He is still growing, and he is already an inch taller than Jeff White.

I think the draft camps records are safe, I can't see any clubs inviting him to the camps if he is that sure a number 1 pick.

stop your whingeing- as if natanui will turn out a mark Bolton- this kid is a NUMBER 1 DRAFT PICK

and exactly. jeff white is 195 and this kid's vertical leap is the biggest- could be competing in the olympics for high jump ffs

If he could do all of that then I'd say that this other kid who rucks like Naitanui and plays like Goodes will go at pick 1 before Rich and Naitanui.

That's good because the Kevin Sheehan who works as the AFL's national talent manager said of him (Naitanui) last year that he plays like a young Adam Goodes and covers the ground much better - and he was only 16 at the time. I'd like to see him in this year's national championships and I'm sure cousin dazzledavey36 will keep us apprised of his height and growth over the coming monmths.

being a cousin of naituni and speaking to him on msn i can say one thing for sure is that melbourne have been speaking to him! tells me he doesn't care where he plays as long as he gets drafted!

Hey Dazzler

Interesting stuff mate.

What I really want to know is if Nata is purely a ruckman, or is he a capable of playing in the mould of Buddy Franklin?

Cos as well know, Jeff White revolutionised the ruck position with his amazing leap. But thats all he could do. And then the rule change killed him.

This is what worries me about Nicholas. I hope he is capable of playing more than just ruck.

Maybe you can ask him on MSN.

naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaita

already has a nice ring to it

The way some people are carrying on around here you would think that we have the wooden spoon already wrapped up. This is being a supporter?

Well have a look at your avatar. Pot>>>>Kettle

Still a while to go with all this speculation who will be the #1 pick. Daniel Rich could have a massive U 18 National Comp and be the clear cut #1 by the end of it

still mate..Natanui will go number 1

How do you know?

Have you seen him play? Have you seen Rich play?

I, personally, would be more inclined to go for the midfielder in Rich. I don't think that ruckmen influence the game as much as midfielders. I think that that Rich would win you games of footy, while Naitanui is more fun to watch. But do we waste pick 1 on getting pretty hitouts, or on a dynamic goal kicking midfielder? Especially when our midfield is crying out for quality and Johnson looks like he could take over from White. I think that our main deficiencies going forward are midfield and a power forward. I don't think Naitanui helps us with either of them.

From what little I've seen of these players it will be a tough decision to make as they are so different.

who is to say he will be only a ruck man by the sounds of this kid he could be a kpp he could be as good as buddy love,we dont want to look like richmond who pick tambling intsead of buddy love, lance could be one of the greats of all time he will kick 100 goals this year if he players all year, just look at cox how much influence he has on a game, just hope he can kick well as i think most of todays player have speed a big jump, and jhonson his no good at all all of our ruckman are crap we gave away all of a our ruckman, also look at goods he was a ruck man but he does not hadly [player there,

He is still growing, and he is already an inch taller than Jeff White.

I think the draft camps records are safe, I can't see any clubs inviting him to the camps if he is that sure a number 1 pick.

If he makes the u/18 AA team then he'll get an automatic invitation.

just a question, how do you pronounce "Naitanui"? ... anyone?

just a question, how do you pronounce "Naitanui"? ... anyone?

Na - ta - nui

Although dazzledavey is the best one to ask by the sounds of it

Na - ta - nui

Although dazzledavey is the best one to ask by the sounds of it

true... true.. dazzledavey? what's your take?

No doubting he'll go in the top 10 given the hype but could easily be a "bust" player rather than a "boom" player

They said the same thing about Buddy.

Do we really want to end up being the butt of all jokes of the team (richmond) that passed up Naitanui.

I read an article saying he is going to be the biggest thing to ever hit the AFL. Bigger deal than Riewoldt was.

Also heard from a mate in WA that Rich will be a superstar. But then he said there is a difference, would you rather Kerr or Franklin..... I was sold.

They said the same thing about Buddy.

Do we really want to end up being the butt of all jokes of the team (richmond) that passed up Naitanui.

I read an article saying he is going to be the biggest thing to ever hit the AFL. Bigger deal than Riewoldt was.

Also heard from a mate in WA that Rich will be a superstar. But then he said there is a difference, would you rather Kerr or Franklin..... I was sold.

Agree, we need to take some risks with our high picks on big blokes, future superstars.. very rarely is a midfielder a superstar, voss was, hird and buckley ..... great players but true superstars?, judds on track to be one, and possibly ablett jnr, but comparing them to a KPP like Brown, Pavlich, Buddy, Carey in terms of influence on a game is chalk and cheese imho.

Geelong have one of the most talented selfless teams ive seen in a long time, but on his day Buddy could just burn them off his own boot, hes that special, we need to take the risk to get the next great thing that can break a game in 20mins over another midfielder, our midfield i think is ok with Grimes, Morton, Jones, Mclean and hopefully Sylvia in 3-4 years.. what we lack is the freak that oppositions just cannot stop, that could be Nanatui! (they say hes only been playin football a year and hes already considered the best ever seen by some recruiters??) thats enuff to get me excited.

We pretty much need to go for 2-3 high quality KPP's minimum, our forward line nor defence really looks promising at all. Rivers i rate, and i hope Frawley develops, Carroll should stay while we look, but we need a gun FB badly. Argh.. and our forward line - Miller? can he play FF...? hes not effective enuff anywhere we play him, Newton i like but seems a bit slow to dominate the forward 50...

Yze, Neitz, Hollard retire this year - JMAC should captain next year, White and Robbo's final year - move on Green and Bruce for picks this trading cycle, and we should have pretty much an entire list under 25 in 2010 that hopefully we can develop to get the big one. (hopefully this is when Brock steps up and assumes captaincy for the next 6-7 years) Probably pick up 4 wins next year, get a priority (which should trump even the GC picks), another low pick around 6 i guess after they grab their first 5, then in 2010 we will look dangerous (maybe finals) and hopefully 2011-2015 we can have a real crack at it with a core group of top talent thats been together 6-7 years.

The club needs to be transparent in its approach though, Green & Bruce unfortunetly won't ever play in a premiership for MFC, we are too far away, we can do good deals for them, they have served the club well but we are headed in for a few bad years either way and our club cant afford it. if we come out and say we are doing a necessary cleaning of house in order to tilt for a flag our supporters will stay on board i hope, If we go half-hearted and try and pick up 6-7 wins or even scrape into finals but never being a real challenger like the last 7 years we are gone.

I can take the pain if theres a solid plan to put as much chance into developing the next super list - A premiership isnt even neccessary to save the club though it would bloody well help - look at St Kilda fans the way they jumped on the bandwagon with their big expectations when they looked Dynasty set back in 2004..

The perception at Melbourne (not since the late 80's early 90's) has been that we were never really rated a genuine chance each year, we were surprise packets in 98 and 00, but because we had aging & retiring/moving players and never backed those years up we always never looked really dangerous or serious about taking home a cup, only through GOOD LIST MANAGEMENT can this change.

2010 will be exciting, 2011 and beyond if we make the hard choices this year will be real hope for the MFC. i beleive.

I hope Connelly and Bailey take the long term view and most of all i hope a stable innovative administration keeps us alive through the rebuilding.

Go Melbourne!

The thought of a 196cm excitiment machine in the mould of Franklin is getting me so excited that you wont believe it.

As I type this, my penis is rock hard.

If natanui is capable of playing forward with great effect, then we are set.

But I gotta say, I want Daniel Rich at the club.

As I type this, my penis is rock hard.

thats funny, when i want to control mine i usually think about football.

on a serious note......i have seen bugger all of both rich and naitanui, obviously i like what i hear. the issues for me are this; can naita play forward? what are his hands like? if he is purely a mobile ruckman i would probably go for Rich. And Rich......does he have blinding speed to break lines in the Judd mould? or is he a highly skilled one paced midfielder?

the trade period may well have the answers for us. assuming we get the picks we are all talking about, i would be prepared to trade pick 17 or 18 to get either a quality key position player (Ashley Hansen?), or a gun midfielder. then we take the appropriate player in the draft.

i gotta say though when it's 50/50 choice, you gotta go tall.

let me tell you something! he is seriously special! his leap is breataking and speed and also when he tackles he tackles like a true FIJIAN rugby tackle!! his hero is david rodan ( mine aswell) and he can play forward for sure. its like having adam goodes and buddy frankin rolled up in one thats how scary and freaky he is. trust me if we can land this bloke u all will be having sex with your partners but screaming the name Naituni Naituni Naituni!!

thats funny, when i want to control mine i usually think about football.

on a serious note......i have seen bugger all of both rich and naitanui, obviously i like what i hear. the issues for me are this; can naita play forward? what are his hands like? if he is purely a mobile ruckman i would probably go for Rich. And Rich......does he have blinding speed to break lines in the Judd mould? or is he a highly skilled one paced midfielder?

the trade period may well have the answers for us. assuming we get the picks we are all talking about, i would be prepared to trade pick 17 or 18 to get either a quality key position player (Ashley Hansen?), or a gun midfielder. then we take the appropriate player in the draft.

i gotta say though when it's 50/50 choice, you gotta go tall.

Reports from West Coast on DANIEL RICH.

http://www.eaglesflyinghigh.com/forum/view...37294825600dcc1

.

Excerpts from eagles supporters website>>>>.

""My daughter is friends with Daniel, and good friends with his mum. He is very excited about moving to Melbourne next year. His agent has already had promising talks with Melbourne based clubs.""

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Re: Daniel Rich

by MrWoollie on Sat Apr 19, 2008 7:03 am

""Is that because he would rather go to Melbourne or because he expects to go to Melbourne as the Perth teams picks are expected to be too late?""

Tanking - officially endorsed by the AFL and coming soon to a team near you.

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Re: Daniel Rich

by Crazy Dazz on Sat Apr 19, 2008 1:43 pm

""Is that because he would rather go to Melbourne or because he expects to go to Melbourne as the Perth teams picks are expected to be too late?""

""His MUM does not want him to go, but like a lot of teenagers he is keen to leave the nest and see the world. He is "not interested" in playing for the Eagles or Shockers.""

I have no idea about how good Natinui is compared to Rich.

But we need a great ruckman more than we need a great midfielder IMO.

Plus we can use him in the ruck and then around the ground get PJ/Meesen to wrestle.

Reports from West Coast on DANIEL RICH.

http://www.eaglesflyinghigh.com/forum/view...37294825600dcc1

.

Excerpts from eagles supporters website>>>>.

yeah, i've seen those opinions before and everytime i read them i want him even more. no mention of his speed though, which pretty much means he doesn't have blinding speed.not that speed is everything, but it would probably sway me if he did.

I personally think that a ruckman is not high on our list of priorities. But who cares what we need maore - it's pick 1 (potentially)!!! That's the time when you sit down, gather your thoughts and just say the name of the best player available to you.

And everyone who is looking at Nat like he's Buddy, don't. They're very, very different players. Buddy is freakishly talented. Naitanui is a freakish athlete. But he doesn't play like a power forward. Look at his stats - very low number of marks. If he was a power forward then maybe this argument becomes slightly different, but he isn't.

Also, with people saying we need to risk getting him to get a Buddy, how would you feel if we used pick 1 on Jared Brennan? The argument is the same. There's plenty of risk in picking him first.

Maybe in a different year he may have been a cetain pick 1. But the prevailing whispers seem to be that this year Rich is the best in the land.

But let's just wait until we can actually see them play in this year's national championships first before we label them.

As for the thoughts on us needing 2-3 KPPs, my thought is that we need 1 power forward only. Our key defensive positions I think are quite well set for the future, but we need a focal tall forward. If pick 1 isn't a power forward then we just pick the best available.

And everyone who is looking at Nat like he's Buddy, don't. They're very, very different players. Buddy is freakishly talented. Naitanui is a freakish athlete. But he doesn't play like a power forward. Look at his stats - very low number of marks. If he was a power forward then maybe this argument becomes slightly different, but he isn't.

Also, with people saying we need to risk getting him to get a Buddy, how would you feel if we used pick 1 on Jared Brennan? The argument is the same. There's plenty of risk in picking him first.

Maybe in a different year he may have been a cetain pick 1. But the prevailing whispers seem to be that this year Rich is the best in the land.

But let's just wait until we can actually see them play in this year's national championships first before we label them.

As for the thoughts on us needing 2-3 KPPs, my thought is that we need 1 power forward only. Our key defensive positions I think are quite well set for the future, but we need a focal tall forward. If pick 1 isn't a power forward then we just pick the best available.

won't argue with any of that. if Natanui is purely a ruckman part timing as a midfielder, then i wouldn't take him. if he can go forward, possibly permanantly and take contested marks, then he's the guy for us. i don't know enough about him to judge, but another issue is the short amount of time he's been playing the game. how much has he improved soo far? how much is he likely to improve? the comparison to Brennan is fair, and i wouldn't use the top draft pick on Brennan, but that is based on what the athlete has become. hopefully by the end of the year we will have a much better idea what the natanui athlete will become before committing.

My comparison with Brennan is not fair, just as the comparison with Buddy isn't. Naitanui doesn't appear to have the issues that are associated with Buddy and Brennan, so the comparison is more likely to be between Buddy and Brennan without Naitanui.

I suppose it comes back to the modern argument of athlete v footballer. Here we probably have the extreme of athleticism with Naitanui versus the outstanding footballer.

It will certainly be rivetting watching the rest of the season unfold.