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http://www.insidefootballonline.com/feature.html
The NAB AFL Under 18 Championships are in the book for another year and some talented kids pressed their claims to hear their names read out on draft night 2012.
Our draft expert BRETT ANDERSON looks at how the first round might look if the draft were held this week.
MOCK drafts are not easy to compile even in the hours before the event, so any predictions six months in advance are speculative at best, but that doesn't make the exercise any less compelling.
One thing looks as certain as pre-draft expectations can be.
Barring one of the great draft shocks, Lachie Whitfield will join Jeff White, Travis Johnstone and Tom Scully as graduates from the Dandenong Stingrays to be the No.1 pick.
Whitfield has a combination or poise, athleticism, balance and skill.
In baseball terms, he would be a true "five-tool" prospect.
But after Whitfield, things get interesting.
As it stands, GWS has the second pick and would look to take South Australian ruckman Brodie Grundy to pair with Jonathan Giles.
Should the Suns climb off the bottom and into 17th spot, however, things would really heat up. The word among AFL recruiters is that the Suns wouldn't pick Grundy but prefer to trade pick No.2 back to GWS in order to secure hulking West Australian youngster Jesse Hogan from the mini-draft.
That would leave the Giants in the enviable position of being able to select Whitfield and Grundy with picks No.1 and No.2.
But that is rather hypothetical right now! Currently Melbourne owns both the No.3 and No.4 selections thanks to the Tom Scully compensation package which leaves the Demons in a wonderful position to either continue building through the draft, or to trade one of those back to the Giants (unless trumped by Gold Coast) in an effort to secure one of this year's mini-draft players – either North Ballarat's Matt Crouch (brother of Adelaide's Brad) or West Australians Hogan or Jack Martin.
Whichever way the Dees lean, they look certain to end up big winners out of the Scully deal.
Then you have the Jack Viney dilemma.
Right now it appears unlikely that either GWS or Gold Coast will bid for Viney with a first round selection.
That would leave the Dees in the position of being able to take the son of recruiting manager Todd with their second-round pick. A steal if ever there was one!
Amazingly though it won't be the biggest steal in this year's draft.
That belongs to Essendon, which has all its Christmases at once by being able to land Joe Daniher (son of Anthony) with its first round pick.
As the Bombers continue to push for a top four finish, that pick could lie anywhere between No.16 and No.22.
In an open market, the 201cm forward/ruckman would be a certain top two pick.
Here is how we see the first round panning out right now…
1. Gold Coast
Lachie Whitfield (Dandenong Stingrays)
Ht: 184cm. Wt: 74kg. Position: midfield/forward.
Class act. Does it all well and with minimal fuss.
2. GWS Giants
Brodie Grundy (Sturt)
Ht: 202cm. Wt: 100kg. Position: ruck.
The best ruck prospect since Nic Naitanui. Athletic and has a bit of "mongrel" about him.
3. Melbourne
Jimmy Toumpas (Woodville-West Torrens)
Ht: 183cm. Wt: 77kg. Position: midfield.
A Rolls-Royce in the SA midfield. Oozes class and leadership.
4. Melbourne ^
Lachlan Plowman (Calder Cannons)
Ht: 193cm. Wt: 86kg. Position: defender.
Missed the championships through injury but is the best rebounding key defender.
5. Port Adelaide
Troy Menzel (Central District)
Ht: 186cm. Wt: 77kg. Position: midfield/forward.
Brother of Dan. Smart midfielder who knows where the goals are. Coming off LARS surgery.
6. Western Bulldogs
Josh Simpson (East Fremantle)
Ht: 183cm. Wt: 72kg. Position: midfield.
Silky skilled midfielder rated as a top three pick by some recruiters. Good inside and out.
7. Western Bulldogs ^^
Jake Stringer (Bendigo Pioneers)
Ht: 191cm. Wt: 91kg. Position: midfield/forward.
Broke his leg last season and still working back to fitness. Super talent though.
8. Brisbane Lions
Dayle Garlett (Swan Districts)
Ht: 181cm. Wt: 75kg. Position: midfield.
Smooth, left-footed outside midfielder who can play up forward.
9. Fremantle
Mason Shaw (South Fremantle)
Ht: 198cm. Wt: 92kg. Position: forward/ruck.
Only a fair carnival but has kicked plenty of goals in the WAFL colts.
10. North Melbourne
Jonathan O'Rourke (Calder Cannons)
Ht: 183cm. Wt: 75kg. Position: midfield.
Inside ball winner who is tough and a smart finisher. Missed most of 2011 with injury.
11. Richmond
Ben Kennedy (Glenelg)
Ht: 174cm. Wt: 76kg. Position: midfield.
Only small but a booming left footer with great pace.
12. Carlton
Oliver Wines (Bendigo Pioneers)
Ht: 185cm. Wt: 83kg. Position: midfield.
Big bodied midfielder who had a great carnival. A perfect fit for an undersized Blues midfield.
13. Melbourne ^^^
Sam Mayes (North Adelaide)
Ht: 187cm. Wt: 78kg. Position: midfield/forward.
Moved into the midfield this year and has flourished. Great athlete.
14. St Kilda
Tanner Smith (North Ballarat Rebels)
Ht: 194cm. Wt: 83kg. Position: defender.
Lock-down key defender with good closing speed. Another good fit.
15. Geelong Cats
Matthew Haynes (Northern Knights)
Ht: 189cm. Wt: 76kg. Position: midfield.
Line-breaker with blinding pace. Adds run to a slowing midfield.
16. Essendon
Joe Daniher (Calder Cannons) – father/son
Ht: 201cm. Wt: 89kg. Position: forward/ruck.
Top three talent. Great mark and long left foot kick.
17. Hawthorn
Nick Vlastuin (Northern Knights)
Ht: 187cm. Wt: 83kg. Position: midfield.
Good both inside and out and a smart ball user – qualities the Hawks love.
18. Collingwood
Laine Wilkins (Peel Thunder)
Ht: 189cm. Wt: 78kg. Position: midfield/forward.
Athletic type who has a burst of speed and nice left boot.
19. Adelaide
Tom Clurey (Murray Bushrangers)
Ht: 193cm. Wt: 86kg. Position: defender.
Elite kick on both sides; ran a 15 beep test, can play tall and small.
20. GWS GIANTS #
Jackson MacRae (Oakleigh Chargers)
Ht: 188cm. Wt: 75kg. Position: midfield/forward.
Smart left footer who can play midfield and forward. Has a knack of kicking goals.
21. West Coast
Sam LOWRIE (South Fremantle)
Ht: 187cm. Wt: 80kg. Position: midfield.
Prototypical size for a modern midfielder. Can win own ball and is a good runner.
22. Sydney Swans
Kristian Jaksch (Oakleigh Chargers)
Ht: 194cm. Wt: 85kg. Position: forward.
Can play at both ends but looks at home up forward.
23. Brisbane Lions ##
Liam McBEAN (Calder Cannons)
Ht: 201cm. Wt: 83kg. Position: defender/forward.
Great kick on both sides, and extremely athletic. Transitioned to defence recently with good effect.
Compensation Picks
^ Round 1 selection (compensation for the loss of Tom Scully).
^^ Round 1 selection (compensation for the loss of Callan Ward).
^^^ Mid Round 1 selection (compensation for the loss of Tom Scully).
# Round 1 selection (received from Adelaide in a trade, after compensation for the loss of Phil Davis).
## End Round 1 selection (compensation for the loss of Michael Rischitelli).
At our pick if we get to choose out of O'Rourke, Kennedy, Wines, Mayes, Vlastuin then surely we cant go wrong.
