I just wanted to put my draft thoughts on record.

Melbourne's absolutely stuffed themselves with cake tonight. Did someone say CAKE?

Toumpas will be a star. 200+ games

Bulldogs have chosen very wisely with Stringer. A lot of teams are going to find it very hard to close down Stringer. 250+ games. Big call, but stand by it.

Wines will be a good average footballer. There have been a lot of comparisons made about Wines, but I think he's more of a lesser version of Bartel. Probably gets about 150 games in his career. Probably a three club player trying to find the right fit.

Menzel will be frustrated and never reach his supposed potential. 100 games. He'll never be able to get his fitness base high enough. Suffer Carltank!

O'Rourke 100-150 games. GWS will be frustrated by his lack of development.

Kennedy will be better then Hrovat. I don't know by how much.

Macrae is a cog in a wheel. Will be a part of a team for a long time, but will never dominate. 200+ games

Jack Viney will have endless comparisons between himself and Chuck Norris, if Chuck Norris ever played in the AFL. First player to get to 1000 games.

Sam Mayes, will be frustrating. He has class, but I can't see his desperation to get the most out of himself. Upsetting, because he's a dees supporter and I wish him the best. 100+ games

Jackson Thurlow could be anything. I really like Geelong's selection. Really good desperation and will be a vital part of their back line running out of defence. 200+ games.

Just spilled my mind into a page. Sorry for the lack of readability.

Toumpas had a massive smile on his face when shaking Neeld's hand. Hopefully no one will whinge along the same lines as Hogan...

Sounds like we will have another 1,000 supporters if all his close family join the club; they had 3 tables at the draft.

Toumpas just has the aura of a star.

Toumpas just has the aura of a star.

Agree. Has that classic 'smiling assassin' look about him.

Why the hell didn't we take a punt on garlett these guys are mad

When you are trying to build a strong club, you cant afford to recruit weak characters that may lead others astray.

Had a look at the highlights packages (well done to the club for getting them up so swiftly). Things I observed and some common themes:

All players are clean with their hands, good tacklers, good disposal and line breakers. They all look solid (except for Toumpas) and 'ready to play'. Add in the leadership qualities and big game credentials and I would say we have recruited very well indeed.

Oh one other thing - they all have a low ball drop. One of my pet peeves is players that drop the ball from waist high a la Cam Bruce.

All these guys have a low drop and seem very accurate with their kicking. God know we need that.....

Jack Viney will have endless comparisons between himself and Chuck Norris, if Chuck Norris ever played in the AFL. First player to get to 1000 games.

YES

Best time of the year, every player sounds like a champion on paper and in a two minute YouTube highlights package!

Correct ... Cale Morton, Brock McLean.

This must have been mentioned but I just watched the replay. Joe Daniher's selection included a nice little speech from he and his old man. Isn't that lovely? So what happens at no 26 when the kid's actual father reads his name out - NOTHING. I was expecting at least SOME recognition of the significance of that pick. Why? Because we stacked the deck so we technically got him late in the draft, that should be cause for MORE fanfare and chest pumping, but oh no, we are not the Bombers, they got their man at 10, we got ours at 26, both are top shelf prospects, both have famous dads, ours is still active in the competition, his isn't, where is our song and dance?

No need to throw Melbourne a little marketing bone, lets just appeal to the populous and talk about the Bombers, the club that is regarded as a a superpower club, despite the FACT they have played 2 finals in the last 8 years and were completely smashed and eliminated in both.

The club that were front running this year to fall in a pathetic heap and miss September altogether. I hate the AFL.

I guess the reason was Daniher would have been vying for number 1 selection with Whitfield if he wasn't Father son, Jack was a top 5 pick to all but the most faithful Demons.

All those calling for Dayle Garlett thank god we didn't, the kid does not want it enough. I have watched him many times, shows flashes of brilliance when delivered in his area, but he aint going to go and hunt his ball. Struggled big time with finals intensity and didn't like the rough stuff

This may be what he needs to give him the kick in the arse to let him know talent only gets you so far and now its up to you Dayle.

Rookie at best and ask him to earn it ALA Michael Walters at Freo

I guess the reason was Daniher would have been vying for number 1 selection with Whitfield if he wasn't Father son, Jack was a top 5 pick to all but the most faithful Demons.

ok so he was rated 4 spots higher, so what? If we had finished a couple of spots lower we would have been in the same position as them and been forced to take him with our first rounder. We happened to benefit from a nice little loophole. The ladder position of Melb and Ess in 2012 should have nothing to do with the significance of these FS selections. IF JD was worth 1, and they got him at 10, that's a saving of 9 picks. If JV was worth 5 and we got him at 26 that's a saving of 21. Obviously it is a greater coup for us. Yes, both had famous fathers, ole Daniher has receded into the background long ago, ole Viney is so prominent he is ACTUALLY THE GUY READING OUT HIS SON'S NAME FOR THE CLUB HE ACTUALLY CAPTAINED. Could you script a more romantic football event? Am I taking crazy pills or is this a massive double standard? I'm sure most of you are thinking 'yeah so what' but this is yet another example of our club taking the backseat in a situation where we should be getting the exposure that other clubs take for granted (think Friday night footy amongst a million other examples). Todd Viney at the helm of his son;s recruitment, at a bragain basement price, is a big story. It was glossed over in the same vein as Billy Hamstring being drafted to GWS at pick 300. (*purple veins throbbing anger*)

Am I taking crazy pills or is this a massive double standard? I'm sure most of you are thinking 'yeah so what'

Yeah. You got me.

Viney has had more than his fair share of coverage in the last couple of weeks. Much, much more than Danniher. It's really not a big deal (or any deal at all).

Yeah. You got me.

Viney has had more than his fair share of coverage in the last couple of weeks. Much, much more than Danniher. It's really not a big deal (or any deal at all).

yeah no response to anything I actually said nice work

Why the hell didn't we take a punt on garlett these guys are mad

He has a terrible attitude. If you can find the link to his instagram account, you will see countless photos of him smoking, getting [censored], and worse... Anyone who is partying like that clearly doesn't have the dedication and desire to knuckle down to be a professional athlete. I'm guessing if that's what the public can see, imagine what the recruiters found when they interviewed him and did background research about him. He is certainly a talented footballer, but no club would take a risk on someone with an attitude like that. He will need to knuckle down and earn his way from here if he really wants to play football.

I'll give you a quick summary...

Shattered !!!!!

I'm of the opinion that we have turned Picks 3, 4, 13 and 26, into three top 5 draft picks (Toumpas, Hogan and Viney), a second rounder (Barry) and a premiership centre half forward originally drafted at 28 (Dawes). That's an incredible return!

Regardless of whether you like insiders more than outsiders or whatever if even half of these players make the impact we expect them to MFC will be a far far better side than we have seen for a very long time. Well done FD.

Viney vs wines rnd one next season with port vs melb. should be great to watch

ok so he was rated 4 spots higher, so what? If we had finished a couple of spots lower we would have been in the same position as them and been forced to take him with our first rounder. We happened to benefit from a nice little loophole. The ladder position of Melb and Ess in 2012 should have nothing to do with the significance of these FS selections. IF JD was worth 1, and they got him at 10, that's a saving of 9 picks. If JV was worth 5 and we got him at 26 that's a saving of 21. Obviously it is a greater coup for us. Yes, both had famous fathers, ole Daniher has receded into the background long ago, ole Viney is so prominent he is ACTUALLY THE GUY READING OUT HIS SON'S NAME FOR THE CLUB HE ACTUALLY CAPTAINED. Could you script a more romantic football event? Am I taking crazy pills or is this a massive double standard? I'm sure most of you are thinking 'yeah so what' but this is yet another example of our club taking the backseat in a situation where we should be getting the exposure that other clubs take for granted (think Friday night footy amongst a million other examples). Todd Viney at the helm of his son;s recruitment, at a bragain basement price, is a big story. It was glossed over in the same vein as Billy Hamstring being drafted to GWS at pick 300. (*purple veins throbbing anger*)

Todd was busy that night and leading up to that night.

There has been plenty of media hype surrounding Viney anyway - more so than Daniher.

I like the approach we took this year. No riding on potential, no big risk big reward plays here, just proven performers who have played against men and shown their metal for he first two picks

So ALL our additions have played at a senior level. No more "promising schoolboys" or players "with elite skills" but not the proven ability to play against grown men. A refreshing change, at least for now.

I'm in shock venom Denham just said we recruited well. Said our first two boys are ready to go and we put 2 rookies back on the senior list. I dont have Fox. but did Mark Neeld speak last night and mention the others we picked up and how they are older and ready to go.

I guess once Mark Neeld explains things then people listen. Thats the secret every time denham has an issue get Neeldy to speak to him. Then he seems to listen.

this must have been mentioned but i just watched the replay.. joe daniher's selection included a nice little speech from he and his old man, isnt that lovely, what happens at no 26 when the kid's actual father reads his name out NOTHING. I was expecting at least SOME recognition of the significance of that pick. why? because we stacked the deck so we technically got him late in the draft, that should be cause for MORE fanfare and chestpumping, but oh no, we are not the bombers, they got their man at 10, we got ours at 26, both are top shelf prospects, both have famous dads, ours is still active in the competition, his isnt, where is our song and dance? no need to throw melbourne a little marketing bone, lets just appeal to the populous and talk about the bombers, the club that is regarded as a a superpower club, despite the FACT they have played 2 finals in the last 8 years and were completely smashed and eliminated in both. The club that were front running this year to fall in a pathetic heap and miss Septmber altogether. I hate the AFL

I think it was more the fact that the top 10 got their time in the sun. They drew these ones out a bit longer AND Daniher was number 10 (right before their 4 minute break) so the opportunity was there. All the selections after the top 10 were pretty quick fire announcements.

Looking at off and on broadly like-for-like so far - it's not a perfect mactch:

Bartram - Terlich: small defender

Gysberts - Kent: inside mid

Bate - M.Jones: bigger bodied mid

Bennell - Barry: pacy outside mid

Morton - Toumpas: outside mid

Petterd - Byrnes: small forward

Green - Dawes: marking fwd

Cook - Hogan: marking fwd

Moloney - Viney: inside mid

Jurrah - Rodan: X-factor

Rivers - Gillies: tall back

Martin - Pedersen - fwd-ruck

All those calling for Dayle Garlett thank god we didn't, the kid does not want it enough. I have watched him many times, shows flashes of brilliance when delivered in his area, but he aint going to go and hunt his ball. Struggled big time with finals intensity and didn't like the rough stuff

This may be what he needs to give him the kick in the arse to let him know talent only gets you so far and now its up to you Dayle.

Rookie at best and ask him to earn it ALA Michael Walters at Freo

i'd be happy to see him 'earn it' playing league for the black ducks

i'd be happy to see him 'earn it' playing league for the black ducks

Mate I'm devastated with Hutchings getting picked up by the Druggies he will now be playing for the Royals next year