to sound like the next Chris Judd, but the reality is different. And they fail in so many different ways: Some are duds from the start, others are injury plagued, and some just peter out like Jarrad Moore or Mathew Bate (or the countless others that got delisted with a few dozen games under their respective belts).

[Dosser]

Yes, and in the same way that you know that summer is coming by the use of the word 'tinderbox' in the media when referring to potential bushfires, we are also prepared for the inevitable draft quote from every team saying "we were really surprised to find player X still available at pick Y. We really rate him and we are rapt that he was still available..." etc.

With breathtaking ignorance and lack of foresight on my behalf, I will go out on a limb and say that this year's recruits look too much like those that we moved on through delistings so I dont hold too much hope for them. Membrey is the only one who has me a little interested as he could provide us with something that we dont have up forward, but beating defenders in the TAC cup is a lot different to playing against AFL monsters.

[MattW]

2012 draft seems to have been a good one, though it's far too early to tell.

I began this by thinking it was also too early to judge the 2011 draft, but the scorecard isn't too shabby - even though those picked didn't play 10 games between them. What do others think, especially about Lockyer and Brown (I don't know enough pass any judgement on them)?

Swans 2011 draft

Swapped pick 79 for Morton - a definite win
Swapped Johnston for Armstrong - looking like a winner

Picked Mitchell (21) - looking a safe bet
Walsh (35 & 68) - still a project player?
Lockyer (43) - ?
Alex Brown (61) - ?
Nathan Gordon (85) - gone.

We also rookied Harry C, Shane Biggs, Campbell Heath (traded to Port) and Jack Lynch.

Walsh is looking a little sketchy for those picks.

[rojo]

Our picks are a little bit bemusing like back when we got Benny McGlynn, TDL and Lamb, all for the one kind of position which the Swans game plan doesn't really accommodate. This time while we already have Armstrong, Lockyer and Brown, we add Dick, Marsh and Towers. It looks like Grundy, AJ and Smith are going to be around for some time yet and Mal too. One wonders how many of these last two lots of draftees are actually going to get a game.

I am a bit sad that Tim O'Brien was still available for our first pick and we didn't grab him. Maybe a sign that we are sure of getting KT.

[wolftone57]

Brown is going to be a good player and Lockyer moves very well and is very balanced but he spent so little time on the field it is so hard to tell. I think if he gets fit, with his balance he could be a real star defender but time will tell and getting him on the park is a priority. Dosser I find this new lot have very little in common with the likes of Heath, Lynch, Gordon, TDL, Meridith, Spangher or Moore. Two are HB's certainly but unlike Heath and Lynch, who both player more key roles, they are running HB's a little like Mal and AJ. Towers is a winger and his delivery is far superior to Nathan Gordon by the video's I have seen. I was always a fan of Nipper by the way but he just didn't come on. He is also far faster than the mids we delisted or traded. Membrey is interesting as I don't think there has been a player like him for a while. People keep suggesting Fev but Fev was taller even though he is in some ways a similar build. Probably a mix between Fev's build and Modra's height. He is strong at Junior level and takes a great contested mark but the move up to AFL level is what sorts them out. He also leads well according to all the reports and is a FF candidate if we don't get Tippett.