2014 Recruits- Hits,Misses and undecided

[whufc]

No, because it's Wingard's third season and he's on half the money.

However, I agree that Betts is judged harshly.
He is probably as effective as Milne was over his career and as a small forward he was highly regarded.
Small forwards generally do get judged harshly, but the provide unpredictability, which is a good weapon to have.
Wouldn't mind seeing Betts spend a little more time as a mid, provide some magic through there occasionally, like Didak did for the Pies.

yeah i wouldnt mind seeing betts being used in the midfield a little more often. i doubt he has the tank to do it that often, but given he is so good at setting up the play, it would be worth it in short bursts.

and the money wingard is on vs betts is a bit misleading too - if wingard was on the open market now he would command much more than betts

Have heard though that the betts deal this year has meant they are out of the hunt to offer any reasonable deal to Cameron at the end of this season.

If that's true then I think the crows have done very poor business

Imho Trigg and co have typically overrated their squad and thought they were a genuine premiership threat

[Pag]

Miles has been a massive hit for us, wouldn't surprise me to see him be at the top of our B&F voting from when he broke into the side, up to now.

Very similar career path (so far) and player to Sam Mitchell. If he's half as good long-term, we'll be stoked.

[bennymacca]

No, because it's Wingard's third season and he's on half the money.

However, I agree that Betts is judged harshly.
He is probably as effective as Milne was over his career and as a small forward he was highly regarded.
Small forwards generally do get judged harshly, but the provide unpredictability, which is a good weapon to have.
Wouldn't mind seeing Betts spend a little more time as a mid, provide some magic through there occasionally, like Didak did for the Pies.

yeah i wouldnt mind seeing betts being used in the midfield a little more often. i doubt he has the tank to do it that often, but given he is so good at setting up the play, it would be worth it in short bursts.

and the money wingard is on vs betts is a bit misleading too - if wingard was on the open market now he would command much more than betts

Have heard though that the betts deal this year has meant they are out of the hunt to offer any reasonable deal to Cameron at the end of this season.

If that's true then I think the crows have done very poor business

Imho Trigg and co have typically overrated their squad and thought they were a genuine premiership threat

Cameron won't go anywhere but Victoria anyway. And on massive coin too. Given we have to resign walker and danger in the next year or so I doubt a huge deal like that will ever be on the cards for the crows

[JK]

How much do you reckon Walker is worth Benny?

[bennymacca]

based on potential, and the fact that he hasnt really recovered from his ACL yet, i think he will be 600k+ to sign.

wouldnt say he has 100% proved himself yet, but he is only 24, and his upside is as good as any young key forward in the comp (besides probably cameron)

doubts about his knee would stop the really high offers, but besides cameron he would be the best U24 key forward going around. daniher looks right up there too.

it probably helps a lot that he was a crows fan as a kid.

[whufc]

based on potential, and the fact that he hasnt really recovered from his ACL yet, i think he will be 600k+ to sign.

wouldnt say he has 100% proved himself yet, but he is only 24, and his upside is as good as any young key forward in the comp (besides probably cameron)

doubts about his knee would stop the really high offers, but besides cameron he would be the best U24 key forward going around. daniher looks right up there too.

it probably helps a lot that he was a crows fan as a kid.

Would you class Jack Gunston as a key forward, I reckon he has as much upside and will turn out to be a bit better than Walker

[JK]

based on potential, and the fact that he hasnt really recovered from his ACL yet, i think he will be 600k+ to sign.

wouldnt say he has 100% proved himself yet, but he is only 24, and his upside is as good as any young key forward in the comp (besides probably cameron)

doubts about his knee would stop the really high offers, but besides cameron he would be the best U24 key forward going around. daniher looks right up there too.

it probably helps a lot that he was a crows fan as a kid.

Fair assessment on every front I reckon mate, although you wouldnt be surprised if a St Kilda, Bulldogs, Melbourne or Brisbane made an over the top offer. (but I'd think it unlikely a country boy like Tex would move if he get a close enough offer from the AFC).

[bennymacca]

based on potential, and the fact that he hasnt really recovered from his ACL yet, i think he will be 600k+ to sign.

wouldnt say he has 100% proved himself yet, but he is only 24, and his upside is as good as any young key forward in the comp (besides probably cameron)

doubts about his knee would stop the really high offers, but besides cameron he would be the best U24 key forward going around. daniher looks right up there too.

it probably helps a lot that he was a crows fan as a kid.

Would you class Jack Gunston as a key forward, I reckon he has as much upside and will turn out to be a bit better than Walker

gunston is more mid sized, but yes, he has just as much upside as walker, maybe more. seems more durable at least. and whilst walker is a good kick for goal, being so accurate makes a massive difference too.

just as i wish my wife was miranda kerr, as a crows supporter i will be forever wishing that somehow we could magic up the tippett-gunston-walker forward line again. would be the AFL's best by a fair margin (given we would weaken sydney's and hawthorns)

[whufc]

Agree that threesome as a forward would compliment each other perferctly.

My worry about Walker if I was a Crows fan is he is probably the last of the sole lead up forwards left in the game.

Imho his very one dimensial, his not a great contested mark but unlike Franklin, Walker doesn't appear to have the engine or pace to be able to lead his man up the ground and then beat him back over the top. It's either a lead up mark or nothing with him.

He doesn't have the versatility of Gunston and the ability to find other ways to get in a contest, and unlike Tippett his not a extremly awkward size match up, there is a billion and one defenders who can match Walker for size

I am a Walker fan but combine his knee reco, lack of versatility and cult hero status and I reckon the Walker re signing is a very dangerous contract for the Crows. They would want to keep him but I think they need to tread carefully with the amount and length of contract with him. 600k on a bloke like Walker who 150% relies on movement and delivery from players up the ground could turn sour very quick. Most of the other big forwards in the game have that ability to go and play other roles, will Walker be able to do that

[bennymacca]

I think you underestimate how hard he works. Even this year he gets a fair number of his possessions up the ground. Pretty fit for a man his size, not as fit as a pav or nick riewoldt or the like, but certainly more mobile than say Tippett or Petrie or jack riewoldt. Definitely fit enough when over his knee issues to be a true CHF

[bennymacca]

Given walker plays CHF even though Jenkins is probably one of the quicker and more mobile big men going around, probably tells you a bit

[whufc]

I think you underestimate how hard he works. Even this year he gets a fair number of his possessions up the ground. Pretty fit for a man his size, not as fit as a pav or nick riewoldt or the like, but certainly more mobile than say Tippett or Petrie or jack riewoldt. Definitely fit enough when over his knee issues to be a true CHF

Fair call, ill be the first to admit I don't see anywhere near as much afl as alot of others, especially live at ground where u can judge work rate alot better

[bennymacca]

Yeah it's pretty surprising how well he does move. I probably liken him to carey in terms of size and mobility (and hopefully he will end up half as good)

[gadj1976]

I agree Betts output has been ok but $600k a year vs output? I'm undecided.

Kick 50 a year for 2-3 years in a row and I'll deem him a hit

But you went after him to kick 50 and dish off as many has he has. So how can he not be a hit (to date?)

[bennymacca]

exactly

[Grahaml]

Eddie Betts is a definite hit. Right at the start if you'd have asked anyone what the best output you'd hope for from him 50 goals would have been laughed at as a dream.

[bennymacca]

Eddie Betts is a definite hit. Right at the start if you'd have asked anyone what the best output you'd hope for from him 50 goals would have been laughed at as a dream.

I expected between 40 and 50, anything less is probably not enough

[Booney]

Have heard though that the betts deal this year has meant they are out of the hunt to offer any reasonable deal to Cameron at the end of this season.

If that's true then I think the crows have done very poor business

Imho Trigg and co have typically overrated their squad and thought they were a genuine premiership threat

This ^.

GWS, Gold Coast and to a lesser extent Sydney are about to have numerous young guns looking for opportunity elsewhere. With the two new franchises improving, but looking to top up with mature talent each year as the targeted older guys drop off ( Cornes and Brogan out at GWS, Mumford and Shaw in ) there will be kids everywhere looking for a game or looking to head home.

Not only have Adelaide invested heavily in Betts and soon to invest heavily in Dangerfield ( a no brainer and he deserves every cent ) they may have over rated their squad to the extent that they thought Betts was the missing link to a top 4 berth......however, they probably thought the likes of Porplyzia, Petrenko, McKernan, Johnstone, Reilly and several others would not have dropped off as quickly and permanently as it has.

So while the Betts decision appears good at this point, it may have been excellent had the quality players on Adelaides list remained that, quality and in form. In turn it might rule them out of approaching other free agents, young talent that they may require the services of more desperately. They might rue that as they look for big men this summer.

( The jury may still be out on Hartigan,Thompson and Shaw as key backmen, Graham and McKernan leave the ruck duties to Jacobs and Jenkins with no back up )

[whufc]

No, because it's Wingard's third season and he's on half the money.

However, I agree that Betts is judged harshly.
He is probably as effective as Milne was over his career and as a small forward he was highly regarded.
Small forwards generally do get judged harshly, but the provide unpredictability, which is a good weapon to have.
Wouldn't mind seeing Betts spend a little more time as a mid, provide some magic through there occasionally, like Didak did for the Pies.

yeah i wouldnt mind seeing betts being used in the midfield a little more often. i doubt he has the tank to do it that often, but given he is so good at setting up the play, it would be worth it in short bursts.

and the money wingard is on vs betts is a bit misleading too - if wingard was on the open market now he would command much more than betts

Have heard though that the betts deal this year has meant they are out of the hunt to offer any reasonable deal to Cameron at the end of this season.

If that's true then I think the crows have done very poor business

Imho Trigg and co have typically overrated their squad and thought they were a genuine premiership threat

Bump

[valleys07]

We only have 1 side of the deal though, being the crows tabled 7 years to Cameron.

Wonder if it stacks up against the $5m for 5 that GWS got him for.

Could have been 7 years @ $4m which ended up losing him.