Our early draft picks

[Jarka 767]

For those who are still in the KPF camp watch out for Panos, he's starting to put some very good performances in, could challenge Butcher as best KP in the draft. Having said that I'm still leaning to taking two mids. Trengove looks a beauty, I still think it will be between him and Lucas.

[Pepe Dee Pew 0]

I say go the the best available no matter what.

I agree with whoever said gun mids will make Bate look like a gun. Bailey said he hope to develop Garland as a forward (he came to us as a forward). Also Martin is being developed as a utility who can play both ends.

Better not to be obsessed with picking up a tall forward. With GC coming in and compromised drafts better not to take risks - go best available.

Read an article in the HUN today say Scully , Trengove, Morabito and Butcher as a group stand out above the rest. So we should get two guns out of this draft.

Agree with Whispering the real winners will be the top teams eg Cats who will package up 2 or 3 almost over the hill players for top draft picks as GC will need 'strong' players straight away. This could extend Cats dominance a few more years.

Now that Worsfield has been extended at WC for two years expect them to tank so we will get picks 1 and 3 - likely. But they most likely will go for Morabito as first pick.

[Carn dees 108]

any chance of finding some footage of jackson trengove? i can only find some of the Port Adelaide one.

[Carn dees 108]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tab...05/default.aspx

Butcher in best yet only 2 goals

[Guest]

We should pick Scully and Trengove/Morabito with picks 1 and 3.

Hopefully Panos or Griffiths will still be there for our second round pick.

[DeeMfc 621]

wouldnt wanna be any shorter. i heard he was 191cm

Panos is 192-193cm.

But your concern on height is unwarranted.

Along with footy smarts and skill, versatility and speed are just as important attributes in the modern game.

As opposed to the tall, one dimensional old school forwards.

8 of the top ten goal kickers this year are under 195cm.

Rankings in order

1. Fevola - 191cm

2. Riewoldt - 193cm

3. Brown - 195cm

4. Franklin - 196cm

5. Johnson - 189cm

6. Roughhead - 193cm

7. Tredrea - 194cm

8. Bradshaw- 191cm

9. Betts - 173cm

10. LeCras -182cm

If 2 mids are the standout then thats what we should take.

Best available should be the way to go. Whether its a kpp and mid or 2 mids. Time will tell.

[Sideshow Bob 2,163]

DB has already gone on record saying we will be taking one Midfeilder and one KP with the first 2 picks. Scully is a lock. Therefore they will be taking Butcher, unless someone absolutely demands they be taken.

The Toigs have been smashed from day one about taking Deledio and Tambling while Roughy and Buddy were on the table. I don't think DB or BP would want to make that mistake. Big bodied KP's are worth their weight in gold. We haven't recruited one since Neitz/Schwarz. Imagine taking Tengrove and he goes and does a F@$%ing Scott Thompson on us, while Butcher Plays for West Coast or Richmond or North and regularly kicks bags against us. Not a pretty scenario.

We will Take Butcher thanks

[Roost It 1,434]

DB has already gone on record saying we will be taking one Midfeilder and one KP with the first 2 picks. Scully is a lock. Therefore they will be taking Butcher, unless someone absolutely demands they be taken.

The Toigs have been smashed from day one about taking Deledio and Tambling while Roughy and Buddy were on the table. I don't think DB or BP would want to make that mistake. Big bodied KP's are worth their weight in gold. We haven't recruited one since Neitz/Schwarz. Imagine taking Tengrove and he goes and does a F@$%ing Scott Thompson on us, while Butcher Plays for West Coast or Richmond or North and regularly kicks bags against us. Not a pretty scenario.

We will Take Butcher thanks

Butcher can kick all the bags he likes playing for those sides, they'll still finish out of the eight. I'm starting to head to the Scully, Trengove camp but only because they appear to be the 2 best available. He's also called Jack, add Watts, Grimes and Viney and that's 4 Jack's That's very hard to beat!

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Panos is 192-193cm.

But your concern on height is unwarranted.

Along with footy smarts and skill, versatility and speed are just as important attributes in the modern game.

As opposed to the tall, one dimensional old school forwards.

8 of the top ten goal kickers this year are under 195cm.

Rankings in order

1. Fevola - 191cm

2. Riewoldt - 193cm

3. Brown - 195cm

4. Franklin - 196cm

5. Johnson - 189cm

6. Roughhead - 193cm

7. Tredrea - 194cm

8. Bradshaw- 191cm

9. Betts - 173cm

10. LeCras -182cm

If 2 mids are the standout then thats what we should take.

Best available should be the way to go. Whether its a kpp and mid or 2 mids. Time will tell.

If he is another 1cm taller we should not take him because Freak has told us that picks that are 192cm tall are duds.

[Its Miller time 6]

Is butcher a big stay at home forward or a more mobile prospect with second efforts?

Bailey saying they will take the best Midfielder and one KP is no way definate. If he has already made up his mind with more than half a season to go he is not the man for the job. Imagine taking Butcher and he doesn't improve much like Tom Hawkins, while West Coast take Trengrove and he becomes a future Premiership Captain and never goes back to sleepy S.A.

Two best Available. Although for me Preferrably 2 best Mids.

Is there another Colin we could draft? 3 Colins in the 1 team would have to be a record of some sort.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

DB has already gone on record saying we will be taking one Midfeilder and one KP with the first 2 picks. Scully is a lock. Therefore they will be taking Butcher, unless someone absolutely demands they be taken.

No he has not. He has said we need another class midfielder and KPF.

The Toigs have been smashed from day one about taking Deledio and Tambling while Roughy and Buddy were on the table. I don't think DB or BP would want to make that mistake. Big bodied KP's are worth their weight in gold. We haven't recruited one since Neitz/Schwarz. Imagine taking Tengrove and he goes and does a F@$%ing Scott Thompson on us, while Butcher Plays for West Coast or Richmond or North and regularly kicks bags against us. Not a pretty scenario.

We will Take Butcher thanks

Deledio was the best available like Scully in his year. Tambling was the issue. Roughhead and Buddy were top ranked in the draft. Butcher may not.

On what evidence do you have that Trengove with go "home"

BTW, we have recruited Smith (1st rnd pick), Molan (1st round pick), Breeze (2nd round pick) and some others over the years since Ox and Neitz.

[Roost It 1,434]

BTW, we have recruited Smith (1st rnd pick), Molan (1st round pick), Breeze (2nd round pick) and some others over the years since Ox and Neitz.

Don't remind me

[e25 5]

No he has not. He has said we need another class midfielder and KPF.

Exactly. And I'm pretty sure Bailey has also said this is the domain of Barry Prendergast at the moment and he himself has spent precious little time watching draft prospects this season.

I also recall many times when they have stated we will take the best available.

[Hannabal 4]

VIC METRO has scored a gritty six-point win over Queensland in the NAB Under-18 Championships at Casey Fields on Saturday afternoon.

With Queensland yet to record a victory in the competition, a goal from Vic Metro forward Sam Ezard with one minute remaining handed the side their second win of the carnival – 8.7 (55) to 7.7 (49).

Metro was wasteful in the first quarter – having six scoring shots to two – and led by nine points at the first change.

After a team-lifting chase and tackle on the wing by Joseph Daye and with Todd Grayson finding plenty of the ball, Queensland was able to cut the margin to just two-points.

But a sloppy free-kick on the half-time siren to Ayden Kennedy gave Metro momentum at the main break.

Michael Thompson provided some excellent dash from defence for Metro in the third quarter to keep his side in control. Josh Toy also provided some spark with an excellent running goal just before three-quarter time to increase the lead to 14-points.

With both Josh Thomas and Alik Magin working tirelessly in their forward 50, Queensland could sense an upset brewing.

After early goals to Daye, Matt Flower and Rory Thompson, Queensland reduced the deficit to just two points.

But with scores level, it was Ezard who took a strong mark over his opponent from 40m out to seal the win for Metro, which faces South Australia at Docklands on Wednesday.

Queensland will look to get its first win against Northern Territory.

Vic Metro 2.4 4.5 6.6 8.7 (55)

Queensland 1.1 3.3 4.4 7.7 (49)

GOALS

Vic Metro: Moore, Hicks, Toy, Kennedy, Jones, Hoegel, Purcell, Ezard

Queensland: Flower 2, Thompson 2, McIvor, Thomas, Daye

BEST

Vic Metro: Scully, Toy, Hoegel, Melksham, Talia, Jacobs

Queensland: Lock, Daye, Harley, Grayson, Flower, Smith

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tab...08/default.aspx

[rodent killer 0]

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.

Scully and Trengrove

[beelzebub 22,257]

I've got no doubt Scully will go no.1 if Melbourne has first pick, but if Trengove plays like it's touted and from the short footage I've seen of him, I'd salivate at a Scully/Trengove combo at the Dees next year. What's more, they'd both be in our best side from da one.

Imagine our midfield in 3-5 years time: Scully, Trengove, Blease, Grimes, McLean, Strauss, ...

sensational stuff isnt it

With Garland back in form down back with Warnock and possibly dare I say it Riv in some sort of nick ( or simply replaced..timem to stop mucking around with what if's ) There is the opportunity of Martin playing forward or back. Some real talent on the forward line.

crikey..thats pretty close to a half way decent effort at a REAL footy team..with real outcomes possible.

cold showers all round hey ?? lol

[Hannabal 4]

With another BOG today I reckon it's just about a lay down mizere that Scully will be crowned the Larke Medallist next Wednesday.

Larke Medallist 2007 Cale Morton - Melbourne

Larke Medallist 2008 Jack Watts - Melbourne

Larke Medallist 2009 Tom Scully ?

And yes, I know Steven Armstrong was also a Larke Medallist.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

And yes, I know Steven Armstrong was also a Larke Medallist.

Would have been called the Far.. medal then. B)

[Carn dees 108]

With another BOG today I reckon it's just about a lay down mizere that Scully will be crowned the Larke Medallist next Wednesday.

Larke Medallist 2007 Cale Morton - Melbourne

Larke Medallist 2008 Jack Watts - Melbourne

Larke Medallist 2009 Tom Scully ?

And yes, I know Steven Armstrong was also a Larke Medallist.

Holly crap are you seroiuse?

I really didnt need to hear that <_<

[e25 5]

With another BOG today I reckon it's just about a lay down mizere that Scully will be crowned the Larke Medallist next Wednesday.

Larke Medallist 2007 Cale Morton - Melbourne

Larke Medallist 2008 Jack Watts - Melbourne

Larke Medallist 2009 Tom Scully ?

And yes, I know Steven Armstrong was also a Larke Medallist.

If its not Scully it'll be Trengove and I'd say they are both going to be at the club come draft time.

[Bruce Almighty 0]

Firstly i think everyone is being a bit harsh on richard tambling, he will be a great player. Franklin and Roughhead had some pretty good delivery into their forward line last year and the made the most of it. But things have dried up a little for them this year, although they are still good players.

i really think we should take the best available players at the draft, that is scully and trengrove, i think we can snag another key forward with pick 17 or maybe we can trade an average player and 17 for a top 10 pick (unlikly).

We really need to work on our mids but i wont be disappointed whateva we do

[dee-luded 2,958]

Morabito, more an very fast outside athlete than a "footballer".

Kobey Stevens sounds like a crashing inside mid.

I have to make a reassessment on Morabito, I saw him play @ Casey, Saturday in the WA v TAS game. He is a footballer of the highest calliber & is right up there with Scully & Trengove. He was very impressive & all 3 of these boys will serve their clubs well.

Some reports I had read were I think a bit mischeavious, suggesting that he was a bit casual with his kicking & action, I think that they may have hoped he'd slip through to their teams pick.

He's up in the A list.

That WA side has some real talent.

[Binmans PA 26,292]

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).

I'm beginning to think we should take Scully and Trengove. The only thing I'd be worried about from the Trengove point of view is the go home factor (hello, Scott Thompson). Other than that, we still need that other key forward.

Also, I don't think taking a ruckman that could go forward (ala Kruzer) would be such a bad thing. I'm just not sure of the talent available in that department, this year.

Scully's obviously a shoe-in for #1, but for #2, I suppose I should reserve my final judgement for a few months time. Or even, this coming Wednesday.

If a quick forward like a Panos were still available, or another small mid/forward like Brandon Matera.

To be honest, I can't see us going for another small forward. Aussie, Jetta, Maric and possibly even Jurrah can all play that role. I'm not sure we'd need any other small forwards. That said, if Brandon is anything like his (uncle?) Phillip, then he and Watts could have a handy little partnership up forward, in the years to come.

Our midfield is our weakest area and the most ineffectual in the league right now, but if you look at the reasons for this, I think its something that can be largely corrected without necessarily using first round picks. It's not simply that our midfielders are useless, it's that our midfield is completely one-dimensional; we actually have a wealth of good-to-decent inside mids (McLean, Jones, Moloney etc), but are completely lacking in faster, more polished players to compliment them. We've seen in the last few years that with shrewd recruiting, you can often draft good running midfielders in the 20s and early 30s. An elite KPP is harder to come by.

Apart from Watts, we went exclusively for midfielders and HBF types in last years draft. Now, considering our inside mid stocks are decent already, I think that if Blease, Strauss etc kick on as expected, and if Scully is as good as he sounds, and given we'll take a few midfielders with our second and third round picks, and considering we've got guys like Bennel, Davey, Morton, Wonna, Maric, Jetta, Sylvia, who might be able to pinch-hit in the midfield in future, our midfield should actually have a good balance of speed, hardness and skill in a few years time.

Our forward situation is not great. While we all love Jurrah already, it's still too early to tell how his story will unfold- in any case, even if he stays and regardless of how good he turns out to be, he is not really a KPP. Miller and Bate are honest but limited footballers; as long as they're a focal point of our forward structure, we'll struggle. Newton is just about a write-off. The value of an elite key forward would be immeasurable.

Obviously we should go for the best available with our first two picks; simply put, we'll take the two players most likely to become outright superstars. But -and I'm open to persuasion here- if it's a 50/50 split between Butcher and one of the mids, and we've already taken Scully, I'd pick Butcher.

Good post, 'two sheds jackson'. You've almost persuaded me the other way. Who knows, Butcher might just tear up the Championships this Wednesday. I'll certainly be watching. I think I'll go back and sit on the fence. It really depends who shines through in the coming weeks. If it's another mid, then take him. If it's Butcher or another KPF, then take him.

Excellent post, Sheds.

Good mids seem easier to find, but it's been the opposite for the MFC. Having secured Watts, my next preference is to build a star midfield, not just a decent one, but one of the best in the competitions. Don't get me wrong, I'd love a Buddy and Roughead combo too, but in order of preference, we need to fix the midfield. Average forwards suddenly look good when they've got a dominant midfield bearing down. In reality, I want it all, but next cab off the rank for me is setting up the midfield for the next 10 years. Games have always been, and still are, won in the midfield. We haven't had a genuine star midfielder since the AFL was formed in 1990. It's not just a coincidence that a premiership has alluded us during this time.

Recently, Geelong have won a flag without a star KPF

West Coast have won a flag without a star KPF

St. Kilda could win a flag with just one star KPF - Kosi is not a 'star'

But what do the above teams all have ? They had/have star midfields. Judd, Cousins, Kerr --- Ablett, Bartel, Corey, Selwood --- Hayes, Montagna, Dal Santo, Ball - just to name a few - and all are better than our best mid.

Those that think that just a Scully or Blease plus whatever we've already got will get us back into the equation are in the mode of 'wishful thinking'.

It's mids we need. And then some.

And yes, I have a tonne of faith in Watts as our star future KPF.

What would you propose doing with the forwardline, Hannabal? Do you think our forwardline (let's say: Watts, Aussie, Jurrah, Maric, Bate, Sylvia etc) will be good enough? Or are you thinking, we'll use a later round pick to bolster the forwardline and use our first 3 picks to build this elite midfield?

I'm just not sure we can build a gun midfield in only one draft. We'd need at least two drafts. So let's say we go Scully and another elite mid this year...that's not going to do it, as you say. So where do we go from there? Do we push the likes of Grimes and perhaps Strauss in there, once they've developed further?

Quality mids and dime a dozen in this league and the league has a plethora of quality mids found late in the draft, pick 40s and beyond. Show me how many dominant forwards today were taken as late picks..

Why is it that we've never had an elite mid in, at least the last twenty years then? Drafting is not as simple as it may appear.

Imagine taking Tengrove and he goes and does a F@$%ing Scott Thompson on us...

Yep, still a major concern for me.

[Guest]

Picks 1 and 2 should be Tom Scully and Jack Trengove.

Best Key Forward at pick 18-20.

We should try and trade for another top 20 pick, but this is unlikely to happen.

[DeeMfc 621]

If he is another 1cm taller we should not take him because Freak has told us that picks that are 192cm tall are duds.

Just a few of the 192cm duds playing currently !

Matthew Pavlich

Matthew Lloyd

John Anthony

Chad Cornes

Sam Fisher

Darren Glass

Cale Morton

Jarrod Brennan

Matthew Scarlett

Scott Lucas

Ben Rutten

Andrew Mackie

They had better take the tape measure on draft day just to be sure........