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WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - LUKE JACKSON

Lord Nev
Lord Nev
in Melbourne Demons

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1 hour ago, Clint Bizkit said:

Not thrilled about going for a ruckman when we are still two star midfielders and two star forwards away from being a top four contender.

That makes at least two of us.

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    21 minutes ago, old dee said:

    That makes at least two of us.

    At least 3 Old?

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    Seems to me that Goody and JT et al have decided that the ingredient missing from a team of competitive good footballers with the capacity when fit to be around the eight is X factor...these three in the draft fit that ... 3 Jackson, 10 Pickett, 28 Taylor... gambles but added to Thomlinson, Langdon, Brown and Bennell (and perhaps an Irish cat B rookie) gives the team a lot more versatility in 2020... I’m up for it..

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    7 hours ago, Supreme_Demon said:

    I am very conflicted...I do understand the "hype" around Luke Jackson. Big and strong and agile. But can he actually play AFL? Will he continue to grow beyond 200cms? Will his kicking improve? What if he wants to return to WA because of home sickness? These are all questions to be taken into account.

     

    Nevertheless, I still believe the best option is to put a sneaky bid on Tom Green so GWS have to take him early.

     

    Then go for the safe but guaranteed talent of Hayden Young with his sublime kicking skills and decision making. Something that the Demons have desperately lacked!

     

    It's about time the Demons have some more players that can actually kick well on the team.

     

    No more apple turn-over merchants!

     

     

    In the end, I will put my faith in Jason Taylor to make the right decision. It's his neck on the line if he stuffs up.

    I agree SD. as per my post, Jackson appears to a risk that JT may take.  But it is a mystery really and we wait 5 years usually to judge the outcome.  

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    On 11/21/2019 at 1:11 PM, ProDee said:

    Some thoughts...

    If Melbourne rate Jackson over Green then why would they bid on Green and potentially lose Jackson to the Giants, who it's believed won't match the bid ?   You may not agree with Taylor and co's player rankings, but if they want Jackson they can't bid on Green.  It's just common sense.

    Others are worried by Jackson's height.  He's 18 years old and two months.  He plays virtually all of next year as an 18 year old (Sept. 21).  Is it unlikely he grows another 2-3cm before he's finished ?

    Someone questioned his leaping ability.

    And he's got a great leap. He can really get over the top of them (opponents)... Peter Sumich

    From another - With a strong leap, competitive instincts, an ability to mark and also find the ball around the ground...  

    Others are saying he's not worth pick 3.  Pick 8 maybe, but not pick 3.  My answer to that is that the Giants will take him at pick 4.  How can he not be worth pick 3 if shrewd recruiters like the Giants will take him at pick 4 and overlook their academy young gun Green with Jackson as their preference ?  If he's worth pick 4 in the view of the Giants why isn't he worth pick 3 ?  Once again, let's talk common sense.

    I'm not fussed if you don't want Jackson and I'm not trying to ''convince'' anyone as to his merits, but some of the stuff being said doesn't make sense. 

    Apologies if this has already been covered either in this thread or elsewhere, but as part of the general testing that potential draftees go through either generically or specifically by individual clubs, is there any testing looking at whether players are likely to grow taller? Is there even a reliable (or semi-reliable) test to do so? Is it possible the club knows that Jackson is still growing?

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    Like all of us, I have no idea if Jackson will be any good.

    But the fact that he's from WA shouldn't alter our decision IMO, unless it comes down to a genuine 50/50 between him and a local kid. At some point you need to back yourself to retain interstate players. If he leaves down the track, so be it. Better than drawing a line through half the talent pool. The likely alternative (Green) is from NSW anyway.

    6 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

    is there any testing looking at whether players are likely to grow taller? Is there even a reliable (or semi-reliable) test to do so?

    Apparently they can get a pretty good idea via bone structure analysis (not sure how specifically). I read somewhere that he measured a similar height at the start and end of the year, and so is unlikely to have much growth left in him. Regardless, an extra 2-3cm means SFA in the scheme of things. If he's a bust, it won't be because he's too short.

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    10 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

    The only consensus is that opinion is divided on picking Jackson.

    Raw. Athletic. But footy skills and smarts need to be developed which raises queries and WA origin makes us nervous. Acknowledge JT experience gives us some cautious optimism.
     

    Interesting given we all had hoped that after the 2019 disaster that we’d grab a definite top gun youngster.  Suns concession robbed MFC as Anderson was almost unanimous when we had pick 2.   Young and Green other options but all the mail is Jackson at 3.

    I’d always prefer someone with footy skills and smarts over pure athleticism. It’s hard to teach footy smarts and skills as opposed to fitness. 

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    Too many here are evaluating Jackson on the basis he is only a ruckman.  If that were the case I'd agree it's a silly pick.  But Jason Taylor said that towards the end of the season he saw Jackson play forward and was impressed.  I imagine he was impressed because as a "ruckman" he kept getting the ball as a forward and having an impact both in the air and at ground level as the good tall forwards do.

    IMO we are looking at Jackson more as a forward than as a ruckman.  We might think he will go into the ruck when needed or when Gawn retires (many years yet) but we are planning for him to be a forward first.

    The lack of vision of his forward work is frustrating.  Many here have seen him play ruck (either live or through replay) but none have really seen him play much forward (with apologies to Chaser and Pennent), so the negativity is really based on a wrong premise or lack of knowledge.

    Jackson is a forward come midfielder (I know he's not a midfielder but he follows up and gets the ball at ground level) come ruckman for mine.  In other words he could be anything but is very likely to be something.  Too many clubs are interested for this to be a misplaced pick.

    I'm loving this draft.  We look like getting some really interesting and potentially exciting players and having said all that we still don't know what picks we'll have with the genuine possibility we'll trade pick 10. 

    What a great nights entertainment tomorrow.

    Edited by Baghdad Bob

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    • Like 15
     
    3 hours ago, grey wolf said:

    Seems to me that Goody and JT et al have decided that the ingredient missing from a team of competitive good footballers with the capacity when fit to be around the eight is X factor...these three in the draft fit that ... 3 Jackson, 10 Pickett, 28 Taylor... gambles but added to Thomlinson, Langdon, Brown and Bennell (and perhaps an Irish cat B rookie) gives the team a lot more versatility in 2020... I’m up for it..

    Mmm clarity, even without the cheroot! 

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    • Like 1
    3 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

    I agree SD. as per my post, Jackson appears to a risk that JT may take.  But it is a mystery really and we wait 5 years usually to judge the outcome.  

    we can judge along the way, there will be glimpses and flashes of brilliance i hope.

    The way i see it, he has a high ceiling so thats exciting enough. Just imagine him applying his athleticism as a  forward/ruckman/midfielder at 199cm potentially taller and definitely bigger come next year. 

     

    If the rest of the club hit there straps it will be the perfect environment for him to develop, along side a hungry Pruess and the best ruckman in the comp.  

     

    The thing thats bugging me the most at the moment is, if Hayden Young Slides to Freos Pick that we traded them and they take him at 8 or 9 or what ever it is! Surely weve had a chat and are aware of who freo are targeting..... then again probably not at all and he will be select right before our pick!!!

    Edited by Carn dees

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    Just listened to SEN for a couple of minutes. Someone on from Saints. Pretty sure it was their Head of List Manager James Gallagher, Gossige asked him if Saints had pick 3 who would they pick. He said unprompted, Jackson then mentioned Aish. Probably snakes and ladders but still that's what he said.  

    Edited by It's Time

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    1 hour ago, Baghdad Bob said:

    What a great nights entertainment tomorrow.

    Baghdad Bob, the Iraqi Minister for (Mid)Information .... the draft is actually tonight!

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    • Shocked 1

    Can't really seeing Jackson play too much next season. i know he's said he wants to play round 1 but i really think if we draft him 2020 will be a development year for him, learning the game and spending a lot of time in the gym. 

    not an issue at all but i don't think you'd draft Jackson if you're looking for instant impact. 

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    9 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

    Baghdad Bob, the Iraqi Minister for (Mid)Information .... the draft is actually tonight!

    Is it?  I thought the first round was tomorrow night and the rest of the draft was done on the Thursday night...?

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    9 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

    Baghdad Bob, the Iraqi Minister for (Mid)Information .... the draft is actually tonight!

    What!!!!  I'm due to go out!!!

    Ahhhh..........................................................

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    13 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

    Baghdad Bob, the Iraqi Minister for (Mid)Information .... the draft is actually tonight!

    Well Demonland has a lot to answer for in that case:

    2019 AFL draft

    First round: 7pm - 9.30pm Wednesday November 27

    Second round onwards: 7pm - 9.30pm Thursday November 28

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    9 minutes ago, Baghdad Bob said:

    Well Demonland has a lot to answer for in that case:

    2019 AFL draft

    First round: 7pm - 9.30pm Wednesday November 27

    Second round onwards: 7pm - 9.30pm Thursday November 28

    Maybe I'm wrong! Oh god, this would be embarrassing!

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    5 minutes ago, Axis of Bob said:

    Maybe I'm wrong! Oh god, this would be embarrassing!

    I am wrong. 

    I read the AFL headline advertising the coverage from 2pm. Apparently that's 2pm tomorrow.

    I don't know how I'm going to cope .... I'd been building to my emotional peak for this evening. I'm going to need a cold bath and some valium.

    Edited by Axis of Bob

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    1 minute ago, Axis of Bob said:

    I am wrong. 

    I read the AFL headline advertising the coverage from 2pm. Apparently that's 2pm tomorrow.

    I don't know how I'm going to cope .... I'd been building to my emotional peak for this evening. I'm going to need a cold bath and some valium.

    The recent series of posts make me wonder if you've pinched @grey wolf's stash?

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    5 minutes ago, old dee said:

    Beware of X WA players bearing gifts!

    Yep, I got a sense of that. He mentions Tim English, wjo I have only seen play well in 2019 as being a like-for-like, suggests that Jackson is a year ahead of him development wise. English took three years to play regular senior footy. Sumich then says that Jackson is ready to play AFL next year. The calculations are all off and suggests he is just looking to drive up the price/value on Jackson. 

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    1 hour ago, It's Time said:

    Just listened to SEN for a couple of minutes. Someone on from Saints. Pretty sure it was their Head of List Manager James Gallagher, Gossige asked him if Saints had pick 3 who would they pick. He said unprompted, Jackson then mentioned Aish. Probably snakes and ladders but still that's what he said.  

    Saints don't have stake in it now, so I'd take him at his word. If Saints didn't get Hill in, Ash would have made sense for them given their need for outside run, and he's a fair chance to go at pick 4 as it is.

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