WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - CHRISTIAN PETRACCA

[Redleg 40,228]

Roos is not a fan of drafting talls early in the draft apparently.

Well if that is the case and Petracca is the one we want and is gone, we will either trade our picks, or take someone higher up than expected. I think Cook was the last one we did that for.

[Wrecker45 3,378]

Well if that is the case and Petracca is the one we want and is gone, we will either trade our picks, or take someone higher up than expected. I think Cook was the last one we did that for.

No we would pass on Cook because he was a tall. We probably end up with Gysberts.

[KingDingAling 3,740]

Well if that is the case and Petracca is the one we want and is gone, we will either trade our picks, or take someone higher up than expected. I think Cook was the last one we did that for.

Keep the pick and hope Petracca is there. If he isn't - then take Brayshaw. I think Brayshaw is a safe selection.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

If we end up with pick 2 and 3, (thanks to the Frawley compo), I'd be wanting to take Petracca and Brayshaw providing they're both there.

Development for young players coming to our club is a non issue now that we have the right people in place and these two guys look to good to pass up.

However, if we do decide to offer one pick up for a player and a later pick back like the 'Tyson' deal last year, I'd want to pick up Laverde.

The guy looks unbelievable.

[nutbean 8,838]

morton, scully, trengove, watts petracca will be a gun - I'm certain of it.

[rjay 24,616]

If we end up with pick 2 and 3, (thanks to the Frawley compo), I'd be wanting to take Petracca and Brayshaw providing they're both there.

Development for young players coming to our club is a non issue now that we have the right people in place and these two guys look to good to pass up.

However, if we do decide to offer one pick up for a player and a later pick back like the 'Tyson' deal last year, I'd want to pick up Laverde.

The guy looks unbelievable.

Could be the pick that everyone wonders why he went that late, then again he might not. Hope our recruiters are all over him.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

morton, scully, trengove, watts petracca will be a gun - I'm certain of it.

You would have a point if we were going to the draft had the club not changed:

- The recruiting team and head recruiter.

- The senior coach, assistant coaches and development coaches.

- The list and core group of experienced players that now lead the club

Nutbean. Your post, and posts of that nature are nothing but ignorant and infuriating.

No [censored] every pick has an element of risk, but all of those things I've pointed out have changed drastically at our club but under past management, they're the very reason all of those names you mentioned have all failed.

Is it it that [censored] hard to understand?

Edited August 29, 2014 by stevethemanjordan

[nutbean 8,838]

You would have a point if we were going to the draft had the club not changed:

- The recruiting team and head recruiter.

- The senior coach, assistant coaches and development coaches.

- The list and core group of experienced players that now lead the club

Nutbean. Your post, and posts of that nature are nothing but ignorant and infuriating.

No [censored] every pick has an element of risk, but all of those things I've pointed out have changed drastically at our club but under past management, they're the very reason all of those names you mentioned have all failed.

Is it it that [censored] hard to understand?

Thanks for pointing out me being ignorant and infuriating but obviously you don't read my posts on recruits because I actually agree with you 100%. Well 90%. All you say is true but I have been so badly burned by our past incompetence that I will declare a future draft pick a gun when one actually turns out to be one.

[rjay 24,616]

- The recruiting team and head recruiter.

The jury is still out here 'steve', no runs on the board yet although the Tyson/Salem deal looks promising.

[nutbean 8,838]

The jury is still out here 'steve', no runs on the board yet although the Tyson/Salem deal looks promising.

The jury is out on everything.

What Steve said is correct except I have guarded optimism - we have changed plenty but I wish ( hope) it is that simple to turn around.

I can see that Roos has improved the team but by his own admission we are still a long way off.

Lots of the other building blocks are in place but I think have a real solid core of mature footballers to ease the way recruits is so important and we have better than last year but still dont have enough good matures to take the pressure off the kids.

I am not as confident as some that we have the right environment for kids to prosper YET. Call it a work in progress. I have confidence that we are on the path.

Incompetence doesn't get corrected and overhauled from one year to the next so I will hold fire about all the guns that may come into this club until one actually proves himself to be one.

[jnrmac 19,905]

1:56 of this clip (they cut short the second tackle)

LOL two turnovers and one out on the full in the first 1:42 ....

He'd fit in beautifully.

[rjay 24,616]

The jury is out on everything.

What Steve said is correct except I have guarded optimism - we have changed plenty but I wish ( hope) it is that simple to turn around.

I can see that Roos has improved the team but by his own admission we are still a long way off.

Lots of the other building blocks are in place but I think have a real solid core of mature footballers to ease the way recruits is so important and we have better than last year but still dont have enough good matures to take the pressure off the kids.

I am not as confident as some that we have the right environment for kids to prosper YET. Call it a work in progress. I have confidence that we are on the path.

Incompetence doesn't get corrected and overhauled from one year to the next so I will hold fire about all the guns that may come into this club until one actually proves himself to be one.

Have to agree with you here, it will be a very interesting off season to see how we address some of this. As you say it's not a quick fix. We are coming from a long way back.

[rjay 24,616]

Wouldn't be disappointed with Laverde.

[nutbean 8,838]

Have to agree with you here, it will be a very interesting off season to see how we address some of this. As you say it's not a quick fix. We are coming from a long way back.

Dermie spoke about the great Hawk teams and he said the biggest single factor in the continual development of their youth was the unbelievably good mature aged players and leaders at the club. When Brereton debut ( in the finals of 1982 - couldnt make the team the whole year) - he was the third tall in the forward line. The early parts of his career were shielded. We expect Hogan to come in and be a gun from day one.

Look at Gunston at the Hawks - had two years of the pressure being on Franklin and Roughy.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Happy to be completely wrong, but those highlights of Petracca didn't overly excite me.

EDIT: Also, Angus Brayshaw looks like Cameron Bruce taught him to kick a football. Quite awkward and often with a high ball drop.

Edited August 29, 2014 by Clint Bizkit

[sue 9,018]

Happy to be completely wrong, but those highlights of Petracca didn't overly excite me.

EDIT: Also, Angus Brayshaw looks like Cameron Bruce taught him to kick a football. Quite awkward and often with a high ball drop.

agree - too many kicks to oppo's advantage and handballs that didn't quite hit the target - there must be other reasons why Petracca is rated so highly. I'm always suspicious of these clips but you'd expect them to make a player look better than he really is usually.

[jacey 333]

Josh Kelly is streets better then Petracca and we traded down last year.

Hoping we trade.

[rjay 24,616]

agree - too many kicks to oppo's advantage and handballs that didn't quite hit the target - there must be other reasons why Petracca is rated so highly. I'm always suspicious of these clips but you'd expect them to make a player look better than he really is usually.

The other side of this is apparently 'Patty Dangers' disposal wasn't so hot as a junior, and he hasn't turned out too badly. This is where the recruiters really earn their money.

[mdemonski2 403]

Sorry disagree. Haven't watched the clip but have seen brayshaw and petracca live last weekend.

I actually found it hard to determine which is a better player but they were a step up from all other players out there, both skills wise and with physical size.

Both ready to go round 1 2015 for whomever selects them and a significant upgrade on a number of players we currently have in our best 22 (not that this is all that hard!).

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Sorry disagree. Haven't watched the clip but have seen brayshaw and petracca live last weekend.

I actually found it hard to determine which is a better player but they were a step up from all other players out there, both skills wise and with physical size.

Both ready to go round 1 2015 for whomever selects them and a significant upgrade on a number of players we currently have in our best 22 (not that this is all that hard!).

That's good insight, thanks.

[Freddy Fuschia 730]

Sorry disagree. Haven't watched the clip but have seen brayshaw and petracca live last weekend.

I actually found it hard to determine which is a better player but they were a step up from all other players out there, both skills wise and with physical size.

Both ready to go round 1 2015 for whomever selects them and a significant upgrade on a number of players we currently have in our best 22 (not that this is all that hard!).

Agree. Both look very composed and show great maturity. The fact that Roos is the coach makes it more likely that they will succeed rather than fail as our recent early picks have done but the coach might still have other ideas. If we can do another Tyson trade, I would be happy .

[Whispering_Jack 29,246]

My grandsons' junior footy team plays and trains next door to where the Dragons train and I've had the opportunity to see Brayshaw train on a couple of occasions. I also saw him train with Melbourne earlier this season as part of the work experience training week for AIS players and I agree without hesitation, that he could step into an AFL side without much trouble in the early part of 2015. If Petracca's supposed to be even better we could have an interesting dilemma at draft time.

[pantaloons 2,019]

If Petracca's supposed to be even better we could have an interesting dilemma at draft time.

Like which one to take at 2 and which one to take at 3?

Edited August 29, 2014 by pantaloons

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,857]

I don't profess to be an expert but I found Brayshaw on two viewings during the championships as underwhelming for a pick that high. Aside from knowing how to win the ball I could not see any elite quality. Can kick both sides but a lot of times those kicks were just a belt forward rather than quality disposal. Also appeared to lack pace and I believe I read had a low contested ball count. If we do have pick 2 and 3 and we keep both (which I doubt) I would be hoping for a Petracca/Laverde double. Both are good size, have speed out of the contest (which neither appeared to mind) and have a bit of x factor about them. A Tyson type trade that allowed us to land Laverde in the mid to back end of the first round if we thought would still be there would be the best outcome.

[stevethemanjordan 6,952]

Petracca and Laverde or Brayshaw and Laverde if we happen to do a 'Tyson type' deal with either pick 2 or 3 with 21 for a good mid and a pick in the top 10.

That would be my dream. Laverde might just be the player of the draft.