COACH Dean Bailey says the club will have to be open-minded and consider a wide selection of players with its first pick in this year’s NAB AFL Draft.

With Melbourne having its first pick at No.12 in this year’s draft - rather than No.1 as has been the past two years - Bailey said the club has to consider greater options this year.

“I’m happy to be getting pick No.12 and moving up [the ladder] - I’d be happy to get to pick No.26 if need be,” Bailey told melbournefc.com.au.

“It is different this year, because you’ve got a broader range of players to interview - that’s been different to the last couple of years.

“Pick 12 is still a really good opportunity to pick up a really good player and it might be a different player - but we’ll have to wait and see who comes through.

“There might be a couple of really exciting players who get out to picks four, six, eight and 12, because you’re not sure who Gold Coast is going to take after the first three. We’re hoping to get a really good player.”

Bailey was one of the first AFL coaches to arrive at this year’s NAB AFL Draft Combine and has relished the opportunity to see the talent on offer.

“It’s always good to get up here and be involved in the interview process with the players,” he said.

“The young blokes who are going to get drafted - it’s pretty hard on them, because they could end up seeing eight, nine or 10 clubs.

“The testing is full on and after a whole year of playing, they feel this is their big moment to do well in the sprints and agility and vertical jump etc.

“The interview process is good and our recruiting guys, Barry Prendergast and Gary Burleigh are fantastic, so I always look forward to coming up and talking to the players.”

Bailey said the interview process with the players was one of the most beneficial aspects of the Combine at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

“I don’t get to see them during the year - I might see a little bit of the tape - but more often than not, the discussion that you have and the questions you ask, you see a bit of the personality,” he said.

“You often see a few kids who have got a bubbly personality and those who are a little bit withdrawn. But so far, the interviews we’ve done, they’ve been good.

“I think there has been a good buy-in from them in the discussion and it’s important to make them relax as soon as possible, so they can open up.”

As for next week’s exchange period, Bailey said he was unsure how it would pan out from a club and industry perspective.

“There seems to be a little bit of movement happening now - clubs are discussing things - and there might be a little bit of movement next week, but it’s a little bit unpredictable,” he said.

“Whether there is a lot of movement of not - there is always going to be a few trades. There might be a few trades done early in the week.

“The Gold Coast situation - whether they’re prepared to trade picks or not - is interesting. They’re sitting there with a whole deck of cards, so they can play whatever hand they like.”