Nascent

Having a look at team selections it seems that a number of highly rated players won't take the field today. No Viney, Whitfield, Vlastuin, Toumpas (injured), Wines, Stringer. Disappointing. http://www.afl.com.a...=7932&tab=Teams Darcy Bailey named in the backpocket for Vic Metro... that wouldn't be Deans kid would it?

Yes, one would think that vertical strips vs plane jumper with insignia on the front should be sufficient to tell the teams apart. I wouldn't be suprised if a few years down the road we will be moving towards teams having home and away jumpers (i.e. wear 50/50 during the season) instead of clash jumpers for select matches. Hell we're not far off it now.

Round 4 Results Vic Country vs Vic Metro: Match Report VIC COUNTRY 2.5 3.8 6.14 6.15 (51) VIC METRO 1.7 4.11 6.14 8.18 (66) GOALS Vic Country: Calvert 2, Crouch, Membrey, Wines, Wood Vic Metro: Boyd 3, Hrovat, Hunter, Jaksch, Kelly, O'Rourke BEST Vic Country: Wood, Smith, Sherman, Garner, Wines, Hams Vic Metro: Temay, O'Rourke, Boyd, Kelly, Vlastuin, Viney, Gilmore Western Australia vs South Australia: Match Report WESTERN AUSTRALIA 0.2 1.5 2.7 4.10 (34) SOUTH AUSTRALIA 3.2 4.5 7.9 12.12 (84) GOALS Western Australia: Garlett, Paparone, Shaw, Simpson South Australia: McDonough 6, Mayes 2, Kennedy Spina, Stark, BEST Western Australia: Garlett, Paparone, Hogan, Jones, Rodda South Australia: Aish, Colquhoun, Scharenberg, Mayes, McDonough, Grundy, Toumpas Queensland vs Northern Territory: Match Report QUEENSLAND 1.0 4.3 7.6 11.8 (74) NORTHERN TERRITORY 2.3 6.4 7.6 10.7 (67) GOALS Queensland: Bourke 3, Coleman-Broom 3, Ives, Johnson, Power, Tickner, Wardle Northern Territory: Stokes 3, Autio 2, J Williams 2, Assan, Neade, Wasley-Black BEST Queensland: Allir, Wallin, Smith, Tickner, Ives, Boston Northern Territory: Wasley-Black, D Williams, Anderson, Alice, Neade Tasmania vs NSW/ACT: Match Report TASMANIA 4.0 8.3 10.6 14.7 (91) NSW/ACT 1.6 2.8 5.10 6.14 (50) GOALS Tasmania: Kendall 5, Lonergan 2, O'Byrne 2, B Walsh 2, K Kolodjashnij, Nankervis, Van den Berg NSW/ACT: Clothier, Dwyer, Gibbons, Keogh, Redfern, Robinson BEST Tasmania: B Walsh, Kendall, Siggins, Lonergan, Hibberd, O'Byrne NSW/ACT: Clyne, Redfern, Keogh, Gibbons, Clothier

I like him as a player, he has played 7 games this year... not sure if he's been troubled by injury or not. If he's not cracking a regular game and wants out I wouldn't be offering more than a 3rd rounder. But as already been mentioned above I don't think the Lions would give him up that easily.

I don't mean to sound like a [censored] but a quick google search brought up these articles... I think we're just a sensitive lot after the whole Scully drama and we melbourne fans seem to have a bit of a persecution complex going on. Joe Daniher fires for Calder Cannons to excite Essendon fans "ESSENDON-bound Joe Daniher showed why he could warrant No. 1 draft pick status if he was on the open market, kicking seven goals in just his second game in 18 months." Bombers bargain for Calder Cannons Daniher Essendon draft delight looms in Joe Daniher Future Essendon star Joe Daniher exciting Vic Metro coach "For me, and I haven’t seen a lot of (touted No. 1 pick Lachie) Whitfield, but he’s in the top one or two or three, easy. Essendon are going to do all right getting him at pick 15 or 16 or whatever." Future Dons Joe Daniher highly rated Daniher getting taller and stronger I now feel extremely dirty for posting positive essendon related news on our board

True, and I agree that there probably won't be any picks awarded to GC or GWS. However, who knows what the AFL will do. I would imagine too they're would be a massive outcry from all 16 clubs if either GC or GWS were awarded early priority picks. Anyway there is a lot of time for this all to play out so not point stressing over it now I guess.

I'm fairly certain a formula for priority picks have been done away with, however the AFL can allocate them as they see fit... this worries me with Gold Coast, if they don't improve we could very well see them with picks 1 and 2 and that kisses any chance of Viney to the 2nd round goodbye. With the access of 1st round draft picks GWS had and they way they went about building their list re out of contract signings, their position on the ladder shouldn't be surprising and in my opinion shouldn't be worthy of being awarded more picks by the AFL, however nothing would surprise me.

I like both of these posts, you can tell because I pressed the like button which I also like. I also like igloos. And hipsters with all their underground culture, but before they became popular. I don't like coffee though.

I agree he'll be in a Melbourne jumper at the end of the year... but I don't think GC will be risking much by bidding pick 2 on the toughest inside clearance specialist that junior footy has seen.

Believe me I agree with the sentiment but both GC and GWS have already locked away long term contracts for a lot of their players already and that includes the extremely homesick Harley Bennell. Only one player has expressed a desire to leave in that time, that being Josh Caddy, and he may still yet sign with the Suns.

I think they would back themeselves in to keep their recruits at the club, much like west coast and adelaide who have no problem retaining their talent. Say Viney still wanted to come back to victoria after 2 years, we still have 8 other clubs to contend with to get him to our club and they won't give him up lightly.

Obviously engineered to put doubt in the mind of GWS. However, I'm more concerned about GC bidding on Viney than GWS. Ultimately I think GWS will finish last and they won't risk sacrificing Whitfield, while GC could use another tough inside midfielder and I don't think they will hesitate using pick 2 on Viney. Melbourne are leeking the appropriate stories to create doubt for our competitors but ultimately I think it will all be in vain... at least they're trying though.

and the mind games intensify...

Well Juda$ has already left with his 30 pieces of silver so we shouldn't have trouble retaining him

Clubs clamouring for kids It seems clubs have already made contact with GWS to start negiotiations over mini-draft selections. Jack Martin and Jesse Hogan from WA appear to be the standouts with Matt Crouch, brother of Adelaides Brad (also a mini-draft selection), not far behind.

Good to see Strauss get through a full game... he does something well that a lot of melbourne players don't, provides a shepherd.

Blease and Morton not playing, maybe a late change tomorrow?

Article on Wines. Interesting to read that he is best mates with Jack Viney. Described as a classy and clean strong bodied midfielder, he is averaging 26 disposals in the TAC cup. Last two games for Vic country netted him 31 (17 contested) and 24 disposals (7 clearances) and rated in the top 3 for Vic country (Whitfield taking both BOG honours). Worth Bottling

Jack Watts plays his 50th game this week. Would love to see him, more so than anyone else, lay a bone crunching tackle on scully, from one #1 draft pick to another.

Or we could do this... with russian accents [media=]

It seems this year will be largely dominated by midfielders at the pointy end of the draft. I reckon Wines is another that could be considered. Another competitive tough inside midfielder/clearance specialist. Would pair up nice with Viney I would think. I agree with the suggestions that we should aim for 3-4 midfielders in this draft... wouldn't mind it if we could nab Stringer as well.

Round 3 South Australia vs Vic Metro : Match Report SOUTH AUSTRALIA 2.2 7.4 10.7 12.13 (85) VIC METRO 6.3 9.5 14.5 16.7 (103) GOALS South Australia: McDonough 6, Grundy 3, Stark, Gill, O'Brien Vic Metro: Billings 5, Hunter 2, Macrae 2, O'Rourke, Haynes, Ballard, Daniher, Salem, Lennon, Tyquin BEST South Australia: Kennedy, Scharenberg, Stark, McDonough, Colquhoun, Montgomery Vic Metro: Hrovat, McDonald, Billings, Vlastuin, O'Rourke, McKenzie, Kelly Western Australia vs Vic Country: Match Report Whitfield leading the pack WESTERN AUSTRALIA 4.3 7.5 9.9 13.14 (92) VIC COUNTRY 1.1 6.5 10.6 11.8 (74) GOALS Western Australia: Shaw 4, Hogan 3, Paparone 2, Martin 2, Deluca 2 Vic Country: Whitfield 3, Garner 3, Hartung, Martyn, McCartney, Saunders, Morrison BEST Western Australia: Martin, Howson, Deluca, Hogan, Shaw, Lim Vic Country: Whitfield, Garner, Wines, Wright, Crouch, Pierce, Gardiner Queensland vs Tasmania: Match Report QUEENSLAND 1.4 4.11 4.13 6.17 (53) TASMANIA 3.1 5.3 7.6 9.7 (61) GOALS Queensland: Bourke 3, Wardle, Tickner, Coleman-Broome Tasmania: Z Webster 2, Van den Berg 2, M Walsh, Douglas, Grant, Kendall, K Kolodjashnij BEST Queensland: Boston, Conway, Grewar, Rutledge, Skennar Tasmania: Van den Berg, Hibberd, Nankervis, J Kolodjashnij, M Walsh, Lonergan NSW/ACT vs Northern Territory: Match Report NSW/ACT 0.4 3.5 4.9 6.11 (47) NORTHERN TERRITORY 4.3 9.7 12.7 20.10 (130) GOALS NSW/ACT: Flaherty 3, Redfern, Clothier, Weir Northern Territory: Anderson 3, Assan 3, Roberts 2, Williams 2, McEwin 2, Tipungwuti 2, Alice, Barry, Ankers, Stokes, Neade, Hatcher BEST NSW/ACT: Flaherty, Clothier, Hampton, Redfern Northern Territory: Neade, McEwin, Tipungwuti, Anderson, Wasley-Black, Alice

For those of you that are interested, Knightmare from bigfooty puts a lot of work into producing mock drafts this year and has a great knowledge of U18's football, it is a fantastic read. He has updated his rankings from his last report that was done pre-season. Knightmares 2012 Mock Draft For what its worth he has Jack Viney only behind Lachlan Whitfield and Jaeger O'Meara essentially rating him as the 2nd best player available in the draft.

Big thank you to the people that give there time to attend these games and provide some futher insight into the potential draftees. I believe Emma Quayle has questioned the much reported depth of this draft. This can only be beneficial to us as we'll have at least 3 quality picks where it counts, compared to 2008 where we had some good picks but every club was able to snag a quality player at some point in the draft.

Round 2 results Western Australia Vs NSW/ACT: Match Report WESTERN AUSTRALIA 3.3 7.7 12.11 14.17 (101) NSW/ACT 1.2 3.3 4.4 5.5 (35) GOALS Western Australia: Shaw 3, Simpson 3, Paparone 2, Hogan 2, McKenzie, Chalmers, Sheed, Martin NSW/ACT: Hampton, Hargreave, Taylor, Vearing, West BEST Western Australia: Lynch, Garlett, Simpson, Hogan, Lowrie, Martin NSW/ACT: Williams, Robinson, Hargreave, Harper, McGillivray Vic Country Vs Queensland: Match Report VIC COUNTRY 2.3 5.8 10.11 15.15 (105) QUEENSLAND 1.1 1.1 1.4 1.5 (11) GOALS Vic Country: Whitfield 3, Close 2, Hans 2, Martyn 2, Bourke, Herbert, Taylor, Pierce, Taylor, Tsitas Queensland: Brown BEST Vic Country: Whitfield, Wines, Taylor, Wright, Close, Hans Queensland: Conway, Wardle, Jones, Power, Wolbers, Boston South Australia Vs Northern Territory: Match Report SOUTH AUSTRALIA 6.3 11.6 15.9 16.13 (109) NORTHERN TERRITORY 2.2 5.3 7.6 12.8 (80) GOALS South Australia: Menzel 6, Murdoch 3, O'Brien 2, Colquhoun, McDonough Toumpas, Kennedy, Wilson Northern Territory: Anderson 2, Barry 2, W Rioli 2, Tipungwuti 2, Stokes, Lawton, B Rioli, J Williams BEST South Australia: Colquhoun, Grundy, Menzel, Kennedy, Montgomery, Luccon Northern Territory: D Williams, Tipungwuti, Neade, Anderson, Barry, J Williams, W Rioli Vic Metro Vs Tasmania: Match Report VIC METRO 6.4 9.7 17.8 21.11 (137) TASMANIA 2.2 5.3 5.3 6.5 (41) GOALS Vic Metro: Jaksch 6, Macrae 6, Temay 2, Stewart, Hunter, Tyquin, Wood, Ballard, Corr Tasmania: Smith, Kendall, Hibberd, Z Webster, Van Den Berg, Bones BEST Vic Metro: Macrae, Vlastuin, Ballard, Jaksch, Hrovat, Temay Tasmania: Thurlow, Templeton, Van Den Berg, Z Webster, Walsh, Murphy Highly rated Vlastuin is again up there in the bests for Vic Metro while Troy Menzel, brother of unlucky Geelong midfielder Daniel, stars for SA two weeks in a row, this time booting 6 goals (for a total of 15 in 2 games). Top draft prospect and touted No. 1 pick Lachie Whitfield dominates for Vic Metro with a BOG performance. Garlett and Simpson from WA are receiving some praise and may be players to look out for come draft time.