DeeSpencer

You probably will. Rodgers will find a way to score more than he did against pretty much every team besides Seattle. My comments was more saying how good they are (particularly at home) not about you guys. That said I'm not all that high about the packers doing anything come January because I see the O and D line play of NFL is pretty much contested ball in AFL. If you don't win there you don't play 'finals footy' regardless of skill players. Packers O Line looks below par. The D line is relying on ancient Peppers and injury prone Matthews on the outside but looks very soft on the inside without Raji. Bit of Geelong about the packers.

2 issues for San Fran: On offense: One of your best O linemen held out of camp. Another is injured. Without top O line play your running game doesn't work as well (just like every team). Without the running game Kap has to do more by making good reads and throws and the offense struggles. Every chance the O line steps up. The veteran receivers play well. Gore is Gore. Kap makes enough plays with his legs and throwing and your offense scores against a dreadful Dallas defense. Wouldn't be overly concerned. On defense: Lost some players in free agency. Aldon Smith suspended for the start of the season. Bowman coming back from injury. That's 2 elite players missing. Ray McDonald should be suspended already but will be dealt with in Nov for domestic violence chargers. It just doesn't seem the same defense as the last two years. So I think you'll fix your offense and be an average solid offense but I'm concerned you wont be a great defense overall. Which means wildcard spot at best and doing it the hard way through away post season wins. That said you've got Dallas away and Chicago home to start. Not a bad way to get to 2-0. Home game momentum at new Levi stadium will be interesting. They've ripped up the grass twice after the first preseason game. And a fan died from dehydration after the first game. Not a great start.

Missed the official start but no one was ever tipping GB right so its ok? New England New Orleans (with caution) San Diego If in doubt go with the top QB's is my theory. Whether Rivers is a top QB is another question but he was last year and Jared Rivers form my transfer to cousin Phil. Also wanted to tip Minnesota over St Louis in a battle of back up QBs (Cassel is backing up Teddy just in reverse!). I'm a very nervous Bears fan. Bills having so many issues they might just all be a smoke screen and our defense and special teams are awful.

Heard that. Likely just a rumour or speculation based from sources, there's no way all 3 clubs would leak answers, if they've even made up their minds. But based on needs it's a fit. GWS have no need for McCartin and less need for Wright unless they only want to play him ruck and I wouldn't take a ruck number 1, a dynamic mid/fwd makes a better fit for them. St Kilda have Rhys Stanley as a second ruck or could use Hickey/Longer in combination and desperately need a key forward. And either a mid or Wright as a fwd/ruck makes sense for us. Just on the footage above Wright looks very raw. Clean with his skills but raw in terms of how he uses his body, his intensity at the contest and physicality. I wouldn't expect much from him for 24 months as he learns how to compete against guys without just being bigger. But once he did to have a big guy with clean skills and good athleticism he could easily be a Kurt Tippett deep forward and relief ruck.

They did make it to those pair of AFC championship games. And were what 8-8 last year. So they remind me more of St Kilda or Richmond that us. It's just I think I could coach offense better than Rexy. I'd hire him every day of the week to be my defensive coordinator, but stay the heck away from offense! Unfortunately we can only dream of being the Jets. I reckon we are more Jacksonville or Oakland. Is anyone watching HBO's Hard Knocks at Atlanta's training camp. The first episode was hilarious.

My apologies. What a silly system where he's part of the academy despite not being able to be selected from the academy. I suppose it makes sense. I wonder how much of a knock on him will be that his brother was a gun junior as well but now is a bit of a plodder who was cut by the Suns (but is turning it around at the Saints a bit as a tagger). Didn't seem to affect the Swallows but maybe Lachie will have noted the things Mav didn't do in his early years at AFL level (ie. get super fit, work on his skills, speed and versatility).

Or will go in the second round depending on what the clubs with picks 6-9 do and what the AFL does with the academy rules between now and draft day.

I saw that at the carnival. I rate my ability to pick out players traits. What I know I have no idea about (and many recruiters probably don't) is to identify what flaws are fixable and which ones aren't. Can you teach that skill? Roos always has our boys doing a bunch of handball drills to work on that but I wonder what percentage improvements you get. As for Duggan the 183cm may be a concern. With the way the game is going that's short for a back flanker or mid. If his speed is only average then his limited to positions and roles. You'd probably take a guy who's 188cm with 10% worse kicking because they'd be able to take more marks, defend more opponents and probably have an easier time winning clearances etc.

It's all there, but he's still very raw. He's not Jaegar O'Meara ready to go. Unless we hired a new fitness boss (and definitely with Roos' focus on defensive work rate) I'd expect him to start as a forward flanker, I'd be shocked if what I saw at the carnival translated to immediate ability to play midfield time, but then again Wines did it at Port.

Are we that young though? On the weekend we had Tyson, Viney, Kent, Salem, Barry as guys in their first 3 years. If Cross and Trengove are fit 2 of those guys probably don't play. The backline hasn't featured a young player all year. Tyson and Viney are the only young guys who have seen midfield minutes and up forward it's been Kent, Salem, JKH that's about it. Hogan will come in to that mix. And Gawn is a young ruck or even a young key forward given the development time they take. I'm certainly hoping Tyson and Viney (who are already doing well) aren't too many preseasons away from having the bodies of mature midfielders. And Kent and Salem both had significant interruptions in preseason, neither did serious training on the track before Christmas. We need mature depth and we need top end talent. I wouldn't put one as more important than the other. If the option is there for a Tyson trade then I'm all for it. If the option is there for Vince and Cross types to come to the club then that's what we need as well. If we have picks 3, 4 and 21 then if you can trade 21 for a Vince compared to pick 4 for someone not significantly better and unlikely to be elite then it might be the right move. Imagine trading pick 4 for Andrew Gaff and him being a pretty boring average wingman and seeing Petracca become a star.

Sensation game from Ed Langdon on the highlights tape. Presumably brother or cousin of Tom at the Pies. Kicks 4 and sets another one up. Some smart attacking run and play. Would be useful as a small forward if this games any guide.

I know GWS have had so many picks they must be thinking needs based but would you really want to draft a tall defender/back up ruck number 1 overall? That's not a marquee position. I look at Collingwood with Frost coming off the rookie list and doing really well and even experienced defenders like Tom Lonergan, Teddy Richards, Zac Dawson and think it's more about finding some good athletes and tough guys and developing them rather than spending a number 1 pick, same with rucks. And if they did go needs based with the ruck I'd go for Wright as he's legit ruck size and can play the second ruck/forward role. I like the rest but I feel someone will burn down the kennel if they don't go a tall. Hrovat and Dalhaus are meant to be half forward speedsters. Johannisen from half back if he develops. Macrae isn't slow. Depends on the rest of their draft but they need some proper tall prospects.

Watts. Gets the ball. Wanders back 3 steps. Moves two steps to the side. Is called to play on. Now starts looking for targets. So annoying. 1. Lead 2. Mark 3. Play on straight away OR two or three steps off the mark, then spin quickly 4. Push back further off the mark 5. Move in the direction you will kick

I have to ask why are you on a footy forum talking about footy and interested in the draft yet your only watch Melbourne games. Considering how poor we've been on late that's an impressive level of dedication!But yes. Beau Waters is a hard as nails tough back pocket/flanker, Sam Mayes is a smooth moving, skillful utility who can play half forward, half back, wing and probably eventually midfield. So if a player is compared to both of them then that's impossible to know what he does well or not. The two I've read and seen on that list the most are Hugh Goddard and Jake Lever. Goddard is your prototypical tall developing prospect. He's got all the physical and footballing tools the question is just whether he really leaps out and dominates games. But he has skills and athleticism and you could put him half back or half forward. He probably reminds me of Lachie Henderson in that he'll end up a good player at a minimum. I'd say we'd be super keen if Frawley left and he was around and we had pick 3-6. Lever you'd like to see grow just a bit to 195cm so he's the right size but he's a natural key defender. Just one of those kids who's way ahead of the others his age at defending. But he's done a knee and missed this year. But he's like Col Garland as just a quality half back who will stop goals and get the ball going the other way. Whether you'd use a top pick on a guy coming off a knee who might be undersized and just a half back is another question.

The NFC west should now have 4 teams with excellent defenses, you could argue they might be the 4 best in the entire league all in one division. And none of them have the top range big money QB's and they are committed to the ground game. Going to be some epic games between those 4 teams this year. My early tip for playoff teams NFC West: Seattle South: New Orleans East: Philly North: Detroit WC: Atlanta and Arizona AFC: North: Baltimore South: Colts West: San Diego East: New England WC: Denver and Bengals

Jono Brown the most famous. Mark Murphy said thanks but no thanks.

Jack Viney is working out pretty well but I'd usually be against a coach picking his own son. How it differs here is that Roos will be out of the senior coaching job in 2 years and therefore wont be senior coach for his own son for too long. As long as Roos stays out of the recruiting process then I'd trust the recruiters. No nothing about the kid except he looks confident and I decent size when down at training helping out his old man.

I'm not saying he isn't popular. Was only saying he has great confidence. The ability to walk in to Roos' office and ask for a full game and then back it up. That's a great thing.

Don't want to over state it and make him sound like the next superstar of the game but what JKH has is that obvious self belief that borders on arrogance that most of the good players have. I could see how it could grate on people. But he backs it up with great work ethic and so far some really good results on field. Jack Viney has it as well. Same with Jesse Hogan. There's nothing wrong with the kids who come in to clubs like a young Col Garland and don't speak for 2 years. But especially with the group of players we had with their confidence shot there is nothing wrong with some confidence.

Man he has fast clean hands. Just body the ball and zoom and he's straight out of traffic. Lovely to watch. He'll be an ok crumbing forward but this kids a midfielder just waiting to build up his tank and strength.

Yeah they're trying to move it later to steal the limelight from the NBA but they are really just hurting themselves. I think the Texans want a trade but probably can't find one. I'm not buying the Atlanta move. I think as good as he's been they've probably learn from the Julio Jones trade that it's not worth it. Selling more of their future for Clowney would be a big mistake. They need an O line, TE, possibly a RB, third receiver and help all over the defense to win a superbowl not just one pass rusher. I'm hoping for their sake Cleveland hold strong and wait until their late first round pick for QB. Vikings as well got to be thinking about second round or later surely. I like Bridgewater, Carr and Murray just as much as Bortles if not more. Time for some NFL teams to head the lessons of Paul Roos and trading back in the draft!

Combining 2 of my favourite things - Being a cruel bastard - Crazy ideas I'd force him to wear a helmet when he plays. See if he reacts and puts his head over it then.

The moral of the story is as always draft best available. I'm not overly impressed by having Jamar, Spencer, Gawn, Fitzy, Pedo as our ruck department and having to pick 2 of those guys each week. But at the same time I think you can win games with them. I'd also want another quality forward in the pipeline behind Dawes and Hogan. So there's room for a ruck and a forward and there's especially room for a guy who can play both at a high level. Of course you have to be careful drafting ruckmen early. I'd stay away from a number 1 pick on a ruck because at 18 it's very hard to measure the develop of any player yet alone a 200cm kid. But Wright is mainly a forward and in the Daniher mold. So I'm not adverse to him. If he's the clearly most talented kid then you take him. What I'm really hoping is we don't have the number 1 pick. We have to frank our form against Carlton (and even Gold Coast, GWS, Saints) and turn that into wins.

Lycette's a legitimate ruck. Sinclair can ruck a little but really isn't. With Cox coming towards the end I think the Eagles will be super keen to keep both and if one of them is a back up for injuries then so be it. Considering Nic Nat's injury status you'd want to have both available anyway.

9 days until the draft? Who do you want. Will teams learn a lesson from the 2012 draft class that wasting first round picks on questionable QBs isn't wise. Is Clowney that good?