Gator

Won't help us and will never change the value of him as a choice for the MFC.

You're kidding. Fiora played over 100 games. Tambling played over 100 games. Even Morton played over 80 games. Toumpas is one of the great disasters. Btw, I'm not suggesting he was a left-field choice, as he was rated top 3, but it doesn't change the fact he was a disaster of biblical proportions.

No nervous times. The recruiters follow these players for years. They'll deem he's either good enough or not.

Knightmare does refer to his return from injury, where he was clearly not the same player... "On return from injury Curnow was purely a 1v1 marking key forward. He lost his explosiveness and mobility entirely, playing as a short power forward which will not be enough for AFL play. I give Charlie the benefit of the doubt as I feel he came back too early, and given his still young age I assume he will fully get back his explosiveness."

He played 19. I hope we don't take any.

I agree. He may well take a couple of months to hit his straps, but, and it's a big but, if he can regain absolute fitness and confidence he'll be in our best half dozen players.

Parish has the credentials to be as good/better than Gaff, which is exactly the type of mid we're lacking. It makes sense to draft him.

Not when he doesn't have to say it, but without prompting offers it. But look mate, I don't care what you believe. You can worry yourself in bed every night as you try to get to sleep. I do however, question your intelligence.

Some of the posts here are truly embarrassing. Buying a house in your home state doesn't signal any intention, now or in the future. Also, his manager stated "he loves Melbourne and if he was delisted tomorrow he'd stay in Melbourne". Why would a 195 cm footballer with a history of back issues ever want to play in Perth and catch two 4 hour flights every second weekend ? West Coast played 2 games at the 'G this year. I suspect he already loves the 'G Chicken Littles and doesn't want to only play there twice a year.

I'm making no comment on his involvement in Toumpas, I'm merely asserting he deserves zero credit for Viney and Hogan. Zero.

Where did I say I got my jollies from trumping Essendon ? Where did I say I "give a rats about them". I merely expressed an opinion that they would have been displeased we wrangled pick 3, because there's more likelihood (in my opinion) that Melbourne takes Parish than Gold Coast. I've seen a number of phantom drafts, which, yes, I know, hardly rates as irrefutable evidence, that had Gold Coast taking Aaron Francis at 3. But, once again, yes, it would have been of no surprise if Gold Coast had taken him. Parish is considered the draft's class midfielder. Melbourne needs the draft's class midfielder. Essendon needs the draft's class midfielder. Maybe Gold Coast do too, but with Ablett, Swallow, O'Meara, Prestia, Rischitelli, the impressive Touk Miller, Lonergan, Jack Martin and Aaron Hall playing more midfield there's reason to think the Suns might not have had Parish rubber stamped. And no, you haven't read anywhere where it says Melbourne will take Parish. Maybe I need to explain, I'm surmising on an opinion board. But do me a favour, next time you see me posting keep walking. It's boring and tiresome.

After more research and deeper thinking I've changed my mind. It makes perfect sense to take the class midfielder in the draft. Hopefully, it's the last time we'll be in a position to do so. We lack outside class and Parish has that in spades. Essendon also need midfield class and they must have been mightily disappointed when they saw we'd managed to wrangle pick 3. Parish at pick 3 and I suspect one of Curnow or perhaps Weideman at 7. This will leave a developing midfield of Viney, Tyson, Salem, Brayshaw, Petracca, Stretch and Parish to complement Jones, Vince and hopefully Trengove. That aint no third world midfield no more.

I don't lock any doors when I go out. Have you seen my dogs ?

Hogan was a no brainer, as was F/S Viney. Many supporters at the time were desperate for Melbourne to do that deal. I give no credit to the psychopath whatsoever.

Negative.

I like the look of 200cm Max King. He's a forward/ruck. Played 8 games for Casey this year kicking 13 goals and taking 30 marks (15 contested). In fact, he's a really good mark and has neat kicking skills for a tall. He's not quite ready. 1-2 years. Plays all of next year as a 20 year old. Callum Sinclair came from Port, is 26 and has played 29 games. Sydney were very keen to take him off West Coast's hands. Like King, he's not a number one ruck, but more a forward/ruck. It can take a while, but Max is tracking exceptionally well.

Do you ever walk out of the house and have that feeling you've forgotten something ? That's the feeling I had.

This will fall on deaf ears, but don't start endorsing players from highlight reels.

Partly what I think and partly what I hope. EG I don't want Lumumba or Garland, but I think (know) they'll be there - certainly at the start. FB: Jetta Dunn Garland HB: Melksham McDonald Salem C: Lumumba Viney Vince HF: Petracca Hogan vandenBerg FF: Garlett Pedersen Kent Foll: Gawn Tyson Jones Int: Frost Trengove Brayshaw Bugg Depth: Dawes, Stretch, Harmes, Grimes, ANB, White, Kennedy, JKH, Oscar, Spencer, Tiptoes and King with a bullet.

One thing I've learnt over the years is that someone can say positive things about your club for 5 minutes, but if they say anything negative for 30 seconds it's all nongs seem to hear or remember.

Yes, in theory, it's Curnow that excites me the most. I just haven't seen him play.

Wouldn't it be prudent to be there just in case something falls out of the tree ? There may be something happening, or it may be due diligence.

Very true. He's often spoken about the risk of picking tall forwards early on. That said, I suppose he'll back his head recruiter.

Unlike Micky Turner to talk up one of his charges ... Charlie Curnow (3/2/1991. 191cm, 95kg. Geelong Falcons) Tall forward/midfielder AFL biography: Powerful tall forward/midfielder who is extremely athletic, strong overhead and dangerous near goals. Showed potential for the NAB AFL Academy against VFL opposition earlier this year before a dislocated knee kept him out of the NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. Returned to TAC Cup football with Geelong Falcons in the last four matches, kicking 13 goals and showcasing his potential as a marking forward. Brother of Carlton's Ed. "When the AFL clubs came around at the start of the year - without knowing what was coming ahead - I said Charlie could potentially be the No. 1 pick. He won't be, because he missed the national championships and there are some fantastic kids around - but I haven't changed my mind that much. He's the youngest of five kids and a bit of a free spirit. He goes to uni and loves his surfing, but he has massive upside. He's a fantastic athlete - he has some unbelievable times under his belt on the athletics track and he's a good high jumper, but he's still learning how to use it on the footy field. We've had him play full-back, centre half-back, centre half-forward and full-forward for us, but at the start of the year when he was really fit we had him playing as a ruck rover. He's carrying a bit of puppy fat and freaks the clubs out a bit, but keep saying hang on, he's an 18-year-old kid. Once he gets to a club he'll knuckle down and work hard. He's got massive upside." Michael Turner, Geelong Falcons talent manager

BF has some excellent junior football watchers. I'm not sure of this persons bona fides, however, they state that Curnow is a mid first and foremost. 7. Charlie Curnow - Vic Country (191 cm, 95 kg key forward/inside midfielder) Style/Comparison: Jake Stringer Charlie Curnow is one of the most underrated prospects in this draft and partially due to an unfortunate dislocated knee that forced him to miss the championships, has flown under the radar strongly. While many salivate over his highly rated teammates Rhys Mathieson and Darcy Parish, Curnow has quietly gone about his business rather impressively. Curnow is a strong-bodied midfielder who has starred up forward because of the lack of key forwards at the Falcons. In many games, Curnow has kicked a handful of goals and then gone into the middle and won plenty of inside ball. His style is not too dissimilar to a Jack Darling, Jake Stringer or Jarryd Roughead type with his combination a dominant forward presence and physical and athletic inside grunt work through the middle. There is scope for Curnow to develop a similar game to Josh Kennedy at the Swans should a club decide to play him as a pure inside midfielder. But forward of centre is where I think he has the most potential, as, like most kids who have a late growth spurt (which Curnow has), he has got the height of a forward but athleticism and nous of a bloke much shorter. With his rate of development both physically and in football terms, it is likely that Curnow continues to progress and becomes one of the best players from this draft.