Whispering_Jack

MELBOURNE RECEIVES NATIONAL DRAFT PICK #28

TOP 10s | 2024 AFL National Draft Combine

A bit of an appendix to an article on the AFL site Blues lift offer as Houston race heats up, Darling switch close, five deals to unlock key trades “TALLS IMPRESS IN COMBINE TESTING NORTHERN Knights tall forward Gabriel Stumpf caught the eye of scouts on Sunday at the Telstra AFL Draft Combine, recording the equal fifth quickest 20-metre sprint in testing history. The 196cm prospect proved his athleticism by winning the event with a 2.81 second run. He also won the vertical jumps test with a leap of 76cm and was fifth in the running jump (left hand) test. Gold Coast Academy product Leo Lombardo once again showed his powerful attributes by finishing second in the sprint (2.85 seconds) as well as blitzing the agility test, completing it in 7.812 seconds. That placed the ready-to-go prospect in the sixth best agility time in Combine history. Rhys Unwin (2.91 seconds), Jasper Alger(2.93) and Malakai Champion (2.94) were also among the quickest in the sprint, while likely top-five pick, midfielder Finn O'Sullivan, won the running jump (left hand) test with a leap of 93cm and was second in the right hand jump at 92cm. O'Sullivan was also eighth in the agility test (8.14 seconds). He was beaten in the running jump (right hand) test by Gippsland Power's Alix Tauru, who jumped at 94cm. It marked the end of an impressive Combine for Tauru, who has pushed right into the mix as a top-10 pick with his second half of the season. Tauru, nicknamed the 'Flying Viking' for his Swedish heritage, was also in the top 10 for the running jump (left hand) and completed the 20-metre sprint in 3.00 seconds.”

Some 20 metre-sprint results from a bigfooty poster who warns that they may not be final ~ Top 5 in 20 metre-sprint (National Combine) Gabriel Stumpf 2.815 Leo Lombard 2.851 Rhys Unwin 2.914 Jasper Alger 2.931 Malakai Champion 2.938 Top 5 Worst in 20 metre-sprint (National Combine) Noah Mraz 3.258 Alex Dodson 3.248 Logan Smith 3.247 Harvey Langford 3.240 Eoin McEvoy 3.240 Top 5 in 20 metre-sprint (State Combine) Lennox Hofmann 2.861 Blake Leidler 2.887 Jayden Nguyen 2.887 Oliver Hannaford 2.954 Mitch Kirkwood-Scott 2.969 Top 5 Worst in 20 metre-sprint (State Combine) Jordan Doherty 3.287 Oliver Dean 3.277 Luke Quaynor 3.267 Charlie Orchard 3.213 Nathaniel Sulzberger 3.212

It’s official …

Each club's draft picks as of October 6, 2024 Adelaide: 4, 28, 45, 63 Brisbane: 20, 59, 72 Carlton: 12, 34, 65, 68, 71 Collingwood: 36, 51, 54 Essendon: 9, 31 Fremantle: 10, 11, 18, 30, 66 Geelong: 17, 38, 56, 74 Gold Coast: 6, 13, 23, 29, 41, 49, 77 Greater Western Sydney: 15, 16, 21, 37, 52, 55, 73 Hawthorn: 14, 33, 70, 76 Melbourne: 5, 40, 48, 53, 64 North Melbourne: 2, 25, 43, 61, 67 Port Adelaide: 39, 57 Richmond: 1, 24, 32, 42, 44, 50, 60, 69, 75 St Kilda: 7, 8, 27, 46 Sydney: 19, 22, 58 West Coast: 3, 26, 62 Western Bulldogs: 35, 47

It’s interesting that in last year’s count, Max finished in 8th place with 426 votes. The club had two more games as it participated in two finals but Max missed more games after his knee injury in Brisbane. I suspect that the judges might have been a tad harsher with their votes as the losses accumulated but in any event, the club might want to look at a way to ensure the award doesn’t go to the player who plays the most games.

Not fighting any Battles for Melbourne.

Well, apart from announcing half a dozen of the free agents who moved clubs today, Trade Radio produced a lot of speculation and idle chatter and once again, little of substance. FWIW, given that he’s been mentioned in dispatches as having attracted some interest from Melbourne, it has been reported by Tom Morris that no one is considering Matthew Owies at the moment. And that’s the Trade Radio News for the day.

Became a Hawk today.

Became a Crow today.

The Herald Sun has an interesting article listing the main candidates and the projected compensation. Two players of interest from Melbourne’s perspective:- Adam Tomlinson Landing: TBC Tomlinson couldn’t find a home inside Melbourne’s best 22 this year despite the team’s struggles, and is expected to leave the club for greener pastures. He’s an unrestricted free agent and can freely move to a third club, but he hasn’t nominated a team yet. St Kilda and Collingwood are both expected to be in the frame for the utility. Projected compensation: Nil Tom Campbell Landing: Melbourne Campbell is poised to continue his AFL career into a 13th year — despite never playing more than nine matches in a season. After serving as Rowan Marshall’s back-up at St Kilda since 2022, Campbell has been linked with Melbourne, where he would become Max Gawn’s understudy. The 32-year-old would offer valuable back-up for the Demons’ skipper after they were caught short this year when Gawn was injured, forced to use an undersized Harrison Petty in the middle. The club had high hopes for former Lion Tom Fullarton, but appears to have moved passed him. He would join as a delisted free agent after being cut by the Saints in August. Projected compensation: Nil The rest:- Josh Battle Landing: Hawthorn Projected compensation: Mid 1st round pick – No. 8 Harry Perryman Landing: Collingwood Projected compensation: Mid 1st round pick – No. 15 Isaac Cumming Landing: Adelaide Projected compensation: Mid 2nd round pick – No. 35 Jack Graham Landing: West Coast Projected compensation: End of 2nd round pick – No. 39 Elliott Himmelberg Landing: Gold Coast Projected compensation: 3rd round pick – No. 43 Tim Membrey Landing: TBC Projected compensation: 3rd round pick – No. 46 Nick Haynes Landing: Carlton Projected compensation: Nil Jack Martin Landing: Geelong Projected compensation: Nil (delisted free agent)

It starts today at 9am and runs until next Friday at 5pm with bid matching ending on Monday October 14 2024 at 5pm. Who will be the first domino to fall?

Callum Twomey reports that the 2024 Draft Combine starts today with a list of 67 top prospects but there’s a fair list of talent who won't be testing including Levi Ashcroft (shoulder), Sam Lalor (hamstring), Sid Draper (back) and Murphy Reid (ankle), Xavier Lindsay (knee), Cooper Hynes (ankle), Luke Trainor (hip) and Isaac Kako (ankle). The 2km time trial will be run today at Collingwood HQ. A skills session will also take place tomorrow at the AIA Centre before athletic testing – such as agility, sprints and jumps – take place at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on Sunday.