Pre Season Phantom Draft

[hillie 41]

dont forget Bruce

and while im here ill put a vote in for Rockcliff as PSD #1 and Liam Jurrah as Rookie #1 (order subject to change...)

Has he even nominated?

personally i was all aboard the sibosado bandwagon untill this liam jurrah bloke has popped up. apparently collingwood tried to hide him away so they could draft him themselves. the roos are chasing hard and he is now available to be drafted/rookied as the paperwork has been approved. he's a dangerous forward who can really take a game by the scruff of the neck. i think he is exactly what we need and probably has more natural ability and potential than sibosado. I think he'd be definately worth a punt. I hope we draft him in the PSD and then take the best available in the rookie. possibly even sibosado

[LIFT 0]

Rockliff looks like a Russell Robertson Replacement with an emphasis on good decision making rather than Robbo's leap.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=zkJTUy88PA4

De boer could turn out to be a Daniel Cross or Rhys Palmer type given he has all that senior WAFL experience and he is an All Australian he could be ready to play right away..... I agree he cannot kick though. Looks like he can run all day too.

http://diehardfooty.com/matthew-deboer-200...draftee-profile

I still think the upside on CASEY SIBOSADO beats both these blokes who are pretty much playing as well as they can play. Casey is pretty RAW and given he boards at Xavier should be able to settle into Melbourne pretty easy. Also with the exception of Watts we really didn't take any talls at the National Draft.

Imagine Watts and Sibosida up and about. It would be like Buddy and Roughy.

I think Sylvia sort of plays Rockliffs roll.

So my preference is CASEY SIBOSADO, DE BOER, Rockliff.

[Whispering_Jack 29,227]

What else do you do on a rainy December morning but prognosticate on Tuesday's PSD?

Yesterday I revisited some tapes of the U18 champs & the TAC Cup to see if they could throw some more light on the situation. Here's what I think of the main prospects on the eve of the PSD -

Matt Deboer - AA midfielder who can play inside and outside, good athletically but apparently not drafted because of a question mark over his disposal. Played a poor game v Vic Metro, didn't have too many kicks (at least one of them was a high floater) and showed a preference for handball which sometimes suggests a lack of confidence in his kicking. To be fair though, at least three of his handballs directly resulted in goals.

Verdict: No (kicking not up to standard)

Tom Rockliff - as I've written elsewhere, this bloke has grown on me after not originally impressing (I thought he was a one trick forward pocket pony). Then I saw him in the Nat Champs at TD (ok), the U18 Preliminary Final at Vi$y Park (BOG) & the Grand Final a week later at TD. He convinced me in that last game when he kicked 4 goals, unselfishly gave away a couple more with handpasses to players in the goal square and passed a few to Sidebottom. On top of that, he did well in stints in the midfield and down back. Finished with 30 disposals - 2 less than Sidey who kicked 10 and got MOM.

The knock on the Rock is that he's not an "athlete" (btw neither is Sidey & he was picked at #11) but I'm not recommending him for a track & field meeting either.

[i digress here to confess that in about 1996 there was this bloke at the Dragons called Adam Quinn who was built like a brick shithouse and kicked 5 goals in a dominant national champs decider and I really believed that he would be picked up in the top 3 in that year's ND. In the end, he wasn't even rookied! I was told later that this was because athletically he was a dud. He played a few games with Sandy in the VFL but was gone by the time the alignment started.]

Verdict: He's training with us & despite the fact that he's not Carl Lewis, I'd take the punt. He's been compared a couple of times with Jason Porplyzia and I ask what's wrong with that? IMO Adelaide was going to finish top 4 when Porps was on song & before he got injured. Incidentally, Porps was also picked up in the 2006 PSD.

Casey Sibosado - only saw vision on You Tube & we know that can be as misleading as a movie promo that can condense a 2 hour film's only highlights into 3 minutes. I don’t know much about him but it's been suggested that he’s lazy and undisciplined.

Verdict: As much as I'd love to point Casey at Casey, I give him the thumbs down because of the question marks about his character (see Emma Quayle in today's Sunday Age). We've spent the last 2 or 3 seasons ridding ourselves of lazy footballers.

Kade Klemke - training with the Tigers and I suspect his is the identity of the young player they are purportedly willing to take ahead of Cuz if the AFL won't give them the green light over Polak. If he doesn't get taken in the PSD I think the Swans can take him as an automatic NSW rookie selection and that's one of the things Richmond might be concerned about (along with freeing up TPP room for Cuz). He's a goer but no thanks.

Verdict: As far as I'm concerned the Toigs can have Cousins and all the baggage attached to him plus Klemke. Good luck to them if it works. I remain a sceptic.

Luke Stanton - no. Disposal a problem.

Jamie Sheahan - short at 178cm but there's just something I like about him that suggests he might be worth taking as a rookie.

Verdict: Yes as a rookie.

Clancee Pearce - I liked his game at TD but couldn't remember him at all from the U18 game at CF. Looks a bit of a dasher & kicks long.

Verdict: I'd take him as a rookie.

Riley Milne - impressed as a key defender in the TAC cup granny and we do need to pick up some players with good height. Do we need another

key defender though? Rhetorical question.

Verdict: rookie, yes.

Matt Martin - 196cm, 100kg key defender from SA u18's. Do we need another key defender named Martin?

Verdict: Actually, the kid isn't slow and was originally a KP forward and in that regards, he could fill a need so, yes I'd take him.

Others: I still like my two late suggestions from the ND in Jordan Dodman (207cm ruck with a b'ball background) and Alex Silvagni (keep Alex at Casey & stick it up Caarton when he becomes an AA full back - but do we need any more KP defenders?)

Then there's Michael Gugliotta of NT who is 195cm and apparently can play just a little bit and Stevie Gaertner whose family I know, who's a good kid, very athletic for 199cm and plays best at CHB (I'm not even going to ask the question!)

Beyond that we have the rest of those blokes training at CF who I will probably get to see tomorrow (and in most cases it will probably be the last time they train there with an AFL club).

[mo64 5,491]

Others: I still like my two late suggestions from the ND in Jordan Dodman (207cm ruck with a b'ball background)

WJ, is Dodman a cross between Grenville Dietrich and Whale Roberts?

[Guest unstable punt]

Whispering Jack has convinced me that rockliff is the man

tend to agree, Rockliff is the one

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

I can only go from what I have seen on YouTube, but if came down to Sibosado and Rockliff I would go for Sibosado.

As I've mentioned before Rockliff just seemed to lack polish while Sibosado had a natural class about him. He looks like he has a good size to him and Melbourne are in more need of a key forward than a HFF or forward pocket.

[LeBron James 41]

1. Melbourne- Rockliff

2. Port Adelaide- Carr

3. Essendon- Skipworth

4. Carlton- Johnson

5. Brisbane- Adem Yze

6. Richmond- Klemke

7. Richmond (if they get it)- Cousins

Brisbane is the hardest one to pick by a mile. I just chucked in the Ooze for a laugh.

[Whispering_Jack 29,227]

WJ, is Dodman a cross between Grenville Dietrich and Whale Roberts?

Fair go... he only weighs 110kg.

You Tube

[Bails 0]

Klemke i think was cut from the tigers training last friday

[montasaurus 0]

I can only go from what I have seen on YouTube, but if came down to Sibosado and Rockliff I would go for Sibosado.

As I've mentioned before Rockliff just seemed to lack polish while Sibosado had a natural class about him. He looks like he has a good size to him and Melbourne are in more need of a key forward than a HFF or forward pocket.

Totally agree on you there, Sibosado is worth the risk for me. I have a real question over rockliff's set shot which no one else has brought up and being that he would be seen as a FP he has to have good skills. Also I believe we have a few that can play this position well even if robbo doesn't come up. Therefore a KPF is what we need and Sibosado is the best avail player for this role from his highlights package.

The thing that excites me is that if Bris take Yze we could get both.

[e25 5]

Fair go... he only weighs 110kg.

You Tube

Dodman? After watching that video the guy struggles with basic speech.

I wonder how he'd go with AFL stategy & midifeld setups?

I know they're only footballers, not brain surgeons, but the guy sounds like a borderline retard.

Thats not even mentioning his lack of mobility or average skills.

[montasaurus 0]

I know they're only footballers, not brain surgeons, but the guy sounds like a borderline retard.

Thats not even mentioning his lack of mobility or average skills.

Sounds like a Steven Kernahan Clone

[Mousey 47]

Casey for me... ill be dissapointed if we dont take the risk on him.

The guy has a lot of potential...

But there MUST be a reason why he was not picked up in the national

[montasaurus 0]

Casey for me... ill be dissapointed if we dont take the risk on him.

The guy has a lot of potential...

But there MUST be a reason why he was not picked up in the national

I am convinced that Sibosado has to be #1 PSD unless there is a real issue with him non-football related.

1/ Firstly while they are only "high lights" they are by far the best highlights of players still available.

2/ He is KPP which we did not target in the national draft (Watts was only tall taken)

3/ Most other clubs seem to have their selections locked in therefore we should still get a good player #1 Rookie (De-Bore or Rockliff who are not KPP)

4/ There are only 2 major holes currently in our list - KPF and a Ruckman. Spencer will hopefully come on over the next year (you need 2 good rucks with johnson being the other) this leaves KPF which we currently have no back up if injury hits us.

5/ With the PSD we need to look 1-2 years down the track.....miller being a QLD boy could be a GC17 target as well, I rate this bloke through the roof, however when the trade time comes we could potentially do very well out of a miller for a top 3-7 pick GC17 will be desperate for a leader and KPF.

therefore take the opportunity now to top up don't wait until it is too late for our talls! Watts will be great, but your only ever as good as the options you have up forward.

[H_T 3,032]

1. Melbourne- Rockliff

2. Port Adelaide- Carr

3. Essendon- Skipworth

4. Carlton- Johnson

5. Brisbane- Adem Yze

6. Richmond- Klemke

7. Richmond (if they get it)- Cousins

Brisbane is the hardest one to pick by a mile. I just chucked in the Ooze for a laugh.

There is no pick 7 now M2W.

[montasaurus 0]

1. Melbourne- Sibosado

2. Port Adelaide- Carr

3. Essendon- Skipworth

4. Carlton- Johnson

5. Brisbane- Cousins

6. Richmond- ???

I have a strange feeling about Brisbane. Lets see what tomorrow brings!

[Redleg 40,209]

1. Melbourne- Sibosado

2. Port Adelaide- Carr

3. Essendon- Skipworth

4. Carlton- Johnson

5. Brisbane- Cousins

6. Richmond- ???

I have a strange feeling about Brisbane. Lets see what tomorrow brings!

1. No

2. Yes

3. Maybe

4. Yes

5. No

6. Yes.

[hoopla 418]

Emma Q has us taking DeBoer who looks OK. From the AFL clips he certainly doesn't look like a bad kick.

After that I just want us to grab a few young talls.

I've seen Sibosado play. He was brilliant. I'd cry if he turned out as good as he could be and we missed him. He must be a bit of a head case - but he has heaps of ability. Fast, good recovery, excellent pack mark, good kick for goal. Worth the risk

PSD

1. Melbourne- De Boer

2. Port Adelaide- Carr

3. Essendon- Skipworth

4. Carlton- Johnson

5. Brisbane- ??? Hope not Sibosado

6. Richmond- ???Hope not Sibosado

Rookie

1. Melbourne - Sibosado

[Don24 103]

i dont see why Richmond dont just take Cousins at Pick 6 and then pick up the young kid with their first selection in the rookie draft??? Then they can promote the young kid in place of Polak, they get both things they wanted???

Only risk is if someone takes the kid they want before their first rookie pick but im sure its worth the risk!

seems way to logical though...

[LeBron James 41]

Playing for NT in the U18 champs Sibosado averaged around 9 posessions and 1 goal per match. Hardly inspiring figures...

[demon_king 13]

Matt Burgan has listed 30 prospects for tomorrow's pre-season and rookie drafts. The players he has linked us having interest in are....

Matthew DeBoer

Liam Jurrah

Kade Klemke

If his knowledge of Melbourne's interests in the National Draft are anything to go by you expect one of those names will be read out at pick one of the psd and another at pick one of the rookie draft.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Matt Burgan has listed 30 prospects for tomorrow's pre-season and rookie drafts. The players he has linked us having interest in are....

Matthew DeBoer

Liam Jurrah

Kade Klemke

If his knowledge of Melbourne's interests in the National Draft are anything to go by you expect one of those names will be read out at pick one of the psd and another at pick one of the rookie draft.

I like all those, I hope there's some nice surprise packett we'll grab in the rookies.

[demon_king 13]

I like all those, I hope there's some nice surprise packett we'll grab in the rookies.

From what he implies it sounds like DeBoer for PSD and Klemke for rookie. Hopefully Melbourne's reasonably successful history in the rookie draft can continue this year.

[Wolfmother 182]

Isn't this whole cousins polak thing over klemke as richmond want him but know if they take cousins at six klemke wont be there at Rookie 7

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,502]

Demons will take Klemke..

Sibosado #1 pick in Rookie Draft

My phantom is:

1) Demons - Kade Klemke

2) Power- Josh Carr

3) Bombers - Hayden Skipworth

4) Blues - Chris Johnson

5) Brisbane - Matt De Boer

6) Tigers - Tom Rockliffe