2 minutes ago, MrFreeze said:

It will be interesting to see him develop compared to Travaglia who brings a similar skill set but is probably a bit tougher defensively 

Agreed, will Travalgia's intensity or will Lindsay's class win out

2 hours ago, adonski said:

Agreed, will Travalgia's intensity or will Lindsay's class win out

One thing about Travaglia is that he’s actually not quick (based on his combine results)

Unfortunately we don’t have any results for Lindsay as he didn’t test, but to the eye he seems quicker than Travaglia with better disposal to boot

Personally I would have taken Lindsay even if Travaglia was on the board 

4 hours ago, Pink Freud said:

I came across a poster on bigfooty who I think also posts here GoodoilBartul who has taken a swipe at Melbourne’s drafting and given it his lowest grade. 

This was partly based on his assessment of XL as follows -

“I'm not a huge fan of the pick at a basic level. He's a very good player bursting from stoppage but I worry about his distribution and ability to stand up in the heat of the contest as an inside mid and think his play as a free-wheeling player is over-rated. Happy to be proven wrong, but the Dees could be left with a mediocre receiver type or an inside mid who is too slight for the role.”

This runs counter to everything I saw of him in the National Championships, his disposal was neat, he attacked the ball strongly, got plenty of contested ball and in the deciding game of the series, there was no sign that he shirked any issues. His first quarter was superb. 

Any thoughts?

Thats a masterclass in contradiction right there.

Where new Dee draftee sees himself fitting in and what he considers his greatest strength

4 hours ago, Pink Freud said:

I came across a poster on bigfooty who I think also posts here GoodoilBartul who has taken a swipe at Melbourne’s drafting and given it his lowest grade. 

This was partly based on his assessment of XL as follows -

“I'm not a huge fan of the pick at a basic level. He's a very good player bursting from stoppage but I worry about his distribution and ability to stand up in the heat of the contest as an inside mid and think his play as a free-wheeling player is over-rated. Happy to be proven wrong, but the Dees could be left with a mediocre receiver type or an inside mid who is too slight for the role.”

This runs counter to everything I saw of him in the National Championships, his disposal was neat, he attacked the ball strongly, got plenty of contested ball and in the deciding game of the series, there was no sign that he shirked any issues. His first quarter was superb. 

Any thoughts?

Lindsay has a great footy IQ. Yes, he plays a lot outside (that in itself is not a negative) but he will tackle and be up for the hard ball when required. We have been crying out for on-ballers who think before they dispose of the ball to complement the crash and bash of some of our guns.

The positive is that I am going to be happy watching Xavier over the next decade plus in red and blue, and GoodolBartul has already stated he will be happy to be proven wrong.

Win/win.

11 minutes ago, Palace Dees said:

Lindsay has a great footy IQ. Yes, he plays a lot outside (that in itself is not a negative) but he will tackle and be up for the hard ball when required. We have been crying out for on-ballers who think before they dispose of the ball to complement the crash and bash of some of our guns.

The positive is that I am going to be happy watching Xavier over the next decade plus in red and blue, and GoodolBartul has already stated he will be happy to be proven wrong.

Win/win.

I think he might end up being happy based on this review of the deciding championship game from Rookie Me Central  ~

Scouting Notes: 2024 AFL U18s – Vic Metro vs. Vic Country

“#3 Xavier Lindsay (Gippsland Power)
Midfielder | 183cm | 03/08/2006
Stats: 30 disposals, 11 marks, & tackles, 6 inside 50s

Lindsay was absolutely immense and arguably the best player afield on Sunday, operating off the wing before a second half run on-ball. He racked up 11 marks and 20 uncontested possessions on the outside, using his running and powerful left foot as weapons to launch Vic Country inside 50. He was also prepared to do the tough stuff; like shirt-fronting Trainor, winning centre clearances late in the piece, and laying a clutch holding-the-ball tackle in the passage which led to the goal to put his side ahead. If anyone deserved the result to go their way, it was Lindsay.”

Xavier Lindsay is no shrinking violent when it comes to standing up in the heat of the contest. I watched that game live and then watched the replay and look forward to being around to see a long career from XL.
 

49 minutes ago, Whispering_Jack said:

I think he might end up being happy based on this review of the deciding championship game from Rookie Me Central  ~

Scouting Notes: 2024 AFL U18s – Vic Metro vs. Vic Country

“#3 Xavier Lindsay (Gippsland Power)
Midfielder | 183cm | 03/08/2006
Stats: 30 disposals, 11 marks, & tackles, 6 inside 50s

Lindsay was absolutely immense and arguably the best player afield on Sunday, operating off the wing before a second half run on-ball. He racked up 11 marks and 20 uncontested possessions on the outside, using his running and powerful left foot as weapons to launch Vic Country inside 50. He was also prepared to do the tough stuff; like shirt-fronting Trainor, winning centre clearances late in the piece, and laying a clutch holding-the-ball tackle in the passage which led to the goal to put his side ahead. If anyone deserved the result to go their way, it was Lindsay.”

Xavier Lindsay is no shrinking violent when it comes to standing up in the heat of the contest. I watched that game live and then watched the replay and look forward to being around to see a long career from XL.
 

Thought his highlights reel was very good and he was no shrinking violet. In fact was totally impressed and feel that JT would not pick a player who was not a reasonable or very competitive unit. 

7 hours ago, Pink Freud said:

I came across a poster on bigfooty who I think also posts here GoodoilBartul who has taken a swipe at Melbourne’s drafting and given it his lowest grade. 

This was partly based on his assessment of XL as follows -

“I'm not a huge fan of the pick at a basic level. He's a very good player bursting from stoppage but I worry about his distribution and ability to stand up in the heat of the contest as an inside mid and think his play as a free-wheeling player is over-rated. Happy to be proven wrong, but the Dees could be left with a mediocre receiver type or an inside mid who is too slight for the role.”

This runs counter to everything I saw of him in the National Championships, his disposal was neat, he attacked the ball strongly, got plenty of contested ball and in the deciding game of the series, there was no sign that he shirked any issues. His first quarter was superb. 

Any thoughts?

You're all shouting this post down but I was saying most of this well before we picked him too. Particularly agree with the worry about him standing up to the heat in contest - i see very worrying signs there too. He does not innately seek or initiate contact when he should and when applied to him, he receives it awkwardly rather than driving through it. It's a bad trait for a mid. He may make an ok half back but I have significant doubts overall. Like that poster, I'll be very happy to be proven wrong and I hope he's an all time great. 

Confident plenty on here would agree with the assessment if he was drafted by anyone else and assessed impartially. 

I mean everyone here seems to think Bowey wins contests, so I'm sure you'll be pleased with what XL does in that area too...

Lindsay may go on to be the replacement for Brayshaw that we need; a runner with high footy IQ who can play  multiple positions, read the play and make good decisions. If he can do that - and be a better kick - he'll be a valuable asset. 

3 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

You're all shouting this post down but I was saying most of this well before we picked him too. Particularly agree with the worry about him standing up to the heat in contest - i see very worrying signs there too. He does not innately seek or initiate contact when he should and when applied to him, he receives it awkwardly rather than driving through it. It's a bad trait for a mid. He may make an ok half back but I have significant doubts overall. Like that poster, I'll be very happy to be proven wrong and I hope he's an all time great. 

Confident plenty on here would agree with the assessment if he was drafted by anyone else and assessed impartially. 

I mean everyone here seems to think Bowey wins contests, so I'm sure you'll be pleased with what XL does in that area too...

Take the needles out of the eyes of his voodoo doll frappa, do him a favour!

5 minutes ago, speed demon said:

Lindsay may go on to be the replacement for Brayshaw that we need; a runner with high footy IQ who can play  multiple positions, read the play and make good decisions. If he can do that - and be a better kick - he'll be a valuable asset. 

And bring leadership, just like Gus...

3 minutes ago, adonski said:

Take the needles out of the eyes of his voodoo doll frappa, do him a favour!

No voodoo! 

Just calling it how I see it. First thing I look for in any draftee is how they approach contact. Very few can overcome it as a deficiency (Fritsch comes to mind and even then - he's fearless in the air) 

10 hours ago, Axis of Bob said:

It’s a trade that worked out well for both parties.

They may have received more if they traded it on the night but that would have been taking unnecessary risks based on the hope that they got a marginally better deal. They achieved what they wanted (ie, Kako points, a future first plus throw ins) and didn’t have to take the risk into draft night.

But contrast, Dodoro would have dragged it out and not been able to plan effectively for the draft because of the unknowns going into it, just in case they happened to get a slightly better deal in the night. It’s about winning wars, not battles.

They could have got north’s f1 on the night if a bid came for Kako before 9. I think they should have called other clubs bluffs. Kako top 15 not top 10. 

1 hour ago, Whispering_Jack said:

I think he might end up being happy based on this review of the deciding championship game from Rookie Me Central  ~

Scouting Notes: 2024 AFL U18s – Vic Metro vs. Vic Country

“#3 Xavier Lindsay (Gippsland Power)
Midfielder | 183cm | 03/08/2006
Stats: 30 disposals, 11 marks, & tackles, 6 inside 50s

Lindsay was absolutely immense and arguably the best player afield on Sunday, operating off the wing before a second half run on-ball. He racked up 11 marks and 20 uncontested possessions on the outside, using his running and powerful left foot as weapons to launch Vic Country inside 50. He was also prepared to do the tough stuff; like shirt-fronting Trainor, winning centre clearances late in the piece, and laying a clutch holding-the-ball tackle in the passage which led to the goal to put his side ahead. If anyone deserved the result to go their way, it was Lindsay.”

Xavier Lindsay is no shrinking violent when it comes to standing up in the heat of the contest. I watched that game live and then watched the replay and look forward to being around to see a long career from XL.
 

And he will only get stronger, and endurance better.

He has nouse.... you can NOT go to even Aldi and buy footy IQ 😉 👌 

Looking forward to seeing him develop  and play.

The IQ on the pitch is growing.  I think that's a positive. 

3 minutes ago, Pulp Fritschon said:

They could have got north’s f1 on the night if a bid came for Kako before 9. I think they should have called other clubs bluffs. Kako top 15 not top 10. 

North didn't have the other picks to give up to give Essendon enough points to match a bid I don't think, only having pick 2 & 60 odd and nothing inbetween 

3 hours ago, fr_ap said:

 i see very worrying signs there too. He does not innately seek or initiate contact when he should and when applied to him, he receives it awkwardly rather than driving through it. It's a bad trait for a mid. He may make an ok half back but I have significant doubts overall. Like that poster, I'll be very happy to be proven wrong and I hope he's an all time great. 

You're 'aving a laugh mate;

4:04; initiates and lays out Trainor with a nice hip and shoulder right down the middle. 

BOG  VIC metro vs country 

11 marks, 8 tackles, 30 disposals, 8 score involvents. He was everywhere! 

20 minutes ago, Mouseymoo said:

You're 'aving a laugh mate;

4:04; initiates and lays out Trainor with a nice hip and shoulder right down the middle. 

BOG  VIC metro vs country 

11 marks, 8 tackles, 30 disposals, 8 score involvents. He was everywhere! 

 

Didn't say he can't find the footy. For what it's worth, Trainor's clumsiness contributed to that a great deal. 

To be clear I'm not saying he's Isaac Weetra - but if you have expectations of him being a good-great inside mid at AFL I think you're going to be disappointed. 

I see what I see - time will tell. 

2 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

Didn't say he can't find the footy. For what it's worth, Trainor's clumsiness contributed to that a great deal. 

To be clear I'm not saying he's Isaac Weetra - but if you have expectations of him being a good-great inside mid at AFL I think you're going to be disappointed. 

I see what I see - time will tell. 

He's  not an inside mid at all really ( so in a fashion I agree ) ... just an outside player who has ability to put body in when necessary and generally use it well. 

He's  clever. With multiple preseasons he will build.

Yes...time is like that  😀👍

4 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

He's  not an inside mid at all really ( so in a fashion I agree ) ... just an outside player who has ability to put body in when necessary and generally use it well. 

He's  clever. With multiple preseasons he will build.

Yes...time is like that  😀👍

No issue with that assessment or expectation...think a lot around here have a perception he'll be able to play inside.

1 minute ago, fr_ap said:

No issue with that assessment or expectation...think a lot around here have a perception he'll be able to play inside.

Don't need him to. 

He has other abilities,  and hopefully  they're deployed usefully. 

He won't  shirk though... he'll take the game on. 

Certainly an interesting  pick up.  Not expecting enormous things from him in 25.

26 onwards .....

21 minutes ago, fr_ap said:

No issue with that assessment or expectation...think a lot around here have a perception he'll be able to play inside.

We don’t need him to play inside he’ll be our Nick Daicos receive and connect player and he is good at that now and will get better with good coaching and development 

He’s never going to be a bull but we already have those - what we lack is skilled connection - he will help with that 

I was desperate for us to recruit Tauru and was really disappointed when he went to the Saints with pick 10 - I’ve since watched several Vic Country games and while still being disappointed we missed Tauru I see why we probably need a Lindsay more 

2 hours ago, Mouseymoo said:

You're 'aving a laugh mate;

4:04; initiates and lays out Trainor with a nice hip and shoulder right down the middle. 

BOG  VIC metro vs country 

11 marks, 8 tackles, 30 disposals, 8 score involvents. He was everywhere! 

The hit on Trainor and the impressive number of 8 tackles suggests that he’s not afraid of physical contact. 

18 hours ago, demoncat said:

One thing about Travaglia is that he’s actually not quick (based on his combine results)

Unfortunately we don’t have any results for Lindsay as he didn’t test, but to the eye he seems quicker than Travaglia with better disposal to boot

Personally I would have taken Lindsay even if Travaglia was on the board 

I think it’s dangerous to rely too much on combine results 

I’ve now watched enough game time of Vic Country to know that Travaglia is not slow nor for that matter is Harvey Langford (despite what the results of the combine suggest) 

Are they as quick as Windsor - no but their reaction time and speed over the ground is fine - I didn’t see either of them get run down from behind or fail to get to contests through lack of leg speed 

Travaglia is a real goer imo and deserves his draft selection at 9 he was a very consistent performer across all the Vic Country games 

The guy I thought might be worth our late pick was Floyd Burmeister but we obviously wanted to go with Johnson as someone that might have more impact in the next year or two given he is a mature body 

Don’t think we have any list spots left but Burmeister would be a better ruck forward option in the long term than Fullarton imo (taller, more mobile and shows more appetite for the contest) again just my opinion 

52 minutes ago, Sydee said:

I think it’s dangerous to rely too much on combine results 

I’ve now watched enough game time of Vic Country to know that Travaglia is not slow nor for that matter is Harvey Langford (despite what the results of the combine suggest) 

Are they as quick as Windsor - no but their reaction time and speed over the ground is fine - I didn’t see either of them get run down from behind or fail to get to contests through lack of leg speed 

Travaglia is a real goer imo and deserves his draft selection at 9 he was a very consistent performer across all the Vic Country games 

The guy I thought might be worth our late pick was Floyd Burmeister but we obviously wanted to go with Johnson as someone that might have more impact in the next year or two given he is a mature body 

Don’t think we have any list spots left but Burmeister would be a better ruck forward option in the long term than Fullarton imo (taller, more mobile and shows more appetite for the contest) again just my opinion 

Don’t get me wrong I still rate Travaglia and agree that combine results shouldn’t be the primary consideration for recruiters (Langford looks a lot quicker in footage than his 20m sprint would suggest)

I just personally think Lindsay’s skill set - including being a bit quicker and a better ball user - was more of what we needed with our second pick

We've come full circle...some footage of Lindsay matched up on Langford, albeit only a couple minutes worth as this is the game Lindsay did his PCL

A minor tragedy occurred in this game. Through one and a bit quarters of football we'd been treated to one of the best head to head battles of the year between Lindsay and Langford, directly matched up on each other in the middle and each at the absolute top of their game. Unfortunately we lost Xavier to a suspected PCL injury, cutting short the spectacle and probably cutting short his season given how few weeks we have remaining. In his one quarter and 4 mins of play Lindsay racked up 11 disposals and 5 clearances showing just how hot a start he'd made.