bing181

Musings. Some really odd comments out and about re Dees' draft haul. So many of them feel that we should have/could have reached a bit with this pick to get Tauru. Or another tall with the Lindsay pick. But they seem oblivious to the number of talls we have on the list, even after the loss of, ahem, Schache and Tomlinson. On the other hand, we really suffered with the loss of Brayshaw, and will lose again with the loss of ANB, and it should have been obvious to all and sundry that once Petracca went down and Oliver stopped being Oliver, we were a shadow of ourselves. So I would have thought that it was fairly self-evident that the priority had to be midfield depth, if not midfield talent. Odd.

I think that some here underestimate the importance of a strong Casey team. It's one of the keys to developing all these younger players on the list and keeping our depth players AFL- ready. If he helps straighten us up and adds a bit of backbone to the team it'll be a plus. (And no, you can't just get players like this direct to Casey.) As for the rest, who knows, though I suspect he's going to need at least a season to even start getting up to speed.

Unexpected, but I for one am happy with the pick. So many on here lament the lack of mongrel amongst some of the players - and not just the young ones either - and to bring in a crash 'n bash merchant can only be a positive. If all he does is show Jefferson and Adams how to crash a pack it will have been worth it

With Jeffo (hopefully) moving up to AFL, and the loss of Brown, Schache, Tomlinson and even Farris-White, we need some tall/key position depth and protection for the Casey boys. Hard to see this as much more than that. Can pinch hit to cover Verrall, provide a target up forward. Not particularly inspiring, but perhaps necessary.

Unlike posters on social media, clubs tend to go for the obvious, pragmatic choice. No surprises.

Allan or Lindsay it is then.

If not Langford, Tauru. For 9, if not Allan, Lindsay, while we've been linked with Shanahan. He has Tauru going one pick before ours to St Kilda.

Salem replacement. Bloody hell though, that is impressive.

Reading all the negatives on Draper, you have to wonder whether Adelaide will in fact take him or not. Surely they'd give serious thought to going for Langford, which upends the apple cart somewhat.

?? Am I missing something? He says it’s a toss-up between Lindsay and Allan at 9. ”which could see the Demons having to choose between Allan and Lindsay. Rival clubs believe that decision is extremely line-ball and could go either way”

Hard to see us getting Tauru unless we go for him at 5 - which from all reports seems unlikely. Doubt he'd still be there at 9. Only unknown for me is if we do a last minute trade to split 9 for a couple of picks in the teens. Unlikely from what we're hearing, but given the evenness of the draft, lots of cards being played close to chests. Hard to see Richmond bothering given that they have 2 picks straight after ours, but GWS with 15+16 might be tempted if there's a player available at 9 that they really want who won't last. Then there's WCE 12 + 26 (??) or even (yikes!) Port with 13 29 36 if we wanted to get into the second round. But ... unlikely it would seem.

Jed Adams was pick 38. How's that working out? Over the past 10 years, the only players lower than pick 50 that even half-looked like establishing an AFL career were Jadyn Hunt (57) and Toby Bedford (75), but he was an Academy pick. And the only player we picked in the 80's in that period was Mitch Clisby (zero games). In any case, the point wasn't just about Tomlinson plus Tom Mac, it was about losing/about to lose 3 KPD's. On top of having lost BBB and Schache, not to mention Farris-White, and with Fullarton's MFC debut nowhere in site and only a year on his contract. Which is one of the reasons we tried for Derkson and have taken a long shot on Kentfield. But we cannot be looking at losing/end of career for half a dozen+ talls without giving serious consideration to available talls in the draft. Though in JT we trust.

Not to mention a Tomlinson + McDonald replacement. in theory we have them already in Petty and Turner, but shifting them back only moves the same problem to the forward line. I’d be surprised if we don’t take at least one tall.

Can’t remember a draft with so many uncertainties this late in the day. Clearly a LOT of pick swaps hanging, where we won’t know outcomes till we’re into the thick of it on draft night.

If someone's incompetent or stinking the place up you don't keep them on for 2 months in the same role, nor employ them beyond that period as a consultant. Pretty clear that Pert hasn't been sacked. Equally true that a change at the top and some fresh blood isn't unwelcome. Provided we get the right person.

Confirmation bias.

"Green said the review did not recommend Pert go." (The Age article)

A lot of what we do at 5 will depend on what the Saint do with their later picks. Hope we have good intel!

Sydney weren't missing Heeney until they were: in the grand final. Heeney had a stress fracture and look how that turned out for the team.

Wasn't helped this year by injury, wherever he plays he needs consistency to even be in the mix. Hope he has a more settled season next year.

Nek minnit ...

AFL: "Melbourne has a suite of selections that includes picks No.5, 28, 40, 49, 54 and 65, but it's unlikely the club will have any luck in attempting to change the minds of GWS officials by Wednesday's deadline."

Well done Tim Lamb. (if it comes off)

By the time we trade to get Derksen - who's a tall in any case - plus Sharp, not sure we'll have many lower picks left.

If he could knock a few seconds off that he'd get close to the women's world record. Or the Australian men's record. Both around 5:20. If that 5:28 is correct it's remarkable.