AFL club St Kilda are keeping an open mind when it comes to the No.1 draft pick.
That extends to who the Saints might select, and what it would be worth on the trade table.
St Kilda recruiting manager Tony Elshaug was among the many interested onlookers at Etihad Stadium on Monday, when the league’s draft combine started.
Should the draft order remain as is, Elshaug and his colleagues will have to decide who is the best prospect in the country.
As opposed to the past few years, it is not a clear-cut decision.
Draft guru Kevin Sheehan, speaking to media as 101 draft candidates started a rigorous week of testing and interviews, suggested there were four leading candidates.
“No doubt among the midfielders it’d be Christian Petracca and Angus Brayshaw,” AFL talent manager Sheehan said.
“The two (standout) tall forwards – Patty McCartin and Peter Wright.
“But I wouldn’t be surprised if (other potential No.1 picks) … jump up with their performances this week.”
Elshaug predictably wasn’t willing to shed any light on the Saints’ thoughts.
The wooden spooners are in need of key-position players, but Elshaug vowed to select “the best player” available.
There is every chance it won’t be Elshaug’s decision to make.
“A very good deal,” Elshaug said of what would convince the Saints to part with the prized draft selection.
Greater Western Sydney were unable to find a suitable bidder for their No.1 pick last year, but Elshaug noted clubs were becoming more “inventive” in trade period.
The former St Kilda assistant coach pointed to the example of Melbourne in 2013, when they offloaded the No.2 pick to GWS to grab Dom Tyson.
“You’d expect some interest,” Elshaug said.
“We’ll wait and see … you’ve got to do what’s best for the club.”
McCartin would seemingly fit that bill well, having modelled himself on power forwards Travis Cloke and Tom Hawkins.
“He’s got a little bit of Tommy Hawkins about him in the way he reads the ball in flight,” Sheehan said of the Geelong Falcons ace.
“He’s got a vice-like grip.”
McCartin was embarrassed by Sheehan’s “pretty far-fetched” words.
“I play full-forward and he does as well, that’s probably the only comparison,” he said.
Brayshaw, son of interim AFL Coaches Association boss Mark and nephew of North Melbourne chairman James, will have a somewhat quiet week due to an ankle injury.
The Fremantle supporter will have to get used to regular questions about his family, but his wit is already sharp.
“Uncle James is more a cricketer than a footballer I think,” Brayshaw said.
asd
Guest
all i hope is saints win a flag some day
Michael
Roar Rookie
Agreed. If I were StKilda and GWS put pick 3, Jaksch, and O'Rourke on the table for pick 1 and maybe a late pick, I'd be taking that deal in a heartbeat.
NASA
Guest
Interesting article Rob. Apparently most of the people posting would have preferred another topic - ie. should Melbourne get a high draft pick as compensation for James Frawley. On the Saints having the No. 1 pick, I reckon they should take the view that they have Petracca and do they consider a swap with say the Giants, for McCartin & Jaksch, or maybe O'Rourke. I've heard the Giants are very keen on Petracca. Leaves the Saints with pick 21, but they've effectively got McCartin (probably pick 3 in this years draft) and O'Rourke (pick 2 in 2012) or Jaksch (pick 12, 2012). Which ticks the box for 3 top 20 picks, plus with the bonus that one of them already has a couple of years in the AFL system. Gives them a couple of key position forwards to develop, or a mid sized defender who is apparently a very good decision maker - something they need.
Radelaide
Guest
Well Hawthorn didn't do to badly without Buddy although on radio yesterday it was suggested the year before Buddy moving to NSW (for either team) Clarko changed the game plan of the team to make sure they weren't so Buddy reliant for if he moved.
slane
Guest
Of course every team has a core group that are paid the most money. Generally if you lose a member of that group it is what will hurt your team the most. That is why you get maximum compensation for it(An extra pick directly after your first rounder). Even if that player is paid way too much because your team is crap, as maybe the case with Frawley/Melbourne, it still hurts the team as much as losing a Buddy caliber player would hurt Hawthorn.
Radelaide
Guest
Yeah but every team no matter what position on the ladder will have a group on mega bucks because the AFL forces them to pay almost the whole salary cap which I think is wrong.
Don Freo
Guest
There must be players who, towards the end of their careers, want to take up the challenge of moving to a weak side like Melbourne, St Kilda, Doggies or Brissy and say, "I'd love to lend some experience to rebuilding a side." Imagine the coaching credentials that would establish.
TomC
Roar Guru
Yep. But I think a few people have been a bit surprised by the way it's been used. Originally it was marketed by the AFLPA as a way for players to capitalise on their full market value salary immediately before retirement (which would have meant moving to lower ranked teams with cap space) and to allow experienced fringe players to continue their careers without going through the uncertainty of the draft. In practice, as Malthouse identifies, it's simply become a way for players to chase premierships at the end of their careers, and for successful clubs to stay at the top for longer. Understandable, but not really consistent with the principles of equalisation. Incidentally, Chris Scott has been highly critical of free agency, despite Geelong being in an excellent position to take advantage of it, so the case against it isn't just pushed by self-interest.
slane
Guest
Hawthorn got the exact same compensation as Melbourne are likely to get. The pick directly after their first pick. Why? Because contract length and value are the determining factor on what type of compensation a team gets. If melbourne had won the premiership last season they would be getting pick 19 for Frawley and you would be complaining about that too. In the eyes of the AFL James Frawley snd Lance Franklin are both worth the same amount because they were both earning mega bucks at their respective clubs. They can't help iy that Melbourne finished second last and Hawthorn finished on top.
Paul
Guest
Still doesn't make it right. Pretty sure Malthouse and the other coaches wouldn't have had much, if any, say in the matter.
Don Freo
Guest
Except, the clubs signed off on it when it was instituted...Maybe Mick should have argued this with his club's admin... He wouldn't argue it if Jack Reiwoldt wanted to go to Carlton.
Don Freo
Guest
but it will.
Don Freo
Guest
Thanks for explaining the system to me boys...Radelaide's explanation makes sense. Now if only Freo could get a number 7 compensation pick for Colin Sylvia I think he went #6 to Melbourne...if only we could trade him!!! (I know...I still have that wrong.) ...Sorry Colin. We really are expecting big things from you this year.
Paul
Guest
It's completely illogical that every team is penalised in the draft because of free agency and the receiving club (generally a rich and/or powerful club) gets a free hit and benefits without having to give anything up except to move another position down the draft along with everyone else.
Radelaide
Guest
Yes pick number 3 is excessive for Frawley but it is a fairer system that if a lower placed club is going to lose a player as opposed to a top club, maybe a fairer system is to award the first pick after the non finalists that year have recieved their first round picks.
TomC
Roar Guru
On the Melbourne priority pick discussion: I think Mick Malthouse made an important point yesterday. Why do the other 16 clubs have to move down the draft order because a player wants to go from Melbourne to Geelong? It doesn't happen when a young player wants to go back to their home state, or Dayne Beams decides he wants to be nearer to his dad, so why is free agency different in this regard? I reckon the solution is to change the compensation system so that the club receiving the player has to give up a pick (or more than one) based on amount they're offering the player. Make the system open so clubs know what they have to give up before they make the offer, and maybe include the possibility of clubs losing picks from the following draft as well. My suspicion with the Frawley move is that the fact he can be acquired without a trade inflates his salary a bit.
Michael
Roar Rookie
The decision not to award them a priority pick should not affect the Frawley compensation whatsoever.
Franko
Guest
Melbourne missed out on a priority, this may be next best thing.
IanW
Guest
If Melbourne get an extra first round pick, it's because some other club decided Frawley was worth a long term contract on big dollars. If the offer was, say, $1.6m over 3 years, then we wouldnt be having this conversation.
Michael
Roar Rookie
No need to explain the system to me, I understand it well. The commission have discretion in awarding compensation picks, including the ability to place them mid first round, late first round, etc. The pick need not be immediately after a club's selection. So yes, in this case I would think a mid or end of first round selection would be much more appropriate than pick 3. As for money and length of contract coming into it, I have one word: Buddy.