As I'm starting to think more about this draft period, combined with next year H & A's & the '09 draft, as our imediate future's concerned.

Not for the impatient but huge I think for our future. If we were to take, IN 2009, say with the first 2 picks, (yes, less than 4 wins), John Butcher 194ish & Jack Fitzpatrick 199cm ruck-forward, their probably better than this years combinations of Watts & say Natinui/Vickery.

I really rate Vickery but i'm unsure about Watts, it must be his fresh young face & non physical presence onfield. I'm just not sold completely, my gut instinct feels wary of him as a key posi player.

I saw Butcher & Fitzpatrick play down at Casey Fields & they caught my attention. I've also seen some footage of Butcher & Fitzpatrick & their impressive.

I've almost changed my mind on Watts who I think plays a bit like a ruck rover come tall forward, I wonder if he's imposing enough on the contest for AFL seniors?

I would just about skip Watts & take what I think will be the longer term option of NicNat, or grabbing either Vickery, Rich or Ziebell.

I think we'll still be bottom 2 or 3 next year as I can't see who will fall below us + Freo & Eagles, so I think Butcher or Fitzpatrick wil be available to us.

The quality talls are about this & next years drafts.

tbh I don't think either of the sides you mentioned are quite as bad as what they lead us to believe this year

Watts won the larke medal...he must've done something?

Vickery is well worth getting..but he won't slip to 17 or 19 i dont think because good big guys are hard to get. as i've said, we need to trade a nathan jones or brad green to get another top 20 draft pick. 3 players in top 20 arent going to help..the more the better. and especially as we will no doubt trade pick 19 in trade week for a player or something

we will no doubt trade pick 19 in trade week for a player or something

I doubt we'll do that. Bailey and Stynes have continually stated that we won't be trading picks for players.

tbh I don't think either of the sides you mentioned are quite as bad as what they lead us to believe this year

I reckon West Coast will have another down year. They were putrid at times this year.

If Freo can learn to win the close ones next year, then I can see them pushing for the finals.

West Coast need, as a bare minimum, Hansen, Kerr, Cox and Glass to play 20 games each.

If those 4 can do that they'll surprise a few people. If not tip them for bottom 2 again