Whispering_Jack

Agreed, we're in a fortunate position. We get to pick what is effectively the first "live" selection given that Weitering/Schache are are foregone conclusion and then have some interesting choices for our second pick. Whichever way it goes, we get two of the best 10 young players in the country as at draft selection night.

I thought I might return to the earlier days of this thread to check out where some of the players were ranked and it's interesting to note how highly fancied Aaron Francis was around May/June before the Weitering/Schache combo became set in stone for picks 1/2. Francis was at his height of popularity and in good form then, playing mainly in defence where his marking power was outstanding. Since then, he's dropped in the rankings after some so/so performances in the later Under 18 games and I believe he was injured later in the year. Now, as you know, I'm not a big fan of the highlights reel but at last night's trade and draft meeting, the vision that was shown of him was mostly as a forward and mightily impressive. That was from the game against WA which was fairly weak this year but it certainly required a bit of a rethink. Still, he was pretty much towelled up by the stronger defenders of SA in their game. Charlie Curnow's highlights were most impressive as well but we know he also went quiet after his injury. Which all leads me inescapably back to Darcy Parish. Some have said that there's no point of difference with him but I disagree - there's not a player at Melbourne who I can compare him to - he is one of those who instinctively knows where to be and his ability to get to the fall of the ball ahead of opponents is exquisite. He is one player I can see Roos/McCartney/Goodwin building on what he already has and moulding him into a real footballer.

He's a 19yo, not 21.

I was at the club's trade and draft evening with Jason Taylor and Todd Viney and while there was a great deal of discussion concerning a variety of the matters relating to the club, I don't think anyone went away any the wiser about who the club is drafting at #3. We were shown highlight tapes of six players who the club presumably considers would be available within its range of picks #3 and #7. They are: Charlie Curnow, Aaron Francis, Wayne Milera, Clayton Oliver, Darcy Parish and Sam Weideman. I would suggest then that we will draft two of those players next Tuesday night and while the club has made up its mind as to who will be taken at 3, nobody is telling. Nor are they telling the player involved because they want the player to enjoy the occasion. So, the suspense continues although watching the highlights passage and combined with the more detailed games I've seen in the past, confirms in my mind that Darcy Parish is our best pick. My next two would be Aaron Francis and Charlie Curnow ahead of Clayton Oliver and Wayne Milera. I don't believe Sam Weideman is for us. Anyway, we'll know soon enough.

There are too many hypotheticals there for me to give you an answer as to what I would say after rolling my eyes at the suggestion if it ever was made (which I strongly doubt)..

Brett Anderson was interviewed on SEN yesterday evening and, in relation to the views he's expressed about who he believes Melbourne will take at pick 3, he stated that they were based on his analysis of this year's draft and that he was not taking in any mail whatsoever from the Melbourne Football Club. On that basis he's always thought Melbourne would choose Curnow over Darcy Parish but it could easily be Sam Weideman or Clayton Oliver - "I don't know if Jason Taylor would take Charlie Curnow".Since Anderson's views about us taking Curnow ahead of Parish were made public a few weeks ago, some Phantom Drafts have been put out there nominating Curnow as our choice - it's almost as if they were taking Anderson's strong views as being based on inside information. However, that position has now been dispelled. It could be Curnow, it could be Weideman but I still think Parish is the best available. Jason Taylor and Todd Viney are speaking at a draft function at the club tonight but I don't know if we'll be much better informed after that - it looks like the rest of the clubs are going to be kept guessing for a few more days. Separately, on the testing of Weideman, I don't think I've heard anything much absurd than the proposition that we're considering him to keep Jesse Hogan happy and at the club. I'm sure Hogan would be just as happy to see the club add some future elite midfielders who could pump the ball to him with precision no less than a potential KPP who has been injured and out of action since May.

Paige Cardona has yet another crack at a Phantom Draft and now she has us taking Charlie Curnow and Aaron Francis who were both among the favourites at the very early stages of the season:- Paige’s AFL Phantom Draft – Edition Three

No love for James Pattinson?

I noticed the height difference in a photo that appeared on Instagram just after TMac returned from overseas. Oscar looked a lot taller (certainly more than 2cm taller) but I couldn't be sure because it could easily have been explained by the camera angle or the way the two were standing.If he has indeed grown to the 198cm mark and given he was recruited as a forward who can also play ruck (noted he's training with both backs and forwards), I wonder whether the fact that we have Oscar and Max King coming through the ranks would mean we are less likely to be looking at Sam Weideman or Harry McKay in the draft? [That's not to say that I'm necessarily comparing these players on ability or potential]

There's one game that stands out to me from 1975 and that was the round 2 game against North Melbourne. We were the previous season's wooden spooner while the Kangaroos had played in the previous year's grand final and on their way to their first premiership in that year. We had big Carl absolutely dominant kicking five goals and monstering the opposition and Robbie Flower starred. Stan Alves kicked the magical winning goal. A week later an indiscretion cost Carl a four week suspension, Alves suffered a shoulder injury and everyone was giving Robbie plenty of attention. We dropped off for a few weeks and lost momentum. Those crucial few weeks were costly. You can't afford injuries to our key players - at any time.

True but they came out of our local zone and the club had its eye on them for a couple of years.

One more time and real slow ...An idiot's guide to the new bidding system

I think you'll find throughout the pre season training period that some players will have the odd day off from time to time - like rostered days off. Nothing sinister at all.

Being a de novo hearing - i.e starting afresh, the WADA team would be trying to introduce evidence in areas in which the AFL Tribunal indicated that the ASADA case failed the test of comfortable satisfaction. If they know how to run a case and want to win, then they will be producing evidence from the Chinese supplier of the raw materials used by Dank. They will also no doubt seek orders compelling some of the main players in the supplements programme to give evidence. The Supreme Court last year refused an application to compel Shane Charter and Nima Alavi from giving evidence at the original tribunal hearing. There have also been suggestions of a substantial body of additional forensic evidence. I'm sure WADA will be well prepared for this hearing knowing the shortcomings in the case before the original tribunal.

It's still very much her own subjective view and while I would disagree with her on a few counts, it's still going to be close to the mark. Her first half dozen are made up of Weitering, Schache and four academy selections so they're effectively out of the ambit of Melbourne's selections. Then follow Aaron Francis, Sam Weidman, Wayne Milera, Clayton Oliver, Darcy Parish and Charlie Curnow. I would be very surprised if our two first round picks didn't come out of that group. The AFL has announced that next year's Under 18s will incorporate an Allies team representing the northern states, Tasmania and NT which I think is a great idea. I think Quayle has possibly rated the academy players too highly given that they have generally been seen competing in the Second Division of the carnival (some do play occasional TAC Cup games) where the competition is not strong. Hence, we really don't have a direct point of comparison with those who played in the First Division.

Tend to agree and that's why I think both Melbourne and Essendon will most likely be pursuing Curnow ahead of Weideman because of the former's capacity to get around the ground and play in different positions.However, I still have no problem with securing two midfielders at the high end of the draft if it works out that way.

Knightmare from 2012 on Ben Kennedy:- And by recruiting Kennedy I keep wondering whether that means that we don't hold out great hopes of securing Prestia next year as some here believe. It could be the issues with his recovery from the knee problem but also what if Kennedy has a big year and fulfills the promise he showed as an 18 year old with Glenelg? Would we really be chasing another small midfield type in those circumstances?

Callum Twomey's final phantom form guide is out:- 2015 draft: Final phantom form guide update On Darcy Parish who he places at #3 overall ~

Saty has gone on twitter with some great pictures. I look forward to his report or one from The Devil Inside

Everyone loves a smokey ~ DRAFT STEALS Hardwick sounds interesting.

And of course, nobody knows Jake Melksham's number because the jumper was stolen yesterday.

There's a lot of talk around the draft discussion about picking up a tall key position forward but when you think about what we already have and the versatility and potential of young players such as Hogan, T Mac, Frost, O Mac and King, I don't see that there's a burning need to take risks early in the draft with keys given the best two in the country are likely to be gone before we have our first pick. The discussion and reports here simply serve to confirm in my mind that we have the capacity in this draft to continue stocking up with the best young midfield talent so that in the latter part of this decade and well into the next we can have the best and most rounded midfield in the competition.

Duncan Keilty and Jordan Moncrieff are two young Casey players training at MFC with the aim of possibly being picked up in the national or rookie draft.Casey duo training with Melbourne

Princes Hill, Ivanhoe and Carlton North but today it must be Carlton, Albert Park and Hawthorn.

Yes, on close inspection that Bound for Glory phantom draft is pretty ordinary. Some of his player summaries aren't exactly ringing endorsements of players he has predicted to go so high. Curnow's "lazy", Parish has "flaws" etc. I have no problem with a critical appraisal but he doesn't back up the criticism with any real facts. It must just be "the vibe". Also, he has included rookie elevations which we've been told are no longer part of the draft programme but have already been done.