Nick Naitanui

[Nick]

Melbourne need to start again with their rucks. Jamar, Meesen and Paul Johnson are all useless. If they get Warnock they should still go for Natanui.

[thorne89]

Melbourne need to start again with their rucks. Jamar, Meesen and Paul Johnson are all useless. If they get Warnock they should still go for Natanui.

Warnock will be an excellent ruckman. Johnson and Jamar are serviceable, in the way Seaby is for us. Clubs don't need more than one excellent ruckman, exactly why the Dockers should trade Warnock for draft picks. Melbourne need a forward way more than a ruckman in my opinion.

[Sico 17]

Melbourne need to start again with their rucks. Jamar, Meesen and Paul Johnson are all useless. If they get Warnock they should still go for Natanui.

That is what will suit Naitanui. He can't play forward or back because he lacks the skills. He will be great as a 15-20 minute ruck rover, 5 minute backup ruckman per quarter.

Will be perfect for Melbourne if they pick up Warnock. Johnson and Jamar will struggle to survive the end of the year.

[thorne89]

versatility in a ruckmen is very important in modern football. Warnock and Nicco are never going to be big and strong players. What Jamar and Johnson offer is the ability to drop forward or back and take the big grabs. It is the very reason that Bryan has held his spot in front of Wood for Collingwood. A ruckman cannot simply play as a ruckman anymore.

So perhaps this is why Melbourne will leave Nicco for us! Or maybe i am being overally optimistic

[Sico 17]

What Jamar and Johnson offer is the ability to drop forward or back and take the big grabs. It is the very reason that Bryan has held his spot in front of Wood for Collingwood.

Really? When was the last time any of those three did that? 2005? The only reason they are getting a game is because there is no one better, just like we play Armstrong as a small forward every three weeks when we forget how bad he was three weeks before.

[Nick]

Jamar is just about the worst player in the competition. Johnson is ok around the ground, but just not good enough if you want to play in the finals. Meesen is completely unproven and is no closer to a debut than he was two years ago (ok, so he may get one, but he's still shown nothing).

As Sico said, Natanui would be a perfect fit if the Dees have Warnock. Warnock plays the role as the giant, while Natanui covers more ground and fills in when Warnock needs a rest. They're the perfect foil for each other. Tactically if one is doing shit, the other should be able to step in at any point and counter whatever's going on.

[high_flyer06]

This is an Eagles site right?

[Nick]

Yep, on the Drafts and Trading board aswell!

[Old_Nik]

NICHOLAS Naitanui. Mention the name and the football community licks its lips – and with good reason.

He's a superb athlete. One with every chance of cutting it at the highest level.

But according to those who know best, Naitanui isn't an instant star – he's a player who will flourish in time and without much fanfare.

http://afl.com.au/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsid=61825

[Sico 17]

I was at a pre game dinner a couple of weeks ago and his agent was trying to play down his future as well (in fact he was bordering on rubishing his future). Must be an effort to try and take pressure off him this early.

[Nick]

Gee, he's already 95kg. It doesn't look like he's got an ounce of fat on him either.

[merovingian]

Regarding the article, if the various "in the know" folk are genuine, then I find it all quite amusing. This place is overrun with people who have Natanui as a dead-set number 1 pick, and it's merely a case of him choosing what number he wants to wear for the Demons. If the article is genuine, then it shows the folly of the TP draft-pick theory.

OTOH, given the second-hand comments from Natanui's agent, is this article just part of an active campaign to talk him down in the hope that he will last until pick 2 or 3 and end up at a WA club? Are the Eagles or Dockers in on it?

[Old_Nik]

OTOH, given the second-hand comments from Natanui's agent, is this article just part of an active campaign to talk him down in the hope that he will last until pick 2 or 3 and end up at a WA club? Are the Eagles or Dockers in on it?

That would be one theory although I hear that he's a Collingwood fan. Still, it's possible that he doesn't want to leave the state.

IMO, though, it's exactly as it seems. The Naitanui camp know he's going to take a while to develop into an AFL player and they're trying to take as much pressure off as possible. Later on, if they have to, they can say "Well, we told you before he wouldn't be ready straight away".

By the way, did anyone note on that article on Nick that Hurley wasn't listed as a possible #1 pick? Interesting stuff.

[Prem87]

IMO if Rich goes No.1 we should take Yarran. Im not a fan of drafting athletes so high.

[Lynch Beast]

Naitanui is getting more of the ball than either of Rich & Yarran + 1 goal per game