From the HUN: DEES ADD FINAL PIECE OF THE PUZZLE

Great photo & caption also.

Typical Herald Sun...

Great photo & caption also.

Typical Herald Sun...

They also comment down the bottom of the article that the saints have lost the last 3 grand finals.... the herald sun are very good about checking their articles!!!!

Great photo & caption also.

Typical Herald Sun...

Yeah I noticed that caption last night.

On their draft section for Geelong they also had 'what the coach Mark Thompson says'

They also comment down the bottom of the article that the saints have lost the last 3 grand finals.... the herald sun are very good about checking their articles!!!!

well... they havent WON the last 3...

Stibbard says of Cook that he personally thinks he's a bit slow.

I think that's the last thing we need to worry about with him.

I'm very content with this pick.

I think he has a good frame on him and will fill out really well.

LUCAS COOK

From the mfc website:

No.12 - Lucas COOK

Height: 196cm

Weight: 81kg

DOB: 03/03/92

Club: North Ballarat Rebels (Vic)

MELBOURNE has drafted key forward Lucas Cook with its first pick (No.12) in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft.

The Demons got their man, eyeing off the natural key forward, who can also play down back.

National recruiting manager Barry Prendergast was delighted to snare Cook.

“He is a tall, lead-up forward and at 196cm is an elite kick and great decision-maker,” Prendergast told melbournefc.com.au.

“He also possesses great skills and has a massive engine.

“He also has great work rate.”

Cook has excellent foot skills on both sides and can hit a range of kicks both stationary and on the run.

AFL national and international talent manager Kevin Sheehan said Cook was a fine big man prospect.

“Lucas is a tall forward who reads the game well and has sure hands,” he said.

“He is a mobile player who can go back and makes good decisions. He received under-18 All-Australian honours in 2010 and averaged 14 disposals and kicked nine goals at the under-18 championships.

An extremely accurate kick, he possesses a very strong work rate.

He makes great decisions and his handballing is elite. He weights his handballs perfectly to the advantage of his teammates. When he gets the footy, it stays with his team.

Regarded as a modern day player with his skill and decision-making, he will either kick the goal or set up a player to do so.

Not the quickest, but makes up for it with footy smarts and awareness.

He can run all day and is regarded as a lead-up forward or third tall defender. Cook continually presents up forward.

They also comment down the bottom of the article that the saints have lost the last 3 grand finals.... the herald sun are very good about checking their articles!!!!

The article says "three straight unsuccessful grand finals". That is correct. They have lost two of them and drawn 1. None were successful.

LUCAS COOK

And here we have BP's view, courtesy of the mfc website:

Selection No.12: Lucas Cook (North Ballarat)

Player profile

"He's the sort of player who you want the ball in his hands. Lucas is not dissimilar to Jack Watts ... we view him in a very similar vein. Lucas will have to put on some size and that'll take a bit of time. He played a (VFL) game for the North Ballarat Rebels against Frankston early in the year and played extremely well.

"To get an All Australian centre half-forward in Lucas Cook, who has a really big engine ... we saw him as one of the elite kicking and decision makers in the draft."

The article says "three straight unsuccessful grand finals". That is correct. They have lost two of them and drawn 1. None were successful.

Correct. Easily forgotten by some the fact that there were two GF's this year.

Will have to wait a few years for Cook. What was Jack Watts weight when we recruited him?

Will have to wait a few years for Cook. What was Jack Watts weight when we recruited him?

Similar I think. ~84/85... . Cook will be up over 90kg by this time next year.

heard his whole family supports the dogies....hopefully he can bring a bit of that west-side mongrel

Similar I think. ~84/85... . Cook will be up over 90kg by this time next year.

well lets hope he doesn't share a kitchen with morton

http://www.afl.com.au/development/na...8/default.aspx

footage here

http://www.afl.com.au/development/na...8/default.aspx

footage here

Doesn't work either.

Fixed

We needed a big, lead up forward who can take a contested grab and still contest once the ball hit the ground... and we got our man in Cook.

He fills a definite need + according to Barry he was also best available, so we've got to be happy with that. All-Australian CHF, the kid undoubtably has talent.

His highlight package is outstanding. He looks to be a great mark in a one-on-one situation, looks a great kick and a smooth mover.

Barry will also love his versatility, and at 196cm, if Howe, McDonald, Jurrah, Fitzpatrick and Watts have the tall forward set up covered, he could become a great CHB also.

Will take 2-3 years to develop, but a sensible, exciting pick here.

Few articles:

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2010/07/06/2945789.htm

http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-3020-0-0-0&sID=69677&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=13687587&sectionID=69677

I was actually surprised by this pick, but not disappointed. Cook fills a glaring need, and now we just have to wait until he is ready to contribute. I trust the football department, and I am guessing Cook's character and potential outweighed that of Jack Darling and other vying for the pleasure of becoming selected at pick #12.

Exciting times ahead, and almost every article seem to support the dees selection of Cook.

Darling also has a wish to move into the midfield in the future, which really doesn’t fit in with what need. The Cook over Darling selection makes a lot of sense and BP clearly rated Cook a better fit ahead of guys like Watson and Luke Mitchell (who I liked).

Anyone else think he plays a bit like Pavlich?

No, more like Watts.

More like Watts but taken later in the draft (2010 pick 12 = normal year pick 18? 20?). Can't see him playing much senior footy until 2013/14. Needs a couple of preseasons. Unless we use him as a ridiculously tall winger. But all the potential we could hope for.

Darling also has a wish to move into the midfield in the future, which really doesn’t fit in with what need. The Cook over Darling selection makes a lot of sense and BP clearly rated Cook a better fit ahead of guys like Watson and Luke Mitchell (who I liked).

Anyone else think he plays a bit like Pavlich?

Personally looking at the footage, I thought he moved a little like J. Brown.

Maybe I'm just hopeful...

Pavlich? Brown? This boy is a beanpole at the moment. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

All I know is that my 90 year old grandfather will be stoked that a Mallee boy from Hopetoun is playing for his beloved demons