Might actually have a chance of being drafted now instead of rotting in the 2’s
I was reflecting at the weekends game on the way the club handled Blake Kelly last year compared to Leo Steed this year.
Kelly was expected to be a top 10 pick. Instead of playing him in the league team they kept him playing colts where he dominated as expected. By not playing him in the league team even when the season was done and dusted, it implied that the club didnt rate him and impacted his draftability where he eventually was left on the shelf. Fast forward to the pre-season and they give him jumper number 50. If thats not a kick in the teeth, Im not sure what is.
Fast forward 12 months, Leo Steed is given early chances to play at league level. He gets a relatively low number for a registered colt (41). Now he is expected to go Top 20 and no doubt will with Sydney leading the charge.
Swans have destroyed his draft chances and the only way back for Blake now is to keep doing what he is doing. He is a star.
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Sydney leading the charge? Probably because an extension of the boys club is Sydney’s WA recruiter.
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I love the kid, know his family well, he was not considered a top 10 draft pick. If he was he would have gone regardless of where he played. Your opinion might be top 10 but its completely wrong. He was listed as a prospect for WA in the number 10 spot. If he was going to get picked up it was late in the draft or rookie listed.
We may think we know it all but clearly Swans knew this and due to his deficiencies opted to leave him in the colts and this year in the reserves. Is he better for it? His last few games will tell you yes whether we agree with Swans or not. He stocks would have gone up particularly the last 4 rounds and I hope its enough to get him on a list. Did Swans take too long? I’d say yes but they might say have a look at him now and say they got it right. Good debate that one.
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Viper he played in the pre AFL GF 17s game the year prior. I acknowledge by the time his draft year came around he had slipped to a potential late pick but the year prior he was definitely rated a top 10 pick in the land. That is where it started. Whether the club helped or hindered this is a good debate. I am firmly in the hindered camp. They should have played him and we are seeing now what he was capable of. He has developed in spite of the club.
We are all disappointed in where the club is at currently but im not sure you can blame them for Blake being overlooked in the last draft. These AFL clubs have been watching these boys since the age of 14/15 State Schoolboy days through the State 16s & 18s programs so would have a good idea of their abilities regardless of playing a League game. In fact most draftees from WA are from the Colts via PSA. He did play and well in the Reserves finals and was still overlooked. If he keeps working at his game, tidy up a few areas then who knows what the future holds, hes still only 19 after all.
Why didnt WA 18s coach Webb play him in the midfield last year instead he stationed him as a permanent small forward? Was that in his best interests?
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In Aug of 2024 he was listed at 50+ on most lists. I fundamentally do not agree with your top 10 prospect at all and have never seen evidence to suggest he was top 10.
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Id love to see a link to that list as I dont recall that at all