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The only reason anyone would want Wines over Toumpas is because they thought we were going to draft him... So invested themselves in Oliver Wines. Fact is, he was never, ever rated above Toumpas by anyone. Don't get me wrong, I'll love Wines if we pick him, but Toumpas is a far greater prize.

Fixed.

Clean sweep with Broomhead.

Group hug?

Oh, I thought this was evidence of intimidation tactics employed by Haddad and Clothier in their interview process....

Over agressive post??

Good.

Someone posted that it is not entirely impossible to argue that Toumpas and Viney could both have been in the top 3 of this draft and Toumpas maybe even 1. If we do get Jimmy, then for 4 and 28 we have done brilliantly. For the ex player we have got Hogan, Dawes and Barry. You would have to say that is brilliant as well, especially in light of his first season with GWS. Then to add Pedersen, Rodan, Byrnes and another couple tonight is a really good turn around of our list.

Wrong. As yet Melbourne has not been charged with an offence and is not required to respond to anything.

i saw the thread title and thought, 'how many posts until the over-the-top, super-uptight, politically correct post'? answer : 7

Our team is desperate for class in the midfield, our team is desperate for good kicks to compete with the Hawthorn's of this world, our team is desperate for pace, our team is desperate for players that work hard and spread, yet some on here don't want Toumpas ? FMD.

FWIW I'm not a fan of mega-threads either and it's especially bad if you're using the mobile skin because you can't easily paginate on that skin. I also find the site is slower on my phone than it is on the PC, and that's in general not just when it's under siege (which it was tonight, users online record broken by a lot - the site's never in its whole history been hammered as hard as it was tonight). I don't know that having a million threads on the same topic is better though, which is what happens. I might have a look at the mobile skin at some point and see if I can improve the pagination on it. To answer your questions - I doubt the club was surprised that Toumpas was available, there have been rumours circulating in the last week that this would happen. GWS even took the players a few people mentioned they would. Also, the rumours that we were taking Wines were just hype built up by the media and footy supporters, I wouldn't assume them to be fact. In the end we'll never know who we would've taken if Toumpas was gone. The roar was because he had an army of family present at the draft. And there's an article on the MFC website where he explains his excitement: Jimmy over the moon at joining Dees Some snippets: "To be given an opportunity by the Dees is unbelievable. They have shown faith in me to Draft me … so it means a hell of a lot. I grew up playing for Lockleys Demons, so I had this [red and blue] guernsey on as a youngster at my home club in SA. The history of the club, being the first club, [which] invented the game - it’s a huge honour.” He was ecstatic that we picked him up. I seriously love this kid already.

Big talk is that GWS have headhunted Victorian based players who have played together from the U14s. They are deliberately getting all the mates together so they can build a family up there. Clever for them, but just peachy for us. Also i accidentally pressed the 'Bold' button and decided i liked it so i kept it.

Freddie Clutterbuck

I just wanted to put my draft thoughts on record. Melbourne's absolutely stuffed themselves with cake tonight. Did someone say CAKE? Toumpas will be a star. 200+ games Bulldogs have chosen very wisely with Stringer. A lot of teams are going to find it very hard to close down Stringer. 250+ games. Big call, but stand by it. Wines will be a good average footballer. There have been a lot of comparisons made about Wines, but I think he's more of a lesser version of Bartel. Probably gets about 150 games in his career. Probably a three club player trying to find the right fit. Menzel will be frustrated and never reach his supposed potential. 100 games. He'll never be able to get his fitness base high enough. Suffer Carltank! O'Rourke 100-150 games. GWS will be frustrated by his lack of development. Kennedy will be better then Hrovat. I don't know by how much. Macrae is a cog in a wheel. Will be a part of a team for a long time, but will never dominate. 200+ games Jack Viney will have endless comparisons between himself and Chuck Norris, if Chuck Norris ever played in the AFL. First player to get to 1000 games. Sam Mayes, will be frustrating. He has class, but I can't see his desperation to get the most out of himself. Upsetting, because he's a dees supporter and I wish him the best. 100+ games Jackson Thurlow could be anything. I really like Geelong's selection. Really good desperation and will be a vital part of their back line running out of defence. 200+ games. Just spilled my mind into a page. Sorry for the lack of readability.

Good thing it's not 2007.

Hey Denham. You can cop that too ya [censored]!

Apparently we've picked up a kid called Jack Viney at 26. Anyone know anything about him?

I like the way JT receives the ball in motion and delivers long into the forward line, to his forwards advantage. We need a couple of these types and the better skilled and hard they are the better. Fingers crossed. Viney to Jones to Toumpas ... kick long ... MITCH! Sweet, sooo sweet...

This view is so simplistic it beggars belief. It's as though you think Toumpas is never going to lay a tackle his whole career and just wait on the fringes of the pack for someone to hand it to him on a plate like some frightened little wide receiver! Read Quigley's mock draft write of him. Toumpas .... "Has added a few more strings to his bow this year and should end up being a good all-round midfielder capable of winning his own ball on the inside and then spreading very well to receive on the outside. "He passes off the ball and then works his butt off for 15-20 metres to see if he is needed to get the ball back or to tackle or corral the opposition. This bit of extra work on plays paid off time after time and saw him continually positively impacting plays." "His tackling is also very strong and his strength in the contest is also good for a guy who is not terribly big." And last but not least ... "Toumpas has leadership skills. He was the SA captain this year and it was evident that he was the leader out there. I could definitely see him captaining an AFL team one day." Take your blinkers of Picket-F ... this kid is TOP SHELF talent in every respect.

Worth having a look at Joshua bench. I went to school with this kid. Absolute freak. Hasn't got the height at all but he has speed and can move around the ground amazingly. Has a beautiful kick and being good friends with the kid I can tell you he is a very competitive kid and is a very very nice kid with a good heart which is what you need at a club. Call me crazy but I think he's worth a look at.

BH that just not true. As Neeld and Watts both pointed out last year Watts did not play as a loose man so it's strange that the idea he did persists (particularly from dees supporters). ' His ability to zone off and intercept the ball is a skill that takes courage, judgement and skill . When he does so he is still accountable for his man and so to do so is inherently risky as it leaves his opponent free. Few players have the nerve or skill to do that which is where the comparisons to Goddard come in. So given he has played his best footy down back and he has an opponent i would argue that in fact he plays his best footy with an opponent.

C'mon rpfc. Cut some slack, This is no ordinary American, this is an American Demon And people who live in Canberra should not throw stones (couldn't help myself)

These kind of posts make my brain hurt. Why do so many people automatically equate "class" with "soft"? I've not heard or seen a single thing to indicate that Toumpas is soft. I suppose it's the same logic that leads people to believe "inside" automatically equals "plodder".

This thread needs a picture of some sweet-azz lingerie models.

Agree wholeheartedly with the OP. It's like the club sat down on the bog, clenched it's teeth and shat the remnants of the failed Bailey/Prendergast era out in one big, foul motion. And boy didn't it feel good!

If the latest rumours are true and Toumpas is available at 4 it could go down as one of the sweetest drafts in history. How to transform your club in one off-season. Viney, Toumpas, Hogan, Barry, Dawes and Pedersen would be an amazing outcome.

From SEN: Toumpas - rapt, fanstastic character, leader. High end player, elite endurance, fits need and talent Overall philosophy. We are young, need mid depth, ready to go players, leaders, players who can find i and use it. Kent - Competitive, beautiful user, 60m kick, speedy Jones Box Hill, mid 188cm, 25yp ready to go, finds the footy, has great stoppage hands Terlich 22yo in the system as a young kid. Didn't adapt but has come along way, elite user off half back, ready to go. Nervous when he read Jacks name out. Nearly mucked up the number Commentators Viney and Toumpas will play games early next year..

Honestly, let's look at our Football Dept's effort. They've turned 3, 4, 13, 27 etc. into Hogan, Toumpas, Dawes, Viney. That is a massive effort Dees Ladies and Dees Gents!!! Hats off to you good sir. Worst case scenario was, Viney, Wines, let's say Nathan Hrovat and who ever is left. Honestly, today feels like daylight robbery, without the gun in hand. Welcome Jimmy Toumpas, Jack Viney and others who I'm sure we'll get to know better. We're on our way.

Jeez, someone's gone early...

I played 5 yrs with him at Sth Croydon, good young fella who is a smooth mover with tidy skills. Needs to work on endurance but worth a crack. Will play half forward / wing. Good kid with a smart head on his shoulders, from a great family. Wish him all the best. I actually mentioned him a few times on Demonland as a player we have been looking at all yr.

It's course, it's lowbrow. It appeals to the lowest common denominator. I love it!

Its been a shocking trade/draft. SACK the board, sack the FD! We'll be forever cellar dwellers; scatterguns! Cant wait for 2013

Grundy is a huge slider.

Idiots on SEN. Jimmy is the anglo translation of the Greek name Dimitri.

He's also scored at a faster rate this year than any other (though that's not surprising). As a ludicrous stat, his 4 double tons this year have come at an average of 1022!

Well batted Pup. Hoping for Ponting sake he makes some runs in the 2nd dig here, or on a bouncy wicket at Perth. Else, it doesn't look good for Boxing Day. Only saving grace will be Quiney getting the chop before him if Watson is fit for 3rd test.

There is another option...that the #1 pick wasn't wasted but the first 2-3 years of his development were.

Excuse me, but stone throwing is what we do in Canberra. There is nothing else to do! That's not entirely true - we got our first Cinema last week. I'm off to see the big Bond flick - Dr No - it will be something.

"It seems like a great club and I'd be over the moon to go there." Jimmy Toumpas keen to join ‘awesome' Demons

More highlights of Jimmy Toumpas. Super impressive. http://draftmachine.afl.com.au/ A bit of Adam Cooney about his game.

I'll only believe it when I hear the name Dimitri Toumpas read out at the draft ... or if Caroline Wilson writes about it in tomorrow morning's Age.

Jokes aside, I tell you what.....what on earth kind of show is Adrian Anderson running here?? Hasn't he supposed to have had experience in being a lawyer? Why and the hell is he welcoming the Crows goodwill gesture? They are a team considering their position and have the nerve to soften any foreseeable penalties. If I was the AFL, I'd snigger and say thanks for the suggestion but we cannot accept it as the investigation and process is ongoing. And the commission will decide what it perceives as best. The football world knows that the Crows get Brad Crouch on the list as a player from last years mini draft. So losing picks for rounds one and two (picks 20 and 54) is hardly earth shattering given the magnitude of their salary cap breach. The Adelaide Crows are asking for leniency. I don't think clubs that faced breaches prior were afforded such. It's just another case of "bush week" down at AFLHQ.

Daniher aside, if we get Toumpas we will be getting the two players I would take at 1 and 2 for picks 4 and 27. GOLD.

Toumpas and Viney rounded out the top 3 in this year's Ben Mitchell Medal award at the AIS-AFL Academy, which was won by Joe Daniher. The Ben Mitchell Medal winner is the highest award given to a member of the AIS-AFL Academy squad and is named in memory of a former AIS squad member who tragically lost his life in a car accident on his way to training in 2002. All team members vote on the award based on the player who shows exceptional personal qualities, including; respect, honesty, skill and competitiveness. Jack Grimes is a previous winner, as is Jack Ziebell. If we're lucky enough to get Toumpas, along with Viney, we're bringing in a player of the highest character, as well as a gun footballer. In time, we'll have a leadership group that consists of Grimes, Trengove, Clark, Viney, Toumpas, Jones and Dawes. Talk about "culture changers".

Toumpas = blue chip. I've gone from faint hope he'll still be there at pick 3... to dismay at the fact we'll not be in contention for him... to delirious that he looks headed to MFC. Wines is a decent looking prospect, as is O'Rourke, but Toumpas is blue chip.

For mine it's quite obvious which is the easy choice to make. Ollie Wines may be a brilliant talent but Jimmy T fills a whole heap of needs for the MFC. We lack any midfield class, other than Jones and potentially Sylvia if he plays there we have absolutely no goal kicking mids. When Collingwoods forwards struggled this year, their midfielders picked up the slack and provided the class. Toumpas reminds me of Beams in a way, he's very much an outside player but when he needs to get contested ball he can and he is just a bonafide finisher. Melbournes smallest issue last year was contested footy. Im quite confused as to whu everyones opinion is that we so desperately need tough ball winners. We have a top 50 in the league hard ball winner and now the best inside mid in the draft. We actually won the contested ball on countless occasions but it was the spread and uncontested that we struggled at. We've added J.Viney who will increase that mdfield hard ball but we NEED someone to run and spread. As mentioned Wines will be fantastic but Toumpas if available would just hit so many more of our needs.

TS was just an elaborate ruse, thought up in the vault, to get Toumpas, Hogan and Barry. I'd say our recruitment department don't get the plaudits on that pickup that they deserve. ;-)