Pick 1: Jack Watts from Brighton Grammar/Sandy Dragons

Position: Tall Forward

The Good: Great speed/agility/skills/pack mark

The Not So Good: Bottom age and young...patience is extremely important with watts (not that this is a weakness, but it is highly doubtful that he can make an immediate impact given the circumstances he is in)

What we hope for: Big dominant tall forward who kicks the winning goals and is a great leader/role model etc

Player we would like to compare him to: Nick Reiwoldt...James Hird

FOOTAGE

Pick 17: Sam Blease from Yarra Valley/Eastern Rangers

Position: Speedy Mid

The Good: Smooth and precise delivery on both sides/excellent speed

The Not So Good: Doesn't often get a lot of the football (having said that, when he does get it, he makes the most of it)

What we hope for: Silky skilled and fast mid who can not only break the lines, but deliver with precision to watts and co in the near future

Player we would like to compare him to: Brent Harvey...Dale Thomas...Nigel Lappin...David King

FOOTAGE

Pick 19: James Strauss from Scotch College/Oakleigh Chargers

Position: Halfback flanker/midfielder (however don't rule him out from being a lead up forward)

The Good: Agile/great kick/good endurance/good speed

The Not So Good: (According to him) Consistency

What we hope for: Promising midfielder to compliment the jones's, valenti's, moloney's and mclean's of this world

Player we would like to compare him to:Lindsay Gilbee

FOOTAGE

Pick 35: Jamie Bennell indigenous player from Swan Districts

Position: Small defender

The Good: good speed and agility/good ball use/clean hands/good overhead/"indigenous flair"

The Not So Good: ????????

What we hope for: Speed and agility

Player we would like to compare him to: Wirrapunda/Johncock

FOOTAGE

Pick 51: Neville Jetta indigenous player from Swan Districts

Position: halfback/half forward/midfield

The Good:good speed/great decision maker/good kick/good tank/"ready to play against men now"/

"can do many things...half forward, midfield, half back"-Barry Prendergast/"got a bit of grunt about him"

The Not So Good: ????

What we hope for: ????

Player we would like to compare him to: ????

FOOTAGE

Pick 64: Rohan Bail from Mt Gravatt Queensland

Position: Midfielder/wing

The Good: good speed/good balance/good kick/absolutely elite endurance runner (gets 9.30mins for 3km and anything under 10 mins is considered elite)

The Not So Good: ????

What we hope for: ????

Player we would like to compare him to: Brad Dalzeill

(No footage as of yet/please add like if you find some)

Note: please make corrections and additions--I am not trying to claim any of this as my own information, i just want to make a succint draft summary for easy reference

EDIT 1: Changes made 12:30pm Sunday

EDIT 2: Changes made 2:10pm Sunday

EDIT 3: Changes made 12:10pm Monday

Strauss = Lindsay Gilbee or Brad Symes

Blease = Brent Harvey or Jason Winderlich (obviously varying levels of talent but you know what i mean)

N Jetta = L Jetta or Cyril Rioli

Great analysis NJ.

Strauss is definitely going to be our Lyndsay Gilbee.

Exactly what our team needs, a player with great pace off the half back line who can deliver the ball with precision.

Think of Daniel Ward without the kicks down the oppositions throats.

You're also way off with your assesements.

Bennell=Wirrapunda/Johncock

Rohan Bail=Brad Dalziell

And what's with including your name in the title, you Yze_Magic wannabe?

Pick 35: Jamie Bennell (indigenous)

Position: Small defender

The Good: quick and agile/good ball use/clean hands/good overhead

The Not So Good: ????????

What we hope for: Speed and agility/goal sneak?

Player we would like to compare him to: Aaron Davey?

FOOTAGE

Pick 51: Neville Jetta (indigenous)

(presume a similar type to bennell/not much to add)

FOOTAGE

Other than the fact that they are aboriginal and from the same club I dont see why you'd presume they are a similar type of player... odd assessment.

Don't actually see why "(Indigineous)" needs to be included at all, let alone so pointedly, myself

Don't actually see why "(Indigineous)" needs to be included at all, let alone so pointedly, myself

I agree with that observation but nevertheless we should be proud of the fact that the draft has again given young indigenous footballers the opportunity to play football at the highest level and with our club - Hill leads posse of eight

Today's AFL national draft selections:

1. 3rd Stephen HILL (West Perth) to Fremantle

2. 6th Chris YARRAN (Swan Districts) to Carlton

3. 32nd Liam JONES (Tassie Mariners) to Western Bulldogs

4. 35th Jamie BENNELL (Swan Districts) to Melbourne

5. 39th Steven MOTLOP (Wanderers) to Geelong

6. 51st Neville JETTA (Swan Districts) to Melbourne

7. 53rd Michael WALTERS (Swan Districts) to Fremantle

8. 71st Warren BENJAMIN (Claremont) North Melbourne

Today's selections brings to 71 the number of Indigenous players in the AFL, two less than the total last season, with next month's pre-season and rookie drafts still to come.

Blease moves like dale thomas - has balance, carries the ball and drills the footy to targets. Turns on the after burners instantly. Looks to need a little bit of space to operate in. Not a high possession winner at this stage.

Jetta (I think) is not the player that people expect him to be. He is not a pacy skilful goalsneak. He looks more tome like a defensive wingman/half forward. He is apparently a hard hut who gets a fair bit of it and feeds it out according to his coach. Keeps his eye on the footy and has a bit of attitude.

what's with including your name in the title, you Yze_Magic wannabe?

-what's with the attitude? the only reason i used my name was to show that, when looking at the title, it is not just going to be a page with a link to a herald sun article

-not once have i tried to boast about my talents or claim any of this to be correct like YM, i am just trying to make a summary

Other than the fact that they are aboriginal and from the same club I dont see why you'd presume they are a similar type of player... odd assessment.

i'm just waiting for somebody to add information so i can update it...i used the word "presume" because i dont actually know and i cant find a lot of information

Don't actually see why "(Indigineous)" needs to be included at all, let alone so pointedly, myself

believe me, im not trying to separate indigeous players the way that you think i am, but i believe people are genuinally interested whether or not players are indegeous or not...look at all of the other threads about these players and you see what i mean

-it is not like all indigenous players are little goal sneaks or anything like that, and i am not implying that, but without trying to group them here, they can definately add an extra spark to a game and i think it is exiting that we have drafted a couple of these WA boys this year

-look at Port Adelaides Grand Final winning team in 2004

I see more than a little of Nick Dal Santo in Strauss.

Gilbee is apt as well, given he's seemingly destined to play off half-back going forward, but it was Dal who immediately came to mind upon watching Strauss's footage. On very limited viewing, he appears to be a more straight-ahead player than the Saints winger.

In regard to the indigenous boys, Bennell looks a medium defender who plays tall, while Jetta is clearly a small. Bennell looks to have a little more poise in the footage, and perhaps a couple more tricks.

Apart from the top three, I'm actually most pleased by the selection of Bail. He looks a very good get as a late pick. He might not be a star, but he should be plug 'n' play and he'll give us another elite runner to go alongside Bruce and Morton.

-what's with the attitude? the only reason i used my name was to show that, when looking at the title, it is not just going to be a page with a link to a herald sun article

-not once have i tried to boast about my talents or claim any of this to be correct like YM, i am just trying to make a summary

ha whatever.

I'm still not sure why we needed "your" collective summary when we already have individual threads on each of the players.

ha whatever.

I'm still not sure why we needed "your" collective summary when we already have individual threads on each of the players.

Get off his back bro. It's a public forum if the guy wants to write up a summary surely he's allowed to. Having the information collated on the one thread makes sense. If you don't want to read it don't. From what I read of his posts he's a pretty reasonable bloke without any tickets on himself unlike your good self who's ego is there for all to see.

ha whatever.

I'm still not sure why we needed "your" collective summary when we already have individual threads on each of the players.

-if you dont like it, dont read it...i havent written anything directed at you so cant see why your having a whinge

-in response to your statement, i wanted to make a summary all on the same page for easy reference rather than having to skip through everything

-btw, cheers roost it

I personally think this thread is pretty good..... It is nice to get all the information in one thread, like Nugz said..... Neita3000, I think you may just be jealous that you didn't think of the idea yourself.... HaHa.... This forum is set up so that every single Melbourne supporter can have their say on any matter they feel warrants it....

Anyway, I am very impressed at how the club has recruited.... I believe the future is a lot brighter than most outsiders think.... 2009 will be another tough year, but I believe we will celebrate some special victories next season.... Will be more smiles than cries

I believe we will celebrate some special victories next season.... Will be more smiles than cries

-and even when we lose, we will know that we are just pumping game time into our young guns

-btw cheers for what you said in your post

edit: (for the record, as it really shouldnt matter either way, im not the one that changed the thread title)

-and even when we lose, we will know that we are just pumping game time into our young guns

-btw cheers for what you said in your post

edit: (for the record, as it really shouldnt matter either way, im not the one that changed the thread title)

I liked the old name and would appreciate it if someone would give the reason for the change

Blease looks like the absolute steal of this draft - Moves well, great acceleration, wins his own ball and excellent footskills. Can't wait to him in the red & blue!

I liked the old name and would appreciate it if someone would give the reason for the change

agreed 'Roost It'.

Say Nugget, just change your thread title back how you had it through, edit.

Excellent thread Nugget - I appreciate your insightful synopsis on individual draftees. You are a credit to this organisation and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter

ha whatever.

I'm still not sure why we needed "your" collective summary when we already have individual threads on each of the players.

Your social intelligence is astounding.

watts, blease and strauss are awesome pickups

having a beer with straussy earlier in the week at byron bay, and he said that he was hoping to be picked up..and that he wasnt looking forward to the 3km time trial new draftees usually do at their new clubs first up, but that if he went to melbourne he'd probably do alright (tongue in cheek)

but certainly excited to be at the dees with our great young list and mates such as jack watts and sam blease

interesting that there were 6 APS boys in the top 20

Watts (Brighton Grammar)

Vickery (Hailebury)

Lynch (Hailebury)

Mitch Brown (Hailebury)

Strauss (Scotch)

Cordy (Geelong College)

yet melbourne grammar still won the flag!!

melbourne grammar won the flag and will win it again next year because the blokes playing are all in yr10 and 11 this year!!!

next yrs draft i would expect at least 3 maybe 4 MGS boys to be drafted!!!

Watts - Player most compared to: - J.Hird.

In keeping with the "all on one page" theme. Check out the link below

Demons Draft Central Page

watts, blease and strauss are awesome pickups

having a beer with straussy earlier in the week at byron bay, and he said that he was hoping to be picked up..and that he wasnt looking forward to the 3km time trial new draftees usually do at their new clubs first up, but that if he went to melbourne he'd probably do alright (tongue in cheek)

but certainly excited to be at the dees with our great young list and mates such as jack watts and sam blease

interesting that there were 6 APS boys in the top 20

Watts (Brighton Grammar)

Vickery (Hailebury)

Lynch (Hailebury)

Mitch Brown (Hailebury)

Strauss (Scotch)

Cordy (Geelong College)

yet melbourne grammar still won the flag!!

yeh i know! and read this

APS Discussion

--btw, thanks for the link melbman