Seems logical Dazzle.. Don't forget though GC still have Jack Martin & Jarrod Garlett. Too many of the same type of player maybe? Not sure if they would need a bollocking inside mid or not to help out the likes of Ablett & Prestia. I hope one of Curnow and Francis slides to us.

Agreed, I wonder whether they will actually stock up in mids considering the serious talks that Prestia and O'Meara will leave for Victoria next year. I think Darcy Tucker could also come under consideration for them also.

I confess that while I've retained a keen interest in this year's draft pool almost from the moment last year's drafts took place (see the opening post here and I like to read up on the opinions of the draft experts in the media, I continue to maintain that the best way to assess the players is by seeing them in action. The best way is in person but in that regard, I've seen a limited number of games this year - the two TAC Cup semi finals and an Oakleigh Chargers game I happened upon where they didn't have any records and I couldn't identify a single player (ironically, they won the premiership in the end).

I did manage to tape (on Foxtel IQ) the seven Under 18 National Championship games they telecast plus the TAC Cup Grand Final and I watched some other games streamed on the AFL site (one of the U18 champs games and the grand final curtain raiser) and I hope to revisit these in the lead up to the draft.

I want to add one thought about a few of the players said to be among the leading candidates to be drafted in the top 10 range. Don't necessarily take what you read as gospel.

I know there are some great wraps about Charlie Curnow and how he's a 191cm forward who could potentially become a midfielder but I've seen him play and on what I saw, he's a long way from being a midfielder. Put it down to him having a bad day in a losing team (the TAC Cup semi) or not fit enough for the high pressure of a final after missing part of the season to injury but he was a long way off the pace that day. The dropped marks and poor kicking didn't remind me of the Bont or Stringer in any way, shape or form.

The same can be said of Aaron Francis. He looks to be versatile and he's tall but there's no proof that he will be an AFL standard if he went into the midfield.

On the other hand, given that we continue to be deficient in the midfield and we spent credits in the trade to get pick 3, I can't go past Darcy Parish for that selection. In that losing semi final, Parish might have lowered his colours on the day but he is all class and will bring the outside running quality needed to complement our once third world midfield.

We have no control over what happens with the next four picks. My choice of player who I think might be around at 7 is Rhys Mathieson (ironically the first player mentioned in the post I quoted in December 2014.

Here's what I wrote about them after that semi final:-

UPSETS IN TAC CUP

"Darcy Parish wasn't prolific but he is all class, can play inside and out has a great future in the game. His partner in crime Rhys Mathieson has great presence, works hard and can hold his head high despite his team's loss. Although they played in a losing team, I've seen enough of them in the middle for Vic Country in the Under 18 National Championships to be able to say that, along with a couple of northern academy midfielders (Mills and Hopper), they are the cream of the crop in this age group. The third of the noted Falcons Charlie Curnow had a poor day after a solid start with some early marks but his kicking let him down."

Finally, the two Geelong midfielders look like they will be able to work together on and off the footy field:-

Parish and Mathieson's perfect double act

I agree with some of your points WJ but i hope we steer clear away from Mathieson to be honest.. First of all his decision making and disposal is on par with Jordie Mckenzie, its really that bad. He rushes his kicks to often to the point where he will just blaze away without looking whats ahead. His skinny frame while loves to burrow in gets pushed off the ball way to easily and gets brushed off with ease and also he is not clean with the ball, he just fumbles way too much at crucial stages of the game. The only positive i have with him is his ball winning ability, other then that there is not much at all. In fact i will be very very surprised if he is picked top 10. I expect him to slide out because atm personally he hasn't got the required tools to be an AFL elite mid.

I agree with some of your points WJ but i hope we steer clear away from Mathieson to be honest.. First of all his decision making and disposal is on par with Jordie Mckenzie, its really that bad. He rushes his kicks to often to the point where he will just blaze away without looking whats ahead. His skinny frame while loves to burrow in gets pushed off the ball way to easily and gets brushed off with ease and also he is not clean with the ball, he just fumbles way too much at crucial stages of the game. The only positive i have with him is his ball winning ability, other then that there is not much at all. In fact i will be very very surprised if he is picked top 10. I expect him to slide out because atm personally he hasn't got the required tools to be an AFL elite mid.

he reminds me of a quicker, yet poorer version of Brock McLean

Great read Whispering. Just when I was hoping for some meaty reading. Naturally Dazzle has his perspective too, but if we were to pick Mathieson at 7, and others on here have also sung his praises, I'd go along with our recruiters judgement and be very very happy. At least Dazzle agrees he's a baller winner (McKenzie wasn't that

- though I did love him).

Moments like these I just love Demonland. Enjoyed the video of Francis BTW and some time soon must check out Weideman.

Mathieson is a clearance machine (kind of like Josh Kennedy). We need a clearance machine.

he reminds me of a quicker, yet poorer version of Brock McLean

To me he just doesn't fit the type of player we are after. I agree with WJ that i am not a big wrap for Francis either. While he can play back he got towled up by Josh Schache in the championships. If the talls are all taken before pick 7 then we will obviously have no chance but to go after another midfielder/utility.

Personally i think Darcy Tucker wouldn't be a bad option. He is a running half back who is tough and gives good drive off a half back with his neat disposal. He oozes leadership and fits that 'competitive' bracket we are after. Think of him as another Christian Salem who will start his career down back and then push into a midfield.

I agree with some of your points WJ but i hope we steer clear away from Mathieson to be honest.. First of all his decision making and disposal is on par with Jordie Mckenzie, its really that bad. He rushes his kicks to often to the point where he will just blaze away without looking whats ahead. His skinny frame while loves to burrow in gets pushed off the ball way to easily and gets brushed off with ease and also he is not clean with the ball, he just fumbles way too much at crucial stages of the game. The only positive i have with him is his ball winning ability, other then that there is not much at all. In fact i will be very very surprised if he is picked top 10. I expect him to slide out because atm personally he hasn't got the required tools to be an AFL elite mid.

I can only go on what I've seen and I noticed no similarities to Jordie's disposal in Mathieson and (although I advocate judging for one's self) neither did the author of that article above who wrote:

"Possibly his biggest strengths are his ability to kick multiple goals from the midfield and clean disposal by foot. "

The similarity with Jordie in my view was with his discipline and courage but, as I said in my earlier post, I have a bit of viewing in front of me and I will keep a special eye out for Mathieson's decision making and disposal skills when I watch the Vic Country games.

And if we're looking for a taller mid, the best I've seen on limited viewing is Mitch Hibberd from Tasmania. I know he's an outside chance for a pick at # 7 but he really impressed me playing for the All Stars on grand final day. Sadly, he won't be available at 46.

... I know there are some great wraps about Charlie Curnow and how he's a 191cm forward who could potentially become a midfielder but I've seen him play and on what I saw, he's a long way from being a midfielder. Put it down to him having a bad day in a losing team (the TAC Cup semi) or not fit enough for the high pressure of a final after missing part of the season to injury but he was a long way off the pace that day. The dropped marks and poor kicking didn't remind me of the Bont or Stringer in any way, shape or form.

Knightmare does refer to his return from injury, where he was clearly not the same player...

"On return from injury Curnow was purely a 1v1 marking key forward. He lost his explosiveness and mobility entirely, playing as a short power forward which will not be enough for AFL play. I give Charlie the benefit of the doubt as I feel he came back too early, and given his still young age I assume he will fully get back his explosiveness."

Knightmare does refer to his return from injury, where he was clearly not the same player...

"On return from injury Curnow was purely a 1v1 marking key forward. He lost his explosiveness and mobility entirely, playing as a short power forward which will not be enough for AFL play. I give Charlie the benefit of the doubt as I feel he came back too early, and given his still young age I assume he will fully get back his explosiveness."

So there are red flags on both Curnow and Weideman due to injury. Nervous times ahead.

So there are red flags on both Curnow and Weideman due to injury. Nervous times ahead.

No nervous times.

The recruiters follow these players for years. They'll deem he's either good enough or not.

3. Parish

7. Best available key forward

No nervous times.

The recruiters follow these players for years. They'll deem he's either good enough or not.

Weideman plays for Eastern Ranges, so we would have seen a fair bit of him last year too, whilst we were following Petracca.

Mathieson is a clearance machine (kind of like Josh Kennedy). We need a clearance machine.

Oliver is a better clearance player. Won the Morrish Medal off of a very limited pre-season.

Oliver is a better clearance player. Won the Morrish Medal off of a very limited pre-season.

is quicker and a better decision maker and disposer of the ball too

Would be happy with Oliver at 7

3. Parish

7. Best available

Edited

Everyone seems to think the top 7 is set aside from order. That is very rarely the case one month out. We still lack outside polish and its not like Parish is small he is a standard mid size and by all reports also fits the competitor non negotiable we appear to be carrying through. If he is the best pure mid I would snap him up at 3 and just take the player we think has the highest ceiling at 7 that is available and back in our development process to make them realise their potential.

I have a bit of a problem with us trading away future picks if we don't have two guys we'd LOVE to have in the top 7. It's a waste. Then again, perhaps they had to bite this bullet in order to move up to pick 3.

IMO, we need GC or Essendon to pick someone other than Francis, Weidemann or Curnow with one of those picks 4-6. And we can have whoever is left of the 3.

Reckon the Dons will take Curnow and Francis. The Suns already have 3 tall forwards ( Day, Lynch, Wright) so I really doubt they would take Weideman

seems his family also had spelling problems

seems his family also had spelling problems

Obviously old German heritage. High German would have it as "Weidemann" meaning Shepherd. Or technically, "man responsible for the pasture"

Good nickname, Shepherd...

Edit: either auto spell or big thumbs

Would be happy with Oliver at 7

He certainly has the competitive aspect that we are looking for.

Stats in isolation are often misleading. But at the same time sometimes the obvious is right in front of you.

After 3 months out Curnow in his first 4 games went: 4 goals, 2 goals, 3 goals, 4 goals (5 behinds).

With mark totals (contested) of 6 (3), 6 (3), 6 (2), 8 (5).

Forget positional needs. With the 3rd pick in the draft we are after the best possible player. The guy who will add the most value to the team. Now if there isn't a complete player who does almost everything well then you look for a player who has the most upside. And the with modern defensive tactics so good the most valuable player is one who can take a mark and kick a goal.

The scouting report says Curnow is likely to have top quality endurance, good size, the right amount of speed and agility to take his game to the AFL level.

Over the last 3 years Jack Gunston has been one of the leagues best forwards and a super valuable player for the Hawks averaging just over 6 marks a bit under 2.5 goals a game. If that's the type of player Curnow compares with then that's a pretty strong case for picking him.

Curnow getting a 14.5 beep test for someone as big as he is 191cm and 95kg will definitely hold him on good stead. Nothing worse as a defender then your opponent running you absolutely ragged up and down the ground and this is what Jonathan Brown use to do.

Him and Hogan pushing up and back from each contest will certainly wear you down.

I wonder how much they may know about Prestias intentions for 2017. If we felt he was a lock to come to us, wouldnt it make more sense to get the tall we considered the best with pick 3 and then a mid at 7?

If we miss out on a tall at this draft the concequences could be large. They may take Parish and hope, but its a high risk option imo. Definitely going to be an intersting draft.

I'd say Weitering is an absolute lock for 1 but what if Brisbane took someone else at 2?

Would we take Schache at 3?