Here's a guy I made a thread about a year or so ago. Used to play with him and was always considered a player to make AFL level but being around that 180 cm height with no standout attributes and a few injuries he struggled to get on a list.

Saying that, he has been a very consistent player for Port Melbourne, especially this year. I rate him higher than Magner. He has more pace, better skills and is more of a natural footballer.

26 year old who is used to playing against men and is classier than many VFL mids and as I said, I rate him higher than Magner and Couch.

Really hope we pick him up next year to add to our midfield. Reminds me of Andrew Swallow the way he plays.

Hopefully some other posters have seen him and can add a bit more.

Here's a guy I made a thread about a year or so ago. Used to play with him and was always considered a player to make AFL level but being around that 180 cm height with no standout attributes and a few injuries he struggled to get on a list.

Saying that, he has been a very consistent player for Port Melbourne, especially this year. I rate him higher than Magner. He has more pace, better skills and is more of a natural footballer.

26 year old who is used to playing against men and is classier than many VFL mids and as I said, I rate him higher than Magner and Couch.

Really hope we pick him up next year to add to our midfield. Reminds me of Andrew Swallow the way he plays.

Hopefully some other posters have seen him and can add a bit more.

I respect your opinion STMJ, but to rate him higher than Couch and Magner isn't really giving him high wraps.

If he's like Swallow, different ball game....btw you still playing?

I've heard good things about this bloke, also a good mate of my sisters partner!

Has had a good year in the VFL so far.

Heard anything about his team-mate Josh Scipione?
Looks to be in PM best every week.. He was best on for the VFL team when they played WAFL or whoever they played, and hes also a small forward who works through the midfield.. a need for us?

Cain and Scipione will both probably be picked up. Cain has great skills and will adapt to the pace of AFL. He has had a great year, winning a lot of the ball and would be a step up on Matt Jones IMO. Scipione has kicked a lot of goals this year and is one sided (left) and doesn't look as natural as Cain. I think Scipione is a bit younger though.

Danny Hughes (ex demon) also looks to have AFL qualities and plays a bit like Jeremy Howe. He hasn't had a great year and is possibly too old, but you can definitely see why he was on our list.

Should we be worried that he's a private school boy? Even worse, a Public School boy?

Should we be worried that he's a private school boy? Even worse, a Public School boy?

Agree. That Norm Smith Medallist, Ryan O'Keefe, is a spud too.

Yeah, and that Judd is average.

I respect your opinion STMJ, but to rate him higher than Couch and Magner isn't really giving him high wraps.

If he's like Swallow, different ball game....btw you still playing?

Yes you're right in saying that rating him higher than Couch or Magner isn't giving him high wraps. I'm just pointing out that they were two VFL players we picked up who are too one dimensional. Cain has got them covered in every other facet of the game. There are always VFL players who are better suited to AFL standard football who don't get picked up. I maintain that point of view as odd as it sounds. Just as players like Magner can win 50 possies in a VFL game and not do much at AFL level.

Cain is the sort of player who is too classy for VFL but doesn't always dominate in terms of numbers. He is beautifully skilled and a smart player. Two attributes that our list lacks. He is 26 and like Terlich and Jones, would bust his gut to stay on the list. He is strong bodied too. We need to target players like him. Fresh minds. Willing to work hard. Not part of the 'boys club'.

Yes I'm still playing footy in the Amo's.

Should we be worried that he's a private school boy? Even worse, a Public School boy?

No we shouldn't be worried that he's a private school boy. I'm sick of this argument.

Yes you're right in saying that rating him higher than Couch or Magner isn't giving him high wraps. I'm just pointing out that they were two VFL players we picked up who are too one dimensional. Cain has got them covered in every other facet of the game. There are always VFL players who are better suited to AFL standard football who don't get picked up. I maintain that point of view as odd as it sounds. Just as players like Magner can win 50 possies in a VFL game and not do much at AFL level.

Cain is the sort of player who is too classy for VFL but doesn't always dominate in terms of numbers. He is beautifully skilled and a smart player. Two attributes that our list lacks. He is 26 and like Terlich and Jones, would bust his gut to stay on the list. He is strong bodied too. We need to target players like him. Fresh minds. Willing to work hard. Not part of the 'boys club'.

Yes I'm still playing footy in the Amo's.

No we shouldn't be worried that he's a private school boy. I'm sick of this argument.

Okay, I see what you mean.

Patrick Rose was someone I always earmarked as a small forward - quick, elusive and a lovely kick. Never got a gig....

Anyhoo, good luck if you're involved in the finals.

Still not hearing much about this guy and I hope he is plucked up with one of our later draft picks.

I'm not joking, this guy is very classy and reminds me of Sam Mitchell. Cain has the same sort of vision and smarts in close and can use the footy really well. He is a solid body and I rate him higher than Matt Jones.

I'm sure he'll get picked up but he would be absolutely perfect for us.

Hardened body and a really smart and skilled player.

He is a gem waiting to be unearthed.

Edited October 8, 201311 yr by stevethemanjordan

Performed well at the draft combine.

Skills testing, that is.

His skills are elite and always have been.

It's strange, some players mature so early and others seem to plateau and not perform at their best at under 18 level which ultimately dictates whether or not you'll be drafted.

With someone like Terlich, he has obviously been given a second chance but to me he seems so comfortable on the field with the ball in his hands. I see Cain in the same light in that respect. I believe Cain's skill set and his footy smarts will mean he'll perform better at AFL level. As funny as it sounds.

Edited October 9, 201311 yr by stevethemanjordan

His skills are elite and always have been.

It's strange, some players mature so early and others seem to plateau and not perform at their best at under 18 level which ultimately dictates whether or not you'll be drafted.

With someone like Terlich, he has obviously been given a second chance but to me he seems so comfortable on the field with the ball in his hands. I see Cain in the same light in that respect. I believe Cain's skill set and his footy smarts will mean he'll perform better at AFL level. As funny as it sounds.

No doubt if he can regularly find the ball out in space he'll use it well.

But I don't really see the inside game stacking up against the best mids and then does have he have the fitness and speed to play outside mid? Or the marking at his height to play high half forward?

That said I'd rather him in the side even if he's not that great an athlete or ball winner because he will use it well, unlike someone like Rohan Bail who will turn it over.

Was a flip of the coin decision between Chris and Sam Dwyer for the Pies last year. Was injured for the combine last year and has been carrying an injury prior to this year's combine. Should have been drafted in the past 4 drafts. Suits us to the ground.

Would still have him ahead of Bail, McKenzie, Nico, Jetta etc

Will be great if we get him, he'll certainly have an impact.

Hoping we get him at 40 if Garlett is gone.

I'm going to be greedy Steve and hope he's there at 57. One of him, Garlett, Honeychurch (highly unlikely) or Stokes at 57 will do me fine!

I'm sold on Giles at 40.

I'm down.

As long as we snag him!

With picks going awry from the 2010 (Cook and Davis), 2011 (Taggert and Tynan) and only 4 kids taken in last years draft (Viney, Toumpas, Kent, Barry) plus mature talent added over the last few draft and trade periods I think we really need our first 3 picks this year used on young guys plus Hogan.

These trades we've made and picking guys like Terlich and Matt Jones help us be competitive sooner rather than later but we have to invest in the picks as well.

So I'd be looking at the rookie draft for Cain.

At some stage we have to play the long game and draft and develop a crop of kids. Pick 57 sounds pretty late but a lot of clubs will be out of the draft and promoting rookies or passing by then (Collingwood, GWS, St Kilda) so the plan will to hope a top 30 talent slips to pick 40 and then a top 40 talent makes it through to pick 57.

The likelihood that Cain is a top 25 player on our list doesn't necessarily mean he should be in the top 40 of our draft order list.

With picks going awry from the 2010 (Cook and Davis), 2011 (Taggert and Tynan) and only 4 kids taken in last years draft (Viney, Toumpas, Kent, Barry) plus mature talent added over the last few draft and trade periods I think we really need our first 3 picks this year used on young guys plus Hogan.

These trades we've made and picking guys like Terlich and Matt Jones help us be competitive sooner rather than later but we have to invest in the picks as well.

So I'd be looking at the rookie draft for Cain.

At some stage we have to play the long game and draft and develop a crop of kids. Pick 57 sounds pretty late but a lot of clubs will be out of the draft and promoting rookies or passing by then (Collingwood, GWS, St Kilda) so the plan will to hope a top 30 talent slips to pick 40 and then a top 40 talent makes it through to pick 57.

The likelihood that Cain is a top 25 player on our list doesn't necessarily mean he should be in the top 40 of our draft order list.

Cain is a certainty to be drafted and I doubt he will be there at #57. He would give us at least four good to very good seasons of AFL football and would provide some pace, skill and spread to our midfield. Unless a young gun slips to #40, we should draft him.

At some stage we have to play the long game and draft and develop a crop of kids.

The likelihood that Cain is a top 25 player on our list doesn't necessarily mean he should be in the top 40 of our draft order list.

Surely the issue is how good he is.

Top 25? What if he was top 15? Our trading has brought in two more youngsters in Michie and Tyson who offset some of the delistings and Cain is hardly "old".

I haven't seen him play but from a structural perspective I'd have thought it was a bit of a non issue when weighed against the need to become more competitive immediately.

And I reckon at the end of next year we'll have plenty of spots to fill and can bring in some kids then.

BTW Master, I really enjoy your postings, thanks.

Surely the issue is how good he is.

Top 25? What if he was top 15? Our trading has brought in two more youngsters in Michie and Tyson who offset some of the delistings and Cain is hardly "old".

I haven't seen him play but from a structural perspective I'd have thought it was a bit of a non issue when weighed against the need to become more competitive immediately.

And I reckon at the end of next year we'll have plenty of spots to fill and can bring in some kids then.

BTW Master, I really enjoy your postings, thanks.

Michie - 2010 draft and Tyson 2011 draft obviously gives us 2 players back from that age group but still we are one of the worst teams of all time and are hardly stacked with guns under the age of 22.

No doubt Cain would help but the question is how much? If you had to pick Cain or Kent for last year we'd all go Kent right? Cain might have given us more consistency but Kent within 1 season probably got up to Cain's level and now can give us 10 years not just 5.

I'd be happy with Cain at pick 57 or 40 for that matter if we had already had 3 or 4 picks before then but the reality is we don't. Just my view on playing the long game as well as the short game. I don't want to see Roos bring us up towards the 8 but then we end up stuck going nowhere as teams like the saints (3 picks inside top 20) go past us.

Yeah, and that Judd is average.

Awkward moment when Judd went to Scotch...

I like this guy and think he would work well for us, but why delist Magner and get another mature aged recruit?

I don't think Roos will recruit anymore, he will keep Jones but thats about it.

Awkward moment when Judd went to Scotch...

He went to Caulfield Grammar. An APS school.