May put that one in the too hard basket!

My mate the HP sauce

Nah. Just went out for the day.

Your golf mate. What mail has he been good for in the past?

Nah. Just went out for the day.

Your golf mate. What mail has he been good for in the past?

Enough for me to listen. Some things don't come to fruition, but they were talked about as they come out in the media. Best was Roos in late May 2013.

Enough for me to listen. Some things don't come to fruition, but they were talked about as they come out in the media. Best was Roos in late May 2013.

Your record in trade period wasn't that much flash I believe.

I still highly doubtful that the club has already nominated a player for pick 3. We are still three weeks away from the draft. We have all seen in the past that the couple of days beforehand gets pretty hectic with clubs changing player options and making a late bid on players.

Lever or McCartin are definitely not a certain for pick 3. Simple.

Is that just his opinion? or more to it?

Good question, I should have clarified.

His opinion, not that he definitively knows, but his opinion that we will, not that we should.

Your record in trade period wasn't that much flash I believe.

I still highly doubtful that the club has already nominated a player for pick 3. We are still three weeks away from the draft. We have all seen in the past that the couple of days beforehand gets pretty hectic with clubs changing player options and making a late bid on players.

Lever or McCartin are definitely not a certain for pick 3. Simple.

That could be right, the clubs do discuss their picks and selection order in the last few days.

heres an entire quarter of footage with the camera on McCartin the entire time

... and that's pretty much what it will be like for him playing for us,unless our midfield improves out of sight.

Good question, I should have clarified.

His opinion, not that he definitively knows, but his opinion that we will, not that we should.

Did he also proffer an opinion as to how good he thinks McCartin will be at AFL level?

heres an entire quarter of footage with the camera on McCartin the entire time

Ball literally doesn't come down in the first 15 minutes (13:30 on the inside clock).

A few dummy leads then to the bench. Back on lead out in space, double back, his man went to the contest and he stayed out, crumbed and snapped a point.

SA were killing them in that game and he was stuck in the front half (often around CHF) and still the ball didn't come down. (Heavy breeze to the other end).

A bit of repeat chasing sees the hands go on the hips.

A shocking kick drops passed him at the 18 minute mark. His man does a better job of picking it up and getting back in the play.

At 19:25 he's avoided with a kick inside 50. Doesn't get involved in the ensuing loose ball scrum. No crumb, big tackle or hard ball get. Then the hands are back on the hips and that's about it for the quarter.

Pretty uninspiring stuff. But very very little chance to do anything. He seemed to lead to decent spots and position himself well. But without seeing what was up the ground that's very hard to judge. The team had 2 or 3 inside 50's for the quarter and he scored a point. That's about all there is to say.

Did he also proffer an opinion as to how good he thinks McCartin will be at AFL level?

A school coach on a top 5 draft pick.

It's like asking a mum whether she thinks her babies cute.

Safe bets won't win you premierships Jizzed1d.

Then why haven't we won a premiership then?

When is the last time Melbourne went with a safe pick?

If we select Brayshaw it will the first time we have selected a safe pick since Scully and everyone has a go at him because he's done nothing but he did give us a [censored] load of salary cap space because we couldn't keep him and he allowed us to land Hogan so he has given us a lot more than the speculative picks we have picked up in the first round who have completely duded us.

Look at all our first rounders all have been skinny except Trengove who is an outside player.

All have been slow except Scully and Blease.

All have been outside players except Scully and Gysberts.

I don't know about anybody else but I'm sick and tired of the club getting burnt by skinny, slow, outside players. Time to go for safe picks with meat on them.

I'd rather take Brayshaw and Lever, delist a contracted player, then hope like hell that Reece McKenzie slips to Pick #40.

196cm/105kg beast full forward. He didn't play TAC Cup last season, so his name was never up there with the likes of McCartin, Wright, and Goddard... but jeez he can play.

Pros:

Has genuine speed and jump, unbelievable below his knees for a bloke his size, natural footballer who leads into the right spots, wears his heart on his sleeve, and has mongrel in spades.

Cons:

Poor endurance at this point, but hasn't been in the TAC Cup as long as other well known key position prospects. A bit hit and miss with his set shot... however, improved hugely throughout the season.

Where he goes draft day is a complete guess to me... could easily slip to us at #40, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see him bolt into top-10 calculations.

I'll go on a limb and say that he will end up having a better career than McCartin.

Everyone's favourite draft pundit, Knightmare, selected McKenzie at pick 5 in the big footy phantom draft. Quite the surprise selection!

Personally I think Pies might go for Garlett.

If it weren't for the fact that I reckon we as a club need more midfielders, I'd HAPPILY take McKenzie at Pick #3.

Upside is massive I reckon... disregarding his size, and ability to monster opponents which will be negated a bit in the big league, I just reckon he has tools and movement that the others don't. If he ran a 13-14 beep he would be a top-3 lock.

Yeah I get that, you've said it numerous times. What's wrong with having an opinion on a 'favourite pick' though? It's better than saying 'I have no idea who to take'. Anyhow, what is clear is that a 'power midfielder' is more likely to succeed at AFL level than the skinny project types, they have done that research, so if Petracca and Brayshaw are there at 2/3 it's a no brainer.

'.

opinions are fine - and I won't repeat the argument again if you promise not to use terms like "research" and "no brainer".

Arguing against yourself - Against Carlton we had 45 inside 50's - a long way short of the top teams ( and the mid range teams) - we didn't get the ball in more often that day - the volume of supply didn't improve - the QUALITY of the supply and the CONVERSION improved.

I don't care how many forwards you have - if you don't get the ball in they are not going to get it.

The one disclaimer is Roos himself admitted that he needed to teach the team not to leak as many goals and we were far better this year but that came at the expense of attack and Roos suggested the team needs a better balance between attack and defense - so the unanswered question is - will tweaking the game plan by itself mean more inside 50's or is the current midfield incapable of lifting that number ?

Good post - time will tell but I think our ball movement will improve considerably during the course of 2015. I look at 2014 as stemming the flow and bringimg a base level of competitiveness, which I think we demonstrated in all but a few games, while 2015 is executing the style we want to play balanced with educating players on how to play different roles. I still think we will play some ugly footy in 2015 but that our ball movement and defence will be good for long periods in the majority of games.

We need to play well enough to sell a bright future to a star free agents, e.g. Dangerfield, next trading period and then make an offer that is difficult for the to refuse.

I'd rather take Brayshaw and Lever, delist a contracted player, then hope like hell that Reece McKenzie slips to Pick #40.

196cm/105kg beast full forward. He didn't play TAC Cup last season, so his name was never up there with the likes of McCartin, Wright, and Goddard... but jeez he can play.

Pros:

Has genuine speed and jump, unbelievable below his knees for a bloke his size, natural footballer who leads into the right spots, wears his heart on his sleeve, and has mongrel in spades.

Cons:

Poor endurance at this point, but hasn't been in the TAC Cup as long as other well known key position prospects. A bit hit and miss with his set shot... however, improved hugely throughout the season.

Where he goes draft day is a complete guess to me... could easily slip to us at #40, but I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see him bolt into top-10 calculations.

I'll go on a limb and say that he will end up having a better career than McCartin.

THEN WHY NOT TAKE MCKENZIE AT 40 AND MCCARTIN AT 3?

THEN WHY NOT TAKE MCKENZIE AT 40 AND MCCARTIN AT 3?

You didn't bold the 'hope like hell' bit. He'll be long gone by 40 if he's anywhere near as good as some think.

You didn't bold the 'hope like hell' bit. He'll be long gone by 40 if he's anywhere near as good as some think.

Exactly... It is more wishful thinking that he gets to Pick #40.

A key position player with his bulk just shouldn't move as well as he does. This is also bearing in mind he didn't even play TAC Cup last season. Big call, but I think he is Hogan-like in ways.

I guess we will just see how he develops in time. I'd love to have him at Melbourne though.

A school coach on a top 5 draft pick.

It's like asking a mum whether she thinks her babies cute.

Exactly.

He told me I'd be pretty happy with him at the dees, but was shocked when I replied that I didn't want him.

However he couldn't argue too much when I have my reasons: that we need mids more and that there'd be some other highly talented kids available at that stage of the draft, that better suited our list.

The wrap on McCartin is: beast of a bloke, very competitive, angry and likes the crash, bash style of play.

Huge lad, great hands.

But at the end of the day, what's he going to say?

Of course he looks amazing against the other spuds in school footy, half his size.

And the kid is touted as a top 3 pick for very good reasons - he has serious talent, good attitude and great size.

But he's just not the one I want.

A school coach on a top 5 draft pick.

It's like asking a mum whether she thinks her babies cute.

Perfect

Ok, call me stupid but can someone please explain the obsession with Lever over McCaitin. Everything I've read says he's a key back who could potentially play in the midfield although he never has. We just recruited Frost and our backline is the one area we don't have to worry about so why Lever. Why not Laverde for instance if you don't want a key forward

Exactly... It is more wishful thinking that he gets to Pick #40.

A key position player with his bulk just shouldn't move as well as he does. This is also bearing in mind he didn't even play TAC Cup last season. Big call, but I think he is Hogan-like in ways.

I guess we will just see how he develops in time. I'd love to have him at Melbourne though.

Reece McKenzie

From the place that gave the AFL Shuey, Zaharakis, Caddy, Bontempelli, Montagna and of course Alfonse Gangitano ( not sure how many games he played or for whom ( I'm guessing Carlton )

Marcellin College !!!

He has a gap in between his front teeth, that indicates luck.

He will probably be a multiple premiership full forward.......just look at Roughead.

With Hogan at Centre half forward , we will have a forward line most will fear, and heaps of confidence to our midfield who won't be afraid of kicking it inside fifty.

Ok, call me stupid but can someone please explain the obsession with Lever over McCaitin. Everything I've read says he's a key back who could potentially play in the midfield although he never has. We just recruited Frost and our backline is the one area we don't have to worry about so why Lever. Why not Laverde for instance if you don't want a key forward

Agreed. Our defence is actually not too bad on paper. Our forward line and midfield is atrocious.

Lever at pick 3 makes no sense. Absolutley no sense.