Our early draft picks

[dee-luded 2,959]

It seems incomprehensible that we could miss out on a priority pick this 2009 year.

(IF we do, Heads should surely Roll).

The QUESTION is then, do we get with our 1st pick in Round One, a midfielder?, or a Key Forward?.

In my mind now as I study the reports around on the draftees by what I witnessed last year from the U-18 Carnival, At the end of last season I had a total fixation on BUTCHER.

Now as I witness another season of the Dees struggle, compounded by what I have seen of our future opposition, (Bombre's & Blues) I see a Glaring Hole in our Engine Room, that only really early picks, can fix.

We need the Elitist of the Elite Mids we can get. Scully is as Sound a Lock as you get.

But next is the conundrum, it would seem that there is a plethora of good mids, BUT they all seem to be of the similar standard, with there own problems. Getting an advantage over our competitors @ the draft table is what is paramount.

In & under, outside, inside chunky ones. Fast athletes who can't kick. Key forwards who are one dimensional. Other Key forwards who, @ this moment, don't warrant a top 7 pick? There is Butcher, an elite mark, but I fear he may be a little one dimensional around the field. & then there is Nathan Vardy, ruckman/Forward?.

To me we need to solve the real lack of class 'IN' our Mid zone. I think the Key to us & (what most teams needs are, @ the moment is Inside mids who Run & break the lines)... IMO there aren't too many of this type of player,, who has great vision & avasiveness in traffic, & can dish off successfully or get through, carry & deliver lace out.

Genuine inside Mids who run the lines are few, @ this point it sounds like Lucas, maybe Trengove, Christenson?.

I think we must get these players (Scully + ???) with these early picks. Next year we won't get a pick untill @ least pick 4, if we finish last.

I think we will use about 5 draft picks this year unless we trade for an extra pick.

It's my opinion that we would be able to take a tall forward with our 2nd round pick this year, & later, as well as. On top of that hopefully we can Rookie a tall forward & a ruck.

The next few days will show us some more of the talent, as we will see them @ Casey on Saturday & then the Finals @ the Dome, Wednesday the 1st July.

[w00dy 146]

I'm convinced that we go with the next best midfielder with our 2nd selection. Don't need a great forward line to win flags, but you do need a great midfield... 2 of the best mids in the land will be more valuable than 1 mid and another key position player...

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,722]

The first thing we do with our second pick is put it on the table in trade week. Test the waters, you never know how much a club maybe be willing to give up to get such a high draft pick.

[Freak 100]

unless we got franklin for pick 2. i dont want it traded. end of story. And don't say what about 'player X', 'player Y'...i dont want anyone but whoever the pick 2 is. it wont be traded.

[LeBron James 41]

I'm still on the Scully and Butcher train.

2012 premiership team:

B: Bennell, Frawley, Garland

HB: Davey, Martin, Strauss

C: Blease, Grimes ©, Morton

HF: Jurrah, Watts, Sylvia

F: Maric, Butcher, Wonaeamirri

R: Jamar, Scully, McLean (VC)

I: Green, Rivers, Bate, Jones

EMG: Cheney, Petterd, Buckley

Melbourne 21.13.139

DEF Essendon 14.17.101

Goal Kickers: Watts, Butcher 4 Jurrah, Syvlia, Maric, Blease 2 Davey, Wonaeamirri, Bate, Scully, Morton

Bests: Scully, Watts, Sylvia, Frawley, Grimes, Morton, Butcher.

Ah well, i can dream.

[beelzebub 23,313]

given the nature of how pecking orders change as seasons grow older..( exhibit A - 2008 ) its quite likely the candidates will sort themselves out by draft time. Watts wasnt up the front til much later in year. So after Scully, id be inclined to see who shows their hand. I have a leaning towards a utility midfileder.. but lets see who wants to play. Maybe a Butcher..maybe another Davey type lurks..who knows.. no-one yet really !!

[Hannabal 4]

I'm very much now in the 'two mids' camp.

[cooko 124]

i still think butcher could be good.. twin towers look so good.. plus every year you get good mids in the draft.. it isnt often you get a good tall key forward !!

[beelzebub 23,313]

i still think butcher could be good.. twin towers look so good.. plus every year you get good mids in the draft.. it isnt often you get a good tall key forward !!

Watts...Jurrah anyone... ??

boy they will be a headache for coaches to counter in years to come. Id like some insurance for Brocky and Beamer etc..another mid... also keeps that midfield hungry

[deanox 9,896]

I'm very much now in the 'two mids' camp.

I am with you as well H.

Our midfield is proving to be our weakest area. Any defenders are likely to start 10-11 in the pecking order for a spot back there, and unless we are getting an andrew mcleod, small backs should be left for later in the draft.

Our forward line, while struggling, is lokoing better, and has prospects. Watts and Jurrah look likely types, with wonna, maric, jetta, bate, all developing as well. there are goals to be had up forward when the ball comes in well.

That leaves the midfield which has struggled this year. While we have blease and strauss to come into this side in the next couple of years, 2 extra mids would really put pressure on a couple of the oldies mcdonald and bruce to retain spots in years to come, and also put pressure on the almost theres and nqrs to perform ie dunn, bartram, and for the sylvias and mcleans to take that step up or miss out.

my question is, is there a chance of using that pick to strengthen the ruck division? i have never been an advocate of using high picks on rucks, but we struggle in that area, and if one was good enough, especially a ruck who drifts forward with a good work rate, he could come under consideration.

[Roost It 1,434]

Personally I hope they pick the 2 very best available

[cooko 124]

Watts...Jurrah anyone... ??

boy they will be a headache for coaches to counter in years to come. Id like some insurance for Brocky and Beamer etc..another mid... also keeps that midfield hungry

true.. but having watts, jurrah..AND butcher.. plus wonnaz in the pocket is a DREAM forward line!!

i still think we have a bit in the midfield that can develop.. Moloney still has a few years.. Brocky, Nate Jones.. plus Morton, Grimes, Blease are all still so young and should become stars.. and if we get Scully!! it wont be the best midfield in the comp.. but it would be pretty good!

still too early to call though - but its an exciting time!!

[Captain Jack 0]

Take the best player available!

[beelzebub 23,313]

might get a bit crowded down there ? As heretic as this sounds.. ( somewhere Queeny is laughing ) If you have the "twins" playing down with crumbers around and a Miller type ( i.e lead up half forward ) filling the 50 with good marking ( and he can ) delivering onto those two then its a pretty fair combo all round.

[maximum bob 462]

I am with you as well H.

Our midfield is proving to be our weakest area. Any defenders are likely to start 10-11 in the pecking order for a spot back there, and unless we are getting an andrew mcleod, small backs should be left for later in the draft.

Our forward line, while struggling, is lokoing better, and has prospects. Watts and Jurrah look likely types, with wonna, maric, jetta, bate, all developing as well. there are goals to be had up forward when the ball comes in well.

That leaves the midfield which has struggled this year. While we have blease and strauss to come into this side in the next couple of years, 2 extra mids would really put pressure on a couple of the oldies mcdonald and bruce to retain spots in years to come, and also put pressure on the almost theres and nqrs to perform ie dunn, bartram, and for the sylvias and mcleans to take that step up or miss out.

my question is, is there a chance of using that pick to strengthen the ruck division? i have never been an advocate of using high picks on rucks, but we struggle in that area, and if one was good enough, especially a ruck who drifts forward with a good work rate, he could come under consideration.

Forget the rucks atm. Definitely go for the mids or one of and a forward. Spencer and Meesen have years left if they cut it and I'm happy to see what develops over the next couple of years with them. Both showed something briefly this year but time will tell.

There's no way we'll draft a ruckman.

[dee-luded 2,959]

I am with you as well H.

Our midfield is proving to be our weakest area. Any defenders are likely to start 10-11 in the pecking order for a spot back there, and unless we are getting an andrew mcleod, small backs should be left for later in the draft.

Our forward line, while struggling, is lokoing better, and has prospects. Watts and Jurrah look likely types, with wonna, maric, jetta, bate, all developing as well. there are goals to be had up forward when the ball comes in well.

That leaves the midfield which has struggled this year. While we have blease and strauss to come into this side in the next couple of years, 2 extra mids would really put pressure on a couple of the oldies mcdonald and bruce to retain spots in years to come, and also put pressure on the almost theres and nqrs to perform ie dunn, bartram, and for the sylvias and mcleans to take that step up or miss out.

my question is, is there a chance of using that pick to strengthen the ruck division? i have never been an advocate of using high picks on rucks, but we struggle in that area, and if one was good enough, especially a ruck who drifts forward with a good work rate, he could come under consideration.

Nathan Vardy I think might fit that bill, but is he worthy of that high in the draft?

[beelzebub 23,313]

I think if we need to bolster our rucks then some avenue re trade or rookie might bring dividends...but as to this years 2nd pick.. got to be a near ready to go ( 0-1 years..ready that is) player. Its just too valuable to waste speculatively

[deanox 9,896]

Forget the rucks atm. Definitely go for the mids or one of and a forward. Spencer and Meesen have years left if they cut it and I'm happy to see what develops over the next couple of years with them. Both showed something briefly this year but time will tell.

There's no way we'll draft a ruckman.

Nathan Vardy I think might fit that bill, but is he worthy of that high in the draft?

dee luded, that is my concern also, maybe a player that fits the mould but not quite that high in the draft, which means i wouldn't want to take him.

i'm not sure if we need to draft another tall forward unless we are going to delist one. robbo, watts, miller, jurrah, newton, bate are all fighting for similar positions and hughes is doing similar at casey. while not all will make it, or be around for much longer, all have at least 1, maybe 2 years left on the list, and a draftee will be playing maybe 8th in line for one of 6 spots at max (3 at mfc 3 at casey) any more than that and players would be hardly playing.

a ruckman/forward could fit the bill, i.e. someone with tap work and a contested mark up forward.

i agree i doubt we'll take a pure ruckman with a top pick.

but to me, that is starting to standout as a big hole, we have defence, have forwards, have mids coming through, and potentially a superstar mid. but don't have a solid ruck.

how many mids do you need in a top side? 8? centres, followers, 3 on the bench? yes some will rotate back and forward, so they are extras, but take the part timers out of there for a moment, how many mids do we need to hit 8 that we'd be happy with in our 1st side? and how many do we need at casey?

[Little Goffy 14,435]

I still think we need to get pick 7 somehow. That's where you get your gun mids these days.

Meanwhile, going on what I've read, which is of course of limited use, there seems to be a pretty strong first round's worth of this draft.

I'd be fascinated to see what we get with our pick in the very late teens, or higher if we can bump it up a little in trade week.

I'm not completely joking about pick seven though - I'd throw every later pick we had that plus an expendable player or two to get another top ten pick, if I had to.

In that scenario, I'd think Scully, Jack Trengove, and then someone who offers a forward threat with 7. I like recruiting from the NT, it seems to go well, so that would mean Troy Taylor, just to ensure our entire forward line is freak-stylish (Watts, Jurrah, Wonaeamirri, Taylor).

[Jarka 767]

I'm very much now in the 'two mids' camp.

I was in the KP camp but I've since been well and truly converted to the dark side.

At this stage my preference would be either Lucas or Trengove

[BennytheJet 15]

true.. but having watts, jurrah..AND butcher.. plus wonnaz in the pocket is a DREAM forward line!!

i still think we have a bit in the midfield that can develop.. Moloney still has a few years.. Brocky, Nate Jones.. plus Morton, Grimes, Blease are all still so young and should become stars.. and if we get Scully!! it wont be the best midfield in the comp.. but it would be pretty good!

still too early to call though - but its an exciting time!!

Dream forward line??? You didnt name one player in that four who we know is (or is going to be) elite.

[Viney_12 1]

I was in the KP camp but I've since been well and truly converted to the dark side.

At this stage my preference would be either Lucas or Trengove

Morabito and Kobey Stevens are other guys in that fold.

[redman 28]

The game has changed so much that where the reliance on big contested marks in the forward line isn't required, so with precision kicking into the F50 onto a lead or a player in space becoming more prevalent then another gun midfielder becomes more vital.

But an over reliance on the one target a la Carton and Fev... then options are required.

So both as important as each other so we just need to pick the best player available.. if Trengrove is going to be a star and Butcher a good player then Trengrove is the call...

And judging but the article in the Age last week thats exactly what they will do... pick the players with potential 'star' quality over positional requirements!

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

I'm very much now in the 'two mids' camp.

Agree, although I wouldn't have a couple of months ago. If we get the ball into the forwardline enough, and with purpose, we will kick a big score. If the mids are at least breaking even I have faith in the developing backs to hold their own.

[beelzebub 23,313]

keep in mind ...decent mids will kick a few goals