stevethemanjordan

When Vanders gets a full AFL pre-season of running in, he'll be a really really valuable mid for us. He reminds me of Dangerfield with his explosive attack on the ball and man. I reckon we'll be pleasantly surprised about how dynamic he'll be once his anaerobic capacity improves. A really good pickup for a rookie.

Few that have been on our list for 7 + years would be deemed 'crucial' players in my eyes, which is only one of many contributing factors as to why we've been so bad for so long. Garland is one of those guys like Frawley and like Grimes who is incredibly up and down. The difference between his best and worst is astonishing. Defensively, when on song, he can be an extremely valuable member of our back six. His offensive drive, intensity, kicking skills and decision making however have all been questionable over the entirety of his career. When he plays a great defensive game and plays with a visible intensity as he did on Sunday, he (like others in the same boat) lift our side enormously. It's again a question of consistency. It's a question of intensity and concentration. He's another senior bloke who seems as if he's been really affected by what he's endured for many years. Of course it's not all the clubs fault as someone like Jones has been able to overcome it. In my opinion, the need for decision making skills and foot skills coming out of our back line is a priority along with adding to the midfield so losing Garland on current form would not worry me in the slightest. Especially considering our success rate for players we've got into the club from losing long time MFC players. He is part of the Dunn, Frawley and Jamar crew era. None of them are club changing players. I think Dunn is the one to hold onto as part of the 'old crew'. Garland leaving will net is something good. Unless he decides to play the remainder of the season like he did on Sunday. (With minimal skill errors).

He's proof that individuals can impact games off limited pre-seasons for those who continuously make excuses for sub-standard footballers on our list. He really highlights those who have been on the list for years but who cannot perform consistently. Vanders has some really solid attributes to his name and is only going to get better as his tank improves.

Somehow he's taken a different route to so many other drafted at a similar time. Consistently working as hard as he can to work on his game. When you hear him speak you can hear how badly he wants to be the best defender in the league. He's hell bent on it and all of this hard work and concentration is paying off. He's following in the footsteps of Nathan Jones. Similar personalities. Just wanting to do everything they can to better themselves as players and letting nothing stop them. We certainly need more personalities like that at our club. Liked reading what a previous poster wrote in that he, like Nathan in his earlier years sometimes does a bit much/has a brain fade and sometimes it's God ugly but it's forgivable if 95% of the game he is perfect. The only thing I'd like to see is those 'what was he thinking' moments slowly disappear. He is not someone possessed with amazing skill, awareness or what I'd term 'natural' ability. So he needs to keep taking the first option most times. His marking and defending have been astonishing. It's his offensive drive that has really improved but as I said, the odd brain fade is still there and they need to go. Overall, another blessing in disguise in regards to Frawley's departure? I think so.

The fact that the draft is such an 'event' now really doesn't help these young kids either. It's pretty disgusting really. The AFL are just constantly looking for $ signs wherever they can. We should be easing these kids into the next phase of their footballing careers. Not building it up. Because the reality is, many of these kids who had really great years at under 18's level won't be doing the same at AFL level ever. Petracca has some really exciting attributes to his name. His aerobic ability has never been a 'strength'. I'm glad that session on Monday was a shock to all the draftees because they'll now know the amount of work they have to put in to reap the rewards. Petracca will be absolutely fine as long as his desire to improve is fierce. Thank god we have blokes like Jones, Viney and Cross as players to look up to at training. I'm looking forward to him showing glimpses in the games that he plays next year. That's all I want from Petracca and Brayshaw next year. Glimpses.

I think it's time to let it go big fella. It's just not catching on.

The fact that they are both much more physically mature than both Scully and Trengove, (especially Scully) is one of many reasons why these two are much more likely to have a genuine impact early. I'm pretty sure both weigh more than Scully and Trengove even now. Not only that. These two are much more aggressive in the way that they play.The other reasons are obvious. They'll be developed appropriately. They'll be playing in a deeper and more competitive midfield. Under the tutelage of competent and driven leaders. The list goes on. Supporters have the right to be excited. I find it baffling that there are still comparisons of these two with drafts of previous years. There are differences on so many levels. They just don't compare. We were always bound to get our club to a stage where it is ready to develop the right talent. And I'm confident this will be it. We've never been in a more solid position.

Except he's not a [censored]. It's clear he is self driven. Something Sylvia never was. The fact he is confident in his ability is a positive. Landing Petracca and Brayshaw under our current FD format and environment will, in my eyes, be the break we've been longing for. It's time.

Agree. Glad we're not in the position of the 'aints. All three of Brayshaw, McCartin and Petracca have had pretty dominant years and it's hard to split them.

I assure you, you'll be the only one using that nickname.

Petracca and Laverde or Brayshaw and Laverde if we happen to do a 'Tyson type' deal with either pick 2 or 3 with 21 for a good mid and a pick in the top 10. That would be my dream. Laverde might just be the player of the draft.

You would have a point if we were going to the draft had the club not changed: - The recruiting team and head recruiter. - The senior coach, assistant coaches and development coaches. - The list and core group of experienced players that now lead the club Nutbean. Your post, and posts of that nature are nothing but ignorant and infuriating. No [censored] every pick has an element of risk, but all of those things I've pointed out have changed drastically at our club but under past management, they're the very reason all of those names you mentioned have all failed. Is it it that [censored] hard to understand?

If we end up with pick 2 and 3, (thanks to the Frawley compo), I'd be wanting to take Petracca and Brayshaw providing they're both there. Development for young players coming to our club is a non issue now that we have the right people in place and these two guys look to good to pass up. However, if we do decide to offer one pick up for a player and a later pick back like the 'Tyson' deal last year, I'd want to pick up Laverde. The guy looks unbelievable.

Your man crush is out of control.

Was lucky enough to see some more vision this week of Brayshaw and I completely take back what I said! I thought Brayshaw was a right footer. It's clear his ambidextrous but his left foot does look like his preferred foot and actually looks fairly neat. Glad I saw that. What a gift to have. It's clear it doesn't faze him which side he kicks on but his left looks smooth. I might need to pipe down about Petracca after all. This bloke looks pretty special too. Along with Weller.

We'll soon find out, Machsy.

I reckon he's a lot smarter than you give him credit for.For me, his awareness and peripheral vision in close is elite and it's clear that's a result of his Bball background. I know people are sick of hearing that but if you watch how he moves in close and seems to wait for the right option to open up before giving it, you'll see what I mean. That's rare. He takes players on and gives off to the best option. At this level also, players who are exceptionally quick thinkers can sometimes dictate where they want a teammate to run etc. Petracca's awareness and decision making in close would be amplified at AFL level. Unlike Sylvia, he is a smart, determined and self driven player who works extremely hard to get the best out of himself. He'll get a tank and he'll get the best out of himself. You only need to listen to the way he speaks. All other attributes of his are at a high standard which is why he's rated so highly. He can pretty much do it all with a couple of standout and elite attributes being great hands, explosiveness and power, goal kicking ability, awareness and time in close, contested ball winning. His field kicking and technique is the only thing he'll need to work on and I hardly see it as a weakness anyway. He makes good decisions when in open space. Just my view.

Which is strange because I keep hearing Brayshaw is a good user of the ball.Petracca reminds me of an Oli Wines kick. Definitely not a weapon, but effective enough when under no pressure.

What are peoples opinions on the disposal quality and decision making of Petracca vs Brayshaw? Hypothetically speaking, if we were given first access to pick either, I'd say they would key attributes in determining which player to pick. I've heard neither have elite disposal but from that limited footage someone posted, I didn't see the 'neat' disposal that people speak of with Brayshaw. Petracca on the other hand whilst not a Salem kick looked like he's got better decision making and awareness when it comes to disposing the ball by foot. Early days of course but one thing we got right last year was nailing two picks that have AFL standard kicking and decision making ability in Salem and JKH. Needs to be a theme for this draft too. We know how much our team lacks in skill execution and decision making.

Fyfe is a great example of a player who was never built like a bull, but perhaps had a strong desire to compete in all facets of the game before he reached AFL level. As for the culture side of things. Freo are now a club who through the appointment of Ross Lyon and the help of their senior leaders and players have instilled a hugely competitive environment and 'culture'. Fyfe's improvement as a player, he's body-shape change and the psychological element to his game will have changed without doubt from being brought up in an environment like that. How much? We'll never know. Had he been drafted to the Dees, would he be the competitive beast he is today? Would he be the player he is today? We won't know, but I doubt it. Culture is formed at a club. Bringing players into clubs with the right attitude traits will help form a clubs culture/environment along with a coach and a whole host of other people. But players with a competitive desire to win any and every contest and to chase and tackle come in all shapes and sizes. It's not about drafting bigger-bodied vs smaller- bodied. Especially at under 18 level. We see how many bodies change once these players have pre-season after pre-season. The Cale Morton/Lucas Cook/Jordan Gysberts are usually exceptions to the rule. But they were also players who clearly had frail minds, not fantastic competitive spirit and were brought up in the poorest club culture that has ever existed within the AFL. Triple Whammy.

Wanting to go hard at the opposition, to tackle, to hurt and to chase STARTS in your head. It's a psychological thing. Being physically bigger or stronger in the body will sometimes HELP your psychology. Being a smaller build or a player who's attributes are strongest outside of the contest does not equate to that particular player being 'soft'. Just like having the biggest body doesn't automatically make you the hardest bloke on the field. Culture is a seperate issue and word altogether and I think I'll leave it there.

That's exactly it. There's no doubt we've made some shocking decisions at the draft table in recent times, but pur major issue has been the lack of experienced, strong, inspiring, standard driving leaders to bring a young group of players through... Even the doggies have Boyd, Murphy, Cooney, Griffen, (Cross until last year)... We have Cross for one year and I ask anyone to go and have a chat to Dom Tyson and Jack Viney and ask how much of an influence Cross has been for them... And that's after one pre season. The doggies have four of them. It's no wonder their young mids are responding and playing terrific footy. Look at their leaders. We still need to bring in the right players from other clubs. Not like Neeld did. Not a scatter-gun 'I'll pick up any delisted Free Agent' approach. But we need to bring in a couple more players who will drive this club forward and for our young kids to learn from. Frawley, Dunn, Garland, Grimes, Jamar etc are products of shocking environments at the MFC and have suffered hugely because of it. We've still got a way to go. No matter what kids we pick up from the draft, we still need to adress our lack of experienced leaders at this club.

Nat Fyfe and Tom Lonergan skinny class? I'm sorry DL but building a hard culture has got nothing to do with drafting bigger bodied players...

Hawthorn seemed to find a bunch of them, not all high draft picks.

Disagree from what I've seen. Average at best.. Any players we pick up in the draft or trading period this year must be sound decision makers and great kicks of the footy. It's the number one priority in my eyes. It's got to be the theme this year. How hard is it to take a leaf out of the way the hawks drafted.. Elite disposal, contested ball winning and competitive. Make it happen.