Agree with Al's Demons, every year there is speculation surrounding the 'strength' of the draft pool. Every year there are gems that pop up out of nowhere like Parker at 40, Swan at 70 odd. The strength of the draft is a complete mystery until at least 3-4 years after it happens.

Back to Watts, I'm not a fan. I think he is skilled...but his intensity around the contest is not up to AFL standard. I'd take a pick between 15-30 for him. I doubt we will get any takers. A colleague of mine who is part of an AFL recruiting team said he wouldn't take him for free, go figure.

Agree with Al's Demons, every year there is speculation surrounding the 'strength' of the draft pool. Every year there are gems that pop up out of nowhere like Parker at 40, Swan at 70 odd. The strength of the draft is a complete mystery until at least 3-4 years after it happens.

Back to Watts, I'm not a fan. I think he is skilled...but his intensity around the contest is not up to AFL standard. I'd take a pick between 15-30 for him. I doubt we will get any takers. A colleague of mine who is part of an AFL recruiting team said he wouldn't take him for free, go figure.

My advice today from a very good MFC source is that Watts is going nowhere. The fact that his image (along with Hogan's) is offered by the Club one of the options for the 2016 membership card seems to support this advice.

My advice today from a very good MFC source is that Watts is going nowhere. The fact that his image (along with Hogan's) is offered by the Club one of the options for the 2016 membership card seems to support this advice.

Fair enough. I wouldn't have thought him being an option for membership cards will have any bearing on whether or not he will be traded. If we get a strong offer once the trade period kicks off, I don't think we would hesitate to pull the trigger - just my opinion of course. Thanks for the information though

My advice today from a very good MFC source is that Watts is going nowhere. The fact that his image (along with Hogan's) is offered by the Club one of the options for the 2016 membership card seems to support this advice.

Is that because of no interest from other clubs?

Very expensive depth player.

What will be different next year?

Next year could well be his last in the game.

Agree with Al's Demons, every year there is speculation surrounding the 'strength' of the draft pool. Every year there are gems that pop up out of nowhere like Parker at 40, Swan at 70 odd. The strength of the draft is a complete mystery until at least 3-4 years after it happens.

Back to Watts, I'm not a fan. I think he is skilled...but his intensity around the contest is not up to AFL standard. I'd take a pick between 15-30 for him. I doubt we will get any takers. A colleague of mine who is part of an AFL recruiting team said he wouldn't take him for free, go figure.

If your recruiters and most other recruiters are saying it's not a strong draft it's a bit silly to ignore the advice on the hope that they will find the diamond in the rough. It's a bit silly to ask a recruiter to use a pick they don't want to use.

The recruiters said that the 2010 and 2011 drafts would be shallow due to GC and GWS.

They said the 2006 draft would be full of great talls

They said the 2012 draft would be pretty consistent in to the 2nd round and tail off after the first 40 picks

All those look to be true.

It can become a self fulfilling prophecy with clubs taking less live picks but I'd be inclined to believe the recruiters on this one. Watching Vic Metro in the carnival the lack of stand out talent was alarming and Metro produce a heave portion of the players from the draft most years. If the kids just aren't there it's going to impact the overall strength.

Is that because of no interest from other clubs?

Very expensive depth player.

What will be different next year?

Next year could well be his last in the game.

trade period hasn't started. A lot is planned, even more catered to and yet still things can materialise seemingly out of nothing. Who's have thought Trenners was 9/10ths out the door let alone on the table. It happened from almost nothing. Opportunities will spring up with no real warning because the Trade period is about 33% intent..66% knock on/butterfly effect

I wouldn't be printing up too many bits of plastic with JW on it just yet.

If your recruiters and most other recruiters are saying it's not a strong draft it's a bit silly to ignore the advice on the hope that they will find the diamond in the rough. It's a bit silly to ask a recruiter to use a pick they don't want to use.

The recruiters said that the 2010 and 2011 drafts would be shallow due to GC and GWS.

They said the 2006 draft would be full of great talls

They said the 2012 draft would be pretty consistent in to the 2nd round and tail off after the first 40 picks

All those look to be true.

It can become a self fulfilling prophecy with clubs taking less live picks but I'd be inclined to believe the recruiters on this one. Watching Vic Metro in the carnival the lack of stand out talent was alarming and Metro produce a heave portion of the players from the draft most years. If the kids just aren't there it's going to impact the overall strength.

You make an interesting point with the examples you used.

I was alluding to the fact that the notion of a draft being labelled strong or weak before any of the kids have set foot into an AFL environment is an overrated concept, in my opinion.

If you have a look at Fyfe as an U/18 v Fyfe now, he's hardly recognisable both in physique and the role he plays. Additionally, Toumpas looked a million bucks pre draft and has failed to translate that form to the AFL.

Brett Anderson ‏@BrettAndersonIF 2m2 minutes ago

Strong chance Magpie Ben Kennedy is wearing Red & Blue in '16. Toumpas back to SA with Port Adelaide. More tomorrow on #TradeSENtral

Brett Anderson ‏@BrettAndersonIF 2m2 minutes ago

Strong chance Magpie Ben Kennedy is wearing Red & Blue in '16. Toumpas back to SA with Port Adelaide. More tomorrow on #TradeSENtral

The blokes a midget, albeit a fast one.

Another tiny tot I have no great interest in.

Another tiny tot I have no great interest in.

Boomer says hi.

Boomer says hi.

You think Ben Kennedy is in Boomer's class ? Wow. All those years watching footy and you've still no clue.

I'd prefer Dean Kent to Kennedy any day of the week.

Interesting i read that one of the tweets brett said was the Prestia to the Dees rumour popped up again last week..

The Devil Inside

You think Ben Kennedy is in Boomer's class ? Wow. All those years watching footy and you've still no clue.

I'd prefer Dean Kent to Kennedy any day of the week.

Where did I say Kennedy was in Boomer's class? I was just mentioning a small player who was not too bad. Great how the insult is thrown in as well.

Where did I say Kennedy was in Boomer's class? I was just mentioning a small player who was not too bad. Great how the insult is thrown in as well.

I must have said on here for 13 years that "if you're good enough you're tall enough".

You then give me a silly reminder of a star who's short. Why waste your time.

I saw Harvey as a 19 year old win the Ted Whitten Medal 18 years ago. It's a childish height comparison and I don't need reminding of Harvey's quality.

A banal comment you made to equate the two. I get annoyed with such frivolities.

Where did I say Kennedy was in Boomer's class? I was just mentioning a small player who was not too bad. Great how the insult is thrown in as well.

list improvements happen at all levels of our list, progressively. Small steps when needed, bigger ones when available.

Interesting watching the Brownlow coverage last night. They interviewed a bunch of people including Nat Fyfe's neighbour growing up - Cale Morton. What stood out is that they singled out Fyfe's competitiveness. Morton was the more highly touted junior, but arguably Fyfe was the kid prepared to crawl over broken glass to taste success. Fyfe has a Brownlow and Morton is no longer on an AFL list. I think the club is now onto this.

I look forward to reading next season's training reports about our new training technique of crawling over broken glass. What could possibly go wrong?

Billy Hartung dropped from Hawthorn's Grand Final team, been the sub for quite a few games now that I can remember this year.

While there will be no Sub next year and you'd expect him to move further into their preferred 22 over the next 12 months I hope someone from MFC has got someone on the case. He'd have to feel a little burnt and now would be the best time to enquire - he's pretty close to what we need with regards to outside run and spread.

Billy Hartung dropped from Hawthorn's Grand Final team, been the sub for quite a few games now that I can remember this year.

While there will be no Sub next year and you'd expect him to move further into their preferred 22 over the next 12 months I hope someone from MFC has got someone on the case. He'd have to feel a little burnt and now would be the best time to enquire - he's pretty close to what we need with regards to outside run and spread.

He will be in their best 22 next year and probably push for another flag or 2 for the next couple of years.

No chance at all.

Where did I say Kennedy was in Boomer's class? I was just mentioning a small player who was not too bad. Great how the insult is thrown in as well.

There are some real nasty people on this forum

He will be in their best 22 next year and probably push for another flag or 2 for the next couple of years.

No chance at all.

You're probably right however what we need to do is to be proactive. Most of these types aren't likely to budge but the world's a funny place and you might just strike one that for whatever reason might listen to an offer. All is not always what it seems from afar/outside.

The better clubs persist with searching.

Youd be amazed how many very pretty girls aren't asked out etc because everyone presumes the knockback. Point is ...you dont ask...and you're guaranteed a no by default.

I must have said on here for 13 years that "if you're good enough you're tall enough".

You then give me a silly reminder of a star who's short. Why waste your time.

I saw Harvey as a 19 year old win the Ted Whitten Medal 18 years ago. It's a childish height comparison and I don't need reminding of Harvey's quality.

A banal comment you made to equate the two. I get annoyed with such frivolities.

In response to Redlegs post about Kennedy, you said:

Another tiny tot I have no great interest in.

Implying because he's small, you have zero interest in him. Not making any comments regarding disposal, hardness or overal ability. To top it off you then insult Redleg when he rightly points out that there are several good small players.

I know it's tough trying to keep yourself from flying off the handle when living your life as a keyboard warrior in your ivory tower. But maybe you can do us all a favour and dissappear for awhile.

In response to Redlegs post about Kennedy, you said:

Implying because he's small, you have zero interest in him. Not making any comments regarding disposal, hardness or overal ability. To top it off you then insult Redleg when he rightly points out that there are several good small players.

I know it's tough trying to keep yourself from flying off the handle when living your life as a keyboard warrior in your ivory tower. But maybe you can do us all a favour and dissappear for awhile.

If a player is average and small it's worse than a player who is average and 185 cm. Kennedy is average and small. A good VFL player. I wouldn't have thought this would be a revelation around here.

So when I question a potential trade targets height I don't need reminding of the Tony Liberatore's of this world.

Btw, you'll forgive me if I don't take the advice of someone who'd happily resurrect Col Sylvia's career.

If you want to have a very good idea of why we are where we are, look at the JT draft and look at the top 20 picks.

Guess who played the least AFL games since and would be the biggest bust of the top 20?

Answer is Gysberts, who was taken over Talia, ( the overwhelming choice of the Demonland posters at that pick), but what would they know.

Prendergast was the genius behind that move and also Tapscott, the big bodied, small player who had no real postion to call his own.

He was also the genius behind Lucas Cook, our number 12 pick who never played an AFL game and a host of other wasted draft picks.

I see Prendergast's time at the club, as the single biggest reason we are where we are ATM.

Thank God Taylor and Roos are trying to change things.

We have under Roos turned over 50% of the list and that could hit 75% by the end of drafting time this year.

We also have Brendan Mc Cartney heading our development program and Goodwin in the wings ready to Coach.

We also have a decent CEO running the club.

We are being given every chance to become a good club again.