DeeSpencer

What plethora? Tom is a forward now. Years of turnovers = no more backline. Oscar, Frost and Lever are our starters. Joel Smith the back up medium, Wagner a 3rd tall option if needed but really a flanker type. Keilty a rookie list mature back up. That's it. Frost is a bit out of favour, Oscar isn't solidfied as a genuine long term option, Joel Smith limited experience, makes a lot of sense to bring in another one.

2 members of the Wilburys. It will be the end of the line for opposition key forwards. He'll handle them with care.

Love his kick as well as his mark and he can run. There's a lot more to footy than that of course but really it's the basis of AFL football isn't it? Wouldn't at all be surprised to see him playing half back or rotating through a wing as part of his development.

Competitor without the ball. Good evasive skills and vision with the ball means quick and quality decisions. That's a nice combination. More of a midfielder than a speedy crumber but as defenders get quicker I don't think pure speed is going to run them down all that often. I like the pick and I think he'll be a player.

I like Bailey much more than Baker if I was lining all the kids up in the draft. I don't have a full list, I don't watch the kids I just see a few games of state champs or TAC plus make judgements from what I read or see in highlights. I'm just not overly enamoured with him like others seem to be. Sounds like Bailey will be gone by our first pick and he would've been a nice fit there but I think there's others who are as good. Baker seems like someone fun for our later picks.

Do the outside players? If the inside mids are getting it 50 times there might be less footy for the runners! I like the look of this guy and I think he suits our needs, but I'd rather take best available for a couple of picks and get him with the 3rd or 4th choice. He's linked with our first pick much more than any other player and there's other speedy outside types in the draft so I think there's probably some truth to it. That said, once you get linked in one phantom draft the other 'media drafters' often just follow it.

Averages 16 disposals which probably isn't too bad for a 19 year old outside player. His team went 8-10 so were probably not all that great at getting the ball out, especially up against the stronger AFL reserves sides. He looks like he plays a bit taller than a 6 foot guy and I think that's maybe where some of the interest is. If he can hold his own in the air as well as take the game on at ground level then he might not need to win a lot of gound balls. I've seen a few times his endurance has been listed as needing to improve to play regular AFL midfield footy. That might be my biggest concern. If he runs hard and has the speed and evasive skills then that's almost enough for a good player. If he doesn't have above average endurance then he's probably going to be more of a Gary Rohan than an Isaac Smith.

Yeah I think he was hinting that it could go very well if those clubs take the players we don't want or it could go less well if they do. Depends a bit on how their draft boards match up with ours. Richmond have historically favoured pace and the Eagles need a lot of it too so that makes me nervous given I'd prefer if some of the speedsters are available. But you're right, there's other teams who might look at the talls.

Yeah no more Jayden Hunts, Petracca's and Max Gawn's they are no good. More Viney's, Oliver's, Brayshaw's and Tyson's and Neal-Bullen's. Get a few more who can play at Casey like Ben Kennedy. I'd love a medium forward project player like a Nat Fyfe.

The AFL website list is after rookie promotions. They've already assigned a pick 80 (for example) to him and done that. They changed the rules a year or so ago to stop the charade of reading out promoted rookies on draft night and made that process complete before the draft.

Back on to Liam Ryan - still seeing him mocked to the Eagles in the 20's. I think they'll get him in the 30's. I don't think we can risk it for a player with a strong go home factor and doubts over his defensive game. I'd love to have him and move the ball in quick to him one on one and see what he can do but too much of modern footy isn't played one on one anyway

Nope you're wrong. Joel Smith is part of the 36 on the senior list. Rookie upgrades just get assigned a late pick and upgraded now, they don't have to go through the draft process. We wouldn't have to use 47 on him anyway, we had a pick in the 80's or 100's available if needed. We can and should use all 4 picks on Friday night.

He was moving well and is a nice mover but I thought he rushed or overkicked too many of his kicks. He's such a beautiful kick at times but isn't consistent enough when it has to be his strong suit. I'd like to see him right up the front of the running and that hasn't happened yet either - didn't see todays running though.

Warm up in line groups with some funky stuff like the forwards using the frisbees. Then in to some craft drills for each of the groups. In to a bigger point to point kicking drill that finished with a forward turning quickly from the mark and kicking to a deep one on one at the hot spot. Might we see a return to a full forward?? Some torpedo kick to kick. They often do something interesting, I assume it's mainly to keep the training fun and fresh. Then in to some 8 on 8 (approx) ball movement on about a 2/3rds ground size with mostly token pressure from the defending team. That was done pretty well considering they'd been at it for a while and it's early days. Left before the running started. Wasn't really a session for anything to stand out. I'd say everyone in the rehab group looked in good condition and they did quite a bit of footy work as well as controlled movement stuff. And the main group had decent numbers across each line of the field and everyone there seemed to be training well.

29. Oskar Baker 31. Toby Wooler 36. Bayley Fritsch 47. Matthew McGannon

Hit by the round up so far this year. Not sure what's going on.

Trengove didn't get picked for about 40 of the last 44 weeks. And when he did he wasn't up to it. telling him he's good without picking him would've been gross hypocrisy. with a fresh start he can be pumped up. I actually like the way Port are giving out fresh starts instead of keeping their own depth players. It lets you bring positivity to the group. But due to list churn we don't have a lot of long term depth players so we might not need that. New year new start, but no point lying to guys who you don't pick all year

T Smith is here with a giant wad of tape holding his lower back together. He's off for a jog

Jones and Bugg doing laps Lever, T mc, J Smith, Salem, flip, Hannan, McKenna and slim Kent doing rehab forwards: Hogan, Pedda, ANB, Melk, JKh, Jeff, DJ Backs: Keilty, Oscar, Lewis, Wags, Vince, Frost, Hunt. mids: Gawn, Trac, Gus, Oliver, Harmes, C May 20, Stretch, Dom, King not sighted: Weeds, AVB, Viney, T Smith, Balic, Hibberd, Jetta

Snake Lever following the path of other great demon defector defenders in Frawley and Lumumbles wearing the 8

The frisbees are out

Players just arriving now. they took the first 30 minutes off just like in round 23

I don't really see it with Bailey's highlight package. I like the fast hands, but the contested ball is very kiddies contested ball and he's got a lot of space to run from the stoppages. Kicking goes hot and cold as well. No idea what people are seeing to compare him to Fyfe and Sloane. 180cm with a nice burst of speed - he reminds me of a Shuey or Treloar and would give our midfield something different.The Parish comparison sounds about right. I'd be happy with him at pick 29 but I think he's rightfully not in the top 15 contention.

My new favourite from the highlights videos is Matthew McGannon. 183cm skinny but rangy kid who seems suited to flanks, inside or the wings. Just makes really quick and good decisions in moving the ball on and mixes his kicks between weighted and flat. Not afraid to use his left foot or hand either. Doesn't look fast but seems to glide out of trouble when needed. Any draft watchers seen him play?

Andy seems fitter, faster and a more penetrating kick that Gus. He's fitting the mould of how the game has swung back towards pace and running the ball with the Dogs and this Richmond team. Gus is bigger, stronger and more suited to the style that was in vogue when he was drafted of big bodied mids. I am hoping that with a strong fitness base and consistent game time that Gus will mature and get sharper in his ball use and quicker on his feet. That's been true of a lot of players over the years, like a Josh Kennedy at Sydney. The other thing I think recruiters are picking up on is that with the number 1 pick especially but also with top 3, top 5 or top 10 even you have to pick a player who will thrive under scrutiny. That can be a Dusty or Clarry who outwardly look like lads but have inner determination or it can be an Andy McGrath super professional type but they have to be resilient. Andy Brayshaw seems like that.