Lucifers Hero

Any one know what the donations total is? Can't seem to find it on the website. iirc the goal was $1.0m by Christmas.

That could work. I reckon there will be a lot of 'second guessing' other clubs moves so the pick swap you suggest could come into play if a player we really want is likely to go earlier than hoped and where McInnes goes to the Pies. A lot of Live Swaps will be happening on Wednesday night!

Thank you for the compliment. Its fun to throw up theories so its good that a few posters indulge the sport and that others are interested. I agree that Coll will slide down the ladder next year. I find it hard to see how we can get their 2021 first pick. It will probably be in the 8 - 12 range as next year's draft is not compromised with Academy and F/S picks. They would probably want this years 18 and 19 as they will slide to the mid 20's after the Academy and F/S picks. I doubt we would do that trade. And I suspect other clubs will make better offers to them.

GWS have done the comp a huge favour this off season. Firstly, Geelong's offer to Cameron designed to put GWS out of the running takes up a huge chunk of their sal cap. Secondly, they surprised Geelong by matching the bid. Thirdly, Geelong gave up 3 first round picks in a trade. Geelong would have expected to have the draft currency to take both Falcon players (Bruhn and Henry) touted for the first round with the picks they started with. Little chance of getting either now, even if they put up their 2021 1st pick. Geelong, being Geelong will still stay at the top but GWS have helped weaken their list management somewhat.

As an aside, an 'own goal' by Saints to use players with Nike boot sponsors to promote the launch of new sponsor NB gear. st-kilda-explains-awkward-nike-intrusion-after-fans-mock-new-balance-ad "... it feels like a loss for New Balance" Photographer could have chosen different poses that didn't show the footwear. Too simple...

Good luck to Collingwood compiling a decent list with just these picks: 14, 16, 65, 66, 68, 75, 91, 105, 116, 122, especially if Reef McInnes is taken before 16 or they consolidate some picks to go up the order to get a top player before someone bids for him. Either way they will be drafting players with picks > 60 (which will all become 50ish). Of course they may 'Live-Trade' their 2021 first pick for two good 2nd round picks (after McInnes is taken) to give them more picks in the first or second round. Even then they will still be taking players at low picks. Their list management looks a right old mess, not that that is a bad thing for the rest of the comp.

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Agreed. I would add fix the i50 tackles and pressure. I suspect the 17th ranking on the differentials for those is as much to do with the lack of work rate by our fwds as it is by the midfield. We have the players to do it but they all need to lift that part of their game.

An interesting take by Fox on our needs: what-every-club-needs-in-the-draft MELBOURNE Defensive mid The ‘red wave’ was alive and well in 2020 when the Dees had the ball, with plenty of offensive running on show. Pressure the other way though wasn’t as good for Simon Goodwin’s men - they ranked 17th in tackle differential and pressure differential. Part of this must be down to effort given the sheer number of inside mids that are already on the list - someone like Liam Pedler is another inside player who applies pressure and would help rectify the club’s defensive capabilities. It looms as their biggest need now that they’ve got Ben Brown to shore up the forward line, but it depends on how much Simon Goodwin thinks he can fix the issue internally rather than using their first draft pick to do so. A defensive mid is not what most would have thought given our need for an outside mid and a small forward. I can see why they think that, given we are 17th on tackle and pressure differential which is an indictment on a team that professes to base its game 'on the contest'. I would say Goodwin will try and fix it internally with the players (forwards and mids) he has rather than use a good draft pick for another inside mid. Unless those we have up their game and effort one more inside mid won't fix our tackle/pressure problem.

1) Thanks, forgot about the bit on NGA's passing thru the draft. 2) Do you mean costly to us? 3) I agree it would be a good strategy but as you say few clubs are prepared to trade out a top 15 pick. This could be why #28 is on the table - assuming there is some substance to The Age comment. I mused in the 'Are we finished yet?' thread that: "Should we trade 28 out it means we will use 50 (unless we split pick #19)". A split could of #19 makes sense as it seems a lot of 'bolters' have flown into the top 20 this week so some earlier high prospects will slide and may include someone of interest to us. And if we are keen on someone like Angwin who is getting some attention, it helps us leap frog clubs like Geelong. Of course my musing is but one of the many scenarios.

From the excellent work on draft selections that other posters have done, your deductions are correct.

For Smith, I assume you mean category A, as B is for players who haven't played AFL for 3 years. Interestingly, The Age article has linked Angwin to Geelong's pick 27 so he may not be around for our lower pick. Yeah, no idea what #28 will return us in 2021 picks as clubs seem to want to hang on to them. It seems the Suns didn't care what they got for 27 as it was junk to them. They simply wanted draft points for next year's academy players (I think their AFL concessions expire this year). The pick they got from Geelong will net them about 300-400 points. I would be surprised if we couldn't do much better than they did in a genuine value trade. Nonetheless it seems it would be sold at a 'discount'. Otherwise I guess, we take it to the draft this year.

The Age's description for Melb is: 2020-afl-national-draft The Demons have been linked to a bid on Lions academy forward Blake Coleman but Collingwood could well have bid on him already with one of their first two selections. The likes of Tom Powell, Liam Kolar and Ryan Angwin are all being spoken about as players who could fall around the range of the Dees' first two or three selections. Sources suggest the Demons are looking to trade pick 28 for a future selection. Outside midfielder Deakyn Smith is also eligible to the Demons as a next generation academy player. Has anyone seen any discussion this draft on Deakyn? I know there is a DL thread on him but can't find anything recent via google. As an outside midfielder he could come in quite handy.

As part of its draft discussion The Age says: "Sources suggest the Demons are looking to trade pick 28 for a future selection". Not sure why but I like the idea of extra draft currency in 2021. We need to take 3 draftees to reach the minimum 36 senior list players. Should we trade 28 it means we will use 50 (unless we split pick #19). So still a bit of water to go under the bridge.

I see. Haven't seen anything official. The closest 'official' thing I can think of is the ads for Development Coach, VFL Coach and the Volunteer Pathway all showed Casey as the location.

key-dates-for-melbourne-s-off-season First-to-four-year players return to training: December 7 – 18 Main group returns to training: January 6 Not entirely sure but I think those dates are mandated by AFL/AFLPA. Altho clubs would have players working on individual fitness programs months earlier ps. Cute dog!

Hence the reference in the last line of my post of Geelong 'friends in high (AFL) places'. I was trying not to name names.

Perhaps but the 4th most important player in the pecking order? Ahead of Petracca, Oliver, May, Lamgdon, B. Brown? Not for mine.

Lever would be well down the pecking order. Yet to do much at mfc. Injury free 2020. 3rd year at the club. No excuses.

Agreed. It seems GCS and Geelong have a cosy thing happening with the AFL. In 2018 the FA 'secret herbs and spices' gave pick 19 to Geelong for Motlop to enable the trade to GCS so Gary Ablett could get 'Home'. Eyebrows were raised over that little sequence. Then last year there was the outrageous Live pick swap of: Geelong 2019 pick 27 for GCS's 2021 pick 11 and its 2019 pick 64. The AFL conveniently turned a blind eye to that highway robbery. Raised eyebrows over that one was an understatement. Now we have the latest swap where Geelong get #27 for a 2021, 3rd round pick (tied to mfc) that is likely to be pick 40-50 next year. It seems anything goes to help GCS but Geelong seem to be the beneficiary each time (friends in high (AFL) places, perhaps). Yes, I know that is cynical but...

Geelong swap a 2021 3rd round pick (tied to Melbourne) to GCS for their pick 27. So Geelong clean up on another 'unbalanced' swap with GCS. I noticed their are some Geelong Falcon players in the 20 - 30 draft range. I wonder if one of them is on our radar - they will choose before our pick 28.

The deadline for adding DFA's has closed. So we can only add to senior list with draftees. (Theoretically we could promote a rookie but that would be counter productive as we have just 'demoted' Jordon to the rookie list). We have 33 senior list so need to take 3 draftees to reach the required minimum of 36. If we use all 4 draft picks we will have 37 senior players.

Thanks NC. That is very good news! It would be great for members to hear what the facilities are pretty soon.

OMG, he looks fantastic!

Not the ole 'garden path', I hope I jest!