Usually on your page mate but I can't understand this level of pessimism. It isn't nearly as bad as this picture.

I'll take the draftees developing together at the same time and actually having a decent tilt at a flag in a few years rather than a quick fix which would see us reach the lofty heights of mid table.

The players don't remain dormant, so nor does the team. They get another year's development into them. And they are top end talents.

On this occasion I think reaching the lofty heights of mid table would have been important. If nothing else it may have slowed the rate of free agents buggering off from our club at the first opportunity, and reduced the number of players who laugh when approached by us. I want us to become an attractive place for players on the move, and not being a horrible footy side is step #1. There would still have been plenty of opportunity in the future to recruit good players for our premiership side in the draft- not having early picks this year would not necessarily have compromised that. Geelong and Sydney have shown you can build a good side without ever having picks in the top 5.

I'm not sad about it, but I'm very sympathetic to those with short term views at this point in time.

Tom Boyd officially a Dog!

Good on the doggies Boyd will be a 10 year player full forward for them.

The Bulldogs had been crying out for a key forward since Chris Grant retired (excluding an aging Barry Hall), about bloody time.

Still, what's the point of having a draft if a top pick can choose where he goes after one season.

That gives GWS picks 4, 6 & 7.

With Boyd gone, and if they try to trade to get pick 1, that muddies the water on if they would take Petracca, given the only decent tall forward they now have is Cameron.

Does this bode well for us in getting Petracca at pick 2?

No they will trade into 1 and take Petracca, but I suspect Brayshaw is a more reliable pick.

Pick 2 for 6 & 7? Saints take McCartin, GWS get Pertacca, we get Brayshaw and good players at 6 & 7?

2 for 4 & 7 would be more enticing from our end to improve the odds that Brayshaw is still available. Is he likely to slide to 6?

So giants have picks 4, 6 and 7... Any chance of some sort of deal there if they want to move up the draft. Maybe pick 2 and 23 for 6, 7 and frost?

No they will trade into 1 and take Petracca, but I suspect Brayshaw is a more reliable pick.

Omg why do people keep saying that...I really doubt it now...gws need a key forward to back up Cameron next year.

Who is the next best mid in the draft after Brayshaw?

Say goodbye to Petracca.

GWS have 4, 6 and 7. They will get pick 1.

What a great year to have 1.

Dogs fans will be in heaven. Their first pick and a 29 year old great player with a back problem, for last year's number 1 and the KPF they have been screaming out for.

They also have a great bunch of kids.

Omg why do people keep saying that...I really doubt it now...gws need a key forward to back up Cameron next year.

Because they are addicted to pick one and taking the best kids. Its pathological.

That gives GWS picks 4, 6 & 7.

With Boyd gone, and if they try to trade to get pick 1, that muddies the water on if they would take Petracca, given the only decent tall forward they now have is Cameron.

Does this bode well for us in getting Petracca at pick 2?

It's comedic that this club has been given so much latitude by the AFL to hoard talent, that even after all their draft concessions have ended, they still have 3 picks in the top 7.

After seeing that GWS and Dogs deal I have now flipped my sentiments a bit.. feel disappointed we haven't done more.

On this occasion I think reaching the lofty heights of mid table would have been important. If nothing else it may have slowed the rate of free agents buggering off from our club at the first opportunity, and reduced the number of players who laugh when approached by us. I want us to become an attractive place for players on the move, and not being a horrible footy side is step #1. There would still have been plenty of opportunity in the future to recruit good players for our premiership side in the draft- not having early picks this year would not necessarily have compromised that. Geelong and Sydney have shown you can build a good side without ever having picks in the top 5.

I'm not sad about it, but I'm very sympathetic to those with short term views at this point in time.

I can understand that view. I get the sense of urgency with FA looming. I just don't think that needs to translate into panic.

The potential impact of talented youngsters shouldn't be readily dismissed. Wines at Port. Miles at Richmond. Significant impacts, both.

I saw a lot of improvements in 2014. We continue on that path, we'll be okay.

Omg why do people keep saying that...I really doubt it now...gws need a key forward to back up Cameron next year.

And the Saints need a forward to cover Riewoldt and Stanley.

If St Kilda were to trade out of 1 - and into 4 - can they really bank on MFC picking mids at 2 and 3.

It is a risk, I don't know whether St Kilda would be willing to take the risk.

Who is the next best mid in the draft after Brayshaw?

Brayshaw is probably the best mid in the draft, closely followed by Petracca.

Then perhaps Laverde, and there is some talk of MFC wanting to turn Lever into a mid.

I suspect Lever is why we were so keen on 12.

That gives GWS picks 4, 6 & 7.

With Boyd gone, and if they try to trade to get pick 1, that muddies the water on if they would take Petracca, given the only decent tall forward they now have is Cameron.

Does this bode well for us in getting Petracca at pick 2?

Think not. They can get 1 off Saints for 2 picks and still grab a tall with their other pick. So Petracca and a tall. I think we are one pick away from doing a great deal that the Saints will do.

Its easy...we have the same team as last year although now we have Hogan instead of Frawley (who was nothing special as a forward).

Our backline has had 12 months without Frawley being a key player and performed.

Plus we have added a 100+ game 180 goal crumber which we didn't have last year and a 199 game former all australian half back who just finished 4th in Collingwoods b&f.

We may have not improved the potential team that we may have been able to field at the start of last year.

But we have definitely improved the team that we rolled out 90% of the time last year.

If you want to sit back and continue to dream about the potential that we could have had, well i welcome you to do that.

It's clear to me that we have done well out of the circumstances.

We don't now have Hogan instead of Frawley. Last year we had both, what part of that escapes you? You can't conveniently adjust the list for injuries in hindsight. They happen every season and will happen again next year. If Hogan goes down we will have neither he nor Frawley which is significantly worse.

Also, I am not "dreaming about the potential we could have had". I simply stated that our list as it stands currently is worse than this time last year. In fact, given that certain others around us like GWS and Brisbane have gained significant ground, we have arguably gone backwards. We might pass the Doggies next year but will be lucky to escape the bottom 3.

People talking about us not doing anything, but they are fairly substantial changes.

Yes,haven't paid overs, leave ourselves well placed for next year for FA attack and 5 or 6 of our own out of contract next year, playing for their lives. Roos always said we are coming from a long way back, just another stepping stone.

Say goodbye to Petracca.

GWS have 4, 6 and 7. They will get pick 1.

What a great year to have 1.

Dogs fans will be in heaven. Their first pick and a 29 year old great player with a back problem, for last year's number 1 and the KPF they have been screaming out for.

They also have a great bunch of kids.

Why is it such a good year to have 1? Have you ever actually seen petracca play?

I watched petracca and brayshaw play against each other in the last match of the tac cup and found them very hard to split. Both had strengths in different areas and I believe both will turn out to very good afl footballers.

I haven't seen either wright or mccartin so prefer not to comment as a result.

Brayshaw is probably the best mid in the draft, closely followed by Petracca.

Keep telling yourself that.

Why is it such a good year to have 1? Have you ever actually seen petracca play?

I watched petracca and brayshaw play against each other in the last match of the tac cup and found them very hard to split. Both had strengths in different areas and I believe both will turn out to very good afl footballers.

I haven't seen either wright or mccartin so prefer not to comment as a result.

Think he meant because now GWS will pay a ridiculous sum to secure pick 1. They want quality, not quantity. They've no need for 3 picks inside the top 7.

Imagine if we'd had picks 1 & 2.

Hearing the St Kilda Recruiter on Trade radio it looks like they are going to go hard for some of those early picks or maybe a big name GWS young talent.

I am Jealous.....

Think not. They can get 1 off Saints for 2 picks and still grab a tall with their other pick. So Petracca and a tall. I think we are one pick away from doing a great deal that the Saints will do.

You seem to be forgetting that Saints lost Stanley. Why would they take that risk?

So what are we praying for now? The Saints to hold on to pick #1?

Infuriating to think we're one pick away from GWS bending over backwards to get Petracca, in a trade period where we've done SFA to improve our midfield.

The wild card was Griffen! As soon as he jumped ship GWS lost all interest in a deal with us and focused on the WB then StK for #1. As I said yesterday Griffen dealt us out of that card game and those clubs would do the deals that needed to be done.

The music stopped and no place for us!!