The Wasted Draft Picks

Windy_Hill · Post by **Windy_Hill** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 12:49 pm

It really is starting to get embarassing

MacAllister
Harvey S
Bolton

and now Kepler

(and Laycock better lift his game soonif he is to avoid this list of first choice draft picks gone bad)

Kepler to me seems all wrong. He his a small forward in a lumbering ruckmans body. He really does not have a strength to his game and after a few years in the system has yet to show he can dominate a game. This is a player taken at number 6 in the National Draft.

The sad reality is that if he hasnt shown us anything by now, the reality is that he NEVER will. Great players show you early that they will get there. Have a look a Monfries for example. He is still developing and has patches of form where he is struggling. BUT, he has had games where he has polled 3 Brownlow votes, kicked 5 goald and done enough to show where he is heading as a player.

I sincerely hope that Ryder and Gumbleton will avoid the first choice curse coz Essendon, it has been a dismal history thus far

jimmyc1985 · Post by **jimmyc1985** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:24 pm

Bradley will never be more than an ordinary player. I don't think i'm being overly harsh in saying that, because to date that's all his performances indicate.

Also, why hasn't his kicking technique been fixed? There's a fundamental error in it, and me as your average armchair expert schmuck can tell you what it is: he drops the ball onto his boot from about his navel and doesn't guide the ball onto his boot with his right hand. This results in his kicks being both inaccurate, and having the tendency to balloon up higher than intended. What you're supposed to do is drop the ball from about mid-thigh height and guide the ball onto your laces with your right hand. He needs to watch some footage of how Buckley or Gilbee kick.

Post by **danstar84** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 1:35 pm

The draft we picked him in was one of the worst. There aren't too many very good players who have come from it.

Don't think Bradley will make it. He does do some good things, but can't perform the fundamentals of the game correctly. I, like Jimmy still can't believe the kicking technique. Decision making is also fairly average, although he is not the only one in that boat.

karmabomber · Post by **karmabomber** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:31 pm

Whilst Windy is bagging Bradley who at least can get the ball, let's hope Gumbleton can learn to actually touch the ball. In two practice matches at Optus Oval he failed to get his hands on the ball! Played at CHF on Fletch who was bemused that Gumbleton had no idea how to read the direction the ball was coming from!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rossoneri · Post by **Rossoneri** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 4:40 pm

Bradley reminds me of Ryan O'connor. No position for him, no talent at all and no football brains. May play the odd good game here and there but overall you would classify them as a retarded donkey.

Mrs Mercuri · Post by **Mrs Mercuri** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:29 pm

Bradley has been very disappointing for a first round pick. The guy we might have got instead (Tenace) hasn't been much better though to be fair. With Michael at the club perhaps Kep can finally get his game right and start to improve as a wingman. This year is a crucial one for him thats for sure, if the Dons fail again there is no doubt that he will be trade material. I agree about Laycock as well, this is a big year for him.

paddyl90 · Post by **paddyl90** » Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:50 pm

Lets just evaluate him at the end of the year.

Windy_Hill · Post by **Windy_Hill** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 12:41 am

I hope he gets better. Trust me, I really want the kid to prove me wrong.

My bet is that he wont.

If you cant show your stuff in 3 years then you are never going to

Doctor Fish · Post by **Doctor Fish** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 4:42 pm

Anyone remember the days when Bomber fans used to bag opposition players???

swoodley · Post by **swoodley** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 5:05 pm

Doctor Fish wrote:Anyone remember the days when Bomber fans used to bag opposition players???

Why do that when you can bag your own

DC · Post by DC » Tue Feb 27, 2007 9:37 pm

Anyone remember the days when Bomber fans used to bag opposition players???

Put the bong down and get your head out of the clouds. How many more years are people going to continually live with false hope in regards to EFC players?

snitzel · Post by **snitzel** » Tue Feb 27, 2007 10:54 pm

Dont be stupid, Bradley has his own style of footy, he is not a bad player and will get better, and im 99% sure that if we delist him that a whole bunch of teams will lining up to get him.

Windy_Hill · Post by **Windy_Hill** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 2:20 am

snitzel wrote:Dont be stupid, Bradley has his own style of footy, he is not a bad player and will get better, and im 99% sure that if we delist him that a whole bunch of teams will lining up to get him.

f*** I hope so, then we will get something back for our number 6 draft pick

DC · Post by DC » Wed Feb 28, 2007 12:08 pm

f*** I hope so, then we will get something back for our number 6 draft pick

LOL...Nth might give us a first rd pick

Doctor Fish · Post by **Doctor Fish** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:17 pm

DC wrote:
Anyone remember the days when Bomber fans used to bag opposition players???
Put the bong down and get your head out of the clouds. How many more years are people going to continually live with false hope in regards to EFC players?

Years??? Not too many other Vicco clubs have won a premiership in this decade DC...

It's not false hope in regards to EFC players DC. You my friend have "false" expectations of a team that is rebuilding itself. I'm mostly optimistic about this year that we've begun something special with Alwyn, Bachar, Gus etc. I'm just realistic in my expectations of the list we have.

So what if I'm not the finger pointing doomsayer like some here. Every team has its time at the top, and we've all been spoilt by supporting a club that has been so successful. We've come to expect success. It's only natural. Even media hacks like Sheehan, Robbo etc expect it.

There have been other clubs that have been down longer than we have who don't get put under the same blowtorch, simply because success isn't expected of them.

The hard truth is you've got to spend your time at the bottom as a direct result of that success. Change can be slow in modern day footy with the draft setup the way it is. If you look through the draft over time, every team has picked its fair share of questionable picks. It's silly pointing out ours IMO.

Maybe you need to heed your own advice, perhaps stoke the bong (medicinal of course!), it might help you calm down and ease your exaggerated expectations of our club with its current playing list...

BenDoolan · Post by **BenDoolan** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:43 pm

Doctor Fish wrote:
DC wrote:
Anyone remember the days when Bomber fans used to bag opposition players???
Put the bong down and get your head out of the clouds. How many more years are people going to continually live with false hope in regards to EFC players?
Years??? Not too many other Vicco clubs have won a premiership in this decade DC...

It's not false hope in regards to EFC players DC. You my friend have "false" expectations of a team that is rebuilding itself. I'm mostly optimistic about this year that we've begun something special with Alwyn, Bachar, Gus etc. I'm just realistic in my expectations of the list we have.

So what if I'm not the finger pointing doomsayer like some here. Every team has its time at the top, and we've all been spoilt by supporting a club that has been so successful. We've come to expect success. It's only natural. Even media hacks like Sheehan, Robbo etc expect it.

There have been other clubs that have been down longer than we have who don't get put under the same blowtorch, simply because success isn't expected of them.

The hard truth is you've got to spend your time at the bottom as a direct result of that success. Change can be slow in modern day footy with the draft setup the way it is. If you look through the draft over time, every team has picked its fair share of questionable picks. It's silly pointing out ours IMO.

Maybe you need to heed your own advice, perhaps stoke the bong (medicinal of course!), it might help you calm down and ease your exaggerated expectations of our club with its current playing list...

That is a damn good response!

swoodley · Post by **swoodley** » Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:49 pm

Nice one Doctor Fish

robbie67 · Post by **robbie67** » Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:17 pm

These were always going to be the years we paid the price for the drafting of D-Mac, Bolton, Heff, and the one that was taken away for the salary cap breach. Add to the list James Davies, Shane Harvey, and Rama's unfortunate illness, and what the f*** do you all expect? When you have had some time at the top, you cant afford to get one draft pick wrong if you wish to stay there. We have made about 8 mistakes we just couldnt afford.