mo64

It is, because it depends on what you are looking for in a player. Some players have had consistency of high performance at under age level for 2 years (Brayshaw), and you can guarantee that injuries aside, they'll walk straight in at AFL level, and be a 150-200 game player. Other players may have a potential higher ceiling to impact at AFL level (McCartin), but are physically not capable of playing straight away. I'd put Parish in the Brayshaw bracket, and Curnow in the McCartin bracket.

I remember a highlights package of Blease from a carnival game, and Liam Pickering was gushing every time he was involved. Late in the last quarter the commentators mentioned that Blease has had 8 disposals. This was a common trait throughout the carnival, and I questioned his worth. The standard reply went along the lines of him recovering from some illness. It was proven that Blease had an aversion to winning his own football. That was his ailment.

Kavanagh was ordinary in the VFL finals. People should learn to ignore what pick players were drafted, and look at their deeds.

Not sure what you're basing this on? His disposal and decision making at Casey and the seniors has been good. He's not an elite kick, but very few are.

You're going back 20-25 years to find one, but Neitz was a forward as a junior. We had some talented forwards in Lyon and Schwarz, hence Neitz started at CHB.

I disagree. Can't think of too many key backmen who convert to become a good key forward. People are overrating Frost as a forward. He competes well, but has poor skills. Max King may be a long term prospect, but aside from Hogan, that's were our potential key forward stocks end.

And he won't be able to break tackles that easy at AFL level. His disposal looks average if that's his highlight reel.

I could see GC taking him at 6, but would be staggered if we took him at 7. GC clearly have a player in mind who they knew will slide past 3 to 6. Parish, Francis, Curnow and Weideman could all potentially go at 3,4,5. We may know who that player is, hence we were desperate to get pick 7, knowing one of the four mentioned would still be available.

That was Schwab's theory during the "tanking years". Alas, it was a failure without good coaching and development.

Well said. You can add Beau Dowler to Hawthorn's early pick flops, and that was a year prior to Thorp.

Talking about Parish, not Francis.

Richmond also got a 1st rd pick and 3rd rd pick for Tambling from Adelaide. We got SFA for Toumpas.

That's a significant difference. The fact that he sees himself as a 3rd tall backman is a red flag if we're after a midfielder. He's a Brendan Goddard type, and Goddard has never really settled into a position.

What will hold Curnow in good stead as a forward is his endurance. A 14.5 beep test is pretty impressive considering he missed part of the year with injury.

I thought the same thing. Maybe a cross between Mundy and Rory Sloane. His kicking looks a bit average, and that was the knock on Sloane.

In reference to Collins, I always question if a key position backman at junior level is so talented and warrants a top 10 pick, then why isn't he playing as a forward? There has been numerous examples of talented forwards at junior level making it as a backman at AFL level, but you never see the reverse.

People on here say that every year around this time, because the devil they don't know is better than the devil they know. Depth of B and C graders isn't going to bring us success. We need some top end talent, so the likes of Hogan, Brayshaw, Tyson, Viney, Petracca, Salem, picks 3 and 7 developing into A graders is critical to our improvement. Top end talent brings the lesser lights along, not the other way round.

Not interested in a gun 3rd tall back or a swingman. Just give me a key forward or gun mid. Francis' 2nd game against Vic Metro was bog ordinary. He wasn't allowed to float on his own intercepting marks. I'm not sold on him.

Sorry, but you don't buy a house to live in it for 6 weeks of the year. Investment property hopefully, but it's a clear sign that he intends on moving back to Perth one day.

Sorry RB, but you are really just guessing. Can you even name one kid likely to be drafted in the top 10 next year? Anyone assessing our trade period as an A+ is an eternal optimist.

If Melksham and Bugg are "at least B graders", we have 10-15 A graders on our list. They are C graders at best.

Are you a psychologist? It's too easy to say that. It's almost like when people were saying that all those players that left Melbourne would reach their potential at another club, because we were considered a basket case. It never happened. Maybe Melksham's just an ordinary player. Time will tell.

If they're locks, we're in trouble. Melksham hasn't played good footy for 2 years, and Bugg wasn't offered a contract at GWS. I think Kennedy actually adds a point of difference if he takes the next step. He wasn't given consistent game time at Collingwood, and I think he has a higher ceiling than the other two.

The point you make is a good one. It basically comes down to ball movement into the forward line. At the few training sessions I attended this year, in the drills, the only players leading out from the goal square were Hogan, Dawes or Pedersen. For mine it was predictable footy, bigs lead, smalls crumb. There's no reason why a mid/small can't lead out if the delivery is good.

In the highlights package I saw of him, his first 2 kicks were right footed, and 1 went 50 metres. Some coaches have a directive to the players of kicking on your preferred foot.