The Grand Final curtain raiser helped lift Nakia Cockatoo into the ranks of the top 20 draft prospects last year. It's on again this Saturday.

Top draft prospects to head for the 'G

For the first time in a while (years)

Ive no idea as to who's who or what's what come this draft.

I'm indebted to yhe likes of your good self WJ and those who take the time and interest to garner the wealth of info that we lucky Dlanders have to avail ourselves of.

Without doubt we all as a lot seldom all agree on much but we all have this club's success at heart and its as much through the development of the kids and it is the enticement of ready to go's (of varying ability)

So who are the ones that suit...thats suit the NEW Melbourne...rule 1 ..get footy players...not elite sportsmen of other ...sports .

For the first time in a while (years)

Ive no idea as to who's who or what's what come this draft.

No problem. Just wait for the draft to be completed and then get agitated over who we overlooked.

No problem. Just wait for the draft to be completed and then get agitated over who we overlooked.

Fine advice Red...

Who are they ( in advance )

Fine advice Red...

Who are they ( in advance )

If we're looking at the game from the short term perspective (i.e the November 2015 draft) then there's not that much to get enthused about from this game,

The Australian Under 17s won't be draft ready until 2016 and the Allies have a number of players who come from the northern states zones so Brisbane, GWS GCS and Sydney have the first call on them.

Which leaves ... very few (after eliminating players from NSW/ACT and Queensland:-

1. Davin Ferreira (NT)

2. Kieran Lovell (Tas)

3. Michael Hagan (NT)

4. Daniel Rioli (NT)

8. Nick Dodge (Tas)

18. Mitch Hibberd (Tas)

Bub ... I agree with Redleg on this one. Wait until 2022 when someone wins the Brownlow after we overlooked him with an earlier pick. It's bound to happen.

Hibberd's the one to watch here. Nicely sized defender with an accurate kick who's predicted 15-45 draft pick.

Always worth watching a Rioli as well.

If we're looking at the game from the short term perspective (i.e the November 2015 draft) then there's not that much to get enthused about from this game,

The Australian Under 17s won't be draft ready until 2016 and the Allies have a number of players who come from the northern states zones so Brisbane, GWS GCS and Sydney have the first call on them.

Which leaves ... very few (after eliminating players from NSW/ACT and Queensland:-

1. Davin Ferreira (NT)

2. Kieran Lovell (Tas)

3. Michael Hagan (NT)

4. Daniel Rioli (NT)

8. Nick Dodge (Tas)

18. Mitch Hibberd (Tas)

Bub ... I agree with Redleg on this one. Wait until 2022 when someone wins the Brownlow after we overlooked him with an earlier pick. It's bound to happen.

Can't we pick one for a change, can't we....pwwwwweeeeeaaase !!!

Yep ... Mitch Hibberd for second round pick.

I suspect Hibberd won't last till our 2nd round pick.

The live bidding system does make this game a bit more intriguing, it makes sure that all the clubs still need to watch these kids closely.

It's good place to see all the academy boys in one game and get a final look before the draft combine, last years game was great to watch mainly because Nakia Cockatoo lit it up.

It's a pity that some of the better players selected for the game have had to withdraw.

Recruiters to get last look at potential draft bidding targets

I will be keeping an eye on Ainsworth

On now:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-10-03/watch-it-live-nab-all-stars-match--in-grand-final-curtainraiser

Interesting game two watch with the Allies leading 6.4.40 to Australia U17 5.0.30.

Shifter's comment about Mitch Hibberd was - "he has a touch of Bont about him".

He added that Hibberd is a 191cm prototype of the modern midfielder.

Young guns set to light up the MCG

A 14 point win to the Allies and, in what might be a pointer for what happens later today a small midfielder/forward who is lightning quick and carries the name Rioli, looked very impressive for the winning team.

It happened last year in this game when Isaac Heeney showed his wares but I think we are all starting to realise what a boon this academy concept is for the northern states and how important the bidding system introduced this year will be when the draft comes around.

Callum Mills (Swans) and Jacob Hopper (GWS) are already touted as being top five picks on the basis of the bidding process and I saw today Matthew Kennedy (also GWS) who will on that performance come close to being top 10. Then you have Brisbane with Ben Keays and Eric Hipwood who both made the Terry Wallace's TAC Cup Future Stars top 20 picks. The Swans also might want to bid for Josh Dunkley who is considered close to top 20.

That makes five or six quality players in the top 20 or thereabouts subject to the bidding process and there were a few more in this game who could go as academy selections.

This in turn means that some of these clubs are going to be forced to either cop some very late picks at the end of the draft or offload some players to regain an involvement in the first two rounds.

There are some quality players in that Australian Under 17 team as well but the potential influence of the northern academies on this year's draft was the significant underlying aspect of this game from my point of view.

I'd have Kennedy inside the 10, possibly inside the first seven or so.

Rioli, HImmelberg and Hibberd did some good things out there as well.

Mabior Chol and Matt Flynn helped their draft hopes with some eye-catching efforts too.

Pretty good standard game. Next years batch looks very promising.

Corey Wagner, Mabior Chol and Wylie Buzza (son of a boxer) who all played well are Queenslanders but I'm not sure whether and which academy they come under.

Himmelberg, Coughlan and Flynn all come out of the GWS academy (along with Hopper and Kennedy) so it's almost certain that the Giants won't be able to claim all of them.

Corey Wagner, Mabior Chol and Wylie Buzza (son of a boxer) who all played well are Queenslanders but I'm not sure whether and which academy they come under.

Himmelberg, Coughlan and Flynn all come out of the GWS academy (along with Hopper and Kennedy) so it's almost certain that the Giants won't be able to claim all of them.

Wagner, Chol & Buzza are all Brisbane academy kids.

Agree on GWS kids. Coughlan will almost certainly not be at GWS & difficult to see clubs letting Himmelberg get through too cheaply.