whatwhat say what

Was that the one where Zaharakis actually attacked the contest and toumpas looked super tentative? It was appalling.

doubt it. morton got us two fat ladies, which we traded to port for the best dancing footballer ever. i'm fully expecting toumpas to want a trade back to adelaide at the end of this contract. we'll be lucky if we get jarryd lyons.

nailed it. and i think that's why some of us are arguing he needs to strengthen his contested ball use extensively as he's simply not looking like he's going to make it as an 'outside' footballer at afl level - not quick enough, not smart enough, not skilled enough. unfortunately he's also not anything close to tough enough.

yep, and if he plays consistently like he did against essendon no one will want him.

nice work demonking.

more like feeling the pressure dad is putting on - during his farewell speech at the b&f he said he can't wait til one whole flank (hb - wing - hf) reads davey - davey - davey. me either. and the idea of a lyon who has been playing union deciding to give afl a crack is pretty thrilling to my rather sad mind today as we lose another youngster to a serious injury. would love a lyon.

Fair to say yr not the only one dd!

maybe petracca was the player whose room was too neat. my goodness, i really hope we don't pass on him in favour of lever...

Also, the best half backs across the last twenty years haven't been half backs who've played their careers there. They've been mids who've been slotted into HB to play that role because of their skills. It's part of the reason why you need a surfeit of midfielders - inevitably every year two get injured for the year, others become flankers.

The other factor at play is that Petracca is not even the highest rated mid in the draft - Isaac Heeney is. Whereas McCartin is probably rated the best 'big' in this year's crop.

To me it sounds more like this draft will be of Scully / Trengove / Neck Tatts or Watts / Naitanui / Hill variety than Hodge / Judd / Ball. Solid players who should play 150-200 games, barring injury, rather than competition leading champs.

We shall see whether that's true or not. There's class to be plucked at 2 and 3 - be it two midfielders (of Brayshaw, Petracca or Laverde) or grab a key position player (Wright or McCartin) - we're hopefully setting ourselves up with class. Just gotta develop em into afl players!

Don't be silly! Northern markets need protection!!

Absolute myth that Collingwood didn't know. Has been rumoured all year. He becomes a restricted free agent at the end of 2015, from what I understand, and will walk if they don't trade him. I have a six pack riding on him being at Brisbane by 2016 season.

Ah, the new Gary Lyon. His game against the Pies was scintillating. And then...

Hrovat and their pick 5 for pick 2.

Rumours going around are that Beams wants out, but up home to Brisbane obviously. If they don't trade him out this off-season they seriously risk losing him for naught at the end of 2015 when he's a free agent.

fairly solid i would expect, their midfield is just as parlous as ours.

no, it really wouldn't. but i could definitely see it happening. the waite to north rumour has been around since the start of the year. it makes sense - for whatever reason, they think they're a smidge off premiership contention with their aging 30+ year olds still the core of their team, so why not continue to top up? i can't see it ending well... and saints have been quite clear that pick 1 is on the table, and boyd has been rumoured to be unhappy up north since january. it'd make sense, and give gws ANOTHER top pick. it's just ridic, really. there's also the story in the oz today that footscray are throwing a fortune at patton to get him to leave.

Wright loves a physical contest. He has a massive frame too. My big concern is how's he going to go against men rather than boys?

I think the thing is, getting a rare tall talent is harder than 'fixing' the midfield. Look at this year - astute trading netted us Tyson and Vince who were able to improve our midfield from the get go. Whereas we had no one to replace Hogan and Clark, other than taking ostensibly out best defender and turning him into (I believe) our most effective forward. Perhaps that's why Wright appeals - someone who is capable of playing key forward and going into the ruck is pretty rare. And he has a lovely kick on him. That being said, our midfield is just so lacking in skill and speed...

Hahaha.

Ahern too. Both he and Laverde are tipped to be late first rounders at this stage - would expect them to tighten to top 10 a la Salem and Freeman. Goddard and Lamb slipping big time.

Cal Twomey reckons Petracca is firming as #1 selection.

Brilliant thread.