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I am sick of all the Toumpas bagging on this site. Toumpas was a stand-out junior, with a bloody good attitude and strong desire to succeed. I am very confident he'll turn out to be a really good player for us. Ollie Wines is a gun. He went at pick 7. That means a lot of clubs had other players ahead of him. This stuff happens. I'll be happy with either Petracca or McCartin. Both have massive upside, albeit for very different reasons.

Dear god.

24 hours ago if you'd asked Melbourne supporters who they would choose between Petracca and Brayshaw most would say Brayshaw. 24 hours ago if you'd asked St Kilda supporters who they would choose between Petracca and Brayshaw most would say Petracca. 24 hours on with some quality twitter-driven rumours and Petracca is now viewed by Saints fans as the anti-Christ. It's a coping mechanism. October/November is a weird time. We wed ourselves to players, convincing ourselves that we're getting the right player regardless of where others rate them. We know so very very little.

It's made him taller!

Not an issue. This still qualifies you as an expert under Demonland law. Section 5.3(a) of the Act stipulates that "any poster who judges a potential draftee using online video footage only is to be deemed an expert in the field of draft selection". It's all there in black and white.

I'm still not excited by Scullys highlights package

The more i think about it all the more im simply confused. However. If I cast a glance over what StKilda is trying to do,I believe thats 17-18 picks over the next 3 years all from inside the first 3 rounds of the draft with heavy emphasis on rebuilding the list from the draft and a couple of buy-ins. This years draft has some very good talls and kp players and some very good mids, but next year is touted as a very good year for mids and not so for talls etc.. then again wtfrk ..lol But on that basis and if they want to start replacing their forward structure i.e get ready for life after Nick they wont find much next year where as this year offers up Paddy on a plate, if they want him. Would they take the chance and pass up McCartin ? Will be harder to draft another like him and everyone will be bidding for any on the market. This is the Sainters free hit. Its often proffered that you take the 'best available" but the best what ?? The best over all and how do you work all of that out or the best player per your needs. If StKilda are to have any hope of lifting off the bottom they need to impact the scoreboard. Who will kick their goals. They lack firepower. Their midfield needs building too. If StKilda is looking to reinvent itself over the next 3 years then they will languish if all they have up front is Saint Nick and Membrey. Membrey is not a McCartin ( or what Paddy should become in a few years ). Mids, they can get someone surely at 21 and 22 the draft is quite flat after the first half dozen prospects through to about 35-40 I personally feel McCartin is just too tempting a morsel to pass up for the Aints. I think its easier for them to make a case to pick Paddy at 1 than to take Petracca . It's splitting hairs perhaps. Glad Im not doing it

I am now seeing myself as the " grass is always greener" type of guy, because of this ND. I had accepted for quite a while that Petracca was the best player in the draft and that the Saints would naturally draft him. GWS are in love with him and wanted to give multiple early picks to get him. I then accepted that we would draft Brayshaw and McCartin and have come to look forward to this scenario. A KPF and a mid. Today in an AFL article, Saints Coach Richardson says that Petracca is the best player in the draft, but that a KPF is hard to come by and that they should look at taking him. If that happens, then we can pick arguably the best player in the draft, with pick 2 or 3 and have arguably the 2 best players in the draft with picks 2 and 3, yet somehow that is making me feel uncomfortable. I think I need this to be over, so I can move on with whoever we get.

Funny, in another thread someone said that the Trengove trade was going to get us Dangerfield.

tuned in heard Dwayne Russells voice Turned it off immediately A great reminder why I never listen to the radio

For those who are suffering from draft fatigue (and there are quite a few around) this is good stuff ~ Easily the worst AFL Draft preview youll read

Was never a realistic chance. Time to find a new source of information.

After just reading the AFL article quoting Richardson, I am now totally confused. He says Petracca is the better player, but getting a McCartin in the future may be very expensive and why shouldn't they just take him now and get him to fall in love with the club. I think I can safely say they will take one of them.

Yes, I wonder what player taken in the teens will end up being the best player from this draft...

65-35 towards mccartin now I am told, concerns about petraccas testing don't seem to have any merit this is about the fact mccartin is the key forward and midfielders will be easier to find

Brilliant write up R & Bb, to the point, concise yet so full of detail on what you saw. Keep it up.

By the sounds of things, Watts is training the house down.

Knowing our luck we will probably pass on petracca. Its how we roll.

"Isaac Heeney (Cardiff) H: 185cm W: 82kg Isaac was built in the Sydney Academy using DNA from Paul Kelly and an actual swan. This means he’s aggressive at the ball and mates for life." Comedy gold!

Just read that and so can you The Phantom Draft

I wouldn't worry, I think you're copyright is very safe.

watch his highlights on http://www.afl.com.au/draft/draft-machine as he hits many targets lace out, long and low or well weighted...

might have thought CP30 !!

We are in a good position.

or conversely one of these....

Thats the problem in a nutshell. The best 17yo doesn't necessarily turn into the best 22yo..... Oh crystal ball....

They're going to take McCartin now I'm sure of it; let's remember, Stkilda were contemplating swapping pick 1 with GWS for (before we got pick 3) pick 3 and 6- knowing that GWS were keen on Petracca and us keen on Brayshaw. When we were gifted pick 3 for Frawley and started mentioning Mccartins name it spooked them- they could no longer bank on McCartin slipping past both of our picks, so they keep 1 and take the forward they need. That article backs up those thoughts. Getting pick 3 has put a spanner in GWS's and Stkilda's plans. Delicious!

Oh dear, sorry Nut. The problem is you talk so much sense in a conversational and friendly way I forgot you. Actually there are a lot of good posters around aren't there. Your in the top bracket.

Will our kick outs improve?

I wonder if the Tom Boyd trade influenced St Kilda's thinking at all. Bulldogs paid an almighty price to get their key forward, and with Walker off the market, there's no guarantee of any high end key forwards being available for a while. They have one worthy of pick 1 available at cheapest possible cost. It's a big call either way.

Not anymore

I found dustin martin cocky and annoying. Lucky we went for trenners and scully.

That is disturbing on so many levels

Agree. Glad we're not in the position of the 'aints. All three of Brayshaw, McCartin and Petracca have had pretty dominant years and it's hard to split them.

Brayshaw and Petraccccccccca !!!! That would be Merry Xmas

What do you think the role of the AFL should be. The AFL strategy on this issue starddles the fence as it should. On one hand they are responsible for the Brand and competition and need to ensure that it is cklean and seen to be clean, and on the other hand they have to ensure that Essendon survive and remain a viable force in the AFL for the finanicial well being of the competition. The AFL is there to protect and grow the clubs including Essendon The AFL is also hamstrung in needing to get the Bombers cooperation with any sanctions. The demons who are financially reliant on the AFL do not want the AFL in costly legal battles with one of its clubs and noether do any other clubs in the comp. 100% of the blame for this matter lies with the Bombers. They instigated the supplements program after being warned against it by the AFL, they employed Dank and Robinsdon, they had poor or non-existent governance, they injected the young men employed by them and they have shown no acceptance of there reponsibility for this or shown any remorse for the wrongs committed. They paid Hird when the AFL clearly thought that he was suspended without pay and they have launched legal action to bury the evidence against themselves. Essesndon and Hirds approach has always been to attack the process and entties rather than answer the allegations. The AFLhave made mistakes but strategically they have always been in a no win position and were going to come out of this covered in muck. All the froath and bother over the joint investigation is likely to come to nothing. A federal court has already ruled that ASADA and teh AFL did nothing wrong. The biggest mistake the AFL made was not to ensure that the governance penalties handed out were not watertight and did not allow Hird and the Bombers to wriggle free.

A big bodied, explosive, ready to go mid who can kick goals and seems driven to succeed. What's not to like?

Picking top end draft picks comes down to an intelligent guess (at best) Drafting players at such a young age is in many ways a glorified lucky dip ... fingers crossed we pick 2 players that turn out to very good or better. If not, we should be blaming the flawed system rather than the recruiters. Blaming the player as some here are prone to do is quite ridiculous. It's not like these players pick a number for themselves in the draft - the clubs put that onus on those top end draft picks ... and the recruiters and clubs do not know anything of a definite nature. This time around, maybe it's our turn to get lucky

It is getting so close, very exciting. Wongs that is.

Quite.There is no doubt that records were kept and were either destroyed or removed from Essendon's possession. And while the coaching, medical and fitness staff must all be brought to account for this, the players are not without blame either for their part in this scandal. They have been the recipients of substantial amounts of information about the AFL's anti doping code and are aware of their responsibilities about what goes into their bodies. The evidence in the forthcoming tribunal will determine whether they are guilty of any breaches of that code and determine any sanctions. If found guilty, the interesting question will be whether they should benefit from the time elapsed between the beginning of the programme and the imposition of any penalty. I believe they should not because the delays have been brought about through the conduct of the club and officials including the issue of not being able to produce the records and then the subsequent Federal Court litigation. Incredibly, some of the major players in all this remain in control of the board, the senior coach and the medical officer. That's what really boggles the mind.

They can number backwards from 99 for all I care. Enough of this sentimentality (like the Blazers). Just put out a team that can play! GO DEES!!

That's exactly the point and why just having them play for no points is irrelevant to what this does to the rest of the competition. Any way you look at it other than them getting off completely the damage to next year's season is going to be considerable. Imagine the damage to the AFL brand and Australian sport in general if they get off completely because ASADA couldn't prove what they took because they didn't keep records. What a great precedent for drug cheating on a massive sporting team level. Just don't keep records and you won't have a problem. You can see why strict liability would be appropriate and the onus on the drug accused. In this case they all admitted having injections, so show us the proof of what they were or you are automatically banned. Getting ASADA to have to chase around and find out what they took is ridiculous.

Watched his highlights again today and his in close pack work is sublime plus he has grunt, burst and can mark. If the Saints pass, happy times.

Backing toump for a much improved 2015

Idgaf. Finally able to use one of the many acronyms I've collected from DL.

FFS the kid is 18 and full of testosterone. Give him a break. We don't need any more introverted shrinking violets. Love his attitude when he said pick me and I won't let you down. Any rough edges can be smoothed over. Show me anyone who is the full package at that age.

He does seem to have a swagger about him, but by god, we need some of that.

I think we win either way. We could do with another forward to help Jesse out for the next decade, take the pressure off him. But if Petracca does slip, we'd welcome him with open arms. I'm glad St Kilda have the tough decision to make and not us.

Would love to see Salem play halfback/midfield next year. The lack of footskills evident in most of the back six in the prospective round 1 teams on this thread is still a major concern for me. A half backline of Grimes, McDonald and Garland doesn't fill me with a huge amount of confidence. Defensively there's no worry, but none of them can split teams open with a 'one kick' play. Vince, Watts and Salem all have that ability and we need someone there to be able execute it. It's one of the reasons why Malceski would have been such a great pickup. We're a competitive team now. But we're still well behind when it comes to footskills. Even having a look at the replay of Gold Coast vs Melb from this year you can see how easily they move the ball from one end of the ground to the other. It's about being skilled. And knowing it. Grimes and Garland are perfect examples of players who doubt their ability to execute and therefore never go for kicks to leads that we need them to. They decide to go long to a contest or pointlessly backwards or sideways. Conversely, if you see some of Vince's kicks this year, he is confident in his ability and therefore regularly seeks those leads and targets that are in much more advantageous positions. Or at the very least, in positions where we see a 'metre gain'. I'm sure others won't agree with how simple that explanation is and that other factors come into play. But from my experience playing, and from what you can visibly see with attributes, it's really as simple as that. We need footskils in our backline if we're going to see a marked improvement in this competition.

Early? You are walking out of the cinema during the trailers, nah you haven't seen a trailer yet - you walking out during a Pancake Parlour ad...