Francis Jackson's 2011 draft preview (RFC)

[one-eyed]

FJ discusses the upcoming draft:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRcJpzjpRzk


* FJ said we'll decide how many picks we'll use before going into the draft and at this stage it looks like we'll use 3 picks.

* This draft lacks depth. Statistically it has to be weaker due to GWS having taken out 12 kids already. Even with those 12 kids included it would be an average to ordinary draft. GWS having 11 of the first 14 picks also impacts the draft for everyone else. Having said that there's kids that can play and we are prepared to take a punt on.

* Pick 15 - a later pick than we've had in recent years and we're at the mercy of what other clubs do but FJ said GWS will need to take a spread of footballer types so that may work to our advantage and a couple of players may slip through to us. FJ was confident we will get a good player who'll be good for the RFC in the long-term.

* Since the season has finished we gone to kids' homes to interview them and we've poured over their psych tests with the club's sports psychologist. That side of things (personality on/off field) is very important to us. We have also built up end of year football reports on each kid which we'll use to rank to them and we also keep hold onto these reports into the future just in case a player comes out of contract and is available as a trade in later years. We have coded each of their games and have watched them religiously every Tuesday.

[mightytiges]

So we plan to use picks 15, 26 and 55. Pretty much confirms we were glad to just offload Morton even for nothing in return (for a pick we don't plan to use).

Going by FJ we seem pretty confident there'll be good kids available at pick 15 and 26. When FJ talks about GWS needing a variety of player types and kids slipping down to our pick 15 I read that as we see a quality midfielder slipping through as this draft seems to have plenty of midfielders available in the first round. Pick 55 will obviously be more a spectulative choice. Maybe someone from a state league? 

[one-eyed]

Pick could fall Tigers’ way
richmondfc.com.au
By Tony Greenberg 2:00 PM Thu 27 Oct, 2011

Richmond’s recruiting manager, Francis Jackson, believes AFL newcomer Greater Western Sydney’s monopoly on the early selections in this year’s National Draft could work in the Club’s favour, with the Tigers’ first pick being at No. 15 overall.

Read more and full article at: http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/6301/newsid/125570/default.aspx

[The Big Richo]

Is Francis related to Daniel?

[yellowandback]

Nah Michael, was the reason he wanted to be white - idolized his bro!

[Stripes]

So we plan to use picks 15, 26 and 55. Pretty much confirms we were glad to just offload Morton even for nothing in return (for a pick we don't plan to use).

Going by FJ we seem pretty confident there'll be good kids available at pick 15 and 26. When FJ talks about GWS needing a variety of player types and kids slipping down to our pick 15 I read that as we see a quality midfielder slipping through as this draft seems to have plenty of midfielders available in the first round. Pick 55 will obviously be more a spectulative choice. Maybe someone from a state league?

My feeling too MT. Would be my preference too regardless given our midfield depth.

[mightytiges]

So we plan to use picks 15, 26 and 55. Pretty much confirms we were glad to just offload Morton even for nothing in return (for a pick we don't plan to use).

Going by FJ we seem pretty confident there'll be good kids available at pick 15 and 26. When FJ talks about GWS needing a variety of player types and kids slipping down to our pick 15 I read that as we see a quality midfielder slipping through as this draft seems to have plenty of midfielders available in the first round. Pick 55 will obviously be more a spectulative choice. Maybe someone from a state league?

My feeling too MT. Would be my preference too regardless given our midfield depth.

Yep. Provided Maric can at least do the job he was brought in for and compete in the ruck so we aren't getting smashed every week in the middle at the stoppages then building up a strong midfield with depth makes sense. A strong midfield and forward line should take some of the pressure off our shortish defence where we still need to find a big body key defender in time.