If Mahoney says that Wright is "around the mark" and Roos has previously suggested that we won't take Wright then you could be forgiven for thinking that either Mahoney and Roos don't communicate, at at odds or something else is going on.

I can confirm that we are "into" other players with Roos himself having very recently conducted interviews with the players and families.

This appears to be the 'Roos Trademark'. He includes families. The first thing he did when appointed coach was jumped on a plane to visit Jessie's family. Also Salem(?) before drafting. Stretch and Brayshaw more recently?

He gets family comfortable with their son coming to the Dees (no we won't stuff his career Mr & Mrs ...) and understands the players home life etc... I think we will see very few 'want-to-go-home' and more 'committed to AFL level footy' players at the Dees.

Over 3-4 drafts Roos will have selected about 30 new players. Therein lies the culture change!! Roos goes up in my estimation every day.

Or Laverde, ranked between 5-10 in most phantom drafts?

Leaving aside the 'junior footy experts' who are entirely fallible and the 18 months quip (6 of which are off season) the reason you have for not picking a bloke like Laverde is a singularity of stupidity, a blackhole of rational thought; every year there is someone taken in the picks you claim not good enough for the top 3 that are better than the top 3!

Wines, Aish, Selwood.

The fact that you are alluding to the MFC not 'being allowed' to take a player because of 'phantom ranks' is, unfortunately, backing up one of my personal dislikes about those that talk about this teenage lottery draft that we have; being railroaded into a few choices while having the most to choose from.

It stinks.

Edited October 27, 201410 yr by rpfc

I heard from an ex AFL scout who still mixes in football circles that we'll take Laverde at 3.

I have no idea as to the credibility of his sources as he has never provided intel before. However, I thought I would share it for those like minded 'Landers' who enjoy hearing this stuff.

He said the top 5 will go like this;

1: Petracca (Saints)

2: Brayshaw (Dees)

3. Laverde (Dees)

4. Wright (GWS)

5. McCartin (Pies)

Who knows, we shall wait and see.

Leaving aside the 'junior footy experts' who are entirely fallible and the 18 months quip (6 of which are off season) the reason you have for not picking a bloke like Laverde is a singularity of stupidity, a blackhole of rational thought; every year there is someone taken in the picks you claim not good enough for the top 3 that are better than the top 3!

Wines, Aish, Selwood.

The fact that you are alluding to the MFC not 'being allowed' to take a player because of 'phantom ranks' is, unfortunately, backing up one of my personal dislikes about those that talk about this teenage lottery draft that we have; being railroaded into a few choices while having the most to choose from.

It stinks.

It doesn't stink - it just defies logic and closes the eyes and mind to history.

It needs to be repeated again - go back through history and posters will find that the "rankings" have never been right and the top 10 fancied draft picks have never ever performed in the order as selected. Every year there are top picks that fail and the Fyfes of the world who get picked up later and turn into world beaters.

(For those who want to moan about not taking Fyfe - he was so highly rated that he wasn't even Freo's first choice).

RPFC - you have suggested that we should take the player who will think will be the best not necessarily who is rated the best now - I agree although the difficulty lies in getting that assessment right which is notoriously difficult.

(your other comments regarding these draftees being too young to make a definitive call is also 100% spot on)

I hope this is right...

I believe it to be.

Well, if we accept that what Josh Mahoney is saying is that it's now down to three or four out of Petracca, Brayshaw, McCartin and Wright and we also accept that Paul Roos told a meeting of supporters that we wouldn't be taking Wright, the field is actually narrowed down to three and we will draft the two remaining after St. Kilda nominates who it's taking.

You do know of course all isnt often as suggested.

Need to apply the "Roos speak filter"

Well what's going to change, they've got all the information now in front of them? There's no footy, interviews or testing left before the draft.

I don't know but he did say at the moment. The world is not always so black & white 'Wing', Mahoney was hedging his bets.

What occurs to me is why should we broadcast out particular intentions to anyone.

What occurs to me is why should we broadcast out particular intentions to anyone.

Playing mind games with the Saints ?

I heard from an ex AFL scout who still mixes in football circles that we'll take Laverde at 3.

I have no idea as to the credibility of his sources as he has never provided intel before. However, I thought I would share it for those like minded 'Landers' who enjoy hearing this stuff.

He said the top 5 will go like this;

1: Petracca (Saints)

2: Brayshaw (Dees)

3. Laverde (Dees)

4. Wright (GWS)

5. McCartin (Pies)

Who knows, we shall wait and see.

I despair! McCartin to the Pies? They are the least deserving team after Essendon!

Edited October 28, 201410 yr by CBDees

Finally some good news after the McCartney debacle.

We won't be taking Lever THANK GOD.

Do you actually barrack for Melbourne, or is it just an aggressive overdose of MFCSS?

Well what's going to change, they've got all the information now in front of them? There's no footy, interviews or testing left before the draft.

Not sure as to the reasons why but Daniel Rich was supposedly a lock for Freo with Pick 3 and the other option to them was Nic Nat because there was some talk Meth Coast may go with Rich. All of a sudden Stephen Hill started to get discussed as a possibility and late charger

Dusty Martin and Bontempelli were both discussed as making late charges for the Top 5 and it was only the last few weeks they were certainties.

Pretty Sure they will be tossing up a few options and whilst a lot depends on who the Saints take, I would say if Petracca goes 1 only Brayshaw is locked in

Playing mind games with the Saints ?

This occurs to me also.. Im sure there IS definitely some fun and games here as they've been present all through the trade period etc .

About the only think im even remotely positive about is Brayshaw will play in red and blue next year...as to pick 3 ?? f-k !!

To me there are always good mids in any draft, it is about picking and developing the right ones. Big strong key forwards they are hard to find. Dawes is limited, Hogan at some stage will be offered big bucks from Freo or the Eagles, we have no depth in our tall forwards. We need to grab a mid and one of the tall forwards.

Yep we have done really well picking good mids with our low picks......

I don't honestly believe we're looking at either McCartin or Wright.

It simply goes against what we need to advance the list.

I don't believe either are the absolute blue-chip forwards you need to justify such an early selection.

Based on that, my guess is that we are talking about them as realistic possibilities that we'd happily take as a top 3 selection, in the hope the saints think twice and go for one also.

My preference, with Petracca not available, is still Brayshaw and Lever, but failing Lever I would have a crack at Laverde, or even Ahern, De Goey or Duggan.

Leaving aside the 'junior footy experts' who are entirely fallible and the 18 months quip (6 of which are off season) the reason you have for not picking a bloke like Laverde is a singularity of stupidity, a blackhole of rational thought; every year there is someone taken in the picks you claim not good enough for the top 3 that are better than the top 3!

Wines, Aish, Selwood.

The fact that you are alluding to the MFC not 'being allowed' to take a player because of 'phantom ranks' is, unfortunately, backing up one of my personal dislikes about those that talk about this teenage lottery draft that we have; being railroaded into a few choices while having the most to choose from.

It stinks.

So what are you saying, that because recruiters inevitably don't get every pick spot on that we should steer clear of those rated in the top 3 for the sake of it?

Of course it's an inexact science but those picked higher in the draft are done so because they have the highest chance of becoming the best footballers from all available evidence.

I don't honestly believe we're looking at either McCartin or Wright.

It simply goes against what we need to advance the list.

I don't believe either are the absolute blue-chip forwards you need to justify such an early selection.

Based on that, my guess is that we are talking about them as realistic possibilities that we'd happily take as a top 3 selection, in the hope the saints think twice and go for one also.

My preference, with Petracca not available, is still Brayshaw and Lever, but failing Lever I would have a crack at Laverde, or even Ahern, De Goey or Duggan.

I understand your train of thought and agree we lack midfield quality AND depth, but with such early picks surely it has to be best available player?

If none of those you mentioned are going to be an absolute blue-chip midfielder, wouldn't we go with the best player available which looks to be McCartin?

I don't think it looks to be McCartin at all.

Well why does every single expert disagree with you?

No they're not right every time but they know a hell of a lot more than you or I.

Edited October 28, 201410 yr by Members' Wing

We need mids, and we are also a quality key forward short. Pick 3 can net us either. I have NFI what way we're going but don't understand why games are still being played. Trade periods over, it is of no consequence to us if we reveal our hand right now, unless they don't want to verbally commit to anyone in case of last minute change of heart- which would be weird

I don't think it looks to be McCartin at all.

'Machsy' I might be swayed by McCartin's performance against WA last year but when I watched it at the time I thought he was a real good one. Maybe it was a one out of the box performance but from an under ager he treated his opponents with contempt.

You see something different in him, what is it that turns you off him?

Well why does every single expert disagree with you?

No they're not right every time but they know a hell of a lot more than you or I.

That's a misperception.

I'd also be a bit more selective with who I refer to as an "expert."

Sorry for having an opinion though.

A few quick observations.

The most recent lot of videos under Cal Twomey's "who's your clubs first pick" only highlight their best play, so based on this there are about 10 guys who are magic. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-10-26/your-clubs-first-pick

The original videos that were done on the U18 carnival highlights included all the flawed play so you could get a better gauge on what the kid is like.

SA won the U18 carnival, yet not one SA player is rated a top-10 chance. Either they were a great team coached by a great coach or the wise judges are a bit anti-Croweaters.

Having said that, our club has had a history of mucking up with SA players dating way back to Diamond Jim, so I am glad we are avoiding them.

If you look at recent drafts there always one player who comes charging up the rankings and like a horse with a late rush of money on, invariably they are a good choice.

Bontempelli went from 10-15 to 4 last year. Pendles went from 15-20 to 5 in his year. Richmond fans will tell you this logic went out the door with Tambling, who Terry Wallace promoted from about 10-15 to 4.

This year's big mover so far appears to be Nakia Cockatoo who was ranked 40-60 in early phantom drafts and is now even being talked about as a 10-15 pick. By next week he'll probably be top 10. He was injured for much of the year so his highlights package is based almost entirely on the MCG Grand Final day pre-game and you can't help but be impressed by his pace and skill. Given he's quite tall for a midfielder and would fit our NT promotional requirements, then I hope Roosy has met his family, although ultimately I imagine we will overlook him with pick 3.

I think there’s an element of taking what the draft pool gives you. This year it’s short on the sure fire high end midfielders and there happens to be a couple of tall prospects that deserve to be ranked in the top 5 or six.

My dream scenario is Petracca & Brayshaw.

Failing that, McCartin’s shown enough over two years to be ranked in the top two. Whilst we want perfection with picks inside the top 4 or 5, we have to remember that these kids are a fair way off the finished product. Nevertheless, there are traits that they show now, which should underpin the types of players they will be going forward.

McCartin’s aggression is a great starting point for a big forward, and if we go with him, the prospect of he and Hogan in the forward line should be a pretty fearsome prospect. Both will chase, tackle, compete and intimidate. Aggression and willingness to compete are hard traits to coach into players.

I’d also like to see Dawes show them the ropes. Whatever his limitations, he still sets a pretty good example up forward.

Yep, McCartin needs to build endurance, and clean up his goal kicking, but every kid has improving to do. Hogan’s kicking for goal was pretty shoddy in his draft year. He showed improvement whilst playing for Casey, and hopefully that holds up in the AFL. McCartin’s shown some improvement from last season (after work with Matty Lloyd), I’d back him in to continue to improve.

'Machsy' I might be swayed by McCartin's performance against WA last year but when I watched it at the time I thought he was a real good one. Maybe it was a one out of the box performance but from an under ager he treated his opponents with contempt.

You see something different in him, what is it that turns you off him?

He's good. A solid prospect as a KPF.

Maybe I'd be happy with him as a pick 15-20.

But a KPF is a luxury, not a necessity, and I think there are better prospects available.

He's not as fast as I'd like, doesn't have an exceptional tank or workrate, is a horribly average kick, and I think lacks a bit of agility.

He's a brute and will take a lot of contested marks. I don't know if he'll cover enough ground to be as good as we'd like.

I don't see much difference between him and Levi Casboult.

Could have been a champion if born 25 years earlier.