NATIONAL DRAFT PICKS 3 & 7

[rjay 23,922]

I respect your opinion there, i think a quality partner for Hogan is certainly a priority, doesn't have to come from pick 3 or 7 though,

i think Salem moves into the midfield next year so a good user off half back like young bonner might be handy, if Melksham doesn't make it i'm not sure what plan B is for that role.

Probably White...maybe Parish.

[Dwight Schrute 16,799]

Plan B would probably be to just put Salem back there

I'm not so sure, i reckon he'll be our best mid very quickly, he's so damaging!

[DeeSpencer 23,151]

I'm not so sure, i reckon he'll be our best mid very quickly, he's so damaging!

I think you get as many chances to do damage from half back as you do in the midfield and you don't have to contend with all the stoppages and inside ball. I'm not in a hurry to move Salem, I think he needs a full season at half back and we need him there.

[old55 21,352]

I wont pretend to know u18 football but nevertheless I'm on board the Parish and H.McKay double for posterity.

[Converted Dee 115]

Funny how people weren't so keen on Parish until they saw the highlights on the Sydney website, every player has a great highlights package when edited correctly. Now he's a dead set certainty at 3 according to some.

All I want is to draft players who have a hunger to find the ball and want to fairly hurt whatever is in his way to get it.

And whoever we draft not to rely on to make an immediate impact, this is what the senior players and 2, 3 and 4th year players are there for, to nurture and teach these kids.

Am sick of being more excited at draft time compared to during the season, be great to look forward to the season instead of draft and trade time.

Let's hope the recruiters are all over it and draft two 10+ year players.

[needafullback 82]

Funny how people weren't so keen on Parish until they saw the highlights on the Sydney website, every player has a great highlights package when edited correctly. Now he's a dead set certainty at 3 according to some.

All I want is to draft players who have a hunger to find the ball and want to fairly hurt whatever is in his way to get it.

And whoever we draft not to rely on to make an immediate impact, this is what the senior players and 2, 3 and 4th year players are there for, to nurture and teach these kids.

Am sick of being more excited at draft time compared to during the season, be great to look forward to the season instead of draft and trade time.

Let's hope the recruiters are all over it and draft two 10+ year players.

Yes! I do this every year. While watching Parish's highlights and getting excited it occurred to me that this is completely irrational. I recall how excited I was by the highlights of Morton, Blease, Toumpas, Tapscott, Gysberts and even Lucas Cook (so mobile for a big bloke, good hands, good skills). It's fine to be interested in what type of player we might be getting and what their strengths are, but getting one's hopes up on the basis of those tapes is utterly pointless.

[PaulRB 5,960]

Parish is broadly acknowledged by those who should know and whom have been watching the current crop for years, as the best available mid.

We need more quality mids.

That there's some doubt in some people's minds as to if we should pick him indicates they are misdiagnose get why we are languishing low on the ladder, I.e they've missed that we need to improve our midfield.

On pick 7, I'd love a genuine tall forward rather than Curnow, I feel with Petracca coming in as a solid HF / mid we don't need another as much as a Clark type forward/ruck...

[Gator 16,893]

...On pick 7, I'd love a genuine tall forward rather than Curnow, I feel with Petracca coming in as a solid HF / mid we don't need another as much as a Clark type forward/ruck...

Funny thing is I reckon Curnow is a genuine tall. He's certainly got the bulk and plays like one.

I know what you mean re height, but I reckon he's well and truly big and strong enough to hold down that second tall position.

[daisycutter 28,564]

Funny thing is I reckon Curnow is a genuine tall. He's certainly got the bulk and plays like one.......against underage kids

[Gator 16,893]

Funny thing is I reckon Curnow is a genuine tall. He's certainly got the bulk and plays like one.......against underage kids

Obviously, I think it will translate to AFL level football, otherwise I wouldn't have said it. Obviously.

[sydneydee 647]

If we go Curnow with pick 3 as a tall. Would we go McKay for needs or Oliver for pick 7?

[The Oracle 118]

Funny thing is I reckon Curnow is a genuine tall. He's certainly got the bulk and plays like one.

I know what you mean re height, but I reckon he's well and truly big and strong enough to hold down that second tall position.

Most reports have Curnow at 191cm but I'm told that he is now around 193cm tall and not much shorter than Hogan.

I don't know why this is so but as far as I'm aware, the only results from the Draft Combine that haven't been made available are the height and weight statistics. They will be interesting when they do come out.

[Gator 16,893]

Most reports have Curnow at 191cm but I'm told that he is now around 193cm tall and not much shorter than Hogan.

Thanks. Do you consider this reliable information ?

[Mach5 4,482]

Funny thing is I reckon Curnow is a genuine tall. He's certainly got the bulk and plays like one.

I know what you mean re height, but I reckon he's well and truly big and strong enough to hold down that second tall position.

Probably true, but I also think the preference is to have a quality KPF with the height and ability to hold down the ruck duties in the F50, like a David Hale.

I'm not confident in Curnow's ability to do that.

[Gator 16,893]

Probably true, but I also think the preference is to have a quality KPF with the height and ability to hold down the ruck duties in the F50, like a David Hale.

I'm not confident in Curnow's ability to do that.

I hope not.

We need to get the best key forward we can. I wouldn't include potential ruck duties in the decision making.

That said, Curnow has done it at junior level and if he's the same height as Roughead (193cm) he should be able to pinch hit.

[DeeSpencer 23,151]

Probably true, but I also think the preference is to have a quality KPF with the height and ability to hold down the ruck duties in the F50, like a David Hale.

I'm not confident in Curnow's ability to do that.

The Hawks also had Gunston, Schoenmakers and Roughead in the grand final team as well as the 2 rucks and all 3 are listed as 193cm. Obviously Roughy played a lot of midfield and Gunston usually does a bit of time on the wing but I think Curnow and Hogan could easily play with 2 ruckman due to their mobility and endurance.

[Goodvibes 3,596]

Probably true, but I also think the preference is to have a quality KPF with the height and ability to hold down the ruck duties in the F50, like a David Hale.

I'm not confident in Curnow's ability to do that.

I'd rather have the best possible forward and entrust Frost or McDonald to play on the 2nd ruck when forward and then follow them into the middle when they're given the ruck duties. It worked well foe Port and Trengove in 2014.

[Dee-licious 1,800]

Cancil's draft has dropped:

5. Melbourne – Charlie Curnow

Club: Geelong Falcons

Position: Key forward/midfielder

Height: 191 cm

Weight: 95 kg

Player comparison: Jake Stringer

Curnow looks like a probable top five pick. He can be a bit lazy, often looking to engage in one on one contests, rather than leading up and using space. Having said that, he’s an elite runner with a very high beep test score, so clearly he’s got a strong work ethic. He gets by in under 18s with his strength, and obviously coming off that knee injury he wasn’t able to show his running strength. He’s a great contested mark, he wins his own ball on the inside, and his skills are usually pretty good. I think his 21/30 on the kicking test at the combine was a bit misleading. He’s a below average converter on goals, and he’s not a great field kick either. He’s got a very high upside with his great frame and the ability to grow into a big-bodied midfielder, but I personally see him as a forward in the Jake Stringer role.

6. Essendon – Darcy Parish

Club: Geelong Falcons

Position: Midfielder

Height: 181 cm

Weight: 73 kg

Player comparison: Lachie Whitfield

Darcy Parish is a classy outside midfielder, who – despite his flaws – should be a top five pick. Parish is a very slightly framed player who has great speed. He runs hard to receive a handball or take an uncontested mark, then will keep zipping past others to break lines. Parish loves to kick, and he can often have 20 or more kicks in a game. Most will hit the targets, as he prefers to do short sharp chips. He’s a good decision maker and with that comes a high disposal efficiency. I think at AFL level that efficiency may drop a little as he will be encouraged to be bolder. It’s scary that a player with so much hurt factor still has so much room to grow. Parish has become more of a goal kicker, and he has put on a bit of weight to increase his core strength. He’s got room to improve his defensive efforts, as his strong tank and speed should really see him taking down few more players. I see him growing into that Lachie Whitfield mould, but perhaps with a little more pace.

7. Essendon – Sam Weideman

Club: Eastern Ranges

Position: Key forward

Height: 195 cm

Weight: 91 kg

Player comparison: Levi Casboult

Weideman’s injury issues have made him an intriguing prospect, as he has so much that he must improve on. 2014 was an up and down year for the forward. He was able to play 15 games, but only kicked 19 goals and 15 behinds. His statline is poor, but recruiters will look to his best games to find out why he is so highly regarded. 2015 was much of the same: he struggled statistically, despite receiving very good delivery from a strong midfield group. Weideman is a terrific mark of the ball, with his contested marking a standout in pack situations. However, what is most impressive is his ability to take one grab marks on the lead, particularly in sticky situations. You know if the ball is within his long reach, then he won’t drop it. He’s a below average kick of the football, which stings to say. He’s probably one of only a handful of players in this draft class who have one truly dominant skill, but when you cannot convert simple set shots at goal, then it really hurts. Weideman plays as a true leading centre half forward, but he also has the size and skill set to play as a full forward.

10. Melbourne – Wayne Milera

Club: Central Districts

Position: Outside midfielder/small forward

Height: 185 cm

Weight: 75 kg

Player comparison: Shaun Burgoyne (early career)

Milera has far exceeded expectations this year. He’s a creative midfielder/half forward with some of the best skills in this draft class. Milera is a terrific decision maker and he offers something a bit different to the rest of the midfielders in this draft class: where there seems to be one or two clear options, he’ll cut through the middle and pick a more damaging option that most players wouldn’t even consider. He’s very agile and hard to tackle, and he loves using his speed through the centre of the ground. Milera has been the best performed junior in the top flight of the SANFL, where he’s consistently found the football and chipped in for several goals on a few occasions.

12. Carlton – Harry McKay

Club: Gippsland Power

Position: Key forward

Height: 200 cm

Weight: 85 kg

Player Comparison: Drew Petrie

Harry McKay is a raw prospect who has shown great signs for his age. He should basically be considered a 2016 prospect, as he is only a few days off being eligible for next year’s draft. For a 200 centimetre player, McKay is very quick and agile. He can twist and turn and crumb like a small forward, he’s a terrific overhead mark, and he continually leads up the ground to present as a link up target. He’s a pretty good kick for goal too. At this stage, he’s a long-term prospect: he’s going to need to put on plenty of size to be able to compete, but he’s got as much upside as anyone in this draft class.

[The Oracle 118]

Thanks. Do you consider this reliable information ?

The information comes from someone who is reliable and knows him from out Torquay way. Whether he's 100% right, I can't tell you but he did say that at the start of last year Curnow was 187cm and that figure was in the TAC Cup Record for the whole season and that the 191cm measurement was in this year's record from Round 1. Males stop growing at any time up to 20-21 and his view was that Curnow hadn't stopped growing yet and he believed Curnow was now 193cm. The other thing is that he usually marks the ball at a higher point because he has good reach and is strong, he's a handy mark even when pitted against tall defenders.

[spirit of norm smith 12,954]

Its been locked in my opinion

#3 Parish ... Dees to grab the best mid

#7 Curnow/Weideman/Harry Mckay... Dees to grab a fwd to partner Hogan

Excluding the academy picks, I think its

#4 Bombers Francis

#5 Bombers Curnow

#6 Suns Milera

Happy to grab Weideman at #7

[RalphiusMaximus 5,993]

Excluding the academy picks, I think its

#4 Bombers Francis

#5 Bombers Curnow

#6 Suns Milera

Happy to grab Weideman at #7

That's pretty much where I'm seeing it too.

[djr 1,067]

5. Melbourne Charlie Curnow

Club: Geelong Falcons

Position: Key forward/midfielder

Height: 191 cm

Weight: 95 kg

Player comparison: Jake Stringer

Curnow looks like a probable top five pick. He can be a bit lazy, often looking to engage in one on one contests, rather than leading up and using space. Having said that, hes an elite runner with a very high beep test score, so clearly hes got a strong work ethic. He gets by in under 18s with his strength, and obviously coming off that knee injury he wasnt able to show his running strength.

There seems to be a common observation amongst these so called draft experts that Curnow's a bit lazy. If this is true and the club is seriously considering him then the recruiting staff must think he is not lazy or believe they can change him. Big IFs there. I can imagine the supporters over the next couple years being constantly frustrated at the fact that he doesn't make a lead and he doesn't chase. It has an all too familar ring to it.

It seems that he has a huge amount of natural talent but has he got what it takes to be an elite AFL footballer which is what we would expect for a No.3 draft pick?

From the comfy chairs at the back I do have some doubts.

[hells bells 2,022]

Its been locked in my opinion

#3 Parish ... Dees to grab the best mid

#7 Curnow/Weideman/Harry Mckay... Dees to grab a fwd to partner Hogan

Excluding the academy picks, I think its

#4 Bombers Francis

#5 Bombers Curnow

#6 Suns Milera

Happy to grab Weideman at #7

I agree SONS.

[Dr. Gonzo 22,458]

5. Melbourne Charlie Curnow

Club: Geelong Falcons

Position: Key forward/midfielder

Height: 191 cm

Weight: 95 kg

Player comparison: Jake Stringer

Curnow looks like a probable top five pick. He can be a bit lazy, often looking to engage in one on one contests, rather than leading up and using space. Having said that, hes an elite runner with a very high beep test score, so clearly hes got a strong work ethic. He gets by in under 18s with his strength, and obviously coming off that knee injury he wasnt able to show his running strength.

There seems to be a common observation amongst these so called draft experts that Curnow's a bit lazy. If this is true and the club is seriously considering him then the recruiting staff must think he is not lazy or believe they can change him. Big IFs there. I can imagine the supporters over the next couple years being constantly frustrated at the fact that he doesn't make a lead and he doesn't chase. It has an all too familar ring to it.

It seems that he has a huge amount of natural talent but has he got what it takes to be an elite AFL footballer which is what we would expect for a No.3 draft pick?

From the comfy chairs at the back I do have some doubts.

Similar traits to a former #3 draft pick who found out at Freo he was getting it far too easy at the MFC

[Fat Tony 4,414]

I really like the look of Oliver. As much as we are well stocked for inside mids, he looks to be the type of footballer who could adjust to AFL footy very easily.