Which is why I think we might do it. I mean what's the benefit of talking this guy up so much if we wont take him? The saints wont do it and then it doesn't matter if Lever goes at pick 4 or pick 24, he's not getting to pick 40. It doesn't benefit us if he goes to GWS or if he goes to Geelong really.

Are we hoping to talk him up, not take him and hope he does an ACL so we can seem smart? That's not a great plan. And now we've talked him up so much if he becomes a star everyone will question why we didn't take him.

Unless someone in the FD let is slip and from there the rumours have just spread and we didn't feel any need to contain them I'm fascinated as to why we've heard so much about Lever.

He seems to have been talked up more by DL posters than by the club. Lever named on here (and the press) as a strong possibility along with several others (Laverde, Cockatoo, De Goey) then we all jumped on the bandwagon. Not sure the club had much to do with fanning the flames.

Emma Quayle has nominated her top 30 in her usual very well reasoned way. Her top 5 on performance (not necessarily pick order):

1 Heeney (head and shoulders above the rest) (N.A. Academy pick)

2 Wright

3 Petracca

4 McCartin

5 Moore (NA. F/S pick)

She does say it is a very close race between 2 to 5. Brayshaw is at 6. Also mentions hard for a team to use a high pick on a player like Lever who hasn't played all year and has him at 11.

All credit to her for not focusing on who has which pick and simply ranked the players as she sees it. One of the few unbiased journos around!

AFL draft a level playing field for recruiters

All credit to her for not focusing on who has which pick and simply ranked the players as she sees it. One of the few unbiased journos around!

AFL draft a level playing field for recruiters

She is just one of a number of journos who has an opinion on the draft. They get some right and they get some wrong.

In ranking who she thinks are the top 20 players she just did not line them up alongside the clubs draft order. Nothing special there.

She is just one of a number of journos who has an opinion on the draft. They get some right and they get some wrong.

In ranking who she thinks are the top 20 players she just did not line them up alongside the clubs draft order. Nothing special there.

She's not really pretending that it's anything other than her opinion but what she is doing is presenting her list of preferences in order and highlighting the challenges faced by recruiters in this draft.

Given that Melbourne bidded its second pick for Heeney, I think it's a fair call for her to make that he's the best of this lot in the draft. It points out the unfair advantage Sydney has in this draft (and is likely to have in the next where they will be in a similar situation) and why the AFL is reviewing the bidding system.

I've found most of her work to be thorough, well-researched and professional which is well above the norm for journos these days.

It's interesting to note also that she not only found it necessary to increase the size of her list from 25 as it was in the past but up to 30 and for good measure has added another dozen who she found hard to leave out. That means we can expect our pick 40 to possibly be of reasonable quality in this draft which matches what our chief recruiter and our list manager also believe.

She's not really pretending that it's anything other than her opinion but what she is doing is presenting her list of preferences in order and highlighting the challenges faced by recruiters in this draft.

Given that Melbourne bidded its second pick for Heeney, I think it's a fair call for her to make that he's the best of this lot in the draft. It points out the unfair advantage Sydney has in this draft (and is likely to have in the next where they will be in a similar situation) and why the AFL is reviewing the bidding system.

I've found most of her work to be thorough, well-researched and professional which is well above the norm for journos these days.

It's interesting to note also that she not only found it necessary to increase the size of her list from 25 as it was in the past but up to 30 and for good measure has added another dozen who she found hard to leave out. That means we can expect our pick 40 to possibly be of reasonable quality in this draft which matches what our chief recruiter and our list manager also believe.

Good point, going on her extra 12 there is a fair chance Oscar McD might slip to us!

Good point, going on her extra 12 there is a fair chance Oscar McD might slip to us!

She does mention him in the body of her article [along with Billy Strech]

Emma Quayle has nominated her top 30 in her usual very well reasoned way. Her top 5 on performance !AFL draft a level playing field for recruiters

Jeepers Petracca is listed at 95kgs and Brawshaw at 91kgs. Can that be right?

If it is they would actually have to lose weight to play. That would be a new experience for a Demon draftee

She rates 2m Peter at 2.

must have seen the same talents as I do.

Very good judge she is too.

She rates 2m Peter at 2.

must have seen the same talents as I do.

Very good judge she is too.

Is this some form of haiku?

She rates 2m Peter at 2.

must have seen the same talents as I do.

Very good judge she is too.

Fact is, she's not a very good judge, but just gets good second-hand opinions from recruiters.

I don't rate Wright as top 10, but Geelong won't let him slide past.

what's the benefit of talking this guy up so much if we wont take him?

How exactly are they talking up this guy so much? They are passing comment on who the top 4 are likely to be. IN Mahoney's case he responded to the question with 'they'll be right up there' or thereabouts. They are all obvious candidates.

Clearly we have 2&3 so its only the Saints that can foil anything we want. And if we were looking to pick someone out of the popular 4 do you think they would be telegraphing that?

Just wonder if the Saints will take Petracca since they took Billings last year?

Fact is, she's not a very good judge, but just gets good second-hand opinions from recruiters.

I don't rate Wright as top 10, but Geelong won't let him slide past.

I don't think she's particularly good or bad - run of the mill.

I do think she does the research though and a lot of it too.

Now if you want a genuine pretender who feeds off the (informed or useless) opinion of others, then look no further than the 'draft guru' Callum Twomey

IMO picks 2 & 3 should be ready to go Round 1 2015 !!!

No more of this [censored] "Development"

So when Roos talks about draft picks not being the savior of the club and needing time to develop and find their feet you are obviously not in agreement.

Go back through the drafts - go back through the 80 odd players taken every year ( from TAC only) and tell me how many each year are ready to go without the need for development. You can mention your Wines but they are a rarity.

It seems to all and sundry that Brayshaw is a lock for one of our picks and according to some is "ready to go round one " - I will watch him with interest to see exactly how he performs in his first year.

I'm with you Roosey - lets not look to the draftees to shoot us up the ladder - we need our 22 year old plus players to step up to the plate.

I think we'll be taking McCartin if he is available. It will back up the clubs theory of 1 player not being the savior of the club ie Hogan.

Just wonder if the Saints will take Petracca since they took Billings last year?

I am absolutely certain they will. Unless they don't.

I think we'll be taking McCartin if he is available. It will back up the clubs theory of 1 player not being the savior of the club ie Hogan.

Also that Taylor said he doesn't see a McCartin in the next couple of drafts.

I think we'll be taking McCartin if he is available. It will back up the clubs theory of 1 player not being the savior of the club ie Hogan.

They could potentially be the new Scullgove, though. Let's hope it turns out a little bit better than that...

Just wonder if the Saints will take Petracca since they took Billings last year?

Think it's irrelevant. Both will start as forwards sure, but so did Gary Ablett, Dangerfield, Fyfe, SJ and many others of the games elite midfielders.

You need 3 or 4 gun mids, plus (usually) a gun key forward to win a flag (Along with the stout defense and over strength of your best 25-30 players).

The key forwards are harder to find, but I'm not sure they are more important, it's the combination of high level players that you need. So if it just so happens the Saints find the midfielders first I think that's how it breaks for you and then unless you are very unlucky (see the Dogs) you'll get the forward if you keep drafting and trading to build a good list.

Best available is always the way to go especially with pick 1 as it's an important pick that carries a lot of pressure. You need a gun player who can deal with it. Petracca looks like that.

Not trying to knock McCartin but playing VFL whilst Hogan and Dawes are the starters and coming in for short bursts to get a taste for AFL, combined with building his endurance and repeat efforts is probably a better situation than being thrown in as the next Riewoldt.

Listening to the radio this evening, a member of St. Kilda's football department let it slip that he was looking forward to 'working with Petracca' . I suggest that this guarantees that we will have Brayshaw and McCartin as our two recruits and I absolutely am looking forward to seeing them both line up for Round 1. With Hogan and McCartin both added to our forward line, and Brayshaw and Newton added to our centre, I am looking forward to this year. Frost, HL and Garlett also making an imput and we have to be able to [at least] double [or triple] our games won next year!

I've come to accept that although my preference is Lever, I'll have to watch him with interest from afar as he lifts the standard at either Collingwood or GWS.

Brayshaw and McCartin it shall be.

And we're very fortunate to get 2 players of such ability, class and most importantly, so driven.

I've come to accept that although my preference is Lever, I'll have to watch him with interest from afar as he lifts the standard at either Collingwood or GWS.

Brayshaw and McCartin it shall be.

And we're very fortunate to get 2 players of such ability, class and most importantly, so driven.

I feel the same re Brayshaw and McCartin and Ive also come to accept it. Lets hope there both players. My preference was Cockatoo although I do accept it would have been a brave call.

I would like Laverde and Brayshaw. McCartin looks a little speculative to me.

But hey its a lottery with no guarantees

I like the idea of Laverde equals Pendlebury

I've come to accept that although my preference is Lever, I'll have to watch him with interest from afar as he lifts the standard at either Collingwood or GWS.

Brayshaw and McCartin it shall be.

And we're very fortunate to get 2 players of such ability, class and most importantly, so driven.

Yep. I'm looking forward to seeing how Lever's career pans out whether we take him or not. A gun defender, who missed his main year of junior footy and thinks he'll have to step up in to the midfield to make it is a fascinating prospect.

I think the only real argument for Lever not being able to play in the midfield, is that he hasn't yet, or his height.

Height hasn't held Mundy, JPK or Bontempelli back.

And when his injury occurred, Lever had played just as much in the midfield as Petracca... (granted, I said early this year I couldn't see Petracca being a top 5 pick mainly because he wasn't a midfielder, only dangerous flanker)