I notice that this morning the HUN ran a two page spread of Gary Buck's draft suggestions.

Only one problem they used a version from before the final order was established.

Have the MFC at 3 and 10.

Opps!

One would think that with none of them at the AFL New York Junket and no one at the WADA appeal there would be plenty to check that the correct version was published.

od, it includes 3 bidded for players. That's why MFC are at 3 and 10 in Bucky's mock draft.

I notice that this morning the HUN ran a two page spread of Gary Buck's draft suggestions.

Only one problem they used a version from before the final order was established.

Have the MFC at 3 and 10.

Opps!

One would think that with none of them at the AFL New York Junket and no one at the WADA appeal there would be plenty to check that the correct version was published.

After academy bids come in, I expect our pick 7 to be at around 10 or so. I think Bucky just assumed we wouldn't bid on Mills with 3, but we'd be crazy not to, as a bid would automatically move our pick 45 up 4 places. Sydney will match, and we get to pick the player we were going to anyway whilst moving our later picks up by 4 spots.

I thought I might return to the earlier days of this thread to check out where some of the players were ranked and it's interesting to note how highly fancied Aaron Francis was around May/June before the Weitering/Schache combo became set in stone for picks 1/2.

Francis was at his height of popularity and in good form then, playing mainly in defence where his marking power was outstanding. Since then, he's dropped in the rankings after some so/so performances in the later Under 18 games and I believe he was injured later in the year.

Now, as you know, I'm not a big fan of the highlights reel but at last night's trade and draft meeting, the vision that was shown of him was mostly as a forward and mightily impressive. That was from the game against WA which was fairly weak this year but it certainly required a bit of a rethink. Still, he was pretty much towelled up by the stronger defenders of SA in their game.

Charlie Curnow's highlights were most impressive as well but we know he also went quiet after his injury.

Which all leads me inescapably back to Darcy Parish. Some have said that there's no point of difference with him but I disagree - there's not a player at Melbourne who I can compare him to - he is one of those who instinctively knows where to be and his ability to get to the fall of the ball ahead of opponents is exquisite. He is one player I can see Roos/McCartney/Goodwin building on what he already has and moulding him into a real footballer.

Cheers WJ. Anything else of note to come out of the meeting (if posted elsewhere, please direct me)?

I thought I might return to the earlier days of this thread to check out where some of the players were ranked and it's interesting to note how highly fancied Aaron Francis was around May/June before the Weitering/Schache combo became set in stone for picks 1/2.

Francis was at his height of popularity and in good form then, playing mainly in defence where his marking power was outstanding. Since then, he's dropped in the rankings after some so/so performances in the later Under 18 games and I believe he was injured later in the year.

Now, as you know, I'm not a big fan of the highlights reel but at last night's trade and draft meeting, the vision that was shown of him was mostly as a forward and mightily impressive. That was from the game against WA which was fairly weak this year but it certainly required a bit of a rethink. Still, he was pretty much towelled up by the stronger defenders of SA in their game.

Charlie Curnow's highlights were most impressive as well but we know he also went quiet after his injury.

Which all leads me inescapably back to Darcy Parish. Some have said that there's no point of difference with him but I disagree - there's not a player at Melbourne who I can compare him to - he is one of those who instinctively knows where to be and his ability to get to the fall of the ball ahead of opponents is exquisite. He is one player I can see Roos/McCartney/Goodwin building on what he already has and moulding him into a real footballer.

Melbourne hasn't had someone like this for a long time. Something that we really lack.

od, it includes 3 bidded for players. That's why MFC are at 3 and 10 in Bucky's mock draft.

OH Christ I will never come to grips with this new system!

OH Christ I will never come to grips with this new system!

read Emma's scribblings on this...is very good

Nowhere near the worst but he hasn't quite got it right either.

Easily the Worst AFL Draft Preview Ever

Cheers WJ. Anything else of note to come out of the meeting (if posted elsewhere, please direct me)?

Hi Chaser,

There was lots that came out of the meeting but I need some time - I might add some thoughts over the weekend. I don't think it's a secret that Todd Viney is very forthright in his opinions - as he played, he doesn't take any sidesteps when asked about a player.

OH Christ I will never come to grips with this new system!

Nevermind od. BB has your back with Emma's instructions for bidding 101 rules. When you work it out, be sure to let me know too.

Hi Chaser,

There was lots that came out of the meeting but I need some time - I might add some thoughts over the weekend. I don't think it's a secret that Todd Viney is very forthright in his opinions - as he played, he doesn't take any sidesteps when asked about a player.

Did you record the meeting WJ, or was everyone frisked for technology upon entering? Followed by something a little like this when leaving....:

Parishioner and one of Oliver! or The Pope(Francis)...but I'm sure that whoever is chosen, the club will have done their due diligence which is both refreshing and a huge relief!

Hi Chaser,

There was lots that came out of the meeting but I need some time - I might add some thoughts over the weekend. I don't think it's a secret that Todd Viney is very forthright in his opinions - as he played, he doesn't take any sidesteps when asked about a player.

Some random notes from Thursday night:-

Jason Taylor and Todd Viney covered most aspects of their roles in recruiting and list management respectively and shed some light on the decision-making behind the list changes to date and discussed the players in the mix for picks 3 & 7 for next Tuesday night including the rationale behind their thinking when weighing up who to select, what type of player and the attributes they look for - in the end it's always the best player available but we know that remains very much a subjective concept.

The list management/recruiting is a job that never really starts or finishes. Next week, there's the National Draft on Tuesday and the PSD & Rookie Draft on Friday and soon after you're already immersed in what's going to happen next year with player contracts, with the next lot of young players about to come into the system and who you can possibly acquire from other AFL clubs or the senior competitions below.

There was discussion on the list of players who retired and were delisted/traded. Viney was quite blunt about Howe. The club offered a contract, his manager wanted more. The situation became one where the decision was deferred till later in the season to show the club he was capable of performing to higher levels and in the end, he produced the same thing as he had done for four years. His ultimate contract with Collingwood reflected that the club's view wasn't far off the mark.

Someone asked Todd if he'd like to revisit the selection of Jimmy Toumpas ahead of Ollie Wines and in return received the stare of a smiling assassin. Another word from him would surely have seen him turn into chopped liver.

Obviously, the club would like to be perceived of as being a destination club for the elite types in the competition and we did try (and in some cases came close) to get the name players but we're not there yet and were not helped by some poor late season efforts. Instead, we did well to identify players like Melksham, Bugg and Kennedy who, although highly regarded when coming into the system, were not happy where they were or looking for better opportunities to develop into regular senior players.

I made an interesting observation to Redleg when we first came into the room about how times had changed. Back in the old days, there would have been plenty of beer on tap for the punters whereas all we got on the night was plain water.

There might have been an element of prescience there because the first potential draftee who's vision they showed us on the screen was at that very moment probably having his first drink for the evening and it should also have been water and not beer. I mean, I like Charlie Curnow but how stupid is the kid given that he's played in the TAC Cup competition for two years? Did he not take the time to learn a single thing about the message of the sponsoring organisation?

I never thought Curnow would or should be the #3 pick even though we were told about his leadership potential compared with say, Darcy Parish who's "a bit of a lad" and "plays up from time to time" but it's 2015 so I still am prepared to forgive him (as the Hawks generously did with their skipper before winning the grand final) if we get him at #7. I've made my thoughts clear about who we should take first and since the club has no control over the selections in between, I'm prepared for and satisfied with the array that was put up for us to view - Curnow, Francis, Milera, Parish, Oliver and Weideman. Any two will do. Each has his own individual attribute or set of attributes that, if nurtured and developed properly will make our team a better side.

One thing which I did think they let slip was that we were going to bid early for a Sydney player which means Callum Mills will be taken at #3 and our own first pick will become 4. We're also going to try to rookie list Viv Michie.

Some of those back in great shape are AVB and JT (along with Petracca). Separately, I was told that Billy Stretch is in great shape and bulking up a bit and Dean Terlich has also worked hard on getting his body in shape for what must surely be his last tilt. My own view is that his contract has probably stood in the way of the club claiming Jake Lovett as a father/son prospect. Viney spoke of the difficulty of having to go to see him and the family to deliver the news that they wouldn't be drafting him under the f/s rule. There aren't many others in the category in the wings at present (an Obst maybe?).

At the equivalent meeting twelve months ago, I left pretty well assured that we were going to draft Paddy McCartin and Angus Brayshaw - at that stage most of the football world was convinced that St. Kilda was going to go for Christian Petracca. I think we lucked out when they changed their mind. It seems that notwithstanding the Truck's year off, Simon Goodwin regards him in the same class as a former teammate called McLeod so to have him, Brayshaw, The Hulk and two more top 10 picks in the wings is a salvating thought irrespective of who we take in the end (geez, even Milera who nobody thinks we'll take would be enough for Bruce McAvaney to describe as "delicious").

Now 20 or so years ago, we could have capped off that salivating thought by wolfing down more party pies and sausage rolls than you could eat in a week but on this night, it was sushi and quiches (Redleg worked them over quite well anyway). Twenty years ago there would have been stories leaking from every corner of the room. I remember the day when I was told on the eve of a draft that we badly wanted a South Australian named Camporeale. Carlton took him with the selection before ours. On this night there were no leaks about who we are going to pick on Tuesday night.

How times have changed?

I think we should definitely take Oliver. If you look at his highlights on the Draft Machine, he is more powerful,clever, better kick and better around goals than Parish

Thanks WJ.. Its interesting hearing about Parish plays up a bit every now and then yet Curnow is regarded for his leadership.

And then going back to Knightmare, we find that his latest update has us taking both Clayton Oliver and Darcy Parish - Knightmare's 2015 Draft

Interestingly, he places Oliver at second on his power rankings behind only Jacob Hopper. In his first version of the power rankings, Olliver was nowhere to be seen while Hopper started in ninth place. The majority of his highly rated power rankings players are from the academies which makes this the most compromised draft since the entry of the Giants.

And then going back to Knightmare, we find that his latest update has us taking both Clayton Oliver and Darcy Parish - Knightmare's 2015 Draft

Interestingly, he places Oliver at second on his power rankings behind only Jacob Hopper. In his first version of the power rankings, Olliver was nowhere to be seen while Hopper started in ninth place. The majority of his highly rated power rankings players are from the academies which makes this the most compromised draft since the entry of the Giants.

That's one reason I have issues with Knightmare.

As you say, Oliver is nowhere to be seen in his "Power Rankings", but as soon as the media starts reporting he's a late comer to the top 10 Knightmare thinks he better get with the program and put him high up in his rankings.

I think we really need to take a KPF at 7 considering we don't have a first rounder next year, we may not get a look at another one for a while

I would be happy with one midfielder and a tall.

I don't mind which midfielder they pick as long as it comes at 3 (4)

I don't think the bombers are up for 2 talls.

There fore we will probably get Weid or Curnow at 7 (10)

I think they will go at 4 Parish/Oliver (Whichever we pass on) and at 5 Curnow/Weideman (NFI which one they take). GC take Francis and we get the tall that Essendon passed on

That's one reason I have issues with Knightmare.

As you say, Oliver is nowhere to be seen in his "Power Rankings", but as soon as the media starts reporting he's a late comer to the top 10 Knightmare thinks he better get with the program and put him high up in his rankings.

This was my initial thought.. what are his power rankings based on exactly?

This was my initial thought.. what are his power rankings based on exactly?

Popularity.

Popularity.

Seems that way doesn't it.

Thanks WJ, much appreciated.

FWIW, I'm a big fan of Milera and think he has more tricks than Parish. Concerns with him are go home factor and whether he can build a big enough tank to run through midfield. Don't think we would take him at 3 and reckon he's gone by 7.

Thanks WJ, much appreciated.

FWIW, I'm a big fan of Milera and think he has more tricks than Parish. Concerns with him are go home factor and whether he can build a big enough tank to run through midfield. Don't think we would take him at 3 and reckon he's gone by 7.

Talented as all of Parish, Oliver and Milera seem to be, it would be pretty disappointing to not come out of this draft with a key fwd.

And then going back to Knightmare, we find that his latest update has us taking both Clayton Oliver and Darcy Parish - Knightmare's 2015 Draft

Interestingly, he places Oliver at second on his power rankings behind only Jacob Hopper. In his first version of the power rankings, Olliver was nowhere to be seen while Hopper started in ninth place. The majority of his highly rated power rankings players are from the academies which makes this the most compromised draft since the entry of the Giants.

WJ it's so true. Remember last year Petracca was a lock at St Kilda, then 1 or 2 days prior leak got out that Paddy McCartin was now they're likely choice. Everybodys Phantom Draft all of a sudden had McCartin at Pick 1.

Who we are picking changes like the wind. Parish was a lock, now Oliver is a lock. Depending on what 'mail' people hear. If Weiderman tested well last week, he would be the lock. It's quite amusing.

FWIW, to me Oliver and Francis look like natural footballers, as does Parish. I would rather somebody that can get the ball rather than an athletically gifted player.

Hoping...

#3 Oliver... bulldozing mid

#7 Weideman... classic tall marking forward

#42 Mason Redman... skilled goalkicking fwd (Gunston like)

#46 Gach Nyuon... Ruck