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Would that be Jack & the Beanstalk??

Some of the trash I see written by Petracca here and on Facebook is astonishing. Criticise Goodwin, and the club's lapdogs come to gobble you up. But it's free reign on a player who continues to trend upwards. Astonishing. Trac had a great 2019 and was one of a few highlights amidst a [censored] disgraceful year. True testament to him and his character that he actually got better as the year progressed and our year was shot, and our on field "leaders" did little else but show up (Gawn the exception). We expect poor player performance, and celebrate mediocrity because, next to trash, it seems like gold. And yet, we hold "potential" in such high esteem that we often bury young kids under the weight of expectation and hope, and often take our frustrations out on them. Petracca is the new Watts. Good thing he's twice the player and 10x as motivated.

I havent invested much energy at all on researching the draft this year. Far too many times in the past have i got super excited about our draft pick based on what has been said about them in the run-up to the draft, only to be super disappointed a year or so later when they didnt match the hype.... or even come close. What has interested me reading the Draft threads this year has been the evolution of how people are talking about it. Plenty said early on that 1 and 2 were were almost certain to be fantastic players, but then the draft fell off a cliff. Now there are almost as many posters happy for us to trade DOWN the draft order, as we "can still get what we want" (Paraphrasing) I will stick with Young and Kemp at 3 & 8, but i have no idea about their likely quality so i cant even explain why. I do like the idea of Youngs kicking quality, but a certain J.Strauss once had me just as excited. Laser boot someone called him at the time. That went well. I will be feeling all warm and fuzzy draft night no matter who we pick, but absolutely nobody can be sure how well we drafted, and we wont know for a year or 3 regardless of who gets picked on the night. Im happy for North to "win the draft" again, as long as our players turn out better in the long run.

He's a 200cm defender who came back as an overage and was told to work on his intercept marking and offensive attributes by AFL clubs as he is quite quick for his size, but wasn't using it as much as he should have out on the footy field. He'd be a good prospect for us because he can also swing into the ruck if need be but also take the big talls like McKay or Lynch who are around that 202cm marking forward. Good prototype defender. No not at all. Since draft camp, Melbourne are having multiple interview with prospects like Young, Jackson, Ash and Robertson. It's not like Ash is out of the ordinary. Club is just getting all their formation in check now and doing their due diligence with a few draft prospects. Again, Melbourne are YET to make a decision at 3 and 8. Just doing what all clubs do around this time and just chase up more information and background checks. You blokes are reading way too much into this.

Jeff Whites son Kalani is a name to keep an eye out soon. Is dominating junior footy up in QLD as a bottom ager. Already has some height for a 12 year old, but one to watch!

The other reason why I think we are leaning towards Jackson with this pick is a half back flanker who use the footy fine are easy to find. Marty Hore, Luke Ryan, Zac Williams Tom Stewart are just a few gems who were all half back flanker that were picked late in the draft. A player in the caliber of Brodie Grundy and Max Gawn are very rare to find. It's no coincidence that the past 3 years these two have dominated All Australian selection. Grundy and Gawn are in their own league. Tim English will be right up there in about 2 years time. Bring in Luke Jackson means we are set for another 10 years in our ruck department and we can focus on other holes on our list for the next few years.

I'd rather Gawn take the title outright from Viney. But that's just me personally..

He is a gun and will only get better. And if he doesn't get 25 plus touches a game then I won't care, because most of what he does other footballers wouldn't even think of doing. He is very, very good at the 1% stuff.

He isn't far off that: 18.3 touches and 22 goals in 2019 in a team that came 17th with an ineffective midfield. Martin, Greene and De Goey played in teams that came 1st, 2nd and 3rd with excellent midfields. And each of those players has more experience as Petracca missed his first year from ACL. We gush over other team's players but often fail to give credit to our own - not saying that about yourself, just a general comment about DL.

He had a good Season in 2019, better than most gave him credit for, i believe. He can certainly still go up a notch or two. he has good balance, like Martin. he needs to use the ball better, but that is practice. Balance is a trait.

Good article on Petracca. Explosive Demon on the right 'Trac' to fulfilling lofty ambition

James Strauss had elite kicking skills. Just saying someone is a nice kick doesn’t necessarily make them the best pick.

I'm all for a genuine experienced forward coach, one who has played and/or coached forwards at AFL level. Not one of our coaches has. Our forward line was like Brown's cows this year and it wasn't just the delivery to them. It was so bad it was the major line coach change in the mid year re-structure with Rawlings replacing Rooke. Chaplin and Plapp stayed in their line coach positions. I can't see how we can not have a genuine forward coach, especially as nearly all our forwards are inexperienced or converted defenders. We have defenders coaching converted defenders to be forwards. This year we saw the results. Lewis is a kicking and development coach but will mainly work with the team in the pre-season due to media comittments during the playing season. And his remit isn't related directly to forwards. We haven't added to our forward talent in the off-season so our opportunity for improvement is (better delivery) and better forward craft and tactics. So, who will bring the latter as we have tried Chaplin and Rooke as forward coaches in recent years. Both have been moved to other roles. I vaguely recall Mahoney saying Rooke was being put back into the position he was originally hired for: development. They are not the answer. Just don't see how anyone can expect a more effective and efficient forward line with no key player changes without a dedicated coach. Gosh, at this stage I would even settle for a part-timer!

Pretty sure MFC bid on Green at 3. If GWS down trade for 2 x 2019 picks all the value will go on the match. Their best strategy is to trade 6 for a pick in the teens and a future first. That way only the teens pick and later picks get swallowed by the match for Green, the future 1st is quarantined. Possible clubs are Geelong, Port and GC (2020 mid 1st round compo)

Ash would be a sensational pick up imho. One of the best line breaker come ball users off HB along with Gould. Anderson obviously the pick of the three but no chance for us. Neither quite at the level of Young by foot over short / medium & long range and probably by hand either but still in their own rights very solid users. Ashes read of the play and run would worry many opps even at this early stage i reckon. A few years in the system and could be something very special. Gould and Ash very courageous in the air also.

Thank you Satyricon. I remember the time MFC were preparing for our preliminary game and there you were in the inner circles of the club at the last Gosch's paddock run. Meaning, the club absolutely trust you, your social skills and keeping confidentiality. I find you are generous with your time and dedicated to our cause. As I read the forums, you are more than happy to respond to questions about the team and in-fact encourage our involvement. I believe you would get to a 4.30am training if it was scheduled. You make it to most trainings even in inclement weather conditions. That droll wit and sarcasm are great. Your pics, summations and most post are needed and appreciated. As are your insights and inside information. Thank you again for your efforts, posts and follow-ups.

I can't believe I'm in the same boat. Converted Mrs Worship when she was 23. Thirty odd years later (emphasis on odd) she has "My Heart Beats True" tattooed on her forearm in red and blue musical notes. Doesn't stop her yelling "you and your bloody team" and "this is your fault" at me. Only thing that will stop that is a Premiership.

A really good article on the ups and downs of his career so far. Several clubs came calling for his services at trade time. A credit to both him and the club that they told them to go away. I liked this from the article: Petracca looms as a project player for Burgess, who already played a role in sending the Demon and teammate Christian Salem to Nike World Headquarters in Oregon, United States...They spent 10 days there before returning last week, completing a Burgess-designed off-season program, with some extra input from Nike specialists. Burgess doing his thing early. Petracca and Salem are two of our most talented and it will be massive when they both achieve their potential - hopefully sooner rather than later. It must also be confidence building for them that the club invests in their development in that way. Petracca is out of contract this year so the sooner he is signed up the better.

I was of the same view for much of the latter part of the season. Petracca was finally showing signs of maturing and even leadership on the field and a great deal of it was possibly going unnoticed because of the team’s circumstances. It’s so much harder to fire on a week by week basis when the team is unsettled and so many of the important components of the team are on the sidelines. He now appears to have passed his next test by coming back in good shape and raring to head into another pre season campaign. If his mid sized teammates all bring that mindset into 2020 it will represent a major contrast to how the team came into 2019 - they were an underdone and tired looking outfit from the start as evidenced by their failure to score in the opening game v Port and they were often blown away at the end of games. Tracc is one of those who is leading the way at the moment.

Massively appreciate the work you put in mate, even if I don't always agree with some of your views. Just wanted to say I couldn't agree more with this point of yours. We've had a handful of our own blokes this year either take or break or cancel their social media all together, all in the same year they were ridiculed for trying to raise awareness about these issues (banner run through), so hopefully that effort will be part of a journey towards changing some of that language and viciousness aimed at young men and women playing footy.

If the decision is between Young and Jackson whats exactly the rush? A lot can still change in 10 days. The recruiting team along with Goodwin and Matthew Egan will sit down over these next few days and have a few meetings over this and do more extensive back ground checks on both boys. They will also decide whether they do place the bid on Tom Green also? If they do then then that's Jackson and Young gone, and completely throws a spanner in the work in the 1st round, especially if GWS don't match the bid. Trust me, club hasn't made their decision as of yet.

Unfortunately Viney isn't that either. Probably the two blokes who I have seen become really animated on field are Gawn and Lever. To me these two are the stand out leaders for me personally.

Viney does not deserve to be a captain. He should stand aside. I sat next to the players race against Geelong this year at kardinia and was staggered at the lack of words from both skippers as they came out of the race. No wonder we were so flat that night. He doesn’t talk out on the field and is too busy trying to break tackles and prove how tough he is to actually focus on using the ball for the team’s advantage. His turnovers and moments of getting caught with the ball are always huge momentum shifters. I reckon he needs to focus on improving his game and leave the captaincy to someone else.

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True. It's when those opinions are put forward as categorical facts that it becomes tedious. We're all having a crack at picking the players we'd like to see and that's great but the reality is, none of us know whether Jackson will be boom or bust, or whether Young's foot skills will translate at AFL level. A little humility goes a long way.

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Really hopeful we'll get with Hayden Young. he's exactly what we need. and always get a bit nervous using high picks on interstate players with the go home culture in the AFL these days.

Demonlanders history has shown strong opinions and actually proven outcomes. 2014 - Petracca or McCartin. It was a landslide for Petracca as pick 2 as we all hoped Saints would take McCartin. CP5 has been proven and can get better. Brayshaw was a lock at pick 3. Tick.✅ Tick. ✅ 2015 - again a tough call of Parish or Oliver. It was debated but the majority favoured Oliver at our first pick (#4 after nominating Mills). Parish was good and had skills. Oliver was strong, fast and had dominant potential. Oliver’s selection has been well proven. Tick. ✅ It was Weideman or Curnow. Pick 9. The vote seemed to favour Curnow but marginally. Curnow had been injured but was aerobically a better option. Weid was seen as the Hogan/Weid (chf/ff) for the next decade. Not quite how it’s worked. I still have faith in the Weid however he needs this year or the light is diminishing. TBA. ? 2016,2017,2018 no first rounders due to 2015 future swap and then Lever (two 1st rounders) and May (Hogan’s pick). So it’s 2019. The poll shows Young #3 (elite foot skills, smart, aerial intercept) and Kemp #8 (pace, strength, versatility). These two have the vote but it’s a wider pack of options (up to 7-8 options with Stephens, Flanders, Serong, Ash, Robertson and now Jackson). JTs comments on Jackson have seen a gold rush for him as pick 3 as a raw Natanui like aerobic ruckman. His come to AFL post basketball and is a WA product. Speculative pick but he has supporters. Tom Green (Giants Academy) is Cripps like and if available would be absolutely the one. I’m in for nominating Green and see what the Giants do. I still support choice of Young who adds the elite foot skills we desperately need. He’s an excellent player who fits in. Kemp has all the abilities of superstar potential. A future ruckrover most likely. I think we can consider a 1st round starter in 2021 (post ACL). Wait and see now.

GWS get 20% discount on the bid pick points. They have to use their next highest picks in order. They would get Green and 43 as change from 14 and 17 on a bid at pick 3.

I wonder if all the media noise about us taking Jackson is intended to try and get Freo and/or GWS to offer us a better pick swap for #3.

I'd really love goody to encourage him to go for go goal more often and give some licence to take more low percentage shots He is terrific at finding team mates and setting up goals and you dont want to lose. But he has great instincts and is real spark plug. He had an excellent 2019, super consistent. I expect him to go to another level and if he does we will be in for a treat.

That’s essentially the old Academy/Father-Son bidding system. Now the AFL use a Draft Value Index which assigns a relative points value for each pick. Because Green is one of GWS’s Academy Players, they will get a discount so their pick 6 will beat our pick 3 and they’ll pick him up. If they trade 6 for 14 and 17, pick 14 alone wouldn’t be enough to trump our bid. I’m not sure on the value of each pick pick but 14 and 17 combined may not be enough to beat our bid.

We are more than due to get success from the father\son rule with Viney being our only success. Hopefully Yze's, White's, Schwarz's and Stynes sons can make us proud.

I am and she has beautiful teeth because of it.

Well, the good news is that is only about a ten percent improvement on his second half of 2019. Dustin Martin is another step up and I wouldn't want to be greedy, but for Petracca to be talked about alongside Greene and De Goey is absolutely a realistic goal. It would be a lot of fun to see how he goes when both he and the team are in form. As the article notes, the poor bugger was our leading goalkicker this year in a completely broken, injured and confused forward and half-forward line.

One down Geelong way comes immediately to mind dc.

i actually think the opposite. because of the afl's, protect the head, pay a free kick, a lot of players are now perversely putting their heads in positions that are extremely risky......just to win a free kick (and maybe show how tough they are)

This is where I’m at Jr. I’ve said it before, we didn’t do the trade we did with North to secure pick 8 then on-trade it to another team for two later picks. We went for pick 8 because we want a certain player.

Only in media and fans eyes. Pro recruiters will have had a view all along but it's not in the public domain. "Sliders" is a nuff nuff concept, if 10 clubs in a row don't select a player then that's where they're rated, but it only takes one club to really like a particular player for him to go earlier than expected so a "bolter" is possible.

I’m really liking seeing Pruess returning trimmed down. Whether or not he makes it is another question but there’s little doubt he’s trying to emulate Gawn’s example and why wouldn’t he!? He said when he came to the club he wanted to learn off Max and to progress into a better player, he’s got a long way to go but these are good signs.

"Melbourne is expected to call out West Australian ruckman Luke Jackson’s name with Pick 3" [censored] hope not.

In fairness to Saty your posts praising Kev's amazing training reports were thinly veiled attacks on Saty.

I would have thought that you have a better chance at getting a 200 game A grader with 2 picks inside the top 20 than 1 pick inside the top 10. Be interested to see any stats that prove/disprove this.

Geelong's 'audacious' move is old news taken from a 'Road to the Draft' interview with Wells a few weeks ago. Wishful thinking on Geelong's part. Their picks will all move down 3 spots after academy bids. We need to remember that pick 8 isn't just pick 8 it includes our 2020 first round pick, along with some later picks 26, 50 we gave North in exchange. In no way do their 14, 17 come close to what we paid for #8. If we must trade 8 go to GCS for 15 and next years first round or mid first round pp and something else from them. Pick 8 is in high demand. It has more value than just draft points. Why would we give up the chance to get a gem at #8 for several roughies late in round 1. Geelong a dreaming and we will look very silly giving up our 2020 1st round pick to North only to cough it up to Geelong. If we do trade 8 we sure as hell need to nail pick 3.

Not keen on that. 8 for 14+17 isn’t a good result. Getting 10+22 from Freo would be better IMO. I’d prefer we keep 3 and 8 and take them to draft though.

They started early again. I arrived as they were doing simulations. On the sidelines, our Chairman Bartlett as well as, Taylor, Mahoney, Richardson and Goody. They were regularly chatting away. Five coaches took the training. Mainly Mathews in the centre with the support of Chaplin, Egan, Rooke, Plapp and Stafford. Goody and Richardson watching on. The senior members included Tom Mcdonald, Max Gawn and Nathan Jones. Neville Jetta and Aaron Nietschke training in rehab. Jake Lever was running laps. Plenty missing today. Steven May, James Harmes, Jack Viney, Angus Brayshaw, Michael Hibberd, Jake Melksham, Mitch Hannan, Aaron Vandenberg, Sam Wiedeman, Oskar Baker, Jayden Hunt, Alex Neal-Bullen, Harrison Petty, Oscar Mcdonald, Josh Wagner, Austin Bradke, Ed Langdon, Adam Tomlinson and Harley Bennell. The simulations were of two types. Handball by the midfielders and a release when called by the coaches using half the field and 3/4 field with the ball starting in the backline. Interesting to see Joel Smith and Tom Sparrow working in the backline. Thought Jones was doing a lot of talk out there organising the plays. Our leads were very good as was the ball movement, The coaches encouraged the players to maintain their 'corridors'. After simulations, they went into the running programs. The bigger players running through the middle, end to end and the others put through gruelling 400 meter sprints. I really felt for them as it was repetition upon repetition. A few sat out some runs and in the last couple they were all running the 400's except for Jones who continued his end to end. After running, the elders finished up and the 1-5 yearers did ball drills at various stations. The young ones were very boisterous especially enjoying the drills that were competitive. I thought Clayton Oliver led the way in being exuberant, and they all seem to be energetic in between drills. I noticed a couple of players with niggles. Charlie Spargo picked up some calf soreness after a collision and had to leave the field. Kade Chandler had his left Knee strapped and was proppy at one stage. Joel Smith was holding his hip and didn't complete the running. Hopefully he is just on his own program. Standouts I thought were Tom Mcdonald, Kade Chandler, Nathan Jones, Clayton Oliver, Christian Salem and Christian Pettraca. There was a nice moment when Jetta welcomed Nathan back to training.

We sure as hell didn't give up a 2020 first rounder and pick 26 to draft a highly speculative, albeit exciting prospect with a couple of nice highlights but 0 runs on the board at any decent level of footy.

What a pr!ck of a rule. Completely against the spirit of the bid/bid match principle and borderline draft tampering

Sounds like we’ve adopted the one d***head at a time rule.