Young Blood

Tommo gone :( https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/1679237/dees-farewell-veteran-defender

Eth-dog is pretty spot on with how I see it going. Except I'd pick Langford over Reid for us with our second pick.

Good point. I'll shut up

Are you wanting to trade for these two players for depth? Because neither would have any interest in playing for Casey. They've gone to a club where they will be guaranteed playing AFL level. Darling is on the decline. Kicked 22 goals from 21 games this season and similar in 2023. Wouldn't want him taking opportunities for our developing forwards anyway. Where are you playing Parker? Whose being dropped? Like I said he won't be interested in being a fringe player.

@Demonland Can we shut this one down as you did with the Clayton thread now? At least until end of next season?

Well said. I completely forgot Turner got the leg fracture mid Feb that set his whole season back 10+ weeks and yes Petty with his feet. God I hope he gets them right for preseason this year.

Trigger warning for MFC drafting WA players with top 10 picks. But might we look at the possibility of snatching Bo Allan with pick 9 ahead of the Perth clubs? (That is only if in draft interviews he was open to a move interstate) This would be double dipping into the high level mid stocks this first round of picks holds. I would still prefer a key position pick with 9 but just spit balling. I think the mids we're going to have the choice of picking at 5/6 are Langford and Smillie. But even though he's a bit raw at the moment I can see Allan being better then both of those players. Just a thought.

I think Lever was 22 when he came across to us, I suppose he was mature beyond his years though. But I agree with you. This draft is looking far better than next years and with the Devils looming the Tiges are loading up now for some struggling/development seasons ahead before they top up with mature players again by the time 2028 comes around.

I wouldn't be judging him solely on a few VFL highlight reels. Of course they're only going to show his marks and goals as a forward in such short videos... Anyway yes at VFL level he has been a consistently hit the scoreboard and competes really well in the air. We have no idea of his running/leading patterns, defensive work rate etc. based on these short clips. If we're judging from our armchairs I would be giving a game to Derksen over Jefferson easily. Physically imposing, contested marking, more consistent at VFL level and unlike Jefferson performed really well when he was moved back down back for the majority of this season.

Getting Matt Kennedy and 25 for Daniel makes it a little easier to swallow for the dogs after the Bailey deal.

Certainly looks the part as a filth player

I wonder with Derksen being out of the picture how this will effect our pick 9 drafting strategy/priority. I get the feeling that Smilie might end up at 9 where I think our recruiters would be so so tempted to get him and double dip into this drafts high level mid stocks. Imagine having both a Langford + Smilie on the list to add to our bulls. BUT of course I am with probably most on here that solidifying our key position stocks by drafting Armstrong or Tauru would make more sense. It would have just been interesting if Derksen was able to get to us whether we might have adjusted our priorities at pick 9 as I really believe Derksen will be a solid key position player at AFL level.

This would be wonderful but I doubt it happens. North don't need a mid yes but they're not going to reach to get someone based on positional need. While its an even draft the top 6 mids are a tier above. You generally always pick best available. Jagga is pretty versatile and might start off playing on a flank for North. But wouldn't it be great if North picked FOS. I am very annoyed Carlton has weaseled their way into pick 3 so now I'm hoping they don't get their man.

100% thats what this is. Building back some standards that have dropped away. We tried for Sloan who knocked it back and this is the backup plan. Would prefer he wasn't a line coach and more in the development side of things. I think this is also about getting our two midfield bulls back engaged and onboard with a younger more recent(ish) retired player who can relate better.

Google it

Hopefully a better Coach then commentator

Looking forward to arguing about draftees closer to the date in specific threads I'm sure. Mainly because either way we're going to get a great player at pick 5/6. I've watched a fair bit of both FOS and Smith live. To say Smith is not skilled nor fast is so dismissive. He's quick around stoppages, low center of gravity, drives the legs. Sure he's not Windsor fast across 50m but he can really move. Similarly to Daicos has ability where he gives off and relocates quickly and always on the move. His kicking skills are just OK. He often chooses to handball to release players and get on the move as an option, but I think his kicking will improve. FOS has it all IMO. I think his contested work probably needs some improvement but he's going to excel to start with as an outside mid/wing where his elite agility, ability to get out of traffic and make good decisions will put him in good stead. He could develop his inside game more as he builds his body.

I think those two are the most likely out of the predicted top 6 to fall to us I can't see Lalor going in the first 5 picks with the injury issues/fitness/lack of motor and preseason I can't see Langford going ahead of the faster more skilled Smith, FOS and Draper So if those two you suggested are who we are targeting I don't think its worth the risk to trade up when one of them is likely to fall to us at 6

Its what they get paid to do. Speculate based off of speculation. So many people here are getting sucked in. When I see the name McClure next to anything I simply just ignore it. He's getting paid to be an ultracrepidarian. His goal is to keep pushing a story beyond truth to get clicks and make forums such as this go mental talking about him. He lost a lot of credit for his Harley Reid statements last year when he said "I'm telling you they're not going to pick him" (referring to West Coast) and many other occasions where his speculation was just simply false. He doesn't care, he wins either way.

I do think this needs to be more of a talking point across the AFL. I follow professional sports in other countries. In the NBA, I don't think I've ever heard of a player asking for a trade due to family reasons or being homesick. Its all part of the job and being a professional player at the highest level. Its just a given that its a business and a job where sacrifices must be made. Perhaps the ANB situation is a bit different as he has been a servent of the club for 10 years. I wonder if he were only a second or third year player if such a request would have been accepted. Might be one of two times I've ever agree with Kane on this that if you put your name in a draft that you are accepting as a professional sportsman to be picked by any side, possibly interstate and that you need to make it work for the club that picked you. The only the only other argument Wade has is that he wants more of an opportunity to play AFL as he's been two or three behind the pecking order as a key forward/back. GWS/McCarthy is now saying that due to players leaving this off season that there is now less depth and more likelihood that he might play. I'd still be [censored] if I was Wade.

Its the obvious team on paper yes. I think Sparrow is going to really have to earn that spot next season with a huge preseason and add a few more strings to his bow. My only change to this would be IN: AMW and OUT: Sparrow Having Sparrow in will reduce the midfield rotation time for Rivers (and eventually Kozzy). But Rivers is like the new Gus as a versatile, more dynamic option to put in the midfield for longer periods. Get him in there as much as possible I say.

I can't help but feel there is some contrast between our two million+ per year mids in how they prepare/improve their bodies/games before a season, at least in terms of level of commitment and attention to detail. I wonder if this is part of the contention between the club and Oliver (and Trac's feelings toward this as well). I understand in the past Oliver has made commitments with a really dedicated approach to preseason. E.g. when he followed Billy Stretch's regimen all those years ago with diet and training. In his words he 'became addicted' to fitness and training where he could see the results in games with the high standard he was playing at. I wonder if that level of commitment dropped away in recent years and this is where the club are feeling underwhelmed with their star player. I would love to see Oliver over there investing his time (and some of that huge salary) along with Trac putting in this level of work and commitment to his body. Especially after the year he had last year, I would hope he is doing everything he possibly can to find ways to get himself in the best shape possible with some advancements on what he can do physically like we are seeing with Trac. Its hard to get a read from the podcast he did the other week with how casual he was talking about getting back to a better level of fitness. I don't discount the work he's putting in with his running. He's also working on his mobility with a specialist as you can see here along with Trac, Salem and AMW (https://www.instagram.com/112mvmnt/). But I just wonder if there's more he can be doing to get to to improve and get back to that obsession he had with his fitness...

The key to winning over Goody is to mention "contest" and "defense" as much as possible.

Yeah in terms of a straight swap realistically its more likely to be for GWS comp pick which will end up as #17 which I think is a bit risky with where we're at right now. Would we look at packaging out pick 28 this year and next years 1st rounder to get a little higher for our second pick? Anyone know what that might look like as a realistic trade with one of the sellers in mid first round?

I think we will be left with choosing between Lalor, Smillie or Armstrong. As skilled as he might be I think Reid will be a slider and be picked in the teens. If Bo Allan wasn't from WA I could see him bolting even further with one ours, Saints to Essendon's pick. Richmond - Jagga North - Langford West Coast - O'Sullivan Adelaide - Draper Melbourne - Lalor