spirit of norm smith

Saying that you can't have too many 'inside' mids is a very confusing and naive comment. Stevethemanjordan ... you have been smoking a substance or need NEW glasses. My assessment of players like the mids from hawks and swans was around players like Jones, Viney, Wines, Mckenzie (and Trengrove,Grimes & Sylvia). You will find that Mckenzie stats around disposals are effective. However his focus is a shutdown role. It did not mention... Magner, Couch, Nicho, Moloney & Bail ... all of whom you introduced. Get your assessment right before the negative jibes. Apology accepted. Thanks. Go the nighty Dees

Agreed on this assessment. You have to be able to get the footy. Wines gets the footy ... often !!.

this is the 18 medium size midfielders invited to the AFL draft combine (of the 80+ invited)

agree ... fingers crossed

Agree. If the Pies keep 17 & 18, they are likely to grab Nick Graham. The Pies do also believe they are contenders and Dean Towers will be on their radar or another fwd option like Tim Membrey (he has the tats they like at Vic Pk)

1st round #3 to GWS (for MD2 Jesse Hogan & pick 20 & Dom Barry) #4 (available)... Wines, Toumpas, O'Rourke #13 to GWS (for MD2 Jesse Hogan & pick 20 & Dom Barry) #20 (now available) ... Towers, Graham, Atkins, Lowrie 2nd round #26 father son selection : Jack Viney ... what a sensation 3rd round #46 (available) ... Cam Pedersen or Matt Thomas trades. Draftees likely - Tim Broomhead (SA), Ben Kearns (Gippsland), Leigh Osborne (VFL) 4th round #66 (available) ... by this stage we should have a full quota or keep one for PSD#3. If we use, likely Josh Scott (Gippsland) or Josh Thurlow (Tassie) may appeal. 5th round #84 (available) ... unlikely we will have this pick available as should get free agent comps/trade deals. Use MFC last pick of course to upgrade Daniel Nicholson. < draft picks are approx due to compensation deals apicks for free agent deals yet to be nominated by AFL) On the table: OUT - Brent Moloney - free agent to the Lions, Jared Rivers - free agent to the Cats (I hope he stays), Jordie Gysberts - Cats may offer 2nd round pick #35 approx in exchange, Stef Martin - Saints may be keen in exchange for 3rd round pick #52 approx in exchange. IN - Shannon Byrnes (Free agent from the Cats ... Signed), and rumours around Chris Dawes from pies (for pick 20 ... hmmm yes ok but I think we need more midfield class), Cam Pedersen from kangas (I yes from me), Farren Ray from saints (hmmm a yes), Ben Warren from kangas (oh no), Matt Thomas from Power (hmmm no prisoners taken is his style - I like it)

Memo to MFC Surely Dean Towers now at pick 20. He showed he is too good for VFL. Played and beat many AFL listed players in VFL. At 22yo, mature, runs and carries. Lock it in. Mark Neeld must have his mobile number on speed dial.

agree. GWS get: 1. extra $$$ 1mil, plus Sydney living allowance $900,000 to salary cap ... $2mil extra a year. 2. List size of 44 plus 9 rookies. 3. NT zone for 4 years. 5. Pre listed AFL players from VFL, SANFL, WAFL to pick up or trade 6. 2 years of mini-draft trades 7. pick up 10 players in 17yo age bracket from 2011 8. 9 of the top 15 in 2011 draft (and they topped up an extra 2). 9. No AFL investigation on signing players under contract (ie Tom Scully). Do we need to say anything further.

Pick 20 options are: 1- trade to Pies for Chris Dawes 2- pick up a good running mid ... like Atkins, Lowrie , Graham or mature 22yo like Dean Towers (my preference)

Agree. Neeld wants players to make us "The Hardest Team to play". This is not Farren Ray. This is Matt Thomas types. add Viney, Wines, Thomas to ... Mckenzie, Jones, Magner ... we are not taking backward steps !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oliver Wines. No ... YES Jesse Lonergan. No (pick 45 ish) Jimmy Toumpas. Yes, but probably won't get him. Will go #2 or #3 Tim Mayes. Yes <You mean SAM MAYES >… very good but 2012 tappered off. Jonathon O'Rourke. Yes (likely pick 6-10) Josh Kelly. Yes. 2013 draft eligible Tim Broomhead. Possible (I am a big wrap on this kid …maybe at 20 ish but could get at pick 45 ish) Matthew Crouch. Possible. 2013 draft eligible Nick Graham. Possible (pick 20 ish) Wines is the best choice by a mile. He and Jack Viney are good mates. This is what footy is about. Some of my best mates are the guys I played 12 years with playing A grade amateur footy. It’s the game and enjoying the competitive nature. Oliver Wines is all upside. Wines is a 10yr+ player. Leader. Good character. Wins the footy. Smart. Vic country boy (no "go home factor"). No prior injuries or risks. Reminds me of players such as Jobe Watson, Joel Selwood, Sam Mitchell. 186cms. Physically ready to go. Competitive. Too many inside mids ?- you are joking - Mitchell, Lewis, Sewell, Hodge all play in the Hawks midfield. J Kennedy, Hannebery, Bolton & Jack, all play in the Swans midfield. We can have Jones, Viney, Wines, Mckenzie (plus Grimes, Trengrove, Sylvia). Add Dean Towers at pick 20, or Tim Broomhead to add outside run. It's an easy call from me … Pick 4 – Oliver Wines (Nth Ballarat).

Ultimately this is what footy is about. Mates playing the game and enjoying the competitive nature. Oliver Wines is all upside. 10yr player. Leader. Good character. Wins the footy. Smart. Vic country boy (no "go home factor"). No prior injuries or risks. Reminds me of players such as Jobe Watson, Joel Selwood, Sam Mitchell. Too many inside mids - you are joking - Mitchell, Lewis, Sewell, Hodge all play in the Hawks midfield. J Kennedy, Hannebery, Bolton & Jack, all play in the Swans midfield. We can have Jones, Viney, Wines, Mckenzie (plus Grimes, Trengrove, Sylvia). It's an easy call from me.

Pick 4 is a keeper. Here is the last 6 years pick 4's. 2006 Matthew Leuenberger ... had a standout 2011, and injury ruined 2012. Will be very very good. 2007 Cale Morton ... hmmm a promising start, now on the fringe 2008 Hamish Hartlett ... a very good 2012. 2009 Anthony Morabito ... injury cruelled his start to AFL. Showed strong signs. 2010 Andrew Gaff ... all class. The Eagles are smiling. 2011 Will Hoskin Elliott... positive signs. Behind some other GWS rookies but had a few good games at end of 2012.

Matt Thomas Age 25 Height - 186 cms weight - 87 kgs. Has had 7 years at the Power for 83 games (56 games in the last 3 years). But after his very good rookie 1st year of 2006, he had an injury interrupted 2007-09. In 2010 and 2011, he stepped up to be a regular and in fact was one of the Power's better players, leading the club in tackles and 1%'s. In 2012, played 15 games, but has now shown a desire to return to Victoria. Murrumbeena boy and would be a welcome addition to our midfield. No backward steps here. Key strengths: tackling, handball, run and carry, breaks tackles. I would look at a Pick 50 exchange (maybe one we get in exchange to Stef Martin to St Kilda).

In todays Age, it mentions we are interested in Matt Thomas from Port Adelaide. I have always rated him, as a very good inside mid with good skills. Tough and no backward steps. Wants to come home to Melbourne.

Our options are pick 20 for Dawes, or look at an alternative being getting Cam Pedersen from Kangas (for 3rd round pick around 46) keep pick 20 for a quality mid. Mids around pick 18-25 are Lowrie, Graha, Atkins and 22yo Dean Towers. My preference is Towers and Pedersen.

agree ... a good day for MFC. Welcome aboard Jesse "Hulk" Hogan, and Dom "the Wizard " Barry

In: +11. free agents - Byrnes draft - Hogan, Barry, Viney, pick 4, pick 20, pick 45, Cam Pedersen (3rd round pick obtained from Martin trade), Farren Ray (2nd round pick obtained from Gysberts trade deal) rookie upgrade - Nicholson (rookie upgrade) PSD #3. Out: x11 Moloney (free agent), Martin (trade), Gysberts (trade), Green, Benell, Jurrah, Bartram, Bate, Cook, Petterd, Davis (if Rivers stays)

Oliver Wines Kevin Sheehan says: “Strong medium midfielder with a distinct hard edge that wins him contested ball, including at the stoppages. Has elite endurance and can push forward and hit the scoreboard. Ferocious tackler who is a good overhead mark and prolific ball winner. Averaged 24.2 disposals for Vic Country in thr NAB AFL Under-18 Championships this year, winning All-Australian honours. AIS-AFL Academy Graduate.”

Dean Towers Kevin Sheehan says: “Medium midfielder who was a member of the VFL State squad this year . Is a player who can break the lines with his speed and agility in traffic and is strong overhead . Mature aged player having a consistent year in VFL.”

Nick Graham Kevin Sheehan says: “Medium midfielder who is a terrific competitor with great lateral movement and evasive ability. Strong overhead and very good by foot, he has been a prolific ball winner for Gippsland Power this year averaging 25 disposals .Can also play role up forward presenting as a target and applying good defensive pressure .”

Pick 4 options Jimmy Toumpas - SA - the pace, the flair, the confidence. Oustanding 2012 u/18's champs. <likely will go at pick 3> Sam Mayes - SA - taller mid. All class. Reminds me of a youn Lenny hayes. Knows how to kick a goal. Oliver Wines (my choice) - Bendigo - gets the footy over and over again. A hunter. Think Matthew Boyd. A 10-yr plus player.

pick 20 options: 1. Nick Graham (Gippsland Power) - Morrish Medal winner. Good tough taller midfielder. Exactly what we need. Very good 2nd half of 2012. 2. Sam Lowrie (WA, Sth Fremantle under 18's). taller midfielder at 187cms. can win the footy inside but also run & carry. Skills are elite. We should get him as WCE have traded pick 17 off the magpies. 3. Rory Atkins (Calder cannons) - elite kicking skills. as shown as Draft combine, he uses the footy. Reminds me of Brent Reilly from the Crows. All class. and a mature age bolter 4. Dean Towers (Nth ballarat, 22yo) - Medium midfielder/half back. Runs and carries the footy. Has speed, agility and showed athletic ability at the draft combine.

Pick 4 ... keep it Use on Oliver Wines or Sam Mayes for me. Both are very very very good types. (1,2,3 is Whitfield, Grundy and Toumpas ... lock it in now).

No worries ... if Toumpas was available, he would be ideal but I think Whitfield/Grundy/Toumpas will be 1,2,3.