The only other option for drafting in my eyes is another tall key target to partner Caddy for the future. Otherwise, it simply MUST be small forwards. Our forward pressure is an absolute joke, our pace up there is a joke and outside of a very average Guelfi it’s a genuine joke for actual goal kickers.
Langford is hands down a top 10 pick, his consistent form across every level will likely see him go top 5.
It’s only the testing that makes might see him fall lower down the 1st round, but then many top prospects don’t test for that reason
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I’m liking the look of Travaglia.
He and Kako fill such obvious needs. They could both play round 1, 2025.
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He’s already tested in pre-season. Those numbers are what’s dragging down his valuation as a prospect for many.
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We need a quality HBF with good foot skills as well
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Saad El Hawli
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Lalor and Allan are the two I keep coming back to in the 5-10 range purely because of their physicality in the contest. I think they’re both reasonable kicks by the look of it, but it’s their competitiveness and appetite in the contest that I like most about them. Allan in particular I think could play off half back very easily to start his career.
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Not to be a downer, but would our coach play any of these youngsters?
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Lalor, Allan and Travaglia are the ones I keep coming back to.
I’d love a haul of one of these guys, Kako, and then trying to trade back in for a key forward somewhere in the 2nd round or if there is a slider
Yeah they are the two that I’d be hoping for.
Allan likely starts HB and Lalor is more a power forward but considering our stocks up forward might get early games as a small medium forward. And let’s be honest we always start our mids in the forwardline at least Lalor is a genuine threat
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DRAFT prospect Jobe Shanahan will get a chance to show his key position talents when he plays for Essendon’s VFL side over the next two weeks.
Shanahan, who was named an All-Australian key forward after his under-18 carnival for the Allies, will debut for the Bombers’ VFL team on Saturday against the Northern Bullants.
The versatile and skilful 194cm prospect also trained with the Bombers during the pre-season as part of his Marsh AFL Academy program
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Need to draft a lad who will take 4 seasons to develop their frame and to possibility eliminate the flaws in their technique and game.
None of this drafting of a kid who is near ready made to debut and contribute straight away.
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Dodoro likes this.
Our ability to buy back into the draft after Kako pick is limited to trading future picks for current year - we only have 9 & 29 - no 3rd or 4th rounders.
If we use pick 9 pre Kako hopefully, and then 29 (+ futures?) on Kako, we have no more currency.
If we want to get more picks, it has to be via trading players and we have potentially a few (Guelfi, Shiel, Stringer (needs to be contracted first to get any value), and IMO Draper and Tsatas), but these would need to be done pre draft.
Trade players for future picks and then convert those into this years draft on draft night after the kako bid
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Not sure if been mentioned previously but I noticed Cal Twomey said that while he expects the commission to approve the NGA changes today to match a bid anywhere, he also things that the draft point value changes wont come in till next year.
If so, thats a huge win for us to be able to match a bid on Kako and still be able to bundle up a bunch of late picks + get the current discount
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would be ideal if we could snag a pick at 4-8 and get Langford/Travaglia/Armstrong/Allen/Hotton etc, match a Kako bid, then trade back in and look at a Faull/Shanahan
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