Bombertalk

Boyler_Room wrote: I'm looking forward to next year. My only query is where Hislop will fit into an already stacked forward line.

Personally, I think it's all about the long term and not the short term. These kids will need to develop further to make an impression in the AFL. What the new talent does though, is put pressure on the guys on the fringe of selection (the other younger group) like Neagle, Ryder, Dempsey, Dyson, Winderlich, Johns, Bradley etc. That's what creates "depth" on the list, the talent sitting behind the selected 22. I don't expect to see the new recruits getting picked immediately, but I expect them to put pressure on other kids selected in the team.

Lucky that Hislop is an 85kg midfielder/onballer who's been playing in the VFL against men

It will be interesting to see who can debut next year. i havent seen the make up of them so i dont know how big they are but you'd think Gumby would be a debut player in 07

Windy_Hill wrote:Lot of interstate boys in this group!

Too bloody right. I'm sick of Essendon drafting junk from the inferior leagues of the WAFL and SAFL. If Gumby turns out to be junk, I reckon we return to the days of strictly draft from the old Essendon zone of the north-west region of the Melbourne and surrounding areas like Kilmore, Sunbury etc.

Generally pretty damn happy with the draft, although I do have some concerns. We only got one tall, and in my view thats the area we've got the biggest problem looming, so that was dissapointing.

That said, many many of the rated talls went early. N. Brown, Reid, Everitt, Riewoldt, Sellar, Hansen, Gumbleton, Thorp, M. Brown, Frawley all went before pick 18, leaving us with better than expected midfielders, so I can understand going for them.
Then, before pick 36 McKenzie, Morton and Austin went, which kind of closed out most of the interesting talls.

Still, given we now have Dempsey, Lovett, Davey & Jetta, I would have liked to see Davey's pick maybe used on another tall such as Garland or Allen. Hopefully we'll pick up some speculative talls in the rookie draft.

One thing though I loved about this draft. A few of the players have big risks over them whether they'll be any good (Jetta, Houli & Reimers), but IF they come good they have a strong chance of being MATCH WINNERS. Which is what we're going to need in the post Hird/Fletcher era.

Fantastic Picks ESSENDON,the Best in years! Can't wait until 2007 season!.....

If form warrants it, Bachar should play quite a few games next year. Is very well built for a draftee, and has a very nice kick on him based on training today.

So the drafts trained? or some?.. how did Gumby go

Only Bachar was there. Others should be there by Wednesday hopefully. They would be getting their stuff together for the move over here.