Lil_red_fire_engine

Lever played another great game. As the third defender. The adulation at present comes from his reading of the play and his rebounding with good decision making not his ability to stop a primary forward.

With Talia and Hartigan at the Crows when does Lever ever play on a decent key forward? He looks great as a third tall interceptor but not much I have seen of him taking the number 1 job.

I had a good look at him last night and can see why we are interested regardless of his last name. We don't really have mids that have speed that can play outside and really push for metres gained. This and he still fits our competitive inside mantra. He can also add to our half back run creating further flexibility with Hunt for 2018. I suspect his outside game and kicking will also look better on the bigger space of the G. Its a matter of convincing him and the rest would take care of itself. You would think if he doesn't stay there we would have to be the option.

May is exactly what we need and should be gettable. He is out of contract. Convince him we are the home for him and the rest will sort itself out for something fair and reasonable. We also need to find some further outside midfield speed for the wings and flanks.

Ignore my post I thought he was out of contract end of this year and forgot he had signed an extension til next. I think if he was out this year he may have looked for other pastures, cant see Saints not persevering. For his style of play and body type and the way the game is going he needs a massive engine and he doesn't seem to have the capacity to build one. Think he will end up a good player but it will take time and good is his cap. He certainly is no Trac.

I reckon Paddy's next club will benefit. This all seems to be moving to him wanting to leave at the end of the year I reckon.

That appeared to be the case. Great double page piece in the Herald Sun today on Trac. The paper version has a comparison table of Trac v Fyfe v Bont and one other I cant recall on their first 25 games. Very comparable granted neither of the other two missed a year with an ACL. Curious to see if he starts in the pivot today?

But how many of the games elite stars (father sons aside) come from outside the top 10? You are certainly more likely to find them early.

I think he's well balanced. Accepts McCartin injuries aside will probably be a good player. The problem is they saw a massive whole in their list and just plugged it with the number 1 pick who best fitted need rather than chasing need later in the draft or through trade. It is pretty obvious Trac has special traits that you expect with a top pick and only his body or his application wil stop him being elite. The issue is with McCartin he will at best be a meat and potatoes good player. Would be an interesting discussion if they had taken Wright instead.

I have watched a lot of Essendon as the wife supports them. Melksham is fast and hard and most of the time is a good kick but will make two clangers a game that burn into your memory that will make you forget the good things he did. I suspect he will be a better player for us under Goodwin's tutelage and away from the distractions of the passed 4 years. At a minimum he will be an upgrade on the roles and performance of M Jones (19 games) and Harmes (10 games) and Wagner (14 games) played this season. I suspect though he will give us a lot more.

Has speed, has maturity, kicks goals and has played some bloody good football. Is also prone to making some absolutely appalling decisions, going missing and frustrating supporters like not many others. Pick 25 in a weak draft is worth the punt. Money seems fair although length of deal if 4 years a risk. Clean slate now that your a Dee Jake welcome aboard.

Make. It. Happen. Is all class and a good balance of inside and out.. At 25 is coming into his peak. I look forward to the numerous trade scenarios stating Hartlett for M Jones, Grimes and Terlich is fair.

I find Melksham very frustrating however we have two of his previous coaches at the club. If its 400k we will be paying him slightly over average AFL wage and I suspect will push him through the PSD. At worst he is a certain upgrade on our current midfield depth at best he is 24 and if he removed the errors in his game could be a steal for 3-5 years.

Based on the numbers touted, our need to trade in quality mids and the call that we will field a team of competitors I think him being gone is positive.

I watch alot of Essendon games with the wife. Melksham is extremely frustrating because he does some ridiculously good things immediately followed by ridiculously bad things. This inconsistency is within one play, quarter to quarter and game to game. We need true midfield depth and he is a mature bodied hard running 24 year old. I would not make this move and certainly not for a 4 year deal but I doubt he would cost the world and being the decision would be made by someone who has seen him up close I will back them in.

Hunt is clearly a delist and rookie option. Was speculative when we got him, has great attributes we don't have but a run of injuries that really haven't allow us to gauge whether he can apply them at AFL level.

I think we would have to pay well overs for him. Before looking at Suckling I would look at how well Malceski is doing at the Suns. These types of players always look alot better in good sides.

I think everyone accepts that we made the wrong choice. I would say the error for what we needed wasn't Wines but missing McRae who was the same type of player we needed and playing school footy with Viney. It doesn't mean Toumpas wont become a good player but time/contract is running out. As Jones mentioned in a recent interview and as shown over the last two game his best is good but the gap between his poor games is woeful.

great get. really adds something different to our side.

I love this time of year.

I don't profess to be an expert but I found Brayshaw on two viewings during the championships as underwhelming for a pick that high. Aside from knowing how to win the ball I could not see any elite quality. Can kick both sides but a lot of times those kicks were just a belt forward rather than quality disposal. Also appeared to lack pace and I believe I read had a low contested ball count. If we do have pick 2 and 3 and we keep both (which I doubt) I would be hoping for a Petracca/Laverde double. Both are good size, have speed out of the contest (which neither appeared to mind) and have a bit of x factor about them. A Tyson type trade that allowed us to land Laverde in the mid to back end of the first round if we thought would still be there would be the best outcome.

Which is exactly why I would look for the right trade if available and trade to the back end of the first round if required. I think you still have a good chance of landing a player you want.

It was well known that at U18s level the team were told just to kick it to where he was. He never actually learned to hunt the ball or read the play.

Petracca looks to tick all the boxes except for whether he has the tank to run hard both ways. He was clean and ferocious in the contest and showed good vision. He kept his feet well, looked explosive away from the pack with a good side step to go with it and can obviously kick a goal forward. Brayshaw looks a safe meat and potatoes mid and I found him a tad underwhelming. Ahern, Laverde and Blakeley showed a more exciting set of attributes for mine.

Jack I think this is more about is there clear top end talent that will be elite this year? I expect McCartin will go number 1 and even he did not look a sure thing. If in an even top 20 we think we can balance getting players we rate highly later and bring in players from other clubs and trade down then we should look at this. I hope that Petracca, McCartin and others have cracking ends to the year and others drive up their standing similar to McRae and Bontempelli in previous years because if nothing else it will drive up what clubs are willing to give to attain them.