Even in wet wintery conditions, you can see the talent within this years group.   Vic Metro especially has a long list of talented youngsters.  Majority will be drafted or rookied once again. 
 

Levi Ashcroft will be a star.  A gift for the Lions.  Absolutely like his brother.  Jagga Smith is also the likely number 2 or 3 live pick.  He is exactly the quality young midfielder needed by the Dees.  

Saw the youngster Patrick Retschko again and he looked impressive to win the footy and perhaps not as super talented, he reminded me in style of a young Petracca. He could be a pick around the 35/40 mark and one of the JT diamonds.  (shhhhhh) 

Rookie Me Central have dropped their first draft power rankings (top 25):

https://central.rookieme.com/afl/power-rankings/afl-draft-power-rankings-june-2024/

Bo Allan likely to sit out this week for WA again 

A draft stacked with midfield talent is perfect because that has to be our number 1 priority. 

Just now, dazzledavey36 said:

A draft stacked with midfield talent is perfect because that has to be our number 1 priority. 

Yes, we need to build the next midfield dynasty as we did with Petracca, Brayshaw and Oliver in consecutive years.

2 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

A draft stacked with midfield talent is perfect because that has to be our number 1 priority. 

Loved Sid Draper's game on Sunday. He's the guy in that top 10 that has the traits our midfield is sorely lacking. Pace, polish and keeps on running.

21 minutes ago, ChaserJ said:

Loved Sid Draper's game on Sunday. He's the guy in that top 10 that has the traits our midfield is sorely lacking. Pace, polish and keeps on running.

Yeah a certain top 5 pick imo. I don't think he falls to our pick but if we continue to fall further back then who knows.

3 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

A draft stacked with midfield talent is perfect because that has to be our number 1 priority. 

Agreed - frustrating though that we also  have a poor forward line and an ageing Steven May and Max Gawn.

Our list management team has a challenging task over the next few years given Tasmania will be pilfering a few upcoming drafts..!

10 hours ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Yeah a certain top 5 pick imo. I don't think he falls to our pick but if we continue to fall further back then who knows.

Agree that he likely doesn't get to our natural pick, but there'll be a race to get Brisbane's pick amid Ashcroft bid shenanigans. We like to climb up the draft ladder, so maybe an opening there.

Edited June 12, 2024Jun 12 by ChaserJ

Be curious to see where Taj Hotton gets picked up on draft night with his ACL. Looked a serious talent earlier in the year with explosive pace.

Also keen to see Lalor in action.

Edited June 18, 2024Jun 18 by Nascent

Inevitable that Hotton slips down a bit as others get the chance to show their wares. It’s looking like a really even talent pool so he could drop lower than he otherwise should.

So the crop this year is much stronger than last year's (minus Reid)?

18 hours ago, Binmans PA said:

So the crop this year is much stronger than last year's (minus Reid)?

Yep, depth looks stronger. Smillie is currently in pole position for pick one, but there are 2 or 3 others that could challenge.  There isn't the standout talent this year at no.1. Beyond that, throw a blanket over 15-20 at this stage. I've really liked what I've seen at the Champs so far and there's a weighting toward midfield talent this year. That's accounting for the father son and academy tied players, of which there are a few.

It makes the conversation around potential changes to bid matching and DVI very interesting. Makes sense that clubs that were poised to capitalise on free (or at least heavily discounted) hits are outraged.  For the rest of us, opportunities abound.

Edited June 19, 2024Jun 19 by ChaserJ

While I'm on the topic of changes to DVI:

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-2024-draft-watch-column-changes-to-draft-points-bidding-system-clubs-like-carlton-angry-fatherson-and-academy-bids-explained-prospects-latest-news/news-story/7d5850311bce18851bf81dac321f6d7c

51 minutes ago, ChaserJ said:

While I'm on the topic of changes to DVI:

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/draft/afl-2024-draft-watch-column-changes-to-draft-points-bidding-system-clubs-like-carlton-angry-fatherson-and-academy-bids-explained-prospects-latest-news/news-story/7d5850311bce18851bf81dac321f6d7c

i think it'll be brought in for 2025 - carlton will make enough noise for it to be rolled out next season, not this 

which of course means that we will be the first club 'penalised' with kalani white coming through

4 minutes ago, whatwhat say what said:

i think it'll be brought in for 2025 - carlton will make enough noise for it to be rolled out next season, not this 

which of course means that we will be the first club 'penalised' with kalani white coming through

You just know this is how it will play out. 

Potential changes being floated by list bosses include:

- teams being able to match bids for Next Generation Academy players after pick 20, rather than after pick 40, or even no limitation at all like the Jamarra Ugle-Hagan draft;

- reduced discounts for father-son bid matching;

- limitations on how many picks can be used to match a bid;

- a reduction in how many picks have a points value, instead of the current system where selections all the way down to pick 73 are valued.

 

I don't mind the last two, some clubs have extracted the urine last few years.

But timing will no doubt be cruel to us.

11 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

i think it'll be brought in for 2025 - carlton will make enough noise for it to be rolled out next season, not this 

which of course means that we will be the first club 'penalised' with kalani white coming through

West Coast have Charlie Banfield next season and younger brother Harper the following year, these changes won’t help them either whilst they are in rebuild phase. Charlie is going to be a very good player 

Have you seen much of Luke Urquhart @Pennant St Dee? Has caught the eye for WA in their first couple of games at the Champs.

1 minute ago, ChaserJ said:

Have you seen much of Luke Urquhart @Pennant St Dee? Has caught the eye for WA in their first couple of games at the Champs.

Yes seen a lot of him big strong bull, but his disposal by foot is really poor. I know Hawthorn have shown interest in him but I don’t expect him to go early 

3 hours ago, roy11 said:

Potential changes being floated by list bosses include:

- teams being able to match bids for Next Generation Academy players after pick 20, rather than after pick 40, or even no limitation at all like the Jamarra Ugle-Hagan draft;

- reduced discounts for father-son bid matching;

- limitations on how many picks can be used to match a bid;

- a reduction in how many picks have a points value, instead of the current system where selections all the way down to pick 73 are valued.

 

I don't mind the last two, some clubs have extracted the urine last few years.

But timing will no doubt be cruel to us.

If NGA accessibility is relaxed, could be good news for us next year. Tairon Ah-Mu is a very promising fwd-ruck prospect coming through in next year’s group.

 

Edited June 19, 2024Jun 19 by ChaserJ

42 minutes ago, ChaserJ said:

If NGA accessibility is relaxed, could be good news for us next year. Tairon Ah-Mu is a very promising fwd-ruck prospect coming through in next year’s group.

 

sounds like picks under 40 are going to have no value ascribed to them

I read that the youngest McCartin brother is showing some good form down the Western Districts (Lorne?), albeit as a mature aged player (25). Swans and Pies have sent list managers down to watch him play.

Wonder if we are looking at him

National u/16 Championships commence this weekend I believe BVR has been named co-captain of WA

23 hours ago, ChaserJ said:

If NGA accessibility is relaxed, could be good news for us next year. Tairon Ah-Mu is a very promising fwd-ruck prospect coming through in next year’s group.

 

Have seen Ah Mu play twice this year and the kid is a beast. Absolute man child who's exactly a need for use being a forward ruckman.