Like a few others on here I was a bit upset at taking Higgins, (a 178cm, 77kg small forward) with our first pick but got over it when I looked at our full group.
Before the draft we were said to be looking at Balta, Hayes, Taylor, Naish and maybe another tall in Brander if lucky.
Brander went early so he was off the board.
Higgins (179cm. 77kg) we grabbed at 17. We can assume that the recruiters made the call he was the best available. Pelchen, in the Inside Footy article, had him to the Bullies at 16.
Reading more about him he seems to be an upgrade on Castagna, Butler and Lloyd in terms of goal-kicking and tackling.
Coleman-Jones (201cm, 99kg) was our pick at 20. If you look at this pick as the ruck/forward choice then you have to say he was viewed as the better pick than Hayes, who went late at 47. Was an AFL Academy member.
Balta (195cm, 95kg) came at 25 as expected and hoped. Can play either end and has even taken a turn in the ruck with the only worry being his constistency. Think Griffith?
Naish (181cm, 69kg) came later than expected at 34 and that meant we could afford another pick.
Miller (196cm, 93kg) was our final pick at 64. A KPD who can pinch hit in the ruck from country WA.
Compared to what we hoped for pre-draft, that covers all the needs plus gives us another, highly rated small forward.
Of course the answer will come in the future but that group satisfies me ATM.
