With Preuss out and a cloud over Gawn's readiness will Luke Jackson get a call up for Round 1?

The players primed for a Round 1 debut from your club

MELBOURNE

Luke Jackson couldn’t have been more impressive as the No. 3 pick, playing ruck, midfield and forward in match simulation. But he would have to get past Tom McDonald and Sam Weideman, with Kosi Pickett’s best eye-catching on the track but the young Demon still finding consistency that will result in a VFL start to the season.

First-round draft picks Luke Jackson and Kozzie Pickett are firming for round one AFL debuts, with Melbourne development coach Jordan Lewis declaring the pair are on track to be unleashed at the first opportunity.

Dees draftees firming for round one debuts

45 minutes ago, Demonland said:

First-round draft picks Luke Jackson and Kozzie Pickett are firming for round one AFL debuts, with Melbourne development coach Jordan Lewis declaring the pair are on track to be unleashed at the first opportunity.

Dees draftees firming for round one debuts

That's big coming from someone like Lewis who has come from a club that didnt just hand out debut games right away.

Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Pickett debuted round one- he’s showing all the traits that Goodwin likes.

Would be a shocked to see Jackson- especially it being an away game, interstate, in heat (most likely) against a battle hardened WCE.

17 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Wouldn’t surprise me in the slightest if Pickett debuted round one- he’s showing all the traits that Goodwin likes.

Would be a shocked to see Jackson- especially it being an away game, interstate, in heat (most likely) against a battle hardened WCE.

Rnd 1 in Perth...  I reckon Jackson's a cert, in front of his family.

If both play who misses out?

7 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

That's big coming from someone like Lewis who has come from a club that didnt just hand out debut games right away.

2005: Franklin - round 1. Roughead and Lewis - round 3
2006: Birchall - round 1
2008: Rioli - round 1

Back when Hawthorn used to actually draft players with first round picks they did.

LJ and Pickett into the team....  cant remember the last time we had an injection of that much raw talent into the side.  Even when Scully and Trengove debuted, as excellent as they were they didnt have the X factor of our two new kids.

Im starting to get excited for Round 1.

To be honest I’m more excited at the prospect of Tomlinson, Langdon and Vandenberg also playing Round 1. 
Add LJ and Kossie as icing and talented kids learning the game, while the seasoned men provide the mettle and meat required to knock the Eagles off at home.

Of the two I'd be more hesitant to throw LJ to the wolves. Kossie I feel will have immediate impact. 

11 hours ago, dworship said:

If both play who misses out?

LJ only plays if Gawn doesn't imo. If Weiderman does play round 1 then LJ might get a look in. Both play and he won't. 

Kossie you'd think would slide in fairly easily. You could go either way with an ANB or Lockhart. If Spargo can get a game in the first half of 2019 then Kossie you'd think would be an absolutely shoein.

Looking forward to getting a glimpse of these two in red and blue during preseason practice games. That will give an indication as to their readiness for R1

3 hours ago, PaulRB said:

To be honest I’m more excited at the prospect of Tomlinson, Langdon and Vandenberg also playing Round 1. 
Add LJ and Kossie as icing and talented kids learning the game, while the seasoned men provide the mettle and meat required to knock the Eagles off at home.

These three (T, L and Vanders) are seasoned footballers, after all - and how good will it be to bring in the young guns progressively during the early rounds of the season, armour-plating the whole team. 

3 hours ago, praha said:

Kossie I feel will have immediate impact. 

I'm excited by Kossie, but he'd need to develop remarkably quickly to make an impact at AFL level this year IMO. He's obviously a high impact per possession player, but he simply couldn't find the footy at the national champs last year. I reckon he'll show glimpses, but it might be a few years before he makes much impact. 

2 hours ago, Moonshadow said:

Looking forward to getting a glimpse of these two in red and blue during preseason practice games. That will give an indication as to their readiness for R1

I seem to remember JKH turning it on as a small forward in his first ever preseason match and convincing us he was the Wiz 2.0. Still, I'm keen to see how they go.

4 hours ago, PaulRB said:

To be honest I’m more excited at the prospect of Tomlinson, Langdon and Vandenberg also playing Round 1

Agree, if these 3 all play good footy for us this year it will make a huge difference (especially Vanders - he'd be one of our first picked if he wasn't always injured). 

5 hours ago, praha said:

Of the two I'd be more hesitant to throw LJ to the wolves. Kossie I feel will have immediate impact. 

LJ only plays if Gawn doesn't imo. If Weiderman does play round 1 then LJ might get a look in. Both play and he won't. 

Kossie you'd think would slide in fairly easily. You could go either way with an ANB or Lockhart. If Spargo can get a game in the first half of 2019 then Kossie you'd think would be an absolutely shoein.

i disagree about Jackson only playing if TMac and Weideman don't. the key to Jackson playing is his versatility.

he can chop out in the ruck for 5 minutes a qtr, which Max needs, or go forward at times to stretch defences as a 3rd tall, or at least help keep the forward structure of 2 talls when one of TMac or Weid is off the ground. he can also be used on the ball, or even as a winger if needed.

he's like having 3 players in one. i'd have him in for R1 starting on the bench and just use him for limited minutes wherever he fills a need.

HF    Fristch     Jackson     Petracca

FF    Kossy       T Mac         Melksham

is a bloody good fwd line.  everyone good below the knees aside from T Mac. most are quick and can pressure.  

very tough to match up on those 6

If the Weed plays well in practice matches he may get Jackson's spot but we shall see.  some competition up fwd is something we have not had

Surely Jackson plays round one.   Considering we are a bit weak up forward,  he could give Gawn a chop out,  and then go forward. 

2 hours ago, Demon Dude said:

i disagree about Jackson only playing if TMac and Weideman don't. the key to Jackson playing is his versatility.

he can chop out in the ruck for 5 minutes a qtr, which Max needs, or go forward at times to stretch defences as a 3rd tall, or at least help keep the forward structure of 2 talls when one of TMac or Weid is off the ground. he can also be used on the ball, or even as a winger if needed.

he's like having 3 players in one. i'd have him in for R1 starting on the bench and just use him for limited minutes wherever he fills a need.

Surely we all now know that "starting on the bench" means nothing. But I agree about managing his time which may be why only one of the Jackson, Pickett or Rivers plays round 1. It might put too much load on the rest of the team if they have to take up the balance of minutes not being played by the newbies

Round one here they come?

25 minutes ago, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Surely we all now know that "starting on the bench" means nothing. But I agree about managing his time which may be why only one of the Jackson, Pickett or Rivers plays round 1. It might put too much load on the rest of the team if they have to take up the balance of minutes not being played by the newbies

i'm not sure what you're getting at. 4 guys have to start on the bench every game last time I checked, so I did literally mean i'd start him on the bench. wait about 10 minutes for the initial sting to come out of the game then throw him on and he's away.

Kossie is a definite starter for Round 1. He is exactly what we have been missing and is a major part of the jigsaw...

I expect LJ to partner Gawn in Round 1. Especially, with both being able to play forward. This allows the ruckman to drop back in the centre of the ground for opposition rebound when we are in the F50.

The rucks can almost play the ground in half’s! 

18 hours ago, Demon Dude said:

i'm not sure what you're getting at. 4 guys have to start on the bench every game last time I checked, so I did literally mean i'd start him on the bench. wait about 10 minutes for the initial sting to come out of the game then throw him on and he's away.

Fair enough. I apologise.

 

I predict praccy games will show that the kids are still kids finding their feet. Cool our jets. Throwing them in against West coast over there and gws for 5 touches and a moral killer isn't the answer.