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8 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Agree with you re Levi Ashcroft being clear number 1.  Elite midfielder.  Lions are very lucky “again” with father son picks.  
 

what’s the knock on O’Sullivan? He’s had a few niggling injuries this year so hasn’t shown his very best.  But he has elite skills as a mid, is versatile, excellent evasive ability in packs, good build at 184cms.  Can kick goals.  His style of play is like LDU.  IF he’s available at our pick “5”, he would have to be taken.  

Watching recent highlights, he doesn't look like hes been playing well. 

Not professing to know much about him or his fitness, but didn't look to be able to break away from stoppages or break tackles like a number 1 draft mid. Also coughed the ball up a couple of times in the game I was watching. But again, very small sample size.

Stats say he averaged 11.5 disposals for Vic Country this year, not sure if he played full game time. Last season avg'd 16 touches. Compared to Ashcroft avg 25.5 disposals and a goal for Vic Metro this year

10 minutes ago, dazzledavey36 said:

If Ashcroft didn't have the father son tag attached to him he'd be the best player in the draft by a country mile.

He's right on Nick Daicos level in terms of his insane midfield number and star factor.

His resume is insane:

- 4 years of APS First Football (2 flags)

- 3 years of NAB/Coates Football (Probably 3 flags)

- Played one game of VFL, 35 touches and a goal

And he is super young for his year, still 17 - born in December. He is 11 months younger than Jagga for example. Which, as a teenager, is significant

1 hour ago, spirit of norm smith said:

Everyone seems in agreement that’s there’s no obvious number 1 or 2 or : … etc etc. up to about 10.   Smith, O’Sullivan, Draper, Langford, Lalor, Reid.  All are super talented in my view.  All could be AFL stars.  All could be number 1 really.  They have excellent qualities.  Are they perfect? No.  Do they still need development? All youngsters do.  Rare to find a Harley Reid or Nick Daicos.    

(Footnote…Levi Ashcroft will be an absolute star.  As good as his brother). 

I think Ashcroft is clearly the best in the draft, but unlikely to get a bid first.

Although, if I was Richmond I would strongly consider it - you make Brisbane pay full price in terms of points

And the player you select doesnt carry the "number 1 draft pick" label, with all the expectations that come with that.

1 hour ago, RyanD said:

Such an important perspective. Ironically, its as important to the get the later picks correct. If we are going to have sustained success, it's this model that needs to work well. Hopefully next year we won't have a pick inside the top 15, hence why this is so important going forward. 

The 2nd round for McAdam is looking so bad in hindsight. Would be super surprised if Adelaide gift it back to us for Nibbla given the quality of this draft

24 minutes ago, The heart beats true said:

It’s also interesting how many at the very top of this draft are small in comparison to contemporary AFL midfielders.

AFL midfield is moving towards pace and agility imo - and then the power freaks (Heeney, Danger, Trac ect). Height doesn't help much apart from marking around the ground.

Don't think anyone thought Daicos could be this good considering height and weight. Ashcroft dominating finals in first 30 games. Neale potentially 3 brownlows. Small balanced mids are dominating

Riccardi only out of the team through injury right?

Wouldn't have much reason to request a trade, apart from money or family reasons

39 minutes ago, manny100 said:

Twomey and Rookie me have him at pick 6. So rated highly. ESPN have him at 18 with a Q on athletic abilities but do say he is a pure footballer.

Yeah we are definitely likely to get him with our first pick.

Although, we usually preference physical attributes

Our recent first round picks: Windsor (Speed), Kolt (Power), Jackson (Everything), Kozi (Power/Speed), Jefferson (Tall/KPP)

Murphy Reid will not be hyped up as much as the other top prospects because lacks outstanding physical attributes.

But wouldn't surprise me if he ended up with the best career of the lot.

Sidebottom/Pendlebury/Sam Mitchell level of IQ, movement, touch - a player Melbourne haven't had for as long as I can remember (maybe trapper back in the day).

I think would compliment Windsor/Koz pace and Trac/Clarry contest very nicely

3 hours ago, whatwhat say what said:

even then, nearly half of those players will be onto their second clubs by the start of 2025, and at least several of those - lukosius, rankine, bobby hill - arguably didn't amount to the players they were expected to be at their first club

interestingly only five premiership players - atkins from the cats, who was picked in the rookie draft, jordon and sparrow from us, and then quaynor plus norm smith medallist bobby hill, who i think the filth picked up for a pick in the 40s from gw$

 

Moving clubs irrelevant imo, these guys have just turned 24 this year - so just entering prime.

Considering they could play for another 10 years if good enough, a lot more will end careers with a premiership medal. 

Of the top 13, 12 are on track to play 200+ games - Thomas, the anomaly, had nothing to do with football ability. 

1 hour ago, The Taciturn Demon said:

How often does a consensus draft designation - "deep", "shallow", "even", "lopsided" - match the reality. For example, was 2019 considered deep or generally good before hand? In now looks like an absolute beauty. 

2018 was hyped as a super draft with heaps of talent, particuarly the top 8: Walsh, Lukosius, Rankine, M.King, Rozee, B.King, Smith, Blakey (slipped to 10).

This draft also had Butters, Bobby Hill, Quanyor, Jordan Clark - and a plethora of players establishing a good career for themselves. 

So I think the recruiters were right this year at least

Assuming the Mac Andrew 1.5m/8y offer from a Melbourne club couldn't be us... could it?

Assume it's probs Richmond, maybe North

2 hours ago, KozzyCan said:

 

Believe what you want but I promise you this story isn't over by a long way.

 

I don't necessarily believe it is all good, that Trac is happy or that he won't leave at some point. 

All I am saying is that the media do not know either, but are incentivised to dramatise the situation as much as possible to get clicks/listeners/viewers. 

My position is that we do not know the true story.

All we know is that, for now, Oliver, Trac, Petty, Pickett are staying and Windsor, Roo, Kolt, Viney, Max re-signed,

which indicates to me that the club is not in disarray as the media wants you to believe. 

2 hours ago, KozzyCan said:

I mean Houston and Port handled that pretty maturely I think. They were happy for him to go if a good deal could be done, it couldn't be and he was invited back into the fold. But to what you're saying, every club has leaks, it's true. Ours is a sieve and the leaks present a pretty adversarial relationship between the club and players who step out of line.

Players having issues with their clubs is nothing new but good clubs should handle all this stuff in house. No coincidence that numerous senior players have admitted to be frustrated by club comms recently.

Melbourne handling of players wanting to leave:

- ANB: first club to ever celebrate a player choosing to leave a club? Most mature handling of a trade I can recall

- Petty: Declined his trade request and convinced him to stay, when everyone said he was gone. Handled well (albeit if 2 first rounders were available that would have been a good trade)

- Oliver: Clearly off the rails to an extent, complex mental health issues at play. Club leaders like Max and Goodwin put a mountain of work with help him through - seems to have paid off as he is off the USA for offseason training camp. 

- Trac:

Club went into closed book mode whilst media was churning out rumours about why he wants to leave (this is still unknown), where they flip-flop between oliver, medical care, "brand" (a word they made up and now are saying this came from Melbourne) - whilst also dragging Christian through the mud, despite both club and player repeatedly on the record saying he is suffering from a traumatic incident.

Trac releases statement saying he is staying way before trade period and way before anyone in the media expected. Imo, the club said f**k the media, we are going to work in-house with Trac and go public once its settled. This was done, we retain our best player - whilst media spin their stories to say Melb is still screwed and call for Rofey's head because she played a straight bat in an interview.

If I am a Melbourne player, Id be happy to know that the club will not react to rumours and work directly with me, for as long as it takes, before saying anything publicly. 

18 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Pretty naive if you think no one from the club talks to the media.

People know Dan Houston wanted to leave - when will Port Adelaide stop this humiliating debacle and plug the leask

16 minutes ago, KozzyCan said:

Club really needs to sort out these leaks.

Talk a big game about avoiding media circuses but gone to war in the press with our most decorated players two years running.

Stop buying the media crisis narratives. They were wrong and are now clutching at straws to save face

The fact TM is saying Melbourne were the ones pushing the "brand petracca" narrative is evidence of this - the media, Barrett in particular, pushed this with zero evidence

If we are keeping Trac and/or Oliver + Viney

Then an elite ball user with agility/pace would be ideal 

(I'd love a Sam Mitchell-esqe player)

13 minutes ago, Bombay Airconditioning said:

Did you read the part where he said “he’s not buying mental health as he reason behind Trac’s silence”?

You’re all over the shop. 
 

Three of you last night tried to shut me down yet I thought I was the only one putting fwd a constructive suggestion (read my response to Luci), that is if he is really struggling. 

Mental health is real and affects different people differently but just because that it’s cited as a possible reason for someone’s behaviour doesn’t mean it’s true and doesn’t mean it can’t be questioned. Nothing I wrote was out of line. 
 

And as for posters thinking others are self entitled for wanting to know his plans, that’s just normal every day work expectations, giving your employer notice if you intend to leave. Most 9-5 jobs are 2 weeks, management type roles can be up to 1 month. Highly paid sportstars on million dollar contracts many moving parts can take weeks if not months. 

Ah mate, I think if you nearly died at work you'd probs be allowed to take some time off to consider your future.

If you want to continue the black and white analogy of employer-employee standards:

1. His employer is Melbourne, not you or Demonland

2. Goodwin says the club will interview him and all players in the coming days

3. It is industry standards to NOT disclose a trade request before the season has finished, and often deep into the trade period

So you may not be entitled to demand a statement, but you are just yelling into a void

17 minutes ago, Undeeterred said:

I suspect part of the reason he’s quiet is that we are trying to get him what he wants, and that our public stance on holding him to his contract is just posturing in the meantime. Honestly, if he wants to play for another club we should just get on with facilitating it

This is a complete guess - nothing indicating this to be true. 

We don't know any details except:

1. He's going through a difficult time physically and psychologically (as per coach and player interviews)

2. He returned to the club (Photo's participating and smiling at training)

3. He addressed the players about his mental health challenges (Steven May interview)

Not Facts:

- Tom Morris and Sam McClure say he "might request a trade". 

(Tom Morris also said North were pursuing Viney, and then doubled down that he was seriously considering the offer - two days later he signed with Melbourne)

5 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

It seems many want Petracca to make a statement to protect the club/its brand and for our recruiting.  Considerations:

• The mfc brand has been trashed for a year with the some player indiscretions and other reports during the year on our supposedly 'poor culture'.   
• Our slide down the ladder wouldn’t be helping our recruiting.
• With the exception of one reasonable year from Hunter we have not been able to recruit a single best 22 player for 3 years.  Reasons why?
• Houston’s ‘change of mind’ has been blamed on Petracca.  As others have said it is probably to ‘save face’ because we won’t pay Port’s asking price of two 1st round picks.  I may be wrong but I haven't read that we were prepared to pay that price. 

A Petracca statement may appease mfc fans but I doubt it will get the muck raking media off mfc’s back nor convince a potential recruit to join mfc. 

+ If a player is on the fence about coming, Trac can call them - he doesnt need to speak to channel 7

15 minutes ago, george_on_the_outer said:

...and everyone has forgotten Brayshaw from the list. ...although Kentfield theoretically replaces him, but is also OOC.

And if we keep TMac and Melksham for another year, at the end of that year we already will see them go, and probably Fullarton, Billings and McAdam........5 gone at the end of 2025 already. 

Hopefully McAdam can get fit, can play when up and about

50 minutes ago, Roost it far said:

I hear you but he’s a super well paid sportsman who makes a great deal of money due to his public persona, that comes with the glaring eye of the public. I also don’t think it’s unreasonable of a team’s supporter base that they’d like to hear just a few words from their once in a generation star player. Everyone knows what words they are and the mere fact he can’t say them leads to this thread and all the associated media talk and it’s been left to the club to just play the “he’s contracted” card. It’s become a wait and see game and of course people get frustrated by that. 

He has given the club more than money can buy. 

If you are a real supporter of the club and players you would want him to take as much time as he needs, not rush to speak publicly because Tom Morris says something

Journos are dramatising this scenario to the nth degree - as a supporter base we need to support the people at the club, they are not contracts that we own. 

My guess is he choose to speak to 7 before the game to make the statement as public and concrete as possible. Videos/statements released by clubs have less weight and don't have interviewers asking the difficult questions. 

I think this means he has nothing to hide and is staying

1 minute ago, adonski said:

So our options are pick 27...or...pick 27 a year later

Have a listen and try to interpret it lol

I think they meant to say Adelaide will reject out ask of 27 and offer a future second, assuming they will climb the ladder. Also this draft is meant to be very deep, so this years 2nd round maybe seen as more valuable than next years

Nibbla's trade value was discussed on latest gettable podcast (about 6:30min in)

Twomey and Beveridge had no idea (which is rare, they are normally on the money) - said that Melbourne would reject pick 27 for Nibbla 

Despite them absolutely butchering this part of the podcast, it sounds like they think Nibbla is worth Adelaides future 2nd, which is good IMO

17 hours ago, Uncle Fester said:

Rather roll the dice on a cheap Bennell then an over priced Martin or a DH like Murray - tho a cheap Murray might be worth a roll too

You've got your head in the sand if you think AFL players don't do drugs, including Melbourne players (jack watts for example). Murray just got caught