I guess we will see Thursday.

Quigley on Toumpas

* For those who haven't read it ...

Pick 3 – Greater Western Sydney

There is a bit of talk that Plowman will be taken here and if GWS draft for need rather than talent then I think there is every chance especially after losing Hombsch. I am going a different way and drafting for talent and Toumpas is the best talent here and GWS can afford to nurse him through his recovery if needed.

Jimmy Toumpas

DOB: 2/1/94 Ht: 182 Wt: 78

A lot of people seem to be ignoring Toumpas’ hip injury but I think it is worth mentioning that as I understand it, it is the same operation as Docherty had for the Lions at the end of last year. He took quite a bit of time to recover and really only managed to get back to full fitness at midseason. Unlike Docherty there was never any doubt where Toumpas was going to be drafted so him finishing up after the Champs to have the surgery early may help him get back quicker. He is scheduled to be fully fit come draft day but it would not surprise me if it takes a little longer than that and he is on a modified program until at least the new year.

I watched Toumpas at the Champs last year and thought he was a nice but not great talent. That opinion changed though when I watched a couple of his games in the SANFL finals last year. He was fantastic in senior company and was an important player in the WWT premiership team. Suddenly this was a kid I could see being a star at AFL level. Last year he played mostly as a winger/flanker and his running ability was a feature. He worked extremely hard and covered a mass of ground for a 17 year old. He has added a few more strings to his bow this year and should end up being a good all-round midfielder capable of winning his own ball on the inside and then spreading very well to receive on the outside.

The hip injury I think did affect his running a bit this year. He still covered a lot of ground but I do not think there was quite the power running that seemed in the offing in the SANFL finals last year. His pace also seemed a little off this year. He has a reputation as being a very quick player but I thought the explosiveness was a bit down probably due to the hip. Hopefully the op fixes things right up and he is back to his best athletically next year.

Whilst he came back to the field a little athletically this year there was still plenty of class to keep people happy. Toumpas got around the field very well and was where he needed to be whether on the wing or deep in defence. One of the great things with Toumpas is his follow up ability. This is a kid who does not just kick the ball and think his job is done. He passes off the ball and then works his butt off for 15-20 metres to see if he is needed to get the ball back or to tackle or corral the opposition. This bit of extra work on plays paid off time after time and saw him continually positively impacting plays.

Toumpas has a reputation for being an elite kick. Whilst his disposal efficiency may be very high (82% for the Champs) I personally rate his kicking as something which needs to be improved on. His DE% is so high because he continually chips little 25-30 metre passes. He rarely goes long and when he does his kicking is not as good as it could be. At the next level chip kicking can be dangerous and being able to hit long targets is a must for an elite player. Wherever he goes I am sure there will be a focus on improving his long kicking and upping the hurt factor on disposals.

Whilst I am on the negatives I also noticed a few times that he got flustered a bit under pressure with the ball in hand. As an outside player capable of outrunning virtually anyone maybe he has not been used to being pressured that much. At AFL level though he is going to be under the pump a lot more and again this is something which will need to be worked on. That is not to say he could not be cool under pressure as well. He slotted a great goal in the dying stages in last year’s GF and regularly took great contested marks deep in defence at the Champs. He was a rock in defense at times for SA this year organising the troops and being in the right place at the right time. He did so well in fact that depending on who drafts him it would not surprise me if he started his career as a defender.

Okay a few more positives. Toumpas is a big run and carry guy and one of the excellent features he has for me is his ability to execute his skills at full pace. He can gather, balance and deliver with very little slowing of his pace and given he can move it along that makes him difficult to deal with for those trying to stop him. Another of his big selling features is his leadership skills. He was the SA captain this year and it was evident that he was the leader out there. I could definitely see him captaining an AFL team one day. Toumpas’ tackling is also very strong and his strength in the contest is also good for a guy who is not terribly big.

Toumpas has a great drive to succeed and will not fall short because of a lack of dedication. He is willing to work and work hard to get better. That feature alone sets him apart from many and is one of the main reasons why I have him so high. I think there are others in this draft who have higher ceilings than Toumpas but not many who have higher floors.

It does make you wonder if we actually did do a 'gentleman's agreement' as part of the Hogan trade with GWS to get Toumpas at 4.

It's a brilliant result for us.

Barrett can jam his scattergun up his clacker.

The HUN today says GWS are certain to pick Whitfield, O'Rourke and Plowman with their first 3 picks, leaving Toupas to the Dees...

If true, then we have done very well this off-season and picked up another player with elite potential.

Please dont use that word "potential" it doesnt work at the dees does it

Toumpas = blue chip.

I've gone from faint hope he'll still be there at pick 3... to dismay at the fact we'll not be in contention for him... to delirious that he looks headed to MFC.

Wines is a decent looking prospect, as is O'Rourke, but Toumpas is blue chip.

Its funny what people say about the 'go home factor'. In 2009 we drafted two future superstars at pick one and two, one of them left the club going interstate. The one who stayed was born in South Australia and his parents still live there. The one that left was born in the city of Melbourne, but that did not stop him from leaving. Pick the best player available, not the player who lives in Melbourne therefore you believe will stay.

Touchè

There was "go home factor" with Cale Morton. Only we were telling him to go home.

Toumpas is officially in Melbourne's sights as they opt for a late change.

Toumpas and Wines are both class players so I'll be happy regardless of who we pick

Don't tell tonatopia but his real first name is Dimitri...

Bit worried about the dodgy love handles, but the FD would know what they're doing if selected.

Still in the Wines vineyard.

I first was looking forward to Wines, then Grundy, then Plowman, in each case because they were big-bodied and could come straight into the side and make an immediate impact. Now I am hearing that the whippet Dimitri Toumpas is the most skilled person in the draft as GWS may take Plowman. I am fine with this as long as Toumpas is the best person available consistent with the Club's needs then go for it!

Can't reveal my source but it's very solid ... Jimmy T. will fall to us at 4 and we will duly take him.

I also have a very solid source also that Jimmy T will be ours

(shhhhh ! its nomoremrniceguy)

Don't tell tonatopia but his real first name is Dimitri...

Oppa!

Paper plates for the Toumpas table at the B&F.

Should go well down back.

"I'm not wearing this, don't care if he is better than Robbie Flower, a kid from a Greek close knit Adelaide family, with two broken hips,....surely for once the MFC footy Dept. will not stuff this up, refers to Jackie Watts,and Little Tommy, Cale the Whale, Broke McQueen, Silvia ,Maric, Cook,...good lord no, just for once, please.....NO TOUMPAS..sorry kid..your probably a good bloke."

I'm with Bluey 100% on this and I iterate

*Looks too much outside

*Potentiality of injury/reinjury( two hip surgeries already)

*Strong Greek family ties and I mean strong

Our most palpable need is inside ball winning GRUNT!

For those reasons above I hope HOPE we go the Philosophical driven Neeld Grunt strong body Model.

Same as you Bluey sorry kid BUT OUR GREATEST NEED IS GRUNT!

WINES! IS THE MAN FOR OUR CLUB NOW !To borrow from my "Ology" post

We can. And we have.

Must.Get.Pick.4.Right.

Either JT or OW is an excellent pick up.

Both are fantastic players.

But I would scrap the whole "best player available" crap which has never worked for us and just go for the player most likely to gel well with Viney, remain at the club and who actually wants to play for us.

Free agency now people. Toumpas will play out his 2 years and take the best offer to move back to Adelaide.

WINES 100%

I see him as a much harder Joey Montagna, but I think that may be selling him a bit short.

And puns aside, Toumpas is a bit taller.

I hate puns.

\*Looks too much outside

*Potentiality of injury/reinjury( two hip surgeries already)

*Strong Greek family ties and I mean strong

A misconception, some concern that can be allayed with due diligence, and some racism tossed in for good measure. Well done.

Both are fantastic players.

But I would scrap the whole "best player available" crap which has never worked for us and just go for the player most likely to gel well with Viney, remain at the club and who actually wants to play for us.

Free agency now people. Toumpas will play out his 2 years and take the best offer to move back to Adelaide.

WINES 100%

and wines will play out his two years and move to melbourne

Both are fantastic players.

But I would scrap the whole "best player available" crap which has never worked for us and just go for the player most likely to gel well with Viney, remain at the club and who actually wants to play for us.

Free agency now people. Toumpas will play out his 2 years and take the best offer to move back to Adelaide.

WINES 100%

FCS.

MFCSS.

TMA.

Both are fantastic players.

But I would scrap the whole "best player available" crap which has never worked for us and just go for the player most likely to gel well with Viney, remain at the club and who actually wants to play for us.

Free agency now people. Toumpas will play out his 2 years and take the best offer to move back to Adelaide.

WINES 100%

Needs to play at least 8 years before free agency applies.

...and for those worried about the outside inside mid thing, Toumpas has played 2 years of senior football already and nobody was complaining that he was was soft in the premiership team as an under ager, he was in their best players through the finals series.

I would be very surprised if GWS pass on him though no matter what the papers are saying.

A misconception, some concern that can be allayed with due diligence, and some racism tossed in for good measure. Well done.

Haha Thankyou god couldn't believe what I read. Strong Greek Ties WTF does that mean to his chance of being a success. Blimey silly seasons gone mad

This is becoming laughable. Toumpas could quite conceivably be the best player from this draft, his ceiling is huge. Wines is a great competitor, a hard worker and to some degree you know what you are getting in 2013, but the calls to overlook the widely rated number 2 pick at number 4 is nuts.

Toumpas wins his own ball, is super quick, a great kick and has many many more tricks than Wines.

Complete MFCSS, trying to admit defeat before even challenged.