Here's Burgo from his 2006 Phantom Draft where he had him selected at # 9:

9 - ST KILDA - MITCHELL THORP 

Tassie Devils, 25 December 1988, 194.1cm, 86.4kg

So where does Thorp stand in this draft? He is widely regarded as a top six selection, but invariably in this draft meeting, even players of that ilk can slide - for a number of reasons. He could be snapped up as early as No.4 to the Brisbane Lions, yet he it would be a massive surprise if he lasted any longer than No.12 at Melbourne. The Saints will be waiting to see which player slides through - they will snap up the best available - and expect recruiting manager John Beveridge to do just that with his club's first pick. The Saints will also be eagerly awaiting the outcome of Collingwood's opening selection at No.8 - with Riewoldt strongly linked to both the Magpies and Saints. St Kilda would be over the moon to recruit Riewoldt to play with his brilliant cousin. Should Riewoldt and Thorp be out of the equation, as well as a 'slider', expect the Saints to select one of North Ballarat's Nathan Brown (key forward), Armitage (midfielder) and Southport's Brent Renouf (ruckman).

Highlights/achievements: Strong marking and mobile forward/defender who can play on ball. Showed great promise for Tasmania in VFL playing 10 games and also won All-Australian honours at U18 level. AIS/AFL Academy Graduate. From the Northern Bombers in Tasmania.

Happy to see this, i hope the dees can set him strait and maybe his woken up to him self after being delisted, ive herd he has some talent.

Is this a joke given his Tasmanian origin?

very happy with this. got a good mate who is a die hard hawk and has been talking up this guy for years. Could never get a game at hawthorn with buddy and roughead, but has apparently been very impressive in the twos when playing. I agree that it signals we know ball isn't keen and therefore we are looking elsewhere - also excited about taking a middie at 11 which i think is a good move given that butcher won't slide and none of the other talls have been given a top ten rap.

Edited November 7, 200915 yr by Ingo

Sounds like they're probably over the Luke Ball fantasy.

Maybe maybe not. With all the problems that Thorp has had maybe they could be seeing him as a possible rookie.

Forget Ball, if we get him it maybe be a good result, if we don't there's enough excitement in the 2010 list to keep us happy regardless. Ball's an each-way bet but I'm not losing any sleep over it. So what?

Thorp is a different kettle of fish. More than one observation has him pinned as a DSW (first word dead) who has tickets on himself and was generally on the outer at the Hawks because of his self-opinion and anti-social attitude.

The Hawks got rid of him for a reason and it can't simply be because they've got a stacked forward line. His injury history didn't help but if he's been invited to train with us then you can downgrade that reason. It might be a case of wait and see how his body heals and develops though.

The major reason we got him for pre-season I reckon is to put a latent talent into a youthful enthusiastic training environment with an eye for the future. It's his last chance. If the guy's got any gumption and commitment now's the time to show it.

Expect DB and CC to be in his ear big time. But like Ball, it's 50/50. Who knows.

Forget Ball, if we get him it maybe be a good result, if we don't there's enough excitement in the 2010 list to keep us happy regardless. Ball's an each-way bet but I'm not losing any sleep over it. So what?

Thorp is a different kettle of fish. More than one observation has him pinned as a DSW (first word dead) who has tickets on himself and was generally on the outer at the Hawks because of his self-opinion and anti-social attitude.

The Hawks got rid of him for a reason and it can't simply be because they've got a stacked forward line. His injury history didn't help but if he's been invited to train with us then you can downgrade that reason. It might be a case of wait and see how his body heals and develops though.

The major reason we got him for pre-season I reckon is to put a latent talent into a youthful enthusiastic training environment with an eye for the future. It's his last chance. If the guy's got any gumption and commitment now's the time to show it.

Expect DB and CC to be in his ear big time. But like Ball, it's 50/50. Who knows.

Fair call, but another DSW who comes to mind was Wayne Carey. The Roos did reasonably well out of him.

I just realised actually, what Carey did to the Roos at the end... Hmmm.

I don't think there's any better remedy for a big head than to be delisted an thrown a "pull your head in and we'll look at you on our terms" lifeline. Seriously, could there have been a better outcome for the Dees, than if despite the awesome picks we have in the draft, we pick up a former pick 6 who turns out to be a gun forward?

I'd rather take a punt on Thorp than to beg Luke Ball to allow us to interview him.

Barry's MFC darft wish list:

1. Scully (yes, one, what he deserves).

2. Trengove.

11. Tapscott.

18. Temel.

34. Magic Door.

PSD 1. Thorp (and his entourage of sexy lady friends).

Edited November 7, 200915 yr by Barry Dawson

It's a big risk drafting Thorp, one which we should go for though. He's still young, hopefully being de-listed will make him smell the roses and drop the tickets on himself, and one cannot just lose talent.

However, i still think we should go tall at 11. If we were to take Thorp in the PSD, then i would seriously look at Talia. Our backline is set, yes, but Garland is still an unknown due to his injury, and Thorp is no guarantee. Talia can play both forward and back, aiding our KPP stocks. Then go with Vardy at 18.

1. Scully

2. Trengove

11. Talia

18. Vardy

PSD. Thorp

This would be how i would approach the upcoming drafting period, as it boosts our forward stocks as well as another potential KPB/KPF, our rucks and midfield.

The three Tee's would be great. Trengove and Tapscott are best buddies. Thorp still could be anything. Worth the gamble because he is Key Position and still young at 21!

Its been confirmed on SEN now by Liam Pickering that he will start pre-season training with the club on monday morning.

I have a feeling we will pick up Thorp . Hopefully the coaching staff can turn him into a good player.

Maybe maybe not. With all the problems that Thorp has had maybe they could be seeing him as a possible rookie.

I would have Thorp was a perfect Rookie in this draft unless he trains the house down and earns a spot on our senior list.

I would have Thorp was a perfect Rookie in this draft unless he trains the house down and earns a spot on our senior list.

if he was too be picked up by us i doubt it would be via the rookie system, if his talent is what it is said to be, the coaches would want to utilize his talents straight away (round 1), rather than have him sitting in the magoos on a rookie list

It's a big risk drafting Thorp, one which we should go for though. He's still young, hopefully being de-listed will make him smell the roses and drop the tickets on himself, and one cannot just lose talent.

However, i still think we should go tall at 11. If we were to take Thorp in the PSD, then i would seriously look at Talia. Our backline is set, yes, but Garland is still an unknown due to his injury, and Thorp is no guarantee. Talia can play both forward and back, aiding our KPP stocks. Then go with Vardy at 18.

1. Scully

2. Trengove

11. Talia

18. Vardy

PSD. Thorp

This would be how i would approach the upcoming drafting period, as it boosts our forward stocks as well as another potential KPB/KPF, our rucks and midfield.

Agree with all of that, id be happy with Vardy at pic 18 his disposal is quiet good for a Ruckman if Carlisle or black are available id grab one of them if not Vardys good with me.

Very happy with Thorpe coming over to train, hope the delisting has knocked the cockiness out of him and that he puts his head down and trains the house down and gathers the Melbourne boy's respect,

I have my reservations for the reasons that others have mentioned ....... but I also have great faith in the recruiting and coaching staff at the Melbourne Footy Club.

I really really want Thorp in the PSD.

If we can fix his attitude problems i have no doubt he can be a gun.

This thread is an interesting read on BigFooty.

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=404134

This is a good excerpt from a Herald Sun article (Thorp's second VFL game in 2007):

The Box Hill Hawks had a surprise 15-point win against Geelong, 12 places above it on the ladder, at Skilled Stadium on Saturday.

Teenager Mitchell Thorp starred at centre half-forward with six goals, and Cat forward Tom Hawkins failed to kick a goal on Zac Dawson.

Edited November 7, 200915 yr by Morton2Watts

I used to play with Mitch at North Launceston and Tassie when i trained with the vfl side. He is a very good player who unfortunately was surplus to requirements at Hawthorn because of Franklin and Roughead and did not want to play in the ruck. His departure was based on finding more game time and the split was amicable.

I hope that is the case.

I would ask no less than the FD boys interviewing him and getting a feel for his personality. Little risk in the PSD too.

Agree. Wait and see how the cards fall. The FD will make the right decision based on their ground work. Former No.6 pick, KP prospect. Cannot dismiss him lightly I suppose. WHilst I'm not that keen on him I'll back the FD's judgement.

We really need to do our due diligence with this player to find out why he went off the rails and what, if anything can be done to get him on track again. In that event, he might be worth the risk.

A champion junior player who turned into an absolute [censored].

Coupla weeks training with the club will help with determining the latter.

Morton2Watts quote from the Hun is more interesting for the comments about Dawson (and thus the Hawks). Could it be their radar is not working, or is very blinkered?

I'm happy with this. We get the chance to see if he's mature enough to become a team player, drop the attitude, and work his ass off. If we're happy with what we see we can easily get him through the PSD. If not, we don't bother.

Certainly better than not having anyone down at the club, and I kinda hope this works out.

Tapscott would be a great selection at 11 but I doubt that Port will let him slip past them at 8 or 9.

All depends on whether they rate Melksham higher, which would seem correct. His TAC form post Championships/school footy was very good, and capped off by an excellent performance in the TAC GF. Tapscott spent most of his time splitting between PAC school footy and SANFL reserves where Trengove really took all focus from other potential SA draftees (as well as raised the bar for them as well). I can see Tapscott slipping to mid teens, where Port do have another pick.

I would have Thorp was a perfect Rookie in this draft unless he trains the house down and earns a spot on our senior list.

I agree with you 'hangon007'. Rookie Thorpe, if we think he can change, otherwise, we should take some kids with mature outlooks.

I would not give him a 2 year list contract first up.

I agree with you 'hangon007'. Rookie Thorpe, if we think he can change, otherwise, we should take some kids with mature outlooks.

I would not give him a 2 year list contract first up.

The thing is that the Gold Coast have the first 5 picks in the rookie draft, so I would imagine they'd jump at the chance...

Lets take him @ 34, or pick 1 in the PSD...

The thing is that the Gold Coast have the first 5 picks in the rookie draft, so I would imagine they'd jump at the chance...

Lets take him @ 34, or pick 1 in the PSD...

Sorry 'vanlo', I cant see them taking him to GC-17, he's full of 'baggage'. Would be bad news for their young bears kids.

Hence why I'd only rookie him if he looked like changing.

Well, a potential gun CHF on the cheap is always a nice thought. And he's definately still young.

I think a pick 6 is one of the few first-round selections we don't have in our collection, too.

As much as being 'variety pack' of pricks didn't do Hawthorn too much harm in 2008, I'm not sure it's the way I want the Demons to go. Of course it comes down to the triple - is he injury free, has he held onto his talent, and will he fit in with what we want the club to be.

I think I match the general mood of the board with an 'interested but wary' feeling about this.