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None of those forwards I mentioned are aerobic beasts in the mode of N Riewoldt, Brown or Richardson is what I meant and are more stay-at-home types. And from what I've seen and read Petracca is absolutely outstanding. Not many players are genuine inside and outside guns like he is, able to win their own footy and deliver and finish.

Had a look for it and can't find it. Certainly remember at the time though both TV and JV talking about how rapt they were to get Toumpas, and a JV interview mid season where he said he thought Toumpas was the classiest player in the draft and the one he most wanted to play alongside at the Dees. And yep, I wanted Toumpas over Wines. Still not completely jumping off the Toumpas bandwagon but Wines certainly shown a hell of a lot more to date.

Hawkins is probably the best KPF in the game and he doesn't go anywhere. Riewoldt, Kennedy, Walker, Gunston, Schulz etc don't stray too far from the forward 50 either...

Of course mate that's inevitable!

Agree with all that NB - surely you don't think any recruiters worth their salt would make their picks based on group think though? It's been documented how heavily Todd Viney was into Toumpas having known him well from SA days.

Yep correct. That's what this time of year is, final version time.

I think that's why him and Hogan would complement each other really well though. Hogan as the mobile CHF and McCartin at FF. Apparently his speed off the mark is excellent though and he's also meant to be terrific below his knees. To say his kicking is horribly average is completely ridiculous and shows you're not viewing him objectively at all.

I'm not saying you're not allowed to have an opinion, I already said a couple of posts above that I can understand it to a degree. But if you can find me an expert who doesn't have McCartin in the top 3 I'll be very surprised... Emma Quayle, Cal Twomey, Paige Cardona, Knightmare - these people get the phantom draft top 10's near enough to spot on year after year and they all have McCartin at 2 or 3, and they all say that he is an absolutely outstanding prospect.

Well why does every single expert disagree with you? No they're not right every time but they know a hell of a lot more than you or I.

Have heard the same thing from someone very close to the club a the time. It was Viney's call. Even Ollie's best mate Jack Viney when interviewed before the draft about which player he'd most like to see at Melbourne alongside him said Jimmy Toumpas. Said he'd played with him juniors in SA and was the classiest player in the draft and a terrific leader.

I understand your train of thought and agree we lack midfield quality AND depth, but with such early picks surely it has to be best available player? If none of those you mentioned are going to be an absolute blue-chip midfielder, wouldn't we go with the best player available which looks to be McCartin?

So what are you saying, that because recruiters inevitably don't get every pick spot on that we should steer clear of those rated in the top 3 for the sake of it? Of course it's an inexact science but those picked higher in the draft are done so because they have the highest chance of becoming the best footballers from all available evidence.

From Jon Ralph in todays Herald Sun: "The Demons must make a decision on Luke Tapscott before the October 31 trade period and seem certain to take midfielder Angus Brayshaw and key forward Patrick McCartin with picks two and three"

From afl.com.au http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-10-27/going-places-the-medical-diagnosis-that-almost-stopped-draft-prospect-paddy-mccartin-in-his-tracks http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-10-28/going-places-paddy-pushes-through-the-pain-as-recruiters-ask-the-awkward-question Main thing that shines through is this kid is super competitive. Brilliant.

Why? Bizarre post. Who would you prefer? Lever, a 3rd tall defender who hasn't played footy in 18 months? Or Laverde, ranked between 5-10 in most phantom drafts? Or do you know something the recruiting and junior footy experts don't?

Well what's going to change, they've got all the information now in front of them? There's no footy, interviews or testing left before the draft.

Why would taking McCartin force Dawes to ruck? Would mean Dawes could assume the role he's much more suited to - 3rd tall/flanker. Dawes isn't good enough 1 on 1 to be one of our long term key forwards but can certainly do a job as 3rd tall.

What a bizarre post. Hawkins, Walker, Tippett, J Brown, Gunston, Riewoldt, Cloke, Kennedy are all stay at home forwards who have reasonable records! Why do we need him to be able to go down back? It's terrific if midfielders and flankers have some versatility but key forwards and key defenders you want them to be a master of their trade rather than a jack of a couple. It's like saying in cricket we need our bowlers to be able to bat as well - no! Pick your best batsmen to bat and your best bowlers to bowl and if you've got one genuine all-rounder in the side then brilliant. How many genuine quality swingmen are there in the league? Probably only Carlisle. To say a key forward needs to be able to go down back to be worth drafting is absurd.

But you don't seem to grasp that it's not as easy as that. Not many players want to come to Melbourne if there are other clubs interested, and certainly not elite players. Also, what guns?

Yeah solid plan. Melbourne hasn't landed a big fish from another club for 30 years, unfortunately it's not as easy as just clicking your fingers. Take the best available players at picks 2 and 3, end of story.

Christ some of you people are socially inept

From Paige Cardona's recent Phantom Draft: A player of Patrick McCartin’s standing is unlikely to slip past Melbourne’s compensation pick here at pick three, and there are plenty of reasons why. Touted as the number one pick for the majority of the year, McCartin could be the perfect partner in crime alongside Jesse Hogan, laying the foundations for the Demons’ forward line for the next decade. McCartin is a genuine, old-fashioned full forward. He busts through packs, takes big contested grabs, inspires with his courage and is always the source of headaches for the opposition. He likes to treat opposition players as if he were going ten pin bowling: he has no regard for his own safety, and his aggression and physicality goes unmatched. McCartin relishes body-on-body contact, and is near unbeatable nor moveable one-on-one. He loves to drag his opponent to the goal square where he puts his contested marking ability to full use, but his quick turn of foot and smart leading patterns means that he is a focal target up forward, capable of taking any opposition’s best defender. Hampered by small injuries throughout the year, McCartin hasn’t gotten the love or hype he deserves, which is great news for Melbourne fans. Seems like he would complement Hogan really well too with Hogan being more of a mobile CHF type and McCartin as an inside 50 player.

By who? The entire footballing public who knows anything? What are you basing this on? Everybody who watches junior football rather than basing their opinions on 2 minute youtube clips says he is special. But you know more?

Went to a function a couple of months ago that Dylan spoke at. I've got no idea whether he can play or not, those highlights above are all I've seen of him. But he was one of the most impressive kids I've ever come across. Articulate, polite, funny and mature. Obviously got a wise head on young shoulders, just a well brought up country kid. As an aside he's chosen footy over an extremely promising cricket career having focused on cricket for much of his junior days.

None. Will be Petracca or McCartin.