BAMF

The phantom drafts have Sydney's kids going at 6 and 22. They will be short on points by 376 points (equivalent of pick 43) if this occurs. (I reckon the first kid will slide like Green did last year). If they go into deficit their first pick next year will be pushed back. They will desperate for this not to happen. However, Sydney's first pick next year a good one. Potentially top 5 again. There is no way they trading out of the first round for around pick 22-25 this year. They will be much more likely to trade a future 2nd or 3rd round pick for an extra pick around 43 to make up the 300 odd points. They will finish up with 3 excellent kids and keep their excellent pick for next year.

I'm sure it was Barry Prendegast.

It will be really interesting to see how Jason Taylor attacks this draft. Will he stick to the best available practice, or will we be targeting positions where we have holes in our list? There are a lot of KPP in the top end of the draft. Will he pick one if they slide? Picking another inside mid would likey annoy many of us.

Hey, don't get me wrong. I think Salem has the tools required. But in 2019 when we are crying out for 2 wingers and the coaches refuse to play Salem in those roles, you have to figure they have made a decision for whatever reason that he isn't suited. I would be shocked if that reason was that we have no half back flankers to play Salems role. Even as typing this I realise how often Goodwin has done this though!

I remember him training with the mids in the preseason a few years ago, but he only played a few games until he was moved to the half back flank where he seemed to fit. From what I recall, he played as an inside mid. I know he attended the centre bounce regularly for 2 games and while he didn't have much of an impact, neither did his opponent. Rivers was a great hbf as a junior and should get more games this year in that position! Hoping he can develop into a wing too. Love this kid. A real find.

The idea that Salem can be released to the wing is a fallacy in my opinion. The wing position has been our biggest whole for 2 years. In 2019 we had no one who could adequately fill the role on either side of the ground. We subsequently recruited both Langdon and Tomlinson to fill these roles. Langdon has been a god send, but Tomlinson was found a bit lacking and we plugged the hole with Vanders for most of the year. As well as vanders did in playing out of position, I think we can mostly agree that its still our greatest weakness. If Salem could play the role he would have been doing so consistently a long time ago. He simply doesn't have the tank to be effective as a midfielder. In saying all of that. I would love to pick up another youngster who can start at hbf and develop into a winger.

It matters if the club involved needs to use points.

Yep. I found it odd that we had leaked. Or... we have positioned ourselves to trade up on draft night

Changed my mind

Oops.. sorry mate, I was supposed to quote DeeSpencer.

What about that super tall kid who trained with us at the start of the year? His folks posted here telling us that he was set for a basketball scholarship in the USA. Hopefully covid hasnt ruined this opportunity for him.

First up. Well done for getting in early and putting your hand up for not getting this one right. You and I have had this conversation over the past 2 years and I always felt like someone would pay a 2nd rounder for him. He will be their number 1 ruck next year and was contracted for 2 more years. It had to be around that pick. But while I congratulate you for saying you didn't get it right, I also don't think you were wrong either. He has no tank, can't play forward consistently, gets injured right when you need him and to be quite frank.... is a bit dim. He shouldn't be worth a second round pick... but its worked out due to timing and demand! We done MFC!

Pick 53 = 233 points Pick 43 = 378 points We have gained 145 points.

I really didnt want to offer him a fat three year contract, but I was salivating at the thought of a quick fix to our biggest hole for 2021. I hope we have something else lined up for the wing. I dont want to see vandenBerg plugging that position again.

I read it that we are offering the same money per year but have an extra year in the contract. Otherwise there is no way you would consider us an option at all. No one would sign a three year contract at his age when you can guarantee the same money in two thirds the time. Especially not to come to us.

No doubt you class him as a small because of his height, but he doesnt really play what i would call a traditional small forward crumbing role (which is why he is in and out if the team) like Pickett or Eddie Betts etc. Spargo can crumb but doesnt do it as well as most traditional 'small' forwards. He is actually a small inside midfielder who is forced to play forward because he is never ever going to get to play inside mid in our team (and likely any other team at afl level). He strengths are that he has good disposal over short distances, great awareness, hard at the ball and player, can read the play better than just about anyone on our list and usually makes the right decisions. His weaknesses are his lack of height, size and speed. Most of his good attributes are shared with Hannan, except Hannan is obviously better in the air with his height. You would never call Hannan a small, and I wont call Spargo a traditional small. Sparrow, Jones and Baker are all midfielders who play half forward flank and pitch in on other areas. Jones and Baker on the wing and Sparrow in the guts for his own development more than anything. Higgins is exactly the same. He was a pure mid at underage level who could push forward. At the tigers he started out as a pure forward as thats where he could get a game, but he spent a considerable amount more time in the midfield in his second year.

That was my experience listening last year. Just a lot of general footy talk combined with 'experts' naming all the possible things that could happen. Its basically the same as reading this site except you have adverts shoved down your ears at every opportunity. I thank everybody who listens and shares info.

Not sure if dr evil is full of it or not, but to be fair the reports are all saying that Geelongs offer came at the eleventh hour. Meaning that dr evil could have been correct at the time he made the call. Mitch Clarke was 100% going to Freo before Mark Neeld flew up to Brisbane at the last moment and made a pitch. It happens. If you are going to get so upset, maybe just wait until the official news breaks instead of reading these sites. Nothing is official until its official.

One of those players who looks like he is just about to breakout at any moment. Hits the scoreboard often enough to be considered as a delisted free agent but has never played more than 10 games per season. Pass from me. Maybe as a DFA.

He was a die-hard Saints supporter pre-draft apparently which is where a lot of this speculation is coming from. Was likely the first club he personally went looking for.

Big yes from me. Medium forward types we have : Fritsch, Melksham, Hannan , Spargo, ANB, AVB, Jones, Sparrow, Baker, Hunt I could easily get rid rid of 4 of them to add to Bennell, Dunkley and Corey Wagner. Basically, I'm trying to say that we have room for his type.

Almost too good to be true........

Taken with pick 10 in 2017. Pick 10 was our pick that we traded to Adelaide as part of the Lever deal. LOB was the player I wanted us to pick too. I think we ended up alright. He has a bit of James Strauss to him (elite kick at under age but never displayed at afl level)

He went best available. It didn't work in this case.

The 'good' and 'if' being the sticking points. I would be very happy with 40 -50 good games. I don't think he is likely to give us that many. I think we will get 15 -20 good games and about 5 - 10 below average to average games.