I think we should be looking at Mitch Hibberd at pick 7. He hasn't been mentioned in discussions much as a top 5-10 pick but he is a certainty to be taken in the first round.

Hibberd is a 191cm half-back/midfielder with elite kicking skills and reading of the play. He doesn't mind winning his own ball and his kicking is a thing of beauty. He is a bit older and was overlooked last year due to injury.

I think he will end up as a tall midfielder that can play at half-back if needed, similar to Shaun Burgoyne but with more speed.

He is tall and has a huge tank like Charlie Curnow but seems to be a more natural player and his kicking is light years ahead of Curnow's.

Tassie boy, so there is no go-home factor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ1GIKuiiiY

Sounds good.

Burton and Curnow for me but candidates without injury without go home factor ready to play physique wise should be considered.

I also wouldn't underestimate the importance of a rebounding half backline with elite footskills.

Get the ball in to Hoges before he is double teamed.

Melksham is part of that plan.

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-10-31/24-days-to-the-draft-meet-the-hardrunning-rebounding-gun-mitchell-hibberd

Exactly what we need.

I'm not a huge fan.

I wouldn't compare to Curnow. Forwards are always going to have more rough edges and be more valuable than defenders.

The comparison for Hibberd should be with Francis as that 3rd tall half back. Francis looks a bit thicker build and stronger. Hibberd might cover the ground a bit better. Both are nice kicks. From those highlights I wouldn't declare Hibberd an amazing kick just yet.

I wouldn't be upset if we took him with pick 7 as he'd fill a need, but I'd prefer others.

Maybe it's the strengths of the draft but Dan Howe went to the Hawks in the 30's last year and is a similar type.

Agree this kids a lock as a quality player at the right size and imo a midfielder . If we add Parish and Hibberd we are away with a group of you g mids ( vince and jones aint young ) that can take us forward , hibberd reminds me of brayshaw . Pederson and dawes can help out hoges tor a bit .

Hibberd is ok for a later pick, but I'm not blown away.

I'd be disappointed if we chose him at 7.

Shuttle run (beep test level)

Joshua Schoenfeld -16.2 level

Mitchell Hibberd - 15.4

Darcy Tucker - 15.3

Declan Mountford -15.2

Jacob Weitering - 15.1

Matthew Kennedy - 14.12

Kieran Lovell - 14.10

Will Snelling - 14.10

Tom Cole - 14.10

Oleg Markov - 14.8

Darcy MacPherson - 14.8

Three-kilometre time trial

Joshua Schoenfeld - 9:15 minutes

Thomas Jok - 9:47

Mitchell Hibberd - 10:02

Declan Mountford - 10:04

Brayden Hackett - 10:06

Ben Keays - 10:09

Daniel Rioli - 10:09

Will Snelling - 10:10

Mason Redman - 10:12

Nash Holmes - 10:16

Goalkicking test

Jade Gresham - 30 (out of a possible 30)

Nick O'Kearney - 30

Oleg Markov - 30

Clayton Oliver - 30

Kieran Lovell - 25

Tyrone Leonardis - 25

Matthew Kennedy - 25

Mitchell Hibberd - 25

Liam Jeffs - 25

Eric Hipwood - 25

Matthew Allen - 25

Nick Coughlan - 25

Mitch King - 25

Kicking test

Mitchell Hibberd - 24 (out of a possible 30)

Nick Coughlan - 23

Darcy MacPherson - 22

Thomas Glen - 22

Matthew Allen - 22

Jade Gresham - 21

Nick O'Kearney - 21

Rhys Mathieson - 21

Declan Mountford - 21

Jordan Snadden - 21

Ben McKay - 21

Charlie Curnow - 21

Does the compound really stand up for much?

Doesn't Watts hold the record for fastest sprint?, never once seen him use that speed in a game!?

Scully was in the high 14s in the beep test, he can run all game but he will never be a Chris Judd.

Plus most of the time the high draft picks don't compete because they have surgery to be ready for the preseason cause they know they will be picked up.

  On 01/11/2015 at 01:53, ILLDieADemon said:

Does the compound really stand up for much?

Doesn't Watts hold the record for fastest sprint?, never once seen him use that speed in a game!?

Scully was in the high 14s in the beep test, he can run all game but he will never be a Chris Judd.

Plus most of the time the high draft picks don't compete because they have surgery to be ready for the preseason cause they know they will be picked up.

It affirms what we see in the footage with Hibberds kicking style and skill on display . And when your talking mids tank and endurance speed are important particularly now with interchange cap . I really value strength and size around the footy and in the tackle . Throw in a decent mark at 191cm and we are geting into Nat fyfe terrioritory re attributes .

Watts at 6-5 does have good speed if you want to see an example of what we all want to see everyweek from Big Jack watch the geelong game again .

  On 31/10/2015 at 23:27, Mach5 said:

Hibberd is ok for a later pick, but I'm not blown away.

I'd be disappointed if we chose him at 7.

Id be very very surprised if we chose him at 7. Jason Taylor is not stupid though like BP who would waste 1st rounders on speculative players.

  On 01/11/2015 at 04:28, CityDee said:

It affirms what we see in the footage with Hibberds kicking style and skill on display . And when your talking mids tank and endurance speed are important particularly now with interchange cap . I really value strength and size around the footy and in the tackle . Throw in a decent mark at 191cm and we are geting into Nat fyfe terrioritory re attributes .

Watts at 6-5 does have good speed if you want to see an example of what we all want to see everyweek from Big Jack watch the geelong game again .

I must have seen different highlights package. An average kick who sits across half back accumulating stats is all I saw. At best, he'll be a K. Kolo. If you think he'll be an AFL star mid, then why is he playing HBF for Tassie?

  On 01/11/2015 at 05:08, mo64 said:

I must have seen different highlights package. An average kick who sits across half back accumulating stats is all I saw. At best, he'll be a K. Kolo. If you think he'll be an AFL star mid, then why is he playing HBF for Tassie?

He had been out for 18 months. So in game field kicking can be a little off if you have only been on the park a hand full of times .He was also kicking to a contest / down the line in the highlights package and yes did miss but also proved that he can hit up. I like his kicking style and evidently winning the kicking test at the combine shows that although he hasn't had consistent game time he can do it at an elite level. We probably wont take a chance at 7 but I reckon he is worth a look and believe he will go before pick 20 .

  On 01/11/2015 at 01:53, ILLDieADemon said:

Does the compound really stand up for much?

Doesn't Watts hold the record for fastest sprint?, never once seen him use that speed in a game!?

Scully was in the high 14s in the beep test, he can run all game but he will never be a Chris Judd.

Plus most of the time the high draft picks don't compete because they have surgery to be ready for the preseason cause they know they will be picked up.

The combines is meaningless.

Id like to see Brayshaws testing. Cant recall if he did well in any of the tests, all that mattered was that he is a natural footballerr. Like Parish looks to be too.

  On 01/11/2015 at 01:53, ILLDieADemon said:

Does the compound really stand up for much?

Doesn't Watts hold the record for fastest sprint?, never once seen him use that speed in a game!?

Scully was in the high 14s in the beep test, he can run all game but he will never be a Chris Judd.

Plus most of the time the high draft picks don't compete because they have surgery to be ready for the preseason cause they know they will be picked up.

Agree, it does seem overrated. Shows very little about football nous, skill and ability.

  On 01/11/2015 at 10:58, Petraccattack said:

The combines is meaningless.

Id like to see Brayshaws testing. Cant recall if he did well in any of the tests, all that mattered was that he is a natural footballerr. Like Parish looks to be too.

He didn't test, he had an injury.

  On 01/11/2015 at 11:14, ILLDieADemon said:

He didn't test, he had an injury.

Thats right, I remember now. Glad he didnt test, if we smashed records maybe the Saints would have taken him at pick 1.

They should have anyway IMO, hes well and truly got McCartin covered.

The combine can be both useless and useful imo. Someone who tests well in the athletic tests may not be a footballers left toe . But a footballer like a Brayshaw would need to show a good level of fitness in beep tests the 3k to be the real deal. You would imagine natural footballers like Brayshaw would test well in the kicking handballing test.

The dees knew what they were getting with Angus as he had done pre-season at the dees pre draft .