Aaron Fiora could not escape Matthew Pavlich comparison (Herald-Sun)

[H Tiger]

Well I'm very glad we got rid of him in the move to get Simmo, what a gift.

Bentliegh-esque mentioned in the tiger memories to forget taking this pansy over Pav.

God I hope we start getting a few more of these top ten to fifteen draft picks right over the next ten years.

Lids, Cotch, Jack all get the big tick

Bling, Meyer, Patto, JON have to be crosses so far

We now also have former top 15's in Jordie , Hislop, Thommo and picked up Vickery these I am prepared to put in the to be determined box (Jordie is very lucky to be there). 

Glad you were NOT my teacher, Bling, Jordie and Patto deserve a B to a C in my book.  I dont belive it was Adam Fiona's fault he was picked but Frawley's, I reckon he came across to stuff the club up and the way he bags the Tiges on the radio only adds weight to the therory. How many good picks did we get when he had an imput? 

As I said crosses so far in terms of where they were picked as opposed to others in their drafts.

Bling, Meyer, Patto, JON may still come good, but currently Bling is looking ordinary in comparison to at least Franklin and Lewis, Meyer will (possibly) be coming good at another club, Patto looks to be a battler at best and JON......

[Francois Jackson]

Sadly Tambling is destined for the same career if he doesn't pull his finger out of his behind

Tambling has improved every year daniel.
He may not be the star we hoped he'd become but he's no Fiora.
Bling is currently serviceable at least.

i dont think he is to be honest.

One really good game against the eagles and a few serviceable games dont make a player.

He is borderline in our best 22.

I have even read an article i think last year where he said "it was hard getting himself compared to Buddy"

My reply to that is tough. He was given an opportunity to play football with an AFL club, an opportunity that most people don't get so stop feeling sorry for yourself and play some fcu.kin football

Problem is he may not even have the talent

[Francois Jackson]

Fiona (as my friends and I always liked to call him) and mistakes like him are the exact reason why recruiters now value player attitude much more than they once did. Camps, tests and years of observation (rather than just a few games) have made recruitment is a much more exact art science. Bling is no Fiona, he has a tremendous work ethic and maturity. Bling needs the confience and arrogance Fiora had, such as what he came to the club with before he was injuried in his first season.

Fiona was another terrible mistake by Spud and we have learnt from this period. If a few of our recruits do not live up to expectation then we now have a multitude of players who can step up past them. Depth is the key to a good side so recruits that don't develop do not leave a hole that can not be filled.

Fiona wasn't the worst recruiting mistake we made, it was the years after years of poor recruiting decisions that was the most destructive. Just another reason why recruiters and development coaches are so vital to ultimate club success.

I, like the rest of you, hope that players such as Bling, Polo, Patto and JON will be successes but unlike in the past, if they are not then we will have the depth to still create a success side.

Stripes

Problem is there have been worst decisions to come.

petticoat
patto
meyer
JON
Porn star mcmahon. come on boys was he seriously necessary stuff me dead

Lets see if Hislop is any good. Judging by the other night he will be another rubbish draft selection.

[Darth Tiger]

Beck has escaped scrutiny for his decision in this draft on this thread.  Spud was involved, but ultimately Beck made the call.

Also Fiona touches on the culture of the playing group at the time, which was arrogant without performance (hear that Daffy)!!

RFC in 09 is a different place to 99, and hopefully a sustained finals presence is near with a genuine tilt for a flag possible with this list minus plebes like AAron.

[Chuck17]

I know it doesn't bear on the RFC choice but who was 1 and 2 in that draft?

[Infamy]

Beck has escaped scrutiny for his decision in this draft on this thread.  Spud was involved, but ultimately Beck made the call.

Also Fiona touches on the culture of the playing group at the time, which was arrogant without performance (hear that Daffy)!!

RFC in 09 is a different place to 99, and hopefully a sustained finals presence is near with a genuine tilt for a flag possible with this list minus plebes like AAron.

Not sure if that's how I remember it. Fraudley told Beck to get him the best midfielder/linkman with good skills. Fiora was the best of those available at the time.

[Francois Jackson]

I know it doesn't bear on the RFC choice but who was 1 and 2 in that draft?

your right.

it doesn't bear on the RFC selections.

i am only interested in who select and not other teams.

paul haselby

josh "i look 40 years old" frazer

darren glass
luke mcpharline
joel corey   all round out the top 10 and we got Fiona

[Fishfinger]

1999 National Draft

1- Josh Fraser    Collingwood (Priority)   
2- Paul Hasleby    Fremantle (Priority)   
3- Aaron Fiora    Richmond     
4- Matthew Pavlich Fremantle    
5- Leigh Brown    Fremantle
6- Damian Cupido Brisbane        
7- Danny Roach Collingwood        1
8- Joel Corey    Geelong    
9- Cayden Beetham St Kilda        
10- Luke McPharlin Hawthorn   

[Chuck17]

Thanks for that 

[Mr Magic]

Problem is he may not even have the talent

Harsh IMO but I guess he's open to some criticism as he's fallen short of expectations.
This season will tell us plenty about which way Richie is headed.

[Smokey]

........all round out the top 10 and we got Fiona

4 out of that Top 10 were outright duds (Fiora, Cupido, Roach and Beetham), 1 is average at best (Brown) and the jury is still out on 1 more (Hasleby) so we weren't the only ones in that draft to get it wrong.   Hell, Freo picked Hasleby before Pavlich and you should listen to what many of their supporters think of him - you reckon Tambling is an under performer, well at least he has shown visible and significant improvement each year and still has time and youth on his side.  More than half of the clubs with Top 10 picks got it wrong that year so don't generalise and single us out as the worst club at recruiting - we get some wrong just like all the others but certainly no more than our fair share.

[mightytiges]

1999 National Draft

1- Josh Fraser    Collingwood (Priority)   
2- Paul Hasleby    Fremantle (Priority)   
3- Aaron Fiora    Richmond     
4- Matthew Pavlich Fremantle    
5- Leigh Brown    Fremantle
6- Damian Cupido Brisbane        
7- Danny Roach Collingwood        1
8- Joel Corey    Geelong    
9- Cayden Beetham St Kilda        
10- Luke McPharlin Hawthorn   

Us taking Fiora ahead of Pavlich saved Collingwood from public ridicule in the draft. In fact they should still equally cop the criticism we have, for trading pick 3 + Clinton King to us for our pick 7 + McKee. So they missed out on Pavlich for Danny Roach and McKee.

[the_boy_jake]

Fiora should be the antidote to any suggestion of not picking up the best available player...

We had Richo, Ottens, Holland, James, Gaspar back then so they went small.

The article just confirms that Fiora wasn't headstrong enough to make it in the AFL. The lad hardly put on an ounce of weight in his career - one has to wonder if he ever really bust his gut.

[big tone]

Problem is he may not even have the talent

Harsh IMO but I guess he's open to some criticism as he's fallen short of expectations.
This season will tell us plenty about which way Richie is headed.

Sadly Mr Magic i think Bling will see a fair bit of Jade and the boys this year. I personally don't think he is in our best 22. He will have to earn his spot NOW rather than just getting a game on pure hope. (just on that, what is his spot?)



Edit to correct quoting - WP

[WilliamPowell]

The article just confirms that Fiora wasn't headstrong enough to make it in the AFL. The lad hardly put on an ounce of weight in his career - one has to wonder if he ever really bust his gut.

That's the one thing that stood out to me

I couldn't believe he thought of things to say to the Saints after he left the building...... but said nothing while he was there....

It was your career Aaron