Bombertalk

[quote="Boyler_Room"]All Australian Under 18 Full Back last year.

quote]

He may have been picked there, but, if he was really that good at full back, he really should have gone higher than pick 66!!!

Probablyy worth a spot on the rookie list though.

I do not see what number a player was drafted = ability aka Bolton. Hird was a late draft pick!!!

It would be nice to know why he was let go... Was it attitude? ability? just need room on the list? Lets be honest it is hard to shine when Bendigo were getting creamed early in the season. even Hird would not shine ok hird maybe ...

It's easy to get narky over this, but the reality is, I think it was between he and Andrew Lee. And I'm sure a lot more noise would have been made if Lee was dumped.

Overall, you would have to view the chopping of Solomon, Henneman, Cartledge and Reynolds as good decisions. O'Keefe and Lucy are probably unlucky and I kinda feel sorry for Ben Jolley.

Personally, I think this year's PSD is a waste of time and not worth pissing on, and would rather hold onto one of the younger kids.

Perhaps from what they have seen they think he is rookie material because he will take some time.

Perhaps from what they have seen he just wont cut it at all....

Perhaps his spot will br taken with a key defender from the draft who can play straight away?

Perhaps he liked wine women and song better than effort, sweat and determination.

We are not to know because we arn't there.

So is that it or are there more players to face the chop?

BenDoolan wrote: Personally, I think this year's PSD is a waste of time and not worth pissing on, and would rather hold onto one of the younger kids.

Exactly. And the reality is, as i tried to say numerous times throughout the season without much avail, that the PSD rarely has anything of significant value. You've only got to look at who's gone in the PSD over the last 5 years to work that out.

Unfortunately, plenty of people tended to forget that fact throughout the year and they got their hopes up they we could snag someone in the PSD who could be potentially team-building. It was never going to happen. Now with the realisation that we'll probably end up with a 'handy' player at best, people feel deflated.

The best bet for the PSD in my opinion only is to go for some young, untried kid who may do something significant. Rather than pick up a Notting, Skipworth, Makepeace etc, try to get someone from the VFL/WAFL/SANFL like a Betts, Hentschell, Michael Johnson or Brent Moloney (all of whom were gained through the PSD and have proven of far greater value than the established, recycled players who have been picked up in the PSD).

Or simply choose another rookie like several clubs did when they chose:

Cheynee Stiller
Steven Armstrong
Jason Roe
Danyle Pearce
Dale Morris
Ryan Crowley
Dean Cox


All from rookie drafts!

Terrible decision, which is becoming a habit at Essendon. How Bolton and Heffernan can be retained and a 19 yr old, All Australian under 18, full back gets delisted i do not know.
Also danstar can you get rid of the picture of house next to your name, seeing his face everytime i scroll down gets on my nerves.

Can anyone tell me did his form at Bendigo ever warrant him getting a run in the seniors??

Very difficult to make a call on the clubs decision if you haven't seen him play??

Western Red wrote:Can anyone tell me did his form at Bendigo ever warrant him getting a run in the seniors??

Very difficult to make a call on the clubs decision if you haven't seen him play??

I was just thinking the same thing. The fact that he never played seniors (he didn't, did he?) might say a bit about his ability, notwithstanding Bolton etc.

Would you prefer Troy Longmuir to Austin Lucy?

Western Red wrote:Can anyone tell me did his form at Bendigo ever warrant him getting a run in the seniors??

Very difficult to make a call on the clubs decision if you haven't seen him play??

From the few games I watched. Nope. I only watched a few though.

Obviously he didnt show anything this year and the recruiting staff may be looking to the future and have found someone better in this years draft.

I thought he looked alright at Bendigo. He was quick for a tall guy. Despite being U18 AA FB, he didn't play back for most of the year I think. That was disappointing. I thought his work at full-back, while not being great, showed he had the potential to play in defence in a few years.

This leaves only Lee and Fletcher on the list who can play key position defence. Hansen must be drafted and Lee must play.

Ryno wrote:They only have to give a 2 year contract if they are 17 years old when they are drafted. Never got to see lucy play so i can not say if he was cheated or not.

I look at the system and their is no room for player development. we used most of our list this year. The AFL needs to extend the list so that clubs can carry guys like Paddy Ryder, Cartledge, Lucy that are going to take 3-4 years in the system to mature.

Our biggest problem is that most of our list for one reason or anoter are slow bloomers.. Watson, Dyson CJ, Winder, Laycock, Lee, Stanton they have all taken so long to develope, as other clubs seem to get guys that can play 20 games in their first 2 years.

Actually, all new draftees must be given 2yr contracts now (if there is an age limit, its something like 21). And I'd leave Stanton off that list of late bloomers, but add Nash.


Generally, without knowing why EFC did this, its hard to comment. Lucy was pick 66 in a weak draft, this year pick #68 (which we have) might be considered a better bet, espescially if they think Lucy hasn't got it, or will take a long time to develop. If so, delisting him, or planning to put him on the rookie list might show some decisive decsion making that might be very accurate and a good thing. Even if its harsh on Lucy.

On the other hand, if this was done to save Bolton (as we now need more defensive 'depth' without Lucy/Solomon), then it was a very very bad decision.