Everyone's taking about Picks 3 and 7 but really ... these selections are fairly routine. You don't need to be a genius to determine who they are likely to be - there are only about half a dozen prospects who are rightful fits for these selections and the ones chosen will be good chances to be A grade footballers (and I say that notwithstanding some of the howlers made by previous recruiters at the club over the past decade or so).

The real test however, will be what happens with picks 46 and 50 which we welcomed to the club this week along with 3 and 7. These lower selections in what is described as a "shallow draft pool" will really test the mettle of our recruiting people if they are in fact utilised in an open drafting system - it's here where the really tough decisions have to be made.

The first set of tough decisions comes with the final assessment of a couple of players yet to be contracted. What to do with Viv Michie and Jayden Hunt who are said to be uncontracted with less than a week to go before the end of season deadline on 30 October. There's also the possibility that the club might delist a player and pay out his contract as sometimes happens (last year Michael Evans was paid out with a year left on his contract) and then there's also the delisted free agency period

The end result might leave us with additional draft picks to fill and again, there is the decision to make with rookie James Harmes as to whether he is to be elevated to the primary list. That's one that shouldn't be too difficult given his late season form.

Assuming we finish up with those two selections of 46 and 50 on draft day, they still won't be or feel like the picks of the past at that level because some of the picks in advance of these selections will vanish in the bidding process for academy players and father/son selections. It's been estimated that this might remove around 10 selections from ahead of our third pick making it more in the nature of a normal late second round selection around the mid 30s.

And given that last year Melbourne took Alex Neal-Bullen with pick 40 and Billy Stretch at 42 under the father/son rule, picks 46 and 50 this year are not to be sneezed at.

Excellent piece WJ. Surely there could be no doubt about extending Michie's contract. He played very well at the tail end of the season.

I think that in this site we should be concentrating on one major objective--getting Francis. To me, and others who have watched his highlights reel, he presents as exactly what we now need. A taller stronger on baller, as opposed to many smaller options. He may play back initially, as Salem is doing, but he will end up as a gun midfielder along the lines of Brendon Goddard.. We have a dearth of height and strength in our midfield. Francis would assist enormously

Excellent piece WJ. Surely there could be no doubt about extending Michie's contract. He played very well at the tail end of the season.

I think that in this site we should be concentrating on one major objective--getting Francis. To me, and others who have watched his highlights reel, he presents as exactly what we now need. A taller stronger on baller, as opposed to many smaller options. He may play back initially, as Salem is doing, but he will end up as a gun midfielder along the lines of Brendon Goddard.. We have a dearth of height and strength in our midfield. Francis would assist enormously

Coudn't agree more Francis is exactly what we need very impressive highlight reel and would be waste back for a year or two

No more skinny kids and this selection meets that criteria

absolute punt at 40 ish.

Agree Greg Clark from WA would be a good call.

Kurt Mutimer and David Cunningham would be others worth the last spot.

Greg Clark was WA'S best along with Hinchcliffe through the U/18 championships but was hit by injury late in the season. Feared for a while it was a PCL but turned out not to serious. I actually spoke with him last week and he is not very confident of being picked up. He had a lot of interest early and my info from around the traps is only 2 clubs have shown a lot of interest in him. He is an interesting player has all the tools at his disposal and can be very smooth just not sure on his hardness

Excellent piece WJ. Surely there could be no doubt about extending Michie's contract. He played very well at the tail end of the season.

I think that in this site we should be concentrating on one major objective--getting Francis. To me, and others who have watched his highlights reel, he presents as exactly what we now need. A taller stronger on baller, as opposed to many smaller options. He may play back initially, as Salem is doing, but he will end up as a gun midfielder along the lines of Brendon Goddard.. We have a dearth of height and strength in our midfield. Francis would assist enormously

Disagree on Michie. There has to be some doubt. I think our club has found out what they've got in Michie.

He's had time and whilst serviceable, to me, I believe the club thinks he's a foot soldier for the team and with no disrespect to Viv, if we're to improve we need personnel with more strings to their bow.

In other words, he's been on the cusp, and in some footy circles - including Roosy's philosophy - it's the bottom six that need to improve to help propel this side forward.

bit of a segway from another thread...but its relevance may lay here.

Just a thought. What would be worth more to the Dees in say a period of 2-3 years.. 1) whatever you took in draft lotto at #50 ( in a very so-so talent pool ) or 2) a delisted premiership player with around 2-3 years of decent footy left ( most likely ) who would add certain dept to an area of the list needing just such experience ?

bit of a segway from another thread...but its relevance may lay here.

Just a thought. What would be worth more to the Dees in say a period of 2-3 years.. 1) whatever you took in draft lotto at #50 ( in a very so-so talent pool ) or 2) a delisted premiership player with around 2-3 years of decent footy left ( most likely ) who would add certain dept to an area of the list needing just such experience ?

Just a quick segue - don't fall off!

Just a quick segue - don't fall off!

Ill try not to ..cheers

bit of a segway from another thread...but its relevance may lay here.

Just a thought. What would be worth more to the Dees in say a period of 2-3 years.. 1) whatever you took in draft lotto at #50 ( in a very so-so talent pool ) or 2) a delisted premiership player with around 2-3 years of decent footy left ( most likely ) who would add certain dept to an area of the list needing just such experience ?

Pick 50 in the draft every time as youcould end up with gold as opposed to a28 year old fringe player who's been delisted by 2 clubs and you know exactly where his ceiling is, and it isn't overly high.

Simpkin's the sort of guy you recruit in premiership mode, not building mode.

Pick 50 will end up being a top 40 pick.

Shallow draft be damned - surely there is a prospect out there worth our time and dime more than a bloke that did not play a game in 2015...

We should pick that guy, the football guy. He'd be great for us. 8/10.

Excellent piece WJ. Surely there could be no doubt about extending Michie's contract. He played very well at the tail end of the season.

I think that in this site we should be concentrating on one major objective--getting Francis. To me, and others who have watched his highlights reel, he presents as exactly what we now need. A taller stronger on baller, as opposed to many smaller options. He may play back initially, as Salem is doing, but he will end up as a gun midfielder along the lines of Brendon Goddard.. We have a dearth of height and strength in our midfield. Francis would assist enormously

I think we should take Francis, not on the assumption that he is going to be a gun midfielder, but on the basis of him being a very good player. The only question for me is - how do we go about getting Francis and Parish to the MFC? Do we take Parish first and hope Francis slides through to 7? Or vice versa.

Edited October 30, 201510 yr by KingDingAling

These kind of mid-draft picks are Jason Taylors bread and butter... weave your magic JT!

At this stage we've only got pick 46, barring any further delistings.

As much as I would like to see Terlich given the chop, I can't see it happening this year due to the mistrust is would generate from the players after delisting [a contracted] Michael Evans last year. By the looks of it, Michie also remains contracted.

Looking like we're only going to use Pick 46 (our 3rd Pick).

With our need for a ruckman, and the list of delisted ruckman not being overly brilliant, I was wondering whether we may go down the National Draft route with our final pick.

Gach Nuyon seems to be the most highly rated of the lot. But at 199cm and 83kg, he would have a fair bit o weight to put on and a few pre-seasons before he'd be any form of help.

Next best ruckman in the draft however is the 203cm, 104kg Andre Parella from Sturt. Started football late as he was a promising Tennis player. But he's an aggressive, reasonably mobile (given his age/size) big man, who if disaster struck, could potentially help out in the ruck as early as 2016.

I'd be very happy to see us select Andre the Giant. Will end up being around the Pick we picked up Max Gawn back in the 2009 draft!

I know Kurt Mutimer and, at one point, I wasn't sure that he'd be picked up or whether he actually wanted to play at the top level. It appears this has changed (on all counts) with ten clubs already enquiring as to his services. The keenest apparently is West Coast and I'm guessing their interest initially stemmed from an under 16 game he played where he took a hanger in front of Worsfold and generally took the game on. May not be there.

So we won't pick up Lovett?

So we won't pick up Lovett?

Could be a rookie list option.

So we won't pick up Lovett?

I don't think we will. But just my opinion.

These kind of mid-draft picks are Jason Taylors bread and butter... weave your magic JT!

Reckon he will - were Oscar and Tom the same draft number or thereabouts?

Hope we go for a small forward with our later pick in the mould of Honeychurch or Lonie

Reckon he will - were Oscar and Tom the same draft number or thereabouts?

They were both pick 53.

They were both pick 53.

Ta CBDees,

And it will be really interesting to see 1, How Oscar develops 2, Where Tom will predominantly play

O'Kearny or bust.

If he is available we will come out with the highest quality midfielder in the draft, parish, and one of the most accumulative mids in the draft O'Kearny

Hope we go for a small forward with our later pick in the mould of Honeychurch or Lonie

I really don't think that's a position that we need to address at the moment. We've got Garlett, Kent, Kennedy, JKH, Bugg and even ANB as options to play there. I'd much rather we went for more mids or even a speculative KPP.

I really don't think that's a position that we need to address at the moment. We've got Garlett, Kent, Kennedy, JKH, Bugg and even ANB as options to play there. I'd much rather we went for more mids or even a speculative KPP.

I agree with you but since when was Bugg a forward option?