AFL Draft 2014: Paddy McCartin great fit for St Kilda, writes Jay Clark
ST KILDA desperately needs a Paddy McCartin-type. And the Saints believe there is not much, if anything, separating him and Christian Petracca.
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NOT often is the club with the No. 1 pick in the minority.
But even as recruiters gathered at Moo Moos restaurant on Broadbeach on draft eve, the question went around.
“Are they really going to do it?”
That is, take traditional full-forward Paddy McCartin over explosive midfielder Christian Petracca.
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In a straw poll of recruiters, there was only one other club which confirmed to the Herald Sun they would also take McCartin if they had the first choice.
The rest of the clubs surveyed? Petracca or fellow midfielder Angus Brayshaw.
“Petracca just does some special things,” one recruiter said. “His ceiling is probably higher”.
There is no doubt Melbourne is giddy with excitement at the prospect of finalising its next generation midfield with the two premier playmakers.
Petracca, the pack-busting, goalkicking midfielder and Brayshaw the tough and hardworking ball-winner.
Brayshaw might not have the same tricks as Petracca but you would count on Brayshaw to win the hard ball in a final and play 200 very good AFL games.
Petracca averaged 25 possessions a game, including 15 contested, at the TAC Cup. He won the Larke Medal as the most valuable player of the national championships.
Geelong Falcons regional manager Michael Turner said McCartin was an inspired choice for the Saints but also delivered high praise for Petracca.
“I watched Dustin Martin and Ben Cunnington come through and at the same age Petracca looks better than both of them,” Turner said.
But why is the Saints’ move still the right one?
They need a desperately a McCartin type and the Saints believe there is not much, if anything separating Petracca and the 196cm lead-up full forward.
While McCartin is yet to demonstrate his full versatility, it is safe bet that he will kick 500 career AFL goals. He has kicked 41 goals in 13 games over the past two TAC Cup seasons.
The Saints have a void in the goal square where McCartin will most likely slot straight in next season.
The Saints other key forwards, Spencer White, Tom Lee and Josh Bruce are all still learning their craft and far from established.
“He (McCartin) is not who I would take at No. 1, but when you look at their (Saints’) list you can definitely understand why they are doing it,” a recruiter said.
There is not a lot of established key forward talent in the next two national drafts, meaning the Saints will again scoop up top-line midfielders in 2015-16.
St Kilda coach Alan Richardson recently admitted the club would have to pay big money if they were forced to trade in a prime key forward, such as Western Bulldog Tom Boyd.
“If we go for the best player and we think Petracca is in front, we are going to have to pay a million plus to get the forward we need,” Richardson said on the league’s website.
“The market is saying that now. So let’s get one in now and get him to fall in love with our footy club.”
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