Mad_Melbourne

I think he miskicked that from the TV. Looked like one of those ones that curved late due to a miskick, could be wrong though

I will preface by saying I did want to keep Watts and think that he would have been able to help hitting up targets inside 50 this year, but also think that Fritsch was an acceptable trade off. But, I never stated anything about wanting to trade Oliver, I said almost, Hogan is top 5 in our untradeables, and would be close to top 3. Gawn and Oliver are 1/2. I think you are flat out wrong, he’s nearly been our most important player this year. His early year form was at all Australian level. I will agree that his pressure on the ground could improve, but will put that down to efforts in the air and km covered. Its ridiculous for people to call for him to be traded. But sure, if we get the right compensation he is tradeable. As with anyone. If we got Grundy and Sidebottom for Gawn I’d trade Gawn, but it’s unrealistic. To trade Hogan for draft picks is ridiculous

Not stirring at all, people who call for the trade of Hogan have the footy acumen of a sponge. He is close to the most untradable player on our list, his efforts this year have been far superior to what’s is portrayed by the gooses that suggest his trade. Trading Hogan, puts us back 4-5 years. There is no legitimate reason to trade him and suggestions from anyone to do it is just stupid. The further calls of playing him in VFL and playing Pederson as a forward are stupid. While I’m at it suggestion of trading Petracca is stupid also. So yep

People on demonland reveal their lack of knowledge about football quite often. They are done through: trade hogan trade petracca play pederson to name a few

Jake Lever is one of the few key position defenders it would make sense to chase as he is a 10+ year player and he will slot in ahead of OMac, but IMO we are not desperate for another key position defender and giving up two first rounders and taking ourselves out of the draft for 2 years is probably not worth it. 1st and secound round pick, this and next year is where i think the deal will sit with us, but Carlton with Bryce Gibbs and a first rounder seems like a more logical option.

Yeh, I was more just debating the issue, I think his highlight is that he moves his arms above the tackle more often than not allowing him to get it out to space, but this can lead to it being intercepted once or twice. Is really raw and will iron out the kinks, but I can't even think now of a player in the afl I have seen handball so well (albeit from 3 nab games) when they are in their first season.

I think you are wrong, Jetta would have been immediately under pressure and the handball was likely to be cut off. Salem was by far the best option of the lot a player in space who has the time to make the right decision, can either clear the ball or as he did spot up and find the right target. Technique issues on handballs and kicking are always debatable the fact that he can handball the ball so comfortable from above chest height is a real asset as he will continue to get his hands free in the clinches.

I was just creating a distinction between first option and best option more than anything, too often for the last 5-6 years Melbourne players will panic and handball to the first option which is often someone immediately under pressure. To me this is Clayton Olivers greatest asset, that he can pick out the best option and has great awareness in congestion.

100% this will be encouraged by the coaches, his ability to handball through congestion or to moving targets in space is not necessarily picking his first option but the best option. His hand balling is creative and it is tough to find someone who has the time in a stoppage to be creative. Fyfe does this by drawing in two opponents creating space to allow him to give it over the top to a team mate, whereas Oliver does it through his ability to see what is happening and how it could pan out and picking the option in the best position.

Just purely out of curiosity and not to continue the debate, do you also get a Melbourne membership? Considering MCC does not increase our member tally is all. I get both an MCC and reserved seats for Melbourne games, MCC is more for other events at the G but would probably give that up ahead of my Melbourne membership. Im real excited for Clayton Oliver, was a real big fan early on and his competitiveness was what won me over, but his ability in stoppages was what caught my attention. I wonder how this translates as an 18 year old as obviously he will be playing against much more seasoned players. In terms of his decision making and vision this shouldn't be affected but possibly his ability to draw tacklers and stand up in them may take a hit

Heard it from McCartney at the coach the coaches presentation in Casey. He even picked him out in a bit of footage also. I think it was a reference to his complete desire to improve and play but also his football smarts.

I was guessing this to be the consensus from demonland, nothing wrong with him making fair assessments of where he is sitting in the midfield and at the end of the day, he should want to get his body ready for an AFL standard. Regardless of this, Brendan McCartney has a very high opinion of Clayton Oliver and said that he is a "really special talent" and "has somethign that most draftees dont have"

Coversation that could have taken place between Viney and Neeld: Viney: Wow, i really want Wines to come to Melbourne, i hope there is a way that we can get him to the club. Neeld: Yes, Wines does look like a likely type, do you think we should take him with pick 4? Viney: Here is our top 10, currently it sits like this, ...... Toumpas, Wines...... soo whilst he would have obviously wanted Wines, he may not have rated him ahead of Toumpas and when he was available we took him. its alot of he said/she said and in hindsight it was the obvious wrong decision, although they could both have 8 years left in their careers

to be fair, Todd Viney choosing Dom Barry over Jed Anderson was probably the most questionable selection from that time. Regardless of how their careers ended up and Jed Anderson has struggled at Hawthorn, he was clearly the best prospect out of the NT at the time. Regardless of what Todd Viney wanted, he was eitehr not strong enough on his conviction or was too easily persuaded to change his mind towards Toumpas. Imagine if Paul Roos said to Jason Taylor "We want darcy parish instead of Clayton Oliver", i think Taylors response would be irrate. It is his job to choose who we pick and I understand that Neeld did play a significant role on the draft table that year, only because we couldnt have Taylor until the year after. Kent was a win imo

I get the concept, but il bet ya it's not the case for 10-15 players in the squad. Hogan, Jones, Gawn, Vince, Viney, T-Mac Dunn all walk into the team and would do so on pretty limited minutes and a terrible nab cup

just type the heading into a google search and you should be able to click a link and read it

As stated earlier, game was watched last year. Also stated didn't get the opportunity to see much of him this year. My main contention was before the draft I felt his athleticism would be an issue for him to progress and lowered his chance of success in my opinion. But I also stated I have complete faith that Jason Taylor and crew know lots better than I do so therefore I am coming round to his many strengths outweighing his, imo, lack of athletic ability.

i agree, i have never said that i am correct, all i stated was that he looked slow and had a large turning circle and that was why i was sceptical about him leading into the draft! although, i feel it would be more matches that most of the posters here were able to see and probably gives a better indication than a highlights package. Does that mean all posts on this forum are basically redundant, especially on draftees as they probably have seen minimal of all players?

Highlights clips are exactly that, you see when the ball is in his area and very rarely do they show the work in the lead up to that or his sprints in order to create a lead. Regardless of your viewing of his highlight clips, did you actually get to see him play football in order to formulate an opinion or do you stick to watching highlights clips to base your views on a footballer. It worked with your initial views of Clayton Oliver, who we picked at three and once it looked like that was going to be the case you backflipped on your views. The comparisson of Wiedeman to Boyd is a fair one, in my opinion as they are similar type of footballers and whilst i hope nothing more than to see Wiedeman succeed now that he is in a Melbourne jumper, it did not change that before the draft I was underwhelmed by what i had seen of him. I have full faith in Jason Taylor and the recruiting guys and back them in to do their jobs, but that still does not mean that in the game i saw he looked slow and as i did not get to see him at the carnival this year it is the only real vision of him i can run with.

From the game I watched, his turning circle looked rather large, thats not to say you cant be a good footballer with one e.g. Travis Cloke, even Jesse Hogan has a reasonably large turning circle. Athletiscism is not all that is required to play as a good key position forward, but it is clearly a debatable issue. Key forwards running 3.24 in the 20m is not good speed and he does not look quick on the field, but he does as stated by Jason Taylor "attack the ball in the air" It is clearly an opinionated statement, but it was from watching him play in a game for the eastern ranges last year. My view on players is hardly gospel, but how many times did you see him play in order to form an opinion or is it all based off other peoples views? Quigley has a good eye for talent and had him at 18...

I was not so concerned by his beep, it does usually take a little bit longer for the taller players to build a tank historically, but from his footage and a game i saw of him (granted it was last year) i thought he looked really slow and had a turning circle of a truck, this really reminded me of Tom Boyd and I personally think that those charecteristics really make it tough to succeed in a key position at AFL. That said, he attacks the ball so well in the air and finishes his work, it is tough to make the tranisition to AFL level and I would love for him to be a success story. Before the draft i was not as sold, but that said as we picked him up I probably was a bit more easily swayed. Sanderson has a great footy mind, I remember once having a quick chat to him at an airport lounge and he was really accomodating, but i doubt he would say a bad word about the draft class as it is not in anyones interest for him to really harp on the negatives.

I personally am not sold on Wiedeman, athletically I think he will struggle, that being said, the more i read about him and a few of the conversations i have had with people who know what they are talking about, think that he would have been the premium forward in the draft had he played the carnival. Either way, he interviews really well, he comes across as a really good kid and that is a great start, now he just needs to put the effort in on the track and put some good performances in at VFL and we will be laughing.

Whilst the stats seem underwhelming, im pretty sure both were for around 60% game time, playing more of a forward flank role. I think hes got the goods, just hope he can translate it to afl level.

I just like that in 5 years time it looks like we will have the best inside midfield in the comp, whilst the draft crop may not have been as deep the top 15 are as good as any other, it just happened that 4-5 of those were unavailable due to being academy players. I really like this fella, more so because of how good nick he got himself into after the season finished, it was clearly just excess weight due to O.P and probably not watching what he ate. Fitness will sky rocket but the only thing i dont like is watching him bounce the football, jeez that was ugly. Clayton, welcome to the melbourne football club, enjoy the constant comparrisons to Darcy Parish and also the completely negative posts when inevitably you make a mistake.

This is probably due to his sub 3 second 20 metre and really good evasive step, JKH has the step but not the break away speed.