Wunders

He was pick 43 in the 2020 draft on the brissy website. We lost Jordan and got pick 39 from Sydney for him. So figure it will be around this mark or as articles say a combination of later picks.

Trade radio just reported McQualter has been appointed. Congratulations.

I would like him, but my only concern is that our forward line already is poor for applying pressure (apart from pickett). Melksham, petty, JVR, disco, fritta and add membrey don't really chase hard.. ideally id only play 2 or max 3 of these players. Have a look at hawthorn and its pretty much all small pressure forwards who get up and back. I really like the direction that club is going (annoyingly).

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2024/08/27/sens-trade-bell-mega-update-on-petracca-mckay-soldo-owies-davies-uniacke-and/ I think this article says it all and says nothing - that no one really knows, and everyone is confused/perplexed.

100% especially with how even the top 10 are (you could end up with the no1 and 2 picks upon reflection with picks 8 and 10 this year).

A few more highlights (with half already seen).

I was really hopeful that Petty could be the difference maker. But i had this little knawing thought in the back of my head that maybe he did well in those few games purely because opposition clubs and in particular defenders, hadn't put time into Petty (i.e research on how t play him as a forward). Hence, some could argue that as melbourne broadcast he would be our key forward, every club and defence has put the time into how to play him to win (like Howe when he was here, let him run and jump and he'd beat you every time, body him and he became impotent). So to me now the ball is in Petty/melbs court to teach him how to overcome whatever tactics/positioning the oppositions best defenders are using on him and if not then it's back to defense.

Could he be a defensive big forward (role isn't to kick goals per se, rather to nullify the enemies best big defender or keep his opponent away from other forwards - but also go back if any injuries etc.

I think we actually cant afford to rest Windsor. we need his speed and without it i worry we are too slow. Even with few possessions his ability to close space and pressure is fantastic and just adds something different (like kossie to forward line - other teams panic even if kossie doesn't get a possession). I would if anything reduce his game time in games to 'manage him'.

I'd only play tommo as a forward if we wanted a hawkins type body forward (who tries to use hips to bump more). but i think as an earlier poster said its a lot different being the defender sitting on the back hip of a forward and being able to hold off the forward. switch roles and hes already in the wrong position and i 100% think our forwards wouldn't kick it to advantage for him anyway. I'd play a smaller more pressure forward forward line.

I personally love his pace and tackling pressure. I think Hunter really hurt us last year. I was stoked we got him but have been underwhelmed with his output since. Things that stick in my mind from last year on hunter: his desire to break tackles and lose (holding ball/turnover), his aggressive kicking that kept missing targets (turnovers). Hunter is meant to be a fantastic kick yet match after match last year his kicks were landing 1 m short (ball up/turnover as a result). credit though he did slot some very hard boundary line shots. Overall, i think we are a little too similar for speed as a team, and picket/CW add that point of difference that just helps our bulls so much (i keep thinking Isaac Smith when i see him play and wonder on his output vs smith at a similar age).

ON windsor as Sub, could be that every 3-4 weeks we play him as a sub to "rest" him (decrease the AFL demands on hs body. Because we do tend to see first year players start to lag a bit ~3/4 of the way through the season. SO to me putting him as a sub would be logical in this sense (putting petty in isn't logical but see what happens).

I think JT has really nailed the harder / aggressive recruits and last 2 drafts has tried to draft more for needs (which makes sense) and in my mind has failed apart from Van Rooyen. But it's hard to do reading up on a keyboard and watching limited highlights. And as another poster said our game style doesn't suit fast ball movement which gives forwards a chance to actually lead and fight 1v1 (so does recruiting a silky outside player actually help the machine that is melbourne.. in theory yes.. but.. 2021 19 Jacob van Rooyen Melbourne Claremont WAFL 39 Blake Howes Melbourne Sandringham Dragons 2022 15 Matthew Jefferson Melbourne Oakleigh Chargers NAB League 38 Jed Adams Melbourne Peel Thunder WAFL I personally would love us to get a tall defender to play behind may for 2 years ish until he retires instead - i like the look of this guy in particular (Murray Bushrangers defender Connor O’Sullivan). And we don't even know if windsor or any of the draftees can play next year or not. Oh well, let's see it on the field fellas.

I feel like none of the team after us have shown or been rumored to be interested in him. So i'd be confident he will be there at 11. As another poster said, pick the best player outside of him at 6. and get him at 11.

I think of watson as the Papley of the draft. But Watson is shorter, and the highest goal kicking player in the draft by lightyears. Hence he would likely be the most dangerous goal kicking small if his form holds up (and there is no reason to think it won't, hence why hawthorn or dogs likely to pick him).