Sam Collins looks to be a very good pick, that's for sure. But we didn't pick him ahead of Marcus Adams (who also looks likely to become an excellent player); the Bulldogs took Adams with 35, and we took Collins with 55. I suspect we may have had our eye on Adams with 55.
The larger issue is that we should have both of them: Adams was available, and overlooked completely, the year before. It seems that there were some extenuating circumstances behind Adams' non-selection, but to me a big guy, from your own state, who took some time out from footy before getting back into it with gusto, seems to be exactly what the rookie list is for.
Another way to look at the whole situation (that is, where two likely-looking, solid tall backs have been overlooked by every club for a couple of entire drafts before being recruited and showing the whole talent-identification process up as a bit.of a farce) is to say that drafting, for all of the bulldust that goes with it and all of the people paid to assess junior talent and so forth, is pretty difficult. Or, if you prefer, not done very well.
