Doggo

Not enough blue on the clash jumper for mine. Looks too much like a sth melb/syd swans jumper.

To be fair to Luke Ottens, he was cruelled by persistent back injuries but was a raw talent and could have been a very good player for the club had his body held up. Was a strong mark, more mobile than Brad was, and had good vertical leap. Injuries forced him to retire from footy altogether by i think age 22-23. Never got a chance to get up and going. Someone like Damien Gaspar brother of Sydney/Richmond's Darren, who was a very good young player at the time, is a better example. Other names i can recall just off the top of my head of hack bros who got drafted on the back of their more talented brothers names include Donald and David Cockatoo-Collins (brother Che), Cameron Croad (drafted by Carlton, delisted after 1 season?) though i'm sure there are hundreds of cases.

Watching his highlight reel i couldn't help but make a comparison between him and a young Drew Petrie. The way he moves, rucks and kicks are all really similar to the North big man IMO. Petrie has never been quite tall enough (197-198?) to play as a full-time ruckman, and with North's ruck stocks has never really had to, but when fit and firing, he's capable of taking the majority of forward-half ruck contests, and can provide a handy sized 2nd stringer if needed, as well as a full-time forward option. Obviously it will take Tom quite a few years in the gym to put on the muscle get to Petrie's size, but he looks to have a good solid frame and is still young. I've no doubt he'll grow to at least 197cm by the time he is fully grown, being currently 194cm at 18 years of age. At that size he'll be able to at least provide a solid contest (people forget Jamar is on the short side for a ruckman at 198cm, and he does just fine). If we could get a player of that type out of McDonald, a late pick, i'll be thrilled.

Hughes has always been excellent at VFL, when fit. Unfortunately, that wasn't often enough. I've been a fan of his and wish him all the best... good luck Danny!

4 centimetres??

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/104744/default.aspx

To those suggesting Wade Skipper. Please. Really? You guys would want Wade Skipper at Melbourne?!

x2

Not 100% sure why i feel this, but i feel like out of all our young guns, Jordie Gysberts could end up the most "elite" player. Can't really justify it, other than to say in his first 2 games, he just looked like he had "it". Only 3 games into his career so it's not based on much, and I know it's a massive call and a huge show of faith, but it's just a gut feel i get. He's not that quick, and probably isnt the most penetrating or dangerous kick, and is built like a rake; but for some reason i feel like at the end of their careers, barring injury, he could end up with a better career than his more highly-touted teammates like Scully, Trengove, Grimes, even Watts and Jurrah. Surprised to see his name not mentioned in this thread yet. That's it, i've claimed him. Hopefully i haven't jinxed the kid.

He does have a point though. Injuries aside, Meesen showed very little in his 6 AFL games, and even less for Casey in the VFL in 2008-2009. Let's hope coaching is his calling, because (let's be honest) he wasn't much chop as a player. All the best, Meese. Hope you turn out to be a ripper coach!

Who looks at pure stats these days though?? And besides, PJ's problem in recent times wasn't getting the pill, it was not screwing up when he did have it. And contrary to popular belief, i think he has actually developed into a very servicable tap-ruckman. No world-beater, but an honest trier who could occasionally have good days, especially when rucking alone. Needless to say, more appropriate KPIs to look at when comparing PJ to Hale would be contested marks, marks inside 50, goals/scoring-shots, goal assists and hitouts to advantage inside attacking 50. PJ may be the more accomplished all-round ruckman, but Hale surely would have him covered in those other key areas. I've been a massive PJ fan since his junior days (and often the only person defending him on here in tough times), but i honestly think i'd prefer Hale in the forward-line to him, Spencer and even Martin.

Still an improvement on the likes of Miller and Newton i suppose.

Hey Rollo, My mate Benn (who has played in a forum game couple of years back) is interested in coming down for another run this year. He's a big bloke with a nice left boot, and can play forward or back. I understand the numbers are looking pretty good, but he's happy to sit on the bench and just be used as needed; same deal as me really. Have we got a ruckman this year? I'm happy to pinch hit in the ruck rotating thru the pocket, but my fitness and leap has been affected pretty badly by the knee and quad injuries, so playing a full match in the ruck this time round isnt really an option. Hope that's cool.. Regards Doggo

Hale is better than what PJ, Spencer and Martin are at the moment, and Fitzy and Gawn are nowhere near ready for senior footy yet. As far as stop gaps go, considering we'll most likely be delisting all of PJ, Meesen and Newton (the last two off the RL), we'll lose a lot of ruck 'depth' this year. Picking up someone who could at least fill the #1 ruck spot better than Spencer or PJ, should Jamar get injured, as well as be able to provide a deep contest in the forward line as a 2nd ruckman/forward (2 things PJ, who i was a big fan of for a long time, just hasn't been able to do at AFL level), would be a wise move. I'd imagine the football department feel the same way. Although no world-beater, Hale represents an improvement on what we currently have in the way of ruck stocks, 3 of which are likely to be delisted anyway. Hell... if someone like Wade Skipper can resurrect his career, get a game, and have an impact in a side like Hawthorn (whose ruck stocks are woeful at full strength, let alone when they're down to 1 fit ruckman on the list), Hale or even that dopey Kosi, could provide at least some solid insurance for Jamar, and a some KP depth.

I'd imagine PJ will be delisted this year, and as ordinary as he is, Hale is an improvement on PJ and would fill the 'void' left by his departure.

Hey Rollo, sorry to get back to you so late! Haven't had much time for 'Land recently. With regards to this lightning premiership, I'm still getting over the effects of a torn quad and knee injuries from my 1st year back in competitive footy this season (played the first 7 then missed the last 11 weeks with injury). Any improvement i might have made in fitness from last year will be long gone now. But I'd love to come down and have a run, on modified game time...

To be fair to Majak Daw, he was always seen to be a long-term prospect; has had a couple of injury setbacks this year but is tracking along around about where North would've expected at this stage of his development. His positioning will get better with experience and continuity in his game. Casey Sibosado has missed a lot of footy in the WAFL due to serious injuries in his first two years. Both these guys are only i think 19 and 20 respectively, and are genuine KPF prospects. People get so touchy about how critical opposition fans are of Jack Watts, and are willing to give a late pick like Jack Fitzpatrick 4-5 years to develop. Yet when it comes to young talls from other clubs that we overlooked, they're written off before they're even given a chance, purely because we didn't take them?

Harsh on Zaharakis; he 19 years old and has already performed well on the big stage. I actually think he is going to be a very good player, and can be quite damaging forward of the play. He's a good mark for his size and generally makes good decisions with the pill. At the moment he's lacking a bit in engine and defensive game, but he's a better than a "just OK" prospect. If he were at Melbourne i think opinions around here might be a little different. He's no Scully or Trengove, but he's a good young player. Just because he plays for another club doesn't make him complete carp... On Strauss. I haven't seen enough of him at Casey to make an informed comment, but i think it's fair to say he's behind where we'd like/expect him to be, considering he lined up in round 1 this year. Injuries haven't been kind to him, so let's hope with a full pre-season he can come out firing next year with a stronger body and, hopefully, a more physical approach.

Happy to see Newton in. His form as a relief-ruckman/forward at VFL level has been really good, so it would be nice to see if he can translate that into the big time. Couldn't possibly do much worse than PJ Bail out, not so happy about. I wonder if Beamer will come up, with Bail a likely late change? Certainly didnt deserve to be dropped this week.

Could be a good point you raise there Redleg. I'd be interested know just how many more games PJ needs to play at Casey to qualify? No doubt Casey will be wanting him there come finals time, where he'll be a huge key to their fortunes.

Agree with others; would like to see Newton come in for PJ as second ruck. His form in the VFL playing relief ruck/forward warrants it, and PJ was poo on the weekend (again). As for the other in's, really hard to call. I am surprised that Jamie Bennell is named in the starting 18, thought he was skating on thin ice. Likely bench: McKenzie, Bail, Newton, Moloney (if not fit, Bate)

I noticed that, although to me it looked as though he intentionally held the footy that little bit longer, rather than just handballing in hope to space or a poor/manned option. Not so much a lack of accleration IMO, just flat-footed at the contest a couple of times. His closing-speed while chasing from behind was good, and suggests he's getting somewhere near full pace again.

Lewis Jetta has been ok so far, but he's no certainty to make it... just yet. None of the Jetta's are. Much like his 2 Jetta cousins, he has a lot of improvement (consistency, poise and goal-kicking) to go thru before anyone will be 'regretting' not picking him up.

Wona was good today i thought! His forward pressure is unbelievable (averaging something like 4 or 5 'tackles inside forward-50' per match since coming back), his field kicking is crisp & tidy, and he generally remains balanced and composed under pressure. His value is more than the possessions and goals he kicks, but the goals he creates thru tackling pressure and/or assists. I thought he was better than Bennell again today (who he is in direct competition with for a spot in the 22 IMO), and Maric was pretty ordinary at Casey yesterday, as was Jetta (who hurt his shoulder).

Jamie Bennell's last few weeks haven't been great, and Wona's form looks to be on the up and up. Perhaps Bennell for Moloney, although if Beamer's now missed what 3 or 4 weeks? with this corky, it wouldn't surprise if he came back thru the VFL.