Demon Dynasty

We need to try and hit one or two A graders in the draft BR. It's the difference between a bog ordinary team that might win a few close matches each year and a few easy ones (eg; 6 to 10) and a team that can match some of the big boys on an occasional basis and push into the top eight more often. Besides, Clarry & Big M (along with a dew others, including us!) deserve and demand some respect here. We need to move past mediocre to occasional good years into very good and hopefully one or two outstanding ones in the next 3 to 5 years or so.

Thanks that gives a bit of an assessment at least. The extract below seems to indicate he is worth a bit more note than the power ranking's 28.... ..."clever and classy at ground level, he takes his chances, he's a good user of the ball on both sides of his body and he loves flying for big marks. He spent some time later in the season playing up the ground in the midfield, where he can use his strong tank. Has star factor."... So we split pick 3 for say 6 and about 25? Use 6 to ensure we nab Stephens who, outside of Rowell & Anderson, looks like the must get jet. Another run & gun outside mid to eventually join Langdon, replacing Stretch as depth on the list (initially), till he finds his feet. Then grab Weightman with 8 as the small (walk up?) classy small forward. We are then still left with a 25ish pick.

Correct...sorry. It's still part of our picks on the AFL's 'club by club' ladder but yes, clearly shown as part of the langdon deal by each round.

For me that's Serong given he is ranked right up there in the top 5 and we need a quality small forward. Some are suggesting Weightman but he is ranked much lower than Serong and not sure he is worth a pick 8 unless we split and grab him later with a pick 25 or so. I haven't seen either so they might both be rising potential small guns and worth it. Maybe someone on here has seen them up close and able to fill us in a little.

Thought we still had pick 79 as our third?

That makes two of us Super

I hope so SD. I was referring to Olisk's comment that Freo will snatch Stephens with their first pick (7) as they are after two wingman. I was suggesting they might not need two with chatter suggesting they are in talks with Aish from the Pies. They are still in the box seat for Stephens with 7 though given that Aish wont be coming across for that pick. What makes you think they'll go for Jackson over Stephens?

I'm retracting that option as i don't think the Hawks were ever letting Gunston go. I just saw somewhere that Paton to the Hawks was somehow linked to a later round pick with us but that reference was for a previous swap or trade. Thought it might have been part of a package to come but of course it doesn't work like that. My misunderstanding.

Stephens is a must get IMO so i'm sort of for that but... Serong is also ranked 3rd in the draft (according to draft central's latest power rankings...not saying that's correct but i assume they are in the know a little) vs Weightman @ 28. Is Weightman that good a smokey vs Serong?

With a split though?

Sometimes you have to go all in if you feel you have a very good hand and likely to get better DS. The 'Club' can not afford another 2019ish year imv and a possible finals bounce by going all in might be the tonic we need. A solid 2020 (playing finals) also boosts our potential stocks at getting in top up players via trade table as an improved destination club vs a compromised draft.

Gunston?

Not quite BBP given who we were playing!

Plenty of that going on atm but yes, Ralphy one of the better dart throwers

I am more excited now than at any time during the season ....how sad is that!!

Likely to bring in one with Aish

No this is the MFC finally being ballesy like many have been asking and backing itself in for 2020. Better than sitting back and waiting in hope.

Keep both for the Draft. SERONG @ 3 & STEPHENS @ 8 unless a gun player is up like Papley with 8

There appears to be some very handy 'prospects' in the early parts of this draft. We get a swing at two if we split but IF we do we more than likely miss Serong who looks likely to go early (3 or 4?). 'Appears' on paper to be exactly what we need on the small forward front but like most of these options i'm only going on scouting reports or highlight vids. Lower down there still appears to be some juicy morsels presenting themselves. This is just my take on some of the stand outs. The number in parenthesis is the latest ranking of the draft prospect courtesy of https://afl.draftcentral.com.au/category/power-rankings/ effective as at 7 Oct. Not splitting the pick ?? Caleb Serong, Gippsland Power (3) - Small forward / Mid B'day 9/2/2001 , 178cm / 83kg Splitting the pick interests, say 6 down assuming we land a 6 with a mid 20s (approx) and Green is off the table (GWS) and we aren't looking at Flanders (another inside Mid)... ?? Dylan Stephens, Norwood (8) - Balanced Mid. B'day 8/1/2001 , 182cm / 70 kg (Silk & Speed!). ?? Miles Bergman, Sandringham Dragons (17) - Mid/Forward. B'day 18/10/2001 , 188cm / 77kg (the next Howe or Birdman? Likes a goal from anywhere apparently). ?? Cameron Taheny, Norwood (22) - Medium Forward. B'day 3/8/2001 , 184cm / 80kg (probably too small for our needs and we have similar with Melk but guy can time his leads beautifully and a solid overhead mark. Looks to be very accurate in front also!). Smokey Replacements for missing Serong if we split assuming we are targeting a small forward... ?? Cody Weightman, Dandy Stingrays (28) - Small Forward , B'day 15/01/2001 , 177cm / 73kg ?? Trent Bianco, Oakleigh Chargers Captain (14) - Outside Mid. B'day 20/01/2001 , 176cm / 70kg. P.S. just saw the rumour on Norf giving us pick 8 for 26 and a first rounder from 2020. If so...the ideal for me is Serong @ 3 & Stephens @ 8!!! I would not trade those picks ... stay in the draft!

Subject to due dilligence and interviews, sometimes you just have to wing it. JJ needs us. We need his big body in the goal square, experience and two goal average as back up to T-mac and insurance / pressure on Weid. Could be the difference between a mediocre bounce and playing finals. Even if it doesn't work no great loss. Put him on a one plus one performance based contract (2nd year offers an out for us on a performance trigger if not met) on low coin. Sometimes players are just a good fit and this appears to be one of them. Time to pull the trigger.

He won't be returning to the Crows. If you believe some accounts the fall out was apparently mega and he hasn't even been back to clean the locker out. May have even left town...

If Burgess gets Christian on Tracc (improved tank) there's at least one plausible option AF.

Would be handy to see the results from center square (666) vs stoppages. And also who is on the receiving end of those successful connections. Those able to read the taps and on the move a little better maybe? Also off opposition tap outs. Champion might provide something along these lines at club level but merely a guess. There's vanilla stats (public) and then there's no doubt plenty of meaty stuff we don't get the privilege of seeing.

2018 2019 Hit outs 1,000 829 To Adv (ave) 16.2 13.6