Dee-licious

Just wanted to say I really struggled with the new format but after a week I am loving it. So streamlined and so much easier to use. Thanks D-Land team!

We've been heavily linked to Sam Murray. Assume that we are taking him.

Perfect score on the goal kicking test at the combine. Agree that his kicks look odd at time, but with space and time looks like he nails them. Also he has had multiple 10 tackle games. Cant wait to see him paired with Viney at training.

We're not talking to them whereas Essendon are. I know I'd be reporting on Essendon instead. Plus Oliver at 3 is great for headlines. He'll have his own miniseries before he plays a game. I'm coming around to the idea of Oliver at 3. I still have a gut feel it will be Weiderman, but will be happy to have 2 new players on our list by 6:45 and another 2 by 8pm. Got to say though this has been the toughest draft to predict since I dont know when. So up in the air, so much rumour. I've heard everything from Ah Chee at 6 down to 20 something. Same with Balic. Same with Collins. I'd love to see a list of each club's top 20 and see how different it is.

Late mail from Twoomey, Landburger, Qualye, and Andersen. Oliver at 3 with Weid firming for 7. Now they aren't getting it from the Dees. I think it was Sam on Twitter who's said his sources seem to think Dees take Oliver. Think these sources are the Dons as he and other are sold on Francis at 5 and one of Parish/Oliver at 4. If we do something different who knows what happens

Very quick. Agility, Beep, and 20m sprint are there. Really it is the height and the questionable disposal at times that mark him down. Although with a lot of disposals some are bound to be bad (same argument can be used for good). At late 40's in a weak draft if he is there, there is no reason why not. "Earlier in the year he tested for the Tasmanian state team. On the beep test he got a 14.9 which puts him up there with the best inside midfielders of the draft. He has a burst of speed coming out of stoppages and he also broke the AFL agility test record by 0.17 seconds in an unofficial Tasmania testing day on September 2. To add to his absolute elite agility, he has a sub three second 20 metre sprint. Lovell averaged 34 disposals during his TAC Cup games and 35 during the u18 Championships.In all of his under 18 games this year he has only dropped below 30 disposals twice."

If you look at the 3 latest phantoms they all are saying we basically have no idea but here is an educated guess. All of them have hedged their bets and said don't be surprised if Parish / Weiderman goes here. I think everyone is in aggreeance with us, the Dons and the Blues all having multiple top 10 picks, no one really knows what will happen this year.

They've traded down so much they know they now have to match. Even if they go in deficit (which they realistically won't), we won't get Mills, Kennedy or Hopper.

I dont see where that knock comes from. He doesnt always hold his tackles due to size but he is always happy to tackle. In comparison to Curnow and Oliver who tackle to hurt (or kill) he is a bit softer in this regard, but he's one you'd prefer not to tackle - let Viney knock them down and Parish can take the ball and go.

It would be much easier if our club was still leaking. All this angst would be over (tongue firmly planted in cheek). I am really sad and follow this quite a lot. I spend a bit of time engaging with the 'experts' on twitter and read and watch a fair bit so here is my state of play: The expert (Andersen, Lambsberger, Twoomey, Edwards, Quayle, Knighmare, Snoop, TAC cup coaches I know, some inside other clubs info) consensus says there are 8 players for our picks 3 and 7: Parish Curnow Weiderman Oliver McKay Collins Mileria Francis No one has indicated that we are remotely interested in the SA boys (Mileria and Francis) so that leaves us with 6 players. For pick 3 it is between Parish, Curnow and Weiderman. With Wiederman's testing on Friday(?) we will know more here. All three had injuries this year with Parish coming back first. All 3 have shown they can match it against men, all 3 have been game winners, and all 3 have looked terrible at times. All 3 can play round 1 next year as Parish is an in and under (not just outside player) who like tackling and ripping the ball away. Curnow and Weiderman are great contested marks and can kick goals. Curnow's midfield time needs a bit of work (which I find odd as he was a mid first, then forward) but both of them can develop in the MFC 1's as we they would only get the 3rd-4th best defender. I'd see Curnow rotating with Petracca through the midfield and Weiderman would be more stay at home FF for the first few years. He is great on a lead though. All 3 will be good for us and will fill holes that we have. I expect that we will only get one of them although there is a case to be made that all could fall to 7 under different scenarios. Parish will have the biggest impact in 2016, Weiderman by 2018 and then after that Curnow looks like he will be the best of the lot. However, they should all play 200 odd games so we cant loose. Pick 7, now assuming that one of these 3 doesn't get to us, it leaves us with Oliver, McKay and Collins. All 'experts' have had us taking a different one here. I think Collins is great, but with T-Mac, O-Mac, and Frost, I dont think we need another young developing back (and that is what he is). Andersen is the only one speaking about us taking Collins and he hasnt talked to the MFC about it. I've watched Oliver move up the draft board and saw him the other day and he is much trimmer and stronger than what he was during the year. He has removed the puppy fat that was on him and looks like he will be a beast. He is a powerful inside mid, loves a goal and is rough at it, but he is my second choice here. He will be a good player but he is not going to be Oliver Wines (sorry). I think we will pull the trigger on McKay. McKay is young, to give you an idea, he would be 75 days younger than what Hogan was when he joined as a 17 year old. We all love Hogan, but McKay did more this year than Hogan did when we drafted him (obviously he doesn't have the aggressive traits of Hogan which is why we took Hogan). McKay isnt the contested marking beast of Curnow and Weiderman because he creates separation really easily because of his aerobic capacity. I'd love to see some footage of him taking a contested mark, but they tend to be on the lead. At 200cm and the possibility of still growing, he is 94kg which is great coming into the system as he is lean and the weight in muscle and height. If he was 7 days younger he would be the consensus number 1 pick next year. Right now, at 17 years of age, he is probably the 12th best player in this draft right now. In a year's time he might well be the best. I think he will need half a season at Casey but should be able to play the back end of the year at CHF. Andersen would be angry if I didnt mention Gresham. He's as good as Parish but shorter and doesnt play as hard. We're not taking him though. Everyone was quick to jump on this being a weak draft. It is as there are only about 50 players in here, but there will be only around 50 live picks. The picks from 35-50 will be guys that were highly rated at the start of the year but have fallen away through injury. The Top 10 can all be 200 gamers easily, now they wont be Petracca and Brayshaw but honestly that combo is something that GWS never got in their pointy end draft years. 11-25 are personal preference and could be anything or could be role players. I'd expect that in 6 years time we look back on this draft and quite a few are really good foot soldiers who have all played 100 games but aren't out and out superstars. And that is alright. Right now, gut feel I'd say that we take Curnow at 3 and McKay at 7 (10). My actual preference is the Parish Weiderman combo but I think they will end up at the Dons. Hope that helps.

I'm starting to think that Dunkley might find his way down to our pick and Greg Clark as well. Both could go in the 5 before ours but if not, they are 2 guys who were top 20 talents at the start of the year and have just had bad luck / bad form this year. Dunkley 189 and Clark 194, both mids and both have tanks. Clark's very impressive. Fits the Roos midfield build. Not what we 'need' as they dont have pace, but if they are there we would be silly not to take them.

Billy Stretch. I was toying with Frost but I really think that Stretch is going to really impose himself on the outside this year. He is exactly what we are missing in our side.

Seeing all 3 live this year, Harry is hard to measure to the other 2. Harry gets so much seperation due to his speed that he doesn't crash packs or take contested marks. Curnow and Weiderman have shown me they have this skill, Harry just has skills. I'm not anti-Harry but won't come on next year as really he is a 2017 prospect.

Makes it even better. There arent too many things that are more Melbourne than Dallas Crane. Maybe The Smith Street Band singing "It's a Grand Ol' Flag"

I was sold on Parish and sure we were going to take him. But the last few days I have found myself thinking about all the moves we have made. What we are building, what we want and what we have given up. One name seems to be coming to mind for pick 3 and its not one I ever thought we'd take there. http://www.afl.com.au/video/2014-10-13/draft-prospect-sam-weideman

tasmanlvr what a post!

Cancil's draft has dropped: 5. Melbourne – Charlie Curnow Club: Geelong Falcons Position: Key forward/midfielder Height: 191 cm Weight: 95 kg Player comparison: Jake Stringer Curnow looks like a probable top five pick. He can be a bit lazy, often looking to engage in one on one contests, rather than leading up and using space. Having said that, he’s an elite runner with a very high beep test score, so clearly he’s got a strong work ethic. He gets by in under 18s with his strength, and obviously coming off that knee injury he wasn’t able to show his running strength. He’s a great contested mark, he wins his own ball on the inside, and his skills are usually pretty good. I think his 21/30 on the kicking test at the combine was a bit misleading. He’s a below average converter on goals, and he’s not a great field kick either. He’s got a very high upside with his great frame and the ability to grow into a big-bodied midfielder, but I personally see him as a forward in the Jake Stringer role. 6. Essendon – Darcy Parish Club: Geelong Falcons Position: Midfielder Height: 181 cm Weight: 73 kg Player comparison: Lachie Whitfield Darcy Parish is a classy outside midfielder, who – despite his flaws – should be a top five pick. Parish is a very slightly framed player who has great speed. He runs hard to receive a handball or take an uncontested mark, then will keep zipping past others to break lines. Parish loves to kick, and he can often have 20 or more kicks in a game. Most will hit the targets, as he prefers to do short sharp chips. He’s a good decision maker and with that comes a high disposal efficiency. I think at AFL level that efficiency may drop a little as he will be encouraged to be bolder. It’s scary that a player with so much hurt factor still has so much room to grow. Parish has become more of a goal kicker, and he has put on a bit of weight to increase his core strength. He’s got room to improve his defensive efforts, as his strong tank and speed should really see him taking down few more players. I see him growing into that Lachie Whitfield mould, but perhaps with a little more pace. 7. Essendon – Sam Weideman Club: Eastern Ranges Position: Key forward Height: 195 cm Weight: 91 kg Player comparison: Levi Casboult Weideman’s injury issues have made him an intriguing prospect, as he has so much that he must improve on. 2014 was an up and down year for the forward. He was able to play 15 games, but only kicked 19 goals and 15 behinds. His statline is poor, but recruiters will look to his best games to find out why he is so highly regarded. 2015 was much of the same: he struggled statistically, despite receiving very good delivery from a strong midfield group. Weideman is a terrific mark of the ball, with his contested marking a standout in pack situations. However, what is most impressive is his ability to take one grab marks on the lead, particularly in sticky situations. You know if the ball is within his long reach, then he won’t drop it. He’s a below average kick of the football, which stings to say. He’s probably one of only a handful of players in this draft class who have one truly dominant skill, but when you cannot convert simple set shots at goal, then it really hurts. Weideman plays as a true leading centre half forward, but he also has the size and skill set to play as a full forward. 10. Melbourne – Wayne Milera Club: Central Districts Position: Outside midfielder/small forward Height: 185 cm Weight: 75 kg Player comparison: Shaun Burgoyne (early career) Milera has far exceeded expectations this year. He’s a creative midfielder/half forward with some of the best skills in this draft class. Milera is a terrific decision maker and he offers something a bit different to the rest of the midfielders in this draft class: where there seems to be one or two clear options, he’ll cut through the middle and pick a more damaging option that most players wouldn’t even consider. He’s very agile and hard to tackle, and he loves using his speed through the centre of the ground. Milera has been the best performed junior in the top flight of the SANFL, where he’s consistently found the football and chipped in for several goals on a few occasions. 12. Carlton – Harry McKay Club: Gippsland Power Position: Key forward Height: 200 cm Weight: 85 kg Player Comparison: Drew Petrie Harry McKay is a raw prospect who has shown great signs for his age. He should basically be considered a 2016 prospect, as he is only a few days off being eligible for next year’s draft. For a 200 centimetre player, McKay is very quick and agile. He can twist and turn and crumb like a small forward, he’s a terrific overhead mark, and he continually leads up the ground to present as a link up target. He’s a pretty good kick for goal too. At this stage, he’s a long-term prospect: he’s going to need to put on plenty of size to be able to compete, but he’s got as much upside as anyone in this draft class.

Slightly off topic but leaks will come hard and fast as soon as year 12 exams are over. Well know within 24 hours of Melbourne talking to any player as we all have friends of friends of friends. Parish will have the interview with us, his brothers will talk to their mates and so on. Same with Curnow, Weiderman, McKay, Francis etc. it's a small world now and secrets aren't secrets for long. So hopefully we will get a wind of Murray early enough for afl.com.au to at least have his picture on draft night =p

So apparently we are interested in Sam (who) Murray! He didn't make the Bushranger's squad so he played local footy and dominated this year. 188cm midfielder (so our type). He played for Wodonga so hoping some of our country demons can help us out here. Murray an AFL chance: Cresswell

Cal Twomey on his podcast rated Parish as the best footskills in this draft. Talked about others with great foot skills from previous drafts and made mention of Salem and Petracca.

Thank you. I just dont see Collins as the right option for us. Ah well, I'll pick up the print edition and have a read.

Anyone have a subscription to inside football and want to let us know what Brett Allen has said?

Thought it was interesting with us taking McKay. I’m fine with it, especially considering he played this year as a 17 year old and isn’t 18 until late Dec. In comparison, Brayshaw is a Jan 9 birthday so played the extra year in the TAC and went from a 30 something pick to a pick 3. Let’s face it, if he was 7 days younger, McKay would be talked up as a potential number 1 pick next year as he is a key forward. In saying that I’d prefer Curnow or Weiderman. I just can’t see the Dons taking them both unless they are really convinced that Curnow becomes an inside mid.

SAM LANDSBERGER’S EARLY TOP 10 1. Jacob Weitering (Carlton) 195cm key defender 2. Josh Schache (Brisbane Lions) 199cm key forward 3. Callum Mills (Sydney) 188cm midfielder* 4. Jacob Hopper (GWS Giants) 186cm midfielder* 5. Darcy Parish (Melbourne) 181cm midfielder 6. Matthew Kennedy (GWS Giants) 187cm midfielder* 7. Wayne Milera (Essendon) 185cm half-forward 8. Charlie Curnow (Essendon) 191cm midfield/forward 9. Eric Hipwood (Brisbane Lions) 202cm swingman* 10. Clayton Oliver (Gold Coast) 187cm midfielder *Academy selection MELBOURNE is set to spoil Essendon’s national draft party by taking the best midfielder for the second year in a row. The Demons and Bombers are both believed to be keen on the most polished onball talent available and have zeroed in on Geelong Falcon Darcy Parish. But Melbourne sacrificed its first selection next year in a complicated trade with Gold Coast to rise from pick No. 6 to No. 3. That has ensured the Demons can scupper Essendon, which holds picks four and five. Tough midfielder Parish has been likened to Adelaide jet Rory Sloane and averaged 129 SuperCoach points per game for the Falcons. The dual All-Australian is the standout midfielder outside of the three NSW academy stars. Other Stories Ultimate Melbourne Cup form guide Ultimate Melbourne Cup form guide How bikini model gave police the slip How bikini model gave police the slip Why Hayne should be relieved by 49ers cut Why Hayne should be relieved by 49ers cut If Parish is gone the Bombers’ pair is expected to come from clever half-forward Wayne Milera, prototype Charlie Curnow, powerful utility Aaron Francis and key forward Sam Weideman. They all shape as gold selections. Milera had minor heart surgery before a brilliant three-goal senior SANFL final in September while some believe Curnow could wind up the draft’s best player. The brother of Carlton’s Ed Curnow is a 191cm marking forward who can play in the midfield and will also be discussed at No.3. The Demons, also armed with pick No. 7, are fans of the injury-plagued Weideman and can see him forming a lethal partnership with Rising Star Jesse Hogan. The imposing goalkicker is the grandson of Collingwood legend Murray Weideman. Demons football boss Josh Mahoney said the club would take the best player available at both early picks. The Bombers could pounce on versatile big man Charlie Curnow with pick Nos. 4 or 5. Picture: Mitch Bear Marking forward Harry McKay is unlikely to get past Carlton (No. 8) and Adelaide (9).

There was a lot of love for him at the start of the year but like many others just hasnt had a great year. Really has any of the draftees? Would be surprised if he is there by our pick 37-47 but not out of the realm of possibility. Would think he'll be picked up in the late 20's. Saying that ANB and McDonald were meant to be picked in the 20's.