deeko

I love your passion Picket and optimism towards our youth however I feel you are being a little harsh on Jack. If you remove the roll players in say Dunn, McDonald, Hogan, Garlett, Pedo and Gawn the rest of the team is filled with flankers & mids similar to Jack who at his best was better than them all. Personally, I think he is cooked and can't see him getting back to his best. But, in the chance he does get back to where he was before the "Neeld years", and gets back to the performances in his first year in 2010 or second in 2011 he stacks up better than all of them who have played so far and sets a decent bar for those who are yet to play. We all of crushes on Jetta, Bugg, Kent, Kennedy, Brayshaw, Salem, Vanders etc for certain reasons but Jack was well above them all earlier on in his career. He would be picked above all of them if he was back at his best while they would be playing twos 'developing.' We can only hope Oliver and Petracca start there careers as successfully as Jack with the knowledge we now have the support around them that they can take the next step which he never got the opportunity to take.

He actually, for some unknown reason, seems to really love Adelaide and has definitely embraced it as his home. Don't think there is any chance of him coming back to Melbourne to live anytime soon. Get his best mate Hurley across however in the offseason and he might get interested however.

Port and the Doggies lose out more than other teams as well as they have lost best 22 genuine roll players in a Crameri (FF) and a ruckman in Ryder. Absolutely impossible to replace unlike a flanker / mid which are usually a dime-a-dozen. Imagine if that was us with say Maxy out for the year and then Spencil (or Lobbe in there case) gets injured. We would be absolutely cooked in the centre. The AFL has to allow all teams with a suspended player to go outside the rookie list and sign another player on. Its the only way to make this fair

Is Neeld still at Essendon? I heard that Jamar and Neeld really didn't see eye to eye during there time together at the Dee's. Especially after Jamar was dropped from the leadership group when Neeld arrived and then the Neeld/Moloney relationship didn't help either as Jamar was close with Moloney. If true I wonder how Neeld would feel in the coaching department with Jamar being there and possibly playing again. Always been a fan of Jamar. An unskilled, non mobile plodder who got the best out of himself smashing his body into opponents game after game in the worst spot to play on the ground (imo). Wish him the best however I wont be able to stand it watching him play in the red and black if he does. Would be a good battle in Rd 2 if he's in vs Maxy. The teacher vs the student. Tipping the student to run him ragged and kick 5

I don't recall him being overly quick in the first place however I don't doubt his pace would have dropped off similar to Cross. He didn't have a bad year however, as he still got the pill more than most of our boys. Having a quick look at his season, if you take away his Rd 11 & Rd 20 games where he got injured and his Rd 15 game where he was the sub he still averaged over 23 touches a game which is better than everyone on our list other than Jones & Bernie. I honestly didn't watch a great deal of the Cats this year to see how much his pace & skills dropped off but if he was playing as an inside mid to counter that I think he will be a very handy recruit for them.

It's hard to grasp how we didn't push for a top 8 spot that season with those genuine match winners lining up in Sellars, Nicholson, Evans, Strauss, McKenzie, Blease and Rodan in the squad. Yuk It's amazing to see how much of the list has been trimmed removing some dead wood.

Definitely will look better in a better team. Many people talk about Gunstan comparisons for a specific role for Jack and I agree and feel this should be his aim. Jesse will roam a bit higher up this year I am sure and will command the number 1 defender. I just want to see Jack leading and leading creating space and hopefully becoming a 30 goal a year player. He doesn't have to be physical in this role and should be able to now run all day after x years on the list. Plus his skills would see him being able to kick goals from all angles. I'd just set him up forward and tell him to be a real greedy bastard

Based on previous years highlights packages I thought Sam Blease was going to be greatest footballer to ever wear the red and blue. Those unbelievable runs and that beautiful leg that was on display in the two minute package was just delightful. Don't even start me on the 'complete' player that could play everywhere in big bustling Cale Morton as well. Another great highlights package if I remember correctly. I'm on Parish and Curnow for this draft. I could add some merit behind this but I'd be lying as I haven't seen either play. I just like there hair

B: Jetta Dunn Garland HB: Melksham McDonald Lumumba C: Salem Vince Tyson HF: V/berg Pedo Brayshaw FF: Garlett Hogan Watts R: Gawn Jones Viney Int: Kent, Pick 3, Petracca, Frost On paper and in the traditional form this is how I'd like to see us lining up. I figure our best mids are around the pill in the centre, on the flanks and on the wings and will all rotate through at different stages. Our best genuine stoppers are Dunn, Garland & Jetta which I think most agree on and have them on the last line. Frost may go back if Garland / Dunn struggle to contain someone which could see them swing forward. I'd like to see Watts just given a roll behind Jesse up forward and just become a real greedy bastard and try kick bulk amounts of goals. Just become that Gunston like forward who does bugger all but lead, lead and lead. Jeffy of course will be buzzing around being the genuine crumber that he is. As for the Dawes vs Pedo argument, from my watching last year I thought Pedo looked more dangerous than Dawes and I liked his aggression more at the opponents. He played a lot more hungrier than Dawes imo and looked like he was doing everything to get out there and prove himself. I think he deserves the first opportunity based on this. Hoping for Dawes, Harmes, Trenners, Bugg, Grimes etc to make me look like a moron and own a best 22 spot next season.

I'm a big fan of this kid and he'd be my selection if available. After popping over for a quick squiz on bomberblitz (just to see how they're handling us getting pick 3) I now want him even more after seeing how many were keen on him. The pettiness of it all

Wonder if things change when we try and shaft the suns for young Dion next year?

You can compare Bens highlights vs Jimmys which are being shown on the Port Adelaide page. We have the one I'd prefer anyway. Jimmys highlights are incredibly dull. Welcome Ben. All the best

It's quite clear we wanted Frawley to go for the compensation received. Mahoney and the coaching group probably didn't want to have anything to do with him to make sure he left as that's where his value lies. Will be the same for Howe. We offered him a contract worth peanuts as he has more value elsewhere and it forces there hand. I say well done Josh. Tough gig and he will cop a lot of heat from it. Well done

I was told by a mate who was at the blues that he's done it with a couple clubs this off season. Blues not being one but there are clubs interested. No reason to doubt his word but it is only second hand info.

Is anyone else secretly hoping we may be delaying this for one last crack at Treloar?

Agree. Especially when (hopefully) its another weak draft. Other than 2013 its a lot more miss than hit so I don't mind giving the pick the flick for a ready made player who will start round 1. Historical picks 25-29 2011. Seb Ross, Todd Elton, Sam Kerridge, Fraser McIness, Alex Forster 2012. Spencer White, Viney (f/s), James Stewart, Tim O'Brien, Tom Clurey 2013. Daniel McStay, Zac Merrett, Sean Lemmons, Lewis Taylor 2014. Daniel Nelson, Toby McLean, Lukas Webb, Dillon Viojo Rainbow

Can be done sitting opposite each other in a spa

I struggle to see what made Jimmy such a highly sort after pick. Even when looking through his U18 footage there isn't much that stands out here other than him being just a link player on a wing. He's not strong enough to be an inside mid. He isn't agressive at the pill or opponent, never seemed to have much agility and only has minimal speed. Skills are ok but is useless when the pill is in the air as I can't recall one contested mark he has taken. Not sure what his aerobic capacity to play on a wing but that's the only spot I can see for him. He's a ripping kid and would love to read this post in 12 months time where he has completely made a fool out of me but can't see it happening. I wouldn't at all be disappointed if he was the steak knives as part of a trade.

There's something beautiful about watching Kennedy (eagles) Betts and Waite all playing fantastic games in the finals so far. Plus I just read Mitchy Robinson did well in the Lions B&f. Weather wise as well just splendid. To the pub I go for the second half

Its hard not to argue after watching Mundy just bully has over the weekend. I doubt this 'Roos mold' people talk about is really much different to what any coach thinks. If you had two players similar in clearance skills and contested pill but one was a foot taller and can compete in the air it would be obvious who we/anyone would chase. Still, if someone whos a tad shorter but a really good player comes available, of course we would come a knocking. Just like we did with Prestia

Having no idea at all personally, I would say we definitely would have enquired and enquired hard about Adam. I'd rather us being stealth about these sort of things rather than public about it as the last thing we want is to hear "the dees are in to player x, player y and player z" and then get none of them. Doesn't sound great. I still have faith we will jag a big fish from somewhere.

I'm a massive fan however I think his skills are below par. He definitely needs a lot of work here. Pretty sure however he did minimal preseason so a bit of extra training of the skills while half cooked should do him wonders. His game against the dogs this year was fantastic and I think gave us a glimpse of what he can do if he plays as an inside mid. Love his aggression at the pill and at the man and excited about his future.

Admittedly, I haven't watched a great deal of the Lions this year but I thought he's in the same boat as Gawn in that he doesn't make a big impact unless he's the main man in ruck. With Maxy just signing on I highly doubt we would wind back the clock and look at Stef. He would command a pretty penny to I would think and we need to spend that $$ on more quality mids and topping up Jesse when he wants it.

I agree with most of the list but we are still comparing quite a few on potentially becoming better players and are not yet better. The challenge with Howe is which one are we going to re-sign or let go. Are we going to keep the Howe we drafted? The attacking HBF and driven HFF or averaged a goal and a bit a game (while we were filth) and was up amongst the league leaders in contested grabs? Although many say this Howe was still a 'one trick pony' its important to note that this trick is arguably the most difficult and most important one in the book. Or would we keep the Howe who cruises around doing sweet bugger all racking up less than 10 touches a game and playing like he is already gone? I'm a fan and believe that at his best he is easily a best 22 player. Its just whether or not he wants to be at his best with us. I'd be upset if he left but it might be a best case for all if that happens.

Yarran is an interesting case. Has talent to burn and maybe in the right environment could flourish again. Look how Jeffy has become a favourite quite quickly. Would rather Roos take a punt and try to develop someone who has pace, aggression and skill then someone who only possesses one of the three attributes. Would rather him on our list than Michie or Newton.