Another draft top ten. I have had somewhat less interest than in the past up until now for obvious reasons but who knows where we end up once the wheeling and dealing come out into the open.

6 hours ago, hardtack said:

I’m all for us getting in Lachie Dovaston, if we can trade ourselves into the first round. We need a good small forward.

Couldn’t agree more. With Kossie spending more time in the midfield we lose a lot in the forward line. Maybe Chin could interchange with Kossie one on one out mid / forward. If we play with speed on as King has pledged a good small forward that is a sniper around goals is essential.

http://bit.ly/4gtck7U

Sullivan Robey - watch this kid for Ranges this week

His eye-catching performances as a half forward who racked up huge possession tallies when pushed into the midfield was capped by a 40-possession, three-goal clash against the Western Jets only a few weeks ago.

It was only after Melbourne recruiter Jason Taylor interviewed him but was keen to keep their conversation under wraps that he realised he could be in draft contention.

Soon enough every club realised a player who they thought might be a draft smokey was on centre stage.

I wanted to get as far as I could with my footy and I was hoping to get onto a list or onto the VFL but it wasn’t until my first interview I thought, ‘I have got to be a chance here’,” he told this masthead.

“I hadn’t played any Coates League before so I didn’t know the standard but after the first two or three games I understood I could be comfortable and could excel on that stage.

“Melbourne was pretty intrigued and they didn’t want me telling anyone but that’s gone out the window now because people know.

“Them wanting me to keep it a bit under the covers made me feel they saw something in me that could work out. It gave me a bit of confidence.

“You think about the draft and what will happen but I am just trying to think about the week ahead. It’s a big weekend against Sandy and then it will be the combine and then the draft.”

1 hour ago, spirit of norm smith said:

http://bit.ly/4gtck7U

Sullivan Robey - watch this kid for Ranges this week

His eye-catching performances as a half forward who racked up huge possession tallies when pushed into the midfield was capped by a 40-possession, three-goal clash against the Western Jets only a few weeks ago.

It was only after Melbourne recruiter Jason Taylor interviewed him but was keen to keep their conversation under wraps that he realised he could be in draft contention.

Soon enough every club realised a player who they thought might be a draft smokey was on centre stage.

I wanted to get as far as I could with my footy and I was hoping to get onto a list or onto the VFL but it wasn’t until my first interview I thought, ‘I have got to be a chance here’,” he told this masthead.

“I hadn’t played any Coates League before so I didn’t know the standard but after the first two or three games I understood I could be comfortable and could excel on that stage.

“Melbourne was pretty intrigued and they didn’t want me telling anyone but that’s gone out the window now because people know.

“Them wanting me to keep it a bit under the covers made me feel they saw something in me that could work out. It gave me a bit of confidence.

“You think about the draft and what will happen but I am just trying to think about the week ahead. It’s a big weekend against Sandy and then it will be the combine and then the draft.”

Wonder if this is why it’s rumoured we want back into the first round this year

The art of the draft must surely be to be able to select a player who becomes an elite player but not necessarily at the cost of a top five pick.

The selection of Harley Reid at #1 in the 2023 National Draft didn’t involve any genius or inspirational moment on behalf of the West Coast Eagles recruiting staff but landing Murphy Reid at #17 was definitely a coup.

I would like to think that Melbourne could manage to somehow snare a pick around the 10 - 15 mark where it might land a player like Sullivan Robey or this bloke who @spirit of norm smith likes - I do too.

Both will be out there on the big stage of a Coates Talent League Grand Final at the weekend. As often happens, the good players rise to the occasion in big games like this one.

I know that I’ll be viewing with interest.

Wonder if we have a couple of late picks and list space if we’ll pick up Tairon Ah Mu and/or Latrelle Pickett. Wouldn’t be upset with that tbh.

These guys are running a draft series at the moment - I wonder how high they'll have Robey?

Ahead of the Coates League GF, the National Combine and State Combines

1st round (likely up to 30 selections) 

1. Willem Duursma VIC Midfielder 

2. Cooper Duff-Tytler  Vic Ruck 

3. Zeke Uwland(** academy GCS) Def Suns

4. Dyson Sharp. SA Midfielder 

5.Daniel Annable(** academy Bris) Midfield 

6.Dylan Patterson(** academy GCS) midfielder 

7.Josh Lindsay VIC halfback/quarterback

8. Beau Addinsall(** academy GCS) midfield

9. Sam Cumming SA midfield/Hff 

10. Sam Grlj VIC halfback/midfield

11. Oliver Greeves VIC midfield 

12. Jacob Farrow WA def/halfback/quarterback

13. Harry Dean (**Carlton f/son) def

14. Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves VIC midfield/HF

15. Mitch Marsh SA med/tall fwd 

16. Max King (**academy Swans)  Fwd

17.  Louis Emmett VIC ruck/fwd

18. Lachlan Dovaston. VIC sml fwd 

19. Archie Ludowyke VIC ruck/fwd

20. Aiden Schubert SA. Fwd/ruck

21. Zac McCarthy (**Collingwood NGA)key fwd

22. Riley Onley tall mid

23. Lachlan Carmichael(**acdemy Sydney) halfback/quarterback

24. Rory Wright. VIC Gun HBF/mid👍🏻

25. Fred Rodriguez WA midfield

26. Adam Sweid (*Ess NGA) small mid

27. Noah Chamberlain(**academy Sydney)

28. Xavier Taylor Key defender

29. Sullivan Robey 🚀VIC. Mid/fwd

30. Harley Barker. SA. Mid/wing

2nd round  31-52 

31. Jevan Phillipou SA. Mid/hff 

32. Cody Curtin Key fwd/ruck

33. Koby Coulson (* Suns academy)👍🏻

34. Matthew LeRay. SA. Mid/wing

35. Sam Swadling WA Mid 

36. Ryder Corrigan  (**academy Giants) 👍🏻 inside tough mid 

37. Harry Kyle. (*Swans academy ) halfback/quarterback

38. Jack Dalton. Sml mid. Accumulation 

39. Thomas McGuane(**Coll FS) ruck rover type mid

40. Blake Oudshoorn-Bennier👍🏻 mid. Think Luke Parker. 

41. Jett Dahlitz SA 👍🏻def/halfback/quarterback

42. Felix Kneipp 👍🏻skilled half back 

43. Tairon Ah-Mu Big key fwd 👍🏻

44. Jesse Mellor (*GEELONG NGA) hf/goalkicker 

45. Harrison Bridge (*Lions academy)elite Hbf 👍🏻

46. Louis Kellaway(**Rich FS)

47. Jai Murray (**academy GCS) mid 

48. Noah Roberts-Thompson SA 👍🏻mid/hff

49. Liam Hetherton (*academy Giants)

50. Latrelle Pickett🚀SA Glenelg Hff 

51. Kye Fincher (*Saints NGA) 

52. Kalani White(** Melb FS/ )💙❤️

3rd round + and rookie hopefuls 

Hussein El Achkar

Avery Thomas 

Jack Ison (*Carlton NGA)

Taj Murray. 

Sam Niklaus 

Xavier Bamert

Toby Whan (*Freo NGA) 

Sam Ainsworth

Tyan Prindable (* Lions academy)

Thomas Burton 

Blake Kelly

Zane Peucker 

Brodie Atkins

Zac Harding

Kobe Evans (*WCE NGA) 

Wes Walley(*WCE NGA)

Tyah Williams WA 

Hunter Wright👍🏻

Jobe Scapin

Toby Simmema (*Dees NGA)💙❤️

Callum Smith 

Blake Thredgold 

Cameron Nairn 

Hugo Mikunda

Aaron Sharkie

Finnegan Davis 

Sam Allen 

Oskar Taylor

Ben Rongdit (**Cats NGA) 

Andrew Barker 

Talor Byrne

Hunter Holmes 

Smokies 

Connor Ryan 

Tom Ryan

Sam Lewis

Jasper Russell

Oliver McKenzie. 

Mitch Moate

Harry Tatterson.

VFL 

Tom Blamires

Jackson Voss 

Taj Hayes 

Fergus McFadyen

That’s 95 players so like many years, a lot of good youngsters will miss out.  I would argue it’s not a weak draft year.  It’s okay. Some quality young players are even going to be available through the later group.  Some will be drafted, some will go on to play VFL/SANFL/WAFL, some will go on to local leagues and others pursue different paths in their lives and sporting careers.  It’s an exciting but anxious time for all.  Will they get drafted? Where will they go ? Will it be a move interstate?