I was on the Laverde train pretty early, but I've changed my mind a little bit since then. I'm not 100% sure he will ever be a midfielder, and his decision making off the HBF can be horrendous at times. At this stage he tends to rush things when he has the ball, almost as if he panics. That isn't to say he can't be moulded into an excellent footballer, the attributes are certainly there.

One other thing I want to mention about McCartin is please try to hold judgement until you have seen footage of him unhindered by injuries in last year's championships. He was incredible for an underage player, and this "spud" talk is clearly coming from people who wouldn't have the slightest clue how good anyone in this draft can be.

For now, I'm going to sit on the fence with pick 3 and back in our recruiting department to make the correct decision. All players in contention have tremendous strengths and glaring weaknesses, the deciding factor in who becomes the best footballer will be how well they are developed.

But I will say this, if our recruiters genuinely believe Jake Lever can be a midfielder, they must take him. It is a big if, but he has the most potential of anyone in this class in my opinion.

Edited October 17, 201410 yr by Davos

Just out of curiosity, can any of the more knowledgeable blokes who follow the TAC answer who out of Lever & McCartin had the better year as a 17 year old? Not saying that should in any way determine anything between the 2, I just didn't follow the draft & tac stuff as much last year & when I did was only concerned with who was going to available for that years draft. I know I'm just asking for opinions but am interested to hear what those who saw then both last year when both were uninjured thought then.

Cheers

It is going to be a big decision, because if McCartin is as good as touted, you have your 2 big forwards for the next 10 years.

Then we probably only need another ruckman and more good mids if Frost and HL come up ok. Billy and Brayshaw might be two of those. A FA next year might be another. Lovett F/S next year possibly another and next year's draft and maybe a trade another.

Then we have some who can improve already on the list.

So the question becomes who is more vital to us.

I heard from an unreliable source in the playground that we aren't not going to not take isn't don't Lever.

I haven't looked at any of highlight packages. Mostly because that is what they are, highlights.

I have watched a lot of u/18s for about 15 odd years when a friend became an assistant coach at one club and another the coach of another. My nephews also played a few years each and a close family friend played for vic metro. I do not think I'm am expert on who will go where but I have a good idea on the players.

The ones mentioned in this thread I think I can comment on. I have seen them all play more than a handful of times

Lever in my opinion would have been the first pick if he didn't do his knee. He didn't play in the midfield as a 17 year old but a lot of 17 year olds don't really get that chance because the coaching can be based around 18 year olds trying to get drafted. He may well have played there on occasion this year if he had played if not more permanently. Not really different to petracca who also didn't play mid last year. Lever has however done a lot of training with the mids in his rehab. I think I would pick him at 3 but a serious knee injury has me second guessing.

McCartin is very competitive and likes to bash and crash. He is strong and I'm not in the corner where people say he is so much bigger than the backs. Stronger yes, size maybe a bit, but guys like Boyd, daniher, Patton, even wright are/were much bigger than their opponents, mostly because of height. He had a lot of niggly injuries this year which prevented him from showing his best. A recruiting friend of mine told me just after the national carnival that the doggies rate him as a 10 year player and would pick him at 1. He has great hands and is quite quick off the mark so he can create distance and hold marks. He is strong like frawley was strong at the same age. I think he will play some games next year, like hogan would have played this year minus injury and Boyd playing some games for gws. It's not like we have some gun forwards keeping him out and Dawes will miss a few (just basing this on what might happen) and hogan won't play 22 games (I don't believe anyway).

Brayshaw is a certainty. He is the best pure midfielder available. (Heeney goes ok). He works hard from start to finish and doesn't give up. He grinds his opponents if they try to go with him. He played on petracca late in the season and in my opinion got the better of him. Great tackler as he goes with his whole body instead of just his arms. He also is a goal kicking mid and we need those desparately. I don't believe stkilda will pick him at 1 but he could go 1.

Petracca played midfield this year after playing as a forward last year. Watching him play he seems to go to the right places but I've been told he has worked very hard at this. Has good vision and always seems to get his hands free when tackled. Another mid who knows were the goals are. I think he will go at 1 but I'm hoping we get the petracca, Brayshaw double as we need mids.

Laverde I have seen probably the most. He has tricks upon tricks and pace to burn. My issue with him at 3 for us is that I haven't seen him play as a pure mid. Wing, halfback,halfforward are the places I've seen him most. The kid can do anything though. This year watching him play he really reminded me of Sicily who was drafted by the hawks last year from the same club.

Wright is big and can kick it a long way. I'm not sold on him for us. He doesn't go as hard at it as McCartin. He is an ok mark but that might not be the case at afl level against guys as big as you (Not saying it still wont be the case). He does have the ability to influence the game from the forward line and if its not working for him he can go in the ruck and influence the game around the ground. I'm not anti picking him if we do.

My preference is petracca, Brayshaw the same as everyone I guess but I don't believe it will work out that way. Having watched recruiting from up close I believe we will get the best result we can on the information that is known now. I've had dealings with our recruiters in the past and I believe we have the right people as compared to the past.

Lever strikes me as the player who will be the star of the draft.

The bloke who got an injury, slipped down the pecking order a bit and because of the risks involved, clubs became cautious.

I want the MFC to have the balls to pick him. Reading his bio and seeing some footage, it sounds like he has every attribute covered.

He's made a full recovery from his knee injury.

Many current day stars at clubs were picked later because of injury during their last years of 18's footy.

We're in pole position to land one.

I haven't looked at any of highlight packages. Mostly because that is what they are, highlights.

I have watched a lot of u/18s for about 15 odd years when a friend became an assistant coach at one club and another the coach of another. My nephews also played a few years each and a close family friend played for vic metro. I do not think I'm am expert on who will go where but I have a good idea on the players.

The ones mentioned in this thread I think I can comment on. I have seen them all play more than a handful of times

Lever in my opinion would have been the first pick if he didn't do his knee. He didn't play in the midfield as a 17 year old but a lot of 17 year olds don't really get that chance because the coaching can be based around 18 year olds trying to get drafted. He may well have played there on occasion this year if he had played if not more permanently. Not really different to petracca who also didn't play mid last year. Lever has however done a lot of training with the mids in his rehab. I think I would pick him at 3 but a serious knee injury has me second guessing.

McCartin is very competitive and likes to bash and crash. He is strong and I'm not in the corner where people say he is so much bigger than the backs. Stronger yes, size maybe a bit, but guys like Boyd, daniher, Patton, even wright are/were much bigger than their opponents, mostly because of height. He had a lot of niggly injuries this year which prevented him from showing his best. A recruiting friend of mine told me just after the national carnival that the doggies rate him as a 10 year player and would pick him at 1. He has great hands and is quite quick off the mark so he can create distance and hold marks. He is strong like frawley was strong at the same age. I think he will play some games next year, like hogan would have played this year minus injury and Boyd playing some games for gws. It's not like we have some gun forwards keeping him out and Dawes will miss a few (just basing this on what might happen) and hogan won't play 22 games (I don't believe anyway).

Brayshaw is a certainty. He is the best pure midfielder available. (Heeney goes ok). He works hard from start to finish and doesn't give up. He grinds his opponents if they try to go with him. He played on petracca late in the season and in my opinion got the better of him. Great tackler as he goes with his whole body instead of just his arms. He also is a goal kicking mid and we need those desparately. I don't believe stkilda will pick him at 1 but he could go 1.

Petracca played midfield this year after playing as a forward last year. Watching him play he seems to go to the right places but I've been told he has worked very hard at this. Has good vision and always seems to get his hands free when tackled. Another mid who knows were the goals are. I think he will go at 1 but I'm hoping we get the petracca, Brayshaw double as we need mids.

Laverde I have seen probably the most. He has tricks upon tricks and pace to burn. My issue with him at 3 for us is that I haven't seen him play as a pure mid. Wing, halfback,halfforward are the places I've seen him most. The kid can do anything though. This year watching him play he really reminded me of Sicily who was drafted by the hawks last year from the same club.

Wright is big and can kick it a long way. I'm not sold on him for us. He doesn't go as hard at it as McCartin. He is an ok mark but that might not be the case at afl level against guys as big as you (Not saying it still wont be the case). He does have the ability to influence the game from the forward line and if its not working for him he can go in the ruck and influence the game around the ground. I'm not anti picking him if we do.

My preference is petracca, Brayshaw the same as everyone I guess but I don't believe it will work out that way. Having watched recruiting from up close I believe we will get the best result we can on the information that is known now. I've had dealings with our recruiters in the past and I believe we have the right people as compared to the past.

Good post. Thanks for the info.

Lever strikes me as the player who will be the star of the draft.

The bloke who got an injury, slipped down the pecking order a bit and because of the risks involved, clubs became cautious.

I want the MFC to have the balls to pick him. Reading his bio and seeing some footage, it sounds like he has every attribute covered.

He's made a full recovery from his knee injury.

Many current day stars at clubs were picked later because of injury during their last years of 18's footy.

We're in pole position to land one.

There is a bloke at Geelong who slipped to 7 in his year for the same reason. Don't think he has missed a game and is a pretty handy footballer.

For interest I have a mate who is a recruiter for another team and I asked who each of these players played like.

Wright - Tippett, although a better kick

McCartin - Cloke, although smaller

Lever - McFarlin (Freo)

When pressed about Lever and a Hodge comparison he said that he does have Hodge similarities, grunt, competitiveness and aggression but his height means he is more a tall defender than mid.

So,we are all convinced the saints will take a future key position player.

There is a bloke at Geelong who slipped to 7 in his year for the same reason. Don't think he has missed a game and is a pretty handy footballer.

Judd is another. (Even though he was still pick 3).

I just don't see how we could go wrong in picking a 194 cm footballer with kicking skills, aggression, speed, ability in the air etc, a captain, a professional attitude...

Build him a tank and a body and groom him as a mid.

Happy days.

Edited October 18, 201410 yr by stevethemanjordan

Judd is another. (Even though he was still pick 3).

I just don't see how we could go wrong in picking a 194 cm footballer with kicking skills, aggression, speed, ability in the air etc, a captain, a professional attitude...

Build him a tank and a body and groom him as a mid.

Happy days.

It is the Freo mid, the type Lyon and Roos like.

Lever strikes me as the player who will be the star of the draft.

The bloke who got an injury, slipped down the pecking order a bit and because of the risks involved, clubs became cautious.

I want the MFC to have the balls to pick him. Reading his bio and seeing some footage, it sounds like he has every attribute covered.

He's made a full recovery from his knee injury.

Many current day stars at clubs were picked later because of injury during their last years of 18's footy.

We're in pole position to land one.

It does have that feel about it, doesn't it Steve. On the other hand, I suspect Brayshaw will be a better player than Petracca where we need help - the engine room. So I think we,can count on getting one right.

For interest I have a mate who is a recruiter for another team and I asked who each of these players played like.

Wright - Tippett, although a better kick

McCartin - Cloke, although smaller

Lever - McFarlin (Freo)

When pressed about Lever and a Hodge comparison he said that he does have Hodge similarities, grunt, competitiveness and aggression but his height means he is more a tall defender than mid.

McPharlin *

When you say recruiter, what exactly do you mean? Is he actually a recruiter for an AFL club, or is he a part time scout who reports to a part time recruiter of an AFL club?

Definitely sounds like the latter because the only thing that Lever and McPharlin have in common is the fact that they have played* in the same position and are a similar height.

I don't see that comparison.

Edited October 18, 201410 yr by stevethemanjordan

McPharlin *

When you say recruiter, what exactly do you mean? Is he actually a recruiter for an AFL club, or is he a part time scout who reports to a part time recruiter of an AFL club?

Definitely sounds like the latter because the only thing that Lever and McPharlin have in common is the fact that they have played* in the same position and are a similar height.

I don't see that comparison.

Full time AFL recruiter.

Full time AFL recruiter.

It's BP, isn't it....

He must still think he's on a list.

I don't know anything about the kids this year, having not watched games or Vids.

just read some stuff, descriptions & comments here & there. Based on those comments, I want Brayshaw, & am excited from the sounds of Laverde & Ahern speed over the ground line breaking, but Lever to me sounds like a real hardnut Leader... which we also need, a real potential culture shifter atmo.

So from these bits of Information, I'll select Brayshaw & Lever.

No not BP. ;-) I rate his judgement highly. Even more so when I think back to what he said about all our high draft picks that have been shipped out or are about to be.

For interest I have a mate who is a recruiter for another team and I asked who each of these players played like.

Wright - Tippett, although a better kick

McCartin - Cloke, although smaller

Lever - McFarlin (Freo)

When pressed about Lever and a Hodge comparison he said that he does have Hodge similarities, grunt, competitiveness and aggression but his height means he is more a tall defender than mid.

well I wouldn't mind a scarlett type, or a goddard type with some more speed?

How much speed does Lever have or not have?

There are several in the mix but what I will say is talk of Wright not having as much appetite for the contest as McCartin is off the mark.

Gee Laverde looks a likely type. Explosive speed, evasive and an excellent kick. The write up that says he could become the next Crameri seems to be underselling him. A lot.

Judd is another. (Even though he was still pick 3).

I just don't see how we could go wrong in picking a 194 cm footballer with kicking skills, aggression, speed, ability in the air etc, a captain, a professional attitude...

Build him a tank and a body and groom him as a mid.

Happy days.

3.2sec for a 20m sprint ain't exactly speedy. In fact, it's unbelievably slow.

3.2sec for a 20m sprint ain't exactly speedy. In fact, it's unbelievably slow.

His speed will come back with further training. He tested after his knee injury. Obviously speed and endurance will be down until he hits his straps.

His speed will come back with further training. He tested after his knee injury. Obviously speed and endurance will be down until he hits his straps.

He did his knee last December I think it was, He has been cleared to fully train and would be playing if it were during the season now. He's done his rehab. He's just slow.

I disagree and that testing is not the full story.

His highlights clearly show that he has a turn of speed.

The injury has clearly had an effect on his speed and endurance which is evidenced by his test results but that doesn't mean is slow and if that's what you go by when determining draftees attributes then you're missing the bigger picture.