Jaded No More

Nah, we're committed to taking Newton and Meesen, and have no more space on the list. That is unless somebody takes Meesen...

Gawn = 1.5 talls

No Grimes I'm too emotional to be a recruiting manager obviously!

Amen. What is this crap?

It's a good thing there was, because I would hate to have wasted a top 20 pick on someone who won't be at his best when we are.

What a shocker! The view of him in a Melbourne jumper is beautiful

Tell me about it. BBBP... what a cheeky [censored]!

I have to ask.... who?

10 minutes... Turning off mobile phone to avoid interruptions such as calls/emails/texts

If we're going to take a risk on a tall, I'd rather take a risk on a mobile giant who can kick and take good contested grabs (this is what Gawn's footage suggests). What we're missing from our forward line is a giant pack-breaker who'll take contested marks. From everything I've seen (limited mind you), Gawn seems the most suited to do this with his skills and frame. He'll also be the most ready-made of all the talls, given he is already over 100kgs. I'd rather take a quality mid at 11, and a ruckman/forward like Gawn at 18, than risk blowing pick 11 on a tall who won't really fulfill our needs. Gawn is killing two birds at once.

I suppose that depends on how large the toilet cubicles are.

It's on Fox Sports 3, 6:30pm

Didn't see that. Wouldn't be using 134 either in that case. I think we have enough fractured feet to stress about.

If we really wanted Thorp, we would have asked him to nominate for the PSD with a guarantee to pick him up. We're obviously in two minds about him, or think McDonald is more likely to be snapped up earlier in a National Draft situation. I'm confident we'll be able to grab Thorp at 34, if we think he is worth it.

At the end of the day, unless you are part of the club or know Jack personally, you wouldn't be able to pass correct judgment on his management last year. I've heard from numerous people who know Jack personally, including one of his teachers, that he was well prepared and that the club has been treating him superbly. And as long as Watts is content with his progress, and can handle the pressure, that is the only thing that matters. I'd be worried if he couldn't handle playing on Queens Birthday. You are not worth anything if you can't cope with pressure in AFL. The spotlight will be moved off him soon enough though, with Scully and Trengove taking over.

I sense some jealously in this thread This kid is gold, and will be a star. I also predict a few raunchy magazine shoots (ala Ben Cousins, but minus the drugs), before his career is over

Thank you, I'm glad somebody gets it. We're getting him, for all intents and purposes, for free. He is a low investment for a club loaded with early picks, which has plenty of room in the cap and a huge gap in the 25 year- old bracket. Worse case scenario he spends 2 years on the list, with minimal output, and we move on. But he is experienced and he is a proven ball getter, and if he allows Grimes and Bennell to play in the midfield, it's a big plus. Personally I think our backline is short of a medium sized defender, especially as Bell looks unlikely to make it, and Cheney is a battler (for now at least). McDonald seems a good fit, and for free, you say thank you and stop stressing over having too many options. You can NEVER have too many good players.

It's pick 1 in the PSD, we have absolutely nothing to lose. Bringing some experience to the backline is never a bad thing.

I never wanted the bastard anyway! If we were keen on him, we would have told him to nominate for the PSD, as it is, it seems that both us and Thorp want to keep their options open.

Now go away!

A kid who has no bias or a sense of self-importance and will not "contemplate sitting the year out" if chosen by Melbourne, is more likely to be best available at 18 than Luke Ball. Good luck to him, and we all move on. He is not the missing factor in our quest for a flag. (and btw, I do agree with everything you've written on this matter, just to clarify)

Then send me your address so I can mail you the cheque

If he ends up at Port he is well and truly screwed (no flag prospects, playing at a club his manager said nobody wants to play for, and having to live in SA), and to be honest, I wouldn't really feel sorry for him. You make your bed... Just please don't take him at 18 Melbourne!

Agreed. And he is indeed a lovely guy, who definitely doesn't always get the respect he deserves as a player. Had he played for Collingwood/Carlton/Essendon you can bet he'd be considered one of the greats of the modern era.

Thank you for letting us know, and a big congratulation to Liam Jurrah, who is on the path to on-field stardom, having already established himself as a star person off it! Hopefully the club did a bit of last minute recruiting checks while up there as well