KingDingAling

Petracca is unlike any player I have seen. Whether that amounts to becoming a star is another thing. I am surprised with his consistency and resilience as of late though. I didn't expect to see a reliable player so early. At risk of jinxing the kid, he does look to be a great leader. Very impressed by his temperament.

No. Josh Kelly lowers his eyes better than anyone else in the competition. I actually watched him last year.

Stats don't tell you that Josh Kelly lowers his eyes better than anyone in the comp. Great execution as well. Kid is absolute class. If he does consider our club in the future it would be a massive coup. He is exactly what we need. Viney or Oliver getting the ball in Kelly's hands. Hogan would be happy to see that.

When you say it like that - Tyson, Salem and Hunt, for basically Kelly and pick 20. Pretty impressive trading/drafting. I am a massive fan of Josh Kelly, I think he is a future Brownlow winner. But Dom Tyson is no slouch, and has the points on the board, and Salem and Hunt have massive upside. Hunt might actually be one of the very few youngsters in the league with more upside than Kelly. Hunt could end up better than the lot of them.

Essendon supporters seem pretty happy with Dodoro. That is all he should care about.

Gee Essendon would be licking their lips. I am glad we don't have a first round pick to give them.

I'm glad we don't have first dibs at the moment. Otherwise that would mean the Western Bulldogs would have first dibs on their kids.

He wasn't even much chop on supplements. Hopefully provides some good depth at Casey though.

I will be pleasantly surprised if Melksham makes the grade next year.

One of our rookies was upgraded for him, got the chance, and is playing good footy. At least we are getting something out of that wasted pick on Melksham.

I will continue to back Petracca for the rising star - as I have for a while now. He would've been a very big kid if he had of started in his first year. An extra year in the gym, a year in the system, and a year with the group. Petracca is going to be the guy to beat for the rising star, and that is even if he starts round 4-5. I remember watching him as a junior and thinking to myself that he was on a different level to other players. I never expected we'd land him. I have - and will - continue to back him for the rising star. The only thing that has changed is that I am now also backing Oliver (as a saver), and maybe more than that, he is transitioning well, he is a logical threat. I backed Cripps ahead of Hogan last year, so I am not much of a punter. I didn't expect Hogan to be that dominate, and think it is positive for us - and him - that he was/is.

I agree. Pretty easy decision. Petracca, Brayshaw, Viney, Oliver and Salem, are as promising as any young midfield in the game. That is a relentless, tough and classy midfield. After this year, I expect Gawn will also be a top 3 ruckman in the league. Whereas Sandilands is on borrowed time.

It is pointless playing him in the two's when he is one of our better players in the one's (at least he was today). Pick players on form. He doesn't deserve to be dropped back to the reserves, that wouldn't be a good precedent to set, we should be rewarded our young players when they have good games - as we did with Brayshaw last year.

No they didn't, especially Plowman.

GWS had 11 picks in the first round of the 2011 draft. It was a very substandard draft (if you go look at it, not many have fired a shot, very weak draft). But, to rub salt into the wounds, GWS on-traded two of their better selections (Adams and Tyson). Unfortunately for GWS they followed up the next year by taking O'rourke and Plowman ahead of Stringer, Wines, McRae. Both drafts weren't strong at all, but to on-trade two of your better picks, and to overlook some quality kids the next year. It isn't good drafting.

I know, it is disgraceful. The AFL shouldn't incentivize drug cheating the way they do. I expect they will do away with WADA soon. First the AFL reward Essendon (as a club) with inclusion in the upcoming draft, and then they reward the players financially. If the AFL get their way (and do away with WADA), then the next time this type of thing happens, they will just cover it up - like they cover everything else up.

Because Viney would've been worth bidding on. We still would've did the Hogan trade IMO. It is only speculation to suggest there was some sort of deal with GWS not to bid on Viney.

I always thought GWS should've bidded on Jack Viney. We landed him at a bargain pick in the 20's, he was always going to be a top 3 player of that draft.

Yeah, I think he did. He was a little bit underdone. He definitely taken it easy. Pretty sure he got his jaw broken in the VFL that year also. It wasn't a consistent year for him, I know that much, he wasn't fully wound up. If I were GWS I would've taken him. Viney was a safe pick. Either way, I think GWS should cop more heat over their picks, than we cop over selecting Toumpas. Also, they seem to be exempt from criticism for targeting Scully as well (who has been an absolute failure).

I expected GWS to bid on Viney at the time. I think they should've as well. Hindsight is wonderful of course, and it would've been against the tide (for them to bid on Viney at the time), but they picked outsiders anyway (who since failed). I think everyone was surprised GWS picked O'Rourke and Plowman. Yet we cop heat over selecting Toumpas - who was rated higher than those 2. Viney was always going to be gold at 26. I think Viney held back in the Nationals that year, and that helped us.

I don't even think Ben Kennedy has had much opportunity. He looked very good during the NAB cup last year, and looked good in patches in 2014. Collingwood have just been blessed with such a dominant midfield, and even before 2015, they had Beams lock down a position in 2014 and have a great year. Beams left and Crisp, Adams and Sidebottom stood up. Kennedy just couldn't break in. He will be a good pick up for us, and I still think he'll be a top 10 player of that draft. Emma will be justified IMO. I like Kennedy, he is a go-getta.

Yep. Essendon would be in a lot more trouble if they didn't bend sides over during trade week. What is the value of Melksham atm? Carlisle? Not alot, about as much as it should've been during trade week. St Kilda paid massive overs for Carlise, us for Melksham. I'm more interested in our rookie upgrade atm though. On wards and upwards.

Nah that wasn't too bad. Better than the St Kilda one I heard last year.

First in - best dressed. Its a good problem to have. Oliver will be first to the football, I don't think we have much to worry about.

The thing I really love about Oliver is that after a couple of years in the system, he is going to run over players. Like literally run straight through them, he is a bull - as aggressive a draftee as I've seen. The fact that he goes for the ball at all costs means the opposition will have just 2 choices - get out of his road, or get stream rolled. I cannot wait to see the finished product of Clayton Oliver. The only comparison I can think of is Dangerfield.