Dante

I’m not sure if we’ll take Jackson at 3 but it appears if we don’t, he’ll go soon after, this tells me that we aren’t out on our own and other clubs are circling him. There are probably 4 other clubs in the top ten who would jump at the chance at grabbing him. I’ve seen additional footage of him and he really looks the goods to me, he is a really exciting player and could be anything. We can go the safe route and pick another midfielder, or go for a player who could bring some excitement and star quality to the team. If we could get Robertson as well it would be my dream draft, but i’m happy if the club picks Kickett, he will be long gone by our next pick at 28, if we don’t take him he will go to the doggies. Flanders may be a chance to be selected

Maybe the player we are after is Flanders and not Pickett, if that’s the case.

I don't know why posters are referring to Lucas Cook when discussing Jackson. It's my understanding that we were looking at a big forward in that draft and were after Lynch, who went the pick before Cook. That was a dreadful pick and shows that it sometimes is better to pick the player you like as opposed to the player who may fill a need. This is about a player not a need and Jackson is seen by the club as a good long term proposition, perhaps in a couple of positions and not a forward or ruck. He finished second in the Larke medal so obviously others saw something in him as well and if you have a look at the extended footage the club and other clubs have you might change your view.

I think the club will take Kickett before Weightman and it then depends on who's left for the next pick and what that pick is. Doubt Robertson or Stephens will be there, but they will be in contention, if they are.

Melbourne get picks 12 and 16 from Port for pick 8. We pick Jackson at 3 Kickett at 12 Kemp/Flanders/Ash/ at 16

It's a close decision and they will take all the time required to finalise it. There's more than just pick three involved, there are other contingencies to consider.

I think this kid is still right in the mix for us and I believe he will be taken a lot earlier than most think.

If Grundy was in this draft, do you think he'd be worth pick 3 or 4? At the moment it's all speculation Red, we may pick Young or even Kemp, who knows. We are trying to maximise our draft position and if that includes putting the wind up Freo, then why not. We may force them to swap what they don't want to, to get all three of their choices, on the other hand we may really want Jackson, I think we do but what would I know. All we know at the moment is who some journalists think we should pick and in what order.

It's my understanding that pick 97 will come in to about pick 70 after all the academy picks and passes.

Do you think the club has looked at more than the highlights reel you've seen? There are other highlights reels that show a lot more than what's available on you tube. Don't you think the club have watched him play multiple times, like they have with all the prospective draftees? I've seen more footage of him play and he is very good. As are Young and Robertson and Kickett and Kemp, the club has to pick the best of them and I think they will.

Have you seen much of him playing at all? If you haven't, then perhaps if you do, you may change your opinion.

Who's to say Jackson won't play 200 games plus? He is a very good player.

Might be a few double ups but still worth watching.

I had a look at some of his highlight videos yesterday, he was such a good player. It's a shame that he had issues and injuries, but here's hoping he can recover some of his past brilliance, it would make him one of our three best players if he can

Wow, way to derail a thread. Give it a rest, or go to the General board

That depends on how badly we want first pick after GCS. If we have a player in mind for our first pick and we really want him and know he won't be there after pick 3, then no way would you trade. If the club aren't sure that there is a clear third choice, then they may consider it. Free probably have 3 Players in their sights and having two picks almost guarantee at least 2 and maybe all three of their choices.

Irrespective of all the above provisos, well done to both parties and I'm glad the Dee's have taken the punt on him. If it doesn't work out then so be it but at least it shows that Melbourne have lost that conservatism that's been stopping us from picking up players that may have a bit of a reputation. Welcome Harley and let's hope that we have some good years ahead, for both our sakes.

I watched the game too, and can't disagree too much with your summary. Really liked the look of Robertson and Sharp, he will be a player and so will Jackson. I wouldn't write Young off just on that game, he's better than that. Some of the other ones you mentioned were indeed underwhelming and I wonder if it was because it was the end go the finals and they were all knackered. If we picked up any of Robertson, Young, Kemp, Sharp or Jackson I'd be happy.

Yes, but would we accept 7, 10 and 15, which was proposed by LH? We will not get 7&10 for 3, unless Bell owes us one and after reading that Hogan has had more "extensive surgery", I doubt he will feel he does.

We can get the players we want with 3 & 8, not the leftovers after the other clubs have had their pick of the crop. If they offered Taylor that and he accepted, I'd expect they'd buy him a new house and a car.

Am I reading this right? You want to swap 3 and 8 for 7, 10 and 15? We drop 4 spots, 2 spots and pick up 15. Why?

Some more from the article "Bennell would add outside pace to the group if he could regain fitness, with the Demons having added Fremantle's Ed Langdon and the Giants' Adam Tomlinson during the trade period and losing Sam Frost to Hawthorn. Melbourne were also keen to catch up with stranded former Sun Jack Martin ahead of the pre-season draft but were unlikely to pick him unless he showed he was open to joining them. All indications so far are that he has his heart set on joining the Blues."

Demons hope for flying start as coaches jet off to the US Bit about Harley and Martin in here, not a lot, but the Harley part was interesting.

Howe and Frawley were best mates.

You seem too, conveniently, forget how ordinary Howe was at Melbourne.. He was lazy and unaccountable as a forward, loose and unaccountable as a back and seemed to spend most of his time on the field trying to take mark of the match. He wanted to play with Collingwood and we facilitated that for him, he would have never been anything but ordinary if he stayed with us.It was probably our fault that we didn't get the best out of him but that happens, he had a poor team around him.