2013 UNDER 18 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

[cooko 124]

Aish might be skinny, but surely that isn't as much of a concern anymore. Dom Barry was a stick when he arrived and he has already put a lot more size on in his short time.

if we get a priority [censored] we should get Aish and Kelly/Dunstan

[whatwhat say what 22,909]

aish should be a top three pick. it'll just depend upon where we finish as to whether or not we have first dibs at him.

he's a gun.

[Generation dee 1,336]

Totally agree. This footy department is different. You could see how viney looked mature after a year, how Tom McDonald had put on size, Barry as has been mentioned. I think some aspects of our footy department are a lot better, and that's why some players are developing a lot better. U dont think aish will be an issue, a lot like dal santo and fyfe. He loves the contested footy too. More than Gibbs, scully, hill etc.

[ChaserJ 5,157]

Vic metro got up by about 3 goals today. 29 touches to Kelly, wa forward Jonathan marsh looks like a bolter with another eye catching performance.

[Whispering_Jack 30,580]

Boyd, the big tip for #1 injured and in a moonboot after the game.

Potential No.1 draft pick Tom Boyd suffers ankle injury at Under-18 Championships

WESTERN AUSTRALIA 1.2.8 3.6.24 8.7.55 12.9 (81)

VIC METRO 6.2.38 8.6.54 12.9.81 15.10 (100)

GOALKICKERS

Western Australia: Johnson 4, Marsh 3, McCarthy 3, Barrass, Cameron

Vic Metro: Lennon 4, Boyd 3, Honeychurch 2, Maginness 2, Apeness, Curnow, Kennedy-Harris, Salem

BEST

Western Australia: Smith, C.Cameron, D.Cameron, Waterman, Johnson, Marsh

Vic Metro: Honeychurch, McDonald, Kelly, Cavarra, McStay, Lennon, Apeness

And here's some more Under 18 championships and draft reading (from earlier rounds):

AFL.com.au's top 20 draft prospects

Division two dreamers

Elite young Victorian talent takes to the field

Reports from the crossover rounds:

Vic Country forward Clayton McCartney boots six as U18 carnival fires up

U18s: Cavarra runs riot for under-strength Metro

Scharenberg stars for SA

Sheed boosts standing in big WA win

VIC Metro Round 1 Standouts - http://madmondayshow.com/2013/06/02/vic-metro-game-1-standouts/

SA Round 1 Standouts - http://madmondayshow.com/2013/06/03/sa-round1/

WA Round 1 Standouts - http://madmondayshow.com/2013/06/03/wa-round1/

VIC Country Round 1 Standouts - http://madmondayshow.com/2013/06/03/vic-country-round-1-standouts-u18-championships/

Aish, Hourigan star for SA

Smith sets gold standard for WA

Falcons star as Vic Country downs Tasmania

Draft expectations rise as Tom Boyd kicks six

http://m.afl.com.au/news/2013-06-22/u18-gun-young-neagle-kicks-six-for-nswact-U18 gun: young Neagle kicks six for NSW/ACT

Ruckman stars as Tassie secures U18 win

[Little Richard 6,265]

Boyd, the big tip for #1 injured and in a moonboot after the game.

I wonder if that will contribute much to our decisions at the draft? I hope we don't go for him, mids mids and mids are what we should be after.

[whatwhat say what 22,909]

Footscray will be hoping he slips down the pecking order.

[dazzledavey36 55,315]

Massive luke dunstan fan! A must get at the end of the year.

[Carrot Top 947]

Best available with whatever picks we get. You don't ever, ever pass on quality no matter what needs you have.

Draft for talent, trade for needs.

[rjay 25,063]

Best available with whatever picks we get. You don't ever, ever pass on quality no matter what needs you have.

Draft for talent, trade for needs.

Yep, we got Cook when we drafted for needs.

[george_on_the_outer 7,693]

Looks like Etihad on 3 July for the real McCoy!....see you there Jack?

[Little Richard 6,265]

We now have the people who can identify the best midfield talent in the draft (infinitely better than Prendergast), so we draft the best mid available at our pick. We took Cook because the recruiters didn't know what the hell they were doing.

[ThreeOneSix 954]

Aish has the points on the board, the pedigree, the talent.

Watch Aish during the championships, this kid has it all.

If he is slight on, it's because he has had shoulder surgery - which was in december, basically giving him very little gym time.

Boyd was exceptional in the championships last year, looked ultra impressive.

If we get a priority, we'll take those 2... Someone would have to really smash it during the championships for us not to take those 2.
Billings is one to keep an eye on, hasn't done a hell of a lot this year - but along with Boyd and AIsh, was a stand out as a bottom ager last year during the championships.

I know some posters say we shouldn't get a priority, which is fair enough, I'd be happy for the AFL to give us one - as I think we are better than most think and it would only give us a leg up.

[Carrot Top 947]

We now have the people who can identify the best midfield talent in the draft (infinitely better than Prendergast), so we draft the best mid available at our pick. We took Cook because the recruiters didn't know what the hell they were doing.

It wasn't just Cook. In one of the threads around there is a list of high picks we're taken for ten years, and they run from picking guys for size, for kicking, for height, for speed.

Post pick 25ish I'd say go wild and have a shot at what you think you'll need, but when you pick a Gys because 'he can find the ball (can't use it but wtf), or a Maric because 'he can use it (can't find it though), or Cook (we need a forward but Darling is a bit of a naughty boy), or Tapscott because he is hard (rather than Fyfe that can play the game) etc etc...

It's why we have players with one good skill, and who lack others. It's why we had a chunky one paced midfield for years. Flower wouldn't have been drafted by us with any pick in the last 20 years.

I'd rather us lose a player (waste a pick) for being a Pike or Fev than for being a Cook or Gys.

Good players make a team. The also lift the B graders to want to be worthy of them. They also bring players to the club who want to play with them.

Best available.

Always.

[Little Richard 6,265]

Can't agree mate. When we are so extremely deficient in an area (the midfield), we need to address this. With pick 2, there are going to be a couple of options as to who is the best available - its subjective. Odds are it will be a midfielder anyway.

Getting Boyd won't really improve our ability to win ball at stoppages and deliver it into the forward line, and I don't see many of the guys we have improving in that respect. Midfielders for me.

[Carrot Top 947]

Can't agree mate. When we are so extremely deficient in an area (the midfield), we need to address this. With pick 2, there are going to be a couple of options as to who is the best available - its subjective. Odds are it will be a midfielder anyway.

Getting Boyd won't really improve our ability to win ball at stoppages and deliver it into the forward line, and I don't see many of the guys we have improving in that respect. Midfielders for me.

Trade one in. Trade someone good but not essential out and bundle some picks. Use our next pick to draft one (law of averages says the next best will be a mid). Move hell and high water like we did when we needed some mature forwards. Don't though - under any circumstances - pass on the best kid you can get your hands on.

[Little Richard 6,265]

I don't think trading is a realistic way to get us a midfielder or two to be honest. There aren't any foreseeable targets and few players who'd be wanting to come to us.

Anyhow I don't think Boyd will be best available anyway. Pick up Aish or Dunstan - two better players imo

[Carrot Top 947]

I don't think trading is a realistic way to get us a midfielder or two to be honest. There aren't any foreseeable targets and few players who'd be wanting to come to us.

Anyhow I don't think Boyd will be best available anyway. Pick up Aish or Dunstan - two better players imo

I tend to agree. And it's hard to recruit the way I mentioned, because to take a (for example) quick back flanker when a solid CHF is on offer and is what you need, must take some balls, but it's what the good teams do, and what the best master. Sydney won't do it any other way. Us and the Doggies draft for the players we wish to have, and it kills us. Freo is starting to wise up, but they killed themselves for a long time chasing needs in the draft.

It will never be perfect, but if you get an A1 gun you can actually design a whole system around them. The game will change to suit genius. It won't change to suit wishful thinking.

[rjay 25,063]

I don't think trading is a realistic way to get us a midfielder or two to be honest. There aren't any foreseeable targets and few players who'd be wanting to come to us.

Anyhow I don't think Boyd will be best available anyway. Pick up Aish or Dunstan - two better players imo

I agree with 'Carrot', we pick best available. If it's Boyd we take him, if it's Kelly or Aish, Dunstan we take them.

You think Essendon, who have too many talls thought about passing up on Danniher because they needed some quick running mids and they do. The kids a beauty, imagine if we had him and Hogan in our forward half...would you pass up Clark and Dawes? Clark if he plays again may be a better midfield option for us in the ruck. Hogan has proven he can play forward back and also played some time mid in last years u18's. imagine running into him in the centre bounce.

We're not smart enough to pick and choose...pick best available.

[Brayshaw Self 847]

Bailey, Hale, Franklin, Roughead, Gunston.

Gawn, Clark, Dawes, Boyd, Hogan.

[Pennant St Dee 13,301]

Bailey, Hale, Franklin, Roughead, Gunston.

Gawn, Clark, Dawes, Boyd, Hogan.

Would mean a lot more if Mitchell, Sewell, Hodge, Rioli and Guerra were in our side, what a difference 5 players would make. Two clearance kings, probably the best crumbing forward going around, tough hard nosed defender who would provide safe options out of defence and a true leader who is one of the smartest players going around.

Those 5 is where the difference lies not in our forward half (barring Cyril)

[Brayshaw Self 847]

Would mean a lot more if Mitchell, Sewell, Hodge, Rioli and Guerra were in our side, what a difference 5 players would make. Two clearance kings, probably the best crumbing forward going around, tough hard nosed defender who would provide safe options out of defence and a true leader who is one of the smartest players going around.

Those 5 is where the difference lies not in our forward half (barring Cyril)

Completely agree. I was just comparing the talls if we did draft Boyd (assuming he's best available) and Hawthorn is really only the comparable team in that regard. We would definitely need a 10x better midfield to make it work though, as you've highlighted.

[Whispering_Jack 30,580]

Tom Barrass (Claremont) 192cm, 81kg

How did we miss this Western Australian player for so long?

I don't care if he's an unfashionable 192cm tall or the fact that our drafting record is poor. We must get this kid on name alone!!!

[Whispering_Jack 30,580]

Meanwhile according to @TFoenander on Twitter:

Despite an injury scare yesterday, scans have revealed highly rated #Draft prospect Tom Boyd has no fracture in his ankle. Great news #AFL.

[dazzledavey36 55,315]

Bailey, Hale, Franklin, Roughead, Gunston.

Gawn, Clark, Dawes, Boyd, Hogan.

Lol Dawes is no where near the player Roughead is and struggling to get his body right. Clarks will be lucky to ever play a full season. Gawn has put off contract talks. Hogan is sussing on whats going to happen at the Melbourne football club in the coming months and this is where if we do get a priority pick then Boyd is the way to go.