durango

The problem with ranking a draft is that players like Oliver Sestan who is a unknown had no exposure in the NAB league but played for his school and some country U18. Just looking at his size and weight if he played in the midfield in the NAB he could have been a star but if he was overlooked by NAB coaches was there a bias or a flaw. Sometimes players when players get picked in teams the coach looks at the player and judges they are too short or too fat al la Clayton Oliver. Yet Clayton would now be the first pick in his draft year the players like Jacob Weitering, Josh Schache and Callum Mills were picked before him. Josh Schache would probably be a pick in he 40's, Aaron Francis would also be in the 40's and Sam Weideman would be in the 40's. Which proves my point there is no science in picking a recruit just gut feel and hope for the best. In 2013 Patrick Cripps was pick 13.

We also lost Jayden Hunt a HB or HF. Majak Daw a Ruckman/Forward Oskar Baker a mid. Toby Beford a small Forward Fraser Rosman who was recruited to be a winger and became a key back. All up we have fixed the ruckman area where we were a thin and strengthened or key forward stocks, along with a classy mid replacing a Hunt with a Hunter. Overall I reckon we have a better balanced squad and a better squad alround.

There have been lots of smokey's in the past who went on to play 200+ games like Matthew Boyd of the WB or Luke Breust of Hawthorn with a bit of luck Oliver Sestan will join this group. We had one in Jayden Hunt who played mainly school football in the year he was drafted.

Oskar Baker was the talk that he was wanted by the WB. There are some clubs with at least one rookie spot who will look at the players left and maybe recruit some of these.

If Oliver Sestan is a Demon Supporter then he joins James Harmes who did it via the rookie draft.

I got the feeling JT has selected Oliver as a replacement of Jake Melksham/Alex Neal-Bullen in the long run.

Basically there is no real science in recruiting just watching matches or filmed vision and a gut feel by most recruiters because none have a crystal ball to tell the future of these young men. Sure there perfomances at U18 level have a bearing but when a young players gets drafted injuries can cruel his development and his career al la Luke Molan. Those people who rate the selections do so with a very narrow focus on the clubs who get Father-Sons with high rating al la Brisbane whilst clubs like the MFC just get selections which are not at the pointy end of the Draft. If in 10 years time Oliver Sestan, Will Verrell, Jed Adams and Matthew Jefferson become 200 game players for the MFC and win multiple premierships then people will rate this crop as an A+. Every time a recruit walks into an AFL club he has the opportunity to become a Clayton Oliver/Nick Daicos/Christian Petracca/Jeremy Cameron/Max Gawn provided he has the potential, willingness to work hard, mental toughness and the luck with injuries. Player development is so important and coaches like Mark Williams are the reason players become better and better because they challange players both physically and mentally to better themselves.

There is one place we have never tried the old elsternwick golf course.

He is built like a bull similar to Clayton Oliver or Christian Petracca and has a great kicking depth, he may turnout to be the steal of the draft. If the MFC had him playing school footy and some U18 footy in the country to keep out of prying eyes good on them.

The last time we had an Adams at the MFC he played in 6 premiership teams.

Unfortunatly Jack Fitzpatrick had health issues and never reached his potential due to the fact he was a diabetic which meant he always had to watch his diet and insulin levels. In 2021 Aaron Bradtke was the project ruckman. Will Verrell looks further advanced at this stage.

Maybe the MFC had hidden the boy from the public and not asked him to the draft combine so no recruiter noticed him but Cal Twomey said he when head to head with NM recruit George Wardlaw recently and gave him a touchup?

Vision looks good almost like LJ.

When you are not at the pointy end of the draft or you don't have Father-Son recruits like Daicos/Ashcroft/Fletcher then you are rated poorly because your drafting was probably looking to the future. We overlooked Ed Allan which may come back to bite us but we have to back the recruiters who only job is evaluation of young immature players and where they will be in 3-5 years time.

I believe it is 3:00pm

What impressed me the most about his highlights was his marking, agility and disposal by hand and foot. If he has modelled his game on Steven May then he has almost mastered it at a young age.

Jed Adams has very good highlights is quick, agile and has great hands, played both forward and back in the highlights.

Davey was touted as a very good small forward and Kozzie wants to go then he will in 12 months be ready to play, so if we get the pick there is no reason to not make a bid.

In the current environment at the MFC we no longer throw the younger immature players to the wolves al la Jack Watts who probably was scared for his football career after the 1st match, even Roos stated he never would have allowed Jack to play in the Queens Birthday match but given him more time to develop.

The fact that we have 2 first next year one is dependant on our position whilst the other is dependant of Fremantle's position at the end of 2023. The competition for spots in the 8 will heat up this year with Port, Saints, Carlton, Essendon, and the Suns pushing to improve whilst the others will be competitive. Injuries to major players in most sides in 2023 will play a bigger part in the makeup of the final 8 than previous years.

He looks like a 15 year old standing next to older brother.

This new rule would have allowed James Jordan to come on the ground in the 2021 AFL Grand Final which would have been a good thing for him to feel a part of the game rather than a spectator.

The deed is done now whether we wanted a different player at our pick, we have to support the recruiting teams selections and hope they got it right. All clubs hope their selection is a great player in the making not a bust. The fact that we got it wrong in the past has no bearing on the current selection until we see the finished product. It now over to the development coaches and senior coaches to help the player with unlimited potential into the player we hope he will be. Lets remember it is Matthew Jefferson's day in the sun being selected to the team that won the 2021 AFL premiership and the 2022 VFL premiership,

The Western Bulldogs have emerged as a shock contender to snatch Essendon’s No.4 draft pick in a plot twist to the Josh Dunkley trade saga. The Dogs, armed with selections 11, 21, 39 as well as two first-round selections in the 2023 draft, have made a late pitch to poach the prized selection. They received picks 21 and Brisbane Lions’ future first-round pick as part of the Dunkley deal that stretched the trade deadline due to tense negotiations. The Herald Sun can reveal that the Dogs are one of four clubs locked in 11th-hour talks with the Bombers over the No.4 pick. Melbourne also has strong interest and, like the Dogs, has significant draft capital in 2023 to help broker a deal. from the Herald Sun

Now that WB has entered the race for pick 4 Essendon may take their offer instead.