ChaserJ

Tipungwuti, Shannan Taylor, Marvin Warrell & Brian Coleman-Broome the realistic chances. Some talk that Warrell has a few interested clubs, Saints in the mix with one of their picks in the 40's.

Dream may be alive, but the general feeling is we will pick Wines regardless. This effectively means we rate Wines as the second best available kid. I just hope we haven’t closed our eye’s completely to other opportunities. I personally rank the top 5 as Toumpas, Grundy, Whitfield, Plowman and Wines. I haven’t seen enough of Menzel to judge, but lots of chatter has him as a top 2 talent and the reason Toumpas could slide. Whitfield will go 1, no doubt. If Grundy or Plowman are available, I still go with Wines. If Toumpas slides, I have to go with him over Wines. He brings a nice mix of what Wines does (leadership, intensity, not as aggressive but certainly not afraid to mix it up), but also adds pace and elite ball use.

I agree. He's got a good kick on him and a pretty good decision maker. Not too disimilar to Tyson Goldsack.

He also had a big game against South Australia. Was on fire and a major reason Metro got the win over in Adelaide. Consistency (even within games, never mind game to game) has been an issue for O'Rourke and has been flagged as something that he needs to work on. My only question is around his drive and focus. Is he as driven as Trent Cotchin, or is he Travis Johnstone? It's one thing having skills and athleticism, but it's what's above the shoulders that tends to separate the good from the elite. If he ticks that box, then he is easily a top 3 prospect.

Quite a few bottom agers stood out at the National Champs and TAC Cup. Off the top of my head Lewis Taylor, Jack Billings, James Aish, Tom Boyd and Josh Kelly all stood out. Cutler from the Chargers may go high next year too. At this stage I would say top end depth (A grade potential) and depth overall is projecting to be better, but a lot can happen in 12 months. 2012 was a superdraft 12 months ago. That said, I think it will produce some very good players.

Just on the general theme of list management and filling a clubs needs, a really nice piece released by Rob Kerr (via AFL.com.au), the National Talent Manager at the Lions. Goes through the Lions strategy during the free agency and trade period and the areas they felt they required strengthening in. He also provides some thoughts on our CHF of the future Jesse Hogan. Lions were apparently right into him, with a view to installing him as Jonathan Brown’s successor. Worth a read. http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=150840

Failed pokies venture leaves Melbourne affiliate Casey fighting for survival

Tipungwuti was an overager this year, and went to great lengths to show that he wants a shot at his AFL dream. Projects as a rookie selection. I'd love for us to pick him up. Can play forward, but played mainly in defence for Gippsland this year, and was pretty solid defensively. Worked very hard to improve his endurance and has good pace and highly skillful. Most of the small forward types (Ben Kennedy aside) look to be rookie list potential, and I think we can get a good one through the rookie draft. Brian Coleman-Broome, Shannan Taylor are a couple of others I like. Max Duffy and Matt Johnson are WAFL state leaguers who are worth a look too.

O'Rourke's got some great tools. Silky skills, good decision maker, can win it inside and out, beautiful kick, but has a light frame and tends to receive more often than not. High level endurance and pace, but tends to play in spurts. He'll have a burst where he has 6 or 7 influential touches in a short period of time, then disappear for a while. At this stage doesn't stay involved enough over the course of game. Remember reading that a couple of coaches/recruiters questioned his intesity at the combine, because he looks like he's cruising, but he just seems like a player who always has time. Tore South Australia a new one early in Metro's win over South Australia over there. Reminds me a bit of Griffin from the Dog's. I think he'll be a high quality player, I personally would pick Wines ahead of him because of that sheer competitive drive that Wines has. Wines always seems to be around the ball when the game is in the balance, wants to be at the coalface when the heat is on and take responsibility for winning the contest. Just feel that those traits and mindsets can't be fabricated. Jackson Macrae's an interesting one. Given the way he finished the season, I don't necessarily think 4 is too high for him, wouldn't be surprised if he snuck into the top 3, but reckon the Dog's will pick him at 5 or 6. Gaff not a bad comparison, maybe a touch of Embley there as well. Macrae just seems to run and run and run. Big tick for his ability to influence big games, he was massive for the Chargers in the finals and pretty good across the Champs. I think his kicking is a touch inconsistent, but reads the play very well, good overhead and has good awareness. His sidestep is pretty special. I'm sure his kicking will get the tidying up it requires in an AFL environment, once that happens you'll more or less have the archetypal wingman.

Have seen him live, and watched and re-watched the Vic Country games for his work specifically. His speed is just ok (not elite), but he reads the game so well that he gives himself an extra yard, and gets himself in good position (defensively and offensively) around the ground. Constantly on the move around stopages and often bursts out of packs with enough separation to get an effective kick away. He works hard to spread from a contest, and makes good decisions in tight. Predominantly an inside ball winner, but has the football IQ and awareness to do all of the other things well, and will work to improve. Not just a 'see ball, get ball' inside ball winner. He should be available, would be surprised if we didn't have a discussion with GWS about who picks 1,2 & 3 would be before trading for Hogan. If he's gone, then O'Rourke's not a bad consolation prize, although I would think Grundy would start to come into the conversation (with Plowman on the fringes too).

Most recruiters will tell you the early ones are the easy ones, it's the later ones that require more work. Typical MFC, making the simple difficult since 1965. It hasn't all been bad, but yes 2007 would look a whole lot worse without Grimes coming through. A lot of angst about Lucas Cook being wasted at 12, but I think we're breaking even with Howe at 33 and McDonald at 53. If Davis ends up being a player, then I'd rate the 2010 draft a win, even if we (like every other club) did pass on Darling.

Tyrrells must be preparing a special limited edition range just in case...

Looking at the projected depth and quality of next years draft, I'd be ropable if we were excluded from next years crop. Even with significant improvement I'd still see us having a pick in the region of pick 7. Hogan gives us insurance for the worst, but we could really position ourselves nicely if we could add a Josh Kelly, Lewis Taylor or possibly even Jack Billings depending on where we finish. Anyone of those would just about top off our developing midfield group. That said, if we didn't have access, we'd have/find players to fill the breach, they just wouldn't be of the same pedigree. There's a nice article on list management on the AFL website (http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/150771/default.aspx), and in it they quote ex NFL coach Bill Walsh, who said "it never mattered where they were picked, it only mattered how they played". We might find ourselves referencing that in about 3 years time.

In a scenario where we still had pick 13 Simpson would have been in the mix, but given his output and exposed form, pick 4 is far too much of a reach. Jack Martin has the same 'special' attributes but also showed relatively consistent form at the champs along with a solid inside outside game, which Simpson hasn't shown on a regular basis. I remember a recruiter's notes popping up during the champs coverage with the word 'selfish' underlined next to Simpson's name, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but could be a bit of a red flag. Wines is as 'sure' a selection as you can get at pick 4. Not only covers all of the onfield attributes of decision making solid disposal and reading of the play, but also is a big tick with the off field application and preparation as well. He works both ways and is likely to be more consistently involved over four quarters week in week out, which makes him great value. He'll only add to the positive cultural push that the FD are trying to drive at the moment. Too many signs point to Wines at the moment.

Unless of course he's implicated in this whole mess and given his marching orders by the AFL. I can't think of any club that has had as horrible, turbulent or demoralising period than us. The last 2 years have been godawful as a Dee's fan. And for these faceless ex-Demon's who railed against twnking tactics. Hey idiot, reality check, if you blokes were any good, tanking wouldn’t have even been an issue. I watched enough insipid football to feel legitimately disgusted that you now feel it necessary to anonymously pot the club for tanking. What was your excuse when we were ‘trying’ to win? At least Brock put his name to his claims. Weak effort, and feel sick that I probably cheered you on at some point in time. With every ‘Demon (insert controversy here)’ article that I read, I feel a bit like that henchman in Austin Powers who eventually suffered death by steamroller. Yet I keep reading…

I have liked the club's moves so far, and Morton may not have fulfilled his potential, but I will puke if we send him to West Coast for pick 88 (and continue to pay him). It's an embarrassing deal. Surely he's worth a third rounder at worst. C'mon Dee's are you even trying to get something in return?

Opinions on the net worth of Colin Garland & Stef Martin?

GWS putting all picks bar no.1 on the table: http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/afl/gws-puts-prized-first-round-draft-picks-on-trade-table/story-fnahsgl5-1226496603126 What's our best offer for pick 2?

Toumpas would be my first preference. All round game, can win the ball, run & carry and deliver with precision. I'd pick him ahead of Whitfield. GWS can take both. Can only wait to see if they do. If he's off the table, then it's whichever of Wines & Grundy are available. Wines (with Viney) embodies the image of the Melbourne Footy Club that Need has been tring to sell from day 1. I can see the attraction. It also fits the profile of what GWS have been bringing into their club as well. Would not be surprised to see him taken before pick 4. Grundy's a beauty. It's rare for young rucks to have as complete a game at this stage of their development, even rarer when they're a late starter to AFL. Plowman and Stringer are the one's we'll most likely miss on that will be massive bargains for whoever gets them. I will most likely be extremely jealous of those clubs.

Highlights are post injury. The first part of the footage is from the Pioneers game against the Knights earlier this season. Jake kicked 9.7. The rest is footage of him playing VFL for Bendigo Gold. I was surprised by how well he moved after all the talk of the injury affecting his mobility. Extraordinary that he got 46 votes in the Gold's B&F from just the 3 games. Looked very Goddard-like in some of those passages, his kicking looked elite (combine results seem to back that up).

Bwah hah hah!

Perth it is! Saying hello not only to Hogan, but also Gumbleton. Melbourne zeroes in on Bomber Scott Gumbleton, but faces fight with Fremantle

Hogan played a lot of football in the ruck, midfield and down back for Claremont Colts, and by all accounts played those positions well. Given the amount of time he actually played in the forward line 2.2 probably not a bad result. Neither is the 19.9 touches per game.

EQ tweeting that pick 3 to GWS for MD pick 2 is being discussed. Would suggest that this deal was discussed a while ago. Only reason pick 3 would be on the table instead of pick 4.

Posted this in the JV thread, but Emma Quayle tweeting that GC will not bid on Jack.