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Welcome to Demonland: Pick 5

ElDiablo14
in Melbourne Demons

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1 minute ago, Adam The God said:

Look, maybe I should retract my previous comment, because I'm not 100%. I thought Mahoney was often driving it, but as list manager, Tim would have played a significant role. But things don't appear to have worked as well since Viney and Mahoney left, so I can only assume they played a greater part. 

Last year we started off with 6 & 13 and ended up with 6 & 11 so not a lot of movement but we now know that we wanted to make sure we acquired Tholstrup so those 2 spots were vital

Let's say that the Tigers ended up with 4 or 5 1st round picks.  Would they be open to trading 1 of them so as to strengthen their hand in the 2025 off season? They are going to be in full rebuild mode but you can't do that in 1 off season

Meanwhile, we're still in the window but maybe that window isn't wide open next year but 2026 or 2027?  

Imagine going into 2026 or 2027 with Viney, Petracca, Oliver, Rivers (Sparrow in a defensive midfielder role) plus 2 more gun midfielders as part of the new breed

We'd be hard to beat

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    For us this draft has to be all about the midfield. We need to try to replicate the 2014/15 drafts.

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    If Nth want Trainor they may  consider a trade their pick 2 for our pick 5 plus ?

    That increases our chance of getting a gun.

     

     

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    39 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

    I'd absolutely be trying to be aggressive in getting access to two players in the top 15, and maybe even a third player inside the top 20.

    Perhaps we can split pick 5 for two picks in the top 15 if there are any takers. Depends how JT and co rate the draft but given its supposed evenness we might end up with two players we really like if the top 5 are lacking star power as has been alluded to

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    I’ve got a high degree of confidence we’ll extract a first rounder from either Brisbane or GC. 

    Where I’d go with a 2nd first rounder, I’m a bit torn between a small fwd (Joe Berry) that will help with groundball and ball movement in fwd half with a key back later on or flipping and selecting a key back (Alex Tauru my preference - scope for improvement is v high), and taking someone like Hannaford or Alger later on.

    Would rookie Mentha & Andrew as well.

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    3 minutes ago, ChaserJ said:

    I’ve got a high degree of confidence we’ll extract a first rounder from either Brisbane or GC. 

    Where I’d go with a 2nd first rounder, I’m a bit torn between a small fwd (Joe Berry) that will help with groundball and ball movement in fwd half with a key back later on or flipping and selecting a key back (Alex Tauru my preference - scope for improvement is v high), and taking someone like Hannaford or Alger later on.

    Would rookie Mentha & Andrew as well.

    Yze?

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    2 minutes ago, Adam The God said:

    Yze?

    Depends on what our list is looking like when we get to the draft.

    I’m not sure he’s shown enough, but maybe if we get him to train on leading up to the SSP period he could earn his way in that way.

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    7 minutes ago, ChaserJ said:

    I’ve got a high degree of confidence we’ll extract a first rounder from either Brisbane or GC. 

    Where I’d go with a 2nd first rounder, I’m a bit torn between a small fwd (Joe Berry) that will help with groundball and ball movement in fwd half with a key back later on or flipping and selecting a key back (Alex Tauru my preference - scope for improvement is v high), and taking someone like Hannaford or Alger later on.

    Would rookie Mentha & Andrew as well.

    I love the idea of Berry if we can grab him with a second rounder 

    Kozzy is the only small forward on our list who can consistently hit the score board while applying elite pressure (Chandler and Spargo more high half forwards) 

    Berry and Kozzie could absolutely cause havoc while also helping our ground ball and ball movement work

    Plus we may need another long term small forward if god forbid Kozzie leaves 🫣

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    17 minutes ago, ChaserJ said:

    I’ve got a high degree of confidence we’ll extract a first rounder from either Brisbane or GC. 

    Where I’d go with a 2nd first rounder, I’m a bit torn between a small fwd (Joe Berry) that will help with groundball and ball movement in fwd half with a key back later on or flipping and selecting a key back (Alex Tauru my preference - scope for improvement is v high), and taking someone like Hannaford or Alger later on.

    Would rookie Mentha & Andrew as well.

    This kids a gun. Athletic and aggressive and can play any position on the ground. Think he goes first round.

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    I agree with the mids philosophy for this draft.

    My days of going to champs etc. to scout potential draftees is long gone, so I'm left with youtube videos.

    Out of Langford, Smillie and Lalor I like Lalor based on admittedly scant viewing.  I just like the way he moves, makes decisions and his speed looks good.  A nice size at 187cm also.

    Langford also looks nice, but his and Smillie's speed is a concern, because we're already not blessed with midfield speed.

    So I keep coming back to Lalor.  Others may prefer Murphy and the elusive skinnier types, who'll bulk up in time.  I haven't seen enough of those.

    We need a star mid with a top 5 pick.  I haven't seen enough of Lalor to kinow whether he has that potential.

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    2 hours ago, Macca said:

    With a reasonable amount of depth with regards to midfielders in the upcoming draft, do we try and get another pick in the 8-12 area? (after somehow moving a pick in the 11-14 area up in the draft)

    The only way I could see that happening is if we swap next years 1st round pick for another club's 1st rounder this season

    There might be a club who believes we'll struggle next season so a swap of picks is feasible

    The Tigers could be a likely suitor as they might end up with a swathe of 1st round picks (To sweeten the deal we can add in a 3rd rounder or 2)

    Our midfield has a question mark over it and we need to start looking to the future in terms of replacing a player like Gus.  Viney is 32 next season and Clarrie & Petracca still need to get back to their best

    Rivers has stepped up to the plate but we need to look at 2026/2027 and onwards.  It's not always about the right now

    Ideally, I'd like to see us add 2 up and coming midfielders this off-season

    n.b. It should be noted that after finishing in the top 4* in 2023 we ended up with picks 6 & 11 in the draft (after Academy selections, 7 & 13)

    *Losing both finals dropped us down 2 spots in the draft order

    I don’t follow this closely but IMV our greatest need is pace around the middle . I sense the only really pace player we have picked up recently is Windsor .0 Perhaps he will end up as an on baller, but not yet 

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    19 minutes ago, Gator said:

    Out of Langford, Smillie and Lalor I like Lalor based on admittedly scant viewing.

    I’m with you. I think Lalor could be the best in the draft, from what I’ve also seen. There are so many parts of his game that should translate across at a high level. If we had to trade up for Lalor I would do it without hesitation.

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    27 minutes ago, Gator said:

    I agree with the mids philosophy for this draft.

    My days of going to champs etc. to scout potential draftees is long gone, so I'm left with youtube videos.

    Out of Langford, Smillie and Lalor I like Lalor based on admittedly scant viewing.  I just like the way he moves, makes decisions and his speed looks good.  A nice size at 187cm also.

    Langford also looks nice, but his and Smillie's speed is a concern, because we're already not blessed with midfield speed.

    So I keep coming back to Lalor.  Others may prefer Murphy and the elusive skinnier types, who'll bulk up in time.  I haven't seen enough of those.

    We need a star mid with a top 5 pick.  I haven't seen enough of Lalor to kinow whether he has that potential.

    It's a tough one Gator. I'm like you in that it's really only youtube highlights now. And having said that, I'd pick Jagga Smith if he slipped

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    37 minutes ago, Gator said:

    I agree with the mids philosophy for this draft.

    My days of going to champs etc. to scout potential draftees is long gone, so I'm left with youtube videos.

    Out of Langford, Smillie and Lalor I like Lalor based on admittedly scant viewing.  I just like the way he moves, makes decisions and his speed looks good.  A nice size at 187cm also.

    Langford also looks nice, but his and Smillie's speed is a concern, because we're already not blessed with midfield speed.

    So I keep coming back to Lalor.  Others may prefer Murphy and the elusive skinnier types, who'll bulk up in time.  I haven't seen enough of those.

    We need a star mid with a top 5 pick.  I haven't seen enough of Lalor to kinow whether he has that potential.

    Langford has size and aggression at the contest 

    Lalor has that pure explosive power

    Finn O’Sullivan is a classic swooper with balance and the ability to hit the ball at pace 

    Murphy Reid is just incredible class and creativity.

    And that’s without several other options.

    It reminds me of 2017: Rayner, Brayshaw, Dow, LDU, Cerra, (Stephenson), Hunter Clark.

    But I think these guys are better than most of those.

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    2 hours ago, Nascent said:

    Perhaps we can split pick 5 for two picks in the top 15 if there are any takers. Depends how JT and co rate the draft but given its supposed evenness we might end up with two players we really like if the top 5 are lacking star power as has been alluded to

    For the love of God no

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    52 minutes ago, Gator said:

    I agree with the mids philosophy for this draft.

    My days of going to champs etc. to scout potential draftees is long gone, so I'm left with youtube videos.

    Out of Langford, Smillie and Lalor I like Lalor based on admittedly scant viewing.  I just like the way he moves, makes decisions and his speed looks good.  A nice size at 187cm also.

    Langford also looks nice, but his and Smillie's speed is a concern, because we're already not blessed with midfield speed.

    So I keep coming back to Lalor.  Others may prefer Murphy and the elusive skinnier types, who'll bulk up in time.  I haven't seen enough of those.

    We need a star mid with a top 5 pick.  I haven't seen enough of Lalor to kinow whether he has that potential.

    Which of those is the best kick Gator?

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    Lalor has the Trac ceiling, but IMV, Langford has the Bont ceiling. 

    Both damaging, but different offerings.

    Edited by Adam The God

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    Definitely hold on to that pick 5. As Sydney has shown through it's wild academy gains, access to that top end is priceless and far better than having a couple of late 1st-round or 2nd-round picks. If you've got a few serious guns running around it allows you to focus on needs with the rest of your draft/trade strategy.

    Even Hawthorn, who actually blew a surprising number of their very high picks, show how much difference it makes to have just a few outright top players to provide a focal point for a team.

    In this draft I don't think it'll make a huge difference to go higher than five. I think the 7 to 5 jump in the very final round has done us a great service, though.

    It is fun watching people debate who we should go for or hope to have slide when the debate is entirely phrased in 'this one is great in this way, and that one is great in that way'. I approach the draft without fear.

    After 5, I'm big on a mid first and early second round pairing. One to get our own choice of the cluster of talls in the 15-30 range, and another to get our favourite slider of the group. I hold onto my Whitlock+Whitlock fantasy.

    Edit:

    Spent a little time watching some Lalor highlights since a few other people have been getting excited. Seems unafraid to make the bold kick and also doesn't try to rely on perfection - happy to send it to advantage and allow for chaos rather than try to control every outcome. I value that mentality. Has a lot of initiative (the shared feature of our 2019 superdraftees). What I found amazing was that despite having a body shape that reminded me of Nick Sautner, those tree trunks really pumped hard and got him from tussle to tussle at a pace that surprised opponents as much as it did me. He's the fastest Ent in the Moot, to be sure.

    Edited by Little Goffy

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    3 hours ago, ChaserJ said:

    I’ve got a high degree of confidence we’ll extract a first rounder from either Brisbane or GC. 

    Where I’d go with a 2nd first rounder, I’m a bit torn between a small fwd (Joe Berry) that will help with groundball and ball movement in fwd half with a key back later on or flipping and selecting a key back (Alex Tauru my preference - scope for improvement is v high), and taking someone like Hannaford or Alger later on.

    Would rookie Mentha & Andrew as well.

    Depends how we see the depth of the first round. We may even trade our future 1st if we the talent in this years draft.

    Next year we have White and Ah-Mu coming in as talls. Depends where we are thinking where they will go in next years draft.

    So we will likely stock up on future 2nd and 3rd rounders??

    This year YZE and Mentha may be late or rookie picks.

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    4 hours ago, Swooper1987 said:

    For us this draft has to be all about the midfield. We need to try to replicate the 2014/15 drafts.

    Absolutely farkkkkn yes !! Mids with first 3 picks. Casey and list is devoid of next level mids behind Petracca 29, Oliver 28, Viney 30. We would experiment with Riv and McVee which robbed us of our backline strength imv.  Absolutely mids a Priority !!!! 

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    4 hours ago, manny100 said:

    If Nth want Trainor they may  consider a trade their pick 2 for our pick 5 plus ?

    That increases our chance of getting a gun.

     

     

    North can get Trainor with pick 2. He’s what they need.  A taller player who can play back and set up attack or a marking forward who kicks goals. 
     

    Dees should KEEP PICK 5 (as is). No splitting.  @5 gets us at least either Langford, Lalor, Smillie.  Based on current trajectory and baring injury, are all highly likely to become elite midfielders.  

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    2 hours ago, binman said:

    Which of those is the best kick Gator?

    I'm genuinely not qualified to answer, but will keep looking at their videos.

    None look Gulden good, but they all seem pretty solid.

    On limited viewing I'd have Smillie and Langford as better kicks than Lalor, but I still prefer Lalor's all round game.  And it's not as though it's a major weakness.

    But others may have a different take.

    Edited by Gator

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    From what I've seen, Smillie kicks it better to advantage than anyone on our list.

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