Every year WJ nominates his early favourite for Melbourne's first draft selection. In the past, he's gone for Nathan Jones, Ben McEvoy, Tom Scully (ok, he's not foolproof) and more recently, Jack Viney. This year, it's a player who's also a favourite of one of the game's true personalities.

CHOCO'S CHOICE? by Whispering Jack

If the stars align in a certain way, then come November, Mark Williams will be coach of the Melbourne Football Club and Matt Scharenberg will be its first selection in the AFL National Draft.

According to this article Williams, who is one of the front runners for the Demons' coaching job, once described South Australian Scharenberg as "the best schoolboy footballer he had seen since Wayne Carey" - Matt Scharenberg could pip James Aish as the first South Australian drafted

I first saw the 190cm, 89kg Scharenberg tearing it up in defence as a bottom ager for SA at last year's under 18 national carnival and I pictured him as potentially growing into a quality key defender but this year he has added an extra dimension of versatility to his game. He now looks they type who could fill many positions including that of the taller type midfielder and that's what makes him an attractive proposition for the Demons.

There's been a lot of talk about midfielders in this year's draft discussion because most AFL clubs can't have enough of them (particularly in the 180-190cm range) and, in Melbourne's case, it has hardly any of quality in this category. And while most are concentrating on the likes of James Aish, Josh Kelly and Jack Billings in the draft's current quality street, I am tending toward's Choco's view.

The reigning Brownlow Medallist stands at 191cm and Chris Judd is 189cm so if we're seriously looking for the prototype midfielder of the future, Scharenberg is of the right size and, on what I saw in this year's national carnival, has the skill set, the right physical and mental make up to excel as an on baller at the highest level.

Scharenberg was a member of this year's championship winners, shared his State's MVP with midfielder Luke Dunstan and, albeit as a defender, made it back to back into the under-18 All-Australian team (a rare honour shared this year with Aish and Billings). Kelly and another hot midfield prospect Dom Sheed (the Larke Medallist) also earned AA status this year.

Scharenberg is currently playing senior football at SANFL level with Glenelg and shone last week with more than 20 touches in a team that was well beaten.

With Melbourne a possibility of gaining some draft assistance from the AFL at the end of the year, it's possible that this year's draft might well yield it with two of the best of this bunch and otherwise, there is further quality and depth in this year's midfield that might bring another to the club via its second round pick.

But Scharenberg is going to be a hard choice to resist at the November draft especially if the coach happens to be the one who compared him to one of the modern era's greatest players.

^{http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUopsO50pq8}

I really like Matt Scharenberg and have been surprised with the lack of talk about him on here. He is a tall utility who I can imagine playing a significant role in a future team. He has the ability to kick goals and stop them and has great poise and decision making with the ball. I see him as an obvious choice.

For me it would be Scharenberg and Aish if we get the extra pick.

  On 20/07/2013 at 02:30, rjay said:

For me it would be Scharenberg and Aish if we get the extra pick.

If awarded, we will trade one of those picks for an A grader from another club.

  On 20/07/2013 at 02:35, McQueen said:

If awarded, we will trade one of those picks for an A grader from another club.

but will other clubs with A graders be willing to part with an A grader for an early pick?

  On 20/07/2013 at 02:47, young dee enthusiast said:

but will other clubs with A graders be willing to part with an A grader for an early pick?

Since the average age of Hawthorn's midfield is about 55 I would have thought that there would have been a market for trading picks for talent from certain clubs

  On 20/07/2013 at 02:35, McQueen said:

If awarded, we will trade one of those picks for an A grader from another club.

  On 20/07/2013 at 02:47, young dee enthusiast said:

but will other clubs with A graders be willing to part with an A grader for an early pick?

We won't because they won't. There are no tradeable A graders on the market that I can see, of course that could change.

  On 20/07/2013 at 02:58, ucanchoose said:

Since the average age of Hawthorn's midfield is about 55 I would have thought that there would have been a market for trading picks for talent from certain clubs

I wouldn't be trading a first round pick for a pensioner. Sorry Brad...