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IMPORTANT // Please look after your loved ones, yourself and be kind to others. If you are feeling that the world is too hard to handle there is always help - I implore you not to hesitate in contacting one of these wonderful organisations Lifeline and Beyond Blue ... and I'm sure reaching out to our PRE community we will find a way to help. T.
PRE Phantom Draft 2013
- Thread starter Tigers of Old
- Start date
21. Port Adelaide - James Battersby - Not Drafted
45. Port Adelaide - Cameron Giles Carlton pick 39
52. Port Adelaide - Ben Sokol - Not drafted
70. Port Adelaide - Matt Fuller Bulldogs Pick 42
88. Port Adelaide - Kane Mitchell (rookie promotion) - Remains on Rookie List
What a mess. There's a reason I don't profess myself an expert on the kids. ;D
45. Port Adelaide - Cameron Giles Carlton pick 39
52. Port Adelaide - Ben Sokol - Not drafted
70. Port Adelaide - Matt Fuller Bulldogs Pick 42
88. Port Adelaide - Kane Mitchell (rookie promotion) - Remains on Rookie List
What a mess. There's a reason I don't profess myself an expert on the kids. ;D
Good stuff Tooheys! My choices for North were:
Luke McDonald
Chris Cain
Toby Nankervis
Matt Sully
Willy Rioli
Luke is a give, Chris Cain to plug and play, Nankervis longer term proposition, Matt Sully to (hopefully) cover the loss of Delaney to St Kilda and lastly Willy Rioli.....coz he,s a Rioli!
Time will tell.......
Luke McDonald
Chris Cain
Toby Nankervis
Matt Sully
Willy Rioli
Luke is a give, Chris Cain to plug and play, Nankervis longer term proposition, Matt Sully to (hopefully) cover the loss of Delaney to St Kilda and lastly Willy Rioli.....coz he,s a Rioli!
Time will tell.......
Richmond had a tough choice deciding between a proven state league onballer or another promising youngster. In the end they opted for the latter and selected Darcy Byrne-Jones.
Apart from the fact that this is the year of the Darcy, Byrne-Jones represented a nice opportunity to snaffle a true athlete with some above average footy smarts and a tremendous work ethic in 1%'s and pressure acts. It was interesting to note that many in the football world were labeling the Oakleigh Charger slow heading into to the combine, maybe it's that combination of agility and speed which creates the impression of time slowing down because Byrne-Jones is anything but slow. He finished 2nd in the repeat sprints, 10th in the 20 metres and 4th in the agility test. To add to that impressive resume he also finished 5th in the beep test & 5th the in the 3km run.
Now all these fine attributes account for little unless there's some solid footballing skills to back it up and on that count I see a well-rounded game which should adapt well to an AFL environment. At present, Byrne-Jones has been playing as a rebounding defender very much in the Pearce Hanley mould, always wanting to take on the opposition and goose step his way through defensive lines. His kicking is another reminder of Hanley, highly efficient but sometimes lacking a little depth, but accurate for the most part. Some may suggest that Darcy's relatively quiet carnival may have dampened his AFL chances but his outstanding combine and a strong finish at TAC level has brought him front and centre as a value late pick.
The key to success or failure for Darcy-Byrnes will come down to the speed in which he can put on 10kg. Such an expectation will probably rule him out of senior football for 12-18 months, but with a carefully monitored regime, he should be able to get a taste of the bigtime in 2015.
Apart from the fact that this is the year of the Darcy, Byrne-Jones represented a nice opportunity to snaffle a true athlete with some above average footy smarts and a tremendous work ethic in 1%'s and pressure acts. It was interesting to note that many in the football world were labeling the Oakleigh Charger slow heading into to the combine, maybe it's that combination of agility and speed which creates the impression of time slowing down because Byrne-Jones is anything but slow. He finished 2nd in the repeat sprints, 10th in the 20 metres and 4th in the agility test. To add to that impressive resume he also finished 5th in the beep test & 5th the in the 3km run.
Now all these fine attributes account for little unless there's some solid footballing skills to back it up and on that count I see a well-rounded game which should adapt well to an AFL environment. At present, Byrne-Jones has been playing as a rebounding defender very much in the Pearce Hanley mould, always wanting to take on the opposition and goose step his way through defensive lines. His kicking is another reminder of Hanley, highly efficient but sometimes lacking a little depth, but accurate for the most part. Some may suggest that Darcy's relatively quiet carnival may have dampened his AFL chances but his outstanding combine and a strong finish at TAC level has brought him front and centre as a value late pick.
The key to success or failure for Darcy-Byrnes will come down to the speed in which he can put on 10kg. Such an expectation will probably rule him out of senior football for 12-18 months, but with a carefully monitored regime, he should be able to get a taste of the bigtime in 2015.
West Coast simply had to get more happening for it in the middle of the ground and more rebounding strength coming out of the back. Their front and tall back areas of the ground look very good, so it was a case of finding the best young midfielders to come through along with some quick and accurate rebounders to take the pressure off both Waters and Hurn who were exposed this year when opposition teams placed some pace on their HFF.
From that perspective, very satisfied with the haul. Bontempelli was a no brainer at 11, but the fact Sheed went earlier may show the folly of trading pick 6 to Collingwood in return for an extra second round pick. That extra pick snared the Eagles Yeo in a trade from Brisbane, but it still seemed a high price to pay. I think if Sheed had been available with at pick 11 the Eagles would have taken him regardless of who else was still available at that pick, including Boyd.
Robertson will turn out to be a very fine AFL player, and in reality is likely to be a first round pick. He is a running machine with very good skills, and as the Eagles try to rebuild their midfield, he is a key ingredient moving forward.
Brenden Abbott is a pure x-factor pick, and so was Dylan Loo. Both are very talented WA juniors, with Abbott in particular being a great size with pace for AFL footy. Both have off field issues which could mean they might not even find a home come draft time. Loo in particular could require a fair bit of work. But as the draft fell away, the talent was too hard to ignore. Especially Abbott, whose only knock is endurance. Otherwise he is the complete package. Elite kicking skills.
Cutler continued the trend of taking midfielders, and was a best available selection.
Possibly could have added another ruckman as Cox ends his magnificent career. Lycett in particular did not have a great year, and their may be need for improvement in this area via the rookie draft.
From that perspective, very satisfied with the haul. Bontempelli was a no brainer at 11, but the fact Sheed went earlier may show the folly of trading pick 6 to Collingwood in return for an extra second round pick. That extra pick snared the Eagles Yeo in a trade from Brisbane, but it still seemed a high price to pay. I think if Sheed had been available with at pick 11 the Eagles would have taken him regardless of who else was still available at that pick, including Boyd.
Robertson will turn out to be a very fine AFL player, and in reality is likely to be a first round pick. He is a running machine with very good skills, and as the Eagles try to rebuild their midfield, he is a key ingredient moving forward.
Brenden Abbott is a pure x-factor pick, and so was Dylan Loo. Both are very talented WA juniors, with Abbott in particular being a great size with pace for AFL footy. Both have off field issues which could mean they might not even find a home come draft time. Loo in particular could require a fair bit of work. But as the draft fell away, the talent was too hard to ignore. Especially Abbott, whose only knock is endurance. Otherwise he is the complete package. Elite kicking skills.
Cutler continued the trend of taking midfielders, and was a best available selection.
Possibly could have added another ruckman as Cox ends his magnificent career. Lycett in particular did not have a great year, and their may be need for improvement in this area via the rookie draft.
Richmond
Given Richmond's lowly position in the pecking order they can be well pleased that they have managed to secure four highly talented youngsters, all of whom represent players of particular need. Their selection of Lewis Taylor guarantees them a 200 game rover who shows all the potential to rival Dion Prestia for the title of best small midfielder in the competition. Taylor's recruitment also ensures that a top heavy forward line consisting of Hampson, Vickery and Riewoldt has sufficient ground level support around the spillages.
As for the more speculative picks, the Tigers brains trust made a conscious effort to identify players who may have slipped under the radar due to an inconspicuous carnival but one which may have been affected by a range of factors other than raw talent. In Riley Knight, they believe they have secured a high production midfielder who has the potential to rival some of the more glamorous names such as Brad Crouch & James Tsitas. Any player that averages 35 touches at u/18 level clearly knows how to find the ball and his state screening beep test would have placed him in the top 2-3 competitors, eclipsed only by Billy Hartung.
Alex Spina was another who's poor showing at the carnival may have acted as a timely distraction for those who had him pegged for an early second rounder. On top of being dangerous around the goals, Spina could feasibly step up as a bona fide midfielder given his form at reserves level has seem him produce numerous 20+ possession games to go with his solid showing against Vic Metro. He's one player who hasn't had a thorough preseason but on talent alone, he's a second round pick.
The final pick of Darcy Byrne-Jones is another one of these slipping under the radar selections. Some have labelled him a workmanlike, run of the mill defender but it's a tag which may have resulted due to an over emphasis of his carnival output. Whilst it was pleasing to see him do the 1%'s and become the reliable dour defender, it completely disregards his final few games at TAC level. In these matches he took his game to the next level, culminating in a 35 possession game against the Rebels in which he provided relentless drive from the back half and in the middle of the ground. His stats in the final three games placed him securely in the top few rebounding defenders in the draft pool and he was in my opinion, the star of the combine, blitzing in just about every category on offer. For those Richmond supporters who feel that Petterd may be better suited in the forward line, the recruitment of Byrne-Jones could easily pave the way for a defensive rejig.
Moving on to the rookie draft, I feel that it's time to begin picking apart the state leagues and taking the plunge on some high performing midfielders, I note that Kane Lambert was picked up by GC with the last selection but i would now be turning my attention to Sam Gray. He's currently training with Port but we are in pole position to snatch him from their grasp. Time for some payback on the snatch and grab front.
Given Richmond's lowly position in the pecking order they can be well pleased that they have managed to secure four highly talented youngsters, all of whom represent players of particular need. Their selection of Lewis Taylor guarantees them a 200 game rover who shows all the potential to rival Dion Prestia for the title of best small midfielder in the competition. Taylor's recruitment also ensures that a top heavy forward line consisting of Hampson, Vickery and Riewoldt has sufficient ground level support around the spillages.
As for the more speculative picks, the Tigers brains trust made a conscious effort to identify players who may have slipped under the radar due to an inconspicuous carnival but one which may have been affected by a range of factors other than raw talent. In Riley Knight, they believe they have secured a high production midfielder who has the potential to rival some of the more glamorous names such as Brad Crouch & James Tsitas. Any player that averages 35 touches at u/18 level clearly knows how to find the ball and his state screening beep test would have placed him in the top 2-3 competitors, eclipsed only by Billy Hartung.
Alex Spina was another who's poor showing at the carnival may have acted as a timely distraction for those who had him pegged for an early second rounder. On top of being dangerous around the goals, Spina could feasibly step up as a bona fide midfielder given his form at reserves level has seem him produce numerous 20+ possession games to go with his solid showing against Vic Metro. He's one player who hasn't had a thorough preseason but on talent alone, he's a second round pick.
The final pick of Darcy Byrne-Jones is another one of these slipping under the radar selections. Some have labelled him a workmanlike, run of the mill defender but it's a tag which may have resulted due to an over emphasis of his carnival output. Whilst it was pleasing to see him do the 1%'s and become the reliable dour defender, it completely disregards his final few games at TAC level. In these matches he took his game to the next level, culminating in a 35 possession game against the Rebels in which he provided relentless drive from the back half and in the middle of the ground. His stats in the final three games placed him securely in the top few rebounding defenders in the draft pool and he was in my opinion, the star of the combine, blitzing in just about every category on offer. For those Richmond supporters who feel that Petterd may be better suited in the forward line, the recruitment of Byrne-Jones could easily pave the way for a defensive rejig.
Moving on to the rookie draft, I feel that it's time to begin picking apart the state leagues and taking the plunge on some high performing midfielders, I note that Kane Lambert was picked up by GC with the last selection but i would now be turning my attention to Sam Gray. He's currently training with Port but we are in pole position to snatch him from their grasp. Time for some payback on the snatch and grab front.
Hey TOO, if it's not too late for pick 74 Hawthorn elect to upgrade Jonothan Ceglar to the main list.
FWIW I think the Bulldogs did okay :
4 - Jack Billings
42 - Jay Kennedy-Harris
60 - Jared Jansen
96 - Brett Goodes (rookie promotion)
PICK 4 - After already securing Crameri from Essendon to bolster their forward line, Billings was the obvious choice at #4 to pretty much complete their forward set up. With Grant and Jones as their FPF's and Crameri, Billings, Dickson & Cooney up front it is already looking to be a much improved forward line. Billings is a smart player who can move very well for his size and the Dogs will do their best to get his fitness up for him to rotate through the midfield ala Stevie Johnson. Tipping Billings to go at 3 or 4 in the real draft.
PICK 42 - Kennedy-Harris also adds to their forward rotations and will likely be a pick in the 20's on draft day IMO. He has great skills and will be able to rotate through the midfield also, assisting the other young mids in Hrovat, Liberatore and Wallis. Pick 42 a good result for him.
PICK 60 - Jansen is my smokie for the draft and is no certainty of getting picked up at all (might possibly be a rookie draft pick). Jansen is a big bodied midfielder @ 188cm and 91 kg and plays like Jobe Watson. A knock on Jansen is his kicking ability which requires a bit of polish but we all remember when Watson first started his AFL career and his kicking skills were woeful. If Jansen can improve his kicking he would be a pick in the top 25 of this draft IMO. He is definitely worth the development and I wouldn't mind us drafting him at 50 depending on others available. This guy uses his bigger body to hurt opposition players - almost like a bigger version of Matty Arnot and would be a nice replacement for Tucky. If we snag this guy as a rookie pick it really could pay off.
PICK 96 - not too much to say here but if I were the Dogs, I would keep Goodes on the rookie list for the year for extra flexibility on the main list.
4 - Jack Billings
42 - Jay Kennedy-Harris
60 - Jared Jansen
96 - Brett Goodes (rookie promotion)
PICK 4 - After already securing Crameri from Essendon to bolster their forward line, Billings was the obvious choice at #4 to pretty much complete their forward set up. With Grant and Jones as their FPF's and Crameri, Billings, Dickson & Cooney up front it is already looking to be a much improved forward line. Billings is a smart player who can move very well for his size and the Dogs will do their best to get his fitness up for him to rotate through the midfield ala Stevie Johnson. Tipping Billings to go at 3 or 4 in the real draft.
PICK 42 - Kennedy-Harris also adds to their forward rotations and will likely be a pick in the 20's on draft day IMO. He has great skills and will be able to rotate through the midfield also, assisting the other young mids in Hrovat, Liberatore and Wallis. Pick 42 a good result for him.
PICK 60 - Jansen is my smokie for the draft and is no certainty of getting picked up at all (might possibly be a rookie draft pick). Jansen is a big bodied midfielder @ 188cm and 91 kg and plays like Jobe Watson. A knock on Jansen is his kicking ability which requires a bit of polish but we all remember when Watson first started his AFL career and his kicking skills were woeful. If Jansen can improve his kicking he would be a pick in the top 25 of this draft IMO. He is definitely worth the development and I wouldn't mind us drafting him at 50 depending on others available. This guy uses his bigger body to hurt opposition players - almost like a bigger version of Matty Arnot and would be a nice replacement for Tucky. If we snag this guy as a rookie pick it really could pay off.
PICK 96 - not too much to say here but if I were the Dogs, I would keep Goodes on the rookie list for the year for extra flexibility on the main list.
Port Adelaide
21 - James Battersby
45 - Cameron Giles
52 - Ben Sokol
70 - Matt Fuller
88 - Kane Mitchell (rookie promotion)
Don't really know a great deal about most of these kids but they looked good on their highlight clips and various profiles around the web had fairly glowing reports.
Usually I look for good footskills and most of these players seemed to have that but only time will tell if and where they are drafted.
I actually enjoy the Phantom Draft more to learn about the various potential draftees more than anything.
Some here know the juniors a lot better than I do and the writeups have been greatly appreciated.
21 - James Battersby
45 - Cameron Giles
52 - Ben Sokol
70 - Matt Fuller
88 - Kane Mitchell (rookie promotion)
Don't really know a great deal about most of these kids but they looked good on their highlight clips and various profiles around the web had fairly glowing reports.
Usually I look for good footskills and most of these players seemed to have that but only time will tell if and where they are drafted.
I actually enjoy the Phantom Draft more to learn about the various potential draftees more than anything.
Some here know the juniors a lot better than I do and the writeups have been greatly appreciated.
Ok review time. I'll go alphabetical and will do most this arvo as the basketball is about to start. :hihi
ADELAIDE
Pick #23 - Mitch Harvey
I'm not a huge Mitch Harvey fan tbh. Adelaide have obviously decided to try fill a need here with their lack of tall forwards and the inclusion of Pods is only a stop-gap. Was having a read of the reasoning for the selection and it was as a ready-made KPF who can play a bit of ruck. I think this is one of the common misconceptions about Harvey. He has a long way to go till he is ready for AFL level footy. He needs to build a tank up first and I think still needs to develop some match-smartness. The one I would have gone with as a good fit for Adelaide would have been Hourigan. Him and Walker with Jenkins 3rd tall/2nd ruck would be a tough match up in the years to come.
Pick #46 - George Hewett
Hewett is a fantastic get at pick #46 and one who is steadily rising in my rankings. I still think I have him too low. If Hewett is there at 46 in the real thing then I expect Adelaide to snap him up as a local boy. Hewett is a quality outside/inside midfielder who I think can easily cover the loss of Bernard in the middle in the near future.
Overall
I think the Crows have done well. Whilst I don't like Harvey at 23, I'd be happy with him at 46 and I'd be happy with Hewett at 23 so swap the selections around and Adelaide should be quite happy with their drafting.
ADELAIDE
Pick #23 - Mitch Harvey
I'm not a huge Mitch Harvey fan tbh. Adelaide have obviously decided to try fill a need here with their lack of tall forwards and the inclusion of Pods is only a stop-gap. Was having a read of the reasoning for the selection and it was as a ready-made KPF who can play a bit of ruck. I think this is one of the common misconceptions about Harvey. He has a long way to go till he is ready for AFL level footy. He needs to build a tank up first and I think still needs to develop some match-smartness. The one I would have gone with as a good fit for Adelaide would have been Hourigan. Him and Walker with Jenkins 3rd tall/2nd ruck would be a tough match up in the years to come.
Pick #46 - George Hewett
Hewett is a fantastic get at pick #46 and one who is steadily rising in my rankings. I still think I have him too low. If Hewett is there at 46 in the real thing then I expect Adelaide to snap him up as a local boy. Hewett is a quality outside/inside midfielder who I think can easily cover the loss of Bernard in the middle in the near future.
Overall
I think the Crows have done well. Whilst I don't like Harvey at 23, I'd be happy with him at 46 and I'd be happy with Hewett at 23 so swap the selections around and Adelaide should be quite happy with their drafting.
BRISBANE
Pick #7 - Dom Sheed
Number 2 on my ratings currently and the perfect pick for Brisbane in my eyes. Sheed is one of the more underrated guys going around and I feel it's due to people rating others based on what they MIGHT become and knocking Sheed for what he actually is. A tough, skilled inside mid who can push forward and impact the scoreboard. Sheed moved from Kalgoorlie to further his footy career and I think it's a safe pick for Brisbane that he won't get homesick.
Pick #22 - Darcy Gardiner
Not one I'd personally take here, but Brisbane have a need and it seems to be about his draft range. My query is will he be big enough to play as a KPD or is he more 3rd tall? My thinking is 3rd tall hence he's down my ratings a bit. If he can play as a genuine KPD and hold down a spot for 10 years this could prove to be a bargain pick. I just have my doubts.
Pick #25 - Luke Reynolds
I just don't see it with Reynolds. He's a KPF in a medium forwards body. He does have lovely skills though but I just query at 188cm with a lack of speed is he ever going to be able to get enough separation on his opponent to be able to get enough ball to use his skills to hurt the opposition. Good mark and good kick though so he does have some draftable attributes. My other worry is he is so left-sided that he has a huge arc and wind-up which will be easy for smart defenders to corral at AFL level.
Pick #28 - James Tsitas
Good, safe pick here for Brissy and will really add to the midfield. A real hard-worker who with your 4th pick you'd be more than happy with. Whilst not the same position I think he will be a fair replacement for Elliot Yeo. One I'm really interested to see where he goes on draft night as he's a real hard worker and all-rounder but doesn't have any real weapons.
Pick #33 - Darcy Hourigan
Now is where I start to really like Brisbane's draft. Hourigan will give them a big-bodied KPF with some real talent. Despite the concerns on his height he's a similar size to Jack Darling and is super clean at ground level for his size. I think he has A-grade potential with his booming kick and strength.
Pick #34 - Darcy Cameron
Gives them a back-up ruck to Leuenberger in the future. What I like is Cameron shows potential to be solid up forward as well. Nice tap ruckman who will get his hands dirty at ground level. Has elite skills for a ruckman IMO. Great pick-up and Brisbane are keen in the real thing.
Pick #63 - Jono Freeman
Already happened in the real thing and a good pick up for Brissy. Could make a great partnership with Hourigan. A future of Hourigan, Freeman and Cameron as the 2nd ruck/KPF is looking bright for Brisbane. They just need to retain them.
Overall
Some nice pick-ups for Brisbane. Have obviously sensed a weakness in their talls and really addressed that. Whilst, also adding some toughness and resilience to their midfield. Only pick-up I don't like is Reynolds so they have had a good draft overall.
Pick #7 - Dom Sheed
Number 2 on my ratings currently and the perfect pick for Brisbane in my eyes. Sheed is one of the more underrated guys going around and I feel it's due to people rating others based on what they MIGHT become and knocking Sheed for what he actually is. A tough, skilled inside mid who can push forward and impact the scoreboard. Sheed moved from Kalgoorlie to further his footy career and I think it's a safe pick for Brisbane that he won't get homesick.
Pick #22 - Darcy Gardiner
Not one I'd personally take here, but Brisbane have a need and it seems to be about his draft range. My query is will he be big enough to play as a KPD or is he more 3rd tall? My thinking is 3rd tall hence he's down my ratings a bit. If he can play as a genuine KPD and hold down a spot for 10 years this could prove to be a bargain pick. I just have my doubts.
Pick #25 - Luke Reynolds
I just don't see it with Reynolds. He's a KPF in a medium forwards body. He does have lovely skills though but I just query at 188cm with a lack of speed is he ever going to be able to get enough separation on his opponent to be able to get enough ball to use his skills to hurt the opposition. Good mark and good kick though so he does have some draftable attributes. My other worry is he is so left-sided that he has a huge arc and wind-up which will be easy for smart defenders to corral at AFL level.
Pick #28 - James Tsitas
Good, safe pick here for Brissy and will really add to the midfield. A real hard-worker who with your 4th pick you'd be more than happy with. Whilst not the same position I think he will be a fair replacement for Elliot Yeo. One I'm really interested to see where he goes on draft night as he's a real hard worker and all-rounder but doesn't have any real weapons.
Pick #33 - Darcy Hourigan
Now is where I start to really like Brisbane's draft. Hourigan will give them a big-bodied KPF with some real talent. Despite the concerns on his height he's a similar size to Jack Darling and is super clean at ground level for his size. I think he has A-grade potential with his booming kick and strength.
Pick #34 - Darcy Cameron
Gives them a back-up ruck to Leuenberger in the future. What I like is Cameron shows potential to be solid up forward as well. Nice tap ruckman who will get his hands dirty at ground level. Has elite skills for a ruckman IMO. Great pick-up and Brisbane are keen in the real thing.
Pick #63 - Jono Freeman
Already happened in the real thing and a good pick up for Brissy. Could make a great partnership with Hourigan. A future of Hourigan, Freeman and Cameron as the 2nd ruck/KPF is looking bright for Brisbane. They just need to retain them.
Overall
Some nice pick-ups for Brisbane. Have obviously sensed a weakness in their talls and really addressed that. Whilst, also adding some toughness and resilience to their midfield. Only pick-up I don't like is Reynolds so they have had a good draft overall.
CARLTON
Pick #13 - Cam McCarthy
Though he won't be an immediate fit, I really like McCarthy and think Carlton would be smart to grab him. Easily the 2nd best KPF in this draft class and very worthy of 1st round pick. Very raw but strong mark, very athletic and huge potential.
Pick #39 - Zac Merrett
Another nice pick-up. Really liked his game against the NT at the Champs and overall had a very solid Champs for VC. I doubt he is here in the real thing so good pick-up.
Pick #51 - Alex Spencer
Blues need a KPD and snap one up here which is a good idea this late. Though I'm still not sure where I stand on Spencer. I think he's more a rookie pick. I'm not convinced this kid will be able to hold down FB despite doing it at the Champs. And as a 3rd tall I feel there are better options.
Pick #69 - Mav Weller
Very good pick-up this late. Blues need some more grunt in the midfield and this kid will at least provide that. He has talent though and Blues should look to try bring that out of him.
Overall
I think the Blues have done well. First pick would be close to best available and fills a need which is always a win. Merrett again could be argued as a best available choice and a good one as he probably goes top 30 on the night. I'm not a big fan of Spencer and I think there were better options either as a KPD or a 3rd tall. Unfortunately Carlton seem to have done quite well here so lets hope they balls it up in the real deal.
Pick #13 - Cam McCarthy
Though he won't be an immediate fit, I really like McCarthy and think Carlton would be smart to grab him. Easily the 2nd best KPF in this draft class and very worthy of 1st round pick. Very raw but strong mark, very athletic and huge potential.
Pick #39 - Zac Merrett
Another nice pick-up. Really liked his game against the NT at the Champs and overall had a very solid Champs for VC. I doubt he is here in the real thing so good pick-up.
Pick #51 - Alex Spencer
Blues need a KPD and snap one up here which is a good idea this late. Though I'm still not sure where I stand on Spencer. I think he's more a rookie pick. I'm not convinced this kid will be able to hold down FB despite doing it at the Champs. And as a 3rd tall I feel there are better options.
Pick #69 - Mav Weller
Very good pick-up this late. Blues need some more grunt in the midfield and this kid will at least provide that. He has talent though and Blues should look to try bring that out of him.
Overall
I think the Blues have done well. First pick would be close to best available and fills a need which is always a win. Merrett again could be argued as a best available choice and a good one as he probably goes top 30 on the night. I'm not a big fan of Spencer and I think there were better options either as a KPD or a 3rd tall. Unfortunately Carlton seem to have done quite well here so lets hope they balls it up in the real deal.
COLLINGWOOD
Pick #6 - Matthew Scharenberg
Nice pick up for the Pies. Heath who? Scharenberg will be a nice long term replacement for Shaw and then some. Big, strong, athletic with nice skills I think he can do all the things Shaw could do for the Pies plus he's bigger and better overhead and won't have the weekly brain fade.
Pick #10 - Christian Salem
Another nice get especially at 10. Won't be here in the real thing and I could see them grabbing him at 6 and Scharenberg at 10 in real life. Has a lot of nice attributes. He's a really nice user of the footy on the outside and moves really well but is also tough and can win his own ball and rack up the tackles on the inside. I think he's a top 5 pick.
Pick #67 - Tom Vandeleur
Pies could use another 3rd tall defender for when Maxwell is finally given the arse and at pick 67 Vandeleur is value. Has a nice balance of attack and defence and if he makes the grade would prevent them using Scharenberg in this role.
Overall
Some very good picks for the Pies and was going to be hard to stuff them up. I think in reality they will have to go Salem first because otherwise Melbourne will nab him whereas I think Scharenberg could get to 10 where as in a forum Phantom Draft I don't think Scharenberg gets to 10. Vandeleur is also a nice fit for the team.
Pick #6 - Matthew Scharenberg
Nice pick up for the Pies. Heath who? Scharenberg will be a nice long term replacement for Shaw and then some. Big, strong, athletic with nice skills I think he can do all the things Shaw could do for the Pies plus he's bigger and better overhead and won't have the weekly brain fade.
Pick #10 - Christian Salem
Another nice get especially at 10. Won't be here in the real thing and I could see them grabbing him at 6 and Scharenberg at 10 in real life. Has a lot of nice attributes. He's a really nice user of the footy on the outside and moves really well but is also tough and can win his own ball and rack up the tackles on the inside. I think he's a top 5 pick.
Pick #67 - Tom Vandeleur
Pies could use another 3rd tall defender for when Maxwell is finally given the arse and at pick 67 Vandeleur is value. Has a nice balance of attack and defence and if he makes the grade would prevent them using Scharenberg in this role.
Overall
Some very good picks for the Pies and was going to be hard to stuff them up. I think in reality they will have to go Salem first because otherwise Melbourne will nab him whereas I think Scharenberg could get to 10 where as in a forum Phantom Draft I don't think Scharenberg gets to 10. Vandeleur is also a nice fit for the team.
ESSENDON
Pick #26 - Jarman Impey
Impey is one of my favourites of this draft and is one of the 2 I'll be annoyed to miss out on because we gave up 32. Otherwise I was happy to give it up. This kid is everything Garlett is built up to be but isn't IMO. Quick, skilled, can win his own ball, hit the scoreboard and on top has a big leap and is strong overhead.
Pick #55 - James Sicily
Boom or bust pick here. Could get a gun or could get a dud. Who knows which way Sicily goes. I've seen him compared to Fyfe but I feel that's a strange comparison because what makes Fyfe Fyfe is his contested game in the midfield and size. Sicily has neither. Though he does have a reasonable forward game.
Pick #66 - Joel Tippett
Probably the best of the state league KPD's. My only issue is that he's been tried and failed twice. I think it would be best to give someone else like Sully a try instead but Tippett has been better at state level. Maybe that's just his level though?
Overall
Impey is a bargain at pick 26 IMO and if Sicily comes on this could be a great draft for Essendon to strengthen their forward line. Tippett adds some insurance to their defence as well and if he succeeds then maybe they can move Carlisle forward.
Pick #26 - Jarman Impey
Impey is one of my favourites of this draft and is one of the 2 I'll be annoyed to miss out on because we gave up 32. Otherwise I was happy to give it up. This kid is everything Garlett is built up to be but isn't IMO. Quick, skilled, can win his own ball, hit the scoreboard and on top has a big leap and is strong overhead.
Pick #55 - James Sicily
Boom or bust pick here. Could get a gun or could get a dud. Who knows which way Sicily goes. I've seen him compared to Fyfe but I feel that's a strange comparison because what makes Fyfe Fyfe is his contested game in the midfield and size. Sicily has neither. Though he does have a reasonable forward game.
Pick #66 - Joel Tippett
Probably the best of the state league KPD's. My only issue is that he's been tried and failed twice. I think it would be best to give someone else like Sully a try instead but Tippett has been better at state level. Maybe that's just his level though?
Overall
Impey is a bargain at pick 26 IMO and if Sicily comes on this could be a great draft for Essendon to strengthen their forward line. Tippett adds some insurance to their defence as well and if he succeeds then maybe they can move Carlisle forward.
FREMANTLE
Pick #17 - Jono Marsh
Risky pick for Freo, which i think was based on needs. I don't think he's a KPF personally. He's a mid in a KPP body IMO and that's going to be a risk. Where do you play him? For mine he's soft overhead and likes to use his speed so that he doesn't have to play contested footy. I think he could burst onto the scene like Brennan and then just disappear.
Pick #37 - Isaiah Miller
Nice size and a typical Freo type pick. I think they need to look at replenishing their rebounding defenders and Miller will do that. He's not one I'm all that keen on but I haven't seen a lot so maybe I've just missed the good stuff.
Pick #58 - Alex Pearce
Another risk because he has all the athletic tools to make it and is quite skilful but he is a big project in that he's so skinny. I think Freo is a good fit for this kid on the big ground and could see him playing Michael Johnson's role long-term.
Pick #73 - Aliir Aliir
Aliir is very much a project and one of those athletes before footballer type picks. As a rookie he may be worth picking up but he just has no football smarts and doesn't know how to use his body in a contest which isn't a great combination for a KPD.
Overall
I'm not sold on the picks for Freo. Marsh could well prove me wrong but I'm currently not convinced. I like the next 2 picks for Freo for their future needs. Aliir I really wanted to see succeed but I don't think he will. I think he needs to develop his game further before getting a go on a list.
Pick #17 - Jono Marsh
Risky pick for Freo, which i think was based on needs. I don't think he's a KPF personally. He's a mid in a KPP body IMO and that's going to be a risk. Where do you play him? For mine he's soft overhead and likes to use his speed so that he doesn't have to play contested footy. I think he could burst onto the scene like Brennan and then just disappear.
Pick #37 - Isaiah Miller
Nice size and a typical Freo type pick. I think they need to look at replenishing their rebounding defenders and Miller will do that. He's not one I'm all that keen on but I haven't seen a lot so maybe I've just missed the good stuff.
Pick #58 - Alex Pearce
Another risk because he has all the athletic tools to make it and is quite skilful but he is a big project in that he's so skinny. I think Freo is a good fit for this kid on the big ground and could see him playing Michael Johnson's role long-term.
Pick #73 - Aliir Aliir
Aliir is very much a project and one of those athletes before footballer type picks. As a rookie he may be worth picking up but he just has no football smarts and doesn't know how to use his body in a contest which isn't a great combination for a KPD.
Overall
I'm not sold on the picks for Freo. Marsh could well prove me wrong but I'm currently not convinced. I like the next 2 picks for Freo for their future needs. Aliir I really wanted to see succeed but I don't think he will. I think he needs to develop his game further before getting a go on a list.
GEELONG
Pick #16 - Nathan Freeman
Freeman is one who has a lot of athletic qualities but is also one I never really warmed to as a top 10 pick and he's sliding down my rankings. I think pick 15-20 is about right for him. Just seems to lack footy smarts and his skills aren't that great.
Pick #36 - Zac Jones
On the other end of the scale from Freeman, Jones is moving up my rankings. I currently have him in the same range as Freeman and is an absolute bargain at this point. Should go top 20 on the day and top 25 at worst.
Pick #41 - Mitch Honeychurch
Honeychurch can play, but he is very, very light and is very injury prone from what I can gather. Personally I think he's a risky pick but at pick 41 the talent is at least there.
Pick #54 - Ben Brown
With the injury prone Vardy pencilled in as that forward/ruck and having lost his back-up in Trent West, I think Brown could be an astute pick-up for Geelong. Seems about the right range to nab him too as not sure he'd last to 64.
Pick #64 - Fraser Fort
Bit of a utility Fort and Geelong have gone with the local boy. Not one I'm a huge fan of but is a good fit for Geelong as they need a KPD.
Pick #74 - Clayton McCartney
I keep changing my mind on McCartney. I think he lacks a bit of speed for the role he will play but at the same time he makes up for it with his smarts and just knows how to get loose. Technically pick 74 is like a rookie pick and could be a real value pick as a rookie.
Overall
I think Geelong have done quite well with Freeman, Jones, Brown and McCartney. Honeychurch could be a good get too if he stays healthy and puts some size on. Not convinced on Fort but with his size for a KPD can see why people like him and Geelong have a need there so understand the pick.
Pick #16 - Nathan Freeman
Freeman is one who has a lot of athletic qualities but is also one I never really warmed to as a top 10 pick and he's sliding down my rankings. I think pick 15-20 is about right for him. Just seems to lack footy smarts and his skills aren't that great.
Pick #36 - Zac Jones
On the other end of the scale from Freeman, Jones is moving up my rankings. I currently have him in the same range as Freeman and is an absolute bargain at this point. Should go top 20 on the day and top 25 at worst.
Pick #41 - Mitch Honeychurch
Honeychurch can play, but he is very, very light and is very injury prone from what I can gather. Personally I think he's a risky pick but at pick 41 the talent is at least there.
Pick #54 - Ben Brown
With the injury prone Vardy pencilled in as that forward/ruck and having lost his back-up in Trent West, I think Brown could be an astute pick-up for Geelong. Seems about the right range to nab him too as not sure he'd last to 64.
Pick #64 - Fraser Fort
Bit of a utility Fort and Geelong have gone with the local boy. Not one I'm a huge fan of but is a good fit for Geelong as they need a KPD.
Pick #74 - Clayton McCartney
I keep changing my mind on McCartney. I think he lacks a bit of speed for the role he will play but at the same time he makes up for it with his smarts and just knows how to get loose. Technically pick 74 is like a rookie pick and could be a real value pick as a rookie.
Overall
I think Geelong have done quite well with Freeman, Jones, Brown and McCartney. Honeychurch could be a good get too if he stays healthy and puts some size on. Not convinced on Fort but with his size for a KPD can see why people like him and Geelong have a need there so understand the pick.
GOLD COAST
Pick #5 - Kade Kolodjashnij
Perfect fit for GC as they need a rebounding HBF. KK can play other areas too but at GC I expect him to play a Birchall type role and perform it well.
Pick #20 - Trent Dumont
Dumont is a good solid player but has just never been one to really excite me. Doesn't have a lot of weapons at his disposal for mine but at a pick between 20-30 could be a solid pick-up.
Pick #27 - Dayle Garlett
I think this could very well be a real pick. Though they haven't been linked to him I've heard some whispers they are a chance to snap him up in this range. Just the type that Clayton likes.
Pick #61 - Jake Kolodjashnij
Bargain, absolute bargain. If GC want to pair the twins up I think they may have to use pick 20 on JK as I think he may go before 27. Really risen up my rankings of late and would love him to be available at our later picks but I can't see it.
Pick #79 - Seb Guilhaus
Ruckman from Central Districts. Very definition of plucking a guy from obscurity. Very good state league ruck but can't see him transitioning to AFL level. He'd be sub-200cm and not overly athletic.
Pick #97 - Kane Lambert
Nice pick-up with effectively the last pick in the draft. Been very good at VFL level and will be a nice plug and play type for GC.
Overall
I think GC have had a very successful draft. The twins will both be very good AFL players IMO, whilst Garlett with their 3rd pick and hidden away up in GC could be a blessing. Though the nightlife up there could be a disaster. ;D Dumont will be a solid addition to their midfield though in such a star-studded midfield he may only be a back-up for a while. Lambert will be a nice addition to add straight away but I'm not sold on the Guilhaus addition, but can't say I've seen much of him so maybe GC are onto something here.
Pick #5 - Kade Kolodjashnij
Perfect fit for GC as they need a rebounding HBF. KK can play other areas too but at GC I expect him to play a Birchall type role and perform it well.
Pick #20 - Trent Dumont
Dumont is a good solid player but has just never been one to really excite me. Doesn't have a lot of weapons at his disposal for mine but at a pick between 20-30 could be a solid pick-up.
Pick #27 - Dayle Garlett
I think this could very well be a real pick. Though they haven't been linked to him I've heard some whispers they are a chance to snap him up in this range. Just the type that Clayton likes.
Pick #61 - Jake Kolodjashnij
Bargain, absolute bargain. If GC want to pair the twins up I think they may have to use pick 20 on JK as I think he may go before 27. Really risen up my rankings of late and would love him to be available at our later picks but I can't see it.
Pick #79 - Seb Guilhaus
Ruckman from Central Districts. Very definition of plucking a guy from obscurity. Very good state league ruck but can't see him transitioning to AFL level. He'd be sub-200cm and not overly athletic.
Pick #97 - Kane Lambert
Nice pick-up with effectively the last pick in the draft. Been very good at VFL level and will be a nice plug and play type for GC.
Overall
I think GC have had a very successful draft. The twins will both be very good AFL players IMO, whilst Garlett with their 3rd pick and hidden away up in GC could be a blessing. Though the nightlife up there could be a disaster. ;D Dumont will be a solid addition to their midfield though in such a star-studded midfield he may only be a back-up for a while. Lambert will be a nice addition to add straight away but I'm not sold on the Guilhaus addition, but can't say I've seen much of him so maybe GC are onto something here.
