In honour of Tiger Woods current visit to arguably the sporting capital of the world for the Australian Masters in Melbourne, here is a little "time kill" before the National Draft on November 26 - hence "Closest to pin"

Consider it a light hearted "breather" or "stress relief" from reading Luke Ball threads. A bit of fun.

We have picks 1,2,11,18,34,50 and PSD#1 to fill.

The closest to the pin (exact) wins nothing .....but bragging rights I suppose.

Here are a few link references used in the recent past of possible candidates for draftees & out of contract player(s) to assist you : -

Draft Rater: Medium Defenders

Draft Rater: Tall Defenders

Draft Rater: Medium Forwards

Draft Rater: Tall Forwards

Draft Rater: Ruckmen

Draft Rater: Small Midfielders

Draft Rater: Medium Midfielders

Luke Ball nominates for ND thread

Or read the discussion that took place in the "Draftee Ratings thread" that included these links, created by Keyser Soze a few weeks back: -

Draft Ratings thread

I'll commence proceedings and "have a stab"....

edit: (19/11/2009)

Before I commence, pick 18,34 & 50 have been amended a few times, I'll settle on this one. Pick 18 I have been tossing up between Gysberts, Colyer, Griffiths & Bastinac. I'll settle for whoever is available. J.Thomas & K.Geary are two small-to-medium midfielders around 178cm who provide pace and composure and look to be good kicks of the footy. Both kick well on their left foot. Thomas could be an option to play a small defender type role as well as mid/fwd option. Flexibility the key.

1- T.Scully

2- J.Trengove

11- D.Talia - but if Jetta isn't picked in first 10. Jetta could be a Dee.

18- R.Bastinac - depends upon today's meeting with Ball (24/11/09); could be Ball if available here.

34- T.Colyer - others to consider are J.Thomas or B.Griffiths if available.

50- K.Geary - or L.Patrick if available.

PSD#1- J.MacDonald

Rookie: - Ruckman.

* If you feel you want to edit or change your selections prior to draft day, by all means do it. Deadline is 6:30pm 26th November.

edit: -

For those hedging their bets and having two selections (or in some cases more) at one pick.....ie, "Pick 11: Black / Talia" ... the first name will be recognised as your selection for the "closest to pin"

edit: other references:

Tom Scully highlights

The Tom Scully thread

Jack Trengove highlights - Sturt/SA

The Jack Trengove thread

Daniel Talia - Vic Metro v SA 2009

Aaron Black highlights

*(have chopped & changed on pick 11 b/w Black & Talia). About the same height - 193 and 194cm respectively. Talia is heavier (89Kg/79Kg).

Jordan Gysberts highlights

Ryan Bastinac highlights

Travis Colyer highlights

Ben Griffiths highlights

Josh Thomas highlights

Kallen Geary highlights

Edited November 26, 200915 yr by High Tower

Scully

Trengove

Talia

Gysberts

Taylor

Patrick

Thorpe

Edited November 12, 200915 yr by Barnie

Scully

Trengove

Talia

Griffiths

Grimes

Patrick

Psd Thorp

My dream draft

Scully

Trengove

Lucas/Butcher

Griffiths

Bartlett

Thorp/Patrick

Edited November 24, 200915 yr by Carn dees

Nice idea HT.

Tom Scully

Jack Trengove

Aaron Black

Callum Bartlett

Ben Griffiths

James Craig

PSD

Mitch Thorp

Edit: Removed rookie selections - didn't realise we had no room left on the list.

Edited November 14, 200915 yr by Keyser Söze

1. Scully

2. Trengove

11. Carlisle

18. Vardy

34. Weedon

50. Grimes

PSD: Thorp

I really have no idea.

I wonder if the club has another smokie we are all unaware of just like Bennell, when his name was called out i dont think any one new him.

1. Jack Trengove

2. Tom Scully

11. Aaron Black

18. Jake Carlisle

34. Liam Patrick

50. Broc McCauley

PSD: Mitch Thorp

I've thrown up a smokie in Broc McCauley at pick 50, as could have gone for Dylan Grimes but feel that we're ideally suited to someone such as McCauley now that we're rookied Newton and Meeson.

Broc is a 198cm 22yr old ruckman, who's played the last 3 years for Southport in the QFL. Like Martin he's a late developer to AFL, who has an elite basketball background and possess's an enormous engine and workrate for a ruckman. Thought very highly of by Jeff White, so wouldn't surprise me if he's taken at pick 50.

1)Scully

2)Trengove

11)Black

18)Carlisle

34)Patrick

50)Dare

PSD 1) Thorp

This would add 2 midfielders, 3 KPP, a med size forward and a mid size defender, I would walk away very happy with those selections.

I wonder if the club has another smokie we are all unaware of just like Bennell, when his name was called out i dont think any one new him.

Could well be a smoky somewhere.

I think this little exercise highlights a seemingly unlimited amount of possibilities. 16 clubs with recruiters who have differing opinions on draftees. As Burgan, Quale & Co. have highlighted, outside the touted lock ins from 1-5 or 1-6, it's a smorgasboard of various selection possibilities.

From what I gather from reading opinions, because we have 1,2,11,18, 34... there seems to be an acknowledgement that a KPP must be taken at either 11 or 18 or in some cases both. Some opinions that I've read want more midfielders for the need of a high polished midfield - which I can understand. I've gone Bastinac at 18. I could have gone Tapscott or Stevens at 11, but I wanted a good KPP to help out Watts, Jurrah, etc. Could have easily been Carlisle or Black. There is no guarantee any of them could be availbale at 18. So I picked KPP at 11. Would be happy with any of the three at 11.

Haven't seen Ball selected as yet, but I'm sure that will come with some opinions...

1 scully

2 trengrove

11 black

18 vardy

34 patrick

50 grimes

psd thorpe

the dream draft would be as follows

1 scully

2 trengrove

11 butcher

18 jetta

34 patrick

50 gawn

psd thorpe

still both give us a bit of everything

1 scully

2 trengrove

11 black

18 vardy

34 patrick

50 grimes

psd thorpe

the dream draft would be as follows

1 scully

2 trengrove

11 butcher

18 jetta

34 patrick

50 gawn

psd thorpe

still both give us a bit of everything

Leaving aside the first two selections, I like your two drafts as they both contain a good key forward, a ruckman and some magic or x-factor ( a lot in the second one ). I would sleep very soundly draft night if we got one of those lists.

Edited November 12, 200915 yr by Redleg

1. Jack Trengove

2. Tom Scully

11 Daniel Talia

18 no idea

34 no idea

50 no idea

PSD no idea

I might have a crack at the rest a little closer to draft day. I've picked my first three on the basis of what I've seen with my own eyes. Talia, I've seen once or twice, most notably the last game of the under 18 championships at Etihad. He impressed me with his veratility i.e. the ability to play KPP and in the midfield with telling effect. He has all of the skills and a big engine. I think we've been crying out for a player of his ilk for a long time.

However, although I've seen a lot of football over the years, I have to confess that every year I get it wrong enough times for me to say that I'm happy to be relying on the judgement of BBBP. When it gets down to the finer points of recruiting players, I really have no idea.

Oh yes, I wouldn't mind seeing Dylan Grimes in there somewhere. I have only seen him play one time and he went OK. I watched an interview on Hutchy's programme and was suitably impressed. If the FD reckon he can play footy and they draft him, I would be happy.

1. Scully

2. Trengove

11. Butcher

18. Tapscott

34. Patrick

50. Grimes

psd. Thorp

1. Trengove

2. Scully

11. Black

18. Vardy

34. ?

50. Patrick

PSD1. Thorp

Fairly generic in a lot of these. Black seems highly rated and has versatility, but it could easily be Griffiths, Butcher or Talia in the same place. Vardy seems the best of the ruck options although Gawn would have to be tempting. Patrick I don't think is worth a spot in the 30's and might still be there at 50. Thorp I think is a good thing for the PSD. He has talent to spare and the rest we can work with. 34 is a mystery to me. There are a huge mess of players who could go around this mark and I see little to distinguish at this point.

1. scully

2. trengove

11. carlisle/black

18. vardy

34. Griffiths, if he slides this far

50. patrick

PSD. Thorp

i dont mind the grimes love, but tbh i cant really see him in our future line up

Edited November 12, 200915 yr by chief demon

1. Scully

2. Trengove

11. Moore

18. Griffiths

34. Gawn

50. Grimes

PSD1. Beats me so I'll say Mitch Thorp.

Two gun mids, a 188cm utility, a big contested marking and long kicking forward, a 206cm project ruckman, and a versatile medium-tall defender. Both the utility and the defender have successful experience playing as undersized key position options.

For the record, I'd be stoked if we picket up Callum Bartlett or Andrew Hooper at 34, too.

Update Nov 17 - I'm really mixing it now with the thought of grabbing Carlisle at 11. I was looking over our list and noticed something - in all our 'tall' areas, even in defence, we have very few players over the 192/193cm mark. Basically Jack Watts, Stefan Martin, and the four rucks (including Spencer) are our whole list at or above 194cm. Carlisle's ability to play forward and back, at 196cm, pushes him up in my reckoning of his usefulness and gives him more opportunites to get a game. He would be highly unlikely to be available at 18.

That would reduce the need for Griffiths at 18, though he would still be a nice acquisition. It partly depends on whether Thorp is a goer in the PSD. It is also remotely possible that one of Moore, Tapscott or Vardy will slide that far and be good value, with other options I'd look at for 18 being Bastinac, Troy Taylor, and Joseph Dare. Getting Vardy at 18 would bump Gawn out of 34, to be replaced by any of the above which slid that far, or one of Bartlett or Hooper, as mentioned in my original comments.

So, to update the original in the simplest manner possible, and probably shoot myself in the foot with too much optimism on Moore sliding -

1&2. Jam Scullgove.

11. Carlisle

18. Moore.

34. Gawn.

50. Grimes.

PSD 1. Thorp.

Edited November 17, 200915 yr by Distance Demon

1- T. Scully

2- J. Trengove

11- B. Griffiths

18- C. Bartlett

34- M. Gawn

50- G. Weedon

PSD#1- M. Thorp

DD we posted at the same time and our thinking seems to be along similar lines. Interesting.

1 Jack Trengove

2 Tom Scully

11 Luke Tapscott

18 Jack Carlisle

34 Dylan Grimes

50 Majak Daw

PSD#1 Mitch Thorp

01. Jack Trengove

02. Tom Scully

11. Aaron Black

18. Matthew Panos

34. Liam Patrick

50. Mitch Thorp

PSD. Joel MacDonald

Edited November 23, 200915 yr by Deez Nutz

1. Trengove

2. Scully

11. Black

18. Carlisle

34. Patrick

50. Grimes

PSD1. Thorp

Tapscott could be a real possibilty at Pick 11 if available.

The best key position will then be taken with Pick 18. Carlisle, Panos, Griffiths etc. Butcher, Talia, Black will all be gone...

I prefer my above list though!

1. Tom Sully

2. Jack Trengove

11. Daniel Talia

18. Nathan Vardy

34. Liam Patrick

50. Majak Daw

PSD. Mitch Thorp.

At pick 18, I personally would be chosing between Vardy and Griffiths as I believe they'll both be available. I like Griffiths more as a player, but I think our need for a future ruckman is greater than that of a key forward, and picking up Mitch Thorp may just get Vardy over the line in this scenario.

Edited November 12, 200915 yr by Watts=Saviour

1. Scully

2. Trengove

11. Butcher

18. Tapscott

34. Patrick

50. Grimes

psd. Thorp

Now that would be a good draft for us IMO. Perhaps even perfect.

1. Tom Sully

2. Jack Trengove

11. Black/ Tahlia- whichever slips and whichever we rate highest

18. Taylor/ Griffiths- whichever slips and whichever we rate highest

34. Max Gawn

50. Grimes

PSD. Mitch Thorp

- pick 11 we really have to go for a KP player... although if a guy slips like Lucas, Rohan or Jetta then i'd be tempted.

- Pick 18 reserved for a forward who could be HUGE gain, but potential nothingness. Both these players would be excellent calculated risks considering their potential upside. Pick 18 isn't an unreasonable pick to take this kind of risk.

- Pick 34 has to be a ruckman- god help us if Jamar moves on next year or is injured

- pick 50- like the family connection, like his athletic ability and love that he's a mad demon supporter

- Mitch Thorp worth the risk and is a KP forward

Unstoppable midfield 2012= Sylvia, Scully, Trengove, Grimes, Davey, Morton, Strauss, Blease, Jones, Moloney

Pick 1 - Tom Scully

Pick 2 - Jack Trengove

Pick 11 - Ben Griffiths

Pick 18 - Brad Sheppard

Pick 34 - Alex Carey

Pick 50 - Max Gawn

PSD 1 - Mitch Thorp