I was surprised that Cal didn't link to us to Grlj, this week or last.

Edited yesterday at 06:101 day by 2021

Herald Sun Phantom Draft (Chris Cavanagh) - probably only available to subscribers.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-phantom-draft-who-every-club-will-pick-in-the-first-two-rounds-of-the-2025-draft/news-story/6a2eb3e6c910d247ce77e4a76d8d3c79

11. SAM CUMMING

184cm Midfielder/Forward, North Adelaide

Drafted: MELBOURNE

We say: There is a question mark over whether Cumming gets past Essendon, with the Bombers also believed to be keen. But the Demons would be delighted if he does slip through, with rival clubs believing he is Melbourne’s No. 1 target. A fierce competitor who has been likened to former Crow Rory Sloane, Cumming has power, speed and plenty of class. Originally from Wentworth in New South Wales, he moved to Adelaide for school and served as a vice-captain of South Australia at the under-18 national championships. Cumming looks to be an ideal pick for the Demons as the club seeks to rejuvenate its midfield after the off-season departures of Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver. He would be a third high-end midfielder drafted in the past two years, following Harvey Langford (pick 6) and Xavier Lindsay (pick 11) last year.

12. LACHY DOVASTON

178cm Forward, Eastern Ranges

Drafted: MELBOURNE

We say: While the Demons are all over Cumming, what they do with their second pick is a touch less clear. They have been linked to a tall and have done their work on Schubert, while Archie Ludowyke has been another name floated. But if Essendon get to Schubert first, Melbourne might change tact. The Demons have been linked to small forward Latrelle Pickett, who is a cousin of Kysaiah and a player they would love in their line-up. But it might be a bit early for that. It is not too early for Dovaston, though, who is the best small forward in the draft class. Compared to Nick Watson, he applies good pressure, works hard up the ground and has great forward craft to hit the scoreboard in different ways. Dovaston kicked 38 goals from 16 games for the Ranges — the second-most in the Coates Talent League — and took out the agility test at the draft combine. He has also been linked to other clubs including Hawthorn and the Western Bulldogs, but the Dees have the chance to get in first.

34. CAMERON NAIRN

188cm Forward, Central District

Drafted: MELBOURNE

We say: The Demons would love if Latrelle Pickett slipped through to this pick, but that doesn’t look likely. They may still be able to add a quality forward in Nairn, though, who has drawn comparisons to Bayley Fritsch. At 188cm, Nairn measures exactly the same height as Fritsch and similarly possesses vice-like hands overhead, a big leap and an accurate boot. The South Australian recorded one of the best individual performances at the under-18 national championships with a seven-goal haul in a match against Western Australia. Along with his strong hands, he also has strong endurance to outwork opponents and finished fourth in the 2km time trial at the national draft combine.

The more that comes out I reckon at this stage Cumming & Farrow are the front runners. Plenty to play out in the next couple of weeks of course.

5 minutes ago, Roddog said:

The more that comes out I reckon at this stage Cumming & Farrow are the front runners. Plenty to play out in the next couple of weeks of course.

Freo will be happy with that

On 02/11/2025 at 19:14, rpfc said:

Utter cope from DD and a few others.

Laughable.

We may be worse so that we can be better.

A few are going to be moping in their Carlton Draughts I think come May.

Placing May in the same sentence as Carlton Draught must have the media’s giblets all aquiver

4 hours ago, spirit of norm smith said:

@Turner Grlj at 7, Josh Lindsay at 8. We instantly improve our pace & run, and instantly improve our half back distribution. We can use speed on the ball or creativity to move it. Does that align with the King philosophy? I would think so

I know it was a later pick duo but why does Grlj/Lindsay feel like Blease/Strauss to me?

35 minutes ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

I know it was a later pick duo but why does Grlj/Lindsay feel like Blease/Strauss to me?

G

🤣🤣 those dark Prendergast days are well past us

Edited yesterday at 07:451 day by spirit of norm smith
O

8 hours ago, Roddog said:

Essentially put a line through Schubert and pretty confidently asserted we’re after midfielders. Specifically mentioned Robey (unlikely to make it), Sam Cumming, Jacob Farrow and potentially Xavier Taylor.

I know that there has been talk of this being a shallow draft, but at least some of the draftees will eventually turn out to be gems. Here's hoping it's one of ours. Targeting best available mids would seem to be a fairly solid strategy.

57 minutes ago, bing181 said:

I know that there has been talk of this being a shallow draft, but at least some of the draftees will eventually turn out to be gems. Here's hoping it's one of ours. Targeting best available mids would seem to be a fairly solid strategy.

For such a shallow draft, some of these later picks have amazing right -ups.

13 hours ago, Lil_red_fire_engine said:

I know it was a later pick duo but why does Grlj/Lindsay feel like Blease/Strauss to me?

I wonder if Blease, Strauss, Bartram, Morton, Toumpas and all of these guys would have ultimately become better and more competent AFL players in the current MFC with the ability to develop players?

8 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

I wonder if Blease, Strauss, Bartram, Morton, Toumpas and all of these guys would have ultimately become better and more competent AFL players in the current MFC with the ability to develop players?

No.

Most of those went to other clubs, and didn't do any better there either.

Just now, bing181 said:

No.

Most of those went to other clubs, and didn't do any better there either.

I know, but you have to wonder if the damage was done. It's an incredible effort to have so many first round picks be complete busts which is why i do wonder if some of them might have been okay drafted anywhere else.

Especially someone like Blease with that real pace could have slotted into a role and learned it really well and maybe been a really solid role player at a good club.

38 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

I know, but you have to wonder if the damage was done. It's an incredible effort to have so many first round picks be complete busts which is why i do wonder if some of them might have been okay drafted anywhere else.

Especially someone like Blease with that real pace could have slotted into a role and learned it really well and maybe been a really solid role player at a good club.

I think Morton definitely had the capacity as well. His first couple of years were great, playing more as a wing/HFF. Then they shifted him to defence where he really struggled, add in a few injuries and I suspect he really struggled to refind confidence and get back into form.

1 hour ago, Ted Lasso said:

I wonder if Blease, Strauss, Bartram, Morton, Toumpas and all of these guys would have ultimately become better and more competent AFL players in the current MFC with the ability to develop players?

Clint Bartram? He is the exception to this group, having played over 100 games before a degenerative knee complaint forced him into premature retirement aged 24.

In his first season, he played every H & A game, came fifth in the Rising Star award and was named Melbourne's Best First Year player.

2 hours ago, Ted Lasso said:

I wonder if Blease, Strauss, Bartram, Morton, Toumpas and all of these guys would have ultimately become better and more competent AFL players in the current MFC with the ability to develop players?

Why on earth would you include Clint Bartram, who got the utmost out of his limited talent ? He was also pick 60.

There are signs in juniors that could have precluded the Toumpas selection, i.e. his contested football percentage per possession. Perhaps Morton was the same in juniors, but I'm not sure.

Then there's the drive and mental makeup, which may preclude some players having successful careers. It's hard to know unless you're in the club.

Then there's simply dud recruiter selections.

Naturally, development programs at clubs are crucial and I suspect ours was sub par.

And if I was a failed early selection who played at the MFC during this era I'd probably hang my hat on poor development.

2 minutes ago, Gator said:

Why on earth would you include Clint Bartram, who got the utmost out of his limited talent ? He was also pick 60.

There are signs in juniors that could have precluded the Toumpas selection, i.e. his contested football percentage per possession. Perhaps Morton was the same in juniors, but I'm not sure.

Then there's the drive and mental makeup, which may preclude some players having successful careers. It's hard to know unless you're in the club.

Then there's simply dud recruiter selections.

Naturally, development programs at clubs are crucial and I suspect ours was sub par.

And if I was a failed early selection who played at the MFC during this era I'd probably hang my hat on poor development.

I was probably generalising, but we had a whole list of top end talent come through the doors that for a variety of reasons failed to become long term A grade players, i'll accept it was probably harsh to include Bartram specifically, but when you've got Trengove, Watts, Strauss, Toumpas, Morton, Blease, Cook and so on all taken as high end picks and basically none become A grade players, and really only Watts even became a consistent B grade player, that's more than just bad luck recruiting.

8 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

I was probably generalising, but we had a whole list of top end talent come through the doors that for a variety of reasons failed to become long term A grade players, i'll accept it was probably harsh to include Bartram specifically, but when you've got Trengove, Watts, Strauss, Toumpas, Morton, Blease, Cook and so on all taken as high end picks and basically none become A grade players, and really only Watts even became a consistent B grade player, that's more than just bad luck recruiting.

I assumed you meant Gysberts rather than the Daniher era Bartram.

9 minutes ago, Ted Lasso said:

I was probably generalising, but we had a whole list of top end talent come through the doors that for a variety of reasons failed to become long term A grade players, i'll accept it was probably harsh to include Bartram specifically, but when you've got Trengove, Watts, Strauss, Toumpas, Morton, Blease, Cook and so on all taken as high end picks and basically none become A grade players, and really only Watts even became a consistent B grade player, that's more than just bad luck recruiting.

Harsh to include Trengove, his career was literally killed off through injury. By the time he got back into the AFL the game had gotten quicker as he gotten slower which was impacted through his chronic injuries.

4 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Harsh to include Trengove, his career was literally killed off through injury. By the time he got back into the AFL the game had gotten quicker as he gotten slower which was impacted through his chronic injuries.

I'm definitely being very harsh on a lot of guys, i know Trenners personally and i completely get the hand he was dealt was [censored] in terms of footy, the irony being he's running better now than he ever has and his foot is no longer an issue.

My point is really that we have had a massive massive group of first rounders come though the doors and a really low % of those went on to become A grade players, for a whole host of reasons some totally out of our control. Some of it was definitely poor recruiting though, some of it was poor development and i am confident we're now in a much better space to recruit the right players and develop them well.

8 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Harsh to include Trengove, his career was literally killed off through injury. By the time he got back into the AFL the game had gotten quicker as he gotten slower which was impacted through his chronic injuries.

The writing was on the wall the day we played Carlton and he chased but couldn't catch the slow-as-treacle Brock McLean.

1 hour ago, dazzledavey36 said:

Harsh to include Trengove, his career was literally killed off through injury. By the time he got back into the AFL the game had gotten quicker as he gotten slower which was impacted through his chronic injuries.

It not only killed off any leg speed he had, it markedly killed of his strength over the ball which was an asset pre injury.

To think that Jack Trengove is younger than Jake Melksham and only a few months old than Gawn and May.

Yet he only played 10 games after the 2013 season.

On the current live Q&A with Chris Cavanagh:

5 minutes ago, BLWNBA said:

On the current live Q&A with Chris Cavanagh:

Hey that was my question 🤣

Reading the tea leaves I was getting the sense that we didn’t rate Grij as highly

Disappointing if that’s the case as I feel he has the tools to become a mid in the Butters mould

But as always in JT we trust