Burgoyne nominates Hawks as club of choice

[lovetotalkfooty]

I think if he wants to win a flag in the next 5 years he has made the right choice. Hawks have a lot of inside players, so with burgoyne in the mix they get a outside player with fantastic speed and foot skills.

Good get for the hawks if they can pull it off

[Dirko]

And it starts....here comes the pulling and pushing...

[Lightning McQueen]

And it starts....here comes the pulling and pushing...

Port will still end up making a mess of it, a 4th round pick or something stupid like that.
I probably don't share the same view as many but I think there is far too much emphasis on early draft selections, I think it is far more valuable to get an established player opposed to taking a gamble on an untried player.
Look at Melbourne last season, they jumped on Jack Watts, he didn't start too well, then look at some draft selections that came through later.
H.Ballantyne (pick 21)
D.Zaharakis (23)
D.Beams (29)
M.Robinson (40)
L.Anthony (43)
L.Brown (73)
J.Davenport (76)

2007 was an exception, most of the top 15 have become good players, given the fact that coaches generally have three or four seasons to bring success to their clubs they need to get their draft picks right, there have been plenty of failures over the years and plenty of late picks that have turned out to be champions.
It's how you develop them from being drafted to when they debut is the key, I'd take a mid 20's player that could step straight into your side any day, you will still get 6 to 8 years out of them and you know their capabilities.

I just hope Port swap him for someone that they could do with, not a player that might be half decent in 5 years time.

[Booney]

Agreed LM, our main focus must be Ruck and Key Forward.

Lade is gone so Brogan and the untried Lobbe / Giles are next in line. Tredders would be looking at 2010 as his final season and with Westhoff x 2 not quite up to the strength required we need a CHF / Ruckman to work on.

In hindsight, Collingwood took Leigh Brown, perhaps we should have....hey Dutchy?

[MatteeG]

In hindsight, Collingwood took Leigh Brown, perhaps we should have....hey Dutchy?

Funnily enough he was far from the pies worst in the Prelim debacle...

[Booney]

In hindsight, Collingwood took Leigh Brown, perhaps we should have....hey Dutchy?

Funnily enough he was far from the pies worst in the Prelim debacle...

Was far from the worst all year for them.

[JK]

Agreed LM, our main focus must be Ruck and Key Forward.

Which is near impossible to fill via established mature players ... Sure you can pickup bit-part players, but to have any chance of outstanding quality (ie, "franchise player" type), it has to come through the draft.

IMHO Port need to go this way, it's the only way to find a 10+ year KPP player (not saying these picks always succeed either btw).

Tredrea won't be a part of their next legitimate premiership quest, and in all likelihood neither will Brogan or Chad Cornes, and Westoff won't ever be the key focal point so they need to start investing in those KPP positions.

[Booney]

Correct. Salopek,Boak,K.Cornes,Logan,Rodan,Gray,Krakouer,Pearce,Thomas and Ebert,Broadbent and Stewart we have enough runners that are young enough and Chaplin,Carlile are the KPP in the back half.

Perhaps Pettigrew could head forward a bit more?

[JK]

Perhaps Pettigrew could head forward a bit more?

Thats an interesting option and could well be one worth pursuing .. Personally Im always a wrap for ex-defenders becoming forwards (so long as they possess enough goal sense) just for the forward pressure they can apply.

Motlop, Salter and Gray would be the forward backbone for the next 5 years you'd think, so Port really need to find some decent taller options to go with them (Not sure how much you can rely on Tredders body and input as he nears the end).

I know it's never a good idea to "rob Peter to pay Paul", but could Carlisle be a forward option one day in the future?

[stan]

Apparently Port are about to start an auction with Essendon and the Hawks. The hawks are putting forward 18 year old shoemakers, and Essendon are putting forward Lovett.

[blink]

Apparently Port are about to start an auction with Essendon and the Hawks. The hawks are putting forward 18 year old shoemakers, and Essendon are putting forward Lovett.

Schoenmakers and Pick 9 would be a good package for Port, don't think we'd get offered much better than that for Burgoyne...

[Psyber]

Apparently Port are about to start an auction with Essendon and the Hawks. The hawks are putting forward 18 year old shoemakers, and Essendon are putting forward Lovett.

Schoenmakers and Pick 9 would be a good package for Port, don't think we'd get offered much better than that for Burgoyne...

If they get that good an offer they should thank Father Christmas, given Burgoyne's recent form.

[Dogwatcher]

I agree Psyber.
But could that form have been symptomatic?

[JK]

Apparently Port are about to start an auction with Essendon and the Hawks. The hawks are putting forward 18 year old shoemakers, and Essendon are putting forward Lovett.

Schoenmakers and Pick 9 would be a good package for Port, don't think we'd get offered much better than that for Burgoyne...

Effectively 2 first Round draft picks for the Junior Burger, not a bad deal at all

[Psyber]

I agree Psyber.
But could that form have been symptomatic?

Yes, in fact I think the whole team's form since 2004 has been..