OK, this is not a mock draft...I hate them. Noone can know what 1 club is thinking with ANY degree of certainty, so to guess on all 16? Just too hard.
Instead, I thought I would look at what we at Freo will possibly be faced with when each of our choices come around.
True - this is a very slight variation on a Mock Draft but the fact is that there is a scandalous lack of blogging going on right now so there's a fair chance someone might read it.
The premise for this is that I will use our picks and look at the players I believe MAY be around at the time we get a choice. Each will have the pros and cons and then I'll make the pick I would make. I'll even be arrogant enough to suggest what I think Freo would do faced with the same choice.
What I'm not arrogant enough to do is provide a summary of the attributes of each player. It would be complete plagiarism as I would only be regurgitating the stuff I've read on the comprehensive Inside Footy draft edition (get it if you are interested in this stuff) and on a summary article on the 75 kids done after the draft camp that I got sent to me. It appears somewhere in print but I don't know where.
Round 1 - Pick 3
This isn't the be all and end all choice that many are making it out to be. Draft success is built on making a number of good choices, not getting a royal flush on your first hand.
Likely Available & In the Mix.
Nik Natanui. Eagles simply won't have the nuggets to make this pick. Expect him to be there.
Stephen Hill. Proposed by The Worst propoganda machine as the next most likely for us. Good enough to be in the mix.
Hamish Hartlett. My GOD what a name. SA middy.
Chris Yarran. Maybe too high but our only chance at him.
Jack Ziebell. Strong Vic middy.
Tyrone Vickery. Vic ruck kiddy.
Who I would Take.
Nik Nat.
Who I Think Freo Will Take.
Nik Nat.
The stars line up for us, for Nik, for Daniel and even for the Fowl. Everyone ends up where Buddha would place them if he was still running things. Chris Yarran is awfully close here I reckon.
If the scum do find the creative side of their poop filled minds and take Nik, then change both of the above picks to read Rich.
Round 2 - Pick 21
Possibly Available & In the Mix.
Clancee Pearce. Black Duck with guts. HB or mid.
Neville Jetta. Another duck, slightly less guts, more excitement. Small fwd.
Mitch Robinson. Biggish Tas middy.
Nick Heyne. Vic fwd/middy.
Who I Would Take.
Mitch Robinson.
Who I Think Freo Will Take.
Mitch Robinson.
A genuine midfielder who won't be around with our next pick. Tassie boy so no "go home" to worry about and I think they'll gamble that the WA boys will still be there with no WCE picks before our next one.
Our recruiting guys were gutted to see Yarren, Hill, Walters & Swift all go before we picked here. Even MORE gutted to see some promising careers flushed away when 2 of them went to the Budgies. RIP.
If any of Walters & Swift are available at this pick, we'll take 1 of them.
Round 2 - Pick 24
Possibly Available & In the Mix.
Clancee Pearce.
Neville Jetta.
Matt deBoer. Claremont mid.
Ryan Schoenmakers. SA fwd. Murph & Kiwi's last chance so this could be a good backup.
Jordan Lisle. Vic KP back.
Who I Would Take.
Jordan Lisle.
We need KP backs and this guy is apparently the best left by now. After this the KPP field drops drammatically whilst the mid and small fwd pool dwindles only a little. I would be gambling that either Pearce or Jetta is still around by our next go.
Who I Think Freo Will Take.
Clancee Pearce.
People will wring hands and say we need midfielders but you can fill a need there by getting this guy to play on the HBF. That relieves Mundy and gets him in the guts. The Silicon Chimp Mundy was very effective clearance wise late last year.
Round 3 - Pick 37
Possibly Available & In the Mix.
Matthew deBoer.
Adam Cockie. Subi mid.
Chris Hall. Zippy mid/fwd.
Luke Shuey. Vic mid.
Who I Would Take.
Matthew deBoer.
Who I Think Freo Will Take.
Matthew deBoer.
Clearance specialist with good size. Cockie will be there later as will options at small fwd. Shuey & deBoer are line ball so go the local.
Round 4 - Pick 53
Possibly Available & In the Mix.
All of this is guess work but from here on its really, really guess work simply because of the permutations of who is still available and who isn't and how wrong I could be about that. Anyway...
Adam Cockie.
Chris Hall.
Ian Richardson. SF from Claremont.
Casey Sibosado. Project KP back who played for NT in the champs but is a WA boy.
Steven Gaertner. Another super surname. Agile KPP project.
Dayne Beams. Tough Vic Mid. Raedy now.
Liam Anthony. From the true Hom of Football and a mid.
Who I would Take.
Adam Cockie.
And then regret not taking Gaertner almost immediately. But in my draft we have enough taller prospects.
Who I Think Freo Will Take.
Adam Cockie.
Round 4 - Pick 56.
Possibly Available & In the Mix.
Ian Richardson.
Casey Sibosado.
Liam Anthony.
Who I Would Take.
Liam Anthony. Ready to play midfielder who can add depth and effectiveness.
Who I Think Freo Will Take.
Ian Richardson.
We get a potential small forward option who is almost ready to go straight away.
Picks 68 & 77.
Complete raffle so I have no idea at all who will be here and who we should take. If available I'd love us to look at Wolfenden (SD kid), Sengstock (Vic tall), Young (Vic tall) and a bunch of others.
Rookie Draft.
Kyanga is available for us in the rookie draft and that is where we should pick him. If someone takes him in the ND good luck to them but I think it could bugger his career.
PSD.
I would pass on Moody and take Davenport or Johnson. Both young mids. If Moody is there with our 2nd PSD pick, good enough.
What Would That Leave Us With?
Dolphin's Picks.
NikNat, Robinson (mid), Lisle (kpp back), deBoer (mid), Cockie (mid), Anthony (mid). Plus the remaining ND/Rookie/PSD picks.
Dolphin's Picks Of Freo's Picks.
NikNat, Robinson (mid), Pearce (hbf/mid), deBoer (mid), Cockie (mid), Richardson (sf). Plus the remaining ND/Rookie/PSD picks.
Those in bold will get regular games in year 1 of their career.
Only 14 days to go now, then this will look ultra foolish, if it doesn't already.