Still reckon we take a small fwd, be it with pick 8 or trading GCS pick forward into this year

6 minutes ago, adonski said:

Still reckon we take a small fwd, be it with pick 8 or trading GCS pick forward into this year

Essential. The neglect of the small forward at Melbourne is a concern. Sure we have Kozzy, but if Chandler is up the ground again we severely lack a small pressure crumbing forward.

Especially when you consider our forward like having the lack of pressure with JVR, Melksham, Fritsch, Mihocek…

6 minutes ago, BC_1718_DC said:

Essential. The neglect of the small forward at Melbourne is a concern. Sure we have Kozzy, but if Chandler is up the ground again we severely lack a small pressure crumbing forward.

Especially when you consider our forward like having the lack of pressure with JVR, Melksham, Fritsch, Mihocek…

Would I be right in suggesting we're locked into Nairn @ 7 with pick 8 still up in the air

Anyone mentioned Harley Baker?

Went down with an ACL and will be missing most of next year but looks like an solid outside player.

Twomey has him 22 in power rankings. I wonder how much his ACL has made him slide.

6 minutes ago, adonski said:

Would I be right in suggesting we're locked into Nairn @ 7 with pick 8 still up in the air

My read is Farrow and Nairn because Taylor/Cumming/Robey likely won’t slip to us

Edited Wednesday at 09:191 day by BC_1718_DC

1 minute ago, BC_1718_DC said:

My read is Farrow and Nairn because Taylor/Cumming/Robey likely won’t slip to us

Closest to the pin.

Someone convince me Farrow is a good prospect.

I've seen a lot of uncontested possession and lockout ours.

Also he doesn't have a weapon of a kick like Lindsay , havnt seen him take on dangerous options and nail those targets in the videos I've seen.

4 minutes ago, BC_1718_DC said:

My read is Farrow and Nairn because Taylor/Cumming/Robey likely won’t slip to us

I would be pretty happy with this. Wouldn't be surprised if we offered Gold Coast future 1st + 37 if Pickett is still available later on.

Edited Wednesday at 09:271 day by Random Task

I would love for a Taylor Dovaston double.

We aren’t picking nairn for picks 7 and 8. He isn’t in any phantom draft top 20 let alone top 10

54 minutes ago, Oxdee said:

We aren’t picking nairn for picks 7 and 8. He isn’t in any phantom draft top 20 let alone top 10

So we should be concerned the amateurs don't rate him a 1st round pick?

1 hour ago, Oxdee said:

We aren’t picking nairn for picks 7 and 8. He isn’t in any phantom draft top 20 let alone top 10

He's been touted to be around the early teens and being looked at by clubs like GWS and Hawks, so there's every chance.

Eagles: Duursma & CDT

Tigers: Robey & Grjl

Bombers: Cumming & Sharp

Demons: Taylor⭐️ & Farrow⭐️

That’s a winner winner outcome

I like Grlj & J.Lindsay/Farrow , but Taylor and Farrow would be great additions too

With all the players we seem to be linked with falling much lower than 7 or 8 in most phantom drafts/expert opinons, we could look to take the best at 7 (Robey, Taylor, Cumming, Sharp etc.) who falls through from earlier picks, but trade 8 out. Say 8 & 37 to GC for 15, 24 & F2nd (either 26 or 27 - ours or theirs). Then we could look at a Robey/Sharp/Taylor/Cumming, Pickett & Nairn combo, without over reaching for the later 2, while picking up an asset for the future.

3 hours ago, Oxdee said:

We aren’t picking nairn for picks 7 and 8. He isn’t in any phantom draft top 20 let alone top 10

I've got no idea why people come out with definitive statements like this when they don't actually know what they're talking about.

Twomey, The Age and The Herald Sun have all independently linked us to Nairn with our early picks and said we're heavily into him. Taylor has consisently gone against the grain with early picks. Just cos phantom drafts have players in certain spots doesn't mean he'll just blindly subscribe to them.

We may pick him, we may not. But "we aren't picking him" is just nonsense.

3 hours ago, Oxdee said:

We aren’t picking nairn for picks 7 and 8. He isn’t in any phantom draft top 20 let alone top 10

Oh my god he isn’t in any phantom drafts!! Quick, you better tell the clubs that rate him in the top 15 then so they can pick someone else !

My own view is that Viney should become a small forward and that we should pick midfielders at 7 & 8. I don't think Viney's disposal execution as a midfielder fits in with the needs of the modern game.

On 31/10/2025 at 22:43, Macca said:

Yes, spot on

Re Ollie & Trac ... when was the last time a team lost (arguably) 2 of their best players, prematurely, in one hit?

It's certainly not a common occurance

In the first few rounds next season there's a good chance that we'll be looking out for them, such was their dominance and influence

I started not noticing both of them in the last quarters of games in 2025. Normally, both would finish strong but not in 2025

Hawthorn lost Sam Mitchell and Jordon Lewis at the end of 2016, after the pair had come first and second in their Best and Fairest.

Cameron Nairn Draft Profile - Aussie Rules Rookie Me Central (formerly AFL Draft Central)

Medium forward who may play wing/mid. Strong over head.

With Melks and McAdam maybe in least season for 2026, ANB off a year ago and Fritter? out of contract?

Probably a medium forward with a big tank and marking ability would be preffered if ranked around there.

Only been in the State system one year so plenty of development in him.

Look good. Recruiter and the Phantom pickers do not always agree.

STRENGTHS:

+ Kicking
+ Leading patterns
+ Overhead marking
+ Running capacity
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Versatility

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Consistency
- Ground balls

11 minutes ago, Big Col said:

Hawthorn lost Sam Mitchell and Jordon Lewis at the end of 2016, after the pair had come first and second in their Best and Fairest.

Wow! That's ruthless!

I am always amused by the long list of names proposed ahead of the draft each year and the certainty with which people state their opinions.

The only phantom draft I take any notice of is Cal Twomey's.

He doesn't get everything right but he is generally close to the mark.

14 hours ago, BAMF said:

Anyone mentioned Harley Baker?

Went down with an ACL and will be missing most of next year but looks like an solid outside player.

Twomey has him 22 in power rankings. I wonder how much his ACL has made him slide.

I hadn't heard much about him but that's a good highlight reel. He's a winger. Not a position we're necessarily screaming for, and we've lately been using the Wing as a first year nursery. While Langford and Windsor did well there, I think the sides that prioritise using a dedicated classy winger tend to get some good benefit from it (eg. Nas).

So while we're not seeing him win hardball like Sharp does, he's potentially doing something more valuable in keeping the ball moving cleanly through transition.

Should also note that this is a strong year for South Australia, a lot of players in this squad are likely to go first round. Cumming, Sharp, Schubert, Marsh, etc. I'd be happy to see us get a couple of SA boys. I think the go home factor is far less of concern there than with WA.

Reading the tea leaves with the players we have been linked to and comments by the media and others plus what I think are our needs.

I think by the end of the first draft night we will have picked up Farrow, Nairm AND Pickett.

Will require us getting creative with pick 8,37 and/or GC first but we are the best at doing that.

Demonland disclaimer- I know very little about this draft. The above comment is only my opinion.

2 hours ago, Dee Boys said:

Twomey, The Age and The Herald Sun have all independently

I’d question just how independent those reports are. A lot of copying of home work in the draft media I’d suggest.

But Twomey said something interesting on gettable that a lot of clubs had Nairn highly ranked but no one leaked it to the media as he was all their secret.