i dont get the argument here.
martin or morabito were rated the best two available at picks 3 and 4. butcher was the most highly rated of the kpps in the draft but he did have some queston marks over areas of his game.
imo hes a talent just like many of the others taken in that draft.
to compare martin and butcher at this stage is a nonsense. martin is a medium sized really big bodied ready to go player who most expected to play 12 or more games. dustins motor and the amount of ball he currently gets are the only two criticisms i can find on him but these are things that will improve with time and preseasons.
butcher is a kp a very talented one 197/ but still only 87 kg. like riewoldt it will be slowly as she goes.
butchers true value wont come to the fore for another 3 or 4 yrs we all know talls take much longer so why the comparisons now.
at pick 3 did we take the best credentialled player in the draft of course we did. but who will end up the better players is impossible to predict because of varying development time lines.
from what i can gather if you include the 17yr olds in the next draft it is as strong or stronger than the one that has just gone. and it is supposed to be stronger on talls.
sheesh take a look at the last draft it really is only the talls that have done little and that is to be expected.
look at the top 20 picks butcher talia and griffiths are the only kpps taken. none have done much even griffiths who is getting games has done little but do we really expect much from him or them.
that draft has already unveiled in the top 20 odd scully, trengove, martin, morabito, cunnington, rohan, sheppard, moore, melksham, gysberts, lucas,jetta, tapscott, fyfe, bastinac. all played and all look like they belong all are mids or running players. add the 3 talls and a few skinny mids who will take time to round it out.
the point is and i stand corrected if wrong, but i can find only three talls from the 09 draft who have played afl footy two are richmond players griffiths and astbury the other craig from adelaide. the reason being with us we didnt have much of a choice but to play them. imo they have struggled in general but have shown some signs in particular astbury.
in general i think all supporters expectations on first and second yr players in particular talls really over the top. as i said compare their worth in 4 yrs time not now.
