They missed out on the main draft - PSD or rookie?

[blue and red in the head 95]

Can anyone tell me why battersby didn't get picked? Was touted as an early second round only a few months ago if available I think he is a lock for our first rookie spot

[InVINCEable 358]

no mitch thorp?

Do not want Thorp.

[InVINCEable 358]

Forgot about Battersby, he'd be a good pickup, seriously can't believe these guys all fell back to the rookie draft.

[Theo 272]

I really like the look of Tsitas from the Falcons. High workrate and endurance. Rarely fumbles and excels at stoppages.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-20/james-tsitas

[DeeSpencer 25,471]

I really like the look of Tsitas from the Falcons. High workrate and endurance. Rarely fumbles and excels at stoppages.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-20/james-tsitas

Yep I like him a lot too. Of course there's concerns that at only 181cm and with limited pace he'll be an undersized and underspeed midfielder but at his age I think he's worth a year or two trial now to see just how well he performs at VFL level. I don't think he's miles off athletically/size wise. Especially when compared to Cavarra at 174cm and pretty slow.

[Spin-it-to-Goodwin-it 579]

I really like the look of Tsitas from the Falcons. High workrate and endurance. Rarely fumbles and excels at stoppages

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-10-20/james-tsitas

I'd second that, if for no other reason he was very highly rated as a 16/17 year old and for some reason fell down the rankings this year - Ripe for a rookie pick.

Some people querying his speed lately but he's a hard as nails/ wrecking ball type. Also #1 in the Combine kicking test.

The other guy I'd keep an eye for is Nathan Drummond.

[MadAsHell 4,212]

My options from the name your rookie thread:

Matthew Sully (VIC KPD)

Height: 195cm, Weight: 89kg, DOB: 15/10/1992

Recruited from: Geelong (VFL)

Style:

Player comparison: Kyle Hartigan

Range: 35-rookie

Profile: Good 1v1 defender who plays a strong shutdown role in the back half. He will consistently win his contests getting in the spoil every time or take the mark and has some real body on body strength. Hell get the job done every week and he has stepped his game up again this year and is ready to take the next step. AFL ready despite his still relatively young age and can step in for a team immediately as a stopper down back.

Fraser Fort (VIC KPD)

Height: 196cm, Weight: 84kg, DOB: 04/10/1995

Recruited from: Geelong Falcons

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: 30-rookie

Profile: Fort is one of the better key defenders in the TAC. Hes more your shutdown defender with some real athleticism with his pace and leap both above average. He has in the past also shown that he can play forward to a solid standard and present as a marking target but in a star studded Geelong Falcons team with McCartin and Goddard who both look like top 5 selections next year both as key forwards there is a pretty good reason why he hasnt played forward as much this season. I see Fort settling as more of a defender with others more talented as forwards but hell need to continue to expand his game. Hes generally strong overhead and plays well down both ends of the field.

or

Alex Spencer (VIC KPD)

Height: 193cm, Weight: 83kg, DOB: 19/04/1995

Recruited from: Sandringham Dragons

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: 30 - undrafted

Profile: Spencer is an athletic key defender with some versatility to his game. He has a strong 1v1 game and is a strong contested mark. Behind the play he reads the ball well and has a natural feel for when he can go and take an intercept mark. He also has the ability to play either a shutdown or rebounding role as required. He also isnt afraid to take the game on with his run and carry or use it by foot as one of the better kicks at his size. He just doesnt come with any flash to his game as a relatively unexciting key defender.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=z004xm4hoYQ

Pick 20, a ruckman:

Darcy Cameron (WA Ruck/KPF)

Height: 203cm, Weight: 98kg, DOB: 18/07/1995

Recruited from: Claremont

Style: Dean Cox

Player comparison:

Range: 30-rookie

Profile: Cameron is one of the better ruckmen this year because he is not only an effective tap ruckman but because he can present as a target up forward and influence games in the front half with his clean hands overhead and ability to take marks, mark on the lead as well as convert from those opportunities. Cameron reads it well in the air and can also push back and take an intercept mark. He has some size on his frame already which is encouraging and he covers the ground reasonably well for a young tall.

Josh Miller (SA Ruck)

Height: 204cm, Weight: 94kg, DOB: 07/01/1995

Recruited from: Glenelg

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: Rookie - undrafted

Profile: Miller is a tall ruckman who has shown some signs. His taps well directed. Good mover for his size. Relatively skilled for a tall ruckman. Just needs to become more dominant and add some more weapons to his game.

Ben Mabon (VIC Ruck)

Height: 200cm, Weight: 89kg, DOB: 14/06/1992

Recruited from: North Melbourne Kangaroos

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: Rookie - undrafted

Profile: From North Ballarat, Ben Mabon is an athletic, running ruckman. With excellent work ethic and technique at stoppages, Mabon is always improving and frequently impressing at VFL level with the Roosters.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=w1UGGokC3ew

Darcy Fort (VIC Ruck)

Height: 203cm, Weight: 90kg, DOB: 06/08/1993

Recruited from: Werribee

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: Rookie - undrafted

Profile: Mature ruckman overlooked last year. Has shown promise this year through the VFL. Still as with all young ruckman a work in progress.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=q7ITQafsips

or

Fraser Thurlow (QLD Ruck/KPF)

Height: 199cm, Weight: 100kg, DOB: 06/01/1993

Recruited from: Labrador

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: Rookie - undrafted

Profile: Thurlow is a tall who can play forward or ruck. Hes a couple of years older and his body has matured well. Very strong mark overhead. Competitive in the ruck. Finds plenty of it around the ground.

Pick 38, a midfielder who can push forward:

James Harmes (VIC Mid)

Height: 184cm, Weight: 78kg, DOB: 05/10/1995

Recruited from: Dandenong Stingrays

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: Late - undrafted

Profile: Harmes is an aggressive midfielder who inside the contest really attacks the ball hard on the inside and will go in for it. Hes got above average pace and can also at times push forward and take a mark.

http://bigpondvideo....t-james-harmes/

William Maginness (/VIC Mid/Fwd)Height: 182cm, Weight: 73kg, DOB: 13/01/1995

Recruited from: Oakleigh Chargers

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: 40 - undrafted

Profile: Highly productive midfielder and a much improved player over this past year. Plays a good two way game and has a nice combination of ability inside and outside the contest. Maginness can win his own footy inside the contest, win the clearances and has some evasiveness and slipperiness to him inside the contest as a really smooth mover. But then outside the contest runs and spreads well. He has a light body but just about everything else.

Ben Sokol (WA Mid/Fwd)

Height: 183cm, Weight: 87kg, DOB: 28/10/1995

Recruited from: South Fremantle

Style: Dane Swan (early career)

Player comparison:

Range: 45-rookie

Profile: Sokol is a strong marking forward who can really put his stamp on games. Sokols point of difference is his ability marking ability 1v1 up forward for a midfielder. He has Dane Swan type strength 1v1 where no guy can go with him as his strength is just so strong but then also has those strong hands to really take those grabs. He his age he has incredible size and strength. Hes also a very effective leadup marking target. Sokols endurance is also excellent for someone with such a strong body making him a hard player to go with and just seems to be one of those players who just knows how to find the footy easier than the next guy. Hes also an excellent finisher around goal. He seems to improve with every game and is a player as a midfield rotation type who can play up forward could be better than most think.

http://bigpondvideo....pect-ben-sokol/

Thomas Shanahan (WA Mid)

Height: 183cm, Weight: 75kg, DOB: 28/04/1995

Recruited from: East Perth

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: 25-undrafted

Profile: Shanahan is someone who has really made a case for selection with some incredibly impressive production. Hes winning his own footy inside the contest but also finding plenty of it outside and linking up well. Hes a strong tackler and plays a solid two way game. Hes got excellent endurance and runs all day. He tested well. Hes just not the most damaging user of the footy.

http://bigpondvideo....homas-shanahan/

Jake Best (VIC Mid/Fwd)

Height: 182cm, Weight: 84kg, DOB: 20/10/89

Recruited from: Casey Scorpions

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: Rookie - undrafted

Profile: Best is a mature ager who has changed his focus from cricket to footy. Hes a strong marking medium midfielder/forward who can take it on the lead and in the air.

or

Chris Cain (VIC Mid/Fwd)

Height: 181cm, Weight: 83kg, DOB: 14/07/1987

Recruited from: Port Melbourne

Style:

Player comparison: Sam Dywer

Range: late/rookie

Profile: Cain has been one of the better performed players in the VFL these past few seasons and seems finally hot on the radar of clubs this season. Cain is a midfielder with a nice skill set but also strong hands overhead allowing him to be a marking threat when he pushes forward. Athletically hes above average with a nice combination of pace and endurance at his disposal.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=sH6qP-x7l84

Pick 56, a mature age KPF:

Mitch Thorp (TAS Fwd/KPF)

Height: 194cm, Weight: 89kg, DOB: 25/12/1988

Recruited from: South Launceston

Style: Jarrad Grant

Player comparison:

Range: 30-rookie

Profile: Thorp is someone who has taken longer than first hoped to develop and mature but he has finally matured this season back home in Tasmania as captain and coach of his club. Hes helped the youth at his club develop and he helped his team to a premiership so hes the type of person that you want to bring into your club. Thorp is not the key forward he is being advertised as but plays more as a tall half forward with a strong running game and above average marking ability by position. In saying that hes finding plenty of the footy, taking plenty of marks and hitting the scoreboard as his 78 goals from 20 games suggests. You dont want him to be the primary target in your front half but hes someone who could play a part as a 2nd or 3rd target in a forward half.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=LnEO77lReBg

Khan Haretuku (VIC KPF/KPD)

Height: 198cm, Weight: 98kg, DOB: 19/10/1989

Recruited from: Frankston Dolphins

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: 30-rookie

Profile: ONCE on St Kildas rookie list, Haretuku has since made it his own pledge to prove his former club wrong. His former coach Ross Lyon sat him down in his office and told him that he was not good enough for AFL level. It hurt him deeply but soon got back on the track at the Dolphins and has added new strings to his bow under coach Simon Goosey. Not only does he play deep in attack, he has found confidence around centre half forward and further up the ground. Haretuku has the makings of an AFL career and Goosey knows it. He has spruiked his talent to most clubs and knows that one club will get him during the rookie draft.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=rNKH4yoQpp8

Andrew Ainger (SA KPF)

Height: 197cm, Weight: 96kg, DOB: ? (25 years old)

Recruited from: Woodville West Torrens Eagles

Style:

Player comparison:

Range: rookie

Profile: Key position big bodied forward who had a breakout year in the SANFL in 2013, kicking more then 50 goals.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=QpGMqud1wBA

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ayBgXb3f1Jw

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=y9z7u9vtEoU

Aaron Cornelius (Tas via Qld KPF)

Height: 192cm, Weight: 88kg, DOB: 29/05/1990

Recruited from: Brisbane Lions

Style:

Range: rookie

Profile: Aaron Cornelius was recruited from Tasmania as a promising forward who is strong on the lead and has very clean hands. He reads the play very well and has the tools to be an exciting key forward prospect for any club willing to give him a second chance. Kicked 35 goals in 25 games for the Lions.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=c37Ki9eDZdU

[spirit of norm smith 16,277]

Nathan Drummond from Murray Bushrangers. This kid has real pace, good build and runs with the footy. Better player than Jayden Hunt IMO by a mile. Will get a rookie opportunity.

[spirit of norm smith 16,277]

Late mail ... Dees will take a tall defender in rookie draft. Either Joel Tippett or Alex Spencer preferred.

[dazzledavey36 54,282]

Late mail ... Dees will take a tall defender in rookie draft. Either Joel Tippett or Alex Spencer preferred.

Doubt it going by the Jason Taylor article..

''At this stage, Melbourne will use all four picks available in the rookie draft. The Demons are more likely to select younger players, rather than mature-age prospects''.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Doubt it going by the Jason Taylor article..

''At this stage, Melbourne will use all four picks available in the rookie draft. The Demons are more likely to select younger players, rather than mature-age prospects''.

He also said

“We’re still keen to target that midfield area and there are a few midfielders who were left over from the national draft, who we should be able to get our hands on. It gives us an advantage picking earlier.”

So I'd say Tippett is out anyway.

[Whispering_Jack 29,788]

Our rookie draft picks:-

Melbourne 2 19 35 50

Source: Tigers eye delisted Lion Banfield

Melbourne is said to be interested in another Sandringham Dragon, Alex Spencer

Alex Spencer

D.O.B: 19/4/95

Height: 193cm

Weight: 83kg

Junior Club: East Brighton

Ryan O'Connor (Dragons coach) says:

"Alex is a tall utility who has done really well to come back with his bottom age year wrecked by OP (osteitis pubis) and hell probably end up getting a home late in the draft or as a rookie but he has the ability to play at both ends of the ground which a number of clubs find quite appealing."

~ from South Metro Junior Football League website.

There are some mixed messages from the club with some indications that we were looking for more midfielders, Jason Taylor saying we would continue to go for young players and others suggesting we are interested in Joel Tippett.

All will be revealed in a little more than ½ a day.

[wattsjurrahdunne 88]

I have a copy of the hawk's recruiting dept's list of their player rankings for the 2013 draft. They list in order their top 200 players.

Interestingly, they rated the boy Sicily that they took at about 60 as the 23rd player in the Draft. They rated Tsitas as the 28th player.

Interestingly, they rated Nathan Freeman as the 29th player.

[Roger Mellie 3,980]

I have a copy of the hawk's recruiting dept's list of their player rankings for the 2013 draft. They list in order their top 200 players.

Interestingly, they rated the boy Sicily that they took at about 60 as the 23rd player in the Draft. They rated Tsitas as the 28th player.

Interestingly, they rated Nathan Freeman as the 29th player.

Sure it's not the cheersquad's ratings?

Oh well - where was Salem and JKH rated?

Who else is up there and available - Eli Templeton, Battersby etc?

[spirit of norm smith 16,277]

Doubt it going by the Jason Taylor article..

''At this stage, Melbourne will use all four picks available in the rookie draft. The Demons are more likely to select younger players, rather than mature-age prospects''.

Alex Spencer is a younger player who played TAC cup in 2013 !!!

[DemonDave 1,089]

KPD has to be our biggest weakness depth wise right now. Take the best kpd with pick 2, Tippett right in the mix there.

Then next best mid at 20. after that best talent available regardless of position.

Last years rookie draft netted us Clisby so wasn't a bad result.

edit: forgot about Jake Best, he was a revelation at Casey this year, would love to see he or Tim Smith in Dees colours next year

Edited November 26, 2013 by DemonDave

[Pennant St Dee 13,118]

Tom Shanahan if he is still available with our 3rd or 4th pick in the rookie draft, North, Hawks, Meth Coast & Bombers may also have him in their sites

[CBDees 3,167]

I am not convinced by Herbert the player nominated as our first pick in "Snoop Dog's Phantom Draft" (pasted below). I hope that Taylor and Viney have read Tall Defence's suggestions (in the post above) as i agree that Sully is the type of player more suited to our needs rather than that the scenario suggested by Snoop Dog.

# 2 Melbourne
Louis Herbert - NBR / 187cm / 75kg / '94
Terrific kid who has really improved a lot this year. Frankly thought he was unlucky not to go last year but he took it in his stride and has come on again this year and learnt some different roles. Terrific height and wonderful mover who is very quick for his size but the frame is still pretty skinny for a 19yo. Burst onto the scene as an x factor fwd and he can do some very good things in the air and on the ground but this year also showed an ability to go back and through the middle. Also been given some game time against the men this year and acquitted himself well. Has good pace and and is good in the air. Reminds of Andrew Mackie at the same age and is probably physically stronger than you would think.

Why and who else: Took mids and mids during draft and trade. Suspect they will go taller at some stage but this kid is to good to pass.

# 20 Melbourne
Chris Cain – Port Melb / 181cm / 83kg / ‘87
Destined for the AFL after some stellar seasons in the VFL. His coach is a massive wrap on him and has been mooted to land at WCE, Freo or Collingwood all year. Classy type who if you saw the state game got a good insight into his game. Can play fwd and middle, has really good vision and decision making and ball use is elite. Will play more as a fwd would think early and has strong hands which you want in middle / fwds along with the ability to read the ball early. Very good 1:1. Ticks all the boxes for mine.

Why and who else: Would walk into the Rd 1 team.

#38 Melbourne
Fraser Fort – Geelong Falcons / 196cm / 84kg / ’94
Been highly rated for a couple of years now and has shown a lot of positional scope having been played more as a fwd before being sent back to FB this year. Wonderful size and very athletic he presents in a manner that would excite recruiters because he could be groomed for a few different roles. Has a great leap on him and he is a strong mark but also a strong spoiler and seems to make the right decision. Seems very composed which is good but equally pretty competitive which will bode well for him with recruiters. Kid is a lovely kick to. Personally I think he will be developed as a tall athletic FB type but he could be a bit Jake Carlisle type and be sent fwd.

56 Melbourne
Erin Wasley-Black – NT / 188cm / 79kg / ’95
AIS holder who was highly rated at the start of the year and with good reason. Kid was showing he could be one of the best from NT in a long time but unfortunately he just didn’t have the impact this year we were hoping. In saying that I think it just means someone will get a bargain because I think he is a big talent and you could mount a case it was hard to be good in what was one of the least competitive NT sides I have ever seen. Tall kid, with good agility and pace and could play a few different roles but probably best suited to a HB and then in time maybe as an inside mid. He is competitive and hard at it, he has pace which he will use to attack the game and his ball use is good enough for AFL level for sure albeit during the champs I think he overplayed his options a bit. Bit like Nathan Wright and if he gets it all together could be one of the steals of this draft when we look back.

[IvanBartul13 2,564]

Nathan Drummond from Murray Bushrangers. This kid has real pace, good build and runs with the footy. Better player than Jayden Hunt IMO by a mile. Will get a rookie opportunity.

How much of Jayden Hunt have you seen?

[rjay 24,883]

I am not convinced by Herbert the player nominated as our first pick in "Snoop Dog's Phantom Draft" (pasted below). I hope that Taylor and Viney have read Tall Defence's suggestions (in the post above) as i agree that Sully is the type of player more suited to our needs rather than that the scenario suggested by Snoop Dog.

Not convinced by Sully, the only game I've seen him in was the GF and he was soundly beaten and showed nothing that would have him any better than Gillies as a player.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Not convinced by Sully, the only game I've seen him in was the GF and he was soundly beaten and showed nothing that would have him any better than Gillies as a player.

Didn't see the game but I doubt that Geelong would let him go if he was any good; Gillies and Byrnes have left a sour taste in my mouth.

[rpfc 28,262]

Didn't see the game but I doubt that Geelong would let him go if he was any good; Gillies and Byrnes have left a sour taste in my mouth.

I don't think he was on Geelong's list - only their VFL team.

[dazzledavey36 54,282]

How much of Jayden Hunt have you seen?

Probably about 2 minutes of footage like all of us.

[Beetle 4,601]

Really like the look of this kid. Not sure about his pace though.

[InVINCEable 358]

Well we just had an awful rookie draft, we let Templeton, Cavarra, Hourigan, and Battersby go for James Harmes, who does look like a good prospect but i would have been all over them blokes over him.