Knightmare on Bigfooty had him going at pick 66 in his phantom draft.

But he had him in a range of "30-rookie", which is more significant.

That said, he also had Colquhoun going at pick 30 and he wasn't even drafted. Earlier he'd had him top 20. The phantom drafts are fun, but I wouldn't take much notice of them.

But he had him in a range of "30-rookie", which is more significant.

That said, he also had Colquhoun going at pick 30 and he wasn't even drafted. Earlier he'd had him top 20. The phantom drafts are fun, but I wouldn't take much notice of them.

It is interesting to wonder where he could have went, i was able to have a chat to viney after we had done the trade, and he said he rated him above jed anderson and any other player in the northern territory and that he thought he could be a top 20 draft pick and said he was in a michael long mould and that he had a similar attribute to pendlebury that he could just find time in any situation , but i felt that was a little bit of an oversell at the time

IMO there's little doubt we did a deal with GWS for passing on Viney, there had to be a sweetener for GWS in there - when you bundle up a quite complex deal 3 +13 for Hogan + Barry + 20 this becomes very hard to unravel - great work I reckon. That's the deal from GWS pespective and it's a great deal for them but from our perspective it's 3 + 13 + 26 for Hogan + Barry + Viney + 20 which is a great deal for us - massive win-win (yes I know those picks beyond 3 are all +1 after the Goddard compensation, but that's what they were when the deal was done).

But he had him in a range of "30-rookie", which is more significant.

That said, he also had Colquhoun going at pick 30 and he wasn't even drafted. Earlier he'd had him top 20. The phantom drafts are fun, but I wouldn't take much notice of them.

I'm sure you will agree 'Ben' that it really doesn't matter where he would have been drafted but what value he is to the club from here on in. He could well end up being the big steal of this draft.

All this focus on Barry because he weighed 70kg (at time of drafting). We also recruited Nathan Stark at 70kg and nobody has started a thread critical of that choice, depite the fact that he is older and taller by 4cm or 2 inches (i.e. more lightly framed). I am sure that Barry will end up a Superstar ahead of Stark.

All this focus on Barry because he weighed 70kg (at time of drafting). We also recruited Nathan Stark at 70kg and nobody has started a thread critical of that choice, depite the fact that he is older and taller by 4cm or 2 inches (i.e. more lightly framed). I am sure that Barry will end up a Superstar ahead of Stark.

I don't see too many if anyone being critical of his choice. There was certainly interest in his weight especially since it seemed to be overstated but that was just some of us having not much better to do than get into an argument (discussion) and a bit of relief from the whole tanking thing.

I think we all want to see him play and are excited by his talent, the only argument is when will he be ready for senior footy. That should keep this thread running a while longer.

I'm sure you will agree 'Ben' that it really doesn't matter where he would have been drafted but what value he is to the club from here on in. He could well end up being the big steal of this draft.

Absolutely. And I enjoyed watching him train again today. He has really sticky hands - doesn't fumble.

Unless they're in the elite class I wouldn't expect much from the 18/19 year olds coming into their first seasons at AFL level. We should see a fair bit of Jimmy Toumpas and Jack Viney who have had the advantage of playing with and against men, but we shouldn't have great expectations for Dom Barry in 2013 or even 2014.

Football departments concentrate these days on developing their players' aerobic capacity and building up their muscle mass (often two areas that are difficult to reconcile) as well as working on their mental toughness and other transitional issues from junior football to elite. The process can take 2 to 3 years. I think when Barry says he's hoping just to break into the team for one game during this opening season, he's not being unrealistic. Let's not do with him what we did with Jack Watts.

Knightmare on Bigfooty had him going at pick 66 in his phantom draft.

While agreeing that we need to take phantom drafts with a grain of salt, I would just add to that, that none of those phantom drafts take into account Barry's (very) impressive Combine results. From memory, we grabbed him only a few days after the Combine finished.

Barry was very highly rated by Shifter (draft commentator).

It wouldn't suprise me if we could've got Hogan for just pick 3 but instead the club swindled pick 13 in the deal for Barry and 20.

At the end of the day, it's unlikely the club would've taken Barry at 13 and our next pick after Viney wouldn't have landed Barry. He would've been already gone.

I agree with others that he probably won't be ready this year.

By way of comparison.

Michael Long 178cm 80kgs at the ened of his career (2001) He started in 1989 and played 24 games - can't find what he weighed in 1989...

Cyril Rioli 177cm 80kgs presently.

I guess to me that just reinforces the limitations of relying too much on the physical measurements.

Long was a whippet - were he any heavier the [censored] would have broken Troy Simmonds' neck - whilst Cyril is much more stocky. Yet same height and weight.

IMO Barry looks far more the whippet than a Cyril clone.

And kudos to our TAC Cup commentator Stevo who noticed Barry during last year's finals and had this to say in his preliminary finals report back in September:

As much as I have a soft spot for the Ballarat region which has produced a few players for Melbourne in recent years, there was not much to report from the Rebels' listless effort in a must win preliminary final. Tanner Smith who showed good run in defence for Vic Country struggled in this game as a key position forward while defender Tim Mackenzie battled hard against the odds. The small brigade which has served the Rebels well all year wasn't up to the might of the Chargers although midfielder Nick Rippon, who has been consistently good, had his moments. An interesting prospect who I do like is Dom Barry, a Northern Territorian who boards at St. Pat's Ballarat and has sizzling pace. One Rebel who showed real class was bottom ager Matt Crouch whose brother was picked up in last year's GWS mini draft. He will be a likely contender next year.

Bradley Hill - Hawthorn - debuts at 18 years of age in 2012 - 179cm - 71 kg - 5 games.

I liked the look of Hill, but if he can play 5 games in a team that should have won the flag then Barry is quite capable of playing 8-10 games in a team desperate for his type of talent.

I have never been as excited by a group of new draftees/recruits coming into the club as this year.

And that's saying something - because, albeit being completely deluded at the time, I had thought we were building towards absolute greatness in 2010. Having seen what Neeld, Craig, Misson and Co have brought to the club in terms of professionalism makes my thinking in 2010 seem ridiculous now - I feel as though I've been on the same journey as Jack Watts under the new regime, albeit as a supporter.

Barry strikes me as bringing a much needed extra dimension to the list. BH has worked me into an absolute lather about the kid - I just can't see how he won't succeed given his blend of skill, pace and, importantly, attitude.

That said, each of Viney, Toumpas, Barry, Hogan, Kent, Matt Jones, Terlich, Dawes, Pedersen, Byrnes and Rodan excite me in some way. No idea about the rookies, or Gillies for that matter.

Add to that Davey, Evans, Strauss and Jetta, each of whom seem to be the equivalent of new recruits this year given the training reports, and it's hard to see how we won't improve this year. Potentially markedly.

I will be seriously p1ssed off we we don't absolutely pump Port in round one.

I have never been as excited by a group of new draftees/recruits coming into the club as this year.

And that's saying something - because, albeit being completely deluded at the time, I had thought we were building towards absolute greatness in 2010. Having seen what Neeld, Craig, Misson and Co have brought to the club in terms of professionalism makes my thinking in 2010 seem ridiculous now - I feel as though I've been on the same journey as Jack Watts under the new regime, albeit as a supporter.

Barry strikes me as bringing a much needed extra dimension to the list. BH has worked me into an absolute lather about the kid - I just can't see how he won't succeed given his blend of skill, pace and, importantly, attitude.

That said, each of Viney, Toumpas, Barry, Hogan, Kent, Matt Jones, Terlich, Dawes, Pedersen, Byrnes and Rodan excite me in some way. No idea about the rookies, or Gillies for that matter.

Add to that Davey, Evans, Strauss and Jetta, each of whom seem to be the equivalent of new recruits this year given the training reports, and it's hard to see how we won't improve this year. Potentially markedly.

I will be seriously p1ssed off we we don't absolutely pump Port in round one.

Now now Ron stay calm.

We have been down this track a few times recently.

We have added a couple of veterans, a bunch of kids and a few guys who could not make it the first time around.

Add in that two of our best will not play against Port.

Me thinks a win will be a good result.

I have never been as excited by a group of new draftees/recruits coming into the club as this year.

And that's saying something - because, albeit being completely deluded at the time, I had thought we were building towards absolute greatness in 2010. Having seen what Neeld, Craig, Misson and Co have brought to the club in terms of professionalism makes my thinking in 2010 seem ridiculous now - I feel as though I've been on the same journey as Jack Watts under the new regime, albeit as a supporter.

Barry strikes me as bringing a much needed extra dimension to the list. BH has worked me into an absolute lather about the kid - I just can't see how he won't succeed given his blend of skill, pace and, importantly, attitude.

That said, each of Viney, Toumpas, Barry, Hogan, Kent, Matt Jones, Terlich, Dawes, Pedersen, Byrnes and Rodan excite me in some way. No idea about the rookies, or Gillies for that matter.

Add to that Davey, Evans, Strauss and Jetta, each of whom seem to be the equivalent of new recruits this year given the training reports, and it's hard to see how we won't improve this year. Potentially markedly.

I will be seriously p1ssed off we we don't absolutely pump Port in round one.

I don't want to be the source of your future grief. I predict we'll win around 8-10 games given our draw and the changes to our list, but that's on the proviso of few injuries, new players to the club making the sort of impact I expect, a much better fitness base, and Mitch Clark playing 16 or 17 games. A ladder finish of 12/13 will mean we've made legitimate progress and a foundation for better progress.

I think we'll beat Port in round 1, but I also like the way their list is developing. Brad Ebert, Boak, Hartlett, Wingard, and Wines is the nucleus of a solid midfield. But we'll have no excuses not to beat them at the 'G.

Were a good two years ahead of that rabble Port. No excuse not to beat them, especially at Home

Were a good two years ahead of that rabble Port. No excuse not to beat them, especially at Home

Didnt they beat us twice last year.

Didnt they beat us twice last year.

dont confuse points cores of our mob last year as compared to where our development is.

Port ARE a basket case, we were.

dont confuse points cores of our mob last year as compared to where our development is.

Port ARE a basket case, we were.

I think i will wait to about round 10 before i make judgments on development.

I think we'll beat Port in round 1, but I also like the way their list is developing. Brad Ebert, Boak, Hartlett, Wingard, and Wines is the nucleus of a solid midfield. But we'll have no excuses not to beat them at the 'G.

Im always over rating the opposition and under rate MFC players but if you line up the above port midfield with melb it compares pretty well. Im not sure if thats a good thing or not!!!

Ebert - Sylvia

Boak - Jones

Hartlett - Grimes

Wingard - Toumpas

Wines - Viney

Edited January 30, 201312 yr by Grimes Times

I will be ecstatic if we beat port in rd 1, even by 1 point. Any win will be a massive statement to start the season.

Remember what happened in rd 1 last year. We'll easily beat the Lions, they said, we'll pump them by 10 goals, they said.

The port game is a 50/50 affair and we don't deserve to start favourites.

Im always over rating the opposition and under rate MFC players but if you line up the above port midfield with melb it compares pretty well. Im not sure if thats a good thing or not!!!

Ebert - Sylvia

Boak - Jones

Hartlett - Grimes

Wingard - Toumpas

Wines - Viney

They also have Cornes and Cassisi, although they've both seen better days.

Ebert > Sylvia

Boak = Jones (although Jones had a better 2012)

Hartlett > Grimes

Wingard = Toumpas

Wines = Viney

Cornes > McKenzie

Cassisi = Trengove

We should "win" on a number of those in the not too distant future.

Fair to say we'd have a much better defence, and slight them in attack if Clark is playing.

Fair to say we'd have a much better defence, and slight them in attack if Clark is playing.

But Clark won't be playing Round 1 will he? So where does that leave the match-ups?

As I'm on his ignore list, can someone please ask BH to give an opinion on what to expect from all of our new recrutis please? He goes to training as much as anyone, so I'm interested to know what he is expecting from all of our new recruits. Cheers.