With Watts looking to be a bit of a mummy's boy and stating he won't nominate for the draft if it looks like he will have to go interstate, what if Dees pick Rich and the Slime pick Natanui?

If he nominates for the draft he has no choice in where he goes.. just the same as every player.

The AwFL also, sometimes when it suits them, take a dim view of things like trying to influence the draft.

I think his thinking was if he doesn't get a firm commitment from the Dees and alot of interest from the West, then he might stay home for another year to concentrate on his VCE's and therefore dodging coming west. He should have a fair indication by the end of the AFL draft camp.

Watts still hasn't decided if he will nominate, and most people seem to think that unless he gets a commitment from Melbourne that they will pick him, he wont nominate.

If Naitanui and Rich are both gone, we should choose Hamish Hartlett. In my opinion, he is the best midfielder in the draft, better than Rich. Hartlett has excellent skills, which is exactly what we need.

Chris25 - absolutely spot on. We should take Hamish Hartlett at pick 3 if he hasn't gone before regardless. That has been my view from the start. This guy has all the attributes (speed, skill etc etc) to complement Palmer, Hasleby, Schammer etc through the midfield.

Where would we play Watts if we did have him?

Exactly Shane, Frematle are approaching trade week and the national draft looking to replenish seven midfielders. We don't need a centre half fwd, thanks.

Rosich has laid down a strict youth policy via the draft. How do you pick up seven quality midfielders in one draft?

I think some moderate, sensible trading is in order too.

Yarran - no such thing as sensible drafting when a third of your team are gone.

Watts better be careful what he wishes for. Lets say he opts out of the draft this year and decides to stay home. There is a real chance that Port, Fremantle and WCE could all end up down the wrong half of the ladder again in 2009. He might end up with the same problem again in 2010 !

I've been thinking a lot about this -and there is a great group of WA talent available (beyond the names we always hear):

Anthony Kyanga - Forward (simply unbelievable);
Stephen Hill - Half Back (fantastic ability to read the play and weave out of trouble);
Neville Jetta - Half Forward (like watching Leon Davis with unbelievable speed);
Clancee Pearce - Half Back/Mid Field (smart with great ball skills, endless tank, the next Hase);
Michael Walters - Mid Field/Half Forward (pure talent with exciting speed/dexterity);

No Watts will end up at the GC if he nomintates next year seeing the concessions they have. So he will go interstate anyway!!

Definitely we ought to go the midfielders if possible. I'd go the best Victorian midfielder. If it is Hartlett then so be it.

I love Anthony Kyanga. It would be great to get him also.

Saw Chris Yarran on the weekend and would have to say that he re-defines the term "casual". I am not sure if he can go all the way with his laid-backness.

I am still wondering what happened to Nicky Winmar's son. He looked every bit the budding 16 year old star 2 years ago. Anyone know what he is up to?

Yarran kinds of confuses me, he looks ver laconic not lazy but pretty close, he reminds me mark williams from the hawks, but saying that one pre season with harvey and chris scott, that laid back style will be gone from his game pretty quickly....

Based on footage i have seen - I would rather Hartlett over any of the guys in this draft.

His clearances from the middle are much cleaner than rich. He also charges forward and isnt afraid to kick a goal on the run from 50 out (which we are in need of with a lack of goal kicking midfielders)

The GC 17 concessions are for the '10 national draft not the '09 draft so there's one more year of normal draft to go next year, in which case Watts will have another chance to avoid the Gold Coast.

Lampshade should be the prioirty, but if he's gone I agree we've gotta go Hartlett.

Yarran is not pick #3 material but would be handy later on in the first round.

Other guys i like are Steele Sidebottom and Sam Blease

'Steele Sidebottom' - surely you jest ....

If it was my choice I'd take Rich, Hartlett then Natanui. In that order whoever is available.

Another kid which I've been amazed by all year is Brett Wolfenden (Swan Districts). He won't go first round, but this guy has an endless tank, speed, accurate long kick and amazing tackling ability. Despite his size he has put down the WAFL's biggest and clearly has those rare football smarts that have become increasingly absent within the quicker game that has evolved. Whenever trouble stops the flow, he is the go-to guy that gets it rolling again.

Wolfie has blonde dreads in a ponytail (so you can't miss him). He never lined up against Souths last weekend, but I suspect he'll be back in the side against the Falcons this weekend (the movement out of the halfback line stuttered without him). Get up to Whoop-Whoop Joondalup on Saturday and have a look.

I suspect he will be the draft pick bargain of the decade.

Couldn't possibly take anyone called Woolfie.

Wolfenden is also the only player I can ever recall seeing kicking the ball the wrong way from a centre clearance. Was a couple of months ago. Won the ball across the edge of the square under pressure after the bounce, turned and then picked out a teamate 40 metres away inside 50. Except it was one of their back pockets.

Too small & light and not really skillfull enough. WAFL....