I guess if Howe continues to improve and Cook amounts to nothing we can say we did well out of the year. Drafting is a lottery there is no guarantee that an early pick will be very good as a senior player. The game is littered with first round players who did not make it.

You can't forget the likes of Troy Davis and Tom McDonald, who also look like they could be the goods.

He was the All Australian CHF at the Carnival IIRC, which is why he was worthy of pick 12. There would have been a snowball's chance in hell that he would have been there by our second pick. He had a couple of excellent games for Casey last year which included some good contested marks. In the 2011 Pre-Season he also impressed against Port Adelaide with his leading and kicking skills. This year he is noticeably bigger than when we drafted him. Relax

He was the All Australian CHF at the Carnival IIRC, which is why he was worthy of pick 12. There would have been a snowball's chance in hell that he would have been there by our second pick. He had a couple of excellent games for Casey last year which included some good contested marks. In the 2011 Pre-Season he also impressed against Port Adelaide with his leading and kicking skills. This year he is noticeably bigger than when we drafted him. Relax

Dg where did you get the info on" a couple of excellent games for Casey last year "

I never saw that reported.

Can you advise the source I would like to follow that up.

He was the All Australian CHF at the Carnival IIRC, which is why he was worthy of pick 12. There would have been a snowball's chance in hell that he would have been there by our second pick. He had a couple of excellent games for Casey last year which included some good contested marks. In the 2011 Pre-Season he also impressed against Port Adelaide with his leading and kicking skills. This year he is noticeably bigger than when we drafted him. Relax

Cleve Hughes was the 2005 All Australian CHF at the carnival IIRC...........

Point is, it's irrelevent.

Dg where did you get the info on" a couple of excellent games for Casey last year "

I never saw that reported.

Can you advise the source I would like to follow that up.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/124690/default.aspx

I'll refer you to the description of his games in round 3, 10, 11.

I saw him play on ABC tv twice and i thought he moved smoothly and spotted up players with good kicking skills very well. Particularly considering he's 196cm, stick thin and a teenager.

Will people on demonland ever stop judging 196cm key forward teenagers until they hit 22 years old and 95+ kg? Probably not.

But that doesn't mean that people who ignorantly write these teenagers off are correct.

Lucas Cook will become a very good player imo. For the record, it is irrelevant whether Cook will be better than Darling. Darling was pick 26 (so clearly no club considered him close to the value of pick 12) and even if he has a better career over the course of 15 years at AFL level, which is far too early to tell, Darling will never play as a KPP. He's a mobile 190cm strong tackling half forward flanker.

I'm aware of that, and I'm a Howe fan through and through. It still doesn't justify Cook as a #12 pick.

There was an interview with BP post draft 2010, B.P said that another clubs head recruiter told him after the draft that they were planning on picking him up a few picks later.

Cook needa another 10KG before he will compete.

http://www.melbourne...90/default.aspx

I'll refer you to the description of his games in round 3, 10, 11.

I saw him play on ABC tv twice and i thought he moved smoothly and spotted up players with good kicking skills very well. Particularly considering he's 196cm, stick thin and a teenager.

Will people on demonland ever stop judging 196cm key forward teenagers until they hit 22 years old and 95+ kg? Probably not.

But that doesn't mean that people who ignorantly write these teenagers off are correct.

Lucas Cook will become a very good player imo. For the record, it is irrelevant whether Cook will be better than Darling. Darling was pick 26 (so clearly no club considered him close to the value of pick 12) and even if he has a better career over the course of 15 years at AFL level, which is far too early to tell, Darling will never play as a KPP. He's a mobile 190cm strong tackling half forward flanker.

Just for the record what does Darling weigh now? What will be the inpact of both putting on some muscle? ie will it slow Cook?Darling down?

http://www.melbourne...90/default.aspx

I'll refer you to the description of his games in round 3, 10, 11.

I saw him play on ABC tv twice and i thought he moved smoothly and spotted up players with good kicking skills very well. Particularly considering he's 196cm, stick thin and a teenager.

Will people on demonland ever stop judging 196cm key forward teenagers until they hit 22 years old and 95+ kg? Probably not.

But that doesn't mean that people who ignorantly write these teenagers off are correct.

Lucas Cook will become a very good player imo. For the record, it is irrelevant whether Cook will be better than Darling. Darling was pick 26 (so clearly no club considered him close to the value of pick 12) and even if he has a better career over the course of 15 years at AFL level, which is far too early to tell, Darling will never play as a KPP. He's a mobile 190cm strong tackling half forward flanker.

Thanks Sylvinator, I must have seen most of his ordinary games.

Cleve Hughes was the 2005 All Australian CHF at the carnival IIRC...........

Point is, it's irrelevent.

So what you are saying is ignore TAC form and the reward for good TAC form by playing in carnivals and reward for good carnival form by being selected All Australian.I picked a random All Australian side - 2008 - 10 out of the first 12 picked were in the All Australian side.

Apparently recruiters dont think its irrelevent.

Cleve Hughes was the 2005 All Australian CHF at the carnival IIRC...........

Point is, it's irrelevent.

How, prey tell, do you assess 18 year olds except by their performance at under-age (e.g. TAC) footy?

Another day on the MFC Boards ...

OH GOD....one lose and it all comes back out haha

Rather entertaining, isn't it ?

Dustin Martin was a big miss!!!

He will be the No. 1 player in the comp in another 2 years. Absolute gun! Better than both our Picks 1 & 2 combined.

And will be better than Chris Judd!!!

^ Nothing to do with Cook, who cares.

Hopefully they give Cooky some time to stack on the pounds before/during our next preseason. Unfortunately he was troubled by injury in this recent one, and even if he wasn't - with the amount of running we were doing it would've been bloody hard for him to put on much weight. I almost feel like they should stop him playing with 4~ rounds left of the VFL and get him to start smashing the weights room before the next pre-season starts properly.

Dustin Martin was a big miss!!!

He will be the No. 1 player in the comp in another 2 years. Absolute gun! Better than both our Picks 1 & 2 combined.

And will be better than Chris Judd!!!

Agree that in hindsight this will be worse than Natainui/Watts for us. I know its blasphemy to say it but Martin will be better than Scully and Trengove i think.

I saw Lucas play in person. I mention this every time this convo comes up but here we go.

At north Ballarat, He played very well. Lead up and around the wing/F50 area. Delivered at least 4 solid I50's which resulted in 2 goals. and kicked probably around 2 goals himself. His foot skills and marking was a stand out.

This is reportedly his best game. I also liked what i saw of him on TV on a couple of occasions.

Lets be serious here, he is younger than watts with 2 less years in the system. wait until he is 22 then judge imo. Mission, Craig and Neeld will sort his body out then we will see Cook imo

Gee...if putting on weight was all that was necessary to be a champion footballer, I'd have been a star! (I still have the weight, I'm now just too old). But it is interesting in these days of sports science that some players (Morton, Cook) seem incapable of filling out and others (Dean Rioli) seem incapable of slimming down.

JW has been copping plenty of criticism of late - unjustified in my book, but nevertheless - but does anyone have any info on Lucas Cook ?

Taken at Pick 12 from memory, very little progress from what I can tell. Is he injured ? or just progressing at snail's pace ?

Last I heard was still getting over his hip injury.

Could take time.

I don't get why they don't put him in the gym and say " don't come out til you have put on 8kgs"

Has the footy talent. Needs the bod.

All Australian CHF in the TAC cup. Has the skills, poise, decision making, strong overhead and sticky hands as well as an accurate boot. Too small for AFL at the moment and is a work in progress. Has put on 5.5kg over this pre season and 10kg overall since being drafted.

If Watts doesn't work out, Cook is next in line, but a long road ahead for him. Will benefit from not having Fev at Casey. Had a bad run with injuries and an op late last year. Will be watching him closely as I think he's got the credentials, more than Watts, to play the CHF role.

JW has been copping plenty of criticism of late - unjustified in my book, but nevertheless - but does anyone have any info on Lucas Cook ?

Taken at Pick 12 from memory, very little progress from what I can tell. Is he injured ? or just progressing at snail's pace ?

I'd say progressing at a normal pace.

Some in recent times in the AFL, have come on quicker than Normal. This has changed some peoples perceptions of how they view the speed of development for Tall players.

Cooky played his first season last year. He's about on track.

I've seen him play in the VFL.

Gets to dangerous positions, has sticky hands and decision making and disposal are very good for a tall.

Just add muscle.

I had a really good chat to him at Family Day, he is well on the way back from all the injury woes he has had, he is at least 10kgs below the playing weight the club wants him at........club is happy with his progress, learning a bit of ruck work for versatility and roaming far and wide to use his kicking skills..........which by the way after seeing quite a few times last year with Casey are excellent...why must we always compare...Darling had a good year because he had LeCras, Lynch, Kennedy playing alongside him...if Cook would have got a run last year...he would have had those giants Watts and Jurrah......he said also he learnt heaps off Fev

Got to laugh at people who claim that an 18yo who didnt even have 1 full pre-season and still hasnt struggles to put on weight. Even though he is putting on 5kgs a year while injured and not having full pre-seasons.

I think i know i solution to all our drafting problems though, instead of recruiting Watts, Cook and Gysberts i will tell BP's replacement to find the next Judd, Cousins, Goodes, Brown and Franklin who can come in and win us a Premiership while completing their VCE's......

Sounds good yeah....pffft

No point in judging Cook until he has an AFL ready body.Pointless exercise until then.