DeeSpencer

Kozzie’s the only high quality forward on that list and he’s pretty keen to get out of Melbourne. We need to add a mature mid and draft another one with a decent pick at least, but forward talent is just as important.

The age report the other day seems to think so. I'm not as high on a few of the top mids as soon people are. We are desperate for forward talent no matter the size and shape and Kako has power, aggression, class and is a good ball winner up the ground. I think he'd be in the frame

Trading up will be their priority but if we are a serious threat it gets very hard for them. Richmond aren’t going to 9. North, I suspect they want the best tall and aren’t going that far down. Eagles tried the trade back thing a couple of years ago, I bet they want another gun mid. Crows tried it with Fish McAsey, doubt they do it again, maybe if they are certain Draper is available, otherwise unlikely.

Oliver’s opinion is largely irrelevant. All that matter is whether Geelong are serious or totally taking the [censored] as usual. If they make us a reasonable deal then we can have a conversation.

If we’re the team to bid on Kako and Essendon can’t get ahead of us (hard to see anyone from 1-4 willing to go down to 9) we might have them panicking. The bonus for them is if they deal us pick 9 obviously we don’t bid on Kako

I think they’re trying to compensate bad teams because they know how much free agency screws them, even if the net result is it encourages players to cut and run. The league had no choice but to agree to free agency. But I’m sure they hoped the cap space would be used by bad teams to bring in good players not the other way.

Not just one! They have Jayden Nguyen too who I think is very draftable late

Agree on the 2km time. If you don't have speed or endurance you're probably just a poor athlete, unless there's a reason that you're underdone. To grind out a quality 2km time after a long season is impressive and probably indicates there's scope to work on speed as a pro. Send him over to Judd McVee's grandpa. There's a lot of pace put in the game at centre bounces these days that makes me a touch nervous but it's all about balance in there. He'll be the big bodied contested player and you'll surround him with speed. The bigger concern I have with Langford's speed might be whether it impacts him up forward. There's not much room for slow forwards these days, but with his height and overhead marking you'd be hoping he's more of a 3rd tall when forward than having to purely chase, pressure and run hard to create separation from defenders. Being a left footer and the way he moves makes me less concerned speed will be an issue when he has the ball especially in congestion. As for the testing: Smart US Sports scouts talk about using testing for benchmarking. To play certain positions in the NFL or NBA you generally have to tick off certain boxes and if you're an outlier then they take a big look to see if it's something that's a real concern or not.

Not so much falls over but rolls over to Richmond, who might have 6 picks inside 23 and should be just as keen to move one back a year. But I can also see us making a move on 11 if the Bolton deal stalls and then Freo offering Richmond 10 and perhaps a Freo future first. Richmond death ride Freo to get Bolton value. Freo death ride us to come out of the Bolton deal looking sharper.

I hate the way in some leagues you can top up late in seasons, at most a mid year deadline. And even then I’d prefer if mid year is only for fringe players somehow. But if they had trade deadlines in late November (summer trade window), March (pre season) and a mid year window they’d have 3 periods of movement and a bumper free agency period in October. Plus more movement around the draft.

Me neither, but I’d also like to find it. Or at least coach it.

I wouldn’t be upset if Lamby have an unmeasured answer and cooked a few

If we get no one we get no one, draft is always more important to small clubs. But I disagree with the idea a high quality player is suddenly going to come to us. Our main target was Houston. Our second target with Derksen. I’d be shocked if we get anyone of quality. But some times the best pick ups are the bargain buys, they just haven’t been for us in a long time.

You’re a little out there, should run for 3-4 months, if not longer. The trade window should be from mid October until March with a summer break. Proper free agency should occur with a busy rush in mid October.

When was the last trade period where we bought in a quality player late in the piece? Lever, Hibbo, Melk, Langdon were all lined up weeks in advance. May I think set his sights on us pretty quickly too. I have to go back to Mitch Clark which was a disaster in the end. All the big names this year have clubs attached aside from Houston who is waiting to see if Coll/Carl get the currency. The good news is we might get another Billings or Hunter. Fantastic. Great.

If we have 3 picks inside 30 I think I’m ok with using the Grundy late 2nd round pick and marginally overpaying for a guy who’s a third. Assuming we have no one else available. See if the Giants blink late. They’re talking about getting Stringer and Shiel, if they do that they’re at least feeling better about their net ins/outs over trade period.

I’m fairness to Lamb he had Houston until the club self imploded. He’s not got much to work with right now

Nothing in Bartel’s background says he is ready for a CEO job. Having not had a full time job in footy he wouldn’t even be ready for a head of football job. His role should be coming in under Richo and giving more of a strategy, culture, leadership angle to our FD and letting Richo focus on mentoring coaches which is a strength of his. That might well be right on Pert, but finding a quality high level business exec with experience in sports and ideally footy would be the aim.

I know it's not a fair 1 to 1 fight because this is a highlight compilation but please watch this and tell me it's underwhelming or not flashy! We've got hangers, left foot goals, ultra creative laser kicking and varied ball drops, tucking the ball under the arm with running bounces, an exceptional side step, the ability to mark and accelerate as soon as he hits the deck. Look at how often he's driving the ball forward with pace and breaking the game open. Then compare to Jagga. Butters is practically a mini Chris Judd! Where as Jagga is more mini Jack Macrae. Nick Daicos doesn't have to be strong or mark overhead, he's a freak on the deck, in space and creating space. Doesn't matter if he never takes a contested mark in his career he has plenty of other weapons. Maybe a better comparison is the Ashcrofts. Neither Ashcroft brother is all that big or physically off the charts but they both have really fast creative hands and hit the contest at pace, driving the ball forward and make great decisions with their kicks. There's a big talent difference in terms of what they do with the ball and the impact per possession. But my point is I don't know what Jagga does well aside from run smartly contest to contest and have clean hands. I just can't see it. If there's something there I'm missing I'd like to know what it is.

I'll happily change my mind if you can find me sustained examples of any of those 3.

Daicos has speed and a truly special kicking boot. Zak Butters has speed, creativity and flies in at the contest with no regard for his safety but also with the ability to use his hips to win the ball. He's a dynamic inside and outside player. I watched half that video. Yeah, he runs contest to contest exceptionally well and exposes the other juniors lack of two way running. He's generally a clean ball handler. I won't deny that. I will argue I'm not seeing any breaking the lines with pace. 0:17 - retreats backwards, gives the nothing handball that Ashcroft does wonders with to draw opponents 0:20 - nice corridor kick 0:42 - retreats backwards, caught htb 1:00 - nice enough snap 1:20 - nothing handball 1:28 - backwards handball 1:36 - hacked clearance kick, Kako makes it look good 1: 47 - hacked clearance kick, turnover 2: 37 - calls for it under pressure, quickly makes it someone elses problem 2:45 quality gather and spin 2:54 nice long corridor switch 3:00 a clearance that goes forward!!! But he doesn't trust his pace to beat the chaser once Ashcroft gets it back to him, kick flubs wide to the other team 3:20 weak tackle 3:35 gets the ball forward in space, with team mates wide open everywhere he handballs to a guy right next to him 3.5 things caught my eye where as there was a whole lot that didn't achieve much. The draft media is Twomey and a few other guys here and there, there's no real rankings that hold any weight with me until about now when you start to get a guide on what clubs really think. 'general view, not as talented or damaging' He's a quality junior footballer and if he works his backside off at stoppage craft he could be like a Lachie Neale who just gets better and better. The best players aren't always the most skilled or have the best traits. But right now I'm seeing a guy who's born early in the year and had the year off school to dedicate to footy and is very advanced in his in game running and clean hands but in terms of natural talent - pace, strength, overhead marking, explosive power, kicking distance, kicking penetration there's not much there.

Packers, Ravens, Panthers

In fairness to the coaches he’s rarely played afl midfield because they don’t trust his contest work. But is too slow to get pressure on as a forward. Agree he was drafted as a forward, that’s why I said ‘unless you count Laurie’

Sure, but Jason Taylor’s never drafted a small mid unless you count Laurie. Draper has a good solid frame and some strength but if he’s not rated as a good ball user he better be a great inside player, not sure he is. Jagga’s small, light frame, doesn’t break lines with pace, doesn’t have a dangerous kick. What’s his weapon? Nice balance, nice hands, runs hard but most AFL players do that. It’s less about weaknesses and more about lack of strengths. JT’s early picks have generally targeted guys with rare traits.

I’d be shocked if we took Jagga and surprised if we took Draper. Look at the quotes from the age article. On Smith: The general view is that he is, perhaps, not as talented or damaging as some in this range. On Draper: Draper’s kicking skills and decision-making are considered a tad below some of the best midfielders in this crop. I reckon the Kako mail might be real (of course it probably gets matched) but failing that we go hard for a tall or even someone like Travaglia