I've said it before, but Wright's kicking for a 203cm bloke

he's pretty bloody good off the boot... that cant be bad !!

How's his back these day ??

Long time reader. Just thought i'd let you in on something I have stumbled across.

As has been mentioned earlier. Those "highlight" packages are more just any time a player is involved in the game, good or bad.

To view the actual highlights for each player, you can do this through the afl site (at this stage petracca does not have his clip up).

Jake Lever:

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2013-12-12/gun-draft-hopeful-grounded

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-14/draft-prospect-jake-lever

Angus Brayshaw:

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-13/angus-brayshaw-highlights

Patrick McCartin:

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-14/draft-prospect-patrick-mccartin

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2013-08-07/patrick-mccartin-highlights

Peter Wright:

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-14/draft-prospect-peter-wright

Also, the AIS game they played against Collingwood earlier in the year can be seen at (Brayshaw does some impressive things in this game):

For the record. Brayshaw and McCartin (assuming Petracca goes one).

Nice work Wtm welcome to the looney bin.

McCartin. Every year there are a few midfielders in the top 10 "who are going to be champions", but competive 1 grab talls are harder to find.

There also does not seem to be as many genuine midfielders int the first round this year, with Lever and Laverde being considered amongst the best even though they have spent little time in the midfield. This probably allows Brayshaw and Petracca to peform even better.

Whilst in a draft considered good for talls, unlike previous years where a tall's performance may be enhanced due to the lack of quality against them (and the delivery of larger pool of quaity midfielders), this year they had to achieve more to earn the recognition.

Still St Kilda will take him, and we will end up with Petracca and Brayshaw. For a smoky I would look hard at Ellis.

I cannot understand how so many Demonlanders do not even look at Peter Wright as an option, particularly as he appears to be Boyd Mark II. Looking at his highlight reels of him taking leading and pack marks [albeit against smaller bodies than AFL] there is no reason that a combination of him and Hogan would not be as formidable as Hogan and McCartin. His kicking is dead-eye, from an angle or from beyond 50 metres out. Of course, whatever the speculation and arguments on this Forum, it will be Roos and Co who will make the call on the day and bear responsibilty for putting together a team capable of making us a serious Finals contender yet again.

Just MO on seeing him this year in Nationals and on TAC videos, Wright has all the tools but my reservation is he dis not show the absolute mongrel and desire to hurt opponents, which is why I have him behind Mccartin. I also am not sold on his leadership which has him behind Lever along with the fact we desperatley need mids

I'm not saying we don't also need forwards just think we need mids, mids and more mids at the top end. Wright may well prove me wrong and come into the AFL and be an absolute beast in the forward line driving opposition players into the dirt, just the way I view things

Melbourne's record in picking talls in the first round is nothing short of poor. Just Molan, Lucas, Clark and Watts to name a few. I think each time a mid was better value.

Melbourne's record in picking talls in the first round is nothing short of poor. Just Molan, Lucas, Clark and Watts to name a few. I think each time a mid was better value.

mate, and our mids are that much better? (expect Jones). Plus this time, we are getting a player with heart, and strength (assuming we're getting McCartin), something none of these players have...You can't compare McCartin to Watts and Cook is all I'm saying, the other 2 are soft as butter.

Edited October 20, 201410 yr by Moneider96

McCartin isn't a twig either. And you are correct Moneider, he has aggression and uses it to his advantage. Or more importantly, wants to use it.

Edited October 20, 201410 yr by Demon Disciple

Angus Brayshaw:

http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-09-13/angus-brayshaw-highlights

Fair to say I was probably wrong about Brayshaw's kicking, still not great but not nearly as bad as the other video made out to be.

Fair to say I was probably wrong about Brayshaw's kicking, still not great but not nearly as bad as the other video made out to be.

Extra points for being able to kick equally with both feet.

he's pretty bloody good off the boot... that cant be bad !!

How's his back these day ??

Pretty solid I believe.

Hugh Goddard's highlights look impressive.

Courageous in the air, is a decent size and uses the ball well.

McCartin for me. Lovely ball drop and perfect timing, kicks a mile effortlessly. One grab and fearless in packs is good too

Lever pls.

I've said it before, but Wright's kicking for a 203cm bloke

great kicking bit not much real contested heavy work...pass

same as McCartin, oversized amongst boys... pass

I saw another Vid' of Lever, really like this kid. *

does anyone have any decent Vids' of laverde & pickett? or others considered pick 8 - 18 ???

Fair to say I was probably wrong about Brayshaw's kicking, still not great but not nearly as bad as the other video made out to be.

Hits his targets and what looks really good is how he kicks to the advantage side of his forwards.

Fair to say I was probably wrong about Brayshaw's kicking, still not great but not nearly as bad as the other video made out to be.

true but his visualisation, awareness & quick witted footy, an ability to simplify his decisions & actions, make him dangerous.

but would like to see more polish on his kicks.

McCartin for mine.

Think people are getting far too sucked in by a couple of youtube videos that aren't even "highlights", rather they are just players involvements in one particular game.

That and the fact that tall midfielders are en vogue with everyone wanting their own Pendlebury, Fyfe or Bontempelli. Lever however has rarely, if ever, played in the midfield before, and just because he has designs about moving there eventually does not automatically mean he will become as good as those players, in fact it would be ridiculous to assume this.

Those in the know have had McCartin going as number 1 for the past 12 months, especially since he kicked 5 goals as a bottom-age player against WA last year, until Petracca overtook him in the past couple of months. Most have Lever going between 8-12. Happy to bow to their superior knowledge and a key forward fills a real hole on our list with Dawes being far better suited to that tall forward role.

With Brayshaw as the other pick that would mean we get the best of both worlds.

Edited October 20, 201410 yr by Members' Wing

I hope we get two of the following,

Petracca, Brayshaw or Lever, Nothing against the other big guys, i just like what i have heard about first hand with Lever.

If StKilda pass on Petracca with pick 1, pick him up with two and Brayshaw with three.

All I want those that know these kids and that want McCartin is to tell me he is a generational talent.

Because you need forwards obviously, but you can survive with a couple of targets, thrive if one of them is dominant - but you need a platoon in the middle: a dozen skilled mids with various attributes to compete against the best.

Jones, Tyson, Vince, Viney, Cross, Matt Jones, Bail, Trengove, McKenzie, Kent, Salem, JKH, Michie, Toumpas, Riley, and Evans.

The above list does not inspire me with confidence. The fact that Matt Jones will be our 6th best mid and that 4 of those listed could be gone in a years time only serve to highlight the issue.

The kids picked at ND2 and ND3 won't displace Matt Jones next year, but they will provide a solid base so we can build that platoon over the next few years.

It's Brayshaw and McCartin for me although I do like Lever.

Brayshaw is likened to Sam Mitchell and McCartin a Jonno Brown type.

Exactly what we need, as I don't think we can rely on Hogan to be everything, and Dawes operates better as a third tall.

We need a good clearance play hence Brayshaw

McCartin for mine.

Think people are getting far too sucked in by a couple of youtube videos that aren't even "highlights", rather they are just players involvements in one particular game.

That and the fact that tall midfielders are en vogue with everyone wanting their own Pendlebury, Fyfe or Bontempelli. Lever however has rarely, if ever, played in the midfield before!

Those in the know have had McCartin going as number 1 for the past 12 months, especially since he kicked 5 goals as a bottom-age player against WA last year, until Petracca overtook him in the past couple of months. Most have Lever going between 8-12. Happy to bow to their superior knowledge and a key forward fills a real hole on our list with Dawes being far better suited to that tall forward role.

With Brayshaw as the other pick that would mean we get the best of both worlds.

I think we need more pace & class run thru the middle & certainly a real 1st touch ball extractor... if Lever can fill that role or one of a genuine tall ruckrover I'm all for him

looking at McCartin from those snippets, I'm not that overly impressed & honestly underwhelmed by this lot I've watched from the 2014 top end. its no from me on McCartin. If we HAD to go talI, I would take 2 mtr Peter over McCartin from those Vids.

I'm still on the Leverage, & still on the class run & pace. these would be my targets before tall forward.

I do not see Garlett really adding to the midfield, and I think toumaps & stretch will take a little longer to develop & one never knows may never.

We still need more grunt thru the mids, & Lever looks to have that in his MO, & definately could make a difference for us anywhere we play him. Also if Garland goes next year F/A, Lever steps straight into his position as well.

Edited October 20, 201410 yr by dee-luded

looking at McCartin from those snippets, I'm not that overly impressed & honestly underwhelmed by this lot I've watched from the 2014 top end. its no from me on McCartin. If we HAD to go talI, I would take 2 mtr Peter over McCartin from those Vids.

But that was exactly what I was saying in my previous post DL, you're making judgment from snippets and from a two minute video and then saying that it's a no from you. Doesn't that strike you as absolutely ridiculous?

What about those in the know who watch these kids every week that say McCartin is the far better player?

I understand you thinking that we need mids more than we need a key forward, that's your opinion and there's certainly merit in that.

But wouldn't you think it pertinent to do a bit more research before making your judgment on these players, or failing that, trusting the experts who have done theirs - NOT ONE of whom has Lever going ahead of McCartin?

What about those in the know who watch these kids every week that say McCartin is the far better player?

These are same blokes who said Toumpas was better than Wines.

edit - have a look at the draft order for the top 10 over the past 10 years which have in the main gone to predictions of the experts - now do an exercise of grading the players from 1-10 from those drafts and it shows you that the experts may get the order pretty well right but the actuality of how these players perform dont match the order.

Edited October 20, 201410 yr by nutbean

But that was exactly what I was saying in my previous post DL, you're making judgment from snippets and from a two minute video and then saying that it's a no from you. Doesn't that strike you as absolutely ridiculous?

What about those in the know who watch these kids every week that say McCartin is the far better player?

I understand you thinking that we need mids more than we need a key forward, that's your opinion and there's certainly merit in that.

But wouldn't you think it pertinent to do a bit more research before making your judgment on these players, or failing that, trusting the experts who have done theirs - NOT ONE of whom has Lever going ahead of McCartin?

These are videos frm him playing agains the best kids in the country.

Not the TAC cup where obviously he would dominate. Seem underwhelmed to me.

One game, not games. They're not highlights.

Did you watch the one where as a 16 year old he kicked 5 against WA at last year's u-18 championships?

Either way I find it ridiculous and naive to judge purely off a 3 minute video clip.

Cal Twomey who is the foremost judge along with Emma Quayle of all things draft has McCartin at 2 in his recent rankings. Lever at 12.

Paige Cardrona who is also excellent also has McCartin at 2, with Lever at 6.

Not saying these experts are spot on every time but they know a hell of a lot more than us from going to a lot of games and seeing them in the flesh and talking to recruiters and clubs.