It'll definitely be interesting to see who we select, given that Wright, Lever and McCartin have all at one point been touted as potential number 1 picks, while Roos has expressed a reluctance to draft talls. It sounds as though Brayshaw will almost definitely be a Demon next year, and it seems that everyone clinging on to the faint hope that Petracca will slide. I haven't seen enough of any of the draftees to give an informed opinion, but I'd like to see us address our midfield needs with both picks. If Petracca is available, great. If not, select the next best mid.

Ok I had him down at 192, but if he's 194 that's a more traditional size. The question remains though, do we really want to spend pick 3 on another defender?

And that is a dangerous way to think.

Taylor did very well last year, I will back him to take the best available.

McCartins highlights are quite poor actually.

Were they seriously the best ones they could come up with.

I agree. Usually they all look good but this year I reckon McCartins, Petracca and brayshaw are all pretty weak...

It'll definitely be interesting to see who we select, given that Wright, Lever and McCartin have all at one point been touted as potential number 1 picks, while Roos has expressed a reluctance to draft talls. It sounds as though Brayshaw will almost definitely be a Demon next year, and it seems that everyone clinging on to the faint hope that Petracca will slide. I haven't seen enough of any of the draftees to give an informed opinion, but I'd like to see us address our midfield needs with both picks. If Petracca is available, great. If not, select the next best mid.

agree, but who is the next best mid?

Nail on the head.

Luke Hodge like in the way he controls the backline. A kid that would command respect and set up our players.

If Petracca slips to 2 grab him and Brayshaw and thats our midfield for the next 10 years.

If not grab Lever at 3.

Exactly. Backline. To me that is area of the ground is the least of our worries going forward. We need mids first, another key forwad second and whatever else is left on the table after that.

agree, but who is the next best mid?

Pretty subjective as to who’s next in line after Petracca and Brayshaw.

Some like Laverde, I’m a fan of Ahern, and think Weller would be deserving as well. There are questions on all of them, which is why there’s generally been seen to be a gap between the top 4 and the rest. Any of those could either go high or slip into the teens.

For mine what Petracca, Brayshaw, McCartin and Lever have shown over the others is a very high level of competitiveness. Aggression and contact are natural parts of their game already, and Lever arguably is the one with the highest level of the lot.

It’s an intangible that doesn’t necessarily override natural playing ability, but if the player has it, you can be confident that they are more likely to make the most of their ability. I’m sure it’s part of what’s impressed recruiters about Lever, and on talent he is probably around the top 5.

It’s my one big question about Wright. He seems driven and is physically gifted, but he should have dominated at U/18’s this year, but he didn’t. Why?

Laverde by the length of the flemington straight.

Wright or Lever?

Wright

Laverde by the length of the flemington straight.

I agree, this bloke is the next best mid. But Lever is still the better player imo and should not be pigeon holed as just a backman at this stage. Hodge doesn't just play half back, on GF day he was everywhere & put his stamp on every contest wherever it took place!

The stakes are ridiculously high with who we pick from this draft. We desperately need both players to become genuine A graders. We're running out of time and failing in this draft will set us back even further.

A graders in any position imo, best available whoever we deem that to be. And I think that would be Roosy's thinking, but what do I know?

I think it's about time we went for someone with a bit of mongrel in them too many times we have gone for boy scouts like Trengove, Watts and Toumpas instead of going for hard nosed players like Martin, Wines and

Darling and it's got us nowhere so it's McCartin for me, he's tough and what of seen of Wright is that he doesn't really have any mongrel in him even though he is a big unit.

Lever has to be too much of a risk at pick 3 after doing his knee, he's does it again then he's stuffed and he's skinny too. We haven't got a great record with skinny kids.

I think it's about time we went for someone with a bit of mongrel in them too many times we have gone for boy scouts like Trengove, Watts and Toumpas instead of going for hard nosed players like Martin, Wines and

Darling and it's got us nowhere so it's McCartin for me, he's tough and what of seen of Wright is that he doesn't really have any mongrel in him even though he is a big unit.

Lever has to be too much of a risk at pick 3 after doing his knee, he's does it again then he's stuffed and he's skinny too. We haven't got a great record with skinny kids.

I agree with most of this except Lever apparently has a boxing background (mongrel) which offsets the skinny factor a bit. Also, I reckon we can be a good side with just Hogan and Dawes as the key targets. We need to focus on other areas before key forwards, IMO.

Interesting that the most popular choice on here is a guy listed as a tall defender (the least required position on our list), has had a knee reco, and comes in at #9 on Cal Twomey's current phantom draft. Is Prendergastism contagious?

Jayden Laverde The 190cm midfielder Roos yearns for. Shoe in for pick 3.

Edited October 17, 201410 yr by deewag

Ok I had him down at 192, but if he's 194 that's a more traditional size. The question remains though, do we really want to spend pick 3 on another defender?

That's only 2cm. Surely a player's vertical leap potential is more important. I'd rather a player at 192 for example who can jump higher that a taller one who can't.

Brayshaw at 2, McCartin at 3 please (unless Petracca miraculously comes our way).

Really hope we don't take Lever, we don't need another key back after landing Frost, especially one who is slow as a wet week and coming off a knee reco.

Lever is now 194cm.

The next Bontempelli?

My ambivalence about Petracca is that a lot of his highlights seem to consist of getting the ball in traffic, getting tackled (by a 17-year-older) and either bullocking through or getting the ball off to a runner. His main stand-out is his strength.

On the one hand, that's exactly what we need. On the other, will that style of play come off as well against men as it does with his U18 peers? Sometimes it does (Dusty being an obvious example) and sometimes it doesn't (Tappy and probably a majority of others). Petracca is definitely more Dusty than Tappy, and he seems to have the pace to go with the strength, but it's hard to know.

What I like about Lever is his awareness, especially in heavy traffic - his awareness of when to go 3rd man up (forward as well as defence), of where to find space in traffic to allow him to get clear, even if he has to run backwards for a few steps, and his disposal by foot & hand is great. Loved the big 30m handball out of traffic to an outside runner - fantastic vision. You can't teach that stuff. His teammates were looking for him to get them out of trouble, which is a good sign of how they read him. Yet he also goes really hard, and he's inside at least as much as outside. Would just love to have some U18 highlights to the same level.

That's the thing - all the top picks at this stage have strengths & weaknesses, and the question is whether they'll be able to play to their strengths in future, or whether their weaknesses will stop them ever fulfilling their potential.

Edited October 17, 201410 yr by Akum

Laverde will be an a grader. Must be taken with pick 3

Doesn't matter. Wait and see who looks OK. We can do a bullies and throw a million bucks a year at them next year if we screw it up. That's how the system works now, right?

Jayden Laverde The 190cm midfielder Roos yearns for. Shoe in for pick 3.

Silk...

Laverde by the length of the flemington straight.

Jayden Laverde The 190cm midfielder Roos yearns for. Shoe in for pick 3.

Laverde will be an a grader. Must be taken with pick 3

Laverde is not yet a midfielder, has played mainly HB & HF with some time on the wing ....he has pace and skill, not a good decision maker and runs himself into trouble. Could be a gun, might also be the next Sam Blease or Cale Morton or could be Nat Fyfe but hasn't shown hardness at the contest yet.

Would be a gamble at pick 3, does anyone really think we should take a punt with this pick?

Edited October 17, 201410 yr by rjay

Laverde will be an a grader. Must be taken with pick 3

He looks bloody good doesn't he..

Must nail this pick! We all know Brayshaw is a lock at 2 and im pretty confident he will be a beauty of a player for us but pick 3 is the vital one.

We need to continue to add depth to the midfield to the point where the likes of Mckenzie Bail and Riley literally cannot break into the side.

well , we know on demonland .

whoever we take at pick no3

some billygoat will not be happy with any decision.

MFC cant win

MFC doesn't have great form

the only thing is Jason Taylor is hopefully a better judge them Schwab & Prendergast