spirit of norm smith

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.

memo to MFC - pick 4: Oliver Wines. He gets the footy, competitive, tough & ready to go. Viney & Wines "hunt the footy". Wines will not be a run&carry type like Thomas/Deledio/Martin/Judd BUT more of a Jude Bolton/Sam Mitchell/Joel Selwood/Jobe Watson type, to get it over and over again and distribute. Wines will be a 10-yr+ player with the ability to accumulate and get the footy. Pick 4. And he has leadership and a good footy brain.

We gave pick 12 ... Sam Docherty. Longer was their 1st pick (pick 6 or 7 from memory)

Agree ... he is not a match for us now. We have too fwds and need more quality mids.

Pedersen will be a VERY good player if we can do a trade. He is more versatile than such players as Dawes. Pedersen can play across half fwd, deep fwd or half back if needed. He is our next target IMO

Clinton Young as a free agent would be a great signing. Unsure why MFC is not keen. He has premiership glory. Surely a 2-3yr deal with MFc at good coin would entice. Very classy and has the pace we need.

1st round #3 to GWS (for MD2 Jesse Hogan & pick 20 & Dom Barry) #4 (available) #13 to GWS (for MD2 Jesse Hogan & pick 20 & Dom Barry) #20 (now available) 2nd round #26 father son selection : Jack Viney ... what a sensation 3rd round #46 (available) 4th round #66 (available) 5th round #84 (available) <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).

I agree 100%. Keep picks 4 and 20 in our pocket for now.

Ben Kennedy was a possible rough chance at 13. Available at 20, is a long shot IMO.

Yes, it appears we are into Dawes with our pick 20. Hmmm. Clark, Hogan and Dawes seems a crowded forward line (& Fitzpatrick ??). I would prefer to get another good midfielder with pick 20. Mids: Jones, Trengove, Viney, Grimes, Sylvia, Mckenzie ... + "#4-Wines" + "+#20-Graham". Sounds like a winning recipe.

Cannot understand why MFC are not interested in Koby Stevens. In 2012, we were PUSHED ASIDE by so many other midfields. Jones was the only one standing up in the middle. Stevens is physically strong and at 21, has served a 3-yr apprenticeship behind the Eagles midfield engine. Bombers & Bulldogs interested. Buy Bombers have just got Goddard for their midfield (!!) Surely our chance is to offer our MFC pick 45 for Koby Stevens & Eagles pick 60. Or he walks to us in PSD #3 position.