NATIONAL recruiting manager Jason Taylor says the top five picks in this year’s NAB AFL Draft is far from “clear cut”.

Given the Demons – at this stage – will have a selection in the top five, Taylor said the club was shifting through the various scenarios and players. Although he mentioned some tall timber in the mix, he said the Dees had far from settled on their first choice.

“We had an extended format with the national championships this year, which was terrific, because we got to see players under different circumstances. [They] had to back up week in, week out, in a pretty pressure environment,” he told Dee TV.

“Through that, players have indifferent form with it – and whether it be form or injury – was there any real clear standouts? There wasn’t really, so we’re still working through those top end players.

“There’s a couple of tall players – it’s been touted as a tall draft a long time out – like [Patrick] McCartin and Peter Wright and the like, who are right up there in the mix.”

Taylor said there was “enough depth” in this year’s draft.

“Every year, if you do the work, you’re going to find someone deep,” he said.

“Every draft’s a little bit different and there is a real variety of type in this draft, from your talls to your utility players – your smaller, quicker type players.

“Certainly, we went through certain facets of a footballer that we really like, so they’ve got to be ticked off first – position really doesn’t come into it, until that stuff is ticked off and then it’s best available player.”

On Tuesday and Wednesday, Melbourne’s recruiting team held a two-day mid-year draft conference, where roughly 70 players were discussed. Although “in excess of 100” players are kept on close watch throughout the season, Taylor said the list quickly reduced to “80 or 70”.

Taylor said the seminar was a “huge” part of the recruiting team’s year.

“We’re just trying to focus in on areas that we might be a little bit unclear on, going into the final phase of the season,” he said.

 “The recruiting department can start putting them into a bit of a line and also to find out areas that we’re a little bit unclear on.

“In the full-time area, we look at certain things a little bit different, so we put our collective heads together and came up with some different avenues on certain players’ deficiencies or positives on the run home.”

Taylor said the recruiting team, which had already produced a mountain of work so far this year, was set to go to another gear.

“Then there are certain players who won’t play finals, so we haven’t got much time there, but there are also the ones who do play finals and we’ll see how they stand up under the finals pressure,” he said.

“Then it’s into the [NAB AFL Draft] Combine for the physical testing and the interview process.”

Taylor said coach Paul Roos had also been a great asset in the recruiting area. 

“Roosy’s part of the list management committee and we all speak on a weekly basis and put our collective heads together.”

“He’s a strong influence and he’s got a terrific footy brain and he certainly has an influence.”