With trade week settled, time to declare our fantasies for the draft.

What we know (from the hatches matches and despatches thread)

MELBOURNE

In: Thomas Bugg (GWS Giants) Ben Kennedy (Collingwood) Jake Melksham (Essendon) Joel Smith (Rookie B)

Out: Rohan Bail (delisted) Daniel Cross (retired) Jack Fitzpatrick (Hawthorn) Jeremy Howe (Collingwood) Mark Jamar (retired) Jordie McKenzie (delisted) Aidan Riley (delisted) Jimmy Toumpas (Port Adelaide)

That's 8 players out, and 3 added, plus a rookie B for fun. Leaving us with five spots in the main draft.

Picks we've got -

3, 7, 46, 50, 82.

Fire away!

Don't think it could happen, but I would like Parish and one of Curnow or Francis.

No idea about pick 46, but another Neal-Bullen type would be superb.

At least VDB upgraded, perhaps Harmes as well. I honestly wouldn't mind seeing White upgraded, but another year on the rookie list won't hurt. I like the cut of his jib.

Id like an 18yo gary ablett junior at 3

And an 18yo wayne carey at 7

My contribution, based on hearsay and chatter -

Pick 3 - Club is reported to be very focused on Darcy Parish. Skilled and smart midfielder, not soft. Kind of self-explanatory. Looks like a Tudor prince though, which is a problem.

Pick 7 - I think everyone is agreed a long-term second tall forward is needed. I've been persuaded that Charlie Curnow can be a forward-mid the way Petracca can be a mid-forward. That is to say; brutally.

I would also be perfectly happy if Aaron Francis was brought in with either of these picks, to bring a bit of skill and smarts to our defensive group, or as a true utility.

Pick 46 - James Parsons is a tall lightly built wingman with a good kick. Two main reasons to draft him are to make Parish-Parsons jokes, and to give Pickett Fence nightmares.

Pick 50 - Gach Nyuon. We need long-term coverage of ruck stocks and I like that Nyuon is a completely different type to King. Also as a nice bonus he's from down near Casey and part of a migrant community that is disproportionately building its connections to Australia through football.

By late in the draft I'm usually on the hunt for entertaining names, so tall defenders Glass-McCasker and Uebergang would keep me happy. Midfielder Ben Crocker is also suitable provided we can also recruit someone named Schitt in the near future. Even a Schmitt would do.

Speaking of great names, VanDenBerg obviously gets a rookie upgrade at 82.

This does leave the question of where Jake Lovett fits in. Can a father-son be rookied? Do we still have players waiting to be cut?

We must nail 3 and 7. Must.

We've done so well over the last three years with our early picks.

Considering the club will chase a big name mid again next year, (from all reports it'll be Prestia), I can see us going Francis with pick 3. He just looks so well rounded and seems to tick so many boxes. Questions on his tank but it means little. As long as he has the desire to work hard at AFL level he'll build one. He is so skilful, really competitive, great contested mark and has already been plying a bit through the midfield. Surely he's a must.

At 7 we go best available mid. Would love Rioli as a player who can add that speed and skill dimension. Not sure he'd go top 10 though.

Parish and Francis would be ideal but I can't see either being there at 7.

My contribution, based on hearsay and chatter -

Pick 3 - Club is reported to be very focused on Darcy Parish. Skilled and smart midfielder, not soft. Kind of self-explanatory. Looks like a Tudor prince though, which is a problem.

Pick 7 - I think everyone is agreed a long-term second tall forward is needed. I've been persuaded that Charlie Curnow can be a forward-mid the way Petracca can be a mid-forward. That is to say; brutally.

I would also be perfectly happy if Aaron Francis was brought in with either of these picks, to bring a bit of skill and smarts to our defensive group, or as a true utility.

Pick 46 - James Parsons is a tall lightly built wingman with a good kick. Two main reasons to draft him are to make Parish-Parsons jokes, and to give Pickett Fence nightmares.

Pick 50 - Gach Nyuon. We need long-term coverage of ruck stocks and I like that Nyuon is a completely different type to King. Also as a nice bonus he's from down near Casey and part of a migrant community that is disproportionately building its connections to Australia through football.

By late in the draft I'm usually on the hunt for entertaining names, so tall defenders Glass-McCasker and Uebergang would keep me happy. Midfielder Ben Crocker is also suitable provided we can also recruit someone named Schitt in the near future. Even a Schmitt would do.

Speaking of great names, VanDenBerg obviously gets a rookie upgrade at 82.

This does leave the question of where Jake Lovett fits in. Can a father-son be rookied? Do we still have players waiting to be cut?

Ah yes. I remember young Robert Wagner aka "Prince Valiant" from my childhood. I think if you google images of the original movie c1954 you'll see the hairstyle is spot on. Maybe young Darcy Parish is a fan.

Francis and Weideman for me, Francis can play anywhere and Weideman will make a solid partner to Hogan

When is the big day?

Parish and Weideman for me.

When is the big day?

24 November.

I posted back in July that Melbourne are totally focused on getting Parish and nothing has changed. In fact, my source has only re- confirmed the fact it will be Parish at 3.

Definitely Parish at 3 the club has been all over him with Goodwin down in the falcon rooms getting him ready.

I like Wiedeman, and think he would be a good pick up but Curnow looks really good. I reckon one of them has to be there at 7 so I'll be happy either way.

Even though it's only highlights that i'm basing it on, if all of the main contenders are gone, Clayton Oliver would be a very nice acquisition indeed. The kids a bull!

Even though it's only highlights that i'm basing it on, if all of the main contenders are gone, Clayton Oliver would be a very nice acquisition indeed. The kids a bull!

Yeah that's what I reckon. Won the Morrish medal from a long way back, and didn't even have a pre-season. I think if he played during the champs he'd be spoken of as a top 5 pick. Reminds me a bit of De Goey.

Looking long term (and considering the three players that we have just traded in) would it be best:

A) paying out Terlich and/or Matt Jones' contracts to immediately upgrade Vanders and Harmes;

B) retaining Terlich and Matt Jones with the knowledge that we have the insurance of being able to immediately promote Vanders, Harmes or White should we suffer a LTI during the season?

We must nail 3 and 7. Must.

We've done so well over the last three years with our early picks.

Past two years, three years ago we drafted Toumpas.

Looking long term (and considering the three players that we have just traded in) would it be best:

A) paying out Terlich and/or Matt Jones' contracts to immediately upgrade Vanders and Harmes;

B) retaining Terlich and Matt Jones with the knowledge that we have the insurance of being able to immediately promote Vanders, Harmes or White should we suffer a LTI during the season?

They've already agreed to upgrade VDB and on the website he is on our primary list.

Not sure what they will do with Harmes, I imagine they are weighing it up.

First letme say i suspect that Jayden Hunt will be the unlucky one who is delisted before the end of next week allowing Harmes to be promoted. Leaves us with 4 senior list spots and 2 rookie list spots.

3. Darcy Parish: Outside speed and class, still with an ability to go inside and win his own hard ball.

7. Charlie Curnow: Doubt he'll still be available, but if so i think we'll take him. Powerful key forward who plays taller then his height but with an ability to push into the midfield. Curnow would be a great foil for Hogan, leaving Max King as the missing link.

46. Brayden Fiorini: Captain of the Northern Knights I think, and this wingman/half back flanker has a left foot that doesn't miss. Not the fastest for an outside mid but seems to have a Daniel Cross like ability to run to the right spots.

50. Gach Nyuon: As mentioned elsewhere, we need to develop another ruckman and Nyuon from Dandenong Stingrays is the most exciting prospect out there. Very raw and athletic, but given Gawn and Spencer are both now at the stage where they can play regular senior footy, now is the time to draft a fresh one. Think we should take him with our last live pick as i doubt he'll get to our first rookie selection.

RD6. Cameron Giles: Delisted by Carlton after two horror injury seasons. Played 5 VFL games in 2014 and was pushing for selection before picking Trengove's injury. He made it back for two D league games late this season before being cut. 195cm Key back with very good pace and a strong mark was considered one of the best key backs in the 2013 draft. I was very keen on us drafting him at 40 until Carlton swooped at 39. Worth the rookie spot if he's past that foot IMO.

RD24. Jake Lovett: Probably don't need to say much. Tough inside midfielder who's shown he can take a mark. Son of a gun! U18 team mate of Nyuon's which will hopefully help Gach withhis transition.

Edited October 22, 20159 yr by AngryAtCasey

Curnow and parish for sure..

Dons will take mids, suns at 6 the danger

Curnow and parish for sure..

Dons will take mids, suns at 6 the danger

Bombers still need someone to pair with Daniher so I'd expect them to take a forward

With only 4 spots left on the 40 man roster you would think delisted free agents will be overlooked.

If Harmes can stay on the rookie list I think he will.

From the look of it we'll take Parish at 3, who looks like the exact inside/out mid we're screaming out for.

After that I think the next 5 picks will come from Francis, Curnow, Milera, Weideman and a mid maybe Mathieson.

I see Essendon going with a tall and a mid, so maybe Mathieson with either Francis/Curnow or Weideman, while GC will either go Milera or Francis.

That should leave us one of Weideman, Curnow or Francis at 7. Ideally I think Weideman would be best as he could potentially be the best partner for Jesse in a few years.

I'm another in the Parish and Wiedeman camp.

Curnow and parish for sure..

Dons will take mids, suns at 6 the danger

They will use 6 in there Academy player so we basically have pick 6.

I don't think the Suns have an academy player this year.