There was talk the saints could sign Membrey as a delisted free agent (if Sydney filled their list early thanks to academy selections etc then not offered him a contract he would have been a Delisted FA). In that case the saints would've taken Frost.

The positive in the trade (besides securing Frost) is we could potentially use picks 40 and 53 instead of 23 and PSD 2. If we favour kids instead of mature pick ups then we have a combination of 2 picks.

But so far we only have the list space for 1 of those guys anyway.

Thanks for that, I didn't realise Saints were into Frost.

No, but I don't think we had Jason Taylor when he was selected either (I think he started in 2013), Toump was a Neeld pick if you believe what's been said. Can't really say JKH or Salem have been BP-esque selections.

Toump was a todd viney pick.

Toump was a todd viney pick.

Yeah, but like I said if you believe the stories, Neeld overruled Viney who wanted Wines. Who knows what really happened.

I still think the toump will be a great player

1. Petracca; 2. Brayshaw; 3. Lever - as good as done - remember this post.

1. Petracca; 2. Brayshaw; 3. Lever - as good as done - remember this post.

I hope you're right, but to be fair, a lot of people have predicted that.

Not exactly going out on a limb.

But God I hope you're right.

True. No major surprises. Source and i both agree laverde looks a real prospect but what can you do.

No way I'd take him with pick 3, but anyone noticed that Connor Blakely is effective in a Dane Swan sorta doesn't-look-like-he-should-be way?

Ugly kicking action, but it hits target.

Runs funny, but gets away from opponents and has good agility.

I reckon he'll go top 10.

Draft videos loaded to Dee TV

3pm Oct 28 - Lachie Weller

3:58pm Oct 28 - Angus Brayshaw

7:07am Oct 30 - Jake Lever

Now they are also the first 3 in the 'draft trumps' series on AFL.com.au to be released, the 4th (Harrison Wigg) was released today. But I wonder which of them (all, none or some) will be reposted to the dees website.

Posters get themselves into such a lather about who we should take and what order the draftees will be selected.

Facts are that number 1 has been a bit of a bust for many clubs and players that turn out to be the best are not always drafted high.

Here is a piece from Jon Anderson from the HS about the draft in retrospect. Now his list is subjective of course and people will disagree with specifics but it is broadly right. It looks at the best 3 players from each draft (not including F/Son) in retrospect and where they were drafted and also the No 1 from that year.

Rarely, if ever, are the top 3 draft picks the best players in the long run. The 2001 or 2002 probably comes closest. But the last 6 years have come nowhere near it.

No-one talks about Kruezer, Whitfield, Gibbs, O'Rourke, Ploughman, Scully as busts but they don't come anywhere near justifying their top draft positions. Yet we f log ourselves here on Land. And others are keen to f log Melb as well. Its mostly a lottery and you really want to be drafting as to who will be the best 22yo not the best 17yo.

ANDOS TOP THREE (PLUS ACTUAL NUMBER ONE)

2010 Heppell (drafted at 8) TLynch (11) Darling (26). No. 1 Swallow

2009 Fyfe (20) Gunston (29) Talia (13). No. 1 Scully.

2008 DBeams (29) Sidebottom (11) Hurley (5). No. 1 Watts.

2007 Dangerfield (10) HTaylor (17) Cotchin (2). No. 1 Kreuzer

2006 Selwood (7) Boak (5) Gray (55). No. 1 Gibbs

2005 Pendlebury (5) Murphy (1) JKennedy (WC, 4).

2004 Franklin (5) Roughead (2) Lewis (7). No. 1 Deledio

2003: Mundy (19) Cooney (1) Fisher (55).

2002: Goddard (1) Wells (2) Mackie (7).

2001: Judd (3) Hodge (1) Swan (58).

*Doesnt include father-son selections, such as Gary Ablett jnr.

Definite trend of becoming increasingly difficult to get the high picks right.

Alternately the latent talent runs deeper and isn't being identified correctly.

back to 2&3...

Brayshaw at #2

Lever / Wright / Laverde at #3 in my opinion

I think Petracca will go #1. McCartin at #5-8 for me.

I still think the toump will be a great player

And if he is not it will go down as the greatest recruiting blunder in our dismal recruiting History!

Definitely tough to jag the right player but I still believe culture and development is more important but even more so is some of the supporters ridiculous expectations.

Looking at the list of number# 1's compared to best three in the draft range I find its a little harsh on some players at #1. You could make an argument for nearly all of those high draft picks not being at there best at present.

Swallow really looked the goods this year after playing his first few seasons with a group of kids. Didn't get the luxury of easing on to a HBF like Heppel and then being the 4th mid like Heppell (not taking anything away from Heppell as I do love him)

Scully, as much as we all hate saying it, had a cracking first year with us notching up 20+ touches in a dozen games. Helped him having mature bodies like Junior, Beamer and Jones around him taking the heat off. Since playing with kids has battled but started playing some good footy again this year.

Watts, well its been done to death, but comparing his first game to say the Tomahawks. Watts announced as pretty much our saviour and lining up FF in a physically dominant forward line including some beasts like Maric, Bate and Paul Johnson. Can't see much from those lads backing him where the Tomahawk had some figures in Chappy, Stevey J, Mooney and Ottens roaming around. If an opponent looked at him wrong they'd cop it and if the Tomahawk didn't go hard enough he'd cop it.

Kreuzer being a big lad takes time. He will get there as well.

Anyways, after all of that, I do take supreme confidence in whoever we pick up this year has a lot more chance than kids we have picked up previously. There are now some great off field leaders (Roos, McCartney as a developer) some great on field leaders (Jones, Cross) and now that we have all been burnt by our high expectations of the past I think we have cooled our jets a little on hoping for the kids taking us deep into September.

And if he is not it will go down as the greatest recruiting blunder in our dismal recruiting History!

I had no idea you felt that way about Toumpas.

And if he is not it will go down as the greatest recruiting blunder in our dismal recruiting History!

Another....

Its a shame I have the ignore button working but when you guys quote fence it comes up in my feed. Its so nice not to have to read his tripe.

come on Saints, take McCartin

you know you wanna

come on Saints, take McCartin

you know you wanna

Unfortunately the word going around is the Saints are in love with Petracca.

Of course they will say its out of 3 players in Mcartin Brayshaw ane Petracca but I think fair to say they have had him lock and loaded for a oong time.

Petracca aint perfect.

come on Saints, take McCartin

you know you wanna

After looking at McCartin on the AFL App yesterday there is much to like about how McCartin asserts himself. I would be more than happy to see MFC end up with him and Brayshaw [and maybe Oscar McDonald at #40?], Assuming that we collect Newton tomorrow, with HL, Garlett, Stretch and Frost (plus Hogan), I am looking forward to us against the Suns in Round 1, 2015?

p.s. Another full pre-season into Toumpas, Salem, Viney, Tyson and Riley won't harm us on the field either.

I think, given Roos's previous form, we will only take picks 2 and 3 into the draft, any other pick will be upgraded rookie(Jetta) and delisted free agents. No inside knowledge.....just my opinion....

I think, given Roos's previous form, we will only take picks 2 and 3 into the draft, any other pick will be upgraded rookie(Jetta) and delisted free agents. No inside knowledge.....just my opinion....

I don't think there is any way we will pass on 40, as to 53 I am not certain. I hope we are able to use both.

Josh Mahoney last week on SA radio said we will have two live picks in the draft.

I don't think there is any way we will pass on 40, as to 53 I am not certain. I hope we are able to use both.

Yep, there's some reasonable talent that can be picked up later in the draft.

This is where I believe a good recruiter can earn his money (the top end of the draft is much more transparent although as most would now acknowledge, there are no guarantees at the top end of the draft)

Kent 48, Garland 46, McDonald 53, Bail 64, Matt Jones 52 & Terlich 68 are all reasonable to solid contributors with 2 or 3 of those 6 players having a fair bit of upside.